COUNTRY CORRESPONDENCE.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXII, Issue 141, 20 June 1910, Page 4

COUNTRY CORRESPONDENCE.

[own cobjrespondents.] MAHARAHARA. The most confident of those .who have had confidence in the copper mine have abandoned all hope of it ever proving an asset to the district. After the exhaustive tests made by "the Australian experts who sampled, the lodes, some little time ago, found that the percentage of copper was too low for the venture to prove profitable. 'Very few local persons were shareholders, though I believe a few ladies speculated to the extent of fifty pounds when shares were at ten shillings, and had the gratification of seeing them rise to fifteen shillings, but unwisely decided to wait until they rose higher before selling out. It is estimated that between sixteen and eighteen thousand, pounds have been spent on -the mine propertj r since its discovery twenty years ago. No doubt it will be a considerable time before another company is formed to undertake the opening up of this mine, and copper will have to be a more valuable metal than it is to-day. There are many who claim to have ; a knowledge of matters geological who adhere to a once very popular opinion that the driving had been pursued upon wrong lines, and as this work has swallowed up the money, it would fee interesting to see the mine taken in hand by those who advocate a change of system. Maharahara West has lately been doing its share of keeping the hospitals actively employed ; no less than four of our best known residents have lately underwent operations, some of which were of a serious nature, but fortunately all were successfully dealt with. The social life has this .year taken a new course. Instead of the usual round of dances which has- in the past constituted the pastimes for winter evenings, there has- been a very large number of surprise parties and a few euchre parties. There will be another of the latter at an early date. The milk supply is lower at the present time than it has been for a number of years at the local creameries, and the cold weather we have experienced this past few days is simplifying the drying-off process considerably. Consequently most of the suppliers will have stopped running by the end of the month. it seems rather a peculiar thing when there is a credit balance of £5 to the School Committee's banking account, and the householders' meeting was well attended, that no committee was formed. Evidently the outgoing committee worked in the right direction last year, and it is a pity that the same gentlemen were not agreeable to accept another term of office. It is to be hoped that at the meeting this evening another committee will be formed.

KIRITAKI. We were all very much shocked to hea.r of the sad accident which has befallen Mr Jas. Lawson, who has only lately come to reside among us, and the greatest sympathy is expressed for Mrs- Lawson and the family in their trouble. It appears that Mr Lawson, who had only just returned from Auckland' '.tio assist in removing his family, he having leased his farm to a Mr Baker, had driven, into town with some pigs, and when returning somehow drove on to the railway crossing at Tahoraiti just as the Na-pier-Woodvil'le express train approached. Seeing the danger when too. late it would appear from the statement of an eye-witness, that he attempted to back the dray off the line, but before this, could be done the engine, at top speed, had caught •the dray and carried it and the horse along for a few yards when: the shafts struck the posts at the side of the crossing. The dray was smashed' to pieces, the horse thrown violently j aside and killed, and Mr Lawson was /also thrown with dreadful force, clear of the vails indeed', but so much injured that at first it was thought •there was very slight chance of recovery. A doctor and nurse happened to. be on the train and immediately (rendered what aid they could to the injured and unconscious man. Accommodation was at once offered in a •house quite close, but the doctor for some unaccountable reason decided to take Mr Lawson on ftlo Palmerston, though one would have thought that as he was known to be a. resident of •the-district, it would have been best to leave him at the house offered till rtihe ambulance could have come, from Dawnevirke and taken' him to the local hospital. The saddest part of the whole sad affair was that no. one apparently thought of communicating

