DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 July 1920, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS.

RATAPIKO. (From Our Own Correspondent,) Tarewells are still the rage in our little township, and we feel it will be very hard to fill the gaps caused by the removal of some of our oldest and best settlers, Messrs. Frfler, Hair, Bilski, and Beeslck have been farewelled In turn, and last Friday evening at a dance held in the schoolroom d farewell was said to Mr. and Mrs. Moratti and family, who shortly leave for their new farm in the Kalmata district. Miss Vera Wilson, very ably presided at the piano, and Mr. E A. Grieg had charge of the floor. Although th& night was vet)' rough a goodly number turned ou to say gooa-bye to cur departing guests. Mr. and Mrs. Moratti are very popular in our district ana will be sadly missed by our newly formed Tennis Club of which they are both active members. After the supper adjournment Mr. J. Staehurskl, on behalf of the Rataplko settlers, presented Mr, Jack Moratti with a handsome Morris chair, beautifully upholstered in brown leather, and Mrs. Moratti with a silver teapot and Jam dish. During the course of his speech, Mr. Staehurskl referred to the services Mr. Moratti had rendered during the influenza epidemic, when he had gone around the neighbours milking the cows, doing the ploughing, and numerous other farm duties. Mr. Moratti, in a neat little 'speech, thanked the settlers for their gifts. The people then standing and singing verv heartily "For They Are Jolly Good Fellows," and giving three rousing cheers for the Moratti family,

At the householders' meeting, the following new School Committee was elected: Messrs. L. Healy (chairman), J. Howard (secretary), A. E. Grigg, J. ®agaar, J. Corbett. They seem to be a live body Just at present, and the kiddies?, aro In for a good time from all accounts. Monthly socials arc being arrnnged to raise sufficient funds for prizes, a day at the seaside. e'*c.. the first to take place on Friday, July 9 We hope the people will turn out, and so entourage the new committee In their good work-. Mr, ud Mm. WUtast and Mitt Vara Clawb

have Just returned from, a very pleasant holiday spent in Wellington and Christchurch. Mrs, Middlemlss, senr., and Mrs. Morattl have heen spending a few weeks with relatives in the South Island. Miss Mary Stachurski is at present visiting Waitara. WAI-TOI-TOI. (Prom Our Own Correspondent.) A most enjoyable social was held in the Urenui Hall on Thursday evening last under the auspices of returned soldiers. Though the weather was not too propitious there were a good number present. Sir. T. 8. O'Neill officiated as M.C. and gave complete satisfaction, whilst Miss Kilbride presided at the piano most successfully. During the evening a nice little supper was handed round and much appreciated. On Saturday a "surprise party" to Miss Dulcie Smith (who, it is understood, is shortly to be married) was lield at Mr. li. Mount's residence, Wai-tol-toi. Friends were present from TJrenul, and a very pleasant evening passed in dancing, singing, games, etc. - Mr. J. G. Fitzgerald (a returned soldier) has now taken over the motor lorry carrying business so successfully conducted by Mr. Sam Marsh. , Mr. J. F. Phillips (chairman of the Wai-tol-toi Dairy Company) returned home on Thursday from Falinerston North, where he has been attending tho dairy conference. Some little time ago the Government, in one of its spasmodic fits of racing reform, gave forth a iegal opinion that the placing of numbers showing the position of favoritism on the totalisator, before the«. names of the horses in the newspaper reports, was against the law. Tho Daily News, together with some of its contemporarle, dicontinued the practice of publishing tho information, but one of our local sports' would like to know how it is that the N.Z. Referee still continues to do io. As a matter of fact, the information for purposes of gambling is perfectly harmless, but is useful to those who take an Interest in these matters, as showing how the horses were fancied by the public at the different meetings. Those delegates from this end who attended the conference of Frontiersmen, held in New Plymouth last, week), speak in high I terms of praise as to the manner in which the arrangements were carried out by the local squadron for the reception of visitors. The election of Lieut.-Col. C. H. Weston to the office of staff captain was well deserved, as that officer has spent a lot of time in the Interests of the League. Those wishing to secure dairy cows or fawn implements should not fail to attend Mr. A. D: Curr's sale at Wai-tol-toi on Friday next. The cows are well worth inspection, and their record at the local factory during the past season goes to show that they have been carefully selected. PUNGAREHU. (From Our Own -.Correspondent.) On the evening of Tuesday, 22nd June, a surprise party visited the residence of Mr. and Mrs. M. Sogers, of Warea. After the merriment, which usuajly follows on the surprise entry of those parties, had subsided, all adjourned to the Warea Hall nearby, where a very pleasant evening was spent in singing, games and dancing. Songs were contributed by Miss Harford (Okato), Miss Donald and Mr. Goodin (all encored). Miss W. Larking acted as accompanist. Dance music was supplied by Mesdames Beck and Rogers, Miss Donald and Messrs. Norrls and Orbell, the M.C. being Mr. M. Parker. Supper, provided by the ladies, was handed round during the evening. Now that the winter has really set in the children attending the local school appreciate most warmly the work of the committee in falling In with the recommendation of the Education Board in providing them with a steaming hot cup of cocoa during the lunch hour. The cocoa system, which was Inaugurated last year, has proved most beneficial to all. The arrangements made by the teachers for providing this welcome addition to an otherwise dry meal are most complete. An early start is to be made with the improvements, etc., of the Warea public hall, the Hall Committee having sufficient funds on hand to carry on. • A few of our settlers will be leaving us throughout tho month of, July, a date in the farming country that seems to be the usual flitting time. Feed is now getting short, toll being levied on hay stacks and swede paddocks, but factories are still running. Those farmers who have had the luck or foresight to provide themselves with a good paddock pf swedes or mangolds for their stock during the winter are now reaping the benefit of the saimo, as the weather lately experienced makes the addition of a few solids of this kind to the usual allowance of hay most welcome to those cows still minting, also to dry stock. I hear that applicants have been receiving replies from the Government to their applications for land on the soldier settlement at Parlhalca. It is hoped that the successful applicants may not have to wait for an Indefinite period before they know where they are so that they may get to work straight away. In connection with the blackberry nuisance on the Parihaka block, it has been said that they can be eradicated where the land is ploughable, but the gullies and creeks would j need special attention. The blackberry Is I admitted to be a nuisance, but it has been the means of farcing the cultivation of thousands of acres wlilch would otherwise not have been stumped. The planting of smothering trees has been advocated, such as pinus Insignus In such places. In ten years these tree would provide valuable timber and more than .con.* ?nsate for the cost of trees and plant. Pinus insignus as a building timber is. also rapidly finding favor. Some pinus Insignus put In houses twenty years ago was, when examined, found to be in excellent condition.