LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 271, 17 January 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

During the past 25 years the dairy produce of the Dominion has increased over five fold. In 1902 there were 381,492 milking cows in New Zealand. To-day the number has increased by almost a million. The latest positions of the queens ip the Putaruru carnival are as follow : Tennis 1396, bowling 800, croquet 560. Wool sold in the Dominion during the last six months totalled 159,848 bales. Taking these at £23 per bale there is a return to the growers of £3,676,404. “In getting the reduction on manures to Tokoroa I think the Chamber of Commerce has justified its existence,” said a member of the Putaruru Town Board at Monday’s meeting. The total number of sheep in the Dominion in 1928 records an increase of 1,484,794 over the previous year. The total number is 27,133,810, of which 14,482,105 are in the North Island. The motor car has not extinguished the breeding of horses. For the first time since 1918 an increase was recorded in 1928 in the number of horses in the Dominion. The total was 307,100, an increase of 3447 on the total of the previous year. “ What would you call the park? ” asked an enthusiastic supporter of the sports ground proposal, at the last Town Board meeting. “You don’t usually name the baby before it is born,” replied another member amid uproarious laughter.

“ We’ve had one test which nobody understood,” said a member of the Putaruru Town Board when the water proposals ..were; being discussed. “ I am satisfied with the spring water and will drink it for you if you like, and I say to hell with paying for another test.” (Laughter.)

Vast as may be the importance_ of primary industry to this Dominion, it yet must take second place—and a very had second, too —to the real national industry, horseracing. Several farmers at Matamata were wrathful because during the holiday period, when harvesting was in full swing, they could not get their mowing machines repaired at once but had to wait a day or more while the blacksmiths were shoeing racehorses. —Matamata Record.