OKAIAWA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 14 October 1924, Page 6

OKAIAWA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) THE WEATHER; The weather for the past few days has been pretty boisterous, and with a wintry touch about it. However, it is probably better to have it now than earlier in the season. There is now an abundance of grass, and the cows are in, good fettle and better able to stand it. There is one drawback to a mild spring. It tempts farmers to put in their root crops early, and when a cold blast comes later on when they are nicely up it gives them a severe check or destroys them altogether. OTJft NATIVE BIRDS. I was pleased to read, in “Hori’s” interesting notes in Saturday’s Star, fihat our 'native birds are increasing in some districts. To one who has lived in Taranaki since the days when it was practically all bush, and when the native birds filled the air with their glorious melody ~the silent bush of the present day comes as a painful shock. One may wander through the bush on our mountain reserve without hearing a single bird. “Hori” also refers to mountaineering trips in the early days. A trip to the falls in those times was certainly no light task, but I am satisfied that it was more enjoyable than at the lire sent. A different class of person seems to have' developed. In the old days a "little hardship was welcomed as adding t-o the pleasure of the trip, and it seems to me that a pleasure gained without any exertion is not appreciated to the same extent. I just recently heard of a lady visitor to the district who hired a car to take her up to Dawson Falls. All the way up she regarded everything with a stony stare, absolutely failing to see anv beauty in anything. Arrived at the house she decided to stay the night, and asked for a room in the hostel. The custodian informed her that there was not a room to spare in the hostel, but he would make, her quite comfortable in the big house. This, however was not at all acceptable, and the visitor returned the way she had come. Good old Mount Egmoiit. I have been looking at her for over 40' years, and am not tired of her yet, THE NORMANBY ROAD. A ratepayers recently asked me to give the council a “shake up” over the condition of the Normanby road at the western end. Well, I think I have given the council a pretty good rousing up at various times, and it is not always advisable to make things too hot, although it must be admitted that there is good cause for complaint. However, I understand that the piece of road complained of is .to he attended to in the near future. There is one spot on this road which wants attention, as it is decidedly dangerous, and' has been the scene of several accidents during the past few months. This, however, is in the Waimate County. It is where, a creek crosses the road, and the road is so narrow that there is barely room for two vehicles to .pass—certainly not with safety. A little over a week ago one of the Joll Company’s lorries got into the creek through the-wheels skidding when the driver was attempting to nass a milk cart, and several cyclists * have also come to grief. This spot is particularly dangerous in wet weather, thediigh bank on the northern side shading it from the sun and keeping it in a slippery condition for many davs. A danger signal would not be out of place.