MATIERE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144085, 2 May 1913, Page 4

MATIERE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Quito the greatest subject of . discussion hero has been the visit and business transacted by tbo Hon. .Mr. Massey, Prime Minister, and the result has bean highly satisfactory to the whole district. A reception committee on which Mr. O. IL.Mackinder and others were placed did yeoman service, and both Mr/'Massey and the raefnber for tho district (Mr. Wilson) expressed themselves as very pleased with the arrangements made and which left nothing to be desired. Messrs. J. VV. Thompson and J. H. Lyoii drove out with a couplo of buggies to Okahufcura, Mr. Sickens, of Ofcaugiwai, also accompanying the vehicles. At 9.30 on Wednesday, 23rd, Mr. Massey, accompanied by Messrs. Thomson and Furby, private secretaries, and Mr. 0. K. Wilson, M.P., alighted from the second express. There wore also in tbo party Mr. Vickerman, of tho Public Works engineering, staff, and Mr. Steel, of the King Country Chronicle, Mr. Winter, of the Taumarnmii Press, also was the •‘duel takin notes” lor tho Auckland Herald. Leaving Okahukura by the new' roaC.tbe buggies were, cased at. the steepest grade by tbo majority walking to ‘'stretch their .legs,” as , they expressed it. At a spot near the top a large kiln of papa was in process of burning, and a very short length of road remains to bo metalled with this material. A portion ot tbo new road lias boon dressed with pumice and a part with a very hard variety of excellent roCk,»a species of shell formation the writer has never seen before, but which will evidently stand wear “till tho cows oomo home.” At Mahirakau, five miles from Matiere, the residents had assembled, and tho requests for a school, post office and telephone were readily granted by the Prime Minister in his usual blunt and breezy style, with always this proviso that "the matter would be submitted to the various Ministers' affected, with his recommendation behind them. Matiere was reached shortly bofore 12 o'clock, quid the school children assembled near a festoon of flags and decorations, cross : ing tho road opposite tho Arcadia Hotel. gave the Prime Minister three hearty cheers, which were followed by the energetic secretary of tho reception committee (Mr. 0. H. Mackinder) readihg ah'address and presenting the same to Mr. Massey. Alter a short speech atVd’ the granting of a holiday to tho children at Mr. Massey’s request the party, joined hy Mr. Jennings, the late metnber, sat down to an excellent lunch provided by Mr. Phillips, of tho Arcadia, after which fresh teams were requisitioned to take the party ' to Otangiwai, where a large concourse of settlers, met the party at the school, where, after driving through a decorated arch, tho Prime Minister listened to an address read hy n little gild, the daughter of Mr. L. Faubhelle, who oy her beautiful enunciation and perfect English drew hearty. commendation from the recipient of the address. The Prime Minister also complimented Mr. Bichenson on the reader’s proficiency, stating the matter was unique and tho pupil a credit to his teaching. Mr. Massey addressed tho assembled scholars and settlers, and alter begging a holiday for the children, gave a snort address to tho set tiers‘in appreciation of the address and the welcome extended to him, the party then adjourned to tho schoool, where deputations met Mr. 'Massey re the widening of the MatiereMirohuiao Hoad (Te Ivuiti-Matierc Hoad), and also tho widening of the Otangiwai-Onganie Road, together with the question of subsidy for metalling by loan raised by tho ratepayers. The question of throwing open burnt-out forest reserves was also put, and to all, including the granting of a hall site, Mr. Massey gave cither a straight-out promise or very encouraging answers when the matter related to departments ether than those controlled by hirasedf. Tho ladies of the district having provided a long table furnished with many tempting comestibles the party sat down to a social cup of tea, during which our Worthy member gave an exposition of expert nursing, taking the offspring of a well-known Settler’s wifo as his subject. After a speech by Mr. Mas-oy and a few words from Mr. C. K. Wilson, M.P., the party drove off on their return to Matiero amid cheers from tho large gathering of assembled settlors and tho strains of the bagpipes played in costumed by Mr. Francis Colin Stewart, thus closing what must ho, considered, a, rod-letter-day tor Otangiwai. Arriving at Matiere at .4.30 the Prime Minister, after a.short interval, received deputations at the Arcadia Hotel, where tho large comxnwoialroom was filled with settlers arid press representatives. The matter of delay in the erection of the post was brought forward by Mr. C. H. Mackinder, and the Prime Minister promised to push matters along. ' The question of tho railway was brought forward by Mr. Bicheno and a like favourable reply was received. Tho main road, was very ably advocated by Mr. Rogers, who had previously appeared in deputations at Otangiwai, and by his eloquent advocacy and quaint expression drew forth a hearty laugh or two from the Hon. Mr. Massey and the assemblage, particularly when-he stateil that tho Government continually adjured them to “keep their cradles full,” but that his family of thirteen consumed in flour alouo one ■ hundred pounds weekly, and that it everyone was like himself “the bottom would bo knocked 'out of the Government’s immigration scheme.” The Primo Minister expressed tho wish laughingly that Mr. Rogers would continue to be a "pattern to others and that they seeing. his good example would do likewise. Mr. Rogers’ appeal for better’ road facilities and cheaper living appealed , very strongly to, the Prime Minister. Mr. , J. H. Lyon, the other speaker for roads, put forward tho claim of the settlers for a better main road, pointing out that the cost of marketing sheep, etc., was prohibitive and that settlers who had paid up to 21s per hundred for flour were not making sufficient out ot their holdings to carry on; also that the estate of. tho road in winter precluded travelling and that those who'went out to undergo surgical operations had their few chances of life dissipated by the jolting journey. Mr. Massey undertook to extend the service mad metalling to Matiero, a distance of over five miles, the same to be taken from the railway;vote and put down in burnt papa, of which with suitable firewood there is abundance on tho road itself. Mr. Massey was shocked to hear from the samo speaker that no practicable access existed to tho cemetery, and undertook to see about tho drainage and forming of a road to tho cemetery through -tho Crown land, that tho

