DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 133, 22 February 1909, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

The following tenders have been received by Mr Price for the erection of Mr Hine's bou=e at Te Kuiti: G. H. Seed, £695; Fullerton, £661 10s; Markwick and O'Regan, £619; G. Hicthcock, £582; Jensen Bros., £560. As the result of a conference between the No-license League and delegates representing the Taieri Licensed Victuallers' Association, the latter agreed not to offer any opposition to the nominees of the temperance party. Reduction was carried at the Taieri local option poll. A somewhat peculiar application came before the meeting of the Hawkes' Bay Land Board. A settler wrote, stating that his wife had deserted him, and he asked that a section which was in her name should be transferred to him. He epxressed himself as willing to pay the arrears in rent, but stated that his wife had secured £2OO from the Advances to Settlers' Department and had taken half this amount with her. The money was borrowed on condition that it should be used for improving the section, and he asked that his wife should be made to use it for that purpose. The Board decided that it had no power to interfere jin the matter, unless the wife applied to transfer the section, which, one member remarked, she was not likely to do. Mr Lane remarked, "If a man cannot manage his wife, he cannot expect the Land Board to manage her for him." In connection with the retirement of Mr T. Humphries, Surveyor-Gen-eral, it is stated that his successor will be either Mr J. Strauchon, Commissioner of Crown Lands in the Auckand district, or Mr Goldsmith, who occupies a corresponding position in Canterbury. The chances are that Mr Strauchon will be appointed. According to the Hon. A. T. Ngata, sheep-farming has now become firmly esatblished amonst the Maoris on the East Coast. At Port Awanui alone there has been an increase of 200 bales in the clip, as compared with last year. There has also been a large increase in the stock output, and Mr Ngata strongly recommends the erection of freezing works at Tokomaru Bay. Since Saturday last the blight has played havoc with potato crops through-

out this district, reports the "Hawera Star." On the run through to Manaia, several fields, which presented a gloriously promising condition a few days ago, are now blackened, and the tubers upon being dug are found with the diseased spot which marks the initial ravages pf the plight upon the potato itself. \%, is not; improbable that there will be a rise in price shortjy. Capt. Edwin, Government meteorologist, who is among the civil servants to be retired pn account of the age limit, hag been 33 years in the Government service, One of the first tasks to be under- j taken by the Hon. A. T. Nagta upon j his assumption of Ministerial rank will j

be the re-organisation of the Maori Councils of the Dominion, says the Gisbome "Herald." These Councils, it might be explained, are vested with a measure of local self-government respecting the Native race, and carry out some of the duties of local bodies, without, however, the same financial provisions. Although the new policy proposed to be inaugurated has not been affirmed by Cabinet, the Hon. Mr. Ngata suggested that the changes | would probably deal with the internal ! oragnisation and trie granting of ex- ! tended powers of finance. The Coun- . rils in the past have had to depend upon the Government subsidy of £25 ■ which has been paid for several years, | and the dog tax revenue collected from th,e Mapris. -The prganisation, the New Minister -=aicl, could be made to fulfil a useful and important work amongst the* Native race. The re- < election of 21 Councils is now in progress, and Mr Ngata in arranging to be present at the initial meetings of most , of thr newly-constituted bodies, which will entail considerable tra%-el!ing. The Tai-Rauhiti Council will meet ' during the second week in March. 1

Mr Roderick Rain McKenzie, the gand drum major of the Canadian Kiltcs, stands 7ft :ijin in his stockinged feet, and w. iphs 'J-Jst ".Jdb. He fought in So'.;*!: Afri'-ari War with the Gordon lligh';;•.: ■<'■> ■!".-. ar.d boars many a .-car of that '■■ainr-aifm. After the So-j'l. .'•.:':•-.■;:. War he received an hfr.i ■,:-:•.; ',• .i.-'-hargi from his regiir.ow, :.: whi'-h he held the rank of sergeant major, and returned to his native riaro'i;. i.'anada. ~ , . hc-ri ho went in strongly for such athietics as wrestling, throwing the hammer and putting the shot. He hold records for each of thpse |:ompeiitions. and with regard to wrestling sc-s, "I have yet to be put on my back." ii:i the completion of bis present engagement with the Kilties Hand Mr McKenzio intends accepting a;: oircr made to him some years ago, ar.t: .-till open, of becoming a footman * Klrg F.dward, and one of His Ma;i■.-•;.•'.- s; ' dp.; bodyguard. The Kii'i'.- ar> at present touring the Waikato. I'.riti.-'n .M'-dica! Journal cf the casuaifoot!,ai:. J..-y siiow the results cf ,■ ighi _.>;.>,./ ;.. 1 l.i hiiiod and i -77 i:.- ; ji;*>-d.' i'!-:... (.'i u;c jarter ar-.- des- I cribod (in j-ci n.,;neiiUj' <n;-i/y.j-,i.

The quantity of New Zealand Wool exported during the season —July 1 to Januarv :-Jl- -as nreoared Lv Dalgetv and Co!. Limited! -:~' 264. 009 ba!es. an ' ir.craese of --2.il I hales over the corresponding ; e-riod o; last year. ■.vil; i.e ready for use directly the new At the Te Kuiti Police Court this morning before Mossr. c Tan - , ma age ana alias Poulser. pleaded guitly to the theft of a bicycle from the. railway station. A fine of be or in default one month's imprisonment was irinicteo. In the course of a speech at Christchurch last week, the Hon. D. Buddo, reminded his hearers that fnere were ; truant inspectors for the primary schools, and he fcrshadowea a time not ■ far distant when similar means would ;be adopted to keep our techinical ! schools full. "We no not know,'' ; remarks the Press, ''whether Mr ! Boddo's policy has yet received Cabij net endorsement, nut. if so, we are | evidently on the eve of important j developments. and we warn Mr . Buddo that the process of compulsion. ; once set in motion:, ma}' not stop nere. ! The Public may insist that even Cabinet Ministers shall be required to nt ■ themselves by training for their pesi- ; tion. They may not only insist that i Minsters shall display some knowledge ! of history and political economy, but may even require them to show that they possess at least a modicum of common sense. In that case, what would become of Mr Buddo'.'" The approach of the elections ox licensing commissioners in the various centres where reduction was carried at the last local option poll is infusing considerable activity into the ranks of both the trade and the no-license advocates, and excitement will probably run high on election day. At Auckland the sitting members of the licensing bench have pledged themselves to reduce the number of licensed hou-cs to the full extent allowed by law. This pledge was viewed with disfavour by a number of citizens as well as by the trade, and at a recent meeting of the newly formed Citizens' League it was decide") to run a ticket in opposition to the sitting members. The Hon. J. A. Millar foreshadowed some further improvements in thecontinuous through service between Auckland and Invercargill. So far as the North Island is concerned, a j nineteen hours' trip between Auckland and Wellington must for a long timebe regarded as a limit of perfection. but the Minister intends to closely examine the schedule of mail trains in the South Island to see if one of them, at any rate, cannot be accelerated. Mr Millar states that since the Railway Department took complete charge of the Main Trunk line, the trains have been running up to time. Great economy has been made in working the through train by running one of the "A" class compounds from Wellington right up to Taihape. The big "X" engine, specially designed for the central section of the Main Trunk lino, is fully equalling anticipations.