DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1921, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS.

UPPER MANGOREI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) On Friday evening last, a most successful concert and dance was held in the old school to mark the occasion of the opening of ti e new school. Most of the children appeared in fancy dress. There was a large attendance of the public from the surrounding district. The evening was chiefly taken up in dancing, and when the children in their fancy robes gathered for their first march and dance- the room was filled with color and life. The dancing programme was under the management of Mr. Smith, who executed the duties of MG. in a. creditable manner, notwithstanding the crushed state of dancing space. Music was supplied by Miss D. Brown. Between the dances the following items were rendered:—Recitation, "Love Lightens Labor," Miss M. Richards; School .children, "Joan of. Arc,” "The Red: Cross Nurses,” .and "Beautiful Ohio,” all being highly appreciated and applauded. Recitations were contributed by Master H. Rickards, "Keep the Old Flag Flying,”’ Miss V. Baker "Bishop Hntto.” Miss E. Moyle sang "Thinking of You,” and Mr. Goodrich recited. During the evening prizes were presented to Miss V. Baker, “Princess,” for the best fancy dress, also to Miss H. Wadsworth, "Nlgh't,” second prize. Master G, Spencer, "Indian,” took the first prize for the boy s » whilst Master W. Baker, "King,”., secured second.

During the everting a very welcome supper was handed round by the ladies of the district. Extras were played by Misses Whittle and Cooper, and Messrs. Balshin and Johnstone. Dancing was kept up till the small tours of the morning. The school was decorated with flags kindly lent by Mrs. Burgess and Mr. Richards. OAKURA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) On Tuesday, May 31, a very successful’ concert was given in the hall. There was a large and appreciative audience, several of the items being encored. The, concert was organised bj’ the church members to welcome the new Vicar, the Rev. H. / Coleman, M A., who has. recently arrived .from Home. Mr. J. S. Fox introduced the vicar, who replied in suitable terms. The concert items were as follows:

Pianefprte -duet, Misses Street; song, Mr. Bryant; club swinging, Misses Prices song, Mr. Bayly; song, Mrs. Street; violin solo, Mr. Bryant; song, Mrs. Larking; recitation, Mr. Gilbert; song, Mr. Jenkin; song, Mr. Willis; pianoforte duet, Mr. and Miss Pearson ; song, Mr. Bryant; song, Rev. H. A. Coleman ; song, Miss Swindell; violin solo, Mr. Bryant; song, Mrs. Larking; song, Mrs. Jenkin; song; Mr. Willis. The accompaniments were played by Misses J. Street, Pearson and Mr. Pearson. At the conclusion of the concert - supper was handed round, after wibieh the floor was cleared for dancingj Mr. G. West made a very attentive M.C. The yotmg people of- the district are forming a pierrot troupe and hope at some future date to a They also intend having a fancy costume dance and will give one or iwo items on that occasion, which should prove an attraction. The fortnightly euchre parties and dances have so far proved very successful and will be continued on Thursday next. The school children have always willingly helped any good cause, as recently shown in their splendid effort in collecting £4 10s for the Red Cross.

The New Plymouth Male Choir will gh’e' a concert at Oakura on Tuesday June 7, the proceeds being in aid of the Clarke Memorial Fund. The choir will give some the best items from their New Plymouth programme, and those who have no't heard’ them should not miss this opportunity, as it is worth going a few miles to hear them. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Erratic conditions have prevailed for the past week, a fair share of wind ana rain having been our portion. The rains, however, have done a great deal of good to the pastures, feed being none too plentiful at this season. It is reported that the demand for sleep lately has been much better than sheepfarmers expected. One or two buyers from the North have been operating in the sheep market. It is stated that buyers are already operating for next season’s output of cheese. The land hunger, which for some time showed signs of abating, is again manifesting itself, and land agents from Hawera and elsewhere are going around the country, some with clients. ’

Game is somewhat scarce, I understand, in tie back country, this season, and although a few pheasants and quail have been bagged, the experience of sportsmen, speaking generally, has been disappointing.

