OKATO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8062, 19 March 1906, Page 2

OKATO.

(FROM OITH OWN COIIIiHSI'OXDEXT.) On Monday a working-bee was held in connection with the getting ready of the grounds and dam for the Held and aquatic sports on Saturday. Another is to be held on Thursday, after which everything will be in readiness. Judging by the number training, the various events will be keenly contested. Owing to the events being all district ones, the whole of the Dam family are going to turn out to see Master John Dam p.-rform. JGossip has it that even Grandma Dam is coining. Let us hope sho will for she will go home feeling the better for a hearty laugh at seeing Grandpa Dam having a spill ofl the greasy boom, or getting upset while trying to catch a greasy pig.

B Last Wednesday Mr Buckingham . with the "Ben Hur" series of kine- - 'un-tfS''aph pictures, gave an entertain- . mcut in the Hcmpton Hall. There I was a fair attendance, considering the . uirewell social on the Thursday night. The people arc patiently waiting to > seo the footpaths in the borougli f proper duly formed, We presume j the matter is being kept 7 steadily in view" or rather out of i view, - Mr Message has arrived to take . charge of Jlr Fox's drapery establishi mcnt. i At last the various Road Boards - have become enlightened enough to i see the wisdom of grading and forming - the unmetalled roads to their full • width. This is, generally speaking, a > much better policy than spending their i Sci " lt -V fun(ls 011 a few yards of metal, , and leaving the rest of the road so . rough that it is unsafe to dodge right ■ or left to avoid a quagmire. Pleasing comment has also been made about the County Council filling up and ,grading the sides of the main road where there was a sudden drop from the metalled portion, and entailing considerable risk where two vehicles draw to opposite sides to puss one another. It is to be hoped this good work will be prosecuted witll vigour on the main road A silly trick was played one night this week by some persons on the main toad at Omata. It took place just where one house stands on a terrace, and on the opposite side of the road' another house stands in a hollow. A cotton thread or threads was stretched across ut such a height as to catch a horse passing in a vehicle just in front or the nose. The horse suddeulv swerved, mid hud he not been a fairly ipiiot one, would probably have cap. sized the vehicle and occupants. the Maoris have been Hocking to Parihaka. Among them mav be seen a tew bronzed and scarred' warriors, . the survivors of a glorious past. To i contrast them with the present dav Maori is to regret the environment of 1 im effete civilisation or a less civilised I race. The Maori, stout of heart in the struggle for existence (perforce so o() . years ago) seems to be fast passing away. Perhaps the present policy of dealing with their lauds and rents will ■. be abandoned ere it is 100 late, for the ; " thoughts of men are widened with the i process of the suns." I