LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 306, 19 September 1929, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. R. G. Hutton has been elected chairman of the Putaruru Library Committee in place of Mr. J. S. Reid, who has left the district.

Mr. P. Wells, of the. Taupo post office staff, has been transferred to Putaruru and commenced his duties on Monday. Mr. R. G. Boggs, of Putaruru, replaced Mr. Wells at Taupo.

Messrs. Priestly and East, inspectors under the Auckland Education Board, paid official visits, to the Putaruru District High School on Monday.

The directors of the Tokoroa Dairy Company have decided to make an advance payment of Is Od for the month of August. The total payout, including the payment of the bonus, will be £2OOO.

At a meeting of directors of the Tokoroa Co-operative Dairy Company held at the close of the annual meeting Mr. John Mossop was re-elected chairman.

The monthly community sing held under the auspices of the Putaruru Presbyterian Church eventuated in the church hall on Friday evening. Mr. George Brown led the singing and an enjoyable time was spent.

The box circle of the Putaruru branch of the W.E.A. met at Mrs. Alcorn’s residence last week, when “ Post Impressionism in Art ” was discussed. Mr. R. G. Hutton led the lecture, at the close of which several plays were read. Mrs. Alcorn entertained the guests to supper.

Rev. W. T. Brabyn, of Tirau, is again indisposed, suffering from a weakened heart following on influenza. Mr. Brabyn hopes to be able to be about again this week. The services in Mr. Brabyn’s district last Sunday were conducted by Mr. Schofield, of Matamata.

Mrs. Dodson, who has been in charge of the Putaruru company of Girl Guides as captain for some time, has resigned. Her services will -be greatly missed by the girls. Miss Jones, of Waotu, has been appointed to the position vacated by Mrs. Dodson.

Commenting on the motor regulation which demands that a driver of a car stop at a railway crossing and look for a train, a member of the Putaruru Town Board remarked, amidst laughter, at Monday’s meeting, that all that was wanted now to make crossings perfectly safe was to make the same regulation apply to the engine driver.

At the close of the Tokoroa Cooperative Dairy Company’s annual meeting two representatives of cooperative concerns addressed the assembled farmers, and the remarks of one of the speakers led the meeting to assume the nature of being what journalists would describe as a “ lively meeting.” The lateness of the hour and the remarks of the speaker in question led to several' farmers leaving the meeting.

A statement was made, according to the New Zealand Smallholder, by Mr. L. Poynter, Government Orchard Instructor for Canterbury, that earthquakes had little effect on glasshouses. He said he had visited the West Coast of the Sputh Island, and had been through the area which had suffered in the recent upheaval. In one place a dwelling was almost completely destroyed, but a glasshouse near the back door was not damaged; not even a pane of glass was cracked.

An original plea was made by Cr. Kennedy, one of the most voluble speakers at the Piako County Council meeting on Monday. “ I do not think you heard what I was saying this morning, Mr. Chairman, as there were six or seven talking at the same time,” he said. Cr. Kennedy then proceeded to reiterate his previous remarks. The meeting was one of the noisiest for a considerable time, the chairman frequently having to call members to order for crosstable talk. Even when Cr. Lowry vacated the chair, after a meeting that lasted for five hours, cross-talk continued.—Morrinsville Star.

A feature of the bobby calf industry last year was the number of heifer calves that went to slaughter. The returns offered to farmers for the sale of three-day-old calves were sufficiently tempting to induce many farmers to dispose of their calves and buy heifers at profit to fill up their herds. This was reflected in the stock market, young heifers bringing high prices. This year the opposite is the result. Calf buyers have noted that farmers are disposing of their bull calves only, rearing a percentage of the heifers. One buyer, who operates on a large scale, states that of 12,000 calves bought last month less than 1000 were heifers. He predicted a slump in the heifer market later in the season.—Morrinsville Star.

During the course of an address to farmers at Morrinsville on Wednesday, Ml’. S. H. Judd, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Pig-mar-lceting Association, said that complaints had been made of a fishy flavour in the bacon pigs after the carcase had been cured. This was traced to a food taint and whale oil was considered to be the cause. Whale oil was a valuable food for store animals, but it should not be used for topping off. The point was a very important one, as if it was not remedied the export trade would be killed stone dead. It was safe to use whale oil up to within two months of killing, but should not be fed in topping off.

Replying to a question as to when the loan works would be continued on the main roads in the town, the chairman of the Putaruru Town Board stated that no date could be given, but he was hopeful of an early start being made. The situation seemed to be governed largely by political considerations. When it was published that the grant of £200,000 would be withheld from the Highways Board funds it meant that the latter body had to recast all its expenditure. The whole question of this grant had not yet been definitely settled, and, with the Government apparently playing for time so far as finances were concerned, matters were very uncertain. Close touch was being kept with the position, but until the Highways Board said “go ” the Town Board could not spend a penny of its own money. But for political considerations he thought finality would have been reached before this. Weather permitting, the Putaruru Brass Band will play a programme in Princes street on Friday, September 20, commencing at 7 p.m.*