Pio Pio.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 261, 21 May 1910, Page 5

Pio Pio.

Things are very lively here. The -40|v&ce is all bustle and go. Mr Lewis' new stables are completed and he has had a refreshment room built at the change, so that travellers can get light refreshments on the arrival of the coach. It shows that he- is studying his passengers, for he has had the approach to the stables and refreshment room laid down with gravel. So there is no more going up to your knees in mud to reach the coach. He deservse all support from the settlers. Mr J. Smith, manager for Green and Colebrook, has had a nice little house built, and has his family living near the store. Our local blacksmith is going to build a "dwelling house and enlarge his business premises. A bootmaker has started in the township. Mr F. Willis has let a tender for a new house. I hear that he is leaving the service of Mr V. S. Hattaway to go farming, and intends being supplier to the factory. Mr Hitchcock, the contractor for Mr V. S. Hattaway's boarding house, is making great strides with it. It is a*l covered in and lined inside, and we are looking forward to the opening night (nothing stronger than tea!) Mr Geo. McKay is about to build a dwelling next to the dairy factory site and his brother is going to enlarge his billiard room and add another table, as he finds that he cannot satisfy the demand of players with one table. Mr W. Johnston, of Moria road, is having a six-roomed house built which is near completion. I am sorry to have to report that we are losing our popular schoolmaster. He is leaving on account of the Education Board not providing a proper building for the accommodation of the children. There are 41 on the roll and last month's average was 355. With an attendance like that, and a capable master like Mr A. Benton, it is time the Board did something in the way of building a school and giving us a school committee. We have repeatedly applied to the Board and also through the member for the school district, but the only answer we can get from them is that it is referred to the Inspector to report on. It speaks well for the wisdom of the Board when they have to get one of their servants to decide what they are to do. "-There is only one course open to us, and that we intend to take; which is, to go to the head of the department and lay our case before him. We are all very sorry to lose Mr Benton, even the children are sorry he is going, and there is great speculation among them as to what the new master is like, whether he is young or old, and if be is nice or nasty, and if he whips you, and above all, if he can play football. Mr Benton leaves us on the 19th inst., and his successor (Mr Owen Le Gallais) takes command on the 23rd. The many friends that Mr Benton has made are entertaining him at a smoke concert on the 38th. We have had a splendid spell of fine weather for this time of the year, and the settlers have taken advantage of it in the way of erecting cow sheds and getting things ready for the coming milking season. But the weather broke last week and as far as our back roads are concerned it will soon be pack-saddle season. Touching the weather it is just seven years since we had a spell of such fine weather, and strange to say, the weather broke on the ninth day of May, 1903, just as after a good spell the weather broke on the ninth day of May, 1910. Mr Hitchcock has everything on the factory site ready for the erection of the building, and the directors have all the plant stored on the ground, so the roads will not affect them. They showed great wisdom in getting everything out before the weather broke. But I forgot, I mu3t not say anything about the factory, or they will make me general manager. I am sorry if aiiV of my remarks annoyed Mr O'Dwyer. He got very excited over it, and denied what was said. I only repeated common talk. He was very careful not to deny that the cploured lady was going about with her hand bandaged up, and I do not see what it has to do with him what the Farmers' Union chooses to discuss. .But never mind, Mr O'Dwyer, I Hope you will not forget to send yours truly an invitation to the opening.