DISTRICT NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 83, 4 May 1909, Page 4

DISTRICT NEWS

(From Our Own Correspondents). WAREA. „ The Ruakere road contract— forming ;i7'/> chains—was commenced last week, and" if the weather keep* line it should be completed 'by Wednesday. The new books lately purchased by the local library arrived last week. They are a, fine lot, and will be appreciated by the subscribers during the winter months.

Mr. Percival, architect, was here last Tuesday to lay oil' the site for the cheese factory, as well as the Newell road site. As soon as his report is received tenders will be called for the concrete work, and with that completed, tenders will be called for the erection of the buildings. The Carringtou road work is progressing favorably, the road being open for cart traffic from the Stony river to the Wahvcramii river. Now that the Waiweranui aud Warea rivers are bridged it will make the road passable to the Newell road. Messrs. Turner and Beadle arc th P contractors for the erection of the bridges. The Warea Defence Rifle Club is holding its annual ball on Thursday next, (Ith May.

The Rifle Club has commenced shooting. The first competition was fired ou Saturday, when they fired for a trophy by Mr. V. P. Robinson prior to Irs departure for the Old Country. Eight members participated. Mr. A. Jenkins put up top score at both 200 and 31)0 yards, and secured a leg-in for the biscuit-barrel. The conditions for the trophy arc that it is to be won twice in succession or three times at intervals; ranges, 200, 300, 500, and GOO yards. Following are the scores:— 200 300 Hep. Tl. F. Jenkins .. 28 20 250 V. Kivell.. ..20 20 8 11. A. Mills .., 20 22 0 —4B W. It. Smith ..24 24 0— 48 W. B. Clarke .., 21 25 0— 40 T. R. Julian ..23 15 745 IT. Stanton .., 14 11 11 CI. Corkill ..17 10 0 TONGAIPORTJTU. After a storm comes a calm. This is an old saying and a true one, for during the past week we have had splendid calm, sunshiny weather, and no frosts so far. Yet some will growl. I heard that a considerable quantity of grassseed that had been sown some two weeks ago had not sprouted up to date, and the reason given for this is, "Oh, we have not Had enough rain to cause the seed to sprout!" Well, since the beginning of March, I consider if we had no rain at all (and we have had plenty), the heavy deivs at night provided sufficient moisture to cause the seed to sprout. Will settlers only think, and not only look at on e side of the matter, but at all possible causes. I have stated above that sufficient dew had fallen to cause the seed sown to germinate. I maintain that this is correct. There are other causes at work also. For instance, the small birds arc more numerous this year than in past years. A little pois'onei] wheat mixed with the grass-seed would reduce Hie .bird nuisance. Again, in regard to the seed, I 'round samples this year very bad. this is not a new cause, but a very, very old sore that settlers have had fo contend with for years. Why not test your own seed Wore sowing? Why don't the seedmerchants give this important question more attention? An analysis of manure* can be demanded and must be given. Why not a percentage of genuine seed sold to settlers be also given? Wake up, anil don't put the blame on the weather,' but place it on the shoulders (or the wings) of those who are mostly to blame. T made a iliseiwcrv at the beginning of the sowing season that fairly astonished" me. I took up a handful of seed, say four hundred seeds in all, and, placing them on a large piece of black paper, tool; my magnifying-glass' a steel pin aifd sorted oli't the sample. I found 2 seeds o'< rape. 13 of rye grass, 02 of cocksfoot. 1 of ragwort (but I am not sure.'as' this seed has not come up yet). 10 of thistle (growing strongly), and some other seeds which I cannot identify—37 in all; Hie rest of the sample was made up mostly of shells of various seeds threshed out. Enough for our sample; and this was the bestoutof five samples I put through niy hands. Some four chains of burnt papa on Mount Messenger )yill be finished during the week if the weather keeps as at present. The'Cliflon County Council has made a start with Hie Mangaonga bridge. Mr. Clare is practically rebuilding it, and not too s'oon, as it was in a very decayed state.

A much-felt want lias been met licve. Mr. W. Crumley, blacksmith, has erected a small shop, .and is now prepared to do any smithwork rcc|iiirc(l. As Mr. Crumley is a tradesman and no "botch," perfect reliance can lie placed o-.i any work he undertakes. T wisk him every success, and hope that others of various trades will soon make a start. I am very glad to s'ce by the papers that the harbor loan has been floated, and I hope the time-is not far.distant when we shall only have one harbor and wharfage dues to pay. At present if a settler in here orders goods from Wellington or Auckland, and those goods arrive at the breakwater, they have to be sent to Waitara. Wharfage at Now Plymouth, railage from thence to Waitara (delay nothing), wharfage at Waitara, 25s per ton freight from Waitara to Tongaporutu. New every little tinpot place gets a picking out of the settlers, and it is time this was stopped. I have written in this strain before, but f hope to sec the day when steamers will run along the coast i'rom the breakwater.

