OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1919, Page 3

OPUNAKE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The soldiers' fancy dress ball on Wednesday evening was a great success. A good many dancers appeared in original fancy dress. The first prize for lady's dress was awarded to Miss Fake ("Continuance"). The dress was representative of a bottle, and various labels of good wines and spirits were prominent. The gent's fancy dress prize was won by Mr. Harding ("The Bogey Man ") The waltzing competition brought out a good number of competitors, and the joint prize was awarded to Miss Campbell and Mr. Corkill. The ladies' committee are to be complemented on the supper arrangements, and the secretary upon the general success of the ball. The music was excellent.

A mean and contemptible affair was perpetrated on the Rev. Strand and Messrs. Hughson and Sons' cars the night before the election. In each ease the garages were forcibly entered, and the tyres of three motors slashed with knives. The owners are prominent prohibitionists, and the inference is that it was done for spite.

The coursing for the Booker Cup is to be held at Okato. Miss Vincent has taken over the bakery business known as "Newlove and Andrews'."

At a public meeting held in the Town Hall on Monday evening it was decided that the peace declaration be celebrated on lines suggested by the Minister of Internal Affairs, and that the Egmont County Council and Opunake Town Board, with power to add to their number, take the initial steps to organise the peace celebrations. Mr. Trotter, chairman of the Town Board, presided. The ...iblic meeting to discuss a suitable memorial in honor of the fallen soldiers from Egmont County was held on Monday evening, being presided over by the chairman of the Town Board (Mr. Trotter). The proposal adopted was the erection of a substantial column with marble slabs containing the names of the fallen heroes; the column will be surrounded by rockeries and spaces for flower plots and water fountain. The ground space will be 60 square feet. Three views of the memorial were sketclfi-ci on black boards by Mr. Pease, and were on view at the public meeting. The proposal has been taken up with enthusiasm, and one member of the audience (Mr. Looney) donated £2O towards, it. It is proposed to erect the memorial 011 Bowen Crescent, overlooking the Opunake bay. At the householders' meeting Messrs. T. J. Mildenhall (chairman), T. H. H. Sinclair (secretary), H. Newman, —. Windelburn, Rev. Strand were appointed a school committee. The chairman stated that DO pupils were guaranteed to take lessons if technical classes were instituted; also that the Education Board had intimated that the new school to be erected would be built on up-to-date lines now adopted by the board. A letter was received from Mr. Smith, M.P., stating that he would do his best to give Opunake facilities for technical education. There is every indication that some of the farmers who gave dairying a spell in favor of dry stock farming will re- | turn to dairying. The low prices for store cattle do not give such good returns as butterfat., 'Die prospect for the , farmer is that a further decline is inevjtable. Stocks cannot be cleared out this season. Prices for butcher's meat, however, are not in sympathy with the declining market.