COUNTRY NEWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 262, 25 May 1910, Page 5

COUNTRY NEWS.

Marakopa-Kiritehere. Own Correspondents. On the beautiful calm morning of . Nukuhakau little dreamt that the gallant and popular Captain Roberts of s.s. Rothesay was fighting desperately against death from suffocation with the alternative of being drowned under a heavy capsized punt on the beach; When the Rothesay arrived from Kawhia and had dropped anchor in the bay just outside the break, Captain Roberts started for land in a large heavy punt. When close in to shore a roller capsized and imprisoned him. Try what he could he was unable to lift it and the water was too shallow to get underneath. Luckily, Mr Chas. F. Atkinson happened to come on to the beach and witnessed the occurence, and, on noticing there was no sign of the captain, he at oiee rushed in and made several ineffectual attempts to turn the punt over. However, a larger breaker than usual came to his assistance, and by a superhuman effort he managed to turn the boat over, and dragged the doomed skipper, who was just- touching death, out of danger. Mr Atkinson applied the usual restoratives and Captain Roberts was soon able to get about again. The committee of the Public Hall have arranged to hold a fancy dress ball and basket social on Friday, June 3rd, and a large attendance is expected. As a "curtain ra*ser" there will be a football match, married v. single, play to start at 2.30 p.m. The serious silting up of the river has been exercising the minds of all thinking settlers of late, especially since the owners of the two steamers trading here have . very forcefully pointed out that unless something M done the steamer service will be seriously interfered with. A petition is now in circulation and is being almost universally signed praying that the district on the south side of Marakopa be included in the Kawhia County, as by that means we will have a local body to deal with this extremely urgent matter! It does not require much intelligence to see that any hindrance to or cessation of our seaborne trade would be a disaster of the gravest import to the district of Mara-koka-Kiritehere and Pomarangei. The annual meeting of the Marakopa ; football club was held in Mr Pou's ; spacious billiard room on Saturday ■ evening, 21st inst. There was a large attendance. The following officers were elected :—President, John Willison; vice-presidents, Messrs E. C. • Stanley, G. H. Chase, G. Lunie, P. W. i Bell, Rewi and Turanga King; cap- • tain, Whitiora Puki; vice-captain, R. ; Barlow; secretary and treasurer, Percy i C. Rose. Great enthusiasm was dis- , played, over thirty playing members - joining in the room. A special vote , of thanks was passed to Mr E. C. . Starkey for his generosity in placing . his magnificent paddock at the disposal , of the club.