WAITARA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143580, 19 August 1911, Page 4

WAITARA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.! August 16.—At the conclusion of the usual business of . the Druids Lodge on Monday evening, a debate took place on the subject, "is gambling an evil;-'” Ihe affirmative was taken by Bro. T. Ewen.s, and the negative by Bro. G. li. Mollar. An interesting debate resulted, the consensus of opinion being that gambling is an evil. Mr. W. 1. Jennings, M.P., the sitting member for 'J aumaruiuii, is to be opposed at the next general election by Mr. J. Bodclie, of Te Kuiti, wiio is standing as an Oppositionist. A branch of the Good Templar Lodge was formed in U’xiitara on Tuesday evening. The new lodge is to be called the Prince of Peace Lodge, No. 72, 1.0.G.T. Sister Grimloy presided, and the following officers were elected and installed bv Bro. G. Andrews, G.C.T.: C.T., Bro.’Herrick; V.T., Sis. Kettle; secretary, Sis. Sherlock; F. S. Sis.Bicheno; treasurer, Sis. Syme; Marshal, Sis. Ulander; D.M., Sis. M. Jones; assistant secretary, Sis. Gaustad; Chaplain, Bro. SV. Lawrence; P.C.T., Bro. Wakcley; Guard, Bro. Pearce. The meeting was closed in peace and prayer by Bro. Herrick, C.T.

Mr. A. J. Jury, of Hawora, has taken over the Club Hotel, which has been conducted for several years past by Mr. A. T. Lake. / ' . r 1 am informed that it is the intention of the liquor party to shortly enlist the services of a distinguished orator who will stump the Dominion with a view of setting forth the alleged faliicies of prohibition. The scheme , for a new town hall is not mooting with what one could call unanimous support. There arc quite a number of residents who have “no tickets” on town hall or any other halls for that matter. They / possess’ no leanings to the histrionic an, and look upon plays and players ns frivolous ami unnecessary. Tjicir idea of life is “plenty.of plain living and high thinking/'’ these good ptopio are, of course, quite entitled to their own opinions, hut in these matters tho majority must rule. No matter what scheme is brought forward in a town there will always he some against ’lt. Fur instance, the Maitara water suplily scheme was, ns the poll disclosed, opposed by some 60 ratepayers, 'those 6u odd residents were quite satisfied vyith .their wells and tanks. They were not interested in any other portion of the town, and they voted accordingly, because the bugbear ol their existence is rates. Where would all the, progressive towns in tho Dominion he to-day if they had not sanctioned loans? Why, dragging along in the same style they uid thirty or forty years ago, Wuitara dragged long enough, goodness knows, but she is now well out of the rut, with no danger of getting hack into it. At the Palmerston Territorial training camp, the North Taranaki .Mounted Rifles were represented by Lieut. J oil, Quartermaster-Sergeant Hawkins, ttergt.-Major Jcmiins, Sergts. Chappell and Tline, and Trooper Kennedy.

There is a possibility of the harbour board erecting another shed, between Wood Bros’, store and the wool shed. This is due to the New Zealand .Shipping Co. requiring more space for the storage of their wool. Mr. A. Oxley, who has been one of the Bank of New Zealand staff here for the last few years, has been transferred to Hunterville. Fie was entertained at a social on Saturday evening by a number of friends in the Foresters’ Hall. The proceedings took the form of dancing, cards and music. During an interval Mr. fl. K. Gilbert, on behalf of those present, offered congratulations on the guest's advancement, and wished him bon voyage. The function concluded with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” shortly before midnight. Mr, Oxley loft for Hunterville on Tuesday. An interesting relic of the historic past, in the shape of an old fashioned pistol, is in the possession of .Mr. A. W. Ogle, of Waitnra. The weapon was given to the present owner by tin 1 late Mr. M. Cunningham, who was in his vonng clays a member of the Papal Zouaves, who went over from Ireland to assist Pius the Ninth in liis struggle with the Piedmontese army. The officer in charge of the company Mr. Cunningham served in was Patrick Buckley, who, years Inter, figured largely' in New Zealand polities, and was knighted for his services in that respect.