TONGAPORUTU.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 214, 6 October 1903, Page 4

TONGAPORUTU.

(From our Own Correspondent). ! A beautiful spring Bfter the mild wet winter. The grass is well forward, gardens looking well, fruit trees in blossom, and fish are plentiful in the river and in good condition, The great North-road is dry except in bad places. The wet winter brought down a good many slips and they were not half cleared away; these places are bad yet. The surface men and all others have been paid off long ago. Everyone is waiting for the Public Works Statement to see what is to be done, There is a road inspector yet left and another, a ganger over day labour, but no men are employed. The roads look after themselves. There are two football clubs—the ToDgapotutu and the Okau or Upper ToDgapordtu. They played a match, when the Okau team came off winner. The two teams combined challenged Urenui. The match was played at tJtenui, and Tongaporutu was defeated. 4 returp match was played in Mr A. Gubb's paddock on the 26th, Urenui winning by a try to nij, Ihe day was beautiful, and the attendance large for Tongaporutu. The local team entertained the visitors at Mrs McKoy's, wken more than 50 sat down to dinner. The spread was got up by that lady in most excellent style, A smoke concert took place in the evening, and as Messrs Paul's and Goldwater's best was there in abundance, the crowd did not disperse till the small hours of the morning. Some excellent songs and very fair recitations were given at intervals between the toasts.

There is any quantity of sections being put on the market in the Upper Tongaporutu, but pot many taken. The road is the principal drawback. lAs roads are progressing at present i these sections will be useless for years. The owners will have the pleasure of paying rent and making improvements without any return.

The bush chopped is very limited, only sufficient to stop forfeiture in most cases.