DISTRICT NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 258, 1 May 1912, Page 7

DISTRICT NEWS

LOWER MANGOREI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Recent local happenings in this suburb will be readable to some subscribers. The latest event is the gathering of householders for school committee election purposes. A somewhat scanty attendance on Monday evening last met with a pleasing first impression on finding the schoolroom under the revivifying effect of fresh paint, tastefully applied, and other operations hygienic, suggesting that lightness, brightness and airiness so helpful to making the respective duties of teacher and scholars a cheerful task, if not a pleasure. The year just ended marked the separation of the Lower from the Upper Mangorei school district in committee management, and the work {lone by committee and teacher (Miss Mead) were much commended. The inspector's report was. considered generally favorable. The two scholars prepared for the sixth standard both passed examination. Whilst the attendance was good, a' want of punctuality > was, however, disclosed. The meeting I recognised the bristling l little difficulties I that, in country life, militate against • this most desirable qualification being regularly secured; yet it framed a recommendation to the teaclur and the incoming committee to move in the matter of obtaining improvement on this point where possible. It was also resolved that the committee should obtain from the board the definite interpretation of the term "special effort." which is a j subject for which a possible ten points are awarded, and which at present is vairiie in the minds of committee, teacher /ind scholars. What is worth competing for is worthy of being understood. With 'a fair financial balance in liand, the school grounds and premises in good order, and improvements arranged for. the new committee have a promising trust to undertake. One interesting thing was missed by the householders, namely, the resume of the year's examination results covering ail standards and classes, which, under past methods, was provided in the annual report, and which showed at a comprehensive glance , the status of the school. The committee I i elected is as follows:—Messrs. Stanton | (chairman), Norman (secretary), Herbert, Rae, and White.

The merging of Hie Mangorei Road Board into the County Council seems tabs giving much satisfaction, holding out as it does the promise of a more effective coping with road requirements. For instance, that directly town ward and beaehward portion of the Mangorei road (popularly known as Old Hoaiptal road) will naturally now receive official attention and recognition, and which, under the lapsing road board, hf.a been a neglected quantity. Connecting Junction road (with the extensive area of country behind and beyond) with Fitzroy ward of the borough, this road is very extensively used, even under the existing great disadvantages of condition, as a leading route for marketing farm produce and for general commercial purposes. Residents here are now getting along this road direct supplies from tradesmen at the Fitzroy end of the town, despite the neglected state of its worst portions. The very worst is undoubtedly the well-known Cass el Hill, occurring -on the few chains defined as "No Man's Land." Only a few days since, our alevt and obliging haker, while coming along blithely from Fitzroy with his sweet fresh batch of bread, hungrily awaited by eager customers, was "held up" at Cassel Hill. Rains had rendered the unmetalled surface here too "greasy" for a good staunch .horse to negotiate. After reaching almost within cooee of some residents on the other side of the hill, every effort to overcome this highway. obstruction ended only in repulse, and the vexed, patient sufferer turned about and headed back towards Fitzroy to circumnavigate Avenue road, Te TTenui bridge and Junction road to deliver broad within a few chains from where he had been "held up." Is this condition, existing on,an excellently laid off road, within a mile and a half of the I borough of New Plymouth, not something approaching a public scandal? This | road, too, is important to dwellers in the borough. When dlfly -fSrmed throughout it will provide for those who walk, ride or drive, a choice and interesting loop or circular route connecting with Junction | road and Avenue road, from town back Ito town one way or the other. We now see a possible speedy end to this "shelving" a little responsibility, with our County Councillors £0 alive to the roading needs of the community. Whilst on the subject of roads, a reference to local habits may not be out of place apropos of your recent healthful local on the stray stock nuisance. The Mangorei road has of late been a veritable long-acre paddock. The county ranger, whose jurisdiction extends over the Junction road, lias only too often found his duty made farcical by the presence of horses hovering on the Mangorei road immediately on either side of the Junction road, where the roads cross and which he.is precluded from seizing, and so getting the public relieved of a dangerous nuisance, owing to the road board protecting the horses in preference to the public. Despite many representations made, the board has again and again preferred not to give the ranger j power to act. Only a short time since ' i a cyclist passing at night by the residence of the chairman of the road board came to grief over one of the horses usually camped upon the Toad. Both cyclist, and cycle were seriously injured, and the owner of the privileged equine offender has probably never known how very near he was to a little legal ceremony that might have proved costly as well as absorbing. Your correspondent has known horses to be deliberately driven to and turned out upon this Mangorei road, as a sort of happy hunting ground, where unmolested rambling and rumination may be revelled in. Meanwhile, residents and ratepayers who respect law and order, and conscientiously take steps to keep their stock within their boundaries, continue to be insulted by this indifference to convenience and menace to safety through the unscrupulousness of the lax ones. Here again the County Council Will amend matters no doubt.