DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1922, Page 7

DISTRICT NEWS.

PUNGAREHU. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The rain which set in on Monday evening was welcomed by farmers here, as after four weeks of almost continuous dry weather the pastures were getting dry and bare. The tanks too were on the verge of emptiness, but are now Well filled again. The Egmont County’s crushing plant is busy on the Pungarehu Road, opposite Mr. Harold Symons’ property, where stone is being put through to continue the metalled portion of this road to Mr. Greenaway’s property. This will be much appreciated by our native friends, who have plantations of kumaras near the beach and also by those who obtain their supply of firewood from the beach, where it is deposited by the river when in flood. Owing to H.M.S. Chatham arriving at New Plymouth before the time at which she was expected, very few coastal residents had the luck to see her as she steamed past on Shnday afternoon. It was thought that she would be in. the vicinity of Cape Egmont lighthouse about 5 p.m., and not a little disappointment was felt by those who failed to see her earlier in the afternoon. A few enthusiasts watched her twinkling lights as she passed -on Tuesday evening en route to Wanganui. There was a good muster of territorials. on parade at Rahotu on Tuesday afternoon, when a couple of hours “musketry drill” under Lieutenant Shephard was put in by the boys.

In view of the forthcoming sports which are to be held under the auspices of the Cape Egmont Athletic Club on Wednesday, April 5, the PungarehuParihaka boys are practising for the football tournament, which will be one of the events of the day, and they are doing some solid work in this direction. Anniversary services in connection with the Methodist Sunday School are to be held on Sunday next, March 5, when, as heretotore, the Sunday School children will sing special hymns and anthems. During the afternoon service, which will be conducted by the Rev. C. Aker, the prizes will be presented by the rev. gentleman to the scholars. Mr. M. Hughson will preach in the evening.

Owing to ill-health, Mrs. A. Raynor is reluctantly compelled to relinquish the Sunday School work for a time, but hopes to be able to resume her work of self-sacrifice later in the year. Airs. Raynor’s friends hope the rest will prove beneficial, and her health be soon restored.

Mr. and Airs. J. Hickey have returned from their honeymoon, spent at Rotorua, and settled in their new home at Opunake. Building is still fairly brisk, and many new houses are under way for soldier settlers and others. Our soldier settlers, with their wives and families, have settled down to work, many of them under decidedly trying circumstances, having to live in whares without either floor, doors or windows, and with only a hole dug in a bank for a 'fire-place. But they are brave and cheerful, and are hopefully looking forward to the timber arriving for the new homes, which are to be built on their sections in the near future. The Natives are laying in a store of provender for the winter, and each suitable day the road to the beach is busy with drays and other vehicles requisitioned to carry home the shark when the local fishing boat comes in. So far only a fair number of young sharks have been caught on each trip, and a few schnapper. The milk yield continues to decrease, but tests are on the up-grade. It is the opinion of some farmers that feeding on turnips keeps up the flow of milk but does not enrich the same, anti tests do not go up. Others this season have found that the yield has decreased while the cows were on the turnips, a fact which is aot easily accounted for. Crops of swedes in this district are looking unusually well this season, as also .are carrots and mangolds. The Roman Catholic Church held a special service on Wednesday morning, the solemn Lenten season, which began with Ash Wednesday, being duly observed by devotion and the usual service was held on Sunday morning. The sale of gifts which was to have been held in the hall on Thursday evening to augment the funds of the local branch of the Anglican Church, and which is a necessity here, will be postponed indefinitely owing co Lent having commenced, the date for which it was to ’'have eventuated being roneh and wet. Friends of Mrs. W. R. Wright, who is an inmate of a New Plymouth private hospital, will'be pleased to hear that she is improving, and is a 1 lowed to sit up an hour each day. j A nasty accident befell Mr. Al. Bac--1 rett, of Kuia Road, one day last week. He was engaged carting posts to his homestead when the back band broke, j letting the dray down, and the horse. ! becoming restive, plunged and brought 1 Air. Barrett down, with the result that 1 the unfortunate man sustained a broken leg and three broken ribs. I An accident happened to one of tnc coastal cars at the Tapuae hill recently, when a back wheel came oft. but fortunately no damage was done. »