OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1922, Page 2

OPUNAKE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Last week, little Miss Ruth Palmer daughter of the Rev. C. Palmer, was presented with a gold bangle by the scholars of St. Barnabas’ Sunday School. The Ladies’ Guild provided afternoon tea. The function took the form of a farewell, as the Rev. C. Palmer leaves for Auckland next week, en route to England. It is his intention to be away for twelve months. During Mr. Palmer’s residence in this district he has always been foremost in assisting any institution that was in the interests' of the community, and he was always a friend to the needy. A pleasant voyage and a safe return is the wish of his many friends. Mr. Trotter, who has taken a foremost part in the work of having a suitable monument erected to our fallen soldiers., has just completed a turnstile and gate for the entrance to the soldiers’ memorial. The feature of the work is that the rose, thistle and shamrock were forged by hammer and tongs in his village smithy. A feature of the football matches this season is that afternoon tea can be obtained at the Domain. The energetic ladies of the Queen’s Carnival are always eager to increase the funds of their respective committees. The Rev. Father Doolaghty is at present confined to his bed through sickness. There will be no shortage of winter butter this season. Butter factories in this district are likely to continue manufacturing throughout the winter. The old saying that a new broom sweeps clean can be applied to our county chairman. He is making himself familiar .with all phases of the council’s operations. At the next meeting of the County Council we will again have the economy and retrenchment scheme discussed. The only solution the councillors can see is to reduce the wages and reduce rates. One councillor proposes, by a. i reduction in wages to workmen to Ils I pel’ day, and, by rendering a certain amount of plant idle, to save the ratepayers £lOOO per year. This financial year there has been a big increase of milk carted over the by-roads, and in consequence a bigger export and import over the main roads. There are not three good by-roads in the county, and a district like this, with so much undeveloped land, must yearly increase the traffic on our roads. If the rates are lowered, and the capacity of the staff decreased, it will mean that those settlers who are now waiting for improved roads will be hampered, and the progress of the country retarded.