DISTRICT NEWS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4621, 5 November 1923, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS.

NGATEA. PUHANGA ROAD. Steady progress is being made with the work of reforming the Puhanga Canal road. The road is being formed on the land behind the stop-bank recently acquired from the settlers. The stop-bank is being shifted back from the canal, and spoil is being obtained by widening the canal. A Bucyrus drag-line dredge i,s doing the work, and has completed about; 30 chains of road. A 12ft. by 6ft. drain between the proposed road and the private property is almost completed, and the spoil from this drain is also being used to build up the road. A two-barrel flood-gate, having an opening of 32 square feet,, is being erected as an outlet for the roadside drain at the Ngatea end of the canal. The erection of the bridge at the lower end of the canal is also progressing steadily, and the work will •shortly be completed. A' quantity .if timber for the decking arrived last week. Although all this work is in operation the road is being kept open for traffic. Although quite dry, the road is very rough, but this will be beaten down by traffic. Bridges have been erected at each end of Messrs Phillips Bros.’ property, so that traffic may now use what will be the new road in preference to the canalside roadFrom Kaihere to Ngarua Landing the road is in good order, and is much preferable to the Pouarua-Torehape road, which is very litmpy. The tramline on Torehape Road is now almost completed to the hills. The work of transporting clay to form Torehape Road will commence within a week or so. STOCK SALE. There was a good yarding at the Loan and Mercantile Agency’s monthly sale at Ngatea on Friday and a fair attendance of buyers. Dairy cattle sold at market rates, but store cattle were slightly easier. Practically all the stock changed hands under the hammer or by private treaty. Details of prices realised are : Best dairy cows and heifers £8 10s to £ll, others £5 to £7 10s ; old and inferior cows £2 to £3 ; fat cows £6 10s to £7 12s 6d. others £5 to £6 5s ; good fleshy store cows £3 ss. to £4' 10s ; fresh conditioned cows 35s to 455; ordinary stores 20is to 30s ; 2%-year steers £4 to £4 17s 6d; 18-month-to 2% to 3year steers £4 to £4 17s 6d ; 18-month to 2%-year steers £2 2s 6d to £3 5s ; empty heifers 30s to £3, according to quality; Bulls, best 9gns to 12gns, others sgns to Bgns ; rough bulls 30s to £2. KOPUARAHI. CRICKET SEASON OPENS. The Kopuarahi Cricket Club opened its season on Saturday last with a membership of nearly forty. Last season the club was affiliated with tho Thames Cricket Association, but this year, thinking that there would be sufficient clubs on the Plains to form an association, and not wishing to travel to Thames for every match, they did not link up. As far as is known at present only two other clubs are to be formed on the Plains this summer. The Kopuarahi club, therefore, anticipate being in a position to arrange matches with other centres.