PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 4 December 1907, Page 3

PROVINCIAL NEWS.

From Our Own Correspondents. TONGAPORUTU. The annual children's picnic was to have been held on Thursday last, hut that day being wet, it came oil on Friday. Anything of the sort when postponed is not such a success as might oincrwise lie the case. The day looked none too good in the morning, but the afternoon was line. The people being far apart ami the weather uncertain, it must have been 2 o'clock before they got together. There were ladies' committees', gentlemen's committees, and committees of both sexes arranging the programme weeks-aye, months—beforehand. In fact, there was more exI citement over it than on Epsom Downs on Derby Day. All the children were there, and most of the folks as well. The place where the picnic is held is about the worst that they could find —round the Tongaporutu hall—not a tree to keep the sun off and no water convenient; yet year after year it must I be there. After the picnic there was a I concert, ami after the concert a dnnci till sunrise. The concert was very fair The songs were aged, but pretty wel rendered. The I'ublic Works Statement sets I down a thousand pounds for the Okau- | Mangaroa road, but they have not started spending it yet. Most likely it will go to swell the surplus on the :11st March, 1908. There is a large area of bush down, rough country, too—good country for sheep. The sheep farms are shearing their sheep now. The quantity of butter made so far is not so good as that made this time last year. Some dairymen are talking of going for sheep next year, and getting wool clicipies instead of butter ones. The butter u.aies once a month; the wool once a year.

A settler now and then transfers liis interest, hut whether for better or worse it is hard to say. Tin 1 roads are dry now, in defiance of engineers ami road-iiwpectors. The Clifton County Council lias made another' start to raise the Mimi valley above the Hood. Like other tradespeople, our local butcher has risen his meat 4'/ 2 d per lb all. round. Our mail Jehu now drives four in hand. The YVaitara ship, which was to have kept us from starving, has disappeared, ; no one knows where. WAREA. A meeting of the Wurca branch of the N.Z.F.A. was held on Thursday evening. There was a good attendance. Mr. J. Burgess presided. It was decided to hold a social on 2\"ew Year's A strung ladies' eoimniitee \vas loimed, consisting of -MeSdauies .Miliar, Larking, Judge, action, Coitnier, t'orbett, and T. Julian (senr.J, with power 10 iiutl to tneir number.

it was decided to write to the Uirisieiiurch .Ueat Company lo see 11 tncy would receive pigs at atony liner. Uuarantee papers arc in circulation to ascertain tne number of pigs nicely to be available during tiie next two years. The heavy ramiall of Thui'sdjy did a great deal of good, for the ground was very dry.

A number of .Maoris passed" thioiign here on Iriday. They were returning from l'arihaka.

liie late.-1 improvements at the local factor in the w..y of buildings are a testing-room ami a bath-room. The next, 1 expect, will ue a new cheese lactory-piuoably next season. A number of larmcrs were kept from going to the show owing t.j Hie milking.

Jlr». .\lurphy mu t with a "im"ly~aVi? dent last inursday n.gnt, as su, was returning iioni .New i'iymoutll. Xhe horse slued at a heap of stones on the side ol the road auu capsized the trap, "■■eh lea c„ ifrs. .Murphy's leg and woke it. biic was immediately taken back to .New Plymouth Hospital ll"« milk supply at the factory is still on he .iicreuse. The largest supply exceeds 2UOU lbs. a day. On Sunday last a number of cyclists were going to l'arihaka from New Tl v . mouth On the way they met a milk ■! <it T; ed , drivcr aDd lor a dunk, which he willingly gave t»llin» ThTnSk"r f a3 IUUCh " the '* • me milk tasting so good, they had vclistt? " U Pcrhi I» «tW tjUists knew as much about the skim a creek to slake

INGLEWOOD. Local cricketcrsla ll not be accused of ■uk of determination. On the Kin«'s «>rthd«y the , eaiu , Sj J( , Ue »* ™-™tl.er, travelled to Urenui, hoping >mt the ,- ilm wo „| ( , m , ' « long jouni,y for nothing. •Mrs. Hood was unfortunate in her ••horn- or date for the concert which was given 1 y l K . r .„„! pupi | s on Thm . si |. . last, in aid of the Technical School buildmg fiind. Apart from the fact that it was People's Day at the A. and P. Show m New Plymouth, the weather was bad. and. for these reasons only, a moderate audience was present. On Saturday last the Tennis' Cluo received a visil from a few members of the Stratford Club. A pleasant afternoon was spent. The visitors were too good for the home players, and the majority of the frames ended in thcr favour. The ladies of St. Andrew's Onild must be heartily congratulated on the success attending their efforts. The sale of work and musical afternoon on Saturday last will benefit the Church building fund to the extent of about £ls.

KORU. A plain and fancy dress ball, in aid of the hall funds, was held on the evening of November 2!J, but was not attended as well as was anticipated. The hot weal her, and its being the busy lime of the years, was no doubt responsible for many not turning up. Amongst the characters represented were -Miss Ivy Putt, ''Queen of Hearts''; .Miss Reid. "Pink Rose"; Miss Ruby Putt, "Buttercup": Miss M. Pierson, "Japanese (iirl"; Miss M. Watson, "Fairy": Miss Olive Sutton, "Japanese (iirl": Mr. AV. Mace, "Turk"; Mr. W. Morris. "Tennis," and Mrs. M'Craeken, "Jockey." (lood music was supplied by Mis. ])es Forges, extras being played bv Misses lieid and Putt and Mrs. E. Lusk. The duties of M.O. were efficiently carried out by Mr. W. Mace.