DISTRICT NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 220, 23 January 1911, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS

MIDHIRST. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Harvesting is now in full swing. On every hand, and on every day, fanners are to be seen, early and late, getting ■hay in. Excepting two or three days' slight rain, the weather since New Year has been all in their favor.

Last Sunday a large crowd of peopk> went up the mountain. They filled a large waggonette drawn by six horses, and everything went all right, and for their trouble they had a glorious view of the surrounding country. The Ait. Egmont railway has again started work. When it was going in the past it afforded work to a goodly number of men, and in consequence the stores did a larger trade. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Mail and family are at present spending their holiday camping at Moturoa. Miss B. Brown, of Pukekohe, Auckland, is now on a visit to friends in Midhirst.

Mrs. J. Jones has been under a very serious operation in the Stratford Hospital. The operation was successful, and, according to late accounts, she is doing fairly well.

EGMONT VILLAGE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The Egmont Village Sunday .School picnic and concert were held on Thursday. The picnic was held in the afternoon in Mr. Olson's paddock. There was a large gathering of children, parents and friends. Races, .and games were organised for the amusement of the children, who thoroughly enjoyed themselves. An "'al fresco" tea under the trees brought the afternoon to a conclusion. Tea was spread for adults in the hall. About 5.30 the hall was packed with an expectant audience, and it is safe to say that no one went away disappointed. The proceedings were opened by a selection by Mr. George Marsh's orchestra. The following programme was then gone through:—hongs by Miss B. Hill, Mr. F. Price, Mr. 11. C. Fenton and Mr. E. Pen-' warden; pianoforte solo, Miss M. Budd; song, Mrs. Mcßeth (with tiolin and 'cello obligato); song, Mr. G. F. Dewhirst; pianoforte solo, Miss Ida Hill; song, Mr. E. Burrows; song, Mr. 11. W. Baxter; pianoforte duet, Miss J. Price and Mr. H. C. Fenton; song, Mr. A. Burrows; mandolin solo, Mr. G. H. Marsh; song, Miss B. Hill; song, Mr. F. Price; pianoforte solo, Miss M. Matthews. This concluded the first part of the programme. Miss Ida Hill, a little girl of ten, made her first appearance in public, and her effort gave excellent promise. The next items were a series of national tableaux, with appropriate verse and music. First came "England," in which the central figure was Miss M. Eudd. Then followed ''Scotland" and "'lreland" (Misses 1. Dewhirst and M. Stott, respectively), and a tableau representing the Union of England and Ireland. The final tableau was a group of the three countries, with "Britannia" (Miss N. MeBeth) the central figure. The stage was decorated with Hags and national emblems, and the figures were dressed in emblematic costumes, in which the rose, thistle and shamrock were brought into ( prominence. The effects throughout were striking and artistic, and reflect great credit on the management, as the j whole thing was arranged without a sin- 1 gle rehearsal. During the progress, iui- I tionnl songs and recitations were rendered by ills. Mcßeth, Miss M. Berry, Messrs. G. IF. Dewhirst, F. Dewhirst, 0. Kinsella and E. Burrows. Miss M. Berry kept the audience in a simmer of laughter by the recital of the evil-doing capabilities of "That Cat." Mrs. Matthews also rendered a pianoforte solo. The concert was brought to a conclusion by Mr. George Marsh's orchestra playing the '"Mountaineers' March," composed by Mr. G. E. Marsh. This was a descriptive march of a very spirited nature, which received a well-merited ovation. Mr. Morton, chairman, eulogised the splendid work done by Mesdames Matthews and Olson, in connection with the Sunday School. These ladies, he said, had organised a Sunday School seven or eight years ago, and at the sacrifice of their Sunday afternoons had continued with it for the benefit of the children of the district. It was a work one and all should be thankful for. These ladies asked no reward for their pains, but he thought the least reward parents could give was to send their children to school, where they would receive a sound spiritual education. He himself could never hear the church bells ringing without remembering the time when ho had better opportunities for attending divine service than could possibly be had in the country; but he hoped the time was not far distant when they should hear the hells ringing even in their own little village. The best appreciation the parents could show of the good work these two ladies were doing was to keep their children regularly at school; and that in itself was their reward. He then presented the prizes to the children who had qualified for them during the past year.

WAIOXGONA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) A. public meeting was held in the schoolroom on Monday evening last to make arrangements for the children's annual excursion to the Breakwater. Mr. •J. W. Hen wood' occupied the chair. Messrs. J. Kilpatriek, E. Hunt, J. \V. Kenwood, G. dough and W. L. Hughes were appointed an excursion committee to complete arrangements, and a dance committee for the new year, consisting of Messrs. Williams, Wills and C. Petersen was elected by ballot. It, was decided to co-operate, as formerly, with the Eltliam School Committee, provided that the same conditions and arrangements would hold good. The treasurer announced a credit balance of about £l2.