scandal of handing coffins over a wire fence might-cease. The whole of the deputations received straight-out promises that the matters would be done or that they would be represented to the Ministers responsible with Mr. Mas-, soy's strong recommendation behind them. The business over the party, to the number of eighty, sat down to one of the best dinners ever provided in. the district, and the havoc among feathered denizens of the farmyard would nearly equal the dream of a modern day Sancho Panza. Mr. J. H. IWtyn, acted as chairman, and had on his right" Mr. Massey and on his left Mr. C. K. Wilson, the energetic and popular member .for the district. A number of, ladies also graced the repast, but .ow-ing-to the Targe number Outside who were djnnorless it -was decided, to omit a number of toasts, those honoured being "Mr. Massey and his Ministry,” proposed by the Chairman, who ak-o proposed the usual loyal toast "' ‘The King.” Mr. Massey, on rising to respond, was greeted with an ovation,' and responded briefly, stating that Iro was there to fulfil a promise made three years ago to the chairman and other settlers, whose invitation to visit v the district had .been renewed from -time to time, but political-pressure had rein dcred it impossible to come before. His impression- of. tho district was a very favourable one, and , ho 1 thought that, as a dairying and general farming district, it was one of great promise. Tho next toast was proposed by Mr. Bicheno, “Mr. Wilson; M.P., and the Parliament,” and was responded to by the member in his usual nearty and cheery manner. Mr. Massey .then proposed the health of the chairman in eulogistic terms, the chairman - briefly responding, Tho Chairman then proposed tho health of “The Hosts” (Mr. and Mrs. 6. Phillips), and said that the menu provided would reflect credit even in a largo centre and that it was the finest and best managed function that had ever been prepared in -the Ohura Valley. Mr. Bicheno responded on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Phillips, and the diners then adjourned to tho-hali, their places being taken, by those .unable to obtain scats before. The menu, as the production of a new , busty district, is worth producing Soup, tomato; fish, lobster pates: entrees, ham and chicken pie, fricasseed duck; poultry, roast turkey, fowls and ducks; joints, roast lamb end miuco sauce, roast pork and apple, sauce, ox tongues,,. York ham; vegetables, pens, pumpkin,, potatoes, kumaras.! beeroot, tomatoes;, sweets, fruit■ trifle, plain trifle, fruit salad, Charlotte Russo, passion fruit, jelly, figs, bananas; savouries, macaroni cheese; dessert, fruit, nuts, etc.; tea and coffee.

.As I have already trenched heavily on your space I will reserve the report of the social, etc., for next issue.