DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 237, 16 March 1915, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

HUIRANOT. (From Our Own Correspondent). The milk at the AVaitara Road f;ietory is now beginning to go off. but i higher in ouantify than at (his time la-' year, making at the present time boxes of'butter a day, a", against 2!) the time hist, year. Forty-one persons supply milk at the above factory, and the i.r-Ik tests are as follows: —One at 5.(1; ;\vo at 5.4: three at 5.2; two at 5.1; one at 5.0; two at 4.0; four *t 4.8; one at 4.7; eight at 4,(i; four at 4.5; six at 4.4; four at 4..1; two at 1.2; one at 2.R. Seven home separation cream suppliers are under test 51.0, 44.0, 42.0, 40.0, Ull.fl, 34.0, ,'!2.0. Questioned as to the condition of the cream on arrival at the factory, the manager informed lne that it arrived in good condition, being deliver, il as soon as possible after being separated. The company's creamery on the Kelly road has 21 suppliers, with tests as follows:—One at 5.2; one at 5.0; one at 4.0; two at 4.5; one at 4.7; two at 4.ii; one at 4.5: four at 4.4; two at 4.-'l; two at 4.2; two at 4.1; one sit 4.0; one at li.D. Home separation suppliers' tests are as follows:—One at .'!4.0, one at XS.fl, one at .'ifl.O. one at 40.0. three at 4:i.0.

These (rsis speak for themselves. Olio supplier informs me that he expects to take .120 per cow this year from his cows. 1 very much question if at the end of the year, any otliTr factory in the Dominion will show as good test as the Waitara Road Factory. From various items appearing in your columns the public would be led tii believe that the great drought resisting fodder, lucerne, could lie grown to profit in Taranaki. Having experience dating back twenty years in the growing of this famous fodder plant, T have come to the conclusion that on the average Taranaki soil it cannot be grown on a payable basis. In Canterburv 1 have grown it both to feed out to entie. to cut for hay. and ha ve also thresh' eil it for seed. To compare lucerne grown in Canterbury with what T saw here grown under (Jovernment exnerimental conditions, well, Air. Kdifor, I could only call it a failure. 1 consider a rotation of crops would give the fanner better returns. In Canterbury, you can get a good black soil 'twelve' to fiflr-n inches deep, and a subsoil of bluish clay which extends forty feet deep in parts, this subsoil being vcrv rich, quite the reverse to our subsoil, l'repnre your soil, broadcast your seed, chain harrow to cover the seed, all that is needed with the exception of a few loads of straw manure in the winter. Here, 1 consider the subsoil of Taranaki is not wd, enough to support the plant till it readies far enough down to got sullicient moisture to feed it: or to force it ahead of weeds, etc. T have met men who pin their faith to its successful growth, but except in small patches of river flats, or swamps, where bush has been felled, 1 shou'd not be j-ersirid d fo give if a place. I should he vcrv phased of an opportunitv to inspect t!v field of anyone claiming to grow il orofitablv.

A meeting of the general committer of the Lopporton Sentry Hill Tluirungi Sports, Picnic and ("lift Auction sale which take place on the 2511 i March, was held in the Lepper. ton Ilall on Friday last. The various sub- committees' reports were very encouraging. The gift auction will be an attraction iu itself. About 140 lots will be under the hainme'r, including horses, pedigree bulls, pedigree pigs, cattl'. slice]), dogs, fowls, and sundries. 'J'iie children will be well catered for.

NORMANiiV. FAREWELL SO( IAL. There was a large gathering at a farewell social to the I'ov. .1. O. Davies. Anglican curate who leaves shortly to take up church work at I'oiigaroa, 1 Taw-he's Ray. Mr. -I. O. Riddle occupied the chair, and referred to the good work that Mr. Davies had done in the district, especially among the young men. Tt wa with regret that they parted with him. but the cull of duly had led him hi take charge of ■ a different parish.

The Rev. J. \V. Butler (Presbyterian), in an interesting address, referred to the pleasant relationship existing between ihe Anglican and Presbyterian Churches in Normauby outside of his own church work. Mr. Davies had co-operated with other churches in all things that pertained to the progress of the people, lie l'efi rred in humorous terms to the fact that the Anglican cur,ate and (he Presbyterian minister were captain and \ ic - captain respectively of the local hockey club, and suggested that that fact was possibly the reason why the Nornianby Club had not secured the cup in the competitions. He wished "Mr. Davies every success in his new sphere of labour. Mr. H. McTCav then presented "Mr. Davies with a purse of sovereigns subscribed by the church members and friends.

Mr. Davies in a few well-chosen wools thanked the donors for their handsome gift and expressed his regret at leaving Nornianby. He wished the church workers prospei-ify in the rears to come. lie referred to the kindly relationships existing between tlie various denominations in Xonnaifbv.