The settlers here are going to .present th e Rev. Mr. Stewart with a small gold cross with a small diamond in the centre. Mr. Stewart lias been moved to Te Kniti, and we are giving him the present as a token of our regard. The snooting season opened here on the Ist May, but up to date nb sportsmen have appeared. Birds are not at all plentiful, anil if the settlers arc wise

they will nol allow the pheasants to be thinned out. for they are valuable when the catterpillar makes its appearance. A large field of turnips on Mr. A. Gibbs' estate is affected with the blight. The Rev. Father MacManus will celebrate Mass in (lie Tongaporutu Hall at 11 a.m. on Sunday next, the 9th. Mr. H. Sparks, our opposition coachproprietor, is being well patronised,' as T . sc ( . lie is well loaded with passengers ' every Monday mid Thursday on the in- ■ ward trip. iim j ou ],j s outward trip. Tuesdays and Fridays, lie is equallv tavored. I wish him every success, anil ' hope he will continue to run during the winter months, although some busybodies predict a failure. We are als'o able now to procure our general groceries at a much cheaper rate (ban in » (lie past tiattciihury Bros, have started a store ' here and at Okau. and (heir prices are I lair and liberal. Settlers j„ |, Pro will | not pay 40 per cent. eii«h for their ..nods when they can get them for 10 to p> per cent. Opposition is Ihe life of trade. Gil Monday evening a small number of settlers attended a meeting at the school (o elect a new committee. The rollowing settlers, being H, m \v Ones present, were elected:-Messrs. R.'Scott. A. Ihompsoii. T. B. Waters. ('. Skitrop and J. J. Chapman (chairman).

■ TARIKI. A "social" was held at Waipuku on the 2,th instant to welcome the new I minister, (he Rev. (.'. S. Bowie. The attendance was j.,11,1. juid would have been belter bad notices of the "social" been I'Onled up. Mr. J. Jemison presided, and cordially welcomed the reverend gentleman. Mr. Coutts. superintendent of the Sunday school, mid Mr. J. Therkleson. sen.. aNo spoke, extending a warm welcome to (he new niinis'ler. Mr. Howie, "' V' s l ''""• thanked those present for llieir kindness, and expressed his pleasure at meeting (li there (hat night. In th,. course of further remarks, (lie reverend gentleman, in referring to the

younger members of his church, said he wished to assure them of his fullest sympathy, lie was a believer in healthy outdoor "sports for the young folk, which, lie considered, were beneficial not only physically but also morally, and should hcip •thi'iii to grow up healthy, Godfearing Christians. A number of songs and recitations, anil the excellent refresl MiU provided by the ladies, all contributed to making a very pleasant and enjoyable evening, STRATFORD. Pay-day arrived on the public works yesterday, and to-day (Ist May) has been a busy one for retailers' of various wares, solid and liquid. Sergeant Cullen's establishment has it* quota of visitors,, who will duly make their bow to "the great unpaid*" and probably leave something to next year's surplus. The Council election is over, and everyone more or less is satisfied. The "ins" are in and h'ome are out, but it is all the same to most of. them. Various tickets were in evidence during the day. The question of leaving loaded guns about was brought very prominently before the public by the sad accident that befvl, Mr. Thomas Boyle's little boy, and great sympathy is felt for the parents. The shooting season opened to-day, and, judging by the local Press, sportsmen are appreciating the action of the Stratford Acclimatisation Society in enforcing the game laws and importing large numbers of new birds. The political forces at Tooley-street. 1 should say Ngaire, arc hard at work condemning the new valuation, as they consider the selling value of land is not the right value for taxation purposes. 1 wonder if the same people consider •butter at lOd retail in Wellington is on the same value as butter in Stratford at Is 2d! Yet rings and trusts are the special privileges of the town dwellers. No doubt the Colonial Treasurer shudders when he hears, if he ever does, that it is calmly asserted at Ngaire that the increased values on land is to find the money for another Dreadnought to protect their cheese on its way to the dear old Motherland. Local prophets are casting anxious eyes on Mount Egmont, and rise every morning to see if Ngauruhoe is still at work. Th e old man is l stoking up to some extent, judging by the view we get of it every day. 'The business premises recently destroyed are fast being reinstated, and soon all signs of the late fires will have disappeared. The tunnel on the Taranaki Main Trunk line is opened through, and the Department is using it for conveyance of railway material, and as soon as the embankment is finished the line will be laid to Pohokura. OMATA. Ou Tuesday evening, 27th April, a euchre party and dance was held in the Omata Hall as a farewell to our popular school-teacher, Mr. J. Thomas, who Is leaving the district to take up his new position in the Stratford District High School. There was a fair number present. 'Mr. A. Mills, in a meat and humorous' speech, eulogised Mr. Thomas' services to the district as a teacher and as an athlete. While they were sorry to lose him, they recognised he was going to better himself, and they wished him every success. Mr. Mills then presented Mr. Thomas with a silver cruet as a memento o'r their esteem. Mr. Thomas having suitably replied, cheers were given for Mr. aiid Mrs. Thomas. Dancing was kept up till an early hour.