DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1916, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

TARIKI. (From a Correspondent! /l'aiuki! WJiat is Tariki? Where is lanki? When ami how did it get Ihero are questions that many persons living within a mile of Tariki post oiliee Would find it difficult to answer oil'hand. Taken in their order they may fairly well be replied to as follows: Tariki is a SO u n d though small centre of the pastoral industry •of Taranaki, and >a well-established home of the National Jersey Breeders' Association. It is not a borough nor even a town district, nor has it any legal local control of tlie highways and bywavs of its traffic, but it is there ail the time, and quietly, without f 11,59 or. ostentation, fills * useful part in the economic life of the province's producers. As to its whereabouts, the answer is 'less, difficult. Tariki is situated on the Mountain road and railway line midway between Inglewood and Stratford, where tlie Surrey and Tariki roads branch off to westward and eastward respectively. But how did it get there, and when! Ft just grew. No flourish of trumpets,, no fulsome advertisements, noi banquet nor orgy announced its birth, noi bas any christening eeremonj sanctified its name. Tariki was not born; it is, in fact, a truly Darwinian hamlet, for'it owes its existence to tillc inexorable force of evolution. From the first Tariki was inevitaW.c, though never consciously intended hy tlie authorities who fondly imagine that they control such matters.

From the first establishment of Marne's sawmill on tlic bank of the Wnipuku-iti the growth of the place was by the fates made certain. Following this, after an interval of some few years, the New ■Plymouth Sash, ami Door Company's large mill at Tariki and Henry Brown and Co.'s branch mill up the Surrey road made assurance doubly sure, and very appreciably affected the fortune* of tin; district by relieving the settlers of a large share )f their superfluous timber, and burdening the':, pockets with royalty therefor. These were followed by Simons' mill beyond the Manganui, on the Tariki road, which ciarried on the same useful mission for the white-pine hush lands towards Eatopiko. And now, though, as 'lias been stated 1 , without legal local standing, Tariki is, ami plods steadily along, carrying out the functions of a very useful centre for a considerable area of good productive country, thickly populated and all l the time improv-

The hamlet itself, centring as it naturally does round the railway station and post office, contains two genc.i.il stores, a bakery, butcher's shop, blacksmith and wheelwright's shop, saddlery, and hotel, where good accommodation can be obtained. There is also a stable, whrae conveyances may be obtained by anyone wishing to go into the surrounding district. Bore, too, is the TaTiki Dairy Co.'s cheese factory, a.. Bound,', going concern, whose shareholders consider is deserving of more liberal support than is at present expended to it. There is a good State school, capable of accommodating some 125 to 150 children, witr teacher's residence and enclosure of about four acres. Within the school playground a tennis court has been made which belongs to the school, and is kept in arder by the local Tennis Club in return for the privilege of using it. like most country schools, tills one has a fluctuating attendance, and at present lias oniy 76 on the roll. The staff consists of Mr. H. Eason, head teacher, with Miss Thompson as assistant, and a probationer. The grounds, considering the comparatively short time that has passed since the school was transferred from Wai;puku, show cihat the local resients take a good deal of interest in them and reflect credit on the committee, of whom Mr. J. Therkleson. junr., is the chairman. A public hall on Surrey road and an Anglican church on the Mountain road complete the tale of th« principal buildings. At the railway station are receiving depots for the purchase of pigs by four companies, which are well patronised in their season, alsc yards .and conveniences for loading and unloading slieep and pigs on and from the trains, as well as a platform on to which cattle can be unloaded, but no yards nor convenience for load ins big stock, though the railway authorities ha-ve at different times been petitioned for them. From the foregoing it can be seen that though this is not ■»■ well known or ■widely advertised place, it is by no means a useless unit amongst the many that go to make up the industrial life of pastoral Taranaki. * « PUEAMGI, (From Our Own CorrespondentV We. like other parts of Taranaki, received a deluge of rain last Friday The heaviest rain for years fell on that day. It will have a beneficial effect on the ground. Most of the cows are in profit now and dairymen anticipate a good season. Sheep farmers will be busy now for a fortnight or so in docking operations, and the percentage of lambs will be heavy. The mortality amongst young lambs was light, as it was among the ewes. Amongst the latest arrivals to this district is Mr. R. B. Monnsey. who has purchased the farm lately in the possession of Mr. Young, and by his coming into this district our school attendance has increased by six. The school >vas examined on Septembei 1. by Inspector Ballantyne, Standaid VI. from Matau also being in attendance. Mr. -7. Brown is another new arrival and is managing Mr. Fletcher's farm. Mrs. Chapman, who was recently confined to her bed by an attack of bronchitis, is able to get about again. Master Horraco Wilks, youngest son of Mr. Wilks, met with rather a painful accident on Saturday afternoon. Whilst playing with some blasting powder he applied a match ratlier closely, and the powder caughf. He received the full force of tin flame in his face, which got rather badly burned. Medical assistance had to be" sought. Mr. E. Fischer, who is in charge of the Purangi-Inglewood mail run for Mr. Crosier, is enjoying a fortnight's holiday in New Plymouth. Mrs. Campbell (Wellington) who is on a holiday to this district, is staying with her parents. [t was with real sorrow that we heard of the death of Private Field, brother of Mr. Bert Field, who was killed in action whilst gallantly fighting in France for all that we hold most dear. We tender our deep and heartfelt sympathy to Mr. Field and family in their bereavement and trial. Apart from the war we are also living on the bright side of life, for a wedding of interest took plac« on September 29 at "Pukemahqe." The bridegroom was

; Mr. Stanley J. Suisted, third son of Mr. Suisted, Palmerston North, and the bride Lilian May Wilks, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilks. The Rev. C. Aker, of Douglas, officiated. The bridegroom was attended by Mr. Henry Bottcber as best man, whilst the bride, was given away by her father. Tlie bridegroom's gift lo the bride was a gold wristlet watch. After tlie ceremony a number of guests were entertained 'to breakfast in the dining-room. Mr. and Mrs. Suisted left on a honeymoon trip to Auckland in the evening, Mrs. Suisted wearing a navy blue serge costume with hat to match trimmed with ostrich feathers. The presents were numerous and serviceable. We one and all wish Mr. and Mrs. Suisted prosperity and happiness in their new sphere of life. Their future home will be in the Carnarvon district. Farmers are investing more in motor power as a means of transit, the latest recruit to the motoring ranks being Mr. A. J. Webb, who lias invested in a motor bike.