THE OHURA DISTRICT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 19, 10 June 1914, Page 6

THE OHURA DISTRICT.

(From a Corn, pendent.) In aic.uJiK-u wi'ui a promise made w'.-.-n you waiua var aisir.et with .idm ■New J-.ymouui cmunocr oi Ummi.uve, 1 send you « k.» notes, wnicii ma \- be ci iuLcrcst lo ;uur i-uauer-.. Tiie weatlicr lor me past month has been on ,:ts IK -,iaviour. it ■luc-k-en cojdi and wef. i,,e coiM-uuence is "'that our roads' nave gone Vo wreck earlier this year .than on any jvreviou occasion. Tlie install.ng, in uuiiit pa)-a. oi portions of the read ~iu to Mamtrahara has been a boon this s t av,y,i to settlers who send le'eir iuilk to- tnc factory. This work was done under L n ■ supervision of tiie County Council, ,ui,i us engineer deserves every credit ier tlie b..f:oit;ou; in.uuicr in'which i..c work was dene,

Our (Jhuru Kill,, club has a plentitu.le of trophies in the way of shield; and cups wen at the various tGiiipctiiio,;, this year. Ths champion shields are magnificent works of art, and are shown at .Mr. W. K. Williams' store. The success of the Ohura Rifle Club ha* been phenomenal, as in addition n, winning. j members have been second and third for the champion-belt. For a bush dis- | trict this i< a noteworthy position. | Dean McKcnna. f .-.,,w Plymouth, celebrated the fir.-i ---.vice in the ir.w Itom-an Catholic Church here on Sunday. May 2-J. 'The chur, !i is a very neat and :'oliil hnilding. and rel'.ect-, credit on the architect. Mr. Munnix, of Xew Plymouth, and the ladders, Messrs. Tlai'rslow and llobinsou. uc have now two churches in. our township, and with our neat post otlice and ouer new building.-", we are getting more like London every day. The annual meeting of the Ohura branch of the Farmer.-.'' I'nioii wa- held <-n May 23. President Fsdailo, in his report, regretted there, were only twelve financial members last year, and said unless there was more support the hranch would have to wind up. ft was decided lo give the public another month in which to join. A large and enthu-ias.fic meeting wn.s held in the Ohura Town Hall 0,,' May 22 for the purpose oi forming a branch of the Liberal A-scc.ation. and forming si committee to work to secure the election of Mr. W. T. Jennings, the date member for the district.. Mr. Stevenson, ex-chairman of the county, was elected president of (he Association. Tlie meeting then elected the following lo forward Mr. .'fwming.s' interests:— Messrs. O. C. Stevenson. (J. Lovoilav, YV. K. Williams, A. Cavern J. Mann. P. '■Coldfinch. T. TToniblow and F. Hcaley. It was also resolved to form a Indie-' committee to work for the same 'object. Though people outside hear a good deal of grumbling from; the hackblocker about his position, there is a good dteal of sunshine silwvnt at limes; and now the busy season ' s ov <' ! ', a r°nnd of --octal enjoyments is going on. Our tennis hall on the ISth was a "rent success. The decoration of the hall and the ' "beautiful dresses of the la lies could not be surpassed anvw'.iere. Mo-lames Williams and .McKay looked after the supper, and Messrs. Cox and McClinaghan were capable M's.C. Our next, social functions to be held- shortly comprise the "Rand dance and the Ride Club's annual ball. Our coach service h.itwern Ohura anil Whangamomlina has >{nnpod running during the winter month-. Mr. Tom .Moore finding the inducement did no! warrant the expenditure he wis put to.

Mr. Wil-ou, M I'., lias been in op,district lately, and slated in an interview Ihat be did not intend giving an address here at present. As the roading i- a" a!l-ab-o;b!ng topic here, it is iutere-liui fo read the correspondence published in < ur hral l'.aper between the Vniicr-Sn-rela.rv foPublic Works land (he Ohura Count v Council re allocations ando\poii.|itino of grants for roads. That delay in completing road work has occurred is iin-ih-uliti'.l. The 'Council --iflirm tint it cmild not get various monies when applied for. The rejoins that money was available. The upshot is that the resident engineer* of the Public Works has, now been inslm-ded to lake over all the expenditure _of Oovermnent grant*i. tlie Cmiil'-il'carrying out f for £ subsidise! r. ad work. This practically means thai (he Peform Coyerinnent have gone back lo the -system observed by. the Liberal (lnv.-rn-mciit, and which never should have been departed from so far ■■■■-.- new districts are concerned. There has. always been friction between mosit of the ibaekbleck County Councils and the Depart men t over the. expenditure of Oovernm-nt grants, the. Wellington Department inrariaUv ftmlng fault with the plans,

etc. This causes delay on tie- part of tlm local,"odics in carrying out tlm public grunts'fur road-. W;n.rever the ■local counties have Ii:kI complete control in expending .-uil.vidisrd' £ for f monies, there has been titi-faclioii to the settlers. Our next ij "r neighbour, the Wnilo:iio Comity. hi- .lone over 23 miles of iii'talhng this sru.on, there b:dng no red-tape to stop tbcin.