])urin:r the evening a pianoforte diH: nivn l>y blisses (ioddurf and Kay. diu-t l>y Mrs. Tlutlrr .and Ali-s t/nir' cut, m.'los liy Miss Laun nt and Mr. V. ('. Tiain<s mid by the llcv. Uutl'T and Mi'. .T. Cowan. Hefresltmeids v,'!>re provided liy 11m* ladies, and tin l dispersed after "Auld Luni; 1 Syne and tlie National Antliein.

The llc'v. Davies preached his farewell sermon to a crowded congregation on Sunday evening and lie leaves for his new parMi to-day.

unrrncur/rntAL socirrv. At n meeting of (ho executive of lite Horticultural Society it Mas reported Hint tin- late hliow had shown a profit of Con. .s'niflOL VSOV\[<Y. '.lie- report of tin- School Coinniitl'v enquiry to which exception "was taken bv a, correspondent, was submitted to tho chairman (;f tlie Committee and several of Hie members, "who sialr flint the report as it appeared was substantially correct. IIAKVKST SKIiVtCKS. TTanvsf thanksgiving services wore hi'ld in the local iVe-byiorian Church :<:i Sunday. There "Were lar£o congregations at all the services. aii(| in the afi< rni;o!i ami evening the seating ac.-omniodation was. taxed to its utmost, capacity. The church had been "prefti'lv decorate! for the occasion, and special bvmhs w.?« sun;.''. The Kov. lint lei* was the preach";' iu the mornin.Lr. and the lb v. .1. K. Store, of Uawera. conducted tlie n'licrnoon and evening services. At each service anthem-; v.ej-e tendered by tin- Xormanhv a in! (ikiowa choirs. NoIiMANItY MAIX lii>Ai>. Complaints still continue to be received about" the condition of the main street. The state of the J'inanc. - * tlie Tmvn Hoard will not, permit ol |m.iii!ithis road in order, ami the l'< elite: is thai the time is opportune for inertnnir the town distr'n t with the Ib'wera County Council. T'bi 1■ • is talk of a meeting of ratepayers briajj called t<» consider tlie <|Uestion. "HI'S SKRVICK Til IfAWKKA. Mr. llarleyman is running a 'lms between Xormanby and llawera on tl)r .• days a -week, and is making extra trip:? on Saturdays.

WAIiEA. .Some little time ago there was such a tiling as the iilculerriu Tennis Club. T ie male nicmbcis were proini-:cd thai if ilicy cleared the court of Weeds the ladies would do the remainder of the work. This was done, but since then nothing has been heard of tennis, nor if nil the new material that was bought, and the court has again grown into a vilderness of weeds. Xow that the cows are drying off it should not be surprising to see the (jlcnferrie Tennis Club come to life again. The local hall committee lias decided to hold a dance on April 10th, in aid of the Belgian Relief Fund. The l'arihaka Road Board has lately ploughed the sides of the Ituakere road and formed it up, as well us doing some Metalling. The weather of late lias been dry, anil the cows Jire going off in milk very fa-it. So it won't b ( » long before the farmers' holidays are here. Although it is said by some that \Varea is the only place that the lights go out in the hall when there is anything night, which was not* at Warea, and the gas went out about midnight. Everybody took their departure for home, it is always a good plan for those who engage the halls to ask it' the generator lias been filled, instead of letting it go until the lights go out. Mr. J. D. Ross, our local factory manager, has lately purchased a fine threeseater motor-car.

The carpenters arc making good progress with the local school, and it ought soon to be finished. A dance will he held to celebrate the opening. A.TJItOA. ■ Two rinks of Anroa bowlers visited Opunakc last Wednesday to play a friendly game with the Opunakc Club; but, unfortunately, the rain came on soon after the jack was thrown and play had to be abandoned. The Opunakc dill) anticipate making a trip around the mountain about the end of the month, a ml will play New Plymouth Inglewoml, and Stratford Clubs en route. They have extended a cordial invitation to members of the Auroa Cftib to make the trip with them. A team of the local tenis players visited Olakcho last week, when some very close (Contests .were witnessed, some players being beaten by onlv one stroke. The total scores wcije: Otakcllo 00, Auroa 50.

The Bowling Club has sent an invitation to the Inglewooil Club to give Auroa, a call when they are on their tour in South Taranaki. The. recent rains, though rather late, have proved beneficial to the turnip crops, which were looking very "blue." The ITall Committee's danfec will be held next Friday night. Tip. Opunake races are the general topic of the day. and our local gnessers have got all the winners sorted out. So we hope that next Wednesday the old talc of "T ought to have hacked him" won't prevail. The sports which are to he held on "Paster Monday promi=e to be a greater success than all previous gatherings.