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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 610, 11 October 1913, Page 3

Taranaki Stratford rail wav ■ eeived the bulk of the aenefussciccru ing from the construction of the line hitherto, and now wants to penalise the Ohura still further by delaying the construction of the line from Te Soura. Had the bulk oc the worii been placed on tho Ohura end of the line to begin witli it is saics to assert tbat the wail from the butter province would have rracheu throughout the iand. Apparently the agitators are actio .£>• on the biblical motto, "To biin that hatb shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken away." It is proverbially difficult to rob a Heilandmau of his nether garments, but it is not difficult to give an extra pair to a Taranaki-ito. However, in this instance the clarion call has sounded; the hordes of the garden Valley are flocking to the standard, and if the Tazanaki politicians do not hark to the gathering storm there will be such a pouring of infuriated Ohurans through the defiles of the Tangarakau as will terrorise the country from Whanagmomona toWellington Of course the Tarankai people do not mean it seriously, but there is such a thing as an over-cultivated sense of humour. An Ohura man is as open to enjoy a joke as the next man, but the railway is no joke to the Ohura, A further indignity was heaped upon the Valley by alluding to it as portion of Taranaki. Naturally any province would be proud to include within its borders such a finedistrict, but Ohura is destined for higher things. A capital city away from the coast line is sure to be agreed upon some day, and there are very few places in the country which are suitable for the purpose. The pumice plains of Taupo have been suggested, but the author of that suggestion must be a frugal minded person who wishes to save money in road making. On thoughts, however, the individual responsible for the idea must be forgiven. There are so many prominent people in the country who are averse to spending money on roads that frugality in that direction has become a disease. However, when the iron horse is running up and down the Ohura Valley the road difficulty will not be so acute.

The King Country public men at all times manifest a spirit of sweet reasonableness, and'are ever ready to assiist other less favoured districta to straighten out their difficulties. Thus, when two prominent citizens of Te Kuiti were missing from their accustomed haunts one day this week enquiries elicited the startling information that they had gone to straighten the Waikato river. Close investigation led to the discovery that, however gay and frivolous the river had become the idea of those interested was not to straighten the stream, but to lead it into new channels of usefulness. Moreover, the reflection on the moral character of the Waikato was entirely uncalled for, the Mangaokewa being the real object of their solicitude. Whether the Mangaokewa has become so twisted and distorted in consequence of the wild scenes it has witnessed in passing through Te Kuiti, I would not like to say. As to whether the ge ~* l £> r "ien in question possess the qualJfi'cafc. :s necessary to effect a moral reformation in anything I should be equally reticent. Seeing that Auckland, the city of the impending exhibition, has been selected as the seat of confe fence, the result of the deliberations will be awaited with interest. In any case water can hardly be classed as a dry subject to talk about.

Reflecting on the spread of the dairying industry leads one to conclude that the cow has a very material effect on the national characteristics. Hard experience has taught the dairyman that co-operation is the most profitable method of promoting a dairy factory, and with such an example in front of him the farmer must be convinced of the desirableness of co-operation in other directions. In the old days before the advent of the home-separation system dairying was only possible in the well roaded districts. and creameries were thick throughout the land. Cooperation was inclined to be parochial eacih small district running its own concern. Home-separation has widened the districts and induced a more general co-operation over a much larger area. The effect will be gradually felt in , the shape of a broader outlook and a greater tolerance between psople with a common interest. The cow comes into the argument because she has to. Her interest in the subject may be passive, but it is very real.

The recent rains have gladdened the hearts of the "cow cockie," inasmuch as they carried with them the assurance of increased feed growth and a corresponding addition to the milk supply. After all it takes very little to influence the life of the man cn the land and the contributions towards hi 3 joy or sorrow come direct from Nature. It is only when ws ic-acl the complex life of the tc-v?ns civ,] cities and acquire an appalling c rtaiogae of wants that we beecme inliaersced by the actions of others to any great; exten L What wondt::: thai v?a sigh for the simple life, snd : :i desperation lake to gardening and other kindred pursuits. Others rcsli into the s-eeial whirl and maintain a I;;::tic gaiety ou club balls, christening functions, F.i;d sinukr ronus Eniusem ;nf: The ::i?ai]y sincere person critis the {rood of his fellows ni; bear!; plunges into ioeal politics, aSfer graduating at the Debating Society, and takes part in conferences of various descriptiona whereat hs advocates the greatest good for the greatest number, and other worhty objecss. Ail things considered .gardening la the recreati }ii which brings the townsman closest to Nature, and makes life bearable.

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