MOKAU NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 May 1918, Page 3

MOKAU NEWS.

HARIsuUK BOARD. (From 0m- Own Correspondent.) A meeting of the above was held on >ril J-itli. ' Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows: from the Marine Department authorising the work of river eiearmice to/proceed. As this was on the .supposition of the W'aitara Harbour Hoards dredge being used in the work, the secretary was authorised to write lo the Department explaining the position and what, was being done in regard to a substitute. PATRIOTIC .SOCIETY. A meeting of the Patriotic Committee was held on April 24th, IMS, Mr It. Maine in- the chair. Also present: Messrs A. 0. Sampson, S. Whitehead, J. 11. Ten-ill and J. L. Mac Donald. Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows: From .Secretary flavor Plenty Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Club, asking for a donation to its building fund.—Received. From the secretary of the National Association of French War Orphans, asking for financial assistance. —Resolved that the matter be left to the decision of the League. Resolved: That a wristlet watch be presented Corporal 11. Ennis, at present in camp, and that the secretary write and ascertain whether he he likely to again visit the district before his departure for the front. The matter of the presentation was left in the hands of the chairman.

Resolved:- That the secretary write a letter of sympathy to Mr and Mrs W. Ejjack and family,' of Awakino, on the death of their son, Sergeant A. R. Ulac'k, recently killed in action in France.

With regard to a concert to be given in aid of the Patriotic Fund by Maori entertainers, it was resolved to'grant a permit to the promoters upon application being made to the chairman. Several accounts were passed for navment. } SCHOOL COMMITTEE. A meeting of the school committee was held on April 24th, Mr J. L. MacDonald in the chair. Correspondence was received and dealt with as follows: From the Education Board notifying the appointment of Miss A. Barnes as sole teacher.—Approved. From same, forwarding Inspector's report on the school.—Resolved that the secretary write to Miss Barnes expressing the committee's satisfaction with the favourable nature of the report received. From the New Zealand Educational Institute, asking the committee to pass a resolution calling upon the Government, to make greater efforts in the cause of education. Resolved, That the time is inopportune to ask the Government to do more than it. is doing at present. GENERAL. The householders' meeting took place on the 29th April. There was only a small attendance, which indicates that parents were, on the whole, satisfied with the efforts of the old committee during the past year. The same committee members were returned to office, and at a subsequent meeting all past year's officers were re-elected.

The Patriotic Committee's postponed annual -meeting also took place on April 20th. The balance sheet was placed before the meeting, ami the result of the year's work was deemed highly creditable to Mokau and the surrounding district. By aid of patriotic dances and the support of Awakino and Mohakatino close on £IOO had been raised during Iho year. Of this amount some £65 had been forwarded the Tarauaki League, and allocated between various organisations doing good work at the front, while there remained £8 in hand to commence the new year with. Working expenses were kept as low as possible. The result of the election was that the old committee comprising Messrs 11. Maine (chairman), A. G°. Sampson, J. R. Terrill, S. Whitehead (auditor), and J. L. Mac Donald (secretary) were all re-elected. The chairman was complimented upon the wav he had conducted the business during "last year, while the secretary eulogised the services of the members of the committee.

An unrehearsed incident occurred during the rendition of an item at the concert given by our Maori entertainers the other night. The occasion was the dancing of a haka by a few of the modern young men. To an old timer at the back it appeared such a tame exhibition that he could bo heard expressing his disgust from lime to time in language that, was "painful and free." He stood it as long as he could, and then jumped up, tore off his coat, and made a lice line for the culprits. He, grasped an imaginary tomahawk, his body and limbs trembled with intense excitement, his eves flashed fire, his tongue poked defiance, but when he g'ot to gliding stealthily about the hall, his imaginary tomahawk poised to cleave the skulls' of his invisible enemies, the pakeha among the spectators shifted uneasily in their seats and held their heads and hair on tight—with both hands—for feai they might lose one or the other, if they didn't lose both. However, nothing like that happened, and as t-hft old warrior resumed his seat, he was treated to a storm of applause, from Maori and pakeha alike that, it could almost be said in a literal sense, brought the house down, down.

The shooting season has commenced so it behoves all owners of fat turkeys and plump geese to keep them in seclusion for a day or two until onr sportsmen get the range. It is notorious how even tho must trusty old blunderbus in the world will carry six feet, to left or right of the object aimed at when the owner lias not used it for a year. A party of Maoris went up the river a. couple of days ago with an avmy of dogs to gather in a few of the wily wild pigs that frequeiir.\the bush up there. Mohan is looking.' forward to their return, : . Captain Conway, formerly signalman for the port here, is on a 'visit to Mohan at present. He is much impressed with the progress of the place since his departure a year ago. There are nuv.pu.fs of a new store beimr started in Mokau shortly. We wonder what for, A number of Mahoenui citizens spent a week end hero recently fishing. During their short stay tliey caug-at 82 schnapper and other smaller fish without number. The Mokau river affords ideal fishing. Mr ,f. L. Mac Donald, of our township, lias just received advice that his brother-in-law, Lance-Corpl. Alf. C. Davy, was killed in action on the West Front on March 22nd. Mr Davy was an exceedingly popular mag among his fel-