DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 48, 20 September 1907, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

Journalists all over the world arc acknowledged to be a long-suffering liberal-minded class of individuals, who rarely resent a mild steal in the matter of news on the part of a contemporary. Still there are times when a protest is urgently necessary to restrain the roving scissors of a too voracious editor. The Waihi Times has recently installed a King Country News column, compiled from clippings from the Chronicle. This would not be so bad, but the column is. boldly headed " From our Own Correspondent." Thoroughness is widely acknowledged to the first essential to success in life, and to have aroused a protest from us our contemporary has been very thorough. The Mairoa loan, which was applied for last year, is to be put before the Government again this session, when it is hoped that provision will be made on the Estimiates for the amount asked for. The new application is for the sum of £7,000, in two annual amounts of £3,500 each. Bushfalling in various parts of the district is in full swing, and many of the settlers have already considerable areas chopped. However, in several instances there has been great difficulty experienced in obtaining men for the work, and it is stated the total acreage felled this season will fall very far short of the records of previous years.

A welcome change was experienced in the weather this week, and although one or two sharp frosts occurred, the succeeding days were sufficient reward for any degree of cold which proceeded them. Grass is springing well and stock are already beginning to show a corresponding increase in vitality. Sheep owners all round report excellent lambings, and this branch of the farming industry should show considerable expansion during the coming season. King Country residents owe much to the Hamilton Hospital and it is gratifying to learn that the obligation is recognised in various centres. The Otorohanga Football Club collected a sum of £3 5s at the benefit football match last Saturday, and doubtless the Hospital authorities will fully appreciate the Club's commendable action.

The partnership hitherto existing between Messrs Rigby and Warren, the well known Hamilton firm of architects, has been dissolved by mutual consent as from August 31st, and the business will be carried on by Mr Warren, at the late Ifirm's offices. An advertisement from Mr Warren appears in another column. The epidemic of influenza, which has been widespread in the King Country during the past couple of months, is now disappearing, though severe effects have been left behind to mark the visitation. The school attendance at Tc Kuiti, which was greatly reduced in consequence of influenza and measles, has increased to nearly the usual average. Measles arc prevalent among the Maoris at Kaipara, and a number of deaths are reported to have taken place. The severity of the epidemic has been greatly increased by the unusually bad weather experienced of late.

We have been asked to contradict an error which appeared in our last issue. An advertisement, re secondhand furniture, should have read as from Mordaunt and Bailey and not Mr Mordaunt as published,

Te Kuiti station-yard presented ; n unusually busy appearance on Wednesday evening of last week, the ballast train having" arrived with a gang of sixteen workmen. In a very short •."■pace of iime tents were erected in the yard, which assumed the appearance oi a miniature army encamp-s j, mint, and the men were saielv housed *. from the heavy rain. The invasion was consequent upon the starting' of the siding from the main line to the Department's quarry in Waitcti gorge. When the quarry is opened up jt will be equipped with an up-to-date plant forjurning out ballast. The machinery is already in Auckland, and no time will be lost in getting it installed. The. vexatious question of rafting on the Wanganui river has cropped up in connection with the supply of sleepers for the proposed Wanganui tramways. Mr A. S. Laird, of Taumarunui, has been requested to quote prices for a supply of sleepers for the tramway, but unless rafting facilities aregranted.it. is feared the freight charges will make the price prohibitive as far as King' Country limber 'is concerned. There was great excitement in Taihapc last week, over the walking match between Messrs Kelly and Wakeman for £SO aside. The distance was miles (Marton-Tai-hape) and the time taken by the winner (Kelly) in completing' the walk was ]] hours and 3 minutes. Mr Coggins, of Te Kuiti, proceeded to Hamilton Hospital on Saturday last to undergo an operation, he having had the misfortune to meet with a slight injury to one of his eyes some time ago. Complaints are continually reaching us as to the state of the main road, and up to the present it is rather surprising at the percentage of breakages in the vehicle line. On Tuesday last, however, Mr llattaway's waggon, while proceeding to I'iopio, had the misfortune to suffer considerable damage at the eight-mile peg, and through the pole being broken, the driver and team had to return to Te Kuiti. A calf recently born on a farm at Taneatua was of a iiniqu * description. The animal's ears resembled a donkey's and the bottom jaw projected .about two inches above the top. It had teeth that resembled an old cow's, and nostrils like a pug, dog. ' The calf had extra joints between the fetlocks and knees, and its hind legs were bent like bows. The body of this pecular production was short, thick and round. In discussing;, at the last Council meeting", the necessity of having, all the dogs in the Countv registered, the Chairman (Major Lusk) staled that during" the last four months two settlers near him had lost sheep to the value of £3OO through roving dogs. He, himself, had not lost any sheep, but had his poultry yard cleared. The. Waitomo County Council's Dog Registrar has some queer experiences at times, and i; evidently possessed of a strong; regard for what he terms " a fair thing." At the recent County meeting he was relating some of the dodges people, who would be above trickery in ordinary life, resorted to in the endeavour to evade payment. One man, who owned no less than four dogs, came and registered one in the evident hope of putting the Registrar off visiting, his pla.ee. However, that astute oliieial discovered the fact and "collared" the lot. "If he'd only registered three 1 might have forgotten to see the other, but one out of four, why ! some people 'II do anything,."

In addition 1o the sections dealt with at the recent sittings of the Native Land Board at Te Knili, an application was granted Mr W* Lorigan, per Ids agent (Mr jcr. ()rmshy) for the lease of 300 acres in the Kangi-loto-Tuhua Block.

The present hall at Te Kniti has long been inadequate for the requirements of the town, and ii is gratify-) in;;' to learn thai (here is every prosped of a new aaid commodious buildin;.;' being erected to (ill this much needed requirement. The presenl hall will probably be acquired for business premises, and Mr j. T. IJctet intends proceeding with the erection of a large building on the seclion behind the present hall site.

The Midland Railway tunnel, through Authur's Pass, for the construction of which a confrael has been let to Mi' John McLean at nearly £(>00, 000, will be the longest railway tunnel outside Europe.

No lime is being lost in connection with the building'of (he new Congregational Church at 'JV Knili. Mr Taylor the contraclor made a start with the work last week and now has the frame ("reeled. The building which is to cost £H)S is expected to be fully compleleted by the middle of next month.

The work in connection willi flic formation of (lie new tennis eonri is now Hearing completion, and after a clay foundation lias been put down il will be ready to receive a (op-dressing of limestone. This court as well as the old one, should be ready for play next month.

A. complaint has readied us this week from the local Tennis Club to the effect that of late sonic mean, contcmplable sneak has visilcd the courts and done a considerable amount of damage., On one joeeasion it was i'ound that the net had been deliberately cut down, while 1 on another, a new roller, which the club only recently paid £2 for, had been smashed in such away as to render il useless for purpose which it purchased. As the club is practically only in its infancy, and not too strong financially, it can ill afford to suffer losses of this description.

The first spring horse fair a! Cambridge this year was held by the Loan and Mercantile Agency last week, when a very successful sale was held, A striking feature of the fair wan the'price realised forSoulhern draught horses, which brought more than (tor same class of stock would have done in the South. This indicates the quick manner in which values adjust themselves to surrounding conditions in New 7x\iland, in addition to pointing the fact that North Island farmers themselves can absorb the whole of the stock bred locally.