WAIKATO NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 184, 23 August 1909, Page 5

WAIKATO NOTES.

r Own Corn-?! f-r/k-nt. ■ The V.M.C.A definitely reformed itself this week in Hamilton. It will ► be a branch of the Auckland Y.M.C.A., will meet weekly in the library build- . ings, and at present commit itself to no expense and endeavour to go slow. The lesson of the recent debacle has been learnt. "Experience does it," as a rather free t-anslation of the Latin proverb has it. There was only a small attendance at the meeting to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Bishop Selwyn. The night wai a wretched one and bit terly cold. Some interesting personal reminisences fell from the lips of two speakers who knew the great bishop, What a man he was! I fear there are i few such in these degenerate days. I The Rev. A. Colvlilc, who gave a fine * address, put his finger on the secret of the Bishop's services in describing his magnetic personality as being used j in perfectly unselfish fashion. If there were more men of his stamp and character the world would be a better place to live in. But selfishness, diihonesty, and corruption seem to urle many lives to the exclusion of higher and nobler things! I am reminded, at this point, of the tirun.i l.ul tour of the redoubtable Tommy Burns. He has been to Rotorua, and came to Hamilton last Thursday to "take on" all and sundry under the aegis of the local Boxing Association. I believe the man to be a decent enough fellow, and his muscular development is simply wonderful. But what I cannot understand is the interest shown in his movements by all sorts and conditions, of men. Travelling from Rotorua to Hamilton, at jvery wayside station little knots of men had assembled to cheer him. One would think he was Royalty itself. Certain it is that Vice-Royalty would not get a fraction of such attention, and mere brains would pass entirely unrecognised. Muscular strength is good. The old Grecian idea of a sound mind in a sound body is good But such remarkable interest in a prize-fighter passes my comprehension. Compare Bishop Selwyn and Tommy Buri.s; which is the greater man? And which, today, would receive the greater recogonition? The case in which James P. Murray, a contractor of Hamilton, was charged with wounding William Bradley, was before the Magistrates on Thursday last. On the request of the police the charge was withdrawn and the case thus closed. The coroner gave a verdict of death from shock in the case of the man named James Whittle, who was thrown from his cart through a shaft breaking, at Pukemairo on the 15th inst. The road was a very rough one, and the cart unfitted for use on it. The Railway Department has decided to construct a subway at Frankton station for enabling people to cross the line and approach the station, and Frankton residents are much divided in opinion as to where the subway should be placed, and whether it should be a subway or an overhead bridge. At a public meeting an amendment wai carried by 18 votes to 10 that the subway be built at the old Whata Whata crossing. This has been forwarded ot the District Inspector. The Chief Inspector's report on the Puketi school fire, which broke out about 11 p.m. on July 30th, and entirely consumed the building within an hour, states that in his opinion, the outbreak was caused by lightning, such a cause being noticeable as having set fire to bush at various times. Mrs Katherine L. Stevenson, World's President of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, vistied Hamilton last Friday and gave an address on the Temperance Question. While in Auckland the other day I paid a visit to the Jubilee Institute for the Blind at Parnell. It is my first sight of this fine building, the only one of its kind in the Dominion. Mr Hunt, the secretary and Mr Freyberg. the superintendent, were both in and a party of singers from Auckland were giving most enjoyable items from an extensive repetory to the fifty or sixty young unfortunates who are inmates of the institution. They looked very happy, in spite of their disadvantages, and quickly apprecitead any humorous sally or sentimental item. I was told that the products of the institution sell veryy largely. Eight weekly papers in, JRraviile type come regularly, and interesting to writers, three shorthand machines are in use. Some of the students write 140 words a min- ; ute. The blind choir sang very prett- ; Hy, *"God Defend New Zelaand" composed by the secretary.