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Opunake Times, Volume XXX, Issue 1649, 28 June 1910, Page 2

Aa amusing aspect of the burning down of the Obahuhn railway station was revealed by Mr W. F. Massey, M.P., at the annual conference of local bodies in Manukau County last week. A'complaint was made that Government grants were not as liberal as they should be, but Mr Massey rose and genially twitted the repre-, sentatives of the Otahuhu Road Board with being several thousands of pounds to the good. He related bow a deputation had urged on the Government that the old station at Otahuhu should be rebuilt, and had received a reply that the only chance of that would be in the event of the station being burnt down- Well, the night this ultimatum came to hand the station was burnt down. (Laughter). Mr F. W. Lang, M.P., added to the mirth of the company by remarking that the chairman of the deputation received a telegram congratulating him, but remarking that he need nob have been in such a hurry. The Roman Oatho'ic Bishop of Christchurch (Dr Grimes), who has just returned to Christchurch from a visit ,to Westland, states that the pioneers of the early days who braved the perils of rapid, broad rivers, made their way across wide lagoons, and penetrated the virgin forest, must have been men and women of the finest type, and he was pleased to have found that the energy, pluck, and peraeverence displayed by them was reflected in their descendants. Though he did not pretend to rank as a judge of beauty, he could not be other than favourably impressed with the women of the province, and on several occasions when preaching he had remonstrated with the young men for their dilatoriness in marrying. The young women, as a class, possessed the qualities of industry, modesty, simplicity, and personal charm, and he was sure they would make excellent wives. Yet for some unaccountable reasons there was little marrying and giving in marraige. The parents were to blame to some extent for this state of things, for they kept their sons working at the homestead instead of encouraging and assisting them to build homes for themselves. Another obstacle to matrimony in the south was the close association throughout their lives of the settlers and their families, with the result that the young people grew up to regard one another as relatives, though there might be no natural affinity. The general sobriety of the young men, few of whom smoked, had alsb given him pleasure. A remarkable occurrence is reported from Pukerau (says the Matarua Ensign). A baby girl, which was born there at the beginning of this month, is stated to have a distinct portrayal of the comet on the left breast. At birth the mark developed in the form of a white scar, but it has now assumed a bright red hue. It is asserted that the child’s mother took no particular interest in the -comet. There was quite a simmer of excitement all over the Empire City on June 11, the reason thereof being the marriage of Doris, daughter of the Hon. C. J. Johnson, and the Hon. Nigel Gaythoroe Hardy, a son of the Earl of Cranbrook., The bride, it will be remembered, is also a granddaughter of the late Dr Featherston, and the bridegroom was late . A.D.O. to Lord Plunkpt. , The Bishop of , Wellington performed the marriage ceremony.