DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 78, 17 April 1908, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

Owing to the demands on our space by advertisers this week, we regret that a considerable amount of reading matter is held over. In view of the expand'm of the district, it has been decided to enlarge the CHRONIC],K, and from the first week in May an additional two pages will be issued. The sanitary pans being now on the spot, it is to be hoped every householder in the conjested area will avail himself of the privilege, and get his back premises in order with as little delay as possible. There are bye-laws to guide you, which, it is hoped, you will carefully comply with, and failure to do so within a reasonable time, will only entail trouble on the defaulters. Ihere are certain to be some slight hitches at first, but they will readily adjust themselves, and-after the scheme has been got into working order, people will wonder why they have been without such conveniences for so long. The Crown lands of the Auckland district continue to be thrown open for settlement, and the King Country is opening up rapidly in consequence. This week applications were received for four sections near Te Kuiti and several sections near Otorohanga. The Te Kuiti sections were described as first-class, and attracted a large number of applications. The Otorohanga sections were also much sought after, and interest in the ballot, which takes place on April 24th, is very keen. During the past two seasons there has been a dearth of labour in the district and many settlers find great difficulty in obtaining bushfellers and fencers. The present season seems likely to produce the same situation, and settlers will probably have to be content with getting smaller areas down than they anticipated. On Monday last a party of railway officials, accompanied by the Government valuers, visited the railway quarry at Te Kuiti. It is understood the visit was in connection with the compensation claim against the Department by the occupier of portion of the land taken for the quarry. For Children's Hacking Cough at night Woods' Great Pepperment Cure Is 6d. & 2s 6d. That the King Country is a land of subterranean wonders has long been known, and it is widely held that caves of even greater magnitude than Waitomo will some day be discovered in the district. Frequently reports of newly discovered caves are circulated, and many are still to be prospected. The latest discovery in Te Kuiti district is reported by Messrs Lorigan and H. Hetet. Te Ahuroa, about four miles from Te Kuiti, is the locality, and as far as the caves have been explored they present beautiful and striking features. Narrow passages opening into wonderful grottos, were traversed, until a waterfall was reached. The cascade, which is of considerable size, tumbles down from a height of about thirty feet, but owing to being unprepared for an extensive tour, the prospectors did not explore the stream. However, enough was seen to induce a further visit, and the same gentlemen intend organising and equipping a party to prospect the locality thoroughly, At a meeting of Te Kuiti Hockey Club, held last week, it was decided to hold the first practice match on April 30th. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year Patron: Mr Jennings, M.P.; President : Mr Boles; Vice-Presidents : Messrs E. H. Hardy, F. Darrow, H. Hine, J. Young, F. Sims, W. Lorigan, J. Steel, R. C. Jordan, J. Kirkby, A. B. Jordan, E. Kerr, C. H. Phillips, C. H. Holland, J. Nicholson and Rev. Mitchell ; Committee : Messrs Hodgetts, Farrer, Kirk, Grcsham, H. Hardy, Cobb and Power ; Secretary : A. Mackechnie ; Treasurer : W. McColl. At the Auckland Police Court on Tuesday last, William Souter was convicted on a charge of stealing a gun at Te Kuiti, and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. We understand that a sitting of the Maniapoto-Tinvhharetoa Maori Land Board will take place at Te Kuiti shortly after the Easter holidays, when Ngarongo's sections, close to township, will be dealt with. Some sixteen men of the Te Kuiti Mounted Rifles, under Capt. Berry, left on Thursday morning en route for Castor Oil Bay, to take part in the Easter manoeuvres. At Otorohanga and Te Awamutu other volunteers were expected to join the King Country contingent, the whole of which will be in Capt. Berry's charge. The Ngati-Rora footballers played their first match at Otorohanga on Saturday last, and suffered a defeat by 14 points to nil. The Maori team were greatly out of form, while Otorohanga played a good dashing game, and completely overran their oppoi nents. Mr Eveleigh acted as referee. With regard to the closing of shops in the Waitomo County it should be noted that all shops at present come under the requisition fixing the hours of closing at 0 p.m. for four days a week, and to p.m. on Saturdays. 111 oidcr to piocuiv exemption from six o'clock closing, it will be necessary for fruiterers, confectioners, tobacconists and refreshment room proprietors to have .1 new requisition gazetted. Steps should be taken by those interested before May 7th, as, after thai daic. ii is intended to enforce the old requisition with regard to all shops in the County. It should be noted that temperance bars in boarding' houses conic under the requisition. The IV Kuiti dairy factory site is gazetted to be sold by auction at the Crown Lands Office, Auckland, on .April 2ph. The section is loaded villi tin I .] for buildings and plant, ami the apse) price of the section is set at l"l SO.