OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1920, Page 9

OPUNAKE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The Queen Carnival, promoted in aid of the new Convent School, terminates on Saturday night after a week of exceptional activity. Every night the Town Hall was packed, business brisk, and a scene of brightness and llght-hcnrteduess. The amount of niouey taken was announced on Saturday night to be £3146, with a probable £IOOO or so yet to come The various committees worked strenuously, with the result that they exceeded the most optimistical financial anticipations.

The result of the Queen Carnival voting was: Plhanui Queen (Miss A. Stevenson). 81,000 votes; Convent (Miss Freda Jarrett), 55,628; Hibernian (Mlbs Stella Hlckey), 51,655; Oaonul-Bahotu (Miss Molly Fleming), 37,822; Viuujarehu (Miss Mary Duggan), 21,386.

A surprise was created on Wednesday evening when the Oaonul candidate topped the poll. On Saturday afternoon the most noticeable colors displayed were those of the Hibernian and Convent candidates, but the Tartan colors came with a solid and formidable backing that put the issue beyond doubt This being the first Queen Carnival held In Egniont It took on Immensely. The Itev. Father Doolaghty was' the moving spirit in the organising of the big affair, and Mr. T. 8. Hlckoy did an immense amount of secretarial work. The Rev. Father Doolaghty, In returning thanks, paid a very generous tribute to the Protestants for their liberal support, stating that without that aid they could not have accomplished such good results. An idea of the liberality of the crowd attending the carnival ean be gauged from the following uct: A lady in charge of one of the stalls called to a genteman and said: "Look here; tliis line for a bob!" "Rlght-ohI" replied the gent, who paid the bob and said: "Put it up again and again I" And on farewelling the stall-holder, remarked: "Put them up again, but get some other mug to buy them I" He then passed on to another stall like a lamb for the shearing operator. The fact that the Town Board decided at their last meeting to place the hydroelectric loan (£7000) at 12 months fixed deposit. Is not to be taken as an Indication that the scheme Is to be held up for that period. it will be six months before the large payments will be required, so that In placing of the money nt fixed deposit Is only a business precautionary measure. Within that period Opunake should snow signs of building activity The nubile school should be completed, the Convent School and the hydro-electric scheme will be in course of construction, probably the Catholic Church—and, let us hope—the cottage hospital, the Opunake railway and harbor. Opunake must progress from within, and outward progress will soon follow.

This whining about Xcw Plymouth being In opposition to us, and that our political fate Is always sealed by outside Interests Is all moonshine. We can do a lot for ourselves by showing energy and faith In our future greatness by developing our own resources. It is reported that the Council engine shed had been entered, and that a certain amount of deliberate destruction was done. Mr Walslie has taken a renewal of the Opunake Hotel. Local residents are pleased, as the host and hostess are good supporters of Opunake public functions. It Is freely stated that the Opunake Dairy Company will pay out a good bonus tills aeaseason, a record, In fact, for the company. The Inclusion of it. O'Rorke In the North Taranakl v. South Taranakl match, gave general satisfaction to footballers here. It was thought that McSweeney was selected on his last year's reputation. Two young and promising back players that deserve a trial are Walslie and Rye. They are probably the fleetest players in the Southern Division Walslie Is a very nippy player, and ir he was In a town team would have been particularly noticeable In club matches. The local Chinese have bought a. small piece of land on the Ihatii Road, and are now busy tilling It. Last season a party of Maoris opened up In this line, so that the coming season there should be no lack of coin petition.

This coming seaßon the Town Board should BO In for laying down a number of the byroads In metal. There are some soft roa'dwnys that carry a good deal of vehlcalnr trafflc. A wet season will mean a good deal of mudways.. Good solid metal seems to be a lost art In. our back streets. Firewood at £T 10s a cord, and hard to get, Indicates that dairy factories and local residents have a problem before thorn this winter. Coal Is out of the question here seeing Hint It Is hard to get at railway centres. '