DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 110, 25 September 1912, Page 6

DISTRICT NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondents). MAKKTAWA. September month Ims been a regular snorter, wind and rain in excessive quantities and of varying strength being doled out daily. the l!)th and 21st being the top Hotelier.,, the wind coming from the X.W. with a heavy downpour. It will be interesting to see the rainfall tally for this month.

A great deal of sickness of various kinds U prevalent in this district, nearly every residence, furnishing its quota. Despite the unfavorable weather, the Norfolk school was crammed on the evening of September 20th, when the residents and children attended to bid farewell to Miss Knox, assistant teacher, ', in the school, who, I believe, is entering the marriage .state. The entertainment took the form of a social, .the music for the dancing being supplied by Miss G. Simpson (piano) and Mr A. McEwen, (violin). Mr Joe Burgess, as usual, made a success of the onerous job of M.C., and the committee are to be complimented on the smoothness with which everything went. Mr R. Stevens acted as chairman, and in presenting Miss Knox with a silver tea and coffee service, silver candlesticks and set of fish knives, etc., said the residents were extremely sorry I to lose her services, and .hoped she would experience all sorts of good luck and live to enjoy the presents given to hep, which were but a slight token of the esteem in which she was held. There was no doubt, he said, the children would miss her, for her kindly disposition and iher tact had won their confidence, while her valuable assistance in promoting entertainments .had been much appreciated by the elders. Miss Knox, in replying ,said she fully appreciated the kind remarks of the chairman, and the extremely hand-, some presents given by the parents and . children. She had always striven to do her duty and felt that her efforts had ibeen successful, as evidenced by the recognition of the parents. Miss Knox, who' made an exceedingly nice little speech, was .warmly applauded. The headmaster (Mr K. Thomas) also made a few Te{marks, in which die voiced the regret of ' the scholars and himself at Miss Knoic's I resignation. She had, he said, been at the school three and a : half years, and had proved that she was a thoroughly efficient and painstaking teacher, whom it would be hard to replace. The ladies of the district'provided an excellent super. During the evening the following vocal items were rendered: Song, t school children; duet. Miss and Mrs Corney; duet, the Misses Knox; song, Miss Knox; recitation, school children; song, Miss G. Simpson; song., Mrs Corney; song, Mr P. G. McEwen; song, Mr ArI nold; duet, Miss G. Simpson and Mr P. I G. McEwen; song, Mr Arnold (encored). "Auld Lang Syne" brought a most enjoyable evening to a clpse. The excellence iof the entertainments provided by our Nbrfok Road friends has received another fillip. ■■".".",." A motor car ra Tough weather rig passed along the main road on Wednesday last. This is not unusual, but the fact that a pair of' old boots dangled j at the back is rather out of the.common. I The occupants took the .well wishes of all j with them. 'V

■ The production of the opera "Les Cloches de Cornevilie" '.% fche'.lnglewood Amateur Opera in which some of the local talent.are taking part, is arousing some interest' evidently, as many residents have expressed their intention to witness the ; performance. If Inglcwood possessed' a decent opera house there would be large attendances at all times from the'residents in the district contiguous,, that the townspeople argue that. theatrical companies take toot.niuch •cash, out of the district, and such,,like .''rot,", and are against the erection, of, a, good building for such reasons. It is .a pity such ideas are held, because people will see a good company and dozens ihave at times journeyed to New Plymouth for that purpose, while local talent is 'hampered through the absence of a proper building. '

WAREA. The weather here this last month has been .wet and cold. So far thia month we have only had two days without rain. The milk supply at th'e local factory is increasing very rapidly, eight suppliers having over 20001bs daily. The Okato company are now making their butter at their new factory at Kaihihi. The Egmont by-election passed off quietly here last Tuesday. A tair number were 'waiting at the .'post office in the evening for the returns to come in, and when the results' were known there were some long faces, and. soon very few amber and black badges were to be seen. The death of Atui, one »f the oldest Maoris about here, was recorded on Friday. Atui was well known to those who were 'here in the early days. Some time ago the Egmont County Council called public meetings along the coast for the purpose of submitting to the ratepayers three proposals. (1) A special loan of £40,000; (2) a higher rate; (3) a toll gate. Of the ! two proposals the higher rate 'was carried. This, was very nice; the rate went up from %d to l'/id, and now I see by the report of the last county council meeting that they propose to erect a toll gate at Puniho, for the purpose of stopping' Johnson's traction engine from carting goods to Cape Egmont factory, if the Taranaki County does not; put a charge on the Puniho gate to prevent traction engines from coming through. This will be alright. Two .toll gatos ; within two miles of one another, a higher rate, cartage has risen 2s 6d per tori for the first one, and another rise coming, and now, as the councillors know, the farmers are waiting weeks, sometimes months, to get goods from New Plymouth, and the local factory lias 'butter dumped along around the factory because the waggons have not brought the boxes for some weeks. This does not seem to be anything to the, councillors, as long as there is nothing on the Toad except a few horse waggons with three-inch tyres, cutting the road to pieces. The road is almost impassable in places, and the metal contracts are not completed at this end; and when the councillors had a chance of getting the crusher up (here first this season, they all voted for it to go clown to the other end lii'st. Is it any wonder our road is bad, when it is always winter before the crusher comes up here, and with the wet the roads are cut up with carting over them. It is I time there was a change.

TIKORANGI. i Tin- Kaimata braich of the Farmers' Union considers the time lias arrived when a powerful fanners' freezing company is an absolute no<i;s#ity, and, most opportunely, the direetow of the Pa tea Co-operative Freezing Company have come to the conclusion Chat unless more support in the way of subscribed capital is forthcoming the Patea works will in all probability pass into the bands of a private company. The situation is extremoly interesting, and one is curious to know what steps the Kaimata branch and its sympathisers are taking, for we are told by the immortal bard that "there is a tide in the affairs of man which, taken at the flood, leadri on to fortune." It is apparent that the hour has now arrived. Will the man be forthcoming? Personally. I have my doubts, for whilst it is extremely easy to write und talk about the farmers being exploited and about doing away with the capitalist and the middle-man, and .so forth, yet it is ever noticeable that those ;wlio are foremost in the use. ot these

windy assertions always stoutly decline o substantiate their opinion* in any ■.-.olid manner.

A meeting of suppliers of the local d-iiry company was held on Friday evcni:i<r, when it was decided to form a cowlesiing association. About 400 cow's were guaranteed, and it in confidently Is:'ieved that before long practically < ■• vv cow in the district will be siib-

.; ct, to the tost. Mr A. Curney (late manager of the Moa Dairy Company), who has now settled here, lias kindly undertaken the testing for this season, and a committee of management, consisting of Messrs Whitehead. Alexander, and Smart, was set up. The company is indebted to Messrs Fulton and Fastier, of Stratford, for very full and instructive information on the subject. Dairymen are now working on right lines by concentrating their energies on the methods of production and manufacture, and they can safely leave the business of marketing in the hands of the so-called, "parasites." who have made the matter the study of a lifetime. The. Library concert eventuates on Thursday evening next, and patrons may rely on a programme far in advance of anything yet attempted.