Brief Mention of Happenings in Matamata and Vicinity.

Matamata Record, Volume VI, Issue 498, 20 December 1923, Page 2

Brief Mention of Happenings in Matamata and Vicinity.

Mrs. H. Kelso was on a visit to Matamata this week.

Mr. and Mrs. VV. C. Coote and Miss King left Matamata on Monday for Waiuku to attend the wedding of Dr. Lauren son and Miss Kidd.

Dr. J. T. Laurenson, of Matamata, left on Monday. He was married to Miss Kidd, at Waiuku, on Tuesday, and expects to be away about three weeks.

Quite a number of Matamata patients made a pilgrimage to Ilotorua on Monday, at which place the Hickson Mission is being conducted this week.

Mrs. Coop/r and Mr. R. Scott were the winners of the prizes for most points at the Druid's euchre party on Monday evening. Mr. and Mrs. 11. liobson secured least points.

Mr. A. Crowther, of Matamata, plavcd first oboe in the Waikato Orchestral Society's rendering o the Messiah" at Hamilton on 'luesday night.

Mr J. R. Pane has resigned his position as engineer to the lauranga County Council, and is joining the staff of'the Waitemata County Council as onjrineor for the Akarann portion of that county.

No less than four large motor cars wore required on the Matamata-1 auinnga motor run this week. Ihe traffic promises to be heavier during I!,. holidays than ever previously. What would it mean if the road was in really good condition? The banns for four weddings were „, wl out at the All Saints' Anglican) Church, Matamata, on Sunday last. In each case the lady is a resident of Matamata. One wedding is to be celebrated on Boxing Day, two in Janr.an>, and one early in February.

The many friends ol Miss Li y Tratitvetter, who was seized suddenly with an attack of appendicitis about ton days ago, and operated on at the Braesiile hospital, Matamata, will be pleased to hear that she is making good progress towards recovery. The Okauia-Matamata car service was inaugurated on Sunday. Starting from the Okauia end ha f-a-dozen re turn journeys were made during the course of -<he afternoon, ol which nine trips were full ones. There is every reason to believe that a motor 'bus will soon be on the run.

There will be a general cxodiu from Matamata during the next lew days fdr the holiday.'. the. most popular places for Matamata people would seem to be the Thames, Waihi and Tauranga beaches, the latter particularly. A holiday event for those who stay in the district will be the u.cos at Tirau on Nrw Years Day.

Matamata business people report that the public is now bustling up for its holiday purchases, the voluble of which is expected to be a record. Excel hint preparations were, made by the tradesmen, as will be seen by a perusal of the various advertisements pp that even'Tale' shoppers aye onHired of a good selection. /-•

A movement is afoot towards reviving- the Chamber of Commerce in Matamata, and it is probable that a inciting will be palled directly after the holidays. The movers propose to suggest that the new body be not only critical'but constructive. It is to he hoped that the movement meets with the success it deserves, for as frequently pointed out considerable good can result.

"There appears to be too much sand in the Otorohanga shingle now •being'put on the Arapuni access rpau, and 1 would like the engineer to look Mo the matter," said Cr, .J. Darby at Friday's meeting of. the County Council. The engineer replied that it was really the Public Works ong.nce'r who was supervising' this meta>ling. Cr. Darby: Then T will see him.

A bush fire burning on the Ratmai hills on Sunday caused no little anxiety to those interested in the Matamata waterworks. Apart from the risk of denudation of the .catchment basin, the town board buildings on the area ware also threatened. Apparently the fire burned itself out during the night, however, for reports on Monday stated that no damage had been done.

Following a heavily overcast sky rain fell at Matamata on Monday, but the fall was not sufficient to do any appreciable good. Only .18 inches' o 1 rain has fallen since November U, and fifteen points of this was on Monday night. The balance points-fell on December 9. the average maximum temperature for the first 17 days of the month was 78 degrees.

