DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 1921, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS.

MIDHIRST. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The younfc men of Midfcirst, who recently formed an amusement committee, held a dance in the Town Hall on Wednesday night last. There was a good attendance, and a most enjoyable time was spent by all. The music supplied by Miss Hall was of a very high standard. The next dance will be held next month. The suppliers to the Co-operative Dairy Company have paid out 3d bonus on the first four months of the season. Mr. J. Bowman has returned from Wellington, where he has been getting machinery for the new factory and the casein drying plant they are building. Mr. and Mrs. J. Mail have returned from Waitara. WAI-TOI-TOI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The local school will re-open on Tuesday next, and it is understood a temporary teacher has been appointed to assist Miss Nolan in carrying out her duties. A small area of Soudan grass, which has been grown with success in the Auckland and Nelson districts, is being tried as an experiment for autumn feed in Wai-tol-toi. It is claimed that this grass grows to a height of 7ft in a few weeks, and the plot under notice, though not sown under the most favorable weather conditions, is coming away rapidly, and looks strong and healthy. Should it fulfil expectations, and prove i,ts success as a means of producing butter-fat, Soudan grass ought to form a valuable adjunct- to the list of autumn feeds, as it should not take a very large area to yield an enormous amount of fodder at a time when it is most needed. Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Gilllver, who some years ago were residents at tte Mimi, and mor4 recently resided at Urenui, will he amongst the passengers on the Arawa, which leaves Wellington for London, via. Panama, on January 28. Mr. and Mrs. Gilliver intend being abroad some six or eight months. A cricket match of local interest is being arranged between the Urenui juniors and a team from Wai-toi-toi. Though the former were entered for the Saturday junior competition, they have not been able to secure a game this season, and though probably they will score an easy win over Wai-toi-toi, who are mostly novices, a good afternoon’s sport should be provided. During, the week a cricket team from Waitara, representing the freezing works, paid a visit to Urenui, and played a most enjoyable match with a local eleven. The home team put up the respectable score of 193, which was responded to by their opponents with 143, thus leaving the former victorious by 50 runs. A return match will be played at Waitara on a date to be arranged. Mr. George Bertrand, junr., who was recently married in Wellington, is at present staying in Urenui with Mrs. Bertrand. On Saturday evening last a number of friends assembled at the residence of Mr. G. Bertrand, senr., to welcome home the bride and bridegroom: Their healths having been drank most enthusiastically; those present joined in singing “For They are Jolly Good Fellows.” Mr. Bertrand, junr., who was born in Urenui, is deservedly most popular in the district, and served with distinction in the laotc war, and is also a good all-round athlete. A large circle of friends will wish Mrs. Bertrand and himself every happiness in their new home, which is to be New Plymouth, where Mr. Bertrand holds a position in the Boys’ High School.

Sporting enthusiasts will have no cause to complain of opportunities to enjoy themselves during the coming month, and no doubt, now that the rush of haymaking, etc., is over, a large number will visit New Plymouth and Hawera. On February 2 and 3 the Taranaki Jockey Club hold their annual autunnj meeting, and the splendid entries received for the various events should attract a record attendance. The Trotting C)ub. though not so fortunate in this rwtupt. will no doubt be wall

patronised, and many people will attend in order to support tte club and show appreciation of the enterprise of the promoters in holding the meeting without the aid of the totalisator. The Egmont Racing Club’s meeting at Hawera, on February 9 and 10, though a little further away, always receives good support from this district, and this year will no doubt prove no exception. After a fortnight's rest, the Urenui athletic sports on February 24 will be the next event to attract the attention of patrons, and judging by the manner in which the gathering is being discussed, one of the most successful sports meetings ever held in Urenui will have to be recorded. The Clifton County Council's grading and roller plant, in charge df Mr. A. Winter, has been busy during the past week or so in cleaning up the roads in this vicinity. After the few showers of; •'rain on Saturday, motorists found it no easy ' matter to keep their -ears from performing some unnecessary evolutions, and one,, of them.! whizze/1 round and tried to climb the bank by the side of th© road, which fortunately was not very steep, and no harm resulted.

Mr. Gould, of Waitara, resumed his usual fortnightly visit to Wai-toi-toi on Friday evening last, and the schoolroom was well filled, Mr. Gould's address being listened to with much interest. Owing to holidays, not so many children as usual , were present, but several repeated the verses set them to learn at a previous meeting. During the evening hymns were sung, Miss Phillips presiding at the organ.

The placing on the market of the first shipment of phosphate from Nauru Island will be awaited with interest hy farmers in this aS well ((s other districts. ’d the question is often asked as to whetl the price of fertilisers is likely to be reduced to any extent in the near future. Of its richness there can be no question, as it has been proved to run from 85 to 88 per cent, trlbaslc phosph-te of lime, as compared with phosphatlc fertilisers brought into the Dominion from other sources depending for its value on about 30 per cent, of trlbaslc phosphate; other well-known brands contain 62 per cent. So there is no doubt farmers will give tte Nauru article preference, whether in the form of superphosphate or finely ground raw phosphate. Though New Zealand’s share of the output is only 16 per cent. (England and Australia each receiving 42 per cent.), the deposits are so enormous that under ordinary favorable shipping conditions there should 'easily be enough for our requirements, and the distance from Ocean Island (which adjoins Nauru) to Auckland is only 2250 miles, so freights should not be unduly high.

HURFORD ROAD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The recent dry spell was responsible for a drop of three boxes of butter daily at the local factory. The river was getting very low and causing the manager some anixety, as there was not sufficient power to drive the plant at times. Mr. Lynch is to be congratulated on the class of butter he is turn- 1 ing out, the grade being up to 95, and aver- i ages about 94%. •Mr. Roy Clark is at present in the New j Plymouth Hospital, suffering from his war | wound. He intended going to Trentham. but could not stand the journey. The treatment I will probably take from six to eight months, ■ after which we hope he will be fully restored I to health. No doubt he will be pleased to ; see any who can make it convenient to visit ! him at the hospital. While riding home from Stratford, Mr. Tom- 1 my Thompson had a marvellous escape from : serious injury. The horse he was riding gave : a plunge in the air, turned a sounesault, anci rolled over dead. Fortunately Mr. Thompson ', was able to throw himself clear, but he Is at J present laid up with a slight injury to the j spine and concussion of the brain. The fall also affected his war wound. We are pleased to say he is making favorable progress, and hope he will soon he able to return to the farm. It is understood the council intend metalling the regraded portion of the hill this week. This will fill a long felt want. There- are numerous loose stones on ti e road which make it dangerous. The settlers took advantage of the fine weather for harvesting. There are still a few crops of oats to get lai. There Is very little sickness at present here; an odd case of measles, but none of a very serious nature. The need of a telephone for the road was felt the other night, a settler having to ride to Omata to ring a doctor up v The Hurford Road mail service is very unsatisfactory at present, letters and even telegrams taking nearly a week to come quite short distances, and we trust it will not be' long before we are able to get a rural delivery further up the road. The recent rain was xery welcome, especially to those with crops in.