DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1915, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

UiITJ'IO'KD ROA'D. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Owing to the long spell of rough, wet weather that wo have been experiencing, inud is .more plentiful than grass about these parts. Gateways and culverts are much cut up, and paddocks are very baie, 'but we must grin.and bear it. Iliurl'ord road will he a scene of olden times soon, in one respect, for though there have been three empty houses on the road for some time, they are "ll to 1) occupied before long. This means that £OWs are to be milked on the sections once more. No doubt Tac high prices ruling for butter and cheese is increasing the demand for dairy farms. 'The directors of the Omata Dairy Co. leave about concluded negotiations with the Oakum farmers to acquire the 'present Oakura factory as a creamery station, which ought to enlarge the. output of butter from here somewhat. The directors have also lately installed an up-to-date power 'butter pounder to cope with the increasing demand for the "Lily" brand on the local market, and with the success the manager (Mr. C. •leusen) has had again this season at the, various shows (among the many prizes being .first and the Taranaki championship and a ten-guinea, cup), the step should be in the right direction.

The annual school examination takes place at the end of tTiis .month, and scholars and teachers are looking forward to a royal win.

I Fam sorry to say that we are about to lose one of our neighbors, in the person of Mr. and Mrs Mcfovmiek, who are selling out and going north to look for a future home. During their short residence on llm'ford road J I. l ', and Mrs. McCormeik have won the respect of all. Our weekly euchre parties still continue to draw good musters, no doubt on account of hall the net proceeds going to the 1 War Fund. The following-extracts are taken from letters received by Mr. A. Wood from his brother Percy, who was wounded at the Dardanelles." Writing from Egypt, he states: "I am enjoying the best of health, not having had a day's sickness since leaving New Zealand. T have had a real good time since coming here. We had a. bit of a 'light with the Turks on the canal, 'which was a great bit of sport for us, but not so for the Turks., We are all feeling lit and well amTglad to be able to get at the Turks again. We hope to be under fire in a week. You should keep the leaf enclosed in mv letter, as it is a leaf 0 f a tree that Christ was supposted to have rested under when in Egypt." Writing later from Cairo Hospital, he states: "I suppose you.'have heard of the rough time we had binding at the' Dardanelles, 'but wc got there all right and gave the Turks more than they gave us. I was in the place of hell for three days, and was lucky enough to get only wounded (under the right and over the left eye), but that was nothing to what some of my poor mates got.. I am now .getting on line, and hope to he-back at the front again soon."

'Mrs 1 . F, Higjjfin has received word and the address'of ■ her. brother, who was taken prisoner by the Germans at Antwerp, and as a friend or relation of a prisoner could send a parcel not exceeding lOJbs in -weight free into .Germany, his cry was. "For Goo's sake, send me some white bread and cheese." The following was his then address: "CCO3 Pte. •J'. P.. Aldous, 2nd Suffolk Reg., prisoner ov war, Hut 10.1, Oefangcner-Lager; -Doehcrityj- DeutscMand. 'We are all now looking forward to bear from Mr. Jack Walsh, who left with the. last reinforcements. Two more local lads have enlisted and passed the medical examination and arc now waiting to be called to '-amp. They arc Edgar Lovoridge and -Stanley Wood. Good luck to them!

T think most of us on this road CRn now claim relations at the front. Mr. jLepper. who has just come to reside here, also has a, son in the firing line and another enlisted.

WAREA. Mr. Sergei, the agricultural instructor, gave a lecture here on Thursday night : ast. there 'being a large attendance. The football match played on Saturday, Massey v. Ward, was very interesting, resulting in a win for Ward's *,eam t>y 15 points to 5. The annual meeting of the local hall "ommittee was 'held on Monday, Mr. RJulian presiding. The halamre-s'lieet was approved, it showing a profit of £3 10s lOd for the year. A notice of motion ivas moved, that the annual meeting in future be held net later than August :!i. A comimttee-was elected as follows: Messrs J. Ross, R. Julian. ,T. Aylward, O. Julian, T. Fowles. 0. W. Novell and S. llaie. At a meeting held later Mr. Jas. Ross was elected chairman and 'Mr. C. 'W. Revcll secretary, ft was decided to procure a new piano for the ball, and a euchre party and dance in aid of same w-i'li be held on July 28. The weather is still 'had. The blare of the little calf can now be heard in small numbers over the district, but it will not be long liefore large numbers can be heard. The milk supplv at the local factory is increasing. The annual meeting and bonus day will will take place on Monday week. AURO.4.

The working bees held last week in ieonneetion with the hall painting and the levelling of the playground and shifting the gardens at the school proved to be rather half-hearted, although those who recognised their duty to their disriet and rolled up did some .good- work. Probably later when some function or other takes place some of these drones will be in the foreground holding forth about what a progressive lot "we" are in Anion. ■"

The milking season is now rolling around, and the local factories have started running every other day again in place of every third day. The clearing sales in the district are humming. Herds averaging up to .til 10s a bead are getting rather a common thing.

The wet weather prevailing lately has made some of our roads almost impassable, and the County Council will liave to keep busy to get this work all completed ere another winter comes round.

The general topic of the day amongst the farming community is, "I wonder how much we are going to get for our last season's butterfat?"

I understand the .101 l Company paid out 2d per lb on July 20 over the whole season, bringing their total up to Is 4d per lb to date, with still a handsome surplus in hand to be paid out later if circumstances permit. The annual sights of waggon loads of furniture going to and fro are again very much in evidence this year, more's the pity! The new route introduced of late of coming across country from Ngaere with the morning paper must prove a boon to subscribers, for they get the paper now practically at the same time as it used to arrive in Hawera, and the management department are worthy of great praise and support for this energetic move, which goes to prove that they ar; out to eater for the country people. The Waimate Plains Trots are the next day out for the farmers, and then it is a ease of "get and stick to it," for a few months. Many cf than have been looking well ahead and are well prepared for the shortage of labor that