WHANGAMOMONA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 93, 17 April 1903, Page 2

WHANGAMOMONA.

(Our Own Correspondent.) Our settlement has, within th» last taw wetke, been honoured by visii s from a considerable number of eminent colonists. First ia Ci'Lneciion with tbe I Symeu' banquet on the 20th ult. we hud the honour of the Piemier and pvty, including Mews Symen, M ;j r, aud O'Meaia, M's.H.R. Tne dutaild of this, cur greatest function hitherto, navti ueeu fuliy given in the papsi.3.

On the 31st ult. we had a visit by His G."nce Aichbisbop Redwood, and iev. Father Tracsy, of Stratford. rh;fo services wera he'd in the Town tt'Ol, and several young people eonfirm d according to tha ri es of their church, The day was rather wet, but ;.n■ s of the residents belonging to His Gr; ace's communion attended, especially at 11 am. His Grace expressed a hope that a church would soon be erected in a suitable position.

01 the Ist instant the settlement was visited I y tin Taranaki Schojl Inspectors—Mr Spencer (chief) and Mr Ballantyne (assis ant), During the oxamination of the Whangiinomoni School the severest earthquake yet ft It hero occurred. The school shook violently and the children were awe struck. Business was suspended, apparently for an hour, but really for a minute. Some interested parties hopstl that in honour of such a rscoid earthquake Mr Spjocar would pass all the children without further ex-tinitiation. But ala°, there was no such luck in store. Nothing short of a second Mont Pelee would turn an inspector from his usual course. No accidents occurred here through the earthquake,

A considerable number of children attend Whaugamomona bchool from tha township and it.s district, and as the road betwren is the worst part o? the Ohura-road they are heavily handicapped, and so is tlie school inconse--quence. 'The settlers in that direction are now approaching the Board with a view to get a school in the township. It is a fine centre, as five roads meet there Further, the new block of 12,000 awes so >.; to be thrown open for s-l-c-, tion will connect with the township by the Mangare aud Prospect-roads. The township is being enlarged on the Whangamomona-road, and should be expanded in all possible directions to meet the wants of the near futuiv. A creamery will ba erected a» the township before sprirg, and all the settlers, hithsrto prevented by distance from supplying the factory, will now become milk suppliers. Many unoccupied sections will also now be rendered pro ductive by married settlers being placed in charg-) of them. I regret to hear that the lady teacher of Tahora school has been obliged to seek medical aid for a sprained ankle. Jumping suddenly off berhor«o a month ago she received a reytre sprain, which all ordinary iftjrtt have failed to remedy, The Whitianga settlers will siera be supplied with a school at tha junction of the Whitianga and Kohuratahiroad.--, on a site given by Mr Bionet. Back-block children often lose years of educatioe, and the loss can never ba made up. Through the kindness of Mr A. G. Curie in driving me, I wbs recently able to continue my ob ervation of the settlement and beyond to the Moki-road.

Starting from Chokebore Lodge (my former terminus adquem) I observed in dose proximity the St-.hloss Dorubusch and the Whare VVoodney, Both seneI scha's have cleared considerable ground. [ Fiom this to Shenry's Saddle r.he valley, though still of congidergble wid'h, is to a gre*t, ex-ent a swamp. '! he drainage ought to pay iu the L.created value of the land. Mr Wright, on the loft, has a new re?idence. The old residenca of Mr G. F, Bftkt.r (Tangarakau) is deso late, being owned by an absant-e; the section next the Saddle has revertc-d to the Government. On the right tht sc-ctims of Mes-rs Brown, ana Shenry are hilly. Mr Brown h:u liuilti a good residence at the junction of the Whitianga and CKiuiu-roadfl. He goes in for dairy work as " a hatter," and is, I believe, very succ aesful. The Sheury Saddle is an important watershed. From its ii'ateau tbe land slopes gently towards the Tangarakau, but nob uniformly. The valley through which the road passes is very sh illow, We saw my Donegal friend ex-marine McDavitt, in Bret Harte costume. He desires to sell out. His house is on a slope, and on the opposite side of the road to Mr Beunet's. The hills are we 1 cleaned, and look fu for a large quantity of stock. Further on Castle Coffee on the right seenie i deeertsd. Mr Hallet's, on tbe left, hid a fair amount of flat. Tbe new Government House is a handsome building. Mr Rod gets, of Rogertoo, wh3se residence is tbo Ultima Thuleof the W.I. F.S., and Mr Gate seem, from the living evidenca shown, to have handed down their names (and images) to posterity in a style which delights the hearts of all who take interest in a nations growth. The Tahora School is a neat lifctlo academy. ' Bsyocd Rogerton we went pom four miles. The road is g'od, and tha country well timbered. We saw no signs of life till we reached the Mokiroad. There is a hut near on Mr Sullivan's large section; this is well gfss'ed, but we saw no stock. Here ends a taddlo about threo miles long. Messrs Brooking and Black are still carrying on their metalliog cottrac , under the supervision of Mr Grant. The old kilns produce good metal, but tbo cost is considerable

Mrs Grant and her two boys have ltft the settlement temporarily, intending to spend the winter in Stratford. We hope to ste them back next summer.

One of our very oldest cottiers, Mr Valentine Smith, has left for Feilding where he and bis brothm'-in-law, Mr A. 0. Bennet, late of Stratford, purposo establishing a butchery bu-ineaß. There is a rumour also that " Tiney " intends shortly to enter into a more eudurabl < partnership. Mr Srnioh h>s for eevin or eight years been connected witii storekeepiog and butchering here and is a general favourite with the public. The people showed thtir appreciation of bis merits and regret at his departure by giving him a hearty send-off on Thursday night. The attendance was considerable and would have been much larger if the date had bseu better known. Mr Smith v.vs the recipient of a hundsome watch and chain as ;i roken of rsteem.

Mr George Sampson htis got hi < billiard-room complfettd acd in quitu an up-to-date style. McOluggage's new boarding-houpe h now finished except as to furnishing. It in a fine two-sioried building replete with every convenience. Mr and Mrs Reid are returning to their farm. So our future bonifaee will be a stranger. It is credibly rumoured that the property is already purchased by Mr Ealgar of Elthatu.