OHURA VALLEY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 735, 9 January 1915, Page 6

OHURA VALLEY.

Own Correspondent,

Alleged Cattle Stealing.—Complaints nave been made to the police from time to time on the disappearance of stock from farms in the Northern Ohura district, and much satisfaction was expressed when it became known that two settlers will have to appear to a'nswe.r a charge of cattle stealing. In this casa four head of stock were taken from Mr Knight's farm at Ongarue during the day. Fortunately, Mr Knight became aware of his loss, and with Constable Orchard, suceeded in tracing .the cattle to a section in the district.

General Election. —Much satisfaction is felt in this district at Mr Jennings success at the poll and many congratulatipns were Bent to him. Dairying.—The advent of the Waikatb Cooperative Dairy Company in thd Ohura is looked upon as the denth-knell gf the local factories. The Waikato cream waggon takes three loads<of cream par week from Matiere to Okahukurn,. the supply coming from Otangiwai, Whenuakura, Waikaka and Waitangata districts. The price paid is one halfpenny in advance of the local factory. Generally, the returnß from the various herds are higher than in any previous season, grass being plentiful and rains fairly frequent, making an ideal milking season. That the settlers are recognising that dairying is to pay-is proved by the steady installation of milking plants. Messrs T. White and Thompson have plants at Matiere; McHardie and J. L. Robinson, at .Ohura; while Mr G. Bleasel has been the pioneer at Tata. The dairying herd 3 are optn to a lot of improvement in the way of culling. The unsatisfactory position as regards local factories has delayed the development of herd culling. The best her is at present are Messrs Knight, Ongarue, and Malmanche, Otangiwai, Holsteins and Mr 3. T. Robinson, Ohura, Jetseys. With the advent of the railway we- expect great progress in the improvement of our dairy tierds.

-Railway. —With the exceptiqn of the bridges all the work between Okahukura and Matiere is in hand, and good progress is being made. As all the heavy work is between thesa points we feel confident that the rails will be laid to Ohura well up to the promised time. On the southern section the surveying of the Heao deviation is still in hand, and the exact route between there and Ohura is not yet settled. Main Ohura Road.—Much dissatisfaction has been caused by the delay in widening the Ohura road between Ta f u and the Paparata saddle, to allow of a coach service between Okahukura and Whangamomona. Tho road has been widened from Whangamomona to the southern side of the Paparata saddle, leaving a gap of one and a-half miles to widen in order to complete the road to Tatu. As the monay has been available for two years for this work, and the Ohura County Council haß prepared planß for the work, there no excuse for delay. If this was done Mr Tom Moore is ready to run a through service from railhead to railhead. Roads.—Good progress has . been made as the Council took advantage of the dry spring and had all available nurnt papa placed on the roads. One great disadvantage is that tho road formation is too narrow, as placing twelve foot of metal on fourteen fout of formation leaves no margin for water tables and gives no support to the metal.—Why the powers that be will not recognise th,at this is to be a permanent settlement and requires roading on a permanent basis passes the comprehension of the average individual. An exam pie of this policy is given at Nihoniho where a bridge erected is now being replaced after six years'service.