OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1921, Page 3

OPUNAKE.

(From Cur Own Correspondent.) The Town Board tenders for team hire show a reduction in price, the lowest for same years. Any increase in the forttcoming annual rate cannot be put down to the high price of labor and team hire. The Seaside Society has decided to erect a pavilion, and accepted tenders for levelling tho sand hills and making the frontage level. The annual trek of share milkers is now 09, and numbers of milk wagons are to be seen going through Opunake loaded with household utensils and furniture. At a meeting of residents Feld in the Town Hall last week it was decided to ask the Taranaki Hospital Board to invite tenders for the erection, of the Opunake Hospital on tho original plans, approved by the Nursing Association and agreed to by the Minister for Health, and on the plan decided by the Hospital Board. Messrs. Young and M. O'Brfen. members of the hoard, advised going on with the hoard's plan. The meeting voiced the opinion that nothing less than tte original plan was acceptable. It, is hoped that tho difference of opinion Will not jeopardise the erection of a cottage hospital. Tho Hospital Board is committed to a certain expenditure, and has made it known that any further expenditure wilt not ho borne by the board. If the local people are prepared to find the extra ’unoney that is another matter. Tte opinion expressed by Mr. O’Brien that half a loaf is better than none will find favor with many. The 'Opunake footballers have done well since the cows wore dried off. Hawera is the only team that has beaten them in the second round, and then by a small margin after a very even game. The cows will soon be coming in, and the players will vanish to the farms. All tbe players are young fellows, and when the season comes round again will again don the jersey, and the experience gained will make them formidable players next, season. During the week tho police officials have been busy inquiring about lost poultry ana scarred cows, and poultry is a very "taking” line with same persons in this locality. Merging and finance are two subjects that have been discussed by the Egmont County Council and the northern ratepayers. Tho Warea and Pungarehu ratepayers have been particularly more interested in these subjects than other parts of the district. Finance—or the want of it—is a. chronic complaint with all councils. The position regarding the condition of the roads and heavy cost of same is not the fault of councillors in this district, hut the fault of the ratepayers. Ten

years ago the then Egmont Council put for- ■ ward a policy and placed the position before the ratepayers in the following form:—(1) Bridge loan; (2) machinery loan; (3) road loan for widening and rebuilding the main road to carry heavy motor traffic. No. l and No. 2 were carried; and No. 3 badly defeated. Opunake and Oeo publicly "passed adverse motions. Pihama district particularly, scotched the proposal.. The Rahotu meeting favored the road loan. Three councillors who were prominent in the proposal—Messrs. P. Willcock, E. Maxwell and C. H. Hurst—lost their seats in consequence. If tt-at road loan had been carried in the days when money was cheap and plentiful and efficiency unore pronounced, it would have meant a saving of £15,000 to £20,000. I just mention these points because the tendency is to blame the past councillors for not taking time by the forelock. The blame should be shouldered by the ratepayers who decided the. policy. The present councillors are finding out wlat was found our, ten years ago—that roads cannot be made out of rates. When loans are hard to get at high rate of interest, ratepayers have to put up with bad roads until things a. hotter turn or pay stiff rates. The Government valuations now being made in Taranaki are anticipated to show about 40 per cent, increase. Two private dwellings are to be erected in Opunake, and the preliminary work has been started. Dairy herds and springing heifers are to be seen frequently driven along the roads to new pastures in readiness for the coming season. Dairy heifers are likely to be firm in price.