.Although perhaps a little early-yet to fully asseMthe results of the Hicic,on Mission at Rotbrua. yet it seems as if no little benefit had been derived by Matamata patients attending the same. A case thai lias been recorded so for is one of lonur-stand-'me deafness where the hearing and conditions generally have been greatly improved. The mission at Botorua concludes Mr. Hickson's New Zealand tour. A meeting of the Matamata branch of the St. John Ambulance Association was held in the Farmers hall on Monday. Mr. J. Price presided over p fair attendance of members. Jn view of the past services rendered to the association by Drs Muir and laurcnson it was decided to presen them eacli with a cheque and tme secretary, Mrs. N. Blackburn, was mstructed to act accordingly. At .is it intention of the branch to make a hig forward move next year and tr re-start classes in all subjects. The public meeting called for Monday evening for the purpose of heayfng explained to it the Town board s comprehensive roadihg scheme was anything but comprehensively attended" Those who attended were the (.'h.armart.and four members Messrs F F Lark. J. McTntyre, S. Salisbury and I. Black, tbe clerk, a representative of the Press, aud three ratepay cj-s Messrs. R. Barnes, J. Kennedy and' J. P. Vosper. After waiting for an hour the assembly dispersed without discussing the business—a tribute to the apathy of (he ratepayers on what was essentially a vital question.

The Matamata Hoy Scouts' Band will render a select programme of Christmas and other music at Vincent's corner from !< p.m. to-morrow (Friday). A collection will be taken up for the Band funds.*

Pensioners will be pleased to learn that it has been decided to pay all pensions other than Imperial on 21st inst, two days before due date. Mrs. H. Kelso, formcry .of Matamata, and recently of Eketahuna, is intending taking up her residence at Kotorua in the near future.

Representing the (inn of Norton, Griffiths, world-wide contractors, Mr, Merry returned from Putaruru toAuckland on Monday after a week in this district investigating the Arapuni scheme with a view to his firm tendering for the big contracts.

'• If vou are going to put young teachers into the little back-country schools vou are not going to get an application from them,' said Mr. w. A. Hanks at a recent meeting of the Canterbury Education Board. Why, didn't we have a case in which a teacher would not stay at a school because she could not get to a tennis court'.' " Exemplifying Hie sturdiness of the New Zealand youth is a good performance which has been established by a Mastodon boy in his teens, who on his second day on the boards of. an East Coast shearing' shed put through 100 sheep, and has been averaging 120 and 150 per day since.—Wairarapa Age.

A representative or the world-wide contract firm of Norton Griffiths, Mr Merrv, arrived at Putaruru on Mondav afternoon to view Arapuni. Mr. Merrv came to New /calami from South Africa, it being understood that his firm contemplates tendering for the big contracts at Art-.-puni. In addition, Mr. Badger representing the London firm <>l J. I* White, is camped at Arapuni at present, inspecting the matter for Ins firm, and it is some time now Since Colonel Wilson, representing Whitworth, Armstrong, also made a thoiough r.spection. It thus appears that ?£ will be substantial competition for the contracts.

The concrete foundations for the. Huihuitaha and Waipa bridges on the Arapuni access road have, now been laid and, it is understood, immediately after the holidays the special pub; wo'kc K ang which is engaged on tins ob will likewise put. down foliation* for new bridges over the. Pokal and Worth's stream, Putaruru, to reSec the wooden bridges already t*crc. Meanwhile, from Bent's pit, Pel eturua, the department is metalling the newly-formed roadway light m the Waipa stieam to.A»pujJ. while at the Putaruru end Mesbis. HI ami Brown are making good , ogress towards completing the nietn, of the first 2\ miles of the ! i(l ; The remaining gap, from the S of this n miles to the Waipa bridge, is to be metalled later with shingle from Bents pit also.

It will pay vou to consult us before placing your order for galvanised piping. D. McL. Wallace, Ltd.*