WHENUAKURA NOTES.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 141, 25 November 1895, Page 2

WHENUAKURA NOTES.

(i'KOJC OUB OWN OOKBESPONDKNT.) The latest season with fewest sunny days ever remembered here is the cry. However, the force of nature in these rich terrace lands has asserted itself, and I hear no complaints as to losses in stock. The starting of a creamery in this block has fur the present been abortive; the engine has been carted off, but we hope that the neat little building for this pur* pose has not been erected in vain, for Mr Oldham intends to recommence it next season with a promise of a sufficient number of cows. The bands which were employed at Mr Hutchison’s bush have taken over the job from the contractor. This does not seem quite so bad as the prevalent colonial sin of contractors robbing the employed. There is more land under cultivation this year than formerly, and there is a good deal of ploughing in hand, and the appearance of such as are springing is very fine. A petition to the Minister of Education, against the proposed school at Little Taranaki, has been somewhat numerously signed. I have seen this document, but need not mention the numerous objections contained therein. Among others, it is asserted that there is not the stated number of native children. Those settlers living near the old school, of course, have no direct interest in it, while those living / several miles up in the clearing assert that the school should be in their midst. On looking at the list of signatures one per ceives that many of the petitioner's reside remote from each other and contiguous to the extreme ends of the Little Taranaki road. Mr G. Bremer and Mr Honeyfield axe to interview the Inspector of Native Schools on this subject, whose decision will, 1 suppose, be final. As an instance of what may happen to a man travelling over cross country in New Zealand, a man not long since lost bis way at Otauto, and tumbled over the steep bank of thePatea river; fortunately for him his fall was arrested by soma hushes that grew on the bank. Here be remained all night holding on for dear life. His cries were heard by a passing stockman next morning, who rescued him from certain death. What might have been a serious trap accident happened at “ Crisceut Falls ” lately. As young Hurley was driving iown the cutting leading to the orchard horse, trap and driver went over the bank into the brook below. Singular to say, neither horse nor driver were injured. A rare instance of fecundity in sheep occurred at Mr G. Bremer’s this season, viz., a ewe with four lambs.