AWATUNA EAST.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume L, Issue 8918, 6 November 1905, Page 8

AWATUNA EAST.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

Rather a severe accident happened to young Hector Parkes, eon of Mr (i. Parkes on Wednesday last. In front of Mr Graham's house on the road to Awatuna he was experimenting with a pin on an old dynamite cartridge, which he had got from an old camping place of a former contracting party, which worked in the locality. As he was poking some dirt out of one of the crevices the thing exploded, and blew off the middle finger of his right hand, besides seriously damaging some of the other fingens. He was taken to Kaponga, where Mr Maclagan attended to him, and I understand that he is now progressing satisfactorily. The accident has been bad enough in all conscience, but it might have been much worse) and it should act as a wanning to others to be very careful of any 6tray cartridges they might happen to find at any of these old camps. The send-off to Mr Mortleman and family on Tuesday night was a veivy successful affair. During the evening handsome presents were presented by Mr Martin Barker, on behalf of those present, to both Mr and Mrs Mortleman. A good programme was gone through, and the meeting lasted till well into the small hours of the morning, the ladies especially entering fully into the spirit of the thing, and applauding it as one of the best socials and send-offs of the season. Mr aad Mis Mortleman left for their new home on "Wednesday ; and will be much missed in this district.

Despite every precaution the potato blight has made its appearance here, with the result that many farmers are shaking their head 6.

Mr Surrey, the new eeoretary of the local Dairy Factory, has commenced his duties.

Six bags of ueally good patotoes were sold at the Awatuna cattle sale on Wednesday for 16b 6d per bag. This is a decidedly downward tendency Fanners are still finding it hard to get men who are willing to help at milking. and farmers' wives are complaining at having to do extra work on this account.

I hear that the cheese made at the local factory this season is likely to turn out splendidly. .The paragraph in your pap«r, copied from the Patea Press, where Mr C. A. Larcombe, of Patea, said that, the Opu-nake-Bltham Taflway was only an »lectioneerinjg dodge, is hotly resented here. No question is such a live one in this dis'fri'Hi as £he raflwar anestion, and we are going to luive our railway muck scene*'

than uninformed outsiders tl'ink. The subject vrill never be allowed to rest till it is an accomplished fact.