DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 120, 7 January 1909, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

In the report of the Mairoa meeting published in the issue of December 31st, it is made to read that the notice was carried by 15 votes to 1, This should have been 15 to 6. The next meeting of the Waitomo County Council is to be held at Te Kuiti on Monday, January 11th, when among other business, the day for the statutory half-holiday will be fixed. Mr C. Weingott is at present touring the district in his professional capacity of pianoforte tuner. Mr Weingott, whose long experience and undoubted ability are well known, will visit the outlying districts during the next few days. In connection with the recent contest for the world's championship, between Burns and Johnson, some idea of the contrast presented by the two men may be obtained from the fact that Johnson stands 6feet OJinch in height and weighs about 14 stone, while Burns is sfeet 7ioches in height and weighs about 12 stone. Attention is directed to the fact that a meeting of Kaeaea settlers is called for Saturday evening next at half past seven. Asjong various other matters for consideration hi the *sl«f*one service question, and*full attendance of all those interested in the district is requested.

The throueh train from Auckland to Wellington on Monday nigbt last, carried a record crowd of passengers. There were seventeen pasenger cars besides a refreshment car and two vans. An extra engine was required for the train.

The living picture reproduction of the now famous Burns-Squires Battle, which the well known Theatrical Managers, the Messrs MacMahon bring to Te Kuiti tomorrow evening, is the onlypicture of the event touring New Zealand. The full "Battle" of 13 rounds will be shown, from "Hand shake to Knock out."

During the holidays at Auckland, two Plunket Shield matches were played, Otago and Canterbury being the challenging teams. The Otago match resulted in a draw, with the game, in a highly interesting stage at the conclusion of the third day's play. The Canterbury team made a big bid for victory, but suffered defeat by 33 runs.

The tenders for the initial work in connection with Te Kuiti town improvements closed on Monday last. Several tenders were received and will be dealt with at the next meeting of the Waitomo County Counicil on Monday next.

Very unseasonable wenther has been experienced throughout the Dominion during the past fortnight. A terrific hailstorm burst over Akaroa on Sunday afternoon, December 27th. The southern end of the town completely escaped, but the other end was severely treated by the storm. Gardens were wrecked and trees were stripped, and in places the hailstones lay heaped up more than a foot deep. The hillside from the hilltop showed the track of the storm, a white streak. The hailstones were unusually large. At a meeting held at Oparure last week, it was decided to hold another sports* gathering, the date of which was fixed for Monday, March Ist, 1909. An excellent programme has been arranged, the total amount of prize money being £32.

By reference to our columns will be founcf an advertisement of this Season's Romney Marsh Rams for sale, from "The Cliff Stud," Waingaro. Mr Allen writes that he wishes to distribute his rams in various King Country districts, and is confident they will secure future sales, as they are a splendid lot, and the best he has bred. One of the sires clipped 201bs of wool as a two-tooth, and secured 13t prize at the Auckland Show of 1906. It is stated that a coach service between Te Kuiti and Aria is to be started this month by Mr Lewis, late of Messrs Crowther and MacCauley. It is understood the service is to be three days a week each way. It is understood that a requisition, signed by a number of Rangitikei electors, will be presented to Mr A. E. Remington, M.P , calling upon him to resijen his se?.t in accordance with the challenge thrown out by him, and taken up by Mr George Hutchison. A petition to Parliament asking for an inquiry into allegations made by Mr Hutchison concerning the member for Rangitikei, has also been prepared for circulation among the electors of the district.

The meteorological observations taken by Mr G. Wratten at Waitomo Caves during December, show that rain fell on ten days of the month, during which period a total rainfall of 6.99 inches was recorded. The heaviest rain occurred on the 30th, when 3.15 inches were registered.

The annual sports gathering of Mo-kau-iti district is to be held at Aria on February Ilth next, ani a well varied programme has been compiled. The attention of athletes is drawn to the fact that entries for the various events close on January 9th next. No more Angora goats are likely to be procured from South Africa for a time, says the Sydney Daily Telegraph. All the colonies there have passed legislation prohibiting the export of goats. The industry is considered so valuable that they want it all to themselves, and the annual crop of mohair is said to be worth more than £900,000. Flockownere in the Mackenzie country who are now busy shearing, are able to form a better estimate of the loss they sustained through the disastrous storm of last winter (says the Timaru Herald) than could possibly be done at the time, and it is satisfactory to record that the loss will not be so heavy as was at one time expected, though it will be quite heavy enough. Some of the sheep have practically no wool on at all, but on the whole the runholders are going to come out better than they at first expected. The Bishops of Lichfield, Lincoln, Ely, Southwell, Auckland, and Melanesia are organsing a movement to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the birth of the late Bishop George Augustus Selwyn, by services on April 23. The offertory at the services will be divided between the Selwyn College, Cambridge, and the wing which is to be added to St. John's College, Auckland, as a memorial to the late Bishop Patterson, of Melanesia