DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 14, 1 February 1907, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

- —-■ The lease of a block of land, at Kawhia, containing about 6l acres, is gazetted for sale by public auction on February 28th. The section is situated about three miles from the township, and contains abont 10 acres of swamp land. A sitting of the Native Appellate Court at Ngaruawahia is gazetted for March 12th. Several cases affecting King Country lands are set down for hearing. Police Court humour is proverbial, and helps to lighten the atmosphere of what are often somewhat trying surroundings. At recent sitting of a King Country Court, a storekeep of foreign nationality, charged with keeping his shop open after the statutory hour for closing, pleaded ignorance of the law and that he would have some difficulty in clearing his shop at the stated hour. He suggested that the Inspector of Factories should supply him with notices stating the closing hour. His Worship said he could procure notices himself, and stick them all over the shop if he liked. Like lightning came the retort delivered with bland, and sauve demeanour: " Shall I stick them on the customers too." The Magistrate wasn't listening. The recent batch of appointments to the Legislative Council has not pet with widespread approval, though considering the variety of interests to be studied arid the number of expectant aspirants, this Is hardly to be wondered at. The new Councillors include eight North Island and six South Island representatives, and for the first time on record a King Country resident has been included among those appointed to the Upper House,

The derailed engine, near Ongarue, has now been sent down the line to Frankton, and will bo forwarded _ to Newmarket workshops for repairs. The engine has received very little damage and should soon be in commission again. Ihe work ol repairing the line at the scene ol the accident is being proceeded with. It is stated that a charge of assault, preferred against an ex-workman on the Main Trunk Line, by an Inspector, will be heard at Taumarunui nextCourt day, and will lead to some interesting' disclosures. The flood waters having subsided in Waikato, through connection was established on the railway on 1 uesday last. The damage to the line is less than was anticipated, though _ the necessary repairs will take a considerable amount of time. A large amount of bush has been burnt off in the various districts during the last week, and excellent burns are reported in most cases. 1 hose who got their burns started at the end of last week were fortunate, as a number of settlers waited until Monday, and their fires were extinguished by the heavy thunderstorm, which occurred on Monday afternoon. However, the damage in most cases is slight, and the opportunity to burn will be taken this week, providing the fine weather holds. Messrs Devlin and Donovan, the Irish envoys, are making a success!ul tour of the colony. Speaking at a recent meeting at Blenhiem, Mr Donovan stated they would take back with them the sum of £20,000 for the furtherance of the cause they represented.

Work on the Te Ku mi-Ma iron road was stopped this week. Efforts arc being made to induce the department to continue the work sufficiently to enable it to be used as a stock track, before winter sets in. The Native Land Commission formally opened at Christchurch this week. There has been no further appointment to the Commission which consists of Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justice, and Mr Ngata M.H.R. Mr C. P. Skerrett, the well known lawyer, has been appointed to represent ths Native land interests before the Commission.

The campaign in favour of the proposed Land Bill is being vigorously prosecuted by the Minister for Lands, who spoke during the week at various centres in the Wairarapa district. Nr McNab is expected to reach the King Country about the end of February. A campaign in favour of the freehold is contemplated by the Farmers' Union, and arrangements are being made for the advocates of the freehold to address meetings in various centres of the province. Mr Allen Bell will probably champion the freehold cause in the King Country.

On Wednesday, February 27th, the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Limited, will hold a special sale at Te Kuiti, of 400 wellbred 3 to 4-year-old fresh-conditioned steers, on account of Mr L. Bavley who has disposed of his property. About 300 odd head of cattle, principally grown steers, are already entered from other owners, which will make this a most important sale. Intending buyers of cattle should take note of this, as the bulk of the stock will be sold practically without reserve. Mr Melling, caretaker of Te Kuiti railway station, met with a rather painful accident this week. In closing the door of the goods shed he sprained his foot, and will be unable to walk on it for some time in consepuence. With reference to the report that Mr W. T. Jennings is not likely to contest the Taumarunui electorate at the next geiieral election, a letter has been received from Mr Jennings, by an Aria resident, stating that there are no grounds for such a statement. Sir Joseph Ward left Auckland tor Sydney on Monday last on his way to England to attend the Conference of Premiers in April next. Prior to his departure he was tendered a complimentary luncheon by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

Common coal tar has been demonstrated by Mr P. Merrigan, of Springbank, Barnawartha, to be usetul in destroying rabbits. A stone smeared with tar is placed at the mouth oi a burrow, and it is found that a rabbit will not pass over it to enter or leave the burrow. A number of burrows dug out a few days after being experimented on with the tar, were iound to contain many dead rabbits. In the course of his recent speech at Auckland, the Premier said there was a section of the community urging the Government to pass legislation conceding the right to men who, 10 or 15 years ago, obtained Crown lands under certain conditions of lease, to dispense with those covenants and acquire the freehold o! the land at the original value. " I tell you that you will never get any Legislature in this country to do anything of the kind,'' said the Premier," the only sale and proper way of bringing about such a change as the conversion of leasehold into freehold was by mutual agreement.