Random Remarks.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 97, 28 August 1908, Page 3

Random Remarks.

[Contributions to this column are always Welcome from any part of the district. The Editor does not vouch for the authenticity of the stories, nor 'is he responsible for.the' criticisms.] The Mairoa—like the Ohura- --contemplates agitating for police pre tec-, tion. Ever since the ; school was broken •into.-by a-burglar during the night of August 3rd., "the'- settlers' generally have been pretty unsettled. Some of the ladies are practising rifle arid revolver shooting and are getting very good shot-,, too, in order to be ready for the burglars in case • they should at teriipt to burglarise private houses. It is pretty generally known the direction •in which the burglar came from; and if the Pol'.ce are not able to come to. their assistance earlier another thr.e, the settlers feel very much Inel.ncd to take the niattter intbeir.own hand.?.

The Rohe Potae is becoming- a well known name in Parliament, the energetic member for the district never losing an opportunity to advance the claims of his electorate. The- very latest applications by Mr Jennings give some indication of the manner in which the future of the King Country is regarded by some. The requests were for a sejDarate Land Board and a separate Education Board. It is unnecessary to cite the reasons advanced in support.of the claim; suffice it to say that to Rohe Potae residents they were eminently reasonable and wholly convincing, though the "powers that be," not having the advantages of a King Country education, did not immediately fall in with the modest suggetipns. However, we. may rest assured that the time is not far distant when more attention is paid to the aforesaid claims. Situated in the far corners of three large provincial districts the Rohe Potae in a sense is - the Cinderella of each, but as in the famous fairy story there are good times coming. At present the roads arc hr.rdiy suitable far dainty slippers,, but some of us have sufficient faith to believe that ever, tlr's drawback will, eventually, be overcome.

Talking of roads, the ever-engrossing subject of the otherwise fortunate King Countryites, there is a persistent rumour to the effect that the stone crusher, intended for the district refused to leave Australia's shores until the conclusion of the American Fleet celerbacions. What truth there is in the report it is difficult to estimate, but seeing that the world's bruising championship was decided in Sydney on Monday last, the machine may have fallen victim to Osympathecic emotion. Being something of a bruiser itself, it may have been stirred with a laudable desire to compare methods with a view 'to cultivating the Bum's/quickness, combined with the Australian champion's knock-out. We can sympathise fully with a laudable desire for selfimprovement, but the time is drawing near when the crusher's presence in the district will be urgently required, and some of the local exports consider they can teach that machine as much as it is good for any machine to know. In any case there are bruising champions no further away than Mangapeehi and whose methods are said to be far more convincing than the methods of either Burns or Squires.

The well established-principle 'that great inovations and lasting improvements are best obtained by evolution applies, apparently, to most King Coun try matters. The chief drawback is that evolution lays far behind when it comes to a case of a gold rush, or a land rush, or any other particular move ment in which man is feverishly anxious to get left. Still, seeing that Te Kuiti is at last to get its post-office we must e'en be content, and endeavour to get a firm hold of evolution's wheel with a view to connecting it with power. Even water power might set things moving somewhat faster, but the advocates of alcohol pin their faith firmiyTti their own brand of force for a spurt. Oil is held by ■ some >to be both economical and sudden, but When it comes to a political question there is nothing to compare with gas. Even oil of the palm variety may be counted out. Gas, the all powerful, and popular, holds sway in the land. Ministers bow to it; members take off their hats to it, and the people are moved by it to acts of impulse, which in their uninspired moments would amaze them.