COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14566, 31 December 1910, Page 5

COUNTRY NEWS.

t WHANGABEL

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDmrC.J Whangarei, Friday. An interesting Maori wedding took pi acts 1 on a recent date at Wliangarei, when Hefca, Tehau, of Whongaruru, and Katai Kaire, of Ngaratunua, were the contract-! :.ng parties. After the ceremony a sumptuous wedding breakfast was held at Mr.. Kalre's residence, where 150 guests sat--down. Dancing was kept up till sunrise next morning.

Many of those who journeyed from Whangarei in th.c excursion on Thursday to the Bay of Islands, visited • the tow.a of Russell for the first time, and wcro much taken with the beauty of the spot/' as an ideal summer resort. , CAMBRIDGE. [FBOII CUE, OWN" COXULESPOXDRXT.] A pretty wedding was celebrated on Thursday in the Leamington Methodist Church by the Rev. A. H. Fowlds, when. Miss Mary Bailey, third daughter of Mr,. William Bailey, of that place, was mar-; ried to Mr. William Hogan, jun., third :-on of Mr. William Hogan, also of Leamington. The bride was given away by her father, Sir. J. Hogan being best man. • The wedding breakfast was held at the* . residence of the bride's parents, numer- ; . ous friends and relatives attending. The church was prettily decorated for the cc-; casion by a number of friends, the young \ couple being deservedly popular. ' The{' happy couple subsequently left for Roto-j rua, where the honeymoon will be spent*'

HOBSONVILLE. [FROM OUR own CORRESPONDENT.] A marriage of more than local interest was solemnised by Archdeacon Calder id.-; the Hobsonville Church on Wednesday! last, 28th ult. The contracting partierai being Mr. Barry Brigham, eldest son of! Mr. D. Brigham, of Ponsonby, and Miss! Rose Carder, sixth daughter of Mr. G.i Carder, of the firm of Carder Bros. Thai bride was given away by her Two bridesmaids attended, Miss G. Gar-;, der (sister of the bride), and Miss Houghton (niece). • The best man was Mr. J.j Mason, and the groomsman, Mr. Victor! Hult. After the ceremony the numerous! guests were entertained in. a large raar-j quee, erected on the lawn at Mr. Carder's! home.

KAWAKAWA. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT,.'.] fi KAWAKAWA, Friday. . I Property has advanced. in. price in thai township, and everal changes. have takeai place at good prices, In one case a pro-i•'£ perty thai was a few years ago sold for) £40 has been resold for £250,;' Faming! lands in the neighbourhood have advanced! r i in price, and a number of new settlers ■ taking up land that a few years back "would:? not have been looked at. A new station yardi' i at Kawakawa, about'.'four chains . south oijl the old yard, is now in course of construc-ii tion, and involves a filling of some 2000 yds.if ' All _ tie old station buildings,':; and! :. engine-shed ore to be.pulled down and reJf erected on more commodious and-up-to-i ; date lines in the new yard, while- the ob-" ; jectionable curve at present to beja'egojtialied: : will be entirely done away with. 'The l ' cost of the new works in Kawakawa alone*. is estimated at about £2000. - : "

PUKEKOHE. .. . ? [i'ROJI OUIi own correspondent./} Good progress is being made with thief grading of King-street, and this worjc*.'should be well out of hand before the weather breaks ajjain. • • .<■ *{ ;. The Railway Department, hav§" now" started with the ; station improvements. A portion of ;he station building being removed, presumably so as" t<3 all6w for the cutting being put in so as to straighten, the line and reduce the grade. - »The total i cost of the. improvements being" made by. ; the Department is £15,000^'"ian<tVill the; £13,000 loan is ako carried it w ill: make V the town vers busy. • • ••• •• •-■ ><.*'■ Potatogrowers have been' reaping^a very : rich harvest, i nd returns from £60 to £125 - per acre have been the rule. • As-about 1000 acres were put down in this' district this season, i-,his will give some t idea o£ ; the amount o:: money that is being gained 1 from this source. Farmers are now busy j planting their' second crop: " '''* "V Onions are now coming, .in-in , .small quantities, and they are meeting. -with a good demand , The. crop will bo ' a very good one, hut the area sown • is.,hot e* great as usuel. r ••a.-' ...