DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1922, Page 7

DISTRICT NEWS.

PUNGAREHU. (From Our Own Cc-rrei nondent.) Haymaking is now tlie order of the day, and with the holidays a thing of the past, farmers have set to work in real earnest. The old adage “Make hay while the sun shines” is applicable in many ways this season, so frequentare the changes of weather. Undoubtedly those whom it most concerns have read with interest Mr. Frank Goldberg’s effusions on co-operative stores run in connection with dairy factories, which have appeared in the columns of the News. Very few farmers write the letters M.A. or B.A. after their names, but as a general rule they are shrewd businesslike men, who are keenly alive to their own interests, be it factory or store. The old tale of “anybody can be a farmer” has long since been proved a fallacy. And it must be remembered that co-operative stores benefit a number in a greater degree than proprietary ones. During the last two years not a few stores formerly proprietary have been formed into companies, which shows that others as well as farmers believe in co-operation in business enterprise. The shareholders of a dairy factory are also the shareholders of the store run in connection with it, and these are guided and dvised by their directors. Provided farmers stick to their own store there is no reason why it should not pay its way, and declare a dividend, be it ever so small. That many so-called co-oper-ative stores do fail goes without saying, and why? Quite a number of causes contribute to their failure, but it is mainly not because of co-operation but the need of it. ’When times are hard we are all of us- too prone to “buy in the cheapest and sell in the dearest market,” and self asserts itself oftimes to the detriment of a co-operative store. “Unity is strength,” and a store cannol\ be expected to pay handsomely, or even pay working expenses, unless shareholders stick to their own ship. The outside public in this respect are often the best supporters and contribute more towards keeping such a store carrying on than shareholders. It sometimes happens, too, that there are those who ought to support a business which supports them, but who appear to agree with Mr. Goldberg that co-operative stores are not a good '"business enterprise. Much is said and written nowadays about the moving pictures and more rigid censorship of same. Such tragedies as that which happened in London, and the wee laddie who was the chief actor, make painful reading, and when we remember that too often children of tender years are taken to the pictures by fond but unthinking parents, all will feel that censorship is necessary to avoid calamities like the above. It is the humble opinion of “Your Own” that children under sixteen should be allowed to attend matinees only, and that nothing approaching immodesty should be screened where children attend. The minds of young children are plastic, and the evil that is in us all should be hidden from them as much as possible. A Home liner, possibly the Ulimaroa, passed Cape Egmont lighthouse on Thursday morning at about 10.30 a.m. Viewed from the hill-tops, the ocean greyhound presented a pretty sight, with the sunshine glistening on her white deck and sides, and the foam dashing in front of her bow. In the stillness of the morning air one could almost’ hear the throb of her engines as she ploughed through the waves. Friends of Mrs. Grenfell will regret to hear of her serious condition, a third operation, I understand, having been necessary.

Mr. P. Grenfell, principal keeper of Centre Island lighthouse, spent a few days with his children in Pungarehu.

Looking through an old diary the following lines by a local poet caught my eye, and as they make interesting reading for those fond Of poetry, I pass them on to your readers: —

Tell me not in mournful numbers Life is but an. empty dream, 'Tis often true of dreamy slumbers. Then things are not what they seem.

Life is real, life is earnest. If you’re out for purpose true, Cure enough, some dear, sweet lamble Will malign and slander you.

At every corner Is a lion, Standing there with waiting paw, Lucky if you safely pass him. And escape—-his common jaw.

Tell me not in mournful numbers. Life is but an empty dream— Just try life in a country village, Where things are not what they seem.

But the poet was too bashful to sign his name, so underneath another “funny man” inscribed:

There’s a work for me and a work for you, Something for each of us now to do, Help one another, be good to each other. And beware of a gossipy shrew.

PUNIHO AND WAREA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The Puniho settlers’ annual picnic attracted a large number to Mr. R. J. Belli’s beach farm on the 29th ult. The weather was at its best, and everyone spent a most enjoyable time. Everyone managed to negotiate the drain without a mishap this year. Last year no fewer than five vehicles, four motor cycles and one car drove into it, luckily without serious results. It might be as well to mention that, owing to the very bad state of the roads at this part, everyone uses Mr. Bell’s paddock for a roadway, the road being impassable, owing to boulders and conglomerate, for any vehicular traffic. »

The Warea Hall Committee were unfortunate in striking a very wet night for their annual New Year dance. There were only about four sets, and to help make matters worse, the musicians did not turn up, but luckily there was a first-class player at the dance (Miss M. Pearson), who obliged the committee by playing till supper time. After supper, music was provided by local players (Miss C. Julian, Miss T. Sole, Miss and Mr. M. Payne), until the early hours of the morning. Mr. G. Wells fulfilled the duties of M.C.

The Puniho - Warea church funds are steadily increasing. The latest effort was made by a few of the Puniho members on Christmas Eve. About fourteen set out in two motor cars, kindly lent by Messrs. Cooke and Hill to sing carols at different residences in Okato, Warea and Puniho. Their appeal met with a very generous response, and quite a nice sum was added to the fund. The caroi'levs were unable to visit as many places as was first intended, owing to pressure of time, and the generosity of some of the householders in making them stop for refreshments. It was well past cow time before they returned home. i, I omittad to mention in my last re-

port in connection with the Puniho concert the name of Mr. Will Hawkins, who so generously spent a lot of time and hard work in decorating the hall, etc. It is rumored that a children’s fancy dress dance is to be held at Warea shortly. Full advantage is being taken of the fine weather to gather in the hay, also to prepare the ground for swedes. There are very few swede crops in yet, in fact, soft turnips are not all in here yet, but these last few fine days will allow the farmers to get them in. Oaten hay will be very late before it is harvested this year. Some crops have only been sown three or four weeks. The heavy rains have sent the early crops to ear too soon this year, but some farmers say that the hay will be all the better for this, as there will be less straw and more oats.

rhe heavy rains have washed off what little bit of metal the Warea Road did possess, and it needs an expert on the steering wheel to drive a motor car on it now. In order to ride a motor or push bike on it one needs to be An acrobat, for occasionally your machine will turn right round and start going the other way, to say nothing of the “aeroplane stunt” when you strike a boulder. It’s high time this road received the council’s attention.