Oparau.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 338, 15 November 1907, Page 3

Oparau.

(FROM OtJR OWN CORRESPONDENT. The weather has heeen just lovely ■nd there was a alight shower Saturday night. Shearing is going ahead now and will soon be done. Clips are as good as usual. Roads are better now and getting beaten into summer shape by the traffic. Several mobs of oiltlft went to Waikato sale last v ■!.. Mr Bell topped Abe market at £8 A meeting < f thr local branch of the Farmer’s Uui<ir. was coiled for the 9th inst, but the apathetic manner in which the numbers rolled updistincily shows that i is useless to expect punctuality. If the farmers were serious about their unions and unionism the present ignorance regarding the settlers wants would not be found. Far mere are responsible for the neglect they receive from the Governin' nt, as they have not enough push to at lend their union meeiings, and get good representation in Parliament—although Op area is nt present represented in 'Joe Houee by »pushing member. Under the same treatment a« Waikato Oparau give.- much better results on fern land and will be a credit to the Kawhia County w hen *ll is in grfiss. I hear that Mr Jourdain our icoal launch owner wishes to aeli out. This js a chance for some enterprising individual, as irat e is ever on tho increase. A private telephone from each farm bouse to the Main Line is now bu established fact. The cost is £2 18s plus poles and erection. Mr Mackintosh has started making butter and is turning out a rich cream butter second to none which proves that a factory is not absolutely necessary for the production of good butter. Oparau School pupils are mostly put back ,on account of the prolonged rainy season. They were frequently absent. The small birds have left for districts where there is grain to destroy. It is not likely the*, trout can get np the fall in the Mangapapa at the old mill, and it is to the interest of those on that stream ta put some ova in above,".as the Mangapapa is a pretty trout stream. We have some splen did rivers in Oparau for trout, which are as good as any in the South. These *i<ers when well stocked will attract our city friends and be the means of letting the outside world see the advantages of Oparau. Messrs Rose,Ross and other South Kawhia settlers have written re our road system, which, considering the money wasted on inspection and misspent, js about the worst in the Do- • minion. We want more work done and less waste of money. A road to be of any use must bo gravelled or metalled. It is now November, and the road here is only getting dry. How would the members of Parliament, who call ns the bloated aristocracy of this Dominion, shape if they had to walk along one of our Government roads. It would dotbem good and still more if they bad to pat up with what we do for even one season. No settler will do more than take what ho can out of a lease and to try and foist a leasehold tenure on us shows the utter incapacity of some of our parliamentary representatives, Next- election I i-rophesv that there will be more interest taken io politics by settlers. The ignor> noo shown this fecsrion has opened our eyes.