PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 12 April 1907, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondents.) >SIK AXFOIt D. Buying and soiling, and selling and buying, and land values rising all the lime, it is hard lo say when die top w.i! be reached. V ear after year goes by and on all sides can be heard til-' cry that land has reached its top value, and yet we tind that the hunger for land is not satislied and the top value of ias,. iear surpassed this year. Since my last notes're sales of liud, I mil informed that Messrs i'itt Bios, have bought out Messrs Smith, on the Stanley road. Messrs J'in are shrewd business men, and it is ev dent by their Increasing their holdings that 111 -ir faith in the future of Tarauaki is I strong. Mr IJenliam, of Mahoe, has sold to Mr Astbury at a very substantial figure. Mr \V. Dale, of l.owgarth. ,'ias to a new arrival lo this district from Tasman a, a Air litu-ger. Mr ('. Lovell, for many years in the

jobbing department of the lOcal paper, ka-. sold his property in this town, and intends settling ill the Hamilton district. The hearty good wishes for his future pro.-pcrily of a large circle of friends will follow him in iiis new home. "The Besses" gave lis a taste of tli.'ir quality in fhe afternoon ot yesterd'iv, and it is anuiMug to hear the critics. That old poem of "Amen Corner" is poor alongside the expression of opinions of those least (puiiilied to critic>-c. We have, had quite an exodus of tourists for the Old Land this week. | Air l\ O'Connor, from the Kahollri liridgc, has left on n visit to Ireland. Mr C. a Curtis and family left for an extended tour of the United Kingdom and the States, and Air Geo Curtis, 1 am informed, is shortly to follow. Mr and Airs C. Caricy also left for the. Old Country. It is to be hoped they will enjoy themselves. Our Mayoral election that boded excitement has quietened down, and only two aspirants remain iu the held. Some public recognition is to be made to the retiring Mayor, Mr N. J. King, for the Ion" and successful teun of service. This is only right and proper. With regard to the municipal elections the many rumors of the number of aspirants lire simply overwhelming ami in the end may turn out—iiz/.le. A question that is greatly disturbing "onuine public thought and one that has a great effect on a dairying district is cheese versus butter or cheese and witter. On account of the present good outlook and present good prices many suppliers are advocating both systems, Kaponga Bairy Factory suppliers have voted on 'the question, and decided to maintain the present, system. Eltham factory, I believe, intend installing cheese plants at all their creameries. So opinions differ, and the future ean pnlv decide. With the present rising land values the utmost must be done to make things pan out right. One settler, I am informed, on the Waimate Plains will have a return of about £l3 per acre for his land 'this year. I should say he would lie alright.

TiAHOTU. A n.iddlo-aged man nainori Willis, who has boon wandering about the district for the last few days in u destit'Ue condition, was arrested thi* (Wednesday) morning liv Constable Kelly oi\ a charge of vagrancy, and lodged ii. the local lock-up. lift was brougU before Messrs. Chapman ami Phillips, d.'sP., in the afternoon, and sent .'-iced to three months' imprisonment iu the New Plymouth gaol. Accuse.!, who is an old offender, and lias sever-U previous convictions, will be taken U New Plymouth by Constable Kcllv in the morning. Professor Hates and Mi*s Hates gave an exhibition of buckjumping and rough riding iii -Mr. Hughsnn's paddock this afternocn. The professor mieceeded in riding some unbroken horses, and ah> an heifer, whilst iliss Hates gained rounds of applause for the ])lucky way in wiiich she stuck to a nasty beggar owned by Nr. Conway. Some clever lassoj throwing was also appreciated. The iirflfc of this season's series of socials, inaugurated by Miss llonan, was liehl this evening. The attendance was not nearly as large as might have been expected,'considering the popularity of these socials last season. Thos present, however, had an enjoyable time. The floor was perfect, whilst Miss Honan provided excellent music, whilst Miss K Fowl-'r played an extra. Mr. Thos. Wilcox made a capable M.C. During the evening an excellent supper was handed around. The bazaar in connection with the Catholic Church, whieli was held last week at Pungarehu proved h'ghly successful, over £3OO being taken. It. is expected that suilicient money will be cleared not only to pay oft" the debt on the church but also to re-paint it .. Mr. -Jas. llothery, whilst working at Messrs. Mills and' Kothery's sawmill, met with a painful accident last Saturday, ids thumb being very severely crushed, and as a result he will'be ineapaciat from work for a fortnight. Mr. Y. W. Frethey has disposed of his large faun up the Kahui road to Mr. Lysaght, of Normanby, and will be leaving here in about a fortnight. During the time they have been in the district 'Mr. and Mr*. Frethey have made themselves deservedly popular, and they will be greatly missed from our district. We wish tl.em every success iu whatever district they may decide to settle. Several people from this district journeyed to Stratford to-day to hear the ttesses o' tli' Barn. The last from this district to visit the 'Exhibition is Mr, A. D. Fielder, who leaves for Christchurch to-morrow. Mr. -1. Wilson, who was for some years the popular driver of the OpunakeManala coach, is now driving the New Plymouth coach.