Brief Mention

Matamata Record, Volume XIX, Issue 1692, 3 January 1936, Page 4

Brief Mention

Mr. J. Maligan, of Stillwater, is visiting Mr. and Mrs. J. Malligan, Station road.

Mr. Howard Hawke, who is leaving the district to join the police force,. will be . farewelled at a dance in the Hinuera Hall to-morrow .evening.

Mr. E. C. Banks, of Tauranga, formerly of Matamata, recently underwent a serious operation from which he is now progressing favourably and is receiving much benefit.

A New Year announcement of interest to farmers is the reminder by the Matamata County Council that the dog registration fee is now due and may be paid at Tirau or Putaruru.

The announcement yesterday that Major-General B. C. Freyberg, V.C., is among the recipients of the Order of the Bath in the New Year Honours is of interest to the old generation of Morrinsville residents. As a young man Major-General Freyberg practised as a dentist for a year or so in Morrinsville before the Great War and excelled at football and swimming.

Matamata district cyclists had a good run of success at holiday meetings. G. Vincent (Matamata) won the mile and three mile cycle handicaps at Te Aroha on New Year’s Day, and the miles > maiden race at Springdale on Boxing Day. A. Sheat (Wardville) was second in the half-mile race at Te Aroha, and won the two mile handicap and was third in the three mile race at Springdale.

Which day in the week shall be the statutory closing day for shops in the Matamata county ? This question will be decided by the Matamata County Council at a special meeting this month in accordance with the Shops and Offices Act.,

Is it a sign of the return to horses for heavy farm .work? A Morrinsville blacksmith recently executed an order from' a Kiwitahi farmer for a six-horse bar to be used in harnessing six horses abreast to heavy harrows. Six horses working abreast is a sight worth seeing, and as each good farm horse is worth • about £SO the team must be 1 valued at about £3oo—the price of a good motor-car.

A freak egg weighing four ounces was laid by a Black Orpington hen on a Kereone farm some days ago. Inside the outer shell, which was white in colour, was a layer of white and yoke enclosing a brown egg of normal appearance. It was remarked with a smile by the owner of the hen that it was the first instance on record of a hen laying two eggs in a day.

The “ will to win ” was demonstrated by an axeman from Matahuru, R. Grundy, when competing in the chief chopping event at the Springdale sports on Boxing Day. Grundy attacked his block with such vigour that the last few inches of his axe handle splintered and flew off. Nothing daunted, his carried on with his short-handled axe and got third in his heat. Several nearby axemen offered him their axes to finish the block, but he would not accept them.