COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16236, 23 May 1916, Page 4

COUNTRY NEWS.

[FHOJf OUIi OTO CORRESPONDENTS.] JIORRINSVILLE. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. At the monthly meeting of the Morrinsville Chamber of Commerce, at which Mr. W. Morrice presided, it was resolved to ask the Patetonga branch'of the Farmers' Union to bring before the member for their district the matter of the Government providing water troughs for stock on the Mor rinsville-Patetonga Road. It was resolved to ask the Town Board to expedite the hearing of the Native Reserve case.

The cheese factory returns are keeping up well. Last month the Tatua Dairy Company paid out £378, compared with £196 for April, 1915- The Norfolk Cooperative Dairy Company's cheques to suppliers last month totalled £581, th&.amount being £554 in excess of the amount for the corresponding month last year. The Auckland Education Board has decided to make much-needed additions to the Morrinsville school, and tenders have been called for the work.

he Government is calling for tenders for a new telephone exchange here. It is reported that girls will then be employed in the exchange.

HUNTLY.

RAILWAY MATTERS.

The new _ waitingroom at the Awaroa railway station has now been opened and is proving a great boon. The Department has just finished the erection of three new cottages for permanent way men. The work of enlarging the engine shed has also been completed. The mines have been working full time for some months now and house accommodation is taxed in the town to the uttermost.

PUKEKOHE.

LABOURERS' UNION'S AWARD.

The Borough Council has decided to be represented at the conference of the Auckland Provincial Association, to be held at Auckland on Wednesday, to consider what action it will take in connection with the Labourers' Union's application to the commissioner .of awards to make an award to cover all local bodies in the Auckland provincial district.

FRANKTON.

PATRIOTIC BAZAAR.

A bazaar organised by the Frankton Ladies' Patriotic Committee resulted in the sum of £108 being raised. After meeting the expenditure it is expected that £100 will be available for patriotic purposes. The function extended over three evenings, the goods remaining on the third night being offered by auction by Mr, T. Johnson.

! TAIHAPE. VISIT TO RUAKUKA FARMLast week 17 members of the Taihape branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union visited the Ruakura farm. They made a careful inspection of the methods of work, and were delighted with' their visit. The manager, Mr. Green, and the farm officials spared no pains to enable the visitors to obtain a thorough insight into the working of the institution.

DARGAVILLE.

A SALE OF WORK..

! A sale of work under the auspices of j Holv Trinity Sewing Guild was held on j Wednesday in the Parish Hall. The sale was opened by the Mayor, Mr. J. A. ! McLean, and attracted a large attendance. The stalls were artistically arranged, and the sum of £57 was taken, one-third of which has been handed to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund, and the balance allocated towards repairing Holy Trinity Church. A conference has been arranged between the Borough Council and the School Committee in reference to the proposed establishment of a High School in the borough. At present upwards of 20 local pupils travel daily to the Aratapti District High School. Already the council has intimated its consent to grant £50 towards temporj ary accommodation for scholars. deferring to the approaching completion of the borough water supply scheme, at the last meeting of the Borough Council, the Mayor stated the engineer would reoeive in commission the sum of £1090, whereas the council could have had the whole of the services of an engineer for the work for £500.

At the annual meeting of the Kaipara Chamber of Commerce, the following officers were appointed :—President, Mr. A. E. Harding; vice-presidents, Messrs. F. A. Jones and B. Coleman ; council, Messrs. C. J. Carrington, E. Harding, H. X. Downs, J. Brady, A. Costello, W. Kennedy, F. v. Dargaville, R. E. Hornblow, T. Mitchell, and W. B. Giesen; auditor. Mr. J. Hogg; secretary, Mr. G. H. Bellamy.

ARATAPU.

RED CROSS LEAGUE.

At a large gathering of ladies in the public library last week it was decided to form a branch of the Red Gross League. Mrs. 'H. Hockin was elected president, and a strong working committee was appointed. It was resolved that all present should join the District Hospital Committee, and that socials in aid of the institution should be held retrularly. The game farm of the Hobson Acclimatisation Society is assuming a fine appearance, and good work in the rearing of pheasants is being carried on. In reference to the improvement of the main -Dargaville highway, the Minister for Public Works has authorised a grant of £2500 on a £1 for £1 basis, when the money is available. '

TATAR ARIKI.

