KORU.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 100, 31 May 1900, Page 3

KORU.

[from our own correspondent.] lln the report of the Harbour Board published in your issue of the 19th instant I see that the Engineer submitted a report of the estimated cost of improvements to the harbour and wharf, etc., totalling the tidy little sum of £142,000. If it is not intended to further tax the ratepayers and proceed with the work, why go to the expense of getting out plans and estimates ? There is no doubt the harbour would be greatly improved by the suggested improvements, but will the country settlers agree to tax themselves for it ? I think not. There cannot be a doubt but that the shopkeepers of New Plymouth would reap the benefit, hut it would be at the expense of the country settlers, so I would advise the ratepayers of the Harbour Board rating district to watch the strategy of the town members of the Board, for they do love spending the rate money for the benefit of the town of New Plymouth.

Three new members of the Eoad Board for the Oakura district have been elected this year, the Board now consisting of five members instead of four. Mr. George Looney is appointed chairman, and there is talk of appointing a clerk. Several gentlemen have been asked if they would take the office, but the salary asked appears to be more than the Board are prepared to give.

With the exception of three sections (which are situated above the Carring-1 ton Road, near the Okato end), the whole of the block lately opened up by the Government has been taken up, and I notice that several of the selectors ' belong to New Plymouth. The native land lying between the \ old and the new blocks, extending from , ihe Kiri to the Katikara, has been laid oil" in sections, and is to be leased by public tender at an .early date. There will, I believe, be keen competition for the land, as i 1; is reported to be fairly good acd not over heavily timbered. When this land has been leased, and oow that the new block is settled, the oush settlers will have some say in local elections, and instead of a farthing rate ind bad roads, I hope to see a three- : farthing rate and good ones; but till < the bush ratepayers get the upper hatd .hose who have the county road to their front gate will stick to the farthing rate and let their lefs fortuaate fellowLreatures plod through—or stick in—the mud, and' if they should dare to require a gravel road, well, let them go lor a special rate —muchly. By the way, Mr, Editor, can you tell me what steps are being taken to open the Fitone Road through the native block ? .£2OO was voted for it by the last Parliament, Are the Government officials going to allow the vote to lapse ? Will our member, Mr. E, M. Smith (the settlers' friend), kindly give them a prod up ? Three miles of the Koru-Plymouth Eoad (from Mr. Battle's to Mr. DeaForges') has been metalled and the blinding will be finished in about a week. This was done by special rate (.£600) and Government subsidy (.£500). The position of the road from the main South Eoad to where the metal starts (about |-mile) is to be done out of the ordinary rates year by year till completed, The Board have this year placed 70 yards of stone ready to be broken and spread on the end nearest Mr, Battle's. Several small contracts have been let this year by the Oakura Eoad Board which, when completed, will greatly improve the Plymouth Eoad. The sawmill on Mr, George Green's property is now in full working order, which should be a boon to the settlers south of New Plymouth. i Practice dances have sgain started here; they are held fortnightly under the management of Messrs. Jeffries and W. Man. Fortnightly dances are also held at Oakura. A ball is to be j given by the ladies to the gentlemen at i Oakura Hall on the evening of June 8 oh, which means pater-familias pays the piper. Let the bachelors who can afford it pay for their own amusements,

adies ; they don't need new dresses, eto, etc., for every dance. Fat ining at this time of ye*>' won't pay for luxuries. The weather has been v«ry rough and wet lately, which is cutting the feed down, and the milk supply is getting very small. In March last, the farmers of Koru who are not members of thb (Lkura Co-operative Daiiy Fucimy interviewed the dir cuoi'a'e of the factory «nh a \iiw <f getting a cuamery erected at Koi u. Tuny supplied a list of 224 cows, ai»d there are now ovei--100 cows' milk going from Koru to Q.ikura. The following is the resolution passed by the directors;— "TJtJat) the directors, on account of the smallnass of the milk supply, cannot see their way to erect a creamery at Koru at present, but if the settlers will deliver their milk at the Oakura factory next season, the directors would then favourably consider the matter of erecting a creamery, provided tW supply from not less than 300 cows additional to those now delivering to the Company can be assured." Rather a mild way of telling the Koru settlers they are not wanted, It would not pay at any price to allow the balance of power to depart from the southern end of the district, m\ m%