DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 January 1922, Page 7

DISTRICT NEWS.

URUTI. (From a Correspondent.) Another amusement and pastime which the average young man is very fond of is boxing. Such a class, under the in- ( struction of Mr. Winiki, who visits Uruti Hall every Thursday evening, has .been formed here. Mr. Winiki has now a class with a membership of nine keen pupils, ana one and all wish them every success in their new sport. The main road between Urtjti and Mount Messenger is now under repair, and with the metalling of Mount Messenger the motor lorry traffic is very heavy, there being five lorries, each lorry making from seven to eight trips per day from the metal quarry at Uruti to Mdunt Messenger. Now one ought to see progress made, and no doubt both settlers and tourists will be thankful when this work, which one has awaited anxiously for many years, is completed. Miss Nellie Murray has returned from her- holidays. Misses P. and A. Murray have returned from a holiday spent at Stratford. Mr. and Mrs. George have returned from a holiday to Wellington. Little Miss M. Larsen is on a holiday to New Plymouth. Miss Sowry has returned from a holiday to Tarata. Miss E. Geddis, of Wellington, is visiting her sister, Mrs. Butt, of Uruti. The many friends of Miss N. H. Dempster will be pleased to hear that she has sufficiently recovered from her illness to be able to take a short holiday to Cardiff.

Now that, summer weather has set in, tennis is once again in full swing, and one sees the tennis court well occupied after the day’s work is finished. A very energetic working bee has been formed by the gentlemen members of the Tennis Club, and as the result of their labor of many weeks, a new asphalt tennis court is almost ready. It will be greatly appreciated by every member of the club.

PUNGAREHU. * (From Our Own Correspondent) The south-east gale on Saturday last completely dried up all traces of the recent heavy rail), and the fields are now wearing the brown tints of autumn. Beyond finding the weak places in fences and blowing down an odd chimney, no very great damage was done, though hay ready for stacking was backed up along the fences, some being blown away altogether. The turnip and swede crops are cut about rather badly, but a few showers "will soon set them up again and we are thankful to escape so lightly. The hay harvesting is now practically over, but a few paddocks of oats have yet to be gathered in. Owing to the cutting off of subsidies by the. Education Department, the memorial scheme seems likely to be held up for months, perhaps longer. It is a pity that the plan as now outlined has been entered on, as it will entail a much larger sum than the original proposal, which would have been a neat and fitting entrance for a country school. It is hardly to be expected that since the sum subscribed by residents is only £29, the department will make it up to £B2,’ which, I believe, is the estimated cost’ of the plan now in the hands of the school committee. To appeal a g a ' n to the public is unreasonable, and the memorial committee, having already handed the money over to the chairman of the school committee, have now no further- responsibility. It is only reasonable to hope that the first prop osa * to erect the posts at a eost of £2B, and to hang a new gate, will be carried out in the near future, and the more costly one passed by. The lot of the farmer is never n particularly happy one, and with the present slump in all farm produce these seems nothing for it but to “keep on keeping on.” A good many anomalies still exist, and the reduction in the wages of civil and public servants follows as a natural consequence of the decline in value of our primary productions. . “Thank heavens,” writes the wite ot a city man. “eggs, milk, butter, cheese and meat have all gone down, but even that will not make much difference when John’s salary is reduced, as house rent and firing are still so high ih price. “Dear me,” exclaims the farmer’s wife. “Goodness alone knows where the children’s warm winter clothing is to coma from, with butter-fat at tenpence a pound and last season’s wool clip still in the store-room. And Jim says the rate ot interest is still just as high, and no alteration lias been made yet in employees’ wages, while “Bill” is worrying us for income tax also. No wonder we feet down-hearted!” But “when the situation’s trying we just keep on keeping on.” Economise! Economise! It can be done, but it is going to take a powerful lot of moral courage to turn down subscription lists and ent out picture shows,‘for. however brave we think we are very few of us can stand che test, and Mrs. Grnndv will certainly call us mean. However' the fact remains that with butter-fat at t.enpence. we do not. want anv extra calls on our purse unless for” objects of charity and religion. Quite a number of visitors have spent the holidays in Pungarehll, and if our beach were not so rough this little vil-lao-e with its salubrious climate would make an ideal spot for a convalescent home or a seaside boarding establishmThe Cape Egm on t Athletic Club held a meeting on Saturday, but it was poorly attended. It was decided to cal. another meeting in a fortnight’s time. ~ The liall committee, which elected some four months ago, are making a record as far as meetings go. Speaking th a member a few evenings since re the work of the committee, he very solemnly assured me—he hadn’t heard ot it since the election.” Petty thieving does not seem to be confined to the towns only, and sneak thieves are abroad even here. One or two local orchards have been visited, and somebody has doubtless enjoyed a cheap apple or plum pie. It is rather hard on the owner of the orchard, but, of course, he’ll get over it before next fruit season, when the wound will no doubt be re-opened. The school will re-open next week, and the annual picnic and sporty will take place a day or two bi?fore hemuary 1, w'lien scliool commences. Miss Munn, who; has been the guest of her neice (Mrs. Matthews) for the. past month, has left for her home in. Palmerston North. Mr. -J’. C. Smith, with his wife and family, have been camping on the beach for a few da.vs. This idea of local camping is not bad, especially if one. is the owner of a car, as the morning milking can bp done and a long day s outing enjoyed in a simple fashion, with i r.n qualms of conscience regarding ex-

