LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 292, 13 June 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A number of those interested in the Putaruru saleyards indulged in a working bee and effected some needed improvements, especially in the matter of the division of the sheep pens.

Though not afflicted to the same extent as other places, Putaruru has not altogether escaped the influenza invasion, and quite a number of residents have been obliged to lay up for a few days.

The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) passed through Putaruru on Friday evening’s Rotorua express. During the stop at Putaruru Sir Josepn came out on to the platform and indulged in conversation with several local residents.

“ I am convinced that nowhere can butterfat be produced so economically and of such consistently good quality as in New Zealand,” said Mr. J. McConnell, of Walton, who has recently returned from a trip to the British Isles and the Continent.

Playing in the United-Kiwitahi junior Rugby match or Mor"".'''' ‘le. on Saturday, a youth, Edward Tyler, ..a meniuer or the LunLeu ciuo, residing at Tauhei, sustained a severe fracture of the right leg. After receiving medical attention at Morrinsville he was transferred to the Waikato hospital.

“ City people seem to think that the farmers are rolling in money," said a Morrinsville district farmer the other day. “ The fact is they are not. The town resident sees him at his best when he attends the races in all his glory. But perilous the poor beggar has borrowed £5 from his dairy company to go.

Sir Joseph Ward was in good form at Rotorua and his address at the public meeting was punctuated with sallies of humour. While he was dealing with the question of railways an interjector called out “ Too much imposition.” to which the Prime Minister replied, “ I think you are quite right, though I did not hear what you said.”

The speed at which a number of motorists travel through Putaruru is a matter that should engage the attention of the responsible authorities, for of late it has been noticeable ’hat in many coses it is excessive. One day last week no less than three cars were racing to get past each other, and this at a partied l arly-bad bend near the town. This is by no means an isolated case.

The very sensible policy of live and let live was expounded at Rotorua by the Prime Minister on Friday evening in referring to the Government’s action in stopping the use of the post office as a collecting agency for the cash-on-de’iverv system. Thousands of people in New Zealand are paying taxes, etc., and have demonstrated their faith in their various towns by erecting expensive buildings, said Sir Joseph, and he could not reconcile his conscience to a system that was eating at the very vitals of their existence. This lesson can. be taken to heart not on'y by Government denartments but by some local bodies as well.

Speaking at the reception to Sir Joseph Ward at Retorn' l after- tb" close of the nublic meeting, Mr. G H. Clinkard, M.P., said he made only one promise during the election campaign, and that was to the authorities in charge of the Salvation Army boys’ home and farm at Putaruru. The road thereto is in a had wmand he promised to do what he could to have +bis ra-redied. Tp this connection Mr. Clinkard, after paying a tribute to the excellent work done by the Salvation Armv in this respect, said be was in noq-c-'Sntinu with the Minister of Public Works to see if something could not be done in the wav of unemployment works or otherwise.

Misses Goldie and Ormiston, who accompanied tne former's tatner on his visit to Putaruru, were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Reid.

Mr. Gow, who has been relieving manager at the Putaruru branch of the Bank of New Zealand, returned to Wellington last evening.

Rev. J. F. Goldie, president of the New Zealand Methodist Confeience, was the guest of Rev. and Mrs. H. Ashworth during his stay in Putaruru.

The summary cf cash received by the Putaruru Town Board, as presented to the board at its meeting on Monday, showed that £226 5s was received for the month of May.

That 33 motor drivers’ licenses hact been issued in one day by the Putaruru Town Board was the information given to the board at its meeting on Monday by the clerk (Mr. Dukeson).

The position of station superintendent at the Arapuni hydro-electric power station has been tilled by the appointment of Mr. W. H. G. Watson, who is first station operator at the Lake Coleridge station.

“ The Government is like anybody else—if it has got you beat it jumps on you,” was the opinion of a Puketurua farmer as expressed at a meeting held there on Thursday, when the system of rating on the Unimproved value was under discussion.

To mark the services of Mrs. Olsen (nee Miss Florence Bulmer) as c-n-irUst »t. the Ar"mmi Presbyterian Church, Rev. W. T. Brabyn, on behalf of the congregation, presented her with a silver-mounted pyrex dish and vase, at the same time extending the couo-reoation’s best wishes ""it congratulations to the recipients. Mr. Bulmer replied on beliaif of his daughter.

At the last meeting of the Putaruru Chamber of Commerce it was decided to forward copies of the Putaruru Press, containing reports of the visit of the Minister of Lands and Agriculture (the Hon. G. W. Forbes), tc the Prime Minister and members of the Parliamentary party that toured the district early in the year. The chamber has received an acknowledgment from Sir Joseph Ward thanking them for bringing the matters under his notice.

The unusual spectacle of thousands of gar fish (piper), a delectable eating fish, strewn along the water's edge at the Waihi beach was afforded residents and visitors recently (says the Waihi Telegraph). An eye witness said that the fish could be seen in an almost unbroken line for miles along the beach. A fairly rough sea had prevailed for several days previously, and this no doubt accounted for their being thrown up. A great number of the fish were alive.

That Canada obtained 57 millions sterling from its tourist traffic was the information given by the Prime Minister during his speech at Rotorua on Friday evening. “ Think what this would mean to us,” he said.

“More than all the woo', frozen meat, butter and cheese in New Zealand. The Government is determined to encourage tourists to visit this country.” Sir Joseph Ward also added that he had entered into arrangements with a well-known San Francisco firm of tourist agents to bring snocla'ly-conducted parties to New Zealand.

The young people of the Presbyterian Church held an enjoyable social on Friday evening, when there was a large attendance, presided over by Rev. W. T. Brabyn. Games and competitions with a programme of musical items filled in the evening pleasantly. The following contributed to the pleasure of those present : Duet, Misses N. Benton and E. Wheeler ; cornet solo, Master R. Benton ; song, Mr. G. Brown ; recitation, Arnold Toners ; duet, Misses W. Whee’er and N. Benton ; song, Mr. Hollinvshead junior ; steel guitar solo, Mr. Gawith junior ; song, Miss Hollingshead. Mrs. Rigger played the accompaniment for Mr.

Gawith’s item. The Sunday school children sang a hymn. Supper provided by the ladies was greatly appreciated.

When the general business stage of the agenda paper of the Putaruru Town Board was reached on Monday night Mr. Tomalin brought forward the matter of improving the footwalk on the Overdale road, holding that it could be done at very little expense. Mr. Barr Brown considered the cost would be fairly great, for it would mean breaking up the crown of the road. He suggested getting the engineer’s report on the subject. The chairman (Mr. McDermott) suggested getting an estimate of the cost or the work, while Mr. Yandle favoured having the work done in fine weather. Mr. Tomalin said it wou’d be necessary to take tfie crest of the road from the schoolmaster’s residence to Putaruru. It was decided to get the engineer to report on the matter.