TUAPEKA NEWS

Evening Star, Issue 15516, 11 June 1914, Page 5

TUAPEKA NEWS

[From Our Own Correspondent.] The members of the Land * Purchase Board arrived here by the train last evening, and to-day went over the properties of Messrs S. Young, Fahey Bros., J. Bennet, and John Brooks, with the object of determining if they are suitable for acquirement for closer settlement purposes. To-morrow the members of the board will inspect Messrs Carson Bros.’ and J. Blathwaite’s properties, and the following day visit Waitahuua, where the properties owned by Messrs Scott Bros, and Murdock and Sons, under offer to the Government, will bo inspected. It is not improbable that several of the properties will be acquired later on, as it is not expected that there will be very much difficulty in coming to terms with the owners. *1 gather that negotiations between the board and Mr J. Mnndel for the acquirement of the Bellamy Station freehold lauds are practically at an end. From all accounts there is too big .a gap in the difference in values, viewed at from the standpoint of either of the parties interested, for business to result. This is a thousand pities, in so far as the cause of closer settlement in this district is concerned.

The jubilee of the Lawrence Presbyterian Church is to be celebrated in a befitting manner towards the end of the current year. Quite a number of prominent Presbyterian divines have been associated with this church (or rather with the wooden building which did duty as the church for so long) in the days gone by. Chief among them was the late Dr James Copland, who afterwards took on the practice of medicine in Dunedin and later at Gore. He was a- man cf wide reading and varied literary attainments, and of great industry. Others who followed were the late Revs. J. H. Cameron (of Anderson Bay) and J. A. Will, also the Rev. Isaac Jolly (Auckland) and Rev. Scott Allen (Musselburgh). The minister presently in charge is the Rev. P. C. Durward, M.A., who is held in very high esteem hy his congregation, alike for his true manly bearing and his rare gifts as a preacher of the GosneL

What is known locally as “ Bloy’s Farm."’ which has been in tha occupation of Mr Walter Cook for the last four or five years, has become the property of Mr Alox. M‘Stay. This property is leas than a mile from Lawrence, and comprises about 60 acres of very fine agricultural land, well suited for dairying purposes. Its value has increased very materially of late years, and there is no fear of any abatement in its value in Mr M‘Stay's hands, as he is in possession of progressive instincts and knows how to work and treat land.

Following the rough weather of last week, the first three days of this week have been exceptionally fine—quite springlike, in fact. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of last week were really wintry days, the cold being intensely bitter. There is a good coating of snow on the Blue Mountains, and tho snowfall on the Lammerlaws was much heavier than usual.

Archdeacon Richards, accompanied by Mrs Richards, contemplates a trip to the Home Country early in the incoming year. Their stay will likely extend over a period of 12 months. June 10.