The Opunake Times. TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1895. OUR FIRST YEAR.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 104, 2 July 1895, Page 2

The Opunake Times. TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1895. OUR FIRST YEAR.

To-day we complete the first year of our existence and we can look back with pleasure ou the record as it has been one of solid advance for the district. As regards ourselves our anticipations, when we decided on undertaking the venture have been more than realised. We have been accorded a very hearty support both by subscribers and advertisers, to whom we beg to tender our sincerest thanks. Those who prophesied that the venture was premature, and were backward in according their support, have come to see that having an organ in the district devoted to its interests is a real, tangible benefit, and the very unanimous support now given to us proves very conclusively that our efforts for the advancement of the district have ~sic±_T!ci£ii-gsmeral approval. There are a few who have disagreed with us over public matters, but this we anticipated, and stated in our first issue that we did not expect to please everybody, nor did we intend to try. In starting a second year of existence the same sentiment applies. H< >; : * v

A year ago the town was cut off by bad roads and broken bridges from the districts lying both east and west. The settlers on the east side put their shoulders to the wheel and raised a loan of £2OOO to metal and bridge the Eltham Road and to metal the Main South Road. "With the exception of a few short gaps both these roads are now completed to the Taranaki County boundary. It used to be a general saying on the part of people comiug from the Hawera County that there was no difficulty in telling when you got into the Taranaki .County, as the wretched and dangerous state of the road soon woke you up to the fact. The boot now is on the other leg, as the Taranaki roads on that side of the town are good, but on the Main South Road there is not much difficulty in telling when you get into the Hawera County, as most of the length of road to the Waingongoro is getting into a very bad plight. On the other side of the town great improvements have been effected on the road, and all the bridges with the exception of the small one at Mr Ching's have been rebuilt. So that now with the exception of a mile or two in patches the main roads in Parihaka will compare very favorably with those in other parts of the province. V * '■i' '.'•

The Parihaka Road Board has also not been idle, it having raised a loan of £IBOO which has been spent on the Kahui Road East, and another loan of £660 which has been spent on the Ihaia Road, both of which, before the expenditure, were almost impassable. y :;: v *

The town during the past year has been making solid progress. During the summer the builders were busy, and in the way of new buildings we had added the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church. Mr Knowles doubled the size of his hotel, whilst several private buildings were erected. Want of paint was a distinguishing feature of the place, but during the year the painter's brush has been over nearly every business place in the town, adding very greatly to its appearance. The district lias become known to the outside public, who have manifested their confidence in its ultimate prosperity by the number who have thrown in their lot with it. Dr King, late of Wellington and the West Coast, has settled here; Mr T. A. Bushe Bailey, representing the legal profession, removed here from Inglewood; Mr J. Harding-Mason, chemist, has opened up a business;'Mr J. R. Stewart, C.E., has opened a branch, and placed Mr Robinson, surveyor, in charge; Mr John.Stit'c has re-commenced business as # general merchant; Messrs Newcomb and Masse), of Hawera, and White and Carter, of New Plymouth, have opened up permanent branches

of their drapery and clothing business ; "Mesgrs Gardiner Bros, of Stratford, have opened a hair-dressing saloon and general fancy goods store, and have also taken over the livery and bait stables from Mr R. H. Seccombe.

The chief industry in the district is dairying, and unfortunately this is not very promising for the coming season. The price agreed on between suppliers and the Crown Dairy Company for butter factories is 2id, and for cheese 2fd. This reduction was owiDg to the unsatisfactory state of the Home butter market at the olose of last season. We understand, however, a promise has been given by the company to most of the suppliers that should the price for butter during the coming season improve, the price of the milk will be raised accordingly. * # * *

One bright feature for the farmers was the success of the chilled meat shipment. Should this prove continuously successful it will be of immense bsnefit all round. At the present time numbers of dairymen are destroying calves, as was done some nine or ten years ago, till there was such a shortage that thousands of illbred and scraggy cattle were imported from other parts of the colony at a huge profit to take the place of those destroyed. Dairymen should bear this is mind, for whatever chance there may be of a revived market recouping them, they effectually lose that by cutting the calves' throats. Scores of settlers who did exactly the same before, afterwards bitterly repented when they saw what a profit a little patience would have produced. * * * *

One of the greatest factors in the ultimate progress of this district would be cheap freight on imports and exports, and the lo3s of the Qpunake jetty was a very severe blow to it. Now, however, hope is revived, and between five and &ix hundred shares are applied for to rebuild it. In the course of a few weeks plans will most likely be called for, and the work of rebuilding done during the coming summer.

During the year a considerable area of native land was placed on the market, some of which was eagerly snapped up. We understand a further area will be put up almost immediately, and if there were more confidence in the administration it would be but a short time until all these lands which are at present lying waste would be profitably occupied. « $ * *

The prospeots of ratepayers to the New Plymouth Harbor Board are commencing to wear a much brighter aspect. Mr McGuire followed the Colonial Treasurer Home, and has taken a hand in the game played there. The Treasurer has agreed to arbitration in the matter, but we have as yet no definite information as to the point to be submitted to arbitration. Mr McGuire has persistently contended that the Government should make restitution for the 200,000 acres handed back to the natives. A Committee of the House reported favorably on this contention, but the Government declined to take any action on the committee's report. We notice from information to hand, Mr Ward claimed in England that in the prospectus issued at the time the loan was subscribed, there were 768,000 acres mentioned as security, and he stated this area remained intact. He therefore may have agreed to arbitration taking the prospectus as the basis, in which case, if his statement is correct, very Utile benefit would accrue. Getting it arbitrated on will, at any rate, produce finality. * * * *

Locally, at the last election the country, which previously took very little interest in Harbor Board affairs, woke up and returned a good working majority, and it is confidently anticipated that a reduotion in the next rate struck will be made. We may, we think, safely take the credit for initiating the movement which has led to this result.