TE KAPUA.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 149, 26 February 1915, Page 4

TE KAPUA.

(Own Correspondent.) Continuous dry weather prevails here and is causing uneasiness among •tattlers, because, however well we are standing the drought, dryness is beginning to tell on pastures, and all are anxiously awaiting rain. We should not be at all troubled if it rainfad all .day at the Show —rather than have continuous drought. On Friday evening last a rather severe frost occurred, and some potato crops suffeijad. It is noticeable that the nights are much colder and southerly winds at. times are somewhat keen. Some of our “sages” are of the opinion that absence of rain is caused by incessant.heavy gun fire in Europe shaking and attracting all moisture to these parts. While referring to that terrible war and noticing presentations and “sendoffs” to volunteers it may not be out of place to record the names of our own lads of Te Kapua and close adjoining settlement who have gone to the war to fight for us, and who have had but little notice taken of them. Among the first were: Lieut. Somerville, Sergt. Angus McDonald, Sergt. Sidney Peed (men who left their farms and are now at the front in Egypt). Next went Troopers Len. Tucker (cur recent schoolmaster, until promoted to a higher grade school), then Jim Dorrejan, who saw active service in the South African war and resident here fer several years past, Charlie Canton, n former respected pioneer settler. The last three mentioned I understand are serving in one of the batteries’ reinforcements to Egypt, lately arrived with Geo. Fulton, cf Kaweka Road. Willie Munro has new riacently gone to the Trentham Camp as a trooper for the next reinforcement. The) lastynamed has been a resident of Te Kapua for many years. W|a all sincerely hope to be able to welcome them home again, sound and whole.

While on the military subject it has occurred to me to mention the icxciting finish to cur local competition for the Te Kapua Rifle Belt. It appears three riflemen tiled for the final tally —272. When it was announced thus it was so quiet (as stated in a Dutchman’s recitation) yen could pick up pins. Any hew, the air seemed tensja with excitement, and three grim, determined “cracks” had To fire off fivje shots at 600 yards to decide who should bear off the great trophy. Rifleman Thurston led off with a "bull,” while Rifleman H. Rowling, and E. Anderson held on with “inners.” As the scoring proceeded it was noticed that Rowling never wandeiled far from the black, though not hitting it, while Andersen and Thurston got the “bull” and then went wide to a magpie—a bird of ill’ omen. Finally, with the last shot to go. Rowling with a lead of orb point from J. Thurston, maintained it by ah “inner,” and totalled 20 out cf 25—consistent “inners,” Thurston 19, a point behind; Anderson with 15 for 4 shots could still tie with a bullseye, and strove with great aim to seemb it, excitement being heavy. Fair ladies .who were greatly interested in the result were vainly trying to gain news cf tl h result through field glasses on a distant hill utterly failed, but were mercifully away from tbe strain of excitement. Riflemen Andersen fi’ijd; slowly the disc registered a four very close in to the black, but cnlv t a four. Riasult: Rowling was nrcclaimed winner cf the Te Kapua Belt for 1915. Several thousand sheep have gone from Ta Kami a during the last two