OHURA VALLEY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 166, 21 June 1909, Page 5

OHURA VALLEY.

(Own Correspondent.)

With the advent of winter the settlers arc earnestly urging on the Government to face the problem of metalling the Ohora road. The uncovcrin; of a large deposit of gravel in the Mangakara valley has raised the hopes of the executive of the Settlers' Association to urge on the Roads Department to use the gravel for the Manga roa end of the road, and to erect a stone crusher near Onagrue to metat the northern end In the meantime the district Engineer is having a kiln of papa burnt centrally to test the suitability of the local papa for metalling purposes. The portion of road covered with pumice is bearing the traffic well, but surely some check should be enforced against teamsters overloading during the winter months. The rule seems to be not to load according to the capabilities of the road to bear the weight, but as to the strength of the team to drag through the worst places. The result is that the work done during summer is in a few months destroyed, and we start to blame the Department for failing to do what is nearly impossible.

The election of the Ohura County Council is now within a few weeks, although the date is not fixed; so far the candidates are very reticent as regards announcing their intentions, although a lot of quiet canvassing is going on all over the district, and the subject of where the County office is to be is being freely discussed. The question of the Roads District being reunited under one Engineer is meeting with strong opposition from the most prominent settlers, and would be more strongly opposed only for the strong personal clement that is referred to in the various petitions. The settlers believe that their interests as regards reading is sufficient to warrant them in asking that the present arrangement be retained, but otherwise they do not wish ot interfere with the Department in the arrangement of their officials.

Nlho Niho. The social committee held a most successful social and dance in the butter room of the Niho Niho factory in aid of the school funds. The committee had the room most tastefully decorated with ferns and bush, while the ladies festooned the ceiling with many coloured nags andjribbons. The night, proving favourable, they bad the pleasure of receiving the largest assembly that has to far graced Niho Niho with their presence. Songs and recitaions were given by Messrs Woods, Roe, McCallum, Humphrey* and others. The committee have bad the school site cleared, and arrangements ire being made to form a school district A football club has been formed here. Mr Turner, manager of the Co-opera-tive factory, is President; Mr Weinberg, Chairman.; Mr Mossman, Captain ; and P. Browne, Secretary. Practice is in full iwing, and arrangement* are being made for matches with Mattere and Mangaroa Clubs.