Waimate.

Northland Age, Volume 2, Issue 41, 22 May 1906, Page 5

Waimate.

(From our own Correspondent.) During the past two weeks two wellknown Natives have passed away. Mr. L. Davis, the unsuccessful candidate against Mr. Hone Heke in .last election, died at Paihia, and as the Native visitors were about to leave for their kaingas, Mr. Hone Peti (John Bates) died at Waimate, About two hundred of the Natives from Paihia, instead of going home, called to pay their last respects to the highly respected old Native. Hone Peti was a man much respected by all who know him. In his younger days he acted as Native assessor for a considerable time. Since relinquishing that position he has b£en the mainstay in all leading matters with the Natives of his hapu, and has also acted as judge of the Maori Council in his settlement. Ho was probably over 80 years old. Rumor says that Hare Napia is also very ill and not likely to recover. He has also attained a good old age.

We leant that Mr. Hazer Dixon and family have taken over a first-class boardinghouse in Whangarei, and that Mrs. Dixon has already taken possession and will keep the business going until Mr. Dixon completes his contracts, when he will again join his family. Mr. Dixon has lived near here for over thirty years and has been road contracting most of that time.

News has just reached us that Mr. W. Mountain, proprietor of the Purerua tinning factory, came very near losing an arm through blood-poisoning, caused (we hear) through a scratch with endless chain hoisting gear. Later we hear that the men of medicine have decided not to resort to amputation, but that a cure can be made without. Let ua hope so. During the, splendid run of decent weather we have had this' Aittnmn the flax mill at Oromahoe has been working full time and has given labour to a number of people here who have been busy cutting and carting their own flax, some of which has been carted over ten miles.

I see by way of improvement the Black Bridge has been painted white, and also that the Kiripaka Bridge is to be repaired—at least I take it that W’ay, seeing there is a quantity of new timber, in which I notice a splendid lot of stringers, lying alongside the bridge. It is high time this bridge was put in order, as the present stringers are almost rotted off the headstock, and would probably have collapsed had they not been propped up some time ago. May 14, 1906.