A special meeting of the Cape Egmont factory directors was held on Tuesday, and it was decided to reduce the wages of the employees by ten per cent. This is certainly a big cut, but farmers are feeling the pinch, and to pay the wages as usual with butter-fat at tenpence per pound seems hardly possible. But has the cost of living been sufficiently reduced to allow the employees to still make ends meet with the reduced wage? “Your Own” hardly thinks it has, not in Pungarehu certainly, and, while a reduction was needed, the wage earners have my sympathy in that such a drastic cut has been made. If all hands have been hit, that may go a little way towards satisfying the men, but “treat them all alike” is my motto, from the Governor to the humblest position in either public service or private employ. This is a free country, where “Jack is as good as his master,” if not in servitude, in citizenship, and to spare the rich at the expense of the poor is false economy. Why reduce the big land-owners ten per cent, on his income tax and take 30 per cent, out of the public servant?

’ Take care—beware! Lest next election’s joys You may not share. The rich man in his castle, The poor man at the gate, Whose views so widely differ May alter quite your fate. Mrs. Barrett’s new residence on the Lower Parihaka Road is completed, and she has moved into it. Mrs. Barrett’s friends hope she will long be spared to enjoy rest and comfort after her life of strenuous work as a farmer’s wife. WAI-TOITOI—URENUI.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The meeting of the Ate-Awa troop of Frontiersmen for the purpose of electing officers for the ensuing year, and the transaction of other business, will be held shortly. The Urenui Sports Club are making active preparations for the forthcoming gathering, which takes place on February 18, and everything points to a record meeting bein<j held. Arrangements have been made for procuring the necessary blocks for the chopping events* and there should be large entries, as the stakes for the 15-inch handicap have been increased to £lO, and the other events accordingly. The running track is being got into- first-class order, whilst the fences are to be shifted, and other arrangements carried out for the convenience of the public and competitors. The annual inoculation of calves in this district was performed by the Government officer (Mr. Newport) during the past week. The numbers at the three centres were as follow:—Urnui saleyards, 119 females and 24 males; Mr. Mouat’s yards (Wai-toi-toi), 176 and 17; Mr. Phillips’ yards (Mimi), 163 and 17; making a total of 516, which number is somewhat in excess of last season. The calves were distinctly a fine lot, consisting chiefly of grade and purebred Jerseys and proved to what an extent the dairying industry has advanced in this locality during the past few’ years. The Uruti Beach Picnic Club have decided to hold their annual gathering on March 11, and the programme has been approved by the Taranaki Jockey Club’s district committee, subject to slight modifications, and will be published in due course. It is somewhat similar to that of last season, the Local Handicap being altered to a Ladies’ Bracelet, th« Autumn Handicap to the Barnitt Handicap (as a tribute to the former honsecretary), and the Consolation to a Farewell Handicap. - The following officers have also been appointed: —Judge. Mr. R. H. Pigott; starter, Mr. A. H. Halcombe; assistant sta'rtor, Mr. Kapinga McClutchie; handicappers. Messrs. E. Putt, S. Sutton and C. Rumball; clerks of scales. Messrs. C. Putt and Breddo; clerk of course, Mr.. Wi Karipi; and Messrs. B. Carter and Ned White were added to the committee. It has been decided to call for tenders for the right of a refreshment booth on the beach for the convenience of the public; also that the annual ball will be held rather later in the season, and an effort will be made to make this highly popular function even more successful than ever. Sub-4 ject to the necessary permit from the authorities -bping obtained, this year’s gathering on the beach should prove a record both in point of the attendance of the public and the number of horses competing. The Wai-toi-toi Dairy Company have paid out 10d per lb. for butter fat for the month of December, which, considering the uncertain state of the Home market, is as much as can be expected, and consi<b?rably more than many other companies, who’unfortunately have been forced to reduce their advances. The milk supply is still holding up well, and some thirtv-one cheese are being manufactured daily, which greatly exceeds the number for the same period last season. The present drying winds may have the effect of somewhat lowering the yield, but there is still an abundance of grass, and most farmers have a good amount of autumn feed. It is stated that club root, or a similar disease. has already made its appearance amongst some of the swede crops, but it is to he hoped that it is not prevalent. It would not be surprising if ensilage will in future form a very considerable proportion of the winter fodder, as there is being more, made every season, and! it has a, lot to’ recommend it in manner of cheapness.