PUHA NOTES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12772, 25 May 1912, Page 3 (Supplement)

PUHA NOTES.

The month of May is nearly over, and up to the present time the weather m this part of Poverty Bay continues to be delightful, and seems like a continuation of summer. On Thursday morning, however, a pretty sharp frost was experienced, reminding us of winter. The milk supply having fallen off considerably lately, the creamery is open now only every second day, which is likely to meet all requirements until the month of August. A branch of the money order and post-office savings bank is now open at the Puha store, and appears to be much appreciated by the public. A hall is a much-felt want m this district. Over two yeard ago Mr W. L. Spence collected' sufficient money to buy a section, which has been secured, and at a meeting held m the month of June, 1911, a- committee of three gentlemen were appointed to devise ways and means to have a building erected, but so far little or no progress has .been made; With a little co-operation the building of a hall m this important district should m a very short time become an accomplished fact.

Nearly all the hands from Te Hau-o-te-' Atua station came into Puha on Thursday morning last, on their way to attend the funeral of the late Mrs T. B. Spence. Maize, for which there is a big demand, is very Scarce, and commands a high price. The writer has been informed that a Gisborne firm made an offer to a farmer m the Matawhero district of 4s\6d per bushel for \he next five years' production of that cereal; There is not a great deal of maize grown m the Puha district this season. Mr C. W. Ensor, who is looked upon as an able, practical farmer, has a good crop on a fine piece of flat adjoining the main road. Still it is not considered equal to the former crops grown on the same estate. A very fine field of maize grown on new land, the first ploughing} can be seen at Puhatikotiko station. The canes m general run from 10ft taj

lift m ; height, and are estimated 'ttf yield 100 bushels to the acre. This is a new grain termed the Craig Mitchell maize, introduced into the district by the owners of the station./ Besides being a very prolific cropper, it should prove of great . value for fodder when cut green, as from six to eight stalks branch out from each plant. . The grain, when ripe, is beautifully whh<e, and is to be sold for seed purposes only. Considerable improvements have been effects ed on this station lately. A good deal of tree-planting has been ' carried put, the pinus* insdgnis doing exceedingly well; . The residence, woolshed, and. all outbuildings have /been newly. : painted, fences nicely straightened up, the gates are m good order, and altogether the station has the appearance of very careful management. Mr T. Quirk, Mrs Quirk and family arrived here about a "week ago. Mr Quirk, who has a property, at the Mptu--011 which there is a large . quantity of splendid timber,, and intends to go m extensively for the sawmilling industry, has decided to live here, and will : m the near future erect an up-to-date dence on a nice piece of property bought by him m close proximity to the railway station. — Correspondent.