Matiere.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 341, 1 March 1911, Page 5

Matiere.

The dense smoke prevailing during the last week or two has now, much to out- relief, lifted. The smoke did not seem so much the result of local burning as that of heavy lires in the Otunui and adjacent blocks, n<nvly opened on the Wanganui river. A tire which ran down the Ohura river bank from the sixteen-mile destroyed Mr Hoar's bridge over the stream, which was a considerable loss to that settler. Messrs Mossman and Graham have burnt their suburban and town sections with good results and a bad burn this year is rather the exception than the rule. Wc are now enjoying a daily mail service and the luxury of a dailypaper not over a day old in its news items is a novelty. A social and dance in aid of the funds of the local tennis club proved a success and was well attended, making, I believe, a considerable addition to the funds of the racquet votaries. The tennis court is a general rendevouz of a Thursday afternoon, when the ladies dispense tea and cake to the exhausted men folk. Milk supplies at the local factory have gone down considerably as the result of the drying wind and hot weather, but, though the pasture is dry there is still ample water in the creeks and springs, though I do not remember seeing the Ohura river at so low a level before. Mr J. Hunt is busy erecting a baker's oven adjacent to Messrs Kelly Bros.' butcher's shop. Thiswill.no doubt, be greatly esteemed by those who have hitherto been forced to bake their own bread, and be very handy in catering for social functions and picnics, the jolting converting many dainty confections and pin the past into an "olla podrida" by the time they came off the coach. Mr Carter senr., one of our sturdy pioneers, with his worthy helpmeet, has left us to reside at his Cambridge homestead, and we all wish a restful eventide to this aged and worthy couple who have borne a number of years of mud and discomfort that might well appal a younger pair. A large amount of cartage is being done upon the roads just now, and every wheel vehicle seems to have been put into commission. Most of the wool has now gone, bar odd straggling lots which continue to dribble to the rail.

A large number of sheep still come in and go out, but the import 3 largely exceed the exports, the moat of the latter being fat wethers. The local saleyards have recently undergone a transformation in the ; matter of sheep accommodation, a j large number of pens being added j with drafting conveniences on an I extended scale. The yards as they are at present should be capable of working at least twenty thousand sheep in conjunction with the twenty acres of subdivision and paddocks attached, and with a capacity of about two thousand cattle these yards constitute one of the largest and most up-to-date in the King Country. A neat oflice has also been erected, and one can only surmise that the Auctioneering Company have every faith in the future of Matiere and district, and with them success of their labours. Mr Owens, of Otangiwai, has ordered a steam milking plant for next season, and Mr Warren, of the Main road, is aNo procuring a similar boiler plant to deal with an increased herd of cows for next season. A gang of men has been busy lately taking down cuttings and deepening fillings through Matiere township and also along the main road towaul Ongarue preparatory to metalling with sandstone. Waggon loads of fascines are also being carted to make a good bottom in the swampy parts. A number of drays are engaged carting pumice from the eleven-mile pit in this direction, and a road grader and road scoops are also busy nearer Ongarue. A number of Matiere friends of Mr Edmondson, who recently left this district for England, have subscribed several guineas to be used in the purchase of a collection of well-bound books bearing on New Zealand, which j arc to be forwarded to his present destination at the earliest opportu- ! niity. Mr Kdmondson while here j gained many friends in all clciiomina- [ t'iuns by his kindly and sincere manner i and Tactful forethought, and it was | felt that we could not let him cross back over "the herring pond" without some little memento of his stay among Miss Towers, wno tor many years | has managed Matiere House as house- ! keeper, has also departed on an ex- | tended holiday to Australia, and | before leaving was the guest at a ! social given by her friends, when she was presented with a purse of sovi ereig'ns. We all wish the recipient a J happy lime on her well earned holiday. j Considerable amusement has boen ! caused by the announcement in your j last issue that the Ohura Medical j Association had under consideration i Iho establishment of a nurse at MaI tiere, and the attached slur stating I that the Matiere people had drawn subsidy to which they had no claim, leaves no one in doubt as to your cor-

respondent's identity. If your correspondent thirsts for knowledge as to i what is being done let him call on the secretary at Ma tie re and he will ; abundantly satisfy him. No doubt the ; proposed narso will eventuate about the time that co-operative creamery is established at Matiere 1 am authorised to state that no money for any period in which a doctor was not resident was drawn and any attempt to interfere with the subsidy will bring developments little dreamed of by the person who has allowed his spleen to outrun his judgment. For the benefit of your readers here I may stare that a medical man from Home will be procured very shortly, and I ' trust this may prove a sedative for your correspondent's attack of " liver." With a house and grounds of their own it is not likely this end of the , district would have a nurse, useless in accidents, foisted on them by an association which charges the modest sum of five shillings per mile on top of ordinary charges —a contrast to the liberal manner in which the Mangaroa people were treated when they were in the same position as the Northern Ohura Medical Association are at present. In any case if Matiere wanted a nurse the district is sufficiently progressive to procure one.