DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1915, Page 5

DISTRICT NEWS.

HURWORTH. (From Our Own Gorrespondeniy ; A most enjoyable social was held in j the schoolroom on Friday, August 20, This closes the season of a very enjoy*. able series of dances. The efficient man* ner in which Mr. C. Gilbert, the popular secretary, has tarried out his duties deserves the thanks of the residents. Mr. Gilbert is leaving for the front shortly, and we sinceroly hope thai ho will return safely, and take his plact amongst us once again. HUIRANGI, At the usual fortnightly euchre ten and a-half tables were occupied. Ml*s A. Fulton won the ladies first price (handbag); second, Miss E. Mortimer (photo frame). Gentlemen's first, Mr. W. Rowo (umbrella); second, Mr. W. McCaul (shaving mirror). After supper the usual dance was kept up till 1 a.m. Miss Cave provided the music, and Mr. J. Fay vas M.C. Insteni' of the next euchre, a concert; and dam. will bo hold in connection with the North Taranaki Patriotic League for our wounded soldiers. A flwt-class programme has been arranged, and thin will be a good opportunity to aid this deserving fund. Captain Allen will recite, and. the public will doubtless shell out all their spare "coin," from the [threepenny bit upwards. Mr. Walter ' Matthews, the popular Inglewood auctioneer, will be present, and win submit to the highest bidder a, three-decker cake, glowing with icing, and various mystic flaglike decorations. Mr. Matthews will also take part in the programme, so those who have not heard him, come along, for you'll laugh to your heart's content. Remember, Thurs-. day, August 20. I understand Mr. B. Wilson has sold his farm to a Waitara purchaser. Mr, W. Hughes lately threshed out a fine sample of Algerian oats, about the last around this district. I understond the Waitara West Road Board has a vacancy through the resignation of Mr. W. Fussell. Mr. Sid Osborne is offering his services for the front; who'll bo the next? Several delegates from Waitara, representing tho North Taranaki Patriotic League, visited Huirangi last Tuesday evening, to endeavor to form a branch here, and met a fair gathering of settlers. Mr. J. H. Lbvitt was voted to the chair. The Mayor of Waitara (Mr. E. Beckbessinger) and Messrs Thomas Buchanan and Weir addressed the meeting, showing what the league had done and what it wished to do in regard to railing Taranaki's quota to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund, and appealed that a .branch be formed at Huirangi. This was accordingly done, and Messrs Smith and F. Andrews appointed district delegates to work with the main committee <at Waitara. The-'hall trusts lave recently erected a porch over the iront entrance to the hall, which will be much appreciated by patrons.

MAKETAWA. The Norfolk School on Friday, 18th inst., held a record gathering, the occasion being a farewell social to Mr. F. Dombroski, who is proceeding to Trentham. Musio for the dances was supplied by Miss Curd and Mr. A. Stockman, and was much appreciated, as were the refreshments .provided iby the ladies of the district. During the evening gongs Were contributed by Misses Thomson, Bart' lett, Hogan, Brunton, Buckman, Taylor (Manaia), and Mrs. E. Taylor; duets by Misses Thomson and BarUett, and Miss Brunton. Mr. Clegg, of Ngaere, rendered several Scotch songs. v We ore experiencing splendid weather, and clearing for ploughing is evidenced by t'<e number of fires to be seen all over the countryside. Pastures are beginning ■to show signs of exceptional growth, and "if it only, keeps up" ie free!.' expressed. The mild winter is responsible for several large paddocks of turnips being as yet untouched, and cattle everywhere can be said to be having the "time of their lives." Miss Bason is ait present assisting at the Durham School owing to the absence of Miss Meyer. The accident to Miss Meyer, head \teacher at the Durham School, is of a more serious nature than was at first thought. The injured lady was picked up by the passengers of the mail train, the driver of whieli is to be commended for his action, and conveyed in an unconscious state to Siratford, where the ambulance, which had been telephoned for from Tariki, took her to the hospital. Her injuries were found to be a broken collar-ibonc, smashed shoulder, dislocated elbow, and considerable bruises on head ;and body. Obtest inquiries state that .Miss Meyer is progressing splendidly. The attendance of Maketawa suppliers at the factory last Thursday night, to hear Mr. J. Brown and others anent the proposed new county, was not satisfactory evidence of the interest farmers take in things pertaining to their wel> fare. Here they had an opportunity to become conversant with much over which a lot of grumbling has occurred, yet they hugged the fireside. The farmer is eouietinies deserving of all the epithets hurled at him for being apathetic, and 'if in) is going to make the four corner pegs tho boundary of the world, no wonder trouble in local politics ensues. People owe a duty to the cbramunity as a whole.

In a letter to 'Mr. B. H. Nolan, o( Hawera, the Hci.. T. Mackenzie, High Commissioner in London, otates;—Xow Zealand's ni.u havj t&owu themselves to bo wcrlhy cf the stock from vrjiich they sprang, and ovtry one of ihein "lie landed at Gallipoli 13 an honor and a. credit tj the Doiumon. The name of our country ncvir stood higher, and this great war has given our young men a cilmnet cf placing it on the highest pedestal. The position we now occupy is difi'ereiit to that occupied before the war by reason of the valor of our brave sons. Then the generosity ot New Zcalanders to those suffering from the fearful s'tr.ess of war has been so great; it Alls the people of the Old Country with admiration, and New Zenland is now a, passport to the hearts and homes of the Old land. The distribution of the gifts lias been responsible work; thousands of cases of clothes and produce and tens of thoui\auds of pounds sterling have arrived, ajixl you can understand the caro that requires to he exercised in discovering those most deserving and eliminating the undeserving. T have been assisted by numbers of philanthropic men and women wJio are devotiiiß- themselves to finding out that which it is best to do nn(J seeing it carried out. Paderewski, the {jreai pinn-ist, called upon me tine other (Jay and told me of tie great privations S-nd cruelties from which th« people of Poland are suffering—their sufferings nto more distressful, he said, than erc-Xi those of the Belgtane. He is asking iV help, which I hop% will, in a mcasure.vJx! gfrfl».