DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 33, 2 August 1911, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

TIKORANGI. (From Our Own Correenondent.) The annual meeting o.f the Tikorangi Dairy Company takes plaice on Monday next, when a final payment will be made to suppliers of £1127, which, with advances already made, will bring the price netted for .butter-fat up to 11.00 pence per lb. The wisdom shown by the directors last spring in adhering to their rule of always accepting a good payable price for their output is again made manifest, and their aetion in refusing to be led astray by plausible schemes and specious promises will no doubt be appreciated by the shareholders. The death of Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.P., i» the theme of general conversation, and although the late member for Christchuiroh could not by any means be considered a friend of the farmer, yet his great force of character, honesty, and undaunted courage won him many admirers among those who were politically opposed to him. There appears to be "much ado about nothing" in connection with the Mokau land deal, for providing a fair price is being paid, which, I .believe, is the case, it should always be satisfactory to hear of idle and unoccupied native lands being acquired under the freehold tenure, but the question that most appeals to residents here is, why is there such a decided objection on the part of the Government to granting tenants undeT the West Coast Leases the option of acquiring the freehold whilst in the Mokau case acknowledged speculators are allowed to do so?

The Government Valuer (Mr. R. H. Pigott) is now engaged in adjusting the ! values of the interests of the occupiers of I native lands in this district preparatory I to their names being placed on the rate I roll. The schedule compiled through the ! journalistic enterprise of the Daily News reveals the names of twenty-six European occupiers in the Tikorangi and Waihi ridings, and as it has been offically stated that the return previously furnished to the council showed the number at twelve, it is to he hoped that since then the Clifton County- Council have again tackled this question and are now tin a position to furnish Mr. Pigott with the names of the fourteen gentlej men who escaped being placed on Mr. (Walker's list. Thus the whole of the contentions of the News in this matter have been borne out.