DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 October 1922, Page 7

DISTRICT NEWS.

PUNGAREHU. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The north wind which sprang up on Wednesday of last week, and which at times was almost cyclonic in force, brought a onpious downpour on Saturday, and the ground has received a good soaking, which will give the grass the necessary impetus for growth. Thursday, October 5, was a red-letter day for Pungarehu, the opening of the technical classes marking a new epoch in the history of this little village. For years past it has been felt that something in the way of advanced education should be done for coastal children in the upper standards, especially as many parents are unable to afford the cost of sending their children to town, and very few parents there are who do not gladly grasp every opportunity to make tlieir boys and girls better men and women than they are themselves, and to give them a chance to leave this world a little better than they found it. Perhaps the day is not far distant when a "tecnnical school” will be built here, and there are several good sites for such a building In the vicinity of the village. Cheese-making has now commenced for the season, and although the “flush” has not yet been reached, there is an increased supply of milk daily. A tangi on quite a pretentious scale was celebrated in Parlhaka last week, a Native woman named Mrs. Turoa having died there on Monday. Quite a number of Natives who are living away from the pah, and who, by the way, are proving themselves to be efficient dairy farmers, and yet have the best interests of the village at heart, do not altogether approve of these celebrations, and are somewhat concerned about the excessive drinking by the Natives on these occasions. They think that some authoritative influence should be brought to bear upon it, especially as not only the mien, but women ancj young children, also are supplied with the intoxicants. It is a thousand pities to see a sturdy set of boys and men given up to debauchery on such solemn occasions as the death of a friend or relative. A car belonging to an Opunake resident ran over a bank just outside the village on Saturday evening, and needed a good deal of strength and persuasion before it again got on terra Anna out of the muddy ooze of the swamp into which it ran. Fortunately the occupants- of the car escaped uninjured, and as nothing was broken, it was soon spring on the way to Opunake again. A one-roomed cottage on the Whataroa Hoad, owned by a returned soldier named Jones, and used as a sleeping l place by one of his employees, was destroyed by fire on Thursday last. The origin of the fire is unknown. Mr. Williamson, assistant keeper at Cape Egmont, is holiday-making in New Plymouth. Mr. Simmons, principal keeper, returned from Wellington last week. The usual (monthly service of the Anglican Church was conducted by the Rev. H. A. Coleman on Sunday last, the subject of the rev. gentleman’s remarks bedng “Sunday observance.” The discourse was attentively listened to by those present. The local Domain Board held its usual quarterly’ meeting in the hall on Monday evening, when there were present: Mesrs. M. Fleming (chairman), R. Fleming, A. B. Layard (secretary), A. R. Mathews and H. Campbell. Accounts were passed, and a deputation of three members of the Cape Egmont Athletic Club, Messrs. Guild, Sullivan and Corbett, waited on the board re the formation of a track for the sporting events. It was decided to grant the Athletic Club a £ for £ subsidy, the work to be done with the putting down of a permanent pasture, which is now under way.