COUNTRY NEWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 352, 12 April 1911, Page 5

COUNTRY NEWS.

Otorohanga

The manager of Messrs Ellis and Burnand's Otorohanga mill, Mr Thos. Allright, has just taken his departure, after a sojourn here of nine years. He takes up a similar position with the Totara Timber Co. in Newmarket. His many friends wish him every success.

Messrs Mooney and Roigard have just sold their farm in the Waitomo Valley, and are selling their live stock, etc., on Wednesday, May 3rd. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile are conducting the sale, which will undoubtedly attract a large number of prospective buyers. The ne|V road to Waitomo is now complete, and in very good condition. The drive to the caves can now be done in about seventy minutes. Beautiful scenery is to be passed through en route. Tourists cannot do better than stay at one of our up-to-date boarding house, enjoy the drive, see the caves, and return to catch the express on the following day. The Honikiwi settlers are very much annoyed that the loan of £SOOO already granted has not yet come to hand, and consequently the work on the Honikiwi-Otorohanga road has not yet been started. Waggons are being stuck up already, and the contents have to lie by the roadside. If the work is not pushed ahead at once, there is a very poor look-out for these unfortunate settlers during the coming winter. A farewell social is to be tendered on Wednesday, 12th inst., to Mr and Mrs Fraser, on the eve of their departure from Otorohanga. Mr Fra3er is to be presented wtth a silver tea and coffee service, and a cut glass embossed salad bowl, by the residents of Otorohanga. Mr Vicary, J.P., is to make the presentation.

Mapara

The most representative gathering of the settlers yet held in this block, got together on Monday, 10th inst, at Mr Kerrisk's residence, with a view to electing a new committee, both to represent the association, and also a school committee to further educational matters. For the former, Messrs Robertson, McLean, O'Shea, Dempsey, Mills, Hack, Kerrisk and Johnson (secretary) were elected; as a School Commitee, Messrs Larsen, McLean, O'Shea, Kerrisk and Dempsey were chosen. Now that the school question has been handed over to a Committee, it is to be hoped they will do their best to get the question of site fixed upon, regardless of the opinions of individual or combined. If they do the greatest good by the greatest number they will do very well, and it will require all the backbone tliey are possessed of to do so. Mr Robertson, as chairman, gave general satisfaction and gave all present to understand that his ruling was to be final. This is a .step in the right direction, as we are a happy-go-lucky lot in Mapara, all wanting to talk at once, and some not being averse to a little Johnson-Jeffries style of argument. However everyi thing passed off amicably, and past | Detty differences seem to be dying a natural death. A letter was read from the the chairman of the Pio Pio Dairy Factory, asking the sett- ! lers to appoint a day to meet direcj tors, with a view to arrange for i supplying the factory this coming ! season. This is a subject niost of ;us are pretty keen on, and a fortl night hence was fixed as a suitable time.

Most of the pptUers seem to complain of a shortage of grass-seed, owing to the burns being moie extensive than was expected, 'this is a matter that ought to be easily remedied, ai- there is sureiy plenty of .seed in the Dominion, and we are within short distance of the railway. The subject of leases was disi cussed at considerable length, and it was decided to approach the Commissioner on the matter. As far as improvements are concerned, tne block seems to be going ahead in leaps and bounds. Good fences, houses, etc., are springing up everywhere, and J t is only a cjuestion' of a few years before settlers, ' if they only stick together, will be :in a very 'fair way, especially if i they go in for milking on an exten- | sive scale.