MASTERTON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 29

MASTERTON.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

A boarder in a Masterton hotel discovered a man making what appeared to be a deliberate attempt to set fire to the premises at one o’clock on Thursday morning by forcing a gas jet against the wallpaper in the passage. The man hastily decamped when he realised that he was seen. The boarder unfortunately did not obtain a distinct view of his features. The police are investigating the matter. Owing to the continuous wet weather the oat crops generally in the Opaki district have become badly affected with smut. Another case of scarlet fever has been admitted to the Hope street Hospital. Considerable difficulty is being experienced in the Masterton district in obtain'ng suitable labour for road work. All the flaxmills and sawmills are in full swing, and together with farming operations have absorbed all the suitable surplus labour. Mr E. Melville, a well known cricketer, who has eft for Gisborne, was entertained at a social by the Carlton Cricket Club and presented with a case of pipes.