DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 206, 8 November 1909, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

Subscribers to the "Chronicle" are notified that the new term for the paper began on November Ist, and subscriptions ending October 31st are now over due. It should be noted that a considerable reduction is made to subscribers paying in advance, the yearly rate booked being 14s while those paying in advance are charged 12s per annum.

The meteorological returns furnished by Mr G. Wrattan of Kai Kuri, Waitomo show that during last month the rainfall for the disrict was 6.38 inches. Rain fell on eleven days the heaviest fall occurring on the 29th when 1.5 inches were recorded. A very pleasant evening should be spent in the Te Kuiti Town Hall tonight, when Mrs Cross holds her social and dance. The best musical talent has been secured, and combined with singing,instrumental contributions and fancy dancing by Mrs Cross's pupils, the function should prove a great success. The attendance at Te Kuiti School is steadily on the increase. During last month the roll number reached 216 while the average attendance was 190. Additional accommodation is badly required at the school and it is understood the next enlargement will mean the erection of a separate building for the infant department. Mr A. Blackwell, a resident of the Great Barrier, has an unusual domestic pet—a large turtle —which he discovered last monht on the island, where such visitors are very rare. The turtle is said to be very tame and Mr Blackwell, who was a trader to the Islands, says that it is the largest he has seen; its shell measures 36 inches by 28 inches and its weight is estimated at between two and thres cwt.

Speaking at the Marlborough jubilee celebrations at Blenheim on Monday, His Excellency the Governor, Lord Plunket, said that never had he seen in any part of the world such fine children as he had seen that day their hundreds. New Zealand bad the finest and best-cared-for children of the world, but there were not nearly enough of them, added His Excellency, amidst laughter and applause. So far as can be ascertained the lambing in ' Hawera's back country averages about 90 per cent. Where sheep arc kept on the flat country nearer town percentages are fully 100 per cent. The winter proved particularly favourable for the lambing season, less mortality being reported than for many years past.

A quantity of charred and broken decking and a deck hatch have been washed ashore at Port Alfred, Cape Colony. The wreckage is supposed to be from the missing steamer Waratah. The Taumarunui Racing Club which holds its annual meeting to-morrow has been favoured with record acceptances for the various events and the gathering bids fair to be the most successful yet projected by the club. Visiting horses are able to travel from both North and South by rail and this convenience has had a marked effect on the entries, both as regards the class and number of horses competing. The racecourse has been placed in excellent order and every effort is being made to cater for the convenience of visitors. Arrangements for a spacial train from Raurimu have been made and favoured with fine weather a record attendance is assured.

The Matiere Sports meeting which is to be held on December 15th promises to be a highly souccessful carnival. Excellent support is being accorded by the public and the entries for the various events promise to be a record. Sports in the Ohura are meeting with every encouragement and the fact that the carnival at Toe Toe is fixed for December 17th makes it possible for visiting athletes to compete at both meetings. With two such inviting programmes there is every chance offered in all branches of sport. It will be noticed that entries for the Matiere gathering close on December 9

The Minister for Lands is being asked by Mr Jennings whether he will, seeing the amount of land, Crown and otherwise, that is to be opened up for selection in theTaumarunui eiecu irate, known as the Rone Potae, consider the advisableness of establish::..' a board in the district nam '. so ■■.-■ to prevent the unnecessary ex; ens- to applicants for land, ■'.■).■, hav< now to go to Wellington, Tarnr.aki, and Auckland Land Boards. It looks as ;';' s urn.:;-.e:- were already upon us when wc :";n.d a fully illustrated artie'e in t;.' current "Xew Idea" on Swin;ndnn" as a .S: on fur Worsen. with full instructions h.-w to Ucerr." proficient ::, tnat s: ■■ rt. 'fi.._- writ'.: - i' than j vers— d

F ''''cni Job- 1 Tr ? Fra c e- Vv* f*- <_ *■ r >- \elcc 1 " c i nancnt b\ an old Lie Ho*" T Mac! ■-zic <-, d 1 >. Blenheim last week. The son o c member listened fen the. f r L t "f <.< the proceedings of New Zeala iJ ~ c c c public assembly, and was asked by his proud parent to say how he had been impressed. "I saw the Speaker look at the Leader of the Opposition when he came in," replied the young hopeful. "He also looked at the Prime Minister. Then he prayed for the whole Assemply and the Dominion of Zealand!"

Foley and Burton's pictures will appear in the Te Kuiti Hali on Friday, November 12. The principal item in the programme will be the presentation of the life of Napoleon, his rise and fall, from 1793 to 1821. The picture embraces Bonaparte at the seige of Toulon, the Egyptian Campaign, bis Coronation at Notre Dame, Battles of Austerlitz, Ratisbon, the fall of Napoleon, Retreat from Moscow, Battle of Waterloo, at St Helena and Death of Napoleon, and forms the most enthralling and interesting picture known in cinematograph history. The film is 3000 feet in length and takes fifty minutes to represent. In addition a number of other interesting films will be shown. Fred. Foley, the great entertainer, will appear in a completely new programme of magic and ventriloquism, and illustrated songs will be sung by Mr A. Lupton. The company carry a complete electric light plant for the project of their pictures. For the year ended 31st March last the gross output of the State coal mine was 309,906 tons. The net output after allowing for waste, shows an increase on the previous year of 27,620 tons. Point Elizabeth mine produced 239,887 tons, and Seddonville 60,148 tons of marketable coal, the actual value being £186,814 and £44,049 respectively. The briquette works produced 11,889 tons of finished fuel, worth £12,374. Seddonville coal is stated to be gaining in favour. All the depots are increasing their trade. The net profit on the working of the mines for the year inclusive of £6282 carried forward from last year, is shown at £14,282 10s 6d. The gross profits on the working of the four depots is set down as follows: —Wellington £8958; Chcristchurch £5627: Wariganui£2346; Dunedin £1466.

"The Sanitary Conditions of the Maori," is the title of an article attached to the annual report of the Health Department by Dr Pomare, Native Heath Officer. "When the Maori," he says, "was obliged by peace to give up fighting, he ceased to be a worker. The horse came into his existence, and he no longer carried burdens up to his airy pa. He became indolent and ambitionless, he sold his land, and learned to apend the proceeds for Jews' harps and red blankets, while other lands were possessed by his brother. Then he sat round smoking ta»*ori, drinking whisky, and brooding over his wrngs. He began to live a pseudo pakeha life, his clothing was altered, his diet was different, he was unable to resist disease, and he began to decrease. This was his deplorable condition when we started to work nearly nine years ago. We can truly state to day that, owing to sanitary adjustments, the Maori is a hundred per cent, better off than he was nine years ago. The Maori has realised that the only way to salvation is by work. Everywhere our young men are clamouring to get on the land, and when one or two are successful, many try to emulate their example. Vi! lages have been renovated; some hav been shifted from their low, dan { situations to the higher Inad; 1 dreds of insanitary houses have bee destroyed without a penny of c sation being Jfo It tricts it \sou 1 L qu lo c a Maori whare of the old pas are now more catchildren are bettci c i <- c mics are fewer now do occur they are formerly ' Discussing f e industry with a P the Mini; i T M-cU hopeful some end._d of i q-- r p t, reeeord. Mi Clement Wragg: : Megraphcd mom Christchurch a: :. :_m on Saturday: "A disturbance earned "TroMr." is swiftly approaching and will artect rain, andnrobabiv electric disturbance. ; Winds north-east to north-vest, south- ■ west and south. hhe sun :s stm | much disturbed, and further se:sm:c trouble is likely in various parts of the j worid.' : •'