DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 215, 19 February 1915, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

DURHAM ROAD. ■We hj.ve been iiavilli.- qai!e a run o; . grand weather—a bit blowy iit t in • but, taken r'gfit through, \vi have in; thing to grumble about. The pastures nro looking fresh, ami still "on the grow," the paddocks from which hay was taken showing a remarkable growth, while th,, turnip paddocis are in every ease splendid. Some big crops of me;'..low hay and oats for oaten hay have been safely stacked this season. It is very noticeable that the use of corrugated iron for roofing stacks has entirely superseded the old style with toi-toi. Occasionally, of course, a southerly buster plays pranks with the roofing, hut the dillicultv of getting tin' "toi'' combined with the handiness of the iron recompenses for the time lost at certain periods on account of the wind. The by-roads are at present rather dangerous on account of loose metal, and the sooner the proposed new County is formed, so that machinery can be obtained to cheapen the cost of upkeep, the more comfort will ensue to the farmer at a lessened cost. Mr. ".Tack" Hodges, of Dudley Road, who Ims enlisted for the w- was farewelled at a social in 1' " P 1 "ev Road school on the even'"" ' " "" ! ;ay last. A large number of residents, and also many from adjacent roads, were present, and a most enjoyable evening was spent. Mr. D. Egarr, in an appropriate little speech, voiced the sentiments of the friends assembled, and oft their behalf presented Mr. Hodges with a silver watch and sovereign-case, which was suitably inscribed, and also expressed the hope that the recipient would return safely. If certain residents on Durham Road do not quickly attend to several blackberry bunches growing on the road frontage, it is possible that the cood name the road has for being one of the cleanest, if not the cleanest, in the district will suffer. Sometimes a little reminder is acceptable to sensible people, and I hope these few lines will he noticed. fVime lady tourists from Durham Road, while at Rotorua, sight-seeing, received <nrte a setback at the answer given by a Maori to a query as to where the sulphur springs were, and it certainly proves that the Maori is "coming on." "I say, John, where are the sulphur snringsf "How you know my name John?" The unexpected reply rather flabbergasted the ladies, and a stammering. "Oh —I —I —well, I guessed f!" was m n t with "Knpai. vou guess the way to the sufTer prings!" A social evening is being arran"ed to be held in the Durham school 011 Friday night next, and, given a fine nicht, if bound to prove an enjoyable affair.