AWAKINO.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13673, 11 April 1908, Page 3

AWAKINO.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) • 'April 10.— The proposal to place a bridge over the Mokau has at length taken tangible shape. A petition to the Minister for Public Works is now being largely signed. Prior* to his sal© last Thursday Mr. Newton King spoke tersely on the subject. fie urged the ' Auckland and Taranaki neople whom he saw present to sign. \ The ferry as it stood now Was a hindrance to the prosperity of the district. In the interest of all, a bridge ■ must bo substituted. He also referred to what the district owed to Mr, Iredale for" bringing the subject forward so prominently. Ho hoped that the Government would see its Vay to meet tho views of' the settlers. Mr. Iredtije also spoke a few words, dipolainthig to be the originator of this idea. Ho said tho thanks was due* to Mr. Tom Elliot, of Mahoenui. Heathen- introduced Mr. R. T. Battey, who .was in entiro sympathy with the movement, and issfid that the .rapidH strides which the district was makving warranted the provision of a bridge igsjteaa of the cumbersome lorry sorvi^i; Although a comparative stranger tp -those present, being a new, settler Hfe would like to see the pioneers earn tho f?-uit of. -their labours. , Mr. "William Holloway has returned to work, though ho feels stiff and soro, rV.om fho effects cf the Occident. When that lie Was nearer the face of tho graveV than tho bullock which, was killed, it will bo seen' what a . narrow escape he had. , If tbo ; present fine weather continues the works in progress .in? , the township, will soon be completed,'- and itsapjjearanre will lx> ;tleoide<Hy improved. A AWyie was to have been held at *%B T>cpds on Monday last for the school children, but rain fell copidusly, and the .hopes of the* children having a good time were dashed jto the ground. Tho fyiriuc will come off on Monday n»Kt> The footing competition' for the sadclle was won by\Mr. George Thomas with, a pcoro of 5G (iucluding handicap) at 500 and 600 yards. One of lje .colts, Mr. Pinnett, rattled on 83 oait of- 35 at 600 yarcL. ' We expect to fire a match with Urenui on Easter Monday. . / - Tho Collio Club will have a handsomo si^rnlus of from £15 to £20 onthis .yenrs opetcatfons, making a total of £30. Considering that tKe Club g?we aw*y £9 more, than last year, these figures are highly' satisfactory. My,', attention has been called to a paragraph which appeared in a contemporary reflecting somewhat on Awakmo end its residents. I have not seen tfbe paragraph myself, but they r^atement was uttered' in] a court of law. s Jfc was right r«Jyal dictum.' 'iA^akfpo," said my ledrnetl friend, that's where tltey pay lio taxes and have no Sunday." Now, if a fellow should "'pite* th liis checks"- and gi\ down, with that Ifthellod ou his back VJifit'sort !of a show wiJiikf* he have., provided Poter did. not know who w»u the ' oalumniatof ft I may inform tho gentleman tbat wo are paying rates--' «t leas,t ; the rosiilo'nts of the township; are, antt^-they do not begrudge it, the ratepaying r>eing entirely of their dovising, • for ' the benefit of ' the district, -Now, as for having no Sunday, when divipo service is on wq aimost all turn up; but it only happens once every tvtfo months, %a parsPn having his time fully occupied outside Wo are not nearly ,so loose 3J&I fety^JPJfy inhabitant qf w nuninj; ( w>wnsnip.. where I was pnqe' sojourning. There , were n about 300 of us., in the township — flotsam and jetsam from all parts of the world and not ope .female. One Sunday a clerieal^ gentleman /put in an appearance while we were at dinner. He entered intp conversation, with his nextdoor 'neighbour; (one of the hardest cases' of tfte crowd),, introduced himself,' and inquired whjft show he had of getting a oongregatrpn. "Wbl,*? said be jof th» hard features, "there's a boxing match at 1 o'clock, a chop* ping match at 1.30, and two-up at 2 o'clock. So I don?t think you have a 'ope. I don't think yon. have a 'ope/ "