OHAUPO.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 364, 8 November 1898, Page 2

OHAUPO.

Petty Thieving.—l icgret to say that there have been several complaints lately of loss of persoual property at balls. At the footballers' ball held here recently no less than three young men lost their boots; it is no use mincing matters, these boots were stolen. If caught the thieves would no doubt have pleaded a mistake, or that "it was only a joke." This sort of thing is not confined to Ohaupo. A young man told rr.e some time back that he went to a ball at Cambridge, and as matter of security he wrapped his walking boots in his great coat, which he put under a seat. When leaving he found the boots had been taken. He was just in time to see a man trying them on, who of course said he thought they were his, but the appropriator's own boots were so worn that a mistake was impossible. I have been told that in Te Awamutu hats often change heads in a most unaccountable manner. It i 3 quite time some steps were taken to discover and punish these mean pilferers. Flax Dressing.—Now that New Zealand flax is again coming to the fore, would it not be well to take advantage of the present remunerative prices and work up more of the raw material available. I would suggest a method that might be worthy of consideration, viz., that some enterprising men start a travelling machine, and when one swamp is worked out shift to another, the coarse fibre being stacked and thatched at each place. It could be then left till a more convenient time, when it could be carted to some central place, where the scutching mill would be erected and the fibre finished ready for market. There are many swamps where a few hundred tons of green flax would be available, but not enough to warrant the erection of a hrge plant. If seme such plan as the above were adopted I tliinK it could be made to pay well, as there would be less carting, and that is a considerable item to take into account. I spoke to one experienced flax-dresser, and he thought the idea was a good one and worth a trial.— (Own Correspondent).