DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 9, 21 December 1906, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

At the recent banquet tendered to Mr H. Poland, at Waikino, reference was made to the probable inclusion of Waihi in the Ohincmuri electorate before next election. At present Waihi is in the Bay ol Plenty electoral district.

Work is now being done on the main road between Te Kuiti and Awnkino, and a party of men are getting out a quanty rhyolite, for metalling the road near the nine mile peg. This material was given a trial on portion of the road last winter, and was found to answer very well. Though not to be compared to metal, it resists the winter rains, and when there is not too much heavy traffic is a great improvement on the clay. The material is cheap, and as there is a large quantity obtainable it is to be hoped as much of the road as possible will be treated. A guessing competition in connection with the forthcoming Carnival at Te Kuiti has already been initiated. A bottle full of beans is on exhibition at Messrs Green aud Colebrook's, and the person guessing the nearestto the correct number of beans will be awarded £l. Tickets are issued to to the public at sixpence each a lid the result will be declared on the night of the sports. Parents and others will be glad to learn that the Te Kuiti school, which has been closed down for some weeks, will be re-opened on January 14th next.

The sculling match, to be rowed on the Wanganui river next week, between ex-world's champion Stanbury, and Webb, the New Zealand champion, is exciting a vast amount of interest. Both men have undergone a thorough course of training, and strip very ft. It is asking a big performance of the New Zealander, but his supporters are confident ot his ability to win. Stanbury is probably the most powerful oarsman that Australia has produced, though he is now getting on in years. However, his recent showing against Towns, proved him to be far from a spent light, and it is widely held that had it not been for an attack of muscular rheumatism during the last week of his training, he would have defeated Towns a second time. The New Zealander has no such record to his credit, but is acknowledged to be a finished sculler, and his admirers will be greatly disappointed if he does not put up a good fight for supremacy. It is reported that the Government have purchased 13,000 acres of the Te Akau block (Raglan County), from the Native owners.

Probably at no time in its history, has Te Kuiti worn such a busy appearance as at present. Signs of progress are apparent on _ all hands, and new buildings are being erected on both sides of the river. The new billiard-room for Mr Kerr is well under weigh, and should be completed soon after Christmas. The shops for Mr Nicholls and Mr McNaught are well advanced, and an office for Mr Hine has been completed. Messrs Mordaunt and Bailey have contracts on hand for several other buildings, and Mr Taylor has also accepted orders for two new residences. MiTaylor is securing the section adjoining Messrs Ormsby's, and is starting a shop and timber yard. The Wanganui iriver service has now been increased to a daily service on the Wanganui-Pipiriki section. At a sale of pedigree Shorthorns, held recently at Inverness, Scotland, the prices obtained were decidedly sensational, the following being samples :—l2 yearling heifers averaged £139 16s 6d, 8 heifer calves averaged £ll3 8s 6d, 52-year-old heifers averaged £2Ol 7s 9d, 8 1-year-old heifers averaged £lO5. Negotiations for the borrowing of £7OOO for the completion of the new wards at the Waikato Hospital, are not yet completed. With regard to the improved railway service between Te Kuiti and Hamilton, the Vigilance Committee has been informed by the Chief Traffic Manager, Wellington, that the matter will have consideration, and a reply will be forwarded at an early date. The names of Major Lusk and Mr N. B. Lusk, have been added to the list of stewards of the Te Kuiti Sports Carnival.

The Government Native Dispenser reports that there is a great deal of sickness amongst the Maoris at Oparure and Te Kumi. All arc cases of influenza with complications.

Photography lias indeed arrived at the stage when it may be termed a "fine art." We have had the pleasure of inspecting some enlargements and coloured photographs done by Mr E. H. Hardy, of Te Kuili, which are, indeed, works of art, the coloured photographs being most pleasing, and the enlargements, from photographs of Mr Hardy's own taking, are principally of local interest.

The Te Kuiti butter factory is now in full swing', and the daily output is about 200lbs. The net return for the past month, which is just to hand, show that £231 4s 8d worth of butter was manufactured. The English cricketers pljiyed and completed the first match of the tour on Monday last at Auckland, when a drawn game was the result. The visitors passed through Te Iviiiti on Tuesday last, en route for the South, via the Wanganui i-iver. One hundred and thirty debentures were offered by the Te Kuiti Debating Society, and out of this number 100 have already been applied for. The time for receiving applications has been extended to January nth. During last week, and the beginning of this week, Messrs McNicol and Co. have sent away from Te Kuiti 19 trucks of fat cattle, and six trucks of fat lambs. This, in a small way, shows what is being done in the way of export in this district. At Hasting last week, a settler was fined lOs, and 15s costs, for sending cows to an auction sale without having them properly milked beforehand. The Bench said the practice of not milking cows before a sale, was a general one, but buyers were not deceived by it.

It is estimated that considerably over a million feet of sawn limber is sent out from the King Country mills every month. For the past four weeks about 600,000 feet were sent down on the railway lo Waikato, this, in addition to Ihe local demand,' ; is continually increasing. In consequence of the prolonged spell of dry weather, grass tires are reported from the Ashiwrton district in Canterbury. A considerable amount of damage has been wrought. In response of the appeal of Mrs Graham, of Hamilton, we have to acknowledge the following shilling subscriptions, for the purchase of a Christmas gift for each of the patients in the Waikato Hospital: Collected by Mr W. McNaught, 5s ; Miss Melling, Is; Mr Oiol'sson Is. The Christmas number of the CHRONICLE will be issued next week. A most interesting ceremony will take place at Te Kuiti on New Year's Day, when a number of young Maoris will be joined in holy wedlock, according to the custom of the Pakeha. It is stated that the number of couples to be made happy, is about eight, and the occasion will be celebrated by a large assemblage at the Maori meeting house. Word has been received from Mr W. T.Jennings, M.H.R., to the effect that he will accept the position of patron to the King Country Carnival, to be held at Te Kuiti, on January 29th next. Mr Jennings also expressed the hope of being present at the carnival. The Maori language though closely allied with the phonetic system of spelling, offers numerous traps and pitfalls to the uninitiated, and the attempts of some people to cope with the difficulties are often ludicrous. A Te Kuiti resident recently received a letter addressed: "Teaquealy." The sender had evidently been instructed that the name was spelt phonetically, and struggled with the proposition accordingly. The forthcoming regatta, to be held at Hamilton, 011 January 19111 next, already promises to be a most successful carnival. A number of Auckland crews arc to compete, and arrangements have been made for a special train service from Auckland and Te Kuiti.