DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1926, Page 12

DISTRICT NEWS.

WAITOITOI-URENUI. I From Our Own Correspondent.) The Mimi schoolroom was the scene of quite a pleasant little gathering on Thursday evening last, when a number of local residents, together with a good contingent from Lrenui, met to bid farewell and uuu voyage to Miss D. Simpson (head teacher of the school) on the occasion of her departure for Whangainomona, at which place she is entering upon scholastic duties. The proceedings took the form of dancing, interspersed with a few songs, which were well rendered by Mrs. G. Toms and C. Smith (Urenui) and Mr. Jos. Johnson (Waitoitoi), all being heartily applauded and re-de leaded. Mrs. J. Johnson and Miss M. Smith played the accompaniments, and the music for the. dance was contributed by Mrs. G. Salway, Miss B. Frost, Misss M. Smith and others. As M.C. Mr. E. Jones was most obliging, and kept the ball rolling merrilv.

After supper, Mr. Chas. Musker (chairman of the school committee), on behalf of the residents, presented Miss Simpson with a very 'handsome travelling rug which, he stated, was given as a slight token of the esteem and respect in which Miss Simpson was held in the district. During the five years in which she had been in charge of the school, Miss Simpson had shown excellent results as regards the examinations and in other respects good work had also been accomplished, while the moral tone of the school has not been neglected. Again expresing the regret felt at Miss Simpson’s departure, he wished her every 'success and prosperity in the future. Miss Simpson said that from all she could gather of the climatic conditions of Whangainomona the valuable rug they had so generously given her would be most acceptable. She thanked them all most heartily for the kind words spoken by Mr. Musker, and also for their thoughtfulness in presenting such a handsome token of their goodwill. The audience then sang £, For she’s a jolly good fellow,” after which dancing was resumed for an hour or so. The guessing competition for the. pig presented by Mr. Chas. Musker resulted in a win for Miss Howell, of Urenui. Previous to the dispersal of the school on the Friday following, Miss Simpson was the recipient of a gold-mounted fountain pen, the presentation being made by Master Alan Ridgley on behalf of. his fellow scholars, who wished their teacher every success in her future home. Miss Simpson feelingly acknowledged the good wishes and also the handsome gift. After a splendid autumn, both as regards climatic and feed conditions, during the past week or so we have-Jiad a somewhat pronounced reminder that winter is at hand. There has consequently been a considerable drop in the milk -supply, although the local factory is still turning out some 'Sixteen cheeses a day. Most of the dairy herds will shortly only be milked once daily, so it may bo said that the end of the season 1925-26 is practically in sight. From what can be gathered, it should easily be a record one, as far as this district is concerned; as regards production, while, as the prices have been uniformly good for cheese, most of our dairy farmers should come out on the right side of the ledger. This is attributed in some measure to the increased amount of top-dressing which is being practised on many farms, and although the purchase of the necessary fertilisers takes a fair slice of the milk cheques, it seems to be generally acknowledged that this course pays in the long run, and it is found that it is absolutely compulsory if the highest maximum of production is to be attained. Another matter receiving more attention than was the case in bygone years is the tripoding, or chain harrowing, of the pastures, it having been conclusively proved that if the manure is evenly distributed over the different paddocks it not only materially increases the growth of grass, but also eliminates the rank patches of vegetation which the cows will not touch.

The manager of the local factory (Mr. J. Thompson) has been busily engaged during the past week or so in getting his show cheese away. He is exhibiting somewhat extensively this season, and will have three exhibits in the New Plymouth show, six in the Auckland, eleven at Waikato, five at Hawera, and one in the Australian show to be held at Melbourne, besides intending to enter in others at a later date. Judging by the success achieved last year, there is no reason why the factory should not get a share of the plums that are offering this season. On Saturday evening last between thirty and forty residents (armed with an adequate supply of tin cans) assembled at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Fuller (who some few* weeks ago returned from tlieir wedding tour) for the purpose of wishing them success in their newly married life. The visitors were most hospitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Fuller, and several toasts were honoured, chief amongst them being the health of the bride and bridegroom, which was drunk most enthusiastically. Before departing, Mr. Jas. Rockett, on behalf of those present, thanked Mr. and Mrs. Fuller for their hospitality, and wished them both every success and prosperity in their future life. Several sportsmen from New Plymouth paid a visit to this locality on Saturday last, accompanied by dogs and guns, for the purpose of opening the shooting season, whilst the reports of firearms at intervals during the day announced the fact that local men were also trying their luck. So far, no record bags have been registered, but no doubt further back better results will be achieved.

Owing to the decreased attendance the Mimi School is now under the control of only one teacher instead of two, as has been the case during the past few years. The head teacher (Miss D. Simpson) Jias been transferred to Whangamomona, while the assistant mistress (Miss B. Frost) will be in charge for one month, after which period a permanent teacher will be engaged.

Every preparation is being made by the energetic joint secretaries (Messrs. S. O. Skelton and R. Musker) to ensure that the grand ball, which is to be lield in the Urenui Hall on Wednesday evening, will be a most successful function, the object of which is to obtain funds to assist the Mimi Tennis Club in laying down a couple of asphalt courts. When it is said that Orr’s orchestra has been engaged there is no room for doubt that everything will be satisfactory as regards music, while a first-class sitdown supper has been arranged for.

With such a deserving object in view a large attendance from the surrounding district and outsider centres may be confidently expected. Large numbers of cattle and sheep still continue to pass through from the back country en route to the Waitara freezing works. Although probably, as regards the former, many of the lines are not so prime as those sent earlier in the season, still some first-class bullocks may still be seen on the road. With a long drive, and very little feed on the roads or in the accommodation paddocks, it is not surpiising that the animals do not look at their best by the time their destination is reached. The White Cliffs tunnel is now reported to be in very good order, although the outlet at this end is not all that could be desired. Under somewhat adverse weather conditions the football season, as regards the junior competition held under the auspices of the Taranaki Rugby Union, was opened at Urenui on Saturday last, when the local fifteen met and defeated Clifton first juniors by 11 points to nil. Play commenced during a shower, and the greasy state of the ball prevented anything startling in the way of spectacular football being displayed. In the first spell A. Holcombe and M. Jonas each crossed their opponents’ line, the try of the latter being converted by W. Skelton, and when half-time was called the score ‘was 8 to nil. B. Jonas was the only player to score in the second half, and the kick at goal failing to materialise, the result was Urenui 11, Clifton nil, when the final whistle blew. One of the features of the game was the fine form shown by Arthur Halcombe, who is a fast improving player and a tower of strength to the Lrenui dub. Mr. Andrews capably controlled the game, his decisions being prompt and satisfactory. The attendance was not so large as it probably would have been had the weather been more propitious, but still there were a fair number of the greens’ supporters present. The first juniors will have a bye next Saturday, and a match is being arrange ed to take place on the recreation ground with a team from Pukearuhe, which will not only be the means of keeping the home team in form, but also enable the visitors to get some practice in view of their coming contests with Okoke and Waitoitoi. On the same day a closely contested game was played between Uruti and Tongaporutu on the ground of the former, who were defeated by 3 points to nil.

A pleasing feature of this season s football is the interest being displayed, by the boys attending the schools in this district, Urenui school have played matches with both the Okoke and Waitoitoi schools, defeating the former by 48 points to 3, and the latter by 26 to nil.