COUNTRY NEWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 379, 19 July 1911, Page 5

COUNTRY NEWS.

(Own Correspondents). Kiritehere-Moeatoa. Scene, somewhere along the West Coast: Boarder, "Ah, ha! fish! They say it's good for the brain, we have had none here of late." Hostess, "Some people around here would have to eat a whale before they would have any "—Exit Mark Antony. There is much acrimonious comment over the Government's delay in erecting the Mairoa Te Kuiti telephone line. A direct service to Te Kuiti is what we want. When an Auckland merchant send 3 a ton or two of goods per rail to Te Kuiti instead of per boat to Marokopa.the settler south of here may just ring him up and tell him to catch the local mail and post them in. Settlers are discussing the erecting of a private line through these parts. It would, so some say, cost £2 10s a mile to erect. Steady rains have fallen during the past week, and the young grass is growing apace. Settlers resident hereabouts consider it time that something was done on the Mangkokopu road in the matter of cutting overhanging scrub.

Marokopa

The auxiliary ketch Jane has been delayed some days awaiting the arrival of a duplicate plate for the water jacket of the engine. Fortunately the engineer, Mr Wilkinson, discovered the leakage whi'e in port, where he is compelled to remain till the engines are once more in working order.

Game is plentiful in these parts. Sportsmen are well repaid for their long tramps through bush, to the haunts of the feathered bipeds. An extraordinary general- meeting of the shareholders in the local hall company was held last Saturday. The following were appointed the new committee:—John Willison, chairman John Smith, secretary and treasurer, E. McGrath, A. Hay lock, M. and J. Kinnain, J. Wouides, R. Honore, E. Halley. It ia the intention of this committeeto hold a meeting at an e.arly date to arrange for tha general improvement of the bu'.lding. It is desirable that the building be lined, that dressing rooms and other conveniences be provided for the accommodation of those who "foot it featly, here and there."

Last Saturday a general meeting of the Cricket Club was held in the billiard room. The balance sheet, showing a debit balance of £1 4s 5d was adopted. A sub-committee consisting of P. W. Bell, J. Pierard, R. Barlow, J. Matheson and Richards was appointed to prepare a cricket pitch for next season. At an early date, the final wind-up dance of the Cricket Club will be held, when the winner of the prize bat (kindly dontated last spring by F. W. Dines, Esq., of Te Kuiti) will be presented to the most successful cricketer of the season. Speculation is rife as to whom the prize will fall to. The fortnigntly euchre parties which are being arranged by our popular hostess, Mrs Willison, promise to be a great success. The first set of games is to be played next Saturday. A novelty of the function is that partnerships are to be continued until 300 games are played. The most successful players will be presented with a valuable present, something they will use by and bye—so the story runs. Be this true or otherwise, the public may rest assured a very nice time is in store for them. In my next I hope to report, "Soft eyes looked love to eye which spake again; and all went merry as a marriage bell."

The s.s. Pitoitoi made a successful trip this week, arriving in port on Tuesday night, and departed next tide. In a letter to the public, the Marine Department declined to provide lamps for night shipping. The Department expressly state it is not intended to encourage night shipping. This is a wrong action, as it is opposed to the best interests of the port. Captain Robertson invariably enters on the first opportunity, be it day tide cr night tide, simply because he values

time and also his vessel. In the event of rough weather approaching it is imperative that the. boat make port on the first high tide.

Awakino. Judging from the appearance of things, the proposed butter factory here will not be established at present, the time being not considered opportune. But, that a cheese factory will go on is practically assured, as a much lesser supply of milk will suffice to make it a success. The promoters are now considering the selection of a suitable site, and the project is being taken up very heartily by the owners of her majesty—the cow.

Our public hall enterprise has been crowned with success —coin secured already, land arranged for, materials ordered, and in a few weeks at longest the structure will be in the hands of contractors, the erection pushed on with ail speed, and Awakino will possess an up-to-date, roomy, comfortable building, conveniently situated, wherein the public at large can be entertained.

The largely-signed petition to the Postal Department is being got ready asking for the erection of a post and telegraph office, and the e:;tpnsion of postal facilities, the requirements this rapidly growing district calling for it. A money order office and savings bank would also be a great booh to settlers hereabouts. A large number of men are being engaged for roading in various parts of the district, and trade generally is looking up. The extensive and valuable estate of Pioi, on the northern coast, has recently changed hands, and the owner is busy directing developing operations. Land prices in the town itself and in the regions round about are steadily hardening, and enquiries are coming in daily for business and residential sites. Our local boarding house proprietor Mr Walsh, is having his comfortable premises made still more so by the installation of an acetylene gas plant, which will be the first such installation here.

The handy trading steamer s.s. Pitoitoi having lately been made more suitable for the coastal trade, is making good running, and freight charges have been reduced considerably. Mr W. J. Avery, of this town, has been appointed local pi'ot. Notwithstanding the bad conditoin of the road, our mail coach driver, Mr Keith, whip for Mr Crawford, has been making capital time lately. Yesterday he had quite an experience on Mount Messenger. A huge land slip almost completely barred the way; earth, rocks and trees proved serious obstacles, and it was a knee deep job in the sticky mud, and "pull baker, pull devil" to get out of it. But by driving like Jehu, the son of Nimshi, he reached here in good time. Mr Avery's little son who was so narrowly rescued from drowning, has now quite recovered. The little fellow, in recounting to his mother recollections of his adventure when submerged, and hope had gone, said: "I didn't feel at all afraid of drowning, but I was sorry when I thought of you, 'cause I knew you would cry so." Wonderful how these little ones take things'in and understand and have a deeprooted care in their inmost hearts for the one who looms so large in childhood's life when the universe is summed up and centred in that facethat beneficent face—that is to childhood's mind likest God's, the primal source of all good and fount of joy.