DISTRICT NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 December 1916, Page 8

DISTRICT NEWS

I DURHAM WAD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The Moa Koad Board crushing plant and stiifl' aro at present effecting repairs to the Durham road west, and it is evident that under the careful and skilled supervision of Mr. Davis, the engineer, the settlers will shortly be enjoying the benefit of a tip top road surface. The settlers on the road divided into sections, and further augmented the boulder Eupplj by giving a considerable amount of free labor, and I fancy they will never regret the. time given. We have quite enjoyed a really good spell of fine weather, and good work has been done in several instances in. .stumping, etc. Grass is reported to be plentiful and cows are milking well. 1 A social evening is being arranged by the teacher and pupils of the Durham school for the evening of December IS. and from all accounts patrons should enjoy themselves. The presentation of prizes to pupils will also take place. A great improvement has been effected at the junction of the Durham road west and the Mountain road, which hitherto has been a regular quagmire aftei wet weather. The old paved crossing lias been removed, and a concrete pipe culvert'put into position, and the job has given the entrance of the road a neat appearance. I am informed that sheep owners are experiencing a difficulty in obtaining labor for shearing. In one or two instances the work has. been done by the farmer and his family but in the majority of eases the outlook is not pleasing. I regret, to announce, the ilea th of Mr. Thomas Cheevers, of Durham roa.l, wtio had for a considerable time been suffering from bronchial trouble. The deceased was well known in the Moa district, having owned the corner section nf the Dudley and Mountain roads before taking up his residence on Durham road about 2.', years ago. Mr. Cheevers was a native of Louth, Ireland, and was born in the month of May. IS3S, and thus has reached the ripe old age of 7S years. Notwithstanding his adva iced years and 'lines?, the old gent would daily make li'a appearance with his milk supply at the Durham creamery up to within a couple of months of his death. The deceased arrived in New Zealand during 1865, bcins; a passenger in the clipper Benares, which did the trip from the Homeland to this colony in OS days. lie resided in the, Manutahi' district six and a-haif year? and a similar period in Wanganui before coming to the Moa district, when) he has resided ever since and, of er.urst had to suffer the usual hardships of the pioneers. He leaves a widow, one son (Mr. V. Cheevers, of Ngaerc district) and four daughters to mourn their loss, and the bereaved ones have the fullest sympathy of all.