DISTRICT NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 202, 24 February 1914, Page 6

DISTRICT NEWS

OPUXAKE. ! (From Our Own Correspondents). i The annual report of the inspectors on the Opnnake school makes good read- j ing, and shows that the master (Mr. D. | I'. 10 vans J and his assistants have the interests of their scholars at heart. The. sckool has indeed ibeen fortunate in its masters during the past few years. The report, which is signed by the inspectors (Messrs \Y. A. Ballantyne and it. (!. Whetter) is as follows: Compulsory subjects—Rending: Very good to excellent; Standards 1. and VI. excellent; derivation excellent. Composition: Essays, very good to excellent; vStandards lil. to VI. excellent. (1 rammar: Excellent. Spelling: Very good; Standards 11. and VI. excellent.' Roei- . tation: Excellent. Arithmetic: Very good; Standard VI. excellent. Drawing: lOxeellcnt. Singing: Excellent. Physical instruction: Very good. Geography: Excellent. History: Very good. Additional subjects—Nature study and elementary science, excellent; handwork, very good; needlework, good to very good. licmarks.— During the comparatively short time that Mr. Evans has been in charge there has been a most marked .improvement iu every department of the school. Instruction of primer classes: These classes passed a very line examination. Order, discipline and tone of the school, excellent; elliciency of the school, etc., excellent.

RAHOTU. The weather has been very hot and dry during the past few weeks. I'raelically no rain has fallen here for a month, i although heavy rain has fallen as neaj-| to ns as Pungarelni, sending the blackberry pickers home wet through. Speaking of blackberries, it seems a pity that this pest is allowed to spread sit such a fearful rate. Blackberries are now almost on every farm, and the road between here and Xew Plymouth is more or less covered with them. Rirds get all the blame for spreading the seeds, but such is not the ease. Those who go "blaekberrying" are just as I great oll'enders as the birds. The noxi- | ous weeds inspectors do notseem to he so j keen after weeds now under the present | Government as they were under the former.

Rahotu factory hands had their residence entered the other day by some ■.ii'.dcci'-.ible. who managed to walk oil' Willi a'j-T.ii. £l-1. quite a lot of stealing is .re, orrcd around the district. Fruit sec: 1 lo have a bad time between here and Ni vv Plymouth, nearly every ca.e sent down by carriers and coaches being broached before reaching its owner. The pay-out for the month bv the local factory was .tUMti 18s, at tile rule of Is per lb of butter-fat. Milk is now paid for on quality, and any that is not lit for making first-grade cheese is put through the separators, and the cream mixed with the whey-cream. Second-class is paid for at the rate of 2d per lb of butter-fat less than first. ThiiLcn pence per lb is lo be paid out for February fat. The Cow-testing Association returns for the month of .lanuarv are: Ten best. 4!H)lb of fat, an average of IMb per cow; ton lowest, 1801bs fat, averaging 181b pel- cow. Mr. A. YV. Phillips' herd of 52 cows gave a return of 21)8111)8 of fat for the month, being an average of 4011) per cow.

j The annual meeting of the Domain and Cemetery Hoard was held in the Parihaka Road Hoard's ollice on the 17th inst. Present: Messrs T. P. Ilughson (chairman). Willcox, Groom, 11. Phillips, , Green and Colmer. Mr. T .P. Ilughson was re-elected chairman for the ensuing year and Miss M. Ilughson secretary. It was decided to call tenders for the lease of the grounds, at present held by Messrs A. W. Phillips and .lames Hopping. Messrs Ilughson, Colmer, Willcox and Phillips were appointed to Inspect the sports ground and buildings, and to report at the next meeting of the Hoard. Mr. and .Mrs. T. P. Hughsou are at present (laying a visit to Christchurcli. as is also Mr. Kasper. Airs. .1. IS. : (irooni, and Miss Stewart are taking a j trip to Xelson, ami intend visitijig the I hop gardens. Several motor-car loads left here on Thursday evening to hear the Royal Artillery Hand at Xew Plymouth. The Rahotu school picnic is to be held on the Opnnake beach on Wednesday. This will be a great treat lor the little ones. I understand that the School Committee chairman is doing all in his power to ensure the treat being a huge succe-s. Cars and brakes are to be

run. The Methodists hold (heir harvest thanksgiving on March 1.

urn mam road: (l-'rom :in Occasional Coru'spondeiil). • Perhaps one of I lie most pleasant, enjoyable sun! important functions vol. held in the Durham School took place "ii iV l:lth inst.. wlu'ii Mr. unci Mrs. .). )'.. Simpson ~ave a social in honor of tlii'ir daughter's (Glades') coming ol ago, ami also to celebrate' her approaching marriage with 'Mr. -lames l'atorson. of Kaimiro. Friends assembled from all parts of the district, far and near, and the. little school was pat-lied wild well-wishers, who showed the esteem in which they held Miss Simpson liy the many valuable and useful presents of which she was the recipient. • During the evening Mr. 0. M. ISohlt 'voiced the sentiments of those present My n few appropriate remarks, lie referred to the great assistance Miss Simp'son had heon to the district in giving assistance at all social functions in I lie .past. lie also congratulated hir upon attaining her majority, and the near approach of her wedding. What would be the con-c,|iient loss to this district ■would he another's gain. On behalf of .the company assembled he wished Miss Simpson anil .Mr. Paterson "Long life and prosperity." Mr. Simpson feelingly responded on behalf of his daughter.' Among the items rendered were the ■following: Song, Miss Jlridgenian: .duet. Miss Simpson and Mr. A. McKwcnj song. Mr. .1. McKwen: pianoforte, solo, Miss Lawrence. Dancing was kept up with considerable vigor until the early hours, while Mr. Wheeler made an ellicicnl \I.C. On breaking up, the parivi gave three hearty cheers for Mr. ami -«'*■ S •»<«'■