RUAKAKA

Northern Advocate, 7 May 1930, Page 8

RUAKAKA

(From Our Own Correspondent.) CENTRAL NOTES. The drought lias broken and cooler weather prevails with frequent showers. As yet we have had no floods this autumn and the soil has been too dry for the usual mushroom growth, a contrast to this .month last year. The Raster holidays wore somewhat marred by the rain, which fell on the Monday. Many campers journeyed to One Tree Point on the Thursday previous, some had stacks of timber fast cued behind their cars, evidently ;u----tending to build permanent lints on new allotments, and a bus followed on Friday returning on Monday morning to the sports at Minnigatapere. The cows are now being milked once a day only on ninny farms, the price for the bulter-fnt during the last two months being the lowest paid out for many years. The meetings of the Ratepayers’ Association lie Id periodically at CT Crompton’s residence are very encouraging and mark a step in the right direction. It is pleasing to know that so many residents have- at heart the welfare of the district as a 'whole, and the advantages of such meetings may be very far-reaching and effective. Through the loss of several of our more energetic residents, the district has gone hack very noticeably during the last few years. The absence of a ■School Committee and the lack of interest taken in the recent school picnic are typical instances; also the mail service is very poor compared with that of a few years ago. . The. , annual. householders’ meeting held in the Buakaka School a fortnight, ago, to appoint a committee, again proved a failure ns only three householders turned out, although the evening was beautifully flue. One would think that most of the pupils .were orphans, as no one appears to take any interest in the progress of ■the school. A second meeting is to bo advertised for next month, when it is hoped better results will be noted and more interest shown in the school’s affairs.

■Several farms have changed hands since the Now Year. Mr and Mrs Cairns have taken over the hall and store from Mrs Budded, who has removed to Mangakahia to join her family.

Mrs C. McKenzie and daughters occupied Mr Huston McLean’s seaside residence for the Easter holidays. The metal lorries are still busily transporting loads of metal from’ Waipu down to One Tree Point Road, although the recent rains threaten to put a stop to this most important work. Mr Tebbutts, the works man-agor-has put on some men to fill in the ruts and holes which the heavily laden trunks have made in. the finished portion of the road and Avhich wore gradually becoming dangerous to travellers.

The recent rise in tlio price of kauri gum has given a now interest to the*

work in this district, and quite a number of diggers are at work this winter. .Several families also, have returned to the fields. • • ' The shooting season commenced this week-end. Pheasants have been fairly plentiful of late, but will soon be shy after the first few days. A circus troupe has been in the district five days being storm-hound in our midst. The show which was advertised for Saturday night had to be postponed on account of tin 1 weather. Monday evening proved no better, and eventually it was held on Tuesday evening. Judging by the noise and applause, accompanied by shrieks of laughter, the items were well received, and appreciated.

Along with the difficulties of unemployment, we have had quite an epidemic of insurance agents. They scarcely miss a house and arrive at any hour of the day, seemingly in no hurry to move on.