Recent news from England and New York is no doubt encouraging a hope among consumers here that a number of the necessaries of life will be less dear in the near future. But so far there is no indication of "necessaries,” as they were defined a decade ago, becoming cheap. Meat inevitably must decline, hut bread, sugar, and many other articles of food remain at famine - prices. Drapery of the common evdry day kind, if the buyer knows where to look for it, is cheaper than it was a year ago, but fuel remains at an exorbitant price, and house rent is rather, soaring than declining.

What ik the price of butter in New Zealand? This question was asked by a new arrival recently, and, on learning the pi-ice he exclaimed. "My goodness,, and we have been paying as much as 3s 4d per lb at Home 1” After a moment’s 1 bought he remarked that the "Old Dart” is a. good place to be out of just now.

A coastal having his attention drawn to my previous notes on the exorbitant prices paid for suits in this country, referred to the apparent disparity between the cost of raw wool and the price of manufactured clothing. "It seems that the time has come when we should try to manufacture more er our primary products here, instead of ®tporting - them all Ln the raw state, he said. "Surely th ? time has come when we should make, all the blankets and cloth we require here, instead of paying freight both ways, and paying a high price for imported woollen goods.” Many of us wonder how it is that we have to pay about thirteen guineas for a suit of clothes when we know that we get only about ten shillings for the Wool required to make the suit. How is the difference made up? It seems that an enormous profit must be made in soune of the processes that the wool goes through. Different companies are recently manufacturing woollen goods, so that evidently the public is waking up to the fact that it is about time we moved in tho direction, he concluded. In spite of vyretched weather the Warea Hall Committee had a satisfactory attendance at their fortnightly dance on Thursday night, 2nd inst. Good music and floor promise to make these functions a success and build up their improvement fund, as work still remains to be done inside and around the building. The Okato s&cial committee’s fortnightly social and dance is to. be held in the Hempton Hall on Tuesday 7. Parker’s orchestra will supply the music, so that lovers of dancing from outside districts will be sure of having a good time at Okato. Quite a number, of visitors from this end will in all probability attend the Taranaki Metropolitan Agricultural Society’s Winter Show in the Coronation Hall this week. The success which attended last year’s show should be a. sufficient guarantee of its popularity..

Constable D. J. O’Neill, of Rahotu and surrounding districts, has been promoted .to the rank of Sergeant and transferred to Wellington. Whilst Sergeant O’Neill’s many fripnds will bo pleased to hear of his promotion, genuine regret is felt at the loss to the coastal districts of one of the most efficient and courteous officers that has been located in tte district.

Many friends in the coastal district- will learn with regret of the death of Mrs. Catherine Benton, wife of Mr. George Benton, which occurred at Leith Road, Okato, on May 29. To the bereaved, general sympathy has been extended. The interment took place on Wednesday, June 1, at the Okato Cemetery.

On Wednesday night last, a kitchen party wrs ■fitveh‘ inTibnor bf Miss H. Wright at her father’s residence, Rahptu. Miss Wright, who is most popular owing to her willingness at all times to assist in public benefits and functions, is aboqt to be married to Mr. M. Kidd, of Matangi. Miss Wright was the recipient of many handsome and useful presents. The company indulged in games and songs, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. Mr. Mat. Coffee, who has farmed in the Rahotu district for many years, contemplates, retiring from fanm life, and has purchased a home in Wellington. RAHOTU. . (From Our Own Correspondent) A man named Bruce Stonf?, who had been about hero ’‘for the last day or two, was arrested on Saturday morning by Constable O'Neil for brutally assaulting Walter Green. Later in the day he was bailed out and brought before the Messrs. T. J. Hughson and W.yR. Wright, J.P’s., and charged with the above offence. Accused pleaded guilty, saying he did not know why he attacked Mr. Green, and was sorry for what be had done. He mentioned that Mr. Green was a stranger Complainant said he was talking to Mr. Cameron and MY. Hurst in the passage at the hotel, when accused, with three more men, came in and complained about loosing a motor, tyre and said it was some of Cameron's party that had stolen it. Mr. Cameron then went for the police, accused commenced to quarrel with Green, who started' walking away, when some one kicked him, and, while turning, he received a blow on the head, which dazed him for the time. Accused continued to punch him in the fate, hanging on to him until he got on the street.

