WHAREROA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 13 October 1925, Page 6

WHAREROA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) THE SEASON.* At last- spring has definitely asserted her sway over 'the bitter dopiinatioii of winter, and the pastures are assuming that emerald green tinge so grateful to the eye of the farmer. There is no rush of growth as yet, but there is a definite movement in the herbage, and that is something to lie thankful for after what we have endured so long. The mi'llc supply is gradually increasing, but is still far below that of the corresponding period last season. No hay paddocks are yet shut off in this locality, although this time last year more than half of the area- required for cutting was already enclosed. Probably there will be few paddocks shut up tih the end of the month, and very likely a considerable quantity of the hay required will only be fenced off in November. POLITICAL. A meeting of the local supporters of the Government candidate for the Patea seat was held in the social hall on Thursday’ evening last. There was a fair attendance and Mr. Hebenton, the official organiser of the Reform Party, was xiresent. A strong committee, of which Mr. R. Hicks was elected chairman, was set up to further the interests of Mr. Dickie, and members generally seemed confident that the candidate would be returned at the head of the poll. At the last election the voting at Whaieroa was 79 for the Government party against 33 for the Liberal candidate, uid unless Mr. Corrigan has made g ’.'eat inroads iu the favour of local electors, it would seem that Mr. Dickie’s committee, judging by locally expressed opinion, have reason to be sanguine. • SOCIAL HALL. The annual balance-sheet of the Wluueroa Social Hall has been' presented to ■shareholders, aiid shows a total indebtedness of £64 4s 3d to date. It is expfected that this amount will be wilted off in about two years’ time, and then the substantial building, worth probably £6OO to £7OO, will become the absolute unencumbered property of the Social 'Hall company, and the directors are to be congratulated on tli is happy result of their publicspirited enterprise. The receipts for the year bast totalled £46 11s, and the working expenses mounted up to £'l4 12s' 6d, leaving a net- profit of £3O lSs Od oil the year’s operations. The section whereon the hall is situate is held on a 21-year renewable lease, sO that there is practically an assurance or permanency of occupation. Mr. Hicks is chairman.of directors. and Air. W. G. Murphy treasurer. ; the Strike. The enrolling of volunteers to load and man the produce ships proceeded satisfactorily in this district, a fair number of workers having filled up the cards issued by the federated factories. The cllief difficulty apparently will be to procure firemen, as their work requires some experience and exceptional endurance to withstand the arduous work of stoking the steamers through the tropics. However, the most of our dairy farmers, being used lx* conditions far more -rigorous than those experienced by the average labourer, will probably find many imong they- number to make light of this work. There will be no difficulty in finding wharf labouiers, if these be required, and volunteers to guard them will now be unnecessary, as the Government* has undertaken to protect those loading the boats. FACTORY PAY-OUT. The Associated Banks have apparently decided that the ad mnee to suppliers for butter-fat supplied last nonth shall he Is 3d per lb. The average layman would 'think this should be a matter for factory- directors (in onjunc.tion with their auditors) to decide. But the well-known benevolence of the banking institutions has doubt, less impelled their action. As regards our local company’. I understand the whole of last year’s produce js now disposed of, and as there is a fair balance still due to .suppliers, the payment of this balance oil the 20th inst. would be highly appreciated by suppliers, in view of their diminished output owing to weather conditions, and the curtailed advance advised by the banks. In arty case we should’ soon know just wliat the totatf pav-out for last season amounts to.. OBITUARY.

The passing of the late Mr. George Bamford removes from the scene the last but one (I think) of the early pioneers*who have resided continuously for over half-a-eentury in Hawera, the other being Mr William A’Gourt, of Beach Hoad, who is happily* still well and hearty. When the writer’s family came to HaWera at the end of IS7B, the late Mr. Bamford was residing near the Box Company’s present timber yard, and a considerable dam of "resh water occupied the site where the timber .is now stacked. Wilson Street was not then formed at the northern end, but a gap in the gorse hedge admitted the traffic from Glover Road to High Street. Mr Bamford’s was the only residence in the 10-acre block (which was called Bamford’s oaddock),-but there were a. few collages near the High Street end' of Wilson Street, and one or two of these are still standing. Later on, when Wilson Street was formed, Mr. Bamford resided there for many years, and abolit twenty years ago purchased the present homestead site on the South Road, which may be regarded as within •jur Whaferoa limits. It will give an idea of the value of land at the time when 1 say that the cost of the 11acre section was just £3OO, or under C2B per acre. The deceased was a. man whose word was as good as his bond, and I recall having had the use of a considerable sum from him for many years without the formality of a renewal of mortgage. He was of frugal disposition and active habits, and worked quite hard till recently. Although lie was a man of considerable ■substance, few would have .suspected it, owing to his retiring habits and humble demeanour. With his death passes one of the most sterling and worthy of our early pioneers and his family will have the respectful sympathy of the ‘whole neighbourhood.