POKENO—THE AMAZING.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 622, 8 April 1921, Page 5

POKENO —THE AMAZING.

(To the Editor.) Sir—ln no part of New Zealand is it possible for such great development to be carried out as in . the Auckland Province, said the Minister for - Public Works, the Hon. J. G. Coates, in his speech at Paeroa, and had he occasion to visit Pokeno he would probably add, “and in no part of the Auckland Province is It possible to carry out more needed improvements than at Pokeno.” By the way, Mr Editor, do you know that we have a Progressive League in Pokeno? Perhaps I should keep it inviolate, as I heard of it only through a friend •who has a friend who is a member of it. Yes! Yes! I was accosted the other day bp a friend with the salutation, “Is this Pokeno’” I blew out my chest and said “It is.” “It’s nothing to be proud of,” said he. “ I beg your pardon,” said I. Did you ask if this were Boston?” “No,” said he. “I was thinking it was a bit dirty and needed cleaning up.” I pomted to our latest improvements in the way of clearing and ploughing, and was taken aback when be remarked: “You do keep a few' pigs in the district.” Not to be outdone with some degree of parochial egotism, I said, “This is the proposed junction of the East Coast railway and that a sum of money had already been placed on thei estimates to make a start with the line from this end.” “In what year was that,” said he “In the year 1919,” I said. “The year of a general election,” said he. It required, Mr Editor the courage of a patriot, but being piqued X warmed to my subject and recounted the industries and the latent possibilities of the place, the large scope of fertile back country that Pokeno is the outlet to, the quality of the soil, and the area of drainable swamp around and about, the flax beds in the vicinity, the kauri sawmill, the bone mill, the flax mills were dealt with separately. The inexhaustible supply of perhaps the best road metal in the province; the undeveloped coal seams in the neighbourhood. I thought I had gained my listener’s ear and aroused his interest, so you can imagine my consternation when T was subjected to the following catechism: —“Where is the school about here?” he asked. “About two miles up the road,” I replied. A Aren’t there any churches in the place?” he asked “Yes, two, but they are away up the road,” I answered. “Where is the hall?” he quizzed. “In the mind’s eye,” I said. He looked at me for a moment astonished and then said: “It makes one marvel and wonder.” And after inquiring of the road to Paeroa, he went on his way and left me pondering of what he had to marvel and wonder at. —I am etc., PUSS IN BOOTS.