ELTHAM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13797, 31 October 1908, Page 10

ELTHAM.

{From Our Own Correspondent.) October 28.— The meeting held hero recently to discuss Harbour Board matters did not attract many ratepayers, but those who wero present evinced a keen interest in the address. Mr Marx cave a very clear interpretation ot the Act and its advantages. There i\as a little skirmishing at times. A resident accused Mr Marx of being a turncoat. Mr Marx replied that his questioner failed to recognise tho difference between a fair question and an insult. From what I can gather the Act seems to be favourably looked upon in this town, business people recognising that the better the harbour facilities the more chance of expanding the operations of the district by reducing the number of handlings of produce, etc. A few opponents — there are only a few try to build up hostility by working interest iv Patca harbour. Things political are livening up. Who will get tho first leg-in (there is nothing surer than a second ballot) is a difficult matter to ascertain. Mr Wilkinson is making good progress, his business ability being recognised by many as a substantial reason for supporting him. His policy is Opposition. Ho will also capture a fair portion of tho prohibitionist vote. Mr Wako has been getting good attendances at his meetings and that is :> fair criterion of tho Interest taken in his meetings. Hc< will share with Mr Wilkinson the temjwauee vnte sind ;is a Government candidate will poll heavily at Elthani and probably at Opunake. Mr Dive, is standing up to electioneering husineps ill a manner pleasing to his supporters.

in the small country towns, partieulary south of Eltham, I expect to see Mr [)ive poll heavily. Mr Astbury was irst to open the addresses and he had i splendid meeting in Eltham the. last ;imo he spoke. He has visited all the lolling places and made his intentions mown, and the "man from Mahoe nay get in the final although your >wn" believes the middle men on the aallot paper Dive and Wake will bo [eft to fight out the finish. A fairly heavy frost occurred hero an Tuesday night, but the damage don© to potatoes was small, and it had J»ttie affect on the grass. The quality or tho orass compared with, last year may be gauged from the fact that one farmer with five less cows is receiving 200 lbs mote milk daily, whilst Mr F. Death is getting 1070 lbs from twenty-four cows. Tii© slaughter of calves continues, the writer called on ono farmer who had knocked twenty-five on the head and was preparing the hides for the skin sales. Pigs are being raced along, the good prices offering giving farmers every inducement to feed them up. Pig buy- j ers are scouring the country, but a prominent buyer informed the writer that he anticipates a decrease in the prices now offering. The secretary of the Eltham Bacon Factory informs me that the year's workings have been satisfactory. The prices to *be given for pigs prevent any big profits being made but probably shareholders do not mind that, for the chances are that if the big outside firms could only crush the local opposition, they would immediately lower prices. So the farmer goes without his factory dividend but more than makes it up by the good prices offered through the competition for porkers. The Eltham Fire Brigade has arranged a series of competitions to be held shortly. Some fine trophies are included in the prizes. The competition will also serve the purpose of giving the brigade the chance of picking the strongest team to attend the demonstration at Auckland in February. The Kaponga cricketers and riflemen had a day out her this afternoon, when the Eltham cricketers fell again in tho trial cricket match, whilst the Volunteers also lost to the riflemen. Tho day was not of the best for shooting, but some fair scores were registered. ,