the news 'to Mrs Lawson,-land she,- af-f',."• ter sitting all. night in anxiety at' - , the non-return of her husband,, .de- ' - (Spaitched her 'daughter, early, next, morning to Damnevirke to find out. the reason, of his absence, and it was ' .mot til la.bout 11 o'clock that a wire ,was sent her from Palnierston announcing her husband to be seriously • injured and requesting her presence. She had barely time to catch, the ,mid-day train at Oringi, and she would not reach Palmerston till about 3o" clock. Of course she had to leave before her daughter had returned. .It seems to us that a great deal of ithis extra anxiety would have been jsaved, as well as expense in train fares, if the; Jvictdm of the accident tbad been- at once sent to Dannevirke Hospital. We were very pleased indeed to learn on Saturday evening that though one thigh was badly (broken- the condition of Mr Lawson ■was not so bad as at first feared, and (Sincerely trust that the next news will be better still. It appears to us 'that County Councils might exercise a little forethought and consideration in warning the public when they have occasion to close a road for repairs to a (bridge, etc. We refer at present to the bridge being repaired on Sturdy's .road. Now, .of course the county.skas ■advertised that the road-is closedTibr traffic,' but who, outside of Kiritaki knows which or where is Sturdjj's road? The bridge under repair is situated about 2£ miles. f'i'om-'oare..enjl' of the road- and a mile from - other end, and both these ends "have 1 ■ a most innocent expression and do .not in any way indicate that between 'them- lies an impassable barrier. This •road is also - the main (and only) ■road leading from the Oringi railway .station, to Kiritaki', (and being a fairly level v and generally speaking a (We'll kept road, is the one -usually selected by motor Ms 'and indeed any other vehicle. Many indeed " have been the traps, etc., ■ which have pome down this road, only to be sent [back by the discovery on arrival at jthe bridge that the road ds closed, and this means a detour of several (miles. Now I would suggest in future that the County Council affix . ■at each end of a road that is Mocked a board bearing a notice to that effect. I am sure such a course would be much 'appreciated-' by travellers, and would- prevent the necessity for the use of many profane expressions by those who have hitherto been * (turned back. Yerbum sap.- We shall • ,see if the is "sap."

MAKOTUKU.

The ordinary monithly meeting of the ScliooL, Committee was held on Saturday evening. Present: Messrs W-.. .Robiihsont (chairman), J. Fitzger- -■ ,ald, P. 'Olsen, E. M. Clarke, W. L. •Malcolm, P. Vaughan, and J. W; Wildon (lion-, secretary). The masjbsr (Mr J. Kain), in his irep'ort staftied. that owirug (to bad weather the attendance Jiad been veiy ■unsatisfactory. He urged the com/mittee to, press the fact on the parents' thaJb' unless the attendance begam at onice.to improve that the school would lose its pupil-teacher. The Inspector's report (Mr Smith)' ,was read, and was considered' favor-' able. Mr Smith in Iris report condemned the outbuildings,- which ai;e ,abouiti thirty years of age. Tlie seciretary was instructed to write to the Education Btoard bringing the report junder "their "notice. Correspondence was received from' Mr H. N. 'Benson 1 , the master-elect, stating that he would be able to commence his duties on July 18.—Repeived. The Bank of New Zealand asked. for authorised signatures for the .purpose of signing cheques. . _ , From Education Board, .a circular,, ■re amounts expended by corrimitteas ',, in stationery. The circular, as aoi instance of lavish expenditure, pointed to the facft that one school with an . attenidaruoei of less than 100 spent. 47s in ink alone for the year ended March 31. It was shown that the. sum of £6 10s lOd was expended m stationery by this school and the chairman: was instructed to interview the master to see if this amount could not be reduced this year. The visiting committee for the'past month (reported that they had renewed . some worn links in the "Giant's stride." Two members undertook to plan k the ground below the girls' swings. No accounts were passed for payment. Mr P. Olsen gave notice to move at next meeting, "That the moition passed by the previous committee re. .religious instruction be rescinded." In ooainection with Mr Olsen's notice of motion, Mr Robinson, said one thing alone should show thaftJ religious instruction is of vital importance. Roman.- Catholics deprive themselves of comforts, and perhaps necessities, in many cases, in order to send their children by road and •rail to their schools, where religious instruction is given. Protestants may be dense, but they should be aible to learn that "there is something in it." One half-hour pea - week, and that outside of school hours, should •be thought. little enough for such a purpose, and that too when' the teachers—trained ministers : —come long distances to teach, without fee or reward.

As far as Massey Bros.-, the contractors, are concerned, the iron railway viaduct over the Mangatewainui stream is completed, the last member of the firm having left the district on Saturday. The Government engineers are expected shortly itb test the ■bridge and the engine test will take place in a month or so. The engine and paraphernalia, from the mill in the Makotuku .township lias been purchased from Ml* C. Thomson by Mr Barrett, of Danuevirke, who has shifted them to Kopua. Mr Barrettt intends to cut oiit the bush near the bridge across the Manawatu river on the Ivopua plains, and expects to have nine months' steady cutting.

PIRI PIRI. A long-night dance was held by •the young folk of Piri Piri in their hall on Thursday evening last. The floor was in splendid condition, and the music supplied by Mr G. Bai was up to his usual first-class standard. Mr E. Doran was a very efficient M.C. A sit-down supper was provided by Mrs T. Murray, the catering being of a high-class order. During the evening, at intervals between the dances, songs were rendered by Messrs Cameron, G. Bai, and It. Curran. The Piri Piri minstrels also contributed a glee.