Constable O’Neil asked that accused should be dealt with as slightly as possible, seeing he had expressed l?is regret for what he had done, and was a married man with five children. Mr. Green also asked the bench to deal with Stone as leniently as possible. The Justices fined Stone £5, or one month in prison, the Justices saying accused could consider himself lucky in getting off so lightly.

WAI TOI-TOl—-URENUI.’ (From Our Own Correspondent.) Mr. Jas. Phillips, and Mr. and Miss Phillips ■are at present on a holiday trip to Auckland. Miss Simpson commenced her duties as head teacher of the Mimi school on Thursday last. Mrs. J. Wallace, of Ureui, was on Tuesday last, taken to New Plymouth for medical advice. She is suffering from a. severe at-, tack of pleurisy. On the 17th inst. the Okoke residents are going to hold a masquerade ball,- and extensive preparations are being made to make the, affair as successful as possible. It Is expected a large number of outside visitors will be present. My. Gould, of Waitara, paid Jiis ‘ customary visit to Wai-toi-toi on Friday last, when a fair number of residents were present. After an interesting address,, several hymns.-.were sung, and the children recited their beatitudes. Mrs. E. Monat presided at the organ. At a meeting of returned, soldiers held in Urenui recently it was decided to hold a ball in the Urenui Hall on July 21. Last year a highly successful function was held, and every effort is being made to make the forthcor ’ g ball equally as good. At a meeting of the Atl Awa troop of Frontiersman held in xfrenui last week, secretary L. Rattenbury gave an interesting account of th© proceedings at the recent Squadron, conference held in Waitara. The jeust'Oßfary holiday on the occasion of the . Birthday yvas observed in the - schools in this distrijCt op Friday./;last, and also by the business 'places in Urepuh A number of visitors from •SUfahtoJ-tbi and Urenui visited New Plymouth bfi Friday evening to attend the Military Ball, and speak In (liigh terms, of the- manner in which the function was carried out.

General syimpatfiy is being expressed in the district for Mr. Geo. Bertrand, who is an old Urenui boy, at the heavy loss he sustained in. the fire at Mr. Gardiner’s residence in New Plymouth recently. Th© custom which was inaugurated by th© Taranaki Education Board of providing the school children with cocoa during the winter months is to be continued at the Mimi school. The parents have now to arrange for the supply of necessaries, and tn© children will no doubt be most thankful for a warm drink during the cold days that are likely to be experienced from now Now the weather has' broken in earnest the metalling of the Okoke road is not likely to be advanced during, the, present winter.' However, now that a start has been made there' is a reeasonable chance of the job being completed next summer, and in the meantime, those using the road will have to plod through the innid in patience—and lopg leggings. The forthcoming winter show is now being discussed, and no doubt there will be a large quota of visitors from this end of the district, as the show promises to be equally as successful as its predecessors. Such shows should be encouraged. Several shooting parties have passed through lately on their way to secure bags in the back country. Pheasants ar© not too numerous in the immediate vicinity, but owners of mangolds and turnips would give a few good shots a roving commission to knock over some of the hares' that are taking toll in/’too large a quantity to be pleasant.

Tho remit to ho forwarded by the Stafford School Committee to the annual meeting of th'e Tarap.a,ki... School Committees’ Association, asking that all inspectors’ .‘reports dealing with the progress of the schools be handed to < the Press for publication, will open up a question that has caused a considerable amount of discussion in the past. Many argue that the placing of these reports before the parents through the Press is onlj’ fair, and gives them an opportunity of judging as to the manner in which the school is being conducted, whilst others maintain that the matter is one of confidence between the Inspectors and Education Boards, and are only forwarded to the Committees to be passed on to the teachers. The outcome of the matter will be awaited with interest.