DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1921, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS.

WAI-TOI-TOI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Mrs.' Sullivan, the postmistress at the Urenui office, is at present enjoying a. well-earned vacation. The position is being temporarily filled by Miss Keasebury, relieving postmistress, who is well and favorably known in the district. Mr. Gould, of Waitara, on Thursday evening last gave a most interesting address to the settlers In the Okoke schoolroom, which was well filled. On Friday evening the same gentleman visited Wal-toi-tol and also addressed a large assemblage in the schoolroom. Hymns were sung at both gatherings. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Ati Awa troop of Frontiersmen will be held in Urenui on Saturday evening next, the 26th inst. It is stated teat there is a strong probability of a bowling club being formed in the district during the coming season, and if a green were laid down, there should be no difficulty in securing a strong membership, as those who play the game claim that it is one of the most interesting sports going, and well suited to those who are getting a little beyond th© strenuous, efforts of football, cricket and other pastimes. A visit from New Plymouth by a team of cricketers to Urenui is always looked forward to with pleasure by the local club, and tee match played against the Old Boys’ eleven last week was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The visitors brought out a strong team, and their bowling attack was too strong for the Urenui meh, who were defeated by an innings. Many pleasant experiences of old-time contests were recalled, and amongst the players who used to represent the New Plymouth Cricket Club in those days were Messrs. Lash, Elliot, Bewley, and also Billing (w-l?o at that time used to play for Inglewood)—all good sports and true cricketers, as are also the others of the team who came with them.

Dairy farmers and others are still looking anxiously for rain, whMi sometimes comes tantalisingly near/'T,;,, holds off. The milk supply at the f’showing visible signs of the ( ]r; and the dally make of cheese has < d from over thirty to nineteen. Many lanH are almost empty, and the dust raised by the wind of the past day or two makes travelling far from pleasant. One good point about the wind, however, is that the enforced spell of idleness of some of tljo windmills has been broken, and the cows a 0 now getting a much-needed supply of water/* A series of capsizes, which might have been attended with more serious results, occurred on the main road near the Maori pah on Saturday evening last. It appears that a large log of firewood had been accidentally dropped on the road by a motor lorry, andi as Messrs V. and H. Evans were returning home from Urenui on their motor cycles, the former had the misfortune to collide with the obstruction, and was thrown heavily to the ground. His brother, following dose behind, was unable to pull up, and passed over him, whilst a third cycle, ridden by Mr. A. Ross, of the Wal-toi-tol factory, and Mr. R. Musker, in trying to avoid the smash-up, went to the side of the road, when th© machine skidded badly, and both riders were thrown some distance and severely shaken. A fourth machine, ridden by Mr. A. Gilliver, was seen coming along the road, and Mr. Musker ran along and stopped it, thus avoiding another mishap. Mr. Gilliver immediately returned to Urenui and secured Mr. D. George, who came along with his car and removed the first rider to Urenui, where he was attended to by Mrs. T. Waite. He remained unconscious for an hour or so, but, though badly cut about the face, was ablei to proceed home to Mrft Freeth’s later on. Mr. Ross also received some nasty scratches, and the three wore more or less] about