DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 3, 9 November 1906, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

Intending subscribers to the King Country Chronicle are requested to notify their nearest agent, or the publishing office, to enter their names on the subscription list as soon as possible, in order that the paper may be forwarded without interruption. It is stated that the construction of telephone wire round the Kawhia Harbour, has been commenced. Matters in connection with the pro- . posed Farmers Auctioneering Company, are progressing favourably. At the recent meeting at Ohaupo, a motion in favour of the formation of the company, was carried unanimously, and over £2OOO worth of shares were taken up at the Ohaupo sales. A vigorous canvass of the Waikato and King Country districts has been initiated, and the success of the scheme appears to be assured. Many are commenting on the coming disposal of some of the Te Kuiti Village Settlement sections. All-the others, with one exception, are l.i.p. sections, but these will be freehold and sold by public auction. It is to be hoped that they do not fall into the hands of one owner, as residential sites are badly wanted on many.

Building operations are very much in evidence in Te Kuiti just now. The contract for the erection of a shop alongside Messrs Green and Colebrook's store for Mr W. McNaught has been secured by Mr Baucke, and the building is to be completed in a month. A start has also been made on a shop for Mr Nicholls just below Mr McNaught's section, Messrs Mordaunt and Bailey being the contractors. A sports club has been formed at Kawhia a#d an excellent programme has been drawn up for the initial meeting, to be held early in the New Year..

This seasoq has been on exceptionally good one for lambs. Reports from all quarters chronicle unusually good records, in some cases reaching 140 per cent. The Kawhia Town Board election takes place on the 14th inst. A cycle club has been formed at Taumarunui, and the first race in connection therewith takes place on Saturday, November 10th. The King's Birthday will be a gala day at Taumarunui. The race meeting will be followed by a ball, promoted by the Club, and a very pleasant time is anticipated.

A tribute to the excellence of New Zealand meat, was recently paid by Dr. T. H. Valentine, of the Health Department. When visiting a consumptives Sanatorium in England, the Doctor remarked on the excellent quality of some steak given to the patients, and learned that all the meat used at the institution came from New Zealand. Dr. Valentine found that meat from this colony was used in all but one of the Sanatoria in England. Sir Joseph Ward will leave for England early in February, and expects to be back in time for the opening of next session of Parliament. The crusade in favour of the Land Bill will be inaugurated next month, and the Minister of Lands will have the assistance of the Premier in the North Island.

With the approach of summer a renewed activity in tourist traffic is felt, and the Wanganui River service from Taumarunui has been increased. Boats now leave on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on the down trip. Instead of choosing, a subject for debate at Thursday night's meeting of the Te Kuiti Debating Society it was decided to go through an imaginary toast list, when the members will propose and respond to toasts, and speak on subjects which may be introduced at social gatherings. The proprietors of the Chronicle will be glad if settlers from outlying districts, requiring to write letters while in Te Kuiti, will use the Chronicle office for that purpose. In this, and all other matters, pertaining to the convenience and welfare of settlers, we wish them to understand that the Chronicle is prepared to assist.

A fine lambing result is reported this season from Mahoenui. Mr E. Moore's flock returned 700 lambs from 600 ewes. A few results of this description, would entice the most sanguine cattle man to forsake beef for wool* One of the Government rabbitters at Kihikihi recently gave an exhibition of the use of bi-sulphide of carbon for destroying rabbits in the burrows by sufiocation. The process is a simple one. A piece of cloth about 2in. square is placed in a small round tin 2in. in depth, and having a twisted wire handle attached. The piece of cloth having been saturated with the bi-sulphide, is taken out with a pair of tongs, and thrust into a rabbit burrow. It is ignited by throwing in a lighted match, when usually a slight explosion occurs, with a small burst of flame. The hole is then covered in, and the fumes suffocate the rabbits. The experiment was watched by several farmers who seemed satisfied with the result.

The following items appear on the Supplementary Estimates in connection with the late Mr Seddon: —Expenses re decease and burial, £1150; expenses incurred during his last visit to Australia, £579 ; national memorial (£l for £l subsidy up to £15,000), £15,000; cost of portrait, £lO5

At the recent Nelson Anglican Synod the following resolution was carried:—"That while fully appreciating and grateful for the efforts of Church members throughout the diocese gratuitously made for maintaining and extending the Church's work, this Synod discountenances dances as a means of raising funds for any Church purposes whatsoever."

