Rongotea.

Manawatu Herald, 12 March 1898, Page 2

Rongotea.

♦■ — (FBOM O«a OWN CORRESPONDENT.) March 7. One of the mo9t successful gatherings ever held in Bongotea was held last week to bid farewell to tbe Rev. Mr and Mrs Cooker. There were fully 150 persons present. After tea an adjournment was made to the church, which was packed. During Mr Cocker's mission on tbis station three new churches have been built, one at Bongotea, one at Awahuri, and one at Colyton. The' Feilding Church has also been nearly doubled in size, and yet there is only a small debt owing, equal to 2* 8d in the pound on the full value of tbe property, which speaks volumns for the rev. gentleman's work. The choir rendered many items which were well received, and the other it m? were a duet " Beautiful Light ' by the Misses Grace and Eva Mitchell ; quartet, •• Anywhere for Jesaa " by Mm and Miss Glover and Messrs Langley and Riley ; trio, " Labour On " by Mr and Mrs. Langley and Miss Grace Mitchell ; and a duet, " Joyfully Bing " by Mies Glover and Mis? G. Mitchell. Each item was applauded, Mrs Langley presided at the organ in her usually proficient btyle. Mr Cocker was much affected at parting from the station. He has drawn out several plan 3 which he had intended working on which would soon have left the station out of debt. The meeting closed at 10 80. Mr Cocker is going to open up a new station in Wanganui. Something like £150 has been raised for him to start with and many friends have promised to keep him in butter and bread, so that will be sure. We wish the rev. gentleman God Speed and feel quite sure success will attend his labours. The Wesleyan Sunday School picnic was a big success last Wednesday. It was held in Mr Sanson's paddocks, Eairanga. Tbe day was a perfect one and all enjoyed themselves. A young man, Summers, tried to commit suicide on Saturday after noon by shooting himself. He loaded a gun and put the barrel into his rmuth, but on trying to pull the trigger tbe gun shifted a little and the contents of the charge went through his cheek and carried nw.iy all one side of his face. Tbe p.vr j fellow has been suffering fr >m n severe snn- stroke, lie ig well off and was Hhortly to have be<n married. Very little hopes are held oufc for his recovery. Mr B >n. Grey is building a fioe honso on his farm at Taikor^a. We have had several run away matches lately — with horses and carts — ci using much damage, and Mr Beckman had a fine new sulky completely smashed up, and our baker narrowly escaped the eaine f *te with his cart, and had he not s uck to the horse everything must have gone to ruin. - Thp dry weather is affecting the milk supply very much, some of the supplies having gone down one half in their test. Goodness only knows what will happen if the drought oontinuea, all tbe feed is completely parched up. The ground in many places bai baked, so hard that it is impossible to dig it with a spado. Our cricketers journeyed to Feilding on Saturday to play the postnoT'd champion match, and won by 15 runs. Our boys are looking up. Work has so increagpd with our saddler that he has had to employ another man. Messrs Howe & Sons' mill has been in great danger, and between 50 and 60 men have been working day and night trying to keep the fire in the sawdust heap down. The heap is about 15 chains long and about 80 feet deep. Mr and Mrs Ransom, ate away on a trip to Auckland for thp benefit of Mrs Hansom's health which has not been good for some time. We hope tbe change will have tbe. desired effect. ' Mrs Bull has been ill bat is now much better again.