DISTRICT NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 195, 22 September 1909, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS

(From Our Own Correspondents.) WAREA.

The ordinary monthly meeting 01 directors of the local dairy factory was held on Friday. There was a fair number of offers for this mouth's butter, but none was accepted, although one firm offered a big price. The tender:, for supplying machinery for the cheese iactory was let to Mr. F. 31. Grayling. There were only two in for it, Mesrs. J. B. 3lacEwan and Co. and 31r. Grayling, and j there was only £1 difference between the two tenders. 3lr. John Clarke's tinsmith shop at Okato was destroyed by fire on I'nday night at aliout ten o'clock. As 31r. Clarke, jun., was returning from the township he ■aoticcd the fire, ami was just in time to save his cart and gig, which were in an adjoining shed and had just commenced to burn, I understand that 3lr. Clarke will be a heavy loser, all his tinsmithing tools being burnt, besides l a quantity of other material. There was no insurance on any of it.

The milk supply at the local factory is now increasing almost every day. The biggest supplier is bringing a great deal over a thousand pounds daily. The highest test last week was 4.2. The annual meeting of the local cricket club was held in the library room on Saturday night, there being' a fair attendance of members. The balance-sheet was read and proved very satisfactory, there being a credit balance of £2 Is Id. The total receipts were £9 3s, and the expenditure £7 Is lid. The elee.li>-. or officers resulted in Mr. Harry l'clham being elected president of the club, and Mr. Charles Corbett re-elected as >-crctary for the ensuing year. The weather here for the last few days has been rather a change Jrom what we were getting last week. On Friday night rain set in, and Saturday was showery. On Sunday and Monday we had two days' rain without ceasing. Rivers are high, and there is plenty of mud and slush in the cow yards.

WAITARA. At St. Patrick's Church on Sunday last, immediately after Mass, the Rev. Dean McKenna, on behalf of the members of the congregation, presented Mrs>. E. Townlcy with a silver-mounted prayer book and a silver and mother of pearl rosary as a memento of her marriage, being the first one celebrated in the church. The Dean, in making the presentation, said it was a very old custom amongst the Catholics that when a new church was built the first bride married therein should receive a token of the event, and lie was very pleased to sfce the custom was being perpetuated in Waitara.

A very old Native named Weroka Tepiie, about !)8 years of age, died at Wnihi on Friday last. He was taken by the Waikatos as a slave in the early days, and often related how the captives were driven like sheep before the masters. The old man often spoke of the earliest settlers' and their doings. A return match between the Waitara and Xew Plymouth Veterans is to bo played at Waitara. The proceeds are in aid of Mr. A. McAlnine, an old footballer, who is now seriously ill at Wellington.