Oparau.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 224, 1 September 1905, Page 2

Oparau.

(from our own correspondent.) Grass is what we all strive to get as much as possible of, and this spring seems much earlier than last, as the grass is already coming away well. Meetings in this district have been fairly plentiful of late. We have now a branch of the Farmers’ Union, a Settlers' Association and a Farmers’ Club. The little fact that unity is strength is evidently not known to some ot our farmers. The Farmers' Union is the proper society to belong to, but instead of sensibly joining the Union our farmers (like most farmers) appear to like to belong to separate ‘societies. One faction wish to upset the present branch ‘and the secretary to resign—they therefore know nothing about the Union rules and until they join the Union have not the power to do anything. Mr Bell is the present secretary and is an educated man and a gentleman—a man in every way —thoroughly honest, taking a heartfelt interest in the welfare of the Farmers’ Union and guilty of no misdemeanour. If the majority of the members do not wish Mr Bell to be secretary they must take the responsibility of black-balling him, but if they wait until the annual meeting they can elect someone else* The roads here, where made on the shady side, are two to three f« et deep in slush, but where made on the sunny side are not cut up, as the beat of the sun even in winter dries them. The fact that a road made on the sunny side does nit cue up in winter did not apparently enter the mind of those who laid them off.

Since Mr Ted. Pierce took charge of the work at Symons and "Uo.’s sawmill, timber that cmnot be beaten is being turned out, but the road from the mill is now only suitable for oil launches ; it should bavp been toade up the river. The construction of the tramway is under Mr Hillyer’a super vision and will shortly be completed.