OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 March 1922, Page 6

OPUNAKE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The Hibernian social on Friday night was a big success. The hall was crowded with dancers. Good music was supplied by Messrs. A. Hickey (piano), V. Hickey (violin), M. Brophy (violin) and G. Robinson (side-drum). Mr. Munro was M.C. The hall was decorated with greenery, the tables being nicely set out. The supper arrangements were in the capable hands of Miss K. O’Brien, assisted by Misses Munro, Sullivan, Davies and Mrs. Geary. Mr. G. King, sent., is at present in the New Plymouth hospital. His health has been causing his relatives and many friends some anxiety. It is reported that he is improving and we all hope to see the Ihaia Road pioneer among us and restored .to health. The Opunake Football Club will enter teams for the various seven-a-side

tournaments that are specialised on athletic sports programmes. Players have been putting in a little practice. The .large number of vehicles that travelled to the Opunake races helped considerably to swell the toll-gates’ receipts for other counties. Tne Egmont County yoads carried the traffic without any recompense from toll-gates.

There have been a fair number of swaggers tramping the roads around these parts looking for work. The unpleasant feature is that quite a number of the unemployed are mere youths. One hears fairly frequently of farmers who had sold their farms receiving notice from the purchasers that they cannot meet the interest bill. The optimistic note that the market for produce is likely to improve will not pay th 6 interest bill. Partial assistance is of little benefit. It is a case of getting down to producing values. Artificial means will not solve the trouble. The land question must be overhauled and the producer encouraged to continue. At present it is heart-breaking for the man on the farm who bought at high values and cannot carry the load. Another question and an important one is that the fertility of the land is sadly negleettd.