TONGAPORUTU.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 88, 9 April 1903, Page 2

TONGAPORUTU.

(From our Own Correspondent,) The anaual regatta—the event of 'he year - cams off on Saturday, the 4th instant. Frichy, the 3rd, was to have been t he day, but it rained all day and the sport had to be pos'pon-'d. Saturday, too, was wet ti'l mid day, when it cleared, and the sports e imoiittee decided to go on with it. Trie ittendunce was very poor, thi-jugh iu sufficient advertising, none being there but those in the immediate neighbourhood, aod a fmv who had come a day or two pi eviously. j

The water events were not iutero.<ting, one cmoe (O'Sullivai/s) scoipin the lot. Tha same canoe takes th pool year after year, yet the do not seem to look after it. They ought to be able by this time to mike a handicap that w uld keep the canons together, as have no hirg new t ilea! w th. Th re was a fresh catio his year, newly made - a green whit, pine—the cr'nv were a'so "given," an > never troubled the Meieor,

The land even s had fair entries, th principal race being won by Mr F. R I'.teiJ bury. A tug-of-war, between Europeans and Maoris, was won by the whites. There was somaiil-feelingover fixing the date for holding this regatta, Mi contending t hat it must be held [on St. Pa!rick's Day, and no other. | He could cot show any special tea-ou for this date, as he could not s») whether the worthy saint encouraged spirt on water or on land. A d u.ee in ths school at night, which, considering the bid roads, was fairly ■•veil attended, brought the holiday to u close, A wet summer and a wet autmn has kepi the roads muddy all the feasor. Small p.rtions of the m i'i road are beiog metalled with sand stone, which is progressing but slowly on accouat of the wt',.

Bush-burtiiug, too, has been r.tthei a fdiiur*. A severe shook ni earthquake wcw felt here on the lad April, bu'u no special damage done.