PROVINCIAL NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 304, 28 December 1907, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS

(From Our Own Correspondents). • lABUU. The weather has been all that could be desired, and the turnips are mostly, owing to the splendid warm rains, we'll past the dreaded "fly" stage. There are also several fine patches of mangolds and I carrots'.in this locality. There is every < prospect of it being* an exceptionally good season for root crops, which in these times moan so much to the dairy farmer. Though none of the suppliers to the cheese factory managed to get into three figured at the last cheque day, several were very close up and a good many over the half hundred. The number of suppliers continues to swell, and it is reported that the time in not far distant when the directors will have to declare a '• full house." The Church of England held their annual Sunday School'picnic on the 20th inst. The children assembled at the hall at mid-day, and after being regaled with a first-class dinner, spent a happy afternoon playing games, etc. In 'the evening an entertainment was held, to which'a good number of parents put in an appearance. The recitations and songs by the children were all rendered in excellent style. The elocution and expression of some of the little reciters was particularly good, and showed they had been in the hands of really compct- : ent teachers. On the motion of the ' chairman a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mrs Lenahan and Miss Strat--1 ford, and the evening was concluded with ' the National Anthem.

WHANGAMOMONA. " The settlers here are rather indignant at the action of the Works Department in suggesing sanding the half-mile of Whangamomona Saddle, instead of metalling, as authorised by Parliament. Sanding is only temporary at any time, and will only last twelve months. If the Roads Department would put more energy in its work, and endeavor to spend what is authorised instead of suggesting something else, and thus wasting valuable time, it would be greatly in the interests of baek-bloeks settlers. There are only a, few weeks left that sanding or metalling can be done on the Ohura road, and it appears the Department, through not going on with the metalling, is killing time until March. Then it will be too late for uiiy road work to be done. The Government seems to be neglecting the backblocks completely, as the telephone at Whangamomona has been almost useless these last two months. It is just a bit of luck if you can get on to anywhere from' Whangamomona, although Mr Bess, the acting postmaster, stands ringing for half-an-hour for Stratford and gets no reply. The telephone service is the only hope we have ill the case of serious sickness, and when that is wrong, it causes a very large amount of uneasiness in the minds of settlers, but I suppose it is like the roads. Things are improving, with all our drawhacks. Everyone is busy shearing, and the waggons arc all going out laden with wool. Mr MeCutehan is the largest sheep farmer, shearing nearly 100 bales of wool. fj ..HSgjf The cheese factory is doing well. 25/12/07. , .

TONGAPORUTU. Christmas has come again—long days and warm weather. Everyone that can get away has left "Tonga." for the holidays. ■ ■■• i There has been no surplus population this season so far, no Government work being done. The place is growing nevertheless. Saleyards are going up immediately. Messrs Jenkins, Matthews and Pigott, of Waitara and I'rcnui, are extending their business to here. The yards are to be built on Mr Spalding's property at the junction of the Great North road and Okau-Mangaroa road. The material js on the ground, and the contractors were, too, but being near Christmas they stopped work lo» the present. The yards are convenient to the whole district south of the Mokau rived and west of Mangaroa, and in a few years will be a great centre for stock. The season is remarkable for growth, but rather moist for sheep-shearing and bush-burning. Some have their sheep shorn, the wool away and sold, and others have not yet started. Mr Battley has Wolsey machines and Maoris from Moawhaiiga working them. Others have chielly done their own shearing. The waggons which the Kotahi and the mud ran oil' the road are now on the road again. It is to be hoped they will stick to it, for a boat coming once a quarter is not at all satisfactory.

WAREA. A cricket match, Warea v. Okato/was played <iii Saturday in glorious weather .Neither side could make up u full team The game ended in a great victory foi Okato by 70 runs to 30 runs. Out ol three mutches played against Okato this season, Okato has won two matches. W. l)es Forges made the best score ol the day by putting up 27 runs. Scores: Okato.—P. Boyle, 5; hj, Andrews, 0; W. Des Forges, 27; K Seedom, 15; P. Corbclt. j-,; u Carey, 0; J. Carey, 2; 11. Corbclt, 1; P. Carey, 1; X. lleorge 1; extras, 4—total, 70. Warea— IS. Anderson, (i; R. War-bur-ton, li: ,1. .11. X. Watt, 3; 11. Picrson, 5; T. K. Larking; 0; J. Lcedom, 7; 11. Pelham, ■>■ M. McLaelilan,,o; J. Gordon, 0: extra*. 4—total, 30.

A return match will be played after (he haymaking is over. Heavy ruin fell all Tuesday night and up to about 8 or II o'clock on Chris-tmas morning, and about noon it cleared, and the sun came out very hot. I am informed that if the two midnight prowlers who amused themselves by shifting the firewood from the local •factory last Sunday niglit will call again next Sunday they will be allowed to shift "some more," after first applying to the manager, for he will direct them to the boiler-room, instead of up the road. The Farmers' Virion will hold their annual social on Xew Year's live, 31s(. December. The first cart arrived at the factory on Christmas morning at about a quarter to 4 o'clock. This is a record.