RONGOTEA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 286, 31 October 1933, Page 4

RONGOTEA

(From Our Own Correspondent.) RONGOTEA, Oct. 30. In conversation with a local farmer, your correspondent was informed that he had recently dug a pit in a sand hill for the purpose of storing ensilage, and at a depth of eight feet a doposit of bones was reached and continued to bo present in quantities for a further five feet. Bones wore very numerous, but an effort to preserve some of them for identification was futile, as thoy crumbled away on being touched, on exposure to this air, as rc.ck lime does when slaked. There is a tradition repeated by Maoris to the earliest sottler? that there had been destructive bush fires over vast areas, in the early days of Maori migration, and that many Maoris had lost their lives at that time. It is suggested that the doposit of bones discovered inay have been the result of human being, or moas huddling together in an effort to escape from fire. As there have been considerable quantities of charred tree trunks taken from below the surface of the ground in the vicinity, the story of a great. disaster occurring at some remote period does not seem far fetchod. Rev. A. N. Scottcr. 8.A., of Palmerston North, preached at the Rongotea Methodist Church last evening, and afterwards conducted a sacramental service. Mr C. S. Hamlin is confined to his homo with an attack of influenza. Splendid rains fell over the week-end, following a period of sunshine amd drying winds. The benefits will bo far reaching, Largo areas have been planted in mangold and other root crops, and the moisture was needed to help the seed to germinate. The fresh growth of grass will help to maintain milk production at its present, unusual high level, while gardens too will receive much benefit. The Rongotea School will be closed next Friday, on account of the A. and P. Show at Palmerston North.