KOTARE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144130, 27 June 1913, Page 6

KOTARE.

(From a Correspondent.)

Juno 24.—Tho weather hojjo at timo of writing is all that can bo desired, but I can’t vouch for what it will bo when this appears in print. So far there is no shortage of feed, and' ail stock is looking well except those resident on tho long acre, and they seem to bo having a lively timo in trying to dodge our Argus-eyed poundkeCpcr and getting a nibble occasionally. There are a fair number of pheasants here this season, but if tho wholesale slaughter of hens continues 1 fear there will not be many next year. I don’t know if tho Acclimatisation Society has a ranger in these parts, hut if so 1 am afraid ho is not very active in its interests. Consequent ori the good weather, the roads aro in good order at present—that is, for this time of.tho year. Tho public works for tbo past few weeks have been very quiet here, but the shovels are moving again now, but 1 am afraid it will only be a short spasm. However, wo arc hoping for a substantial grant when tho new Estimates come out; but wc fear that Mr. Allen did not bring a very thick wad back with him, ami will bo doling it out pretty sparingly. Tho last time 1 wrote I had to complain of tho dearth of tho fair sox in these parts, hut this has been considerably lessoned during tho last few months, and what worries us at present is that wo have no hall or place of amusement where wo can meet them and enjoy their company. However, wo aro in hopes that this will be remedied shortly, as tho settlers aro seriously contemplating building a hall at an early date. By dint of groat patience and perseverance the Kotaro Progressive Committee has at last succeeded in persuading tho Commissioner of Crown Lands to have our township site surveyed and thrown open for selection, so if any of tho outside capitalists aro on tho lookout for ranking 'fortunes (prickly, now is the time to speculate in “town” sections. Ono more bugbear, in tho shape of tho present inconvenience some of tho settlers, havo in getting an education for their children, we hope will soon disappear, as there will shortly bo enough children of school age to'warrant building a school hern. At present the children aro boarded in tho next skjfflement, and of course that is an extra expense for tho poor baekbloeker. I hear that Mr. Astwood, a neigh- . bourlng settler, is putting in a sawmilling plant, and if this bo so it should prove a boon to the Kotaro and Okau settlements, as the present price of building timber with cartage added has proved almost prohibitive to : tho ordinary struggling settler. I hear, also, that the Okau factory suppliers have had a very successful season, and that there will ho several new suppliers for the coming season. No doubt the success is largely due to tho energetic and painstaking manager, Mr. Glentworth, who seems to have a thorough knowledge of the homo separation system.