PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 1 July 1907, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

(irom Our Own orrespondents). TONGAPORUTU. In Tongaporutu mid-winter is genervery slow, and this one is no exception (o the rule. Public works tie stopped, bullock-dray traffic is stopped, ■iiul tlio only traJlic now is a three* horse dray and the mail express. Cricat talk there has been over the damage done to the road by the bullock drays hauling Hie telephone posts and timber for a man's house. 'flic bullock drays did a great deal of gold to the road. The six-inch tyres were as good as a roller on it, and they opened out the mud to let the sun get at

Jhe engineers have been over it, but I ''i' l 11()t do any good. The eountv one came first, and arranged for some sundstoning to be done; then the Government man came and stopped it. The last Parliament voted £SO for this county road. The countv let it some six months ago, but the contractor lost liis only horse in the Tongaporutu river, and threw up the contract. Now the Government will not give the mangy so that we must paddle through the mud a little longer. Large sums are handed over to the County from time to time—'thirds of the rents approved, by the Land Board—but where theyaie spent goodness knows; certainly not in Tongaporutu.

The telephone has been completed to Okau these last three weeks, but the tiling has not been opened yet. Two men have also been put on to make the track 12 . feet wide to the Post-oflicc there. The terminus at present is u few hundred yards this side.

Mr Reeve, the Church of England clergyman, has been preaching all along the coast. He soeniß to be the only one amongst them that can get a congregation together. The Wesleyans gave it up, the Army missionary pays a (lying visit now and then, but the Rev. Reeve is the only one to stop with us and work.

Last Sunday afternoon he addressed forty-two persons at Awakino, and in the evening more than half that number at Mokau. On Monday night, though very cold and frosty, he had pretty well a score at Tongaporutu. He visits everybody, travels all weathers, and is a conscientious and earnest grafter whom we all wish well.

: WAIUSA. The Warea factoj-y butter guides 03</, points at the Palmerston show mid took two second prizes. The firs) prize butter, which graded 9-1 points was not a Taranaki butter. This sho'vf tliat our butter-maker must be a first Glass man. Large mobs of kakas may be seer Hying over from the sea to'the bus! nearly every day. This is a most tin common thing, as kakas are prertj scarce here. Some think they arc eo.ii ing over from the other island. Ihe. Parihaka ltoad Board have com pletcd the culvert on the Warea rond The pipes, which are 3ft in diametir are made of concrete, so they ought tt a while. The bachelors ball was held on Wed nesday Evening, and was a great suecess. There were about 70 couples pre sent, who gathered from all parts ol the coast. The weather was wet ti] till noon, but cleared off a little foi the evening. This prevented a lot. from coming (hat intended to come from a long distance. The bachelors did everything tliev eonld to make tho ball "a success. The tables were nicely decorated witli pink and white camelias. I Dancing was kept going until about •1 a.m. on Thursday morning, Wr j). Paterson was at the piano, and Messrs li- W'arburtoii, T. E. Larking, and ill. Pierson acted as M.CJ.'s. The persons who took the new pair of boots and a trap cushion from the hall ought to return them at once, as a new pair of boots could never be taken ill mistake. This is the lirst time that visitors have ha',-1 their belongings sfolen at a Warea function.

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