WHAREROA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 September 1924, Page 8

WHAREROA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) ENJOYABLE SMOKE CONCERT. Ay enjoyable smoke concert arranged by the local football club (in conjunction with the Tokaora- team) was held in the social hall on Wednesday evening last, close on forty sitting down- to an excellent spread. Mr. Robert- Ricks presided, and - before proposing the. initial toast of “The King,” made a- feeling reference to- the demise of Mr. Harry Janies, a popular local dairy farmer who had just passed away, and asked all to stand a- while in respect to the memory of the departed. Mr. Hicks then referred- to the pleasant rivalry which had existed throughout- the season between the two clubs whose members were now assembled around the festive board. Several solo songs were rendered by Messrs. F. Hawthorne, H. Steffert, R. Cameron, Sheriff, and others, and the whole company shook the rafters with “Auld Lang Syne” as the town clock, heard quite distinctly here in still weather, struck the midnight dozen. SIGNS OF SPRING. Although spring (by the calendar) does not actually commence till September 22, there are many signs and indications of its coming. The grass is becoming tinged with a deeper green, and there' is quite a' distinct growth in sheltered spots. The haystacks in the district are being rapidly demolished, although there seems to be a fair quantity of roots, still available for the fresh cows. The feedng of roots to dairy cattle is a tedious business, and it. is very questionable whether the land occupied the whole year round by a root crop would not give a better return from ordinary pasture top-dressed in the autumn. This, method is being followed with success by several local farmers, who- shut up a portion of the- farm all winter, and allow the newly calved cows access to it as they come in to .milk. The cattle are- more contented .with this treatment, and do not hang round the carrot patch all day bawling plaintively for more of the succulent root. Also, the labour is lessened by hours and the danger of introducing deleterious weeds is reduced to a minimum. One of the most successful farmers in the neighbourhood told me some years ago that he never .did,much good in dairying until lie scrapped his plough, discs, cultivators and other implements, and several of our largest suppliers here have said “never again” to the ploughman. A LARGE LANDSLIDE. The most southerly of the chain of lakes which formerly • stretched from the golf links to near Waukina (that at the rifle- range) has lost a considerable- quantity of its volume of water through a- large landslip which occurred some weeks ago- on the seaward side- of the lake. The- scene- presented a remarkable spectacle just after the fall m the- water level, the- banks being strewn with immense quantities of mussel shells (pipi) and occasional perch, eel, and crayfish, on which the gulls,were having great banquets. Apparently the cause of the collapse of 1 tfie rifle- range- lake was owing to the northernmost body of water (Nowell’s) having overflowed into the midway lake- (Reynolds’), and this in turn had emptied its surplus water into the lake lower down, which burst its banks and rushing over the cliff into the sea carried awa-y a great slice- of the papa rock with it. Portions df the surrounding -cliff-wallis are- istill faliinoand the private track down to- • the beach (Hawthorne’s) is completely blocked up with the debris.