DISTRICT NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 172, 24 August 1909, Page 4

DISTRICT NEWS

(From Our Own Correspondents) TONGAPORUTU.

The s.s. Pitoitoi arrived here (a full shj, .., to cargo) on Thursday last, and is uu.: to arrive here again on Tuesday next. A part of her cargo consisted of ferroconcrete drain pipes for the Public Works Department. These are to he used on the .Main North road. 1 am glad to note that at last something Is being done of a hinting nature. Wioodell and pu.iga culverts and bridges, 1 hope, iire no,v ihing* ol the past. H the Department would put on a good, live, experienced surfaceman on Ml. Messenger in a few months' time the road ivon.ii 1»' in a good condition. The ascent of All. Messenger on the south side has had a little in the way of im proveiucius done, but the north side is still in a bad state, and if a couple of goud men were to be put on here for a inn,nil lam sure it would improve matters. This portion of the main road should never have been allowed to get irto Ihe state it has been during the pasi lour months, The water laoles nave nut (ill some places) been cleaned of silt for from 12 to 18 months. The v.aiei lias been allowed to overflow'and ma down the centre of the road. I liupe Lln- engineer ill charge will at an,, rate see that a fair day's work is done ...r a lair day's wage. The amount of wages paid out monthly on this part of ihe main road is nut, in my opinion, oeing fnirlv earned. llnr team of footballers visited Awnkino on Saturday and were badly defeated, the home team scoring 21 tc nil. 1 am pleased to see by your repoit of the Land Hoard meeting that the Tongaporutu village sections arc to he put up to jiulilic competition. I cannot understand why one individual should have such a line lot of ground for such a pittance (some 13 per annum rent) for such a number of years. Kaney some 40 acres of good grass Jand being given to an individual for a rental of £3 per year!

WAKEA. On Friday last Mr. Newton King held a clearing sale here on. account of Mrs. M. E. Taylor. . There was a fair attendance. The highest price paid for the cows was £!l, and several went to over £B, but the average was not very high. The sundries brought satisfactory prices. Pigs were fairly humming, all offered being sold at very higli prices, Mr. W. D. Ijinn purchasing the biggest part of them. The lease of the farm of ,104 acres was put up and was knocked down to Mr. A. Clothier.

Tile cricket season opened here on Saturday with our local club. The day was line and about twelve members were present. Sides were chosen and a very interesting game resulted. In Ihe lirst innings "A" team made 20 runs and the "li" team also 20, the innings resulting in a draw. In the second innings "A" team made 23 and "B" 22 runs. WAITARA. '"'""'

The Waitara Bowling Club held another of their popular euchre parties and dances on Thursday eveaing. The I first prize was won by Mrs. Scully an JI the men's by Mr. F.' Hoskin. Mr. 11. Langman kindly donated the prizes. The music for the dunce was supplied by Misses Jenkins and Gilbert and Mesdames Scully, Passim and Nosworthy. The working bee from the local volunteers commenced clearing up the rubbish in the old soldiers' cemetery on Thursday lust. Although the number was not large those present made a good showing by clearing up the furze and burning it. It is hoped that some ■of the townspeople will roll up on Thursday next anil help the promoters in making the place respectable. A quiet but pretty wedding took place on Thursday last, the contracting parties being Mr. Charles Old and Miss Nora Purdie. 'Die ceremony took place at the residence of the bride's mother. The bridesmaids were Miss Nellie Pu"die (sister) and Miss Nancy Yemes (niece). The best man was Mr. L. <;. P urdie, of Mahoenui. The bridegroom's present to the bride was it gold bangle, and to the bridesmaids also gold bangles. The Rev. S. S. Osborne officiated. Mr. and Mrs. Old left for Wanganui to spend their honeymoon. A local resident was successful in drawing a prize in Tatlersall's consultations on the (irand National Hurdle Race recently run at Caullield. The prize is worth about £SO».

The Waitara Municipal Brass Band gave their first open-air pcrformaice on Saturday evening under Bandmaster MoConncll. An excellent programme was rendered, reflecting preat credit on Mr. McConnell for the manner in which lie has brought on the band during the short time he has had the coniluctorship. The band mustered 21 strong and quite a number of those around the stands wvrv young beginners. The total strength of the band is 28. It is Mr. McConnell's iiitcntion clurinir the. summer months to give the Waitara public plenty of music and I have no doubt the public will respond and support the hand in the future as they have done in the past. It is the intention of the band to compete it the next band contest in the B grade.