PORANGAHAU.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6972, 26 September 1884, Page 4

PORANGAHAU.

' (from ottr own correspondent ) September 23. Although Porangahau cannot be said to ! possess a superabundance of good thipgs, yet a fairly good public library is one of these, and of which the inhabitants may plume themselves it does possess, for. without undue prejudice it can be said that Porangahau in this respect would not be disgraced in a comparison with any other outlying settlement in the colony. The stock of books numbers about4oo volumes, and is comprised of works ranging from the theological to the lightest literature, ancl great care has beon taken by those appointed to the task of selection to choose only the works of the beat authors both past and present. By a cursory glance it is observable that a considerable number of the volumes have been in frequent use, those of the yellow back description especially bearing evidence of haying been well thumbed over, thus showing that here as elsewhere the taste for literature of a sensational character predominates. The acquisition of a library in a secluded locality such as this, is the source of great enjoyment to many, and assists to cause the prevailing monotony to be endurable, and is a means in some degree of diverting the attention from local grievances and petty squabbles, of wbich, by the way, there iB far t«o much in this small community. Within the past fortnight there have been several cases of serious illness in the , district, happily, however, without fatal results ensuing ; yet in each instance was medical advice required, which necessarily had to be obtained from Waipukurau and Waipawa respectively. No prophet is needed to foretell what this would mean in a case of exceptional urgency. With these frequent demands for medical aid it is surely high time we made some attempt to shake off the lethargy into which we have fallen and go energetically to work to secure a resident medical man. In a previous lucubration I made mention of the exceedingly felicitious state of mind into which we here were being translated in reapect to the main highway, in consequence of certain works which the powers that be intend to have executed thereon in order to facilitate traffic to and from the district. By the exuberance of ecstatic feeling I am now constrained to chronicle that the fiist sod on the projected improvements was turned a few days since, and the work is now in full swing, and with favorable weather will in all probability be completed in the course of a week or two. The opening of the Bam e for traffic, it is suggested, should be celebrated by the promoters of the Bcheme with champagne and lunch, and so follow out the customary rule on so joyous and important an event. Now that everything is progressing in so favorable a manner for us to eventually arrive at the goal of our wishes in regard to a road, it is really vexatious that divers disi satisfied persons should endeavor to infuse drops of gall into the cup of sweetness. Such, however, is the actual case. They do this by questioning the wisdom of expending money in that particular locality on the construction of what is intended for the main road to the district, and by asserting that the benefits which are likely to accrue from it will be evanescent, and not of a permanent character — that the few pounds spent in the village by the contractors is all that will be gained from it. Some incorrigibles even go so far as to say that future generations of the genus taxpayer in these parts will be moved to utter contumelious language in reference to the legacy in the form of a road bequeathed by their forefathers, when requested to produce the needful to defray the cost of repairs, and other inevitable deviations, and that the finger of scorn will be pointed towards the evidences of repeated attempts, and as many failures, of the present generation to perform impossibilities, i.e., make a good road over the big hill. But aa lam not possessed of the gift of prescience I cannot say of my own knowledge that the foregoing will be the case. However, I Bhould certainly not lay odds against it being so, that is, if my representative of the future was held bound to fulfil the obligation. Porangahau, as the appellation denotes, generally comes in for a full share of Btrong winds. That it is not distinguished by a misnomer has been amply verified of late, for while Woodville and other places at no great distance were in a state of deluge, we here, much to our discomfort, were being parched up with a succession of dry westerly gales. This, after a week or two of mild spring weather, had a very deleterious effect upon the young growth of grass so much needed at this time of year. A change, however, to the opposite extreme has taken place, and during the past week places which had previously begun to assume a dry and parched appearance have been transformed into miniature lakes and duck ponds. Fortunately the lambing season is well advanced, otherwise considerable loss to flockowners would have resulted from the excessively wet and stormy weather. So far as vegetation is concerned spring is very little further advanced than it was a month ago.

The had ana wortaiess are never imitated or counterfeited. This is especially true of a family medicine, and it is positive proof that the remedy imitated is of the highest value. Aa soon as it had been tested and proved by the whole world that Hop Bitters waa the purest, best, and most valuable family medicine on earth, many imitations sprung up and began to steal the notices in which the Press" and the people of the country had expressed the merits of H. 8., and, in every, way trying o induce suffering invalids to use' their stuff I imtead^iOTpecting: to make money on the

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