DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1921, Page 2

DISTRICT NEWS.

MOKAU—AWAKING. / (From Our Own Correspondent.) A meeting of the ratepayers of the distract was held in the Awakino Hall on Saturday evening, December 10, Mr. Will Kelly, of "Ballycraggan," being in the chair. The business of the meeting was to consider the proposal of Te Kuiti council to extend the boundaries out towards Otarahanga, but the opinion expressed at the meeting was that so doing would form an unwieldy county, and it was unanimously decided that the finding of the commission set up some time ago to enquire into the matter should be adhered to, or else present conditions to be observed, Mr. Doddle, chairman of the County Council was present, also Messi's. Geo. Lake and Leonard Leech, members for the Awakino ridings. A meeting of the Mokau Harbor Board was held this week. Present: Messrs. W. D. Black, A. G. Sampson, J. Terril, A. Sole, and J. L. Macdonald (secretary). It was decided that tenders for tie snagging punt for the Mokau River be called for. Other small matters appertaining to marine affairs were attended to. We have tad some days’ spell of showery weather which has benefited the grass and other plants of the district; in fact, since they began, the vegetables have come along by leaps and bounds in the different plots tilied by our residents. All the "Mrs. Wiggins” of the different "cabbage patches," have been seen with arms uplifted in ecstatic astonishment at the growth of the "succulent green.” The outlook is very favorable ’ for the potato growers, some very fine specimens having been already dug around here. Mr. and Mrs. Sigurt Erickson, who are leaving the district to reside in Suva, Fiji Islands, are to be farewelled on Friday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Erickson have always proved themselves to be good "sports,” and Mrs. Erickson has always ungrudgingly given of ter time and cash to help along any of our social functions. Being always of a bright and sunny disposition, she will be greatly missed amongst her immediate circle of friends. A fine line of fat cattle from Messrs. Chambers Bros., Mokau River, passed through here to-day (Wednesday). They have been sold to Mr. Geo. King, of Urenui. Another mob of mixed cattle from Pio Pio, Mr. Fetch’s, and Mr, Purdie’s, for the Waitara freezing works, also passed through. We also noticed a large mob of sheep being punted across, but was unable to find out to wtom they belonged, or whither consigned. Fish, such as flounder, schnapper, kawhai and mullet, are again plentiful in our river, and several of our residents are often to be seen with rod and line fishing for the succulent finny denizens of the deep. The electrical power scheme for supplying North Taranaki, etc., from our river is one which would certainly be both beneficial and economical to all concerned, and the vast supply of good clean serviceable coal is a big factor in the scheme. It is a scheme worth the careful consideration of the powers concerned, and it is to be hoped that Messrs. Summerson and Sons will be successful in this great effort for the good of the land. What a day (or rather night) for MokauAwakino when the electric lights should gleam from our "Broadway,” "Piccadilly," "Strand,” and "Boulevards”!!, and wten the gorgeous display in the plate-glass windows of Messrs. Northern, Whitehead, and Fincham, should have their beauties’ enhanced by the softened radiance of the "little blue light.” Mrs. S. Whitehead returned from Taranaki on Monday last Miss North Thomson has returned from a much enjoyed visit to “Thames" and the North. Preparations are well in hand for the school picnic on Friday next, and everywhere you look you see eager youngsters in couples, hobbled together, practising for the three-leg-ged races. We believe that Mr. S. Whitehead, the energetic chairman of Mokau School Committee, has a list of competitors prepared from the ranks of the more matured residents, wherein the fat with the lean, the short with the tall, and the broad with the narrow are grouped together for the contest. Once more the genial "Rod” Mcßae is in our midst, and our drovers are therefore wearing smiles as bright and beaming. Mr. W. Spence has returned to Waikawau, and the sympathy of a good many of the residents goes out to him. Mr. Spence not only went through all the torrors of war, but he also, during the raging epidemic of influenza, did splendid V.A.D. service. Honor to whom honor is due. Residents are pleased to hear that Mr. Charlie Johnson intend.-'- running a passenger service from Awakino i. New Plymouth daily, leaving early enough in the morning to enable our folk to have two or three hours in the Taranaki town to shop, or otherwise do business, and be back in Awakino, the same evening. Some service this I Awakino school concert’ and farewell presentation to Miss W. Chapman takes place on Thursday night, and a big crowd Is expected. Mr. Leo Jacobs, once a resident of Mokau, now of Te Kuiti, visited us at Awakino race meeting time. He is looking very fit, in fact, "bigger and better than ever.”