DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1916, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

Our Own Correspondents.) _ ' OAKURA. A meeting was held in the hall here on Thursday evening last to arrange a farewell to Messrs R. 'Morris and F. Cowling, who have volunteered for the front and are expected home on their final leave from Trenthaui shortly. As Mr. Cowling has resided for a number of years in the Tataraimaka district, a representative number of residents were present from that district also. Mr. G. Adlam presided and it was decided that The farewell take the form of a social, at which a presentation will be made to each of the guests in the evening. The date of the social was left to be decided at the next meeting.

The two tost rains have been much appreciated along this coast, as the soil toequires rather more moisture than most other parts of Taranaki.

There is one terrible eyesore to most of the Oakua residents. It consists of about 50 acres of gorse owned by Maoris almost in the centre of Oakura, which is of no value to the community, as it produces nothing excepting enough seeds to germinate on all the surrounding land. Surely between the Noxious Weeds Department and the Taranaki County Council something could be done. It affects the Council very much, as it is growing right to the very edge of the metal and makes it quite impossible for the county foremen to drain off any water on this part of the road, and therefore the metal on which a special rate is being paid is getting absolutely disgraceful. The supply of milk is now on the decline, a fact which occurs around here every year far earlier than it should. The fact is that none of us have any maize or white turnips" ready to take the place of the grass, which goes off very quickly about the middle of January. Consequently there are short rations for the cattle for a few weeks until the above feed is readv.

The pay-out for the whole of this season has been at the rate of Is 2d for butter-fat, a price far in advance of what we have ever reecived in past years from the now dead ancr gone, Oakura Dairy Co. We are all beginning to wonder if the liquidator of the above company ever intends to declare our final dividend and the promised bonus for August butter-fat. OMATA.

SEWING GUILD'S WORK. On Wednesday last the members of the Omata Sewing Guild held an afternoon tea. The wet weather interfered somewhat with the attendance, but a very pleasant time was spent by all, and the visitors were astonished at the amount of work that has been put through in such a short time. The guild has provided as far as possible for six beds, six patients, and six convalescent patients, the work including 2doz. sheets and draw-sheets, sdoz. pillow-cases (large and small), ldoz. nightshirts, ldoz. dayshirts, ldoz. under-pants, 31 under-flan-nels, 14 suits pyjamas, 7 hed jackets, 4 blanket overcoats, 6 flannel waistcoats, ldoz. face-towels, 18 surgical towels. There are also limb-pillows, treasure;bags, cup-covers, face-cloths, handkerchiefs, dusters, socks, holdalls, and housewives (filled with necessaries), stationery wallets, writing pads, etc., all procured out of guild funds. These comforts are to be forwarded next week to No. 1 Stationary Hospital, together with a large assortment of sterilised bandages, tri-angular and other bandages and slings, and a quantity ot stationery, glaxo, beef essence, condensed milk, soups, and invalid foods, also one pair of crutches and a nice lot of toilet soap, for which the guild desires to thank a great many kind donors, whose names are too numerous to mention.

Altogether, the guild is gratified with the result of its hard work, and it is pleasing to find that so much has been done in spite of many adverse circumstances. Now that such a good start has been made, it is to be hoped the work will not be allowed to fall off for want of interest, as this kind of work so often does once the freshness has passed. Although, compared with what is needed, the quantity of goods collected seems very liltle, still the guild has striven by sending only what is known to be most necessary to make its gifts as helpful as possible, and it is very evident from the support the people of the Omata district generally are giving to the workers that thov at least do , realise the importance of helping to provide ammunition in the shape of clmliing and nourishing foods for our fighting men, and that it is as much their duty to do this, even at some personal sacrifice, as it is for the eligible men to enlist for the front.

Members of the executive will meet on February 2 and sewing will be resumed on Wednesday, February 7, when all workers are requested to '''roll up" with all their implements.