The man who was lost in the bush below Taumarunui for twenty-one days, and who is now in the Waikato hospital, is making a good recovery, and Dr Douglas hopes to be able to save the heels of his feet.

On Saturday last a somewhat painful accident happened to a son of Mr W.McNaught, saddler, Te Kuiti. The lad was riding along Taupiri-street, and when opposite the Chronicle office the pony shied and dislodged its rider. In falling the boy got under the pony's heels and received a kick on the head. The injury was not serious, and, after being attended to by the local chemist, the lad was able to walk home.

At the recent Mission Meeting in in Auckland Bishop Neligan announced that he had received instructions from the Standing Committee to set about procuring two more Home Missionaries, From previous statements by the Bishop this will mean at least one of the new missionaries will be appointed to the King Country.

Mr M. M. Kirkbride. M.H.R., for Manukau died on Sunday last. The deceased gentleman was 56 years of age and had been in the colony 42 years. He was a strong supporter of the Farmers' Union, and was first returned to Parliament at the general election of 1902, when he defeated Sir Maurice O'Rourke. Mr Kirkbride was a man of sterling character and his loss will be widely felt both in Parliament and in private life.

The Minister of Lands, replying to a question by Mr Jennings, M.H.R., said that inquiries would be made into the matter of increased representation on the Wanganui River Trust, and, if necessary, an amending Bill will be introduced next session. A demand for New Zealand stock for Australia is setting in and last Saturday about 200 Shropshire, and Border Leicester ewes and rams, shipped at Dunedin and Lyttleton for New South Wales breeders, were taken by the s.s. Warrimoo to Sydney. At a recent meeting of the Land Board at Wellington, it was stated that the rates of interest on some recent mortgages effected by Crown tenants were at the rate 6% to 7 per cent The opinion expressed by members of the was, that the rate was very reasonable, seeing that the Bank of England lately raised its discount rates to SH per cent, the highest known In the history of the bank.

A residence for the ganger (Mr Glynn) has been erected on the station reserve, at Te Kuiti. building was removed from Kiwitahi.

Alterations to the Te Kuiti railway station here have been made by puting the building further back and so widening the platform, which has been gravelled. The Public School has been closed during the last two weeks to permit the shifting of the old school to another part of the ground, where a new addition has been erected. Additions are also to be made to the dwelling. All are anxious that the work should be completed as soon as possible so as to permit school work to commence again.

Mr J. A. Kinsella has resigned his position as Chief Dairy Commissioner for New Zealand, and his resignation has been accepted by the Government. It is understood that Mr Kinsella will return to Canada, and that Mr D. Cuddie, Assistant Chief Commissioner, will probably succeed to the vacancy.

We have had the pleasure this week of inspecting a buggy which has just been re-painted by Messrs Bevege and Son, painters, Te Kuiti. The workmanship is of first-class order and reflects great credit on the firm. The Sections of Te Kuiti Village Settlement lands, situated on the opposite side of the Mangaokewa river to the railway station," are to be sold by public auction at Te Kuiti on November 23rd. We have to acknowledge the receipt of many congratulations, both from contemporaries in all parts of the colony, and private well-wishers.

In connection with our article on Education in the back-blocks, appearing in another column, it is interesting to note that applications have already been made for a teacher for the Te Maika and Taharoa districts, and for another teacher for tne Marakopa and Kiritehere districts. In the article " Old Recollections of the King Ccuntry," which appeared in last week's issue of the "Chronicle," it was made to appear that the price paid to Mr J. Hetet for packing goods from Te Kuiti to Taumarunui was 50/per ton. This should have read £SO per ton.

The opening of the International Exhibition at Christchurch on November Ist is described as a brilliant and imposing pageant. The opening ceremony was performed by the Governor, and there was a very large attendance of Members of Parliament. The total attendance numbered close on 37,000, exceeding that of the Melbourne Exhibition on opening day by nearly iooo. A consignment of honey from the Waikato Bee-keepers Association has been sent to the International Exhibition at Christchurch. Mr Hopkins, the Government bee expert, regards the Waikato honey as second to none in the world. The Minister for Lands has notified the Kinohaku branch of the Farmers' Union that the work of fencing, and grassing the stock reserves, between that place and Waikato will be undertaken at once.

The line to Raurimu is being pushed ahead, and with the early completion of the Piopiotea bridge the rails should be laid to Raurimu early in December. From Oio to Raurimu, a distance of five and a-half miles, the line runs through fairly easy country, and the grades are better than between Kakahi and Oio.