DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 11, 13 June 1913, Page 7

DISTRICT NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondents). MAKETAWA. Monday, June 9, was one of the worst days experienced, as regards wind and rain, for a considerable time. The squalls from the W. and N.W. were at times very severe. At time of writing the weather is much milder, but does not show signs of lasting. It may interest many to know that the quantity of milk supplied to the. Durham creamery is larger than; the amount stipplied to the main factory, and therefore the agitators f-r closing tlio creamery during the winter should consider the question as affecting the other sidethat of closing the factory instead'. Sauce for the foo.se is t'other! Mr. A. Heal, of Norfolk road, one of the directors of the Maketawa Dairy Co. has resigned his seat on the directorate. * Mr. .loe Brown, the Maketawa chairman, has been appointed the company's delegate to the meeting, of the Dairy Association at Palmerston. next week. The meeting is likely to prove interesting on account of the action of certain. firms interested in the dairy business, and I presume ■ the dairymen of the district will be made acquainted with the discussion and the results accruing therefrom. Certain it is,, if all one h?ars is true, the formation ■ of. the big Organisation Society is being intiated at the right ■•time, -and -the unthinking farmed chap had best take serious note of the way things are. trending. He has been in the happy-go-lucky stage jegardirig 'his produce too long, and the need for back-to-back action is beginning to be more widely recognised.

I am informed that a resident of the district who took a hand on the side of the slaughtering companies during the recent strike and obtained supposedly good and constant work at the (again supposedly) high wages, states that he is disgusted at the wage at present earned, the loss of time, the dearness of all necessaries, etc., at this time of the year, and intends returning in a short while. "Experience teaches all men tilings," and evidently the experts who in the first place struck in order to better their, condition had had enough of it regarding an eight-month rush and a four-month slack; but, you see, one has to go through it to believe, for it's no use trying to convince the ordinary public otherwise. It is '"hardly the cheese" for bacon companies, freezing or slaughtering companies to turn men adrift during tlio winter to scratch as they best know how, and it is not to be wondered at when the men asked for betterment.and pointed out that a 12-iiionth divil is earned by the capitalist 'by the eight-month work of the muscle man. A turn of "put yourself in the other "fellow's place" would do a deal of good, and many comfortably placed on the soil would understand better the disabilities under which the labor man has- to live. It does seem anomalous that many a man now on a farm who was enabled to get there through good daily work a few years back, hasn't a spark of sympathy for liia late."fellows in kind." What is it: has he risen in grade? . . Evidence of interest being shown in ' the Tariki land recently taken by the Government for subdivision, and which was advertised in the News, appears from the fact that many residents visited the property during the previous week and intend applying for a section. One man with a family of 14 (the eldest just 21) thinks he has a good case to show why his eldest son should .be accommodated, and there is not the slightest doubt out that here is an opportunity of helping a real colonist; but, and it is sthl .

members of Cabinet (it doesn't matter which) talk and talk, but find a real solution in order to help a man as described they can't. In order to properly appreciate or understand this man's claim, the "big guns" of the "square deal" will have to pluck their whiskers a little. Farmers who have been unfortunate to have stock destroyed per Inspector of Stock grumble hard about the delay shown in forwarding the compensation for same, and the present method, which was said to be a great improvement on what obtained a few years back, is not what it is cracked up to be. Probably Sir J. G'. Ward could, as in other ' instances, help the Stock Department in arranging mutters so that cash would be more readily available. That moneybox does not seem ,to be rcpleted sufficiently in order to rrieet farmers' requirements, 110 matter what kind of request or how urgently required. AWAWINO-MOKA l". A petition has been in circulation in the district, thp purport of which is a reduction of present daily mail service to a thrice-weekly one. ' That the district is fully alive to the'benefits accruing from the prespnt service is plainly shown by the fact that the petition up to the time of writing does not bear one signature. The njail contractor has . been favored in regard to roads and weather, for one can hardly aflirm that the elements have been otherwise than wellbehaved until- three weeks ago. Still, on the road from the Mokau river to Awakino there are some rather boggy places, which will, T am sure, be rather stiff pulling through by the end of the winter.

