BOWLS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 348, 29 March 1911, Page 5

BOWLS.

On Saturday last two To Kuiti teams played a match againat two picked teams from the Te Awamutu Club. The match was played on the Te Awamutu green, which proved to be in first-class order, and very keen. The games started at .1.45, and as the Te Kuiti men had to catch the 4.25 train home, the matches were not quite finished. The teams and scores were as follows, Te Kuiti being mentioned first in each case:— Spencer, Matthew, Dransfiekl, Power (skip)— 24. Clements Wallace Stewart von Sturdier (skip)--9. Twenty heads were played in this game. Stevens Lusk Finlay Cochrane (skip)—l9. Clements (senr.), Wheeler, White, Wooiiass (skip)—ll.

I Kintehere - Moeatoa. "Hope deferred maketh the heart | sick," wrote an ancient sage. Some ! time in the early part of last year the bonds relative to the erecting of the Marokapu-TeKuiti telephone were signed by the guarantors, who pledged themselves jointly to go security for the sum of nearly £lO, which is to be the total bond-money for the putting up of some twenty odd miles of tele phone line between Mairoa and Marokopa. The guarantors, men who have thus pledged their hard-earned money to the Government, and who earnestly desire to bring their districts into telephonic communication with Te Kuiti have been sadly disappointed in their expectations. The line, in spite of promises, has not even been started. Letters have been sent to the Telegraph Department, Auckland, by settlers resident along the route, who, as they distinctly allege, are suffering the greatest possible inconvenience through not being -in prompt communciation with civilisation. Settlers were speaking to Mr Jennings, M.P., during his visit to Marokopa on March 17th, and he said that the subject of rural' telephone services trough country districts would receive his attention in Parliament at an early date. We sincerely hope that Mr Jennings will shake the Telegraph Department out of its procrastinating ways, and get the work of putting up the Marokopa-Te Kuiti telephone line started at once. It is the intention of the Government to cut up a block of land in area 6000 acres at the back of the Kiritehere Valley. It is stated that the areas will be from 300 to 400 acres. Settlers consider that these sections will be too small, as the country is pretty rough, but nevertheless excellent 'sheep country. The throwing open of this land will be a decided advantage to the district. Mr Carrington, of Wairarapa, has leased two of Mr R. Gregg's sections. The good weather will soon be passed, at least it can't last forever, and little or nothing has been done, so. far, on the Kiritehere road. It seems extraordinary that the Government should be so hide-bound as regards the wants of settlers. They advocate "go on the land," and get you there, and that's an end to it. They do not seem to care one iota what is done once they get the sett!er3 safely planted. Another road that has not been getting its dues is the Pomerangi road. Last session £750 was voted for this work, and despite that fact nothing has been done since before Christmas. There is no doubt that settlers on this frontier of settlement are having a very trying time. Mr Jennings, M.P., who was in the district last week, caused a considerable amount of disappointment on account of not paying our district a visit. We thought that we would have at least an opportunity of pointing out our claim as regards the Mangakokopu road and other necessities. Considering that it was the first time that Mr Jennings was in the vicinity since his election, we thought it the least he might have done would be to see settlers' requirements. It was not as if he knew nothing about the district. He has had letters and petitions galore, and must have been tiware that a visit would have been satisfactory. Howeve, if we have such luck later-on, we hope to be able to support somebody that will at least give us a little attention.

The continued persistence of men who are holding land in this district without living on their sections and others doing no improvements is causing much dissatisfaction. Settlers rightly consider that it is unjust and grossly unfair that they should toil and improve the district in a score of ways for these men. They consider that their inaction is an imposition on the community, and should not be tolerated. A petition was sent forward to the Commissioner of Crown Lands gome time ago, hut apparently without any tangible results. However, settlers are determined that the matter shall not rest and thatthey shall have their wishes given effect to. Passion fruit vinos have been bearing very heavily this year, but as a result of the dry weather, much of the fruit has dried up and has fallen oft'. Kumara vines are thriving beautiullfy, and a good crop of tubers is expected this year.