KIRITEHERE-MOEATOA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 465, 15 May 1912, Page 6

KIRITEHERE-MOEATOA.

❖ Own Correspondent. Six teams, konaki and sledge, with native drivers perched up, swung slowly up the Kiritehere Valley road. As the third team, a heavily loaded konaki, crossed a drain spanned by a rnatai-supported old-time bridge, the mediaeval survival of early days, cracked under him as he was clearing it; the team pulling him clear in time. Then there was an excited flow of those expressive Maori words which are usually deemed suitable to relieve superfluous feelings, and the 14-stone driver hupped off like an excited turkey, and began to apostrophise the builders of the bridge in appropriate terms. A settler, repairing a fence close by caught his eye. " ———■, that a funny bridge that; he wait for one man—two man to cross it, and then he bang and crack al! the same a repeating rifle, and I feel very frightened all the time. Five iron bark telephone pole, and three big horse too heavy, I think. You fellows see the road boss and mend him quick. How long you think? Two hours? Right! Matai stringer too thin for heavy load." Having thus expressed himself in clear, terse English, he moved on, leaving the waiting teams behind.

The Marokopa-Moeatoa telephone line is finished.

A tennis ball will be held in the Marokopa Hall on the 24th inst.— gents' 2s 6d, ladies free. All invited.

In the early hours of Friday morning the house of Mr John Wouldes, Kirir,ehere, was destroyed by fire. Everything was reduced to ashes and nothing saved. The loss included a library, phonograph, and an up-to-date telephone recently installed by the Telegraph Department's linesmen. The news came through by 'phone from Marokopa as the Kiritahere office was completely destroyed, the mail only being saved. We sympatnise with Mr Wouldes on account of his loss.