WHANGAMOMONA NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 68, 15 March 1912, Page 4

WHANGAMOMONA NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) We arc having an early visit front winter. The weather is bitterly cold and wet. Last Sunday the district was treated to a severe storm, wind howling all day, working havoc among the fruit orchards and flower gardens, and the wind only relaxed a little to <rivo the rain a ciiance to pour down in real wintry fashion. Mr. S. M. Mills, our local schoolmaster, has received notice that he has passed his “D” teachers’ examination, held in January. He is to bo congratulated on his success, and farther congratulated on another forward step ho is taking next month, for ’tis then that he enters on the sea of matrimony, on a voyage hazarded only by, the bravo and strong-hearted. Whauga wishes him ever happiness. The new Sunday-school, under the management of Mr. P. Long, is in a nourishing condition, and is supplying a long-felt want in our township. Our WTianga cricket teams are at present hot favourites for the Bishara Cup, and if their luck sticks to them, the cup will stay here till next season at least. The new cricket pitch in the Domain was given its first trial recently, when Pohokura tried conclusions'with the Mangore team, the latter winning by a narrow margin. The pitch still needs some rolling and levelling before being perfect. A working bee is taking the task in Hand, so that the next match will be played under more satisfactory conditions. The local Maoris, assisted by a team of friends from Purangi, gave an ■ exhibition on Saturday night of hakas and ,noi dances. It was a teeming wet night, but the public mustered in fair force. A waltzing competition held during the evening was won by Miss Osborn and Mr. G. Oliver. Our 'public library is still making headway. The reading-room .has been extended, being now just double its former size, and the books neatly and systematically arranged by the librarkm—Mr. L. Klee. Mr. Leslie May, assistant engineer on the railway works here ,is leaving this week to take the position of en-gineer-in-cliarge of the Ohakune-Rao-tilii railway work. His friends tendered him a farewell at a gathering held nf the staff rooms, Pohokura, on Tuesday night, when expressions of regret at the loss of a capable and popular officer were only outweighed by congratulations on his promotion. The new hotel presents a well-for-ward appearance now. The roof is on, the sides and window frames are up, end a small army of men are busy with the inside work. The cellar is still giving some trouble, water working through the lower part of the walls, but the contractor anticipates no serious difficulty’ with it now. Mr. Hodder has finished his two shops in Main Street, and the tenants : —one draper and one confectioner—have put in the windows a pleasing array of good tilings, and altogether the two shops are a pleasing and useful addition to our township.!. . ■ u Miss M. Dean has returned home after a six months’ holiday, spent’ 1 partly in the, North and partly in the South Island. . ,4 ;•.•••.. • j, Mr. Massey, Stratford manager of h che Bank'i of Australasia, is’ paying, a -.short;visit here, j ‘ i t ii , 1 r mnr f Miss jßundleV'of New Plymouth,:is'i ’• spending a. holiday; here; with her sis-u I ter, nMrs. Strombom. • BA) < ]- ■' ■Mr. IK. R. Watson, assistant engineer in the Roads "Hepa’rFment here, leaves this month to take a position in the same department in Wellington. Mr Watson’s friends, and he has many, will keenly regret his departure, for he has established himself a firm favourite with everyone Jiere. His football friends will miss their stalwart, hot-paced forward, and those who have worked under him in .his official capacity ’will*'hof-read-fo1 'S et genial, adaptable Tveu,” who spent so. many, nighty in tiic road camps. We-tfy4'J .be' od at his promotion, but feel that we are; losing a good comrade and a capable officer from our midst..