At present the Public Works Department have about 211 In en engaged on the Lower Awakino Valley road, and [ believe they are making good/progress, but one is sometimes bewildered at the want of foresight shown in regard to the metalling of the road as it progresses. The road has at intervals of a few chains outcrops of metal ill the form of bluffs which the workers are blasting out, the stone being simply shovelled over the side into the river. Now, why does not the Department or the Council put a team or two on the road and spread this metal on the formed portions, where metal will some day require to be placed? This would save the expense of quarrying a second time. 1 he stone when blasted is reduced to a convenient side for ha lulling, and with a I couple of men on knapping a good deal of metalling could be cheaply and cxr'.dk'iitly formed. A few days ago T noticed a paragraph relative to a ferry punt being plncud on the Awakino river. One punt is quite, sufficient for the district, i.e.. the Moka>i river punt. 1 am not at all averse to the settlers on the coast north of Awakino having some better method for crossing the river than that of fording, as is the prevailing mode. The Department. should it institute ill the district another obsolete way of crossing rivers, would of necessity have to place a man in charge of the punt, for with a tidal river it is highly probable that invariably the punt will be left by the last user hisrh and dry on the bank, or inaccessible in the middle of the river. From what little 1 know of fording the river and negotiating the headlands on the coast, I think f am right in saying that if a horseman cannot ford the river | lie cannot possibly proceed far up the coast, for the tide would impede his progress sooner or later at. one of these bold headlands. For the crossing of stock something is'undoubtedly required, and the only thing is a light bridge for sheep and young cattle. Bullocks can easily ford the stream. Mr. W. E. Dive has suspended operations at the sawmill up the river. This is to be regretted, for the quality of the timber exported from the mill Was distinctly good. I sincerely hope tlmt

the suspension will only be temporary, for the presence of a mill in tue district is a valuable asset to a new settlement, especially with the high freight on goodsto our district. The coal mine, the property of the Mokau Coal and Estate Company, is also at a standstill, owing to the difficulty in connection with the shipping arrangement, i.e., the s.s. I'itoitoi being laid up and the Tainui bring fully occupied in loading the Home boats and in keeping her Wellington-h aitara connection. Probably, with me advent of the new boat the mine win take a new lease of life. The mile, in situated 2li miles from the mouth of the river, but excellent outcrops of coal also occur nearer the, mouth, and in a more convenient position for the utilising for transport purposes of boats of greater draught than those at present running here. lam rather surprised that these seams have not been operated upon—that is, considering the high price of coal and the proximity of the supply of the coal to. the consumer. .1 might state, in passing ovey this matter, that the Mokau coal compares more than favorably for household and other purposes with much of the coal consum,ed in Tartuuiki. I believe that the Waitara Freezing Works were large consumers of our coal, and found it economical and at the same time of good hcatftig power. ( ■ \j

In the report of the last meeting of the Clifton County Council reference was made to the application of one of the section holders of the Mokau block for a road to his sections. His sections front the Mokau river, and the river having been declared a road, he will have to make the best of it. The only way he has of getting his stock up to,the section is by liush tracks. " The Council, which repudiates any liability in regard to loading the land, lias referred the owner to the Mokau Coal and Estates Company, the owners of the block.. • A strong committee has the details in regard to the formal opening of wie post office well in hand. The Minister for Post and Telegraphs will arrive in Awakino on Friday, and will be entertained at a banquet in the evening. At 2.110 |i.in. on Saturday the post office will be formally opened. The ladies are jil'oviding afternoon tea. The committee made an ell'ort to induce the Hon. Mr. Rhodes to take a trip up the river, butowiux -o pressure of business pre-ses- > sioiial, lie regretted that it was impossible.

LEPPKIiTO.V A very enjoyable social was held in the hall on Tuesday evening, last. large number attended, and were well looked after by Messrs X. Sampson. Crowe and Wills, who acted as M.C.'s. Miss Carr, of Brixton, ofliciated at the piano, and her playing, both for dances and accompaniments, was much appreciated. Duets weer song by Mr. and Mr'. Tliornley and solos by Messrs Brown and Tliornley. The Hall Committee' are leaving no stone unturned to fcnsfuro the success of the concert to beheld on the 20th inst. 1 T understand tlmk-both local and Wai.-' tara talent is bespoke, 'so, Leppertonjan*. keen the 20th in jjlinil. ' The rclicaml&jror/tlie Band of Hope meeting to be hyjij next week give promise of a goodiiinie for those who attend. ./ ■ If paint is an Evidence of prosperity, then L'eppertoii Is thriving. Quite a nnmbeh of the public buildings and private residences .tire resplendent in now paint. The school is havinga holiday iiext