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Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20757, 18 January 1933, Page 7

The danthonia grass was so high round a vicarage near Auckland that the vicar. who had watched it grow and ripen, decided it must be cut. put on old clothes and started the work. A visitor to the district appeared and asked if he might look at the church. The request was granted. After inspecting the church the visitor watched the grass cutting. "We can't get any of the laymen down our way to do that," he said. "Neither can I, said the vicar. That the owner of a farm property should remain for 10 years unaware of the presence in the cottage thereon of a tenant seems almost incredible, yet such was the story unfolded to the Southland Electric Power Board at its meeting yesterday. The owner concerned is a wcll-knowyi Southland farmer, -whose'first advice of the fact that there was a tenant on his property; and that an installation of electricity had been carried out, was when he recently received notice of the steps taken by the Board to recover the balance due on [ the installation. During the last 10 [ years the owner, who was not in the habit of visiting tho property, had no knowledge of the occupant, had never collected any rent, and all the time had paid the rates. He had no idea that electricity had been installed until he received the recent notification from the Power Board. Members of the Board were plainly amazed at the man's story; and when, after the owner had retired, the chairman (Mr "W. Hinchey) asked for an expression of opinion, Mr A. H. Hoyles replied, "Send the whole thing .to 'Punch.'■"—Press Association.