MASTERTON NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 825, 25 May 1910, Page 3

MASTERTON NOTES.

EDUCATION DEPUTATIONS. MOTION TO RESTRICT THEM, ITrom Our Bueciai Gorrcasondenkl Masterton, May 2-1. It is understood that the oil export " who recently visited the East Coast has taken options over certain properties. He found good indications on several estates. Nearly the whole of tho stations between Mataikoua and tho northernl most part of the province were inspected, f There will be quite an exodus from t Masterton on Friday next. Beside - Messrs. C. E. Daniell- and James Elliott, '. who have been mentioned as leaving for e Australia on that day, Messrs. Orlando Pragiiell, John Morris, jun., and Robert Dagg, with one or two others, are making t a holiday trip to "the other side." Too Many Deputations. s Some months ago Mr. W. C. Buchanan, M.P., and other country members of tho Wellington Education Board, took strong - exception to the number of deputations which were waiting upon the board from -. town and suburban schools. Tho facili- -, ties offered town schools, for deputa- - tionisiug were looked upon as unfair to j country schools. The contemplation of - another deputation from Petono has proi bably induced Mr. A. H. Vile to give notice to move, at tho meeting of tho board to bo held on Tuesday, May 31, a motion to the effect that iu future no deputation shall.be received unless one month's notice has been given and the, deputation has been approved. The Masterton Parliamentary Union t resumed its session last evening, before :. crowded "galleries." Tho debate on tho f "Address-in-Reply" was continued, and :, some excellent speeches wero made' by s members on both sides. A "Land Bill," 1 embodying some important reforms, was - introduced by the "Prime Minister," and - read a first time, l r A Popular Constable. s Constable Townscnd, who has been 1 transferred to Nelson was last evening presdnted by his comrades on tho Mas- ', tcrton station with a set of razors, in ' appreciation of his many genial quali--3 ties, arid, incidentally, as a practical ' expression of. opinion concerning his ' aptitude for the position of plain clothes \ constable to which he has been promoted. ' No better testimony to merit could havo been awarded. The presentation was : made by Mr. Bennett, bailiff, and was suitably acknowledged. ; Potato-growing has been somewhat I neglected in the Wairarapa during recent yeuis. 'This is, doubtless due iu a measure to the fact that.blight has been so prevalent. Farmers should, however, remember that by the expenditure of a little labour in spraying they may successfully combat tho blight and secure good returns. There is money still in • potatoes. i Fine Year for Stock. I In conversation with a farmer who re- ! sides a few miles to the north of Masterton, your correspondent ascertained that tho present season is one of the best for stock that has been experienced for many > yeai-a. The early part of the season produced an over-growth of grass, but the dry weather of the past month or two, followed by occasional frosts, has had the liardening effect upon pastures that was desired. : Astonishing, If Correct. It' bua been often- stated by natural- , ists that everything created- has a'• use of one, sort or another. People-in this district have for so long regarded . the "biddi-biddi," or ' "burr," as 'a menuco to the farm, that it .is refreshing to be able to state that even this affectionate "weed" may be turned to useful account. A Forty-Mile Bush farmer informs tho writer, that, noticing-his calves, nibbling the burr, he tried the experiment of . boiling • some of the heads of the, weed and feeding the liquid to his young stoclc. He was surprised at tho result. 'J'he calves thrived as they had never dono before, and were absolutely free from "scours." It is known that tho despised ragwort, or St. John's Weed, is used in Franco for tho manufacture of, a very fine medicinal preparation, and who can tell tut that other things which we have been pleased in this Dominion to classify as "noxious weeds," may, iu years' to come prove a valuable asset to the country? Meanwhile, there are not a few of the scheduled noxious weeds to be found in some parts of the Masterton district. v With the departure of the big gooseberry season, which proves such a mine of wealth to the provincial journalist, there is usually something to fill, the gap. The stray dog and the bicyclist have had their season, and now tho p'umpkin must do duty for a time. Thinking, possibly, that he was advertising his patch—which he certainly did—and incidentally providing wholesome news, a local, resident this morning showed tho , writer four pumpkins, which, in tho aggregate, weighed 3701b. These ho is selling at a halfpenny per pound, and ha i assured me that a quarter of on acre of pumpkins had netted him over .£3O tliis season. It is worthy of note, as evidencing the mildness of the season, that the Tararua Ranges are absolutely- free of snow. This ■ is quite unusual for the last week Ju May. Orchestral Concert. ' The Masterton Orchestral concert in the Town Hall on Monday fcven- , ing was well attended, and was a pro- , iiounced musical success. Mr. T. C. Irving was the vocal soloist, and tho ] musical numbers were rendered by Messrs. Reihana Boyes (violin), and J. ' Candy (clarionette).' i The Eclipse, The eclipse of the moon was .witnessed ' between 5 and 6 o'clock this evening by ■ hundreds of residents. During the eclipso 1 Halley's comet was also seen to great advantage, the tail projecting .for a con- '■ siderable distance from tho nucleus. A ! second tail, reported to havo been seen' J elsewhere, was not visible. > Officers of the Stock Department in ■ Masterton ore now busily engaged in preparing phosphorised oats for the winter 1 poisoning of rabbits. The weather now 1 being experienced is particularly favourable to poisoning operations.