NORMANBY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8182, 21 August 1906, Page 2

NORMANBY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.). We have had a fair spell of gold weather lately) which has dried up the roads wonderfully, and is bringing on the grass apace. There has been' during the past few weeks quite a plethora of marriages here, conducted in a very quiet style, thus saving the waste ol reports and rice. While speaking of marriages, you must have dropped a slip of my copy of the M. McNicol—J. J. Canning marriage report, which referred to a floral bell, the work of Mr and Airs A. B. Stewart, of "The Laurels," Normanby. The bell was about throe feel in diameter, the frame was constructed of wire, which was very tastefully covered with ferns, evergreens, and choice flow- j ers. There was a pendulum, composed of a floral string with a very

i neat bouquet at the bottom to represent as near as possible the ordinary bell tongue. It was hung in the centre of the large, dining-room, under which the bride and bridegroom stood during the wedding ceremony. It was universally admired, and elicited high encomiums from all upon Mr and Mrs Stewart's novel construction and unique and elegant workmanship. Some time ago you published a repnt that the Electric Light Company were about to start stone crushing near the power house. That information was a little in advance, as the said company never intended to do so but one of" the directors, Mr John White, of U'aihi, did contemplate so doing. He has now leased most of his farm and the co.vs, and is about starting stone crushing with an eight horse-power electric motor. l! e has purchased all the stone in the VVaingongora

River in the Electric Company's land, and lias secured a site for a m-shcr and storage of metal, broken and unbroken. Mr White's enterprise should be the means of very much reducing the cost of our roads maintenance, which during tho past has been all tccrtostly, There are rumours of commercial ' changes afloat, but nothing definite ' has transpired as yet. The main road through our town i has been kept in very good repair , during winter; in fact, the best in " the district. All bullock teams are now knocked off for some months to eotne. Mr John Kemp, of Te Rod, who * 'ins removed In Ngaire was 'he recipient of a presentation and neivk last week". « 2a/K/n<i. ■ S _____ a