HEAVY OUTPUT OF TIMBER

The local sawmill is still working day and night shifts, the weekly output of timber being 300,000 ft. The mill is responsible for some 90 men being in permanent work, whilst SO others are engaged in the bushes and in rafting. The flaxmilling plant has been in active commission for some time, and night work has been carried on. The scarcity of labour has, in a large measure, rendered operations difficult. The need of a wharf in the vicinity of Tikinui is a subject of importance to settlers residing on the lower portion of Tatarariki. A public meeting, to devise ways and means for the erection of a structure on a suitable site, was held recently, when £120 was guaranteed towards the cost, which is estimated at £400.

KAIHU VALLEY.

DAMAGE BY FLOODS.

The recent storms and floods caused little damage throughout the valley, but on one occasion the train was delaved whilst line repairs were effected at Dairy Flat. In past years the annual damage was heavy, but the clearance of logs,' snags, and. willow growth in the" long stream stretch has afforded a clear outlet for storm water. '

Bush work at Taita and Maitaha is brisk, and some 70 men are engaged in felling and delivering white pine logs to the railway. Considerable quantities of sawn timber are also being consigned to Dargaville from the Kaihu sawmill, and shipments are regularly being made to Auckland.

Since Whatoro has been the railway terminus at the bead of the valley, numerous requisitions have been forwarded to the authorities, asking that a goods shed should be erected at that point, but so far

the petitions have . been of no avail. It is contended by the settlers affected that 1 more goods are delivered at Whatoro than at'Kaihu, and that goods remain in the trucks under all weather conditions, until consignees at Aran Katui, Mangatu. Tutamoe, and Waimatenui are advised of their arrival. The milling of taraire timber continues to be carried on at the Kaihu sawmill. A keen demand for this timber has grown in Australian markets, and also in Auckland, where furniture-makers regard it as one of the premier woods for their work. TAUMARUNTH. PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE. The Manunui Patriotic Committee at a meeting held last week decided to amalgamate with the Tanmarunui branch of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association. Messrs. Fisher, Penday, and Ingram were appointed representatives of Mannnui on The Taumarnnui executive.

The military ball, organised by returned soldiers, territorials, and others was a great success. The profits, which amounted to about £50, will be handed to the Patriotic Association. The newly-formed Taumarunui A. and P. Association is making arrangements to lease, at a nominal rental, from the Domain Board the old racecourse site, the racing club having decided to acquire a new site near Matapuna. ALBANY. FARMERS' UNION MEETING. At the annual meeting of the Albany branch of the Farmers' Union the election of officers resulted as follows— President and treasurer, Mr. W. Hooton; vice-president, Mr. T. Foley; secretary, Mr. C. E. Davis; auditors, Messrs. Miller and Green; ' committee, Messrs. Cowley, Skilton, Pigoit, and Pye. It was decided to ask the Minister for Lands, through the member for the district, for a revaluation of the Paremoremo National Endowment Block, and for the reservation of the more broken portions for afforestation purposes. Trade within the Empire and export duties on wool, butter, etc., are to be subjects of remits to the Provincial Conference., A discussion took place on a proposal to alter the time ol ! arrival and departure of the dailv mail, the consensus of opinion being that the proposed alteration would interfere with the utility of the service. At the monthly meeting of the Fruitgrowers' Association, Mr. T. Foley, president-! -in the chair, a motion that the resolution carried unanimously at the last meeting, voting £30 out of the profits of the recent show to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund be rescinded was rejected on the voices. The secretary reported that a heavily-laden waggon had been driven through the show ground to deliver half a ton of manure to the Government experimental grounds. The attention of Mr. Rowan, officer in charge of the experimental. ground, is to be drawn to the matter. The date for holding, the annual show will be fixed at the next meeting.

WAIUKU. ANNIVERSARY SERVICES. _ At the anniversary services in connection with Wesley Church Sunday-school, the Rev. J. B. Suckling, of Pukekohe, preached morning and evening, a service being also held in the afternoon, at "which the rev. gentleman presented the prizes. On Monday evening the usual tea and concert took place, the former in the Parish Hall. For the concert the Public Hall was well filled, the Rev. J. Clover presiding. In addition to anthems by Wesley Church choir and other local items, able assistance was rendered by the Misses Hall and Fordham, of Auckland. The Rev. J. B. Suckling contributed several excellent elocutionary items. The chairman, on behalf of Wesley Church congregation and choir, presented Mr. R. J. Fenwick with a handsome clock on his retirement from the position of choirmaster. The proceeds of the celebrations amounted to £19 2s 4d. At the meeting of the boy scouts on Friday evening Scout-Sergeant Albert Reid presented the scoutmaster and physical instructor,_ Constable F. H. Fearnley, with an illuminated wristlet watch as token of the scouts' appreciation of the great interest he took in their welfare. Constable earnlejr replied, thanking the scouts for their kindly thought and gratitude.