UNIQUE CLAIM

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3274, 4 March 1937, Page 7

UNIQUE CLAIM

LADY VISITOR’S DRESS

“RUINED BY GRASS” Members of the Te Aroha Borough Council sat up and took more than ordinary notice last Wednesday evening, when the Town Clerk produced a lady’s summer frock for examination. The explanation lay in a letter from an Auckland visitor which Mr Wild proceeded to read as under:

“Having returned to Auckland on Saturday last after spending a week in Te Aroha on holiday, I now find that my pleasant menfories of days and evenings spent out of doors in the bracing air of Te Aroha are very much marred „by one very unfortunate experience.” The writer then relates how with a few friends she had walked over to Herriesville to get a better view of the hills in the getting sunlight, and later discovered her dress and stockings spotted with a black sticky subtsance which could not be removed. She had learnt that' it was caused from the paspalum grass which grows on the roadside, and though she had used every method, including three drycleaning companies, the stains remained, though the “sticky spots” went white. “I am sending the dress to you, with its sleeveless coat so you can see it is a good material (6/11 per yard) and a useful outfit. It is ruined, and I make an appeal for compensation,” she concluded.

“She should have used lux and warm water. The Legal and Finance Committee have no recommendation to make,” observed the Town Clerk all in the one breath.

There was an awkward pause as councillors looked at each lOther.j The Mayor broke the silence by smilingly suggesting that the matter be left with Cr Kennedy.

Cr Kennedy: I’d fix it up in two hits!

Cr Grice: I don’t think we can do anything by way of compensation, and 1 do agree that we should keep the grass cut.

iL Cr Hedge said that the grass was cut as much as possible, but that the substance on the paspalum wds .a disease which was general and could not be overcome.

It was decided to write regretting the incident, but stating that no compensation could be paid.