RANDOM REMARKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 224, 12 January 1910, Page 5

RANDOM REMARKS.

iitely, Te Kuiti has hitherto ;markably free from crimes of aner sort —offences that touch er stages of human depravity, ck the decent higher thinking ion. Various reasons may be 3 for the altruistic aims of the ton generally. However, the is immaterial, and as a matter the high-class reputation of the 3 in danger of being forfeited, bject is not clean in any way. ern pigs.i The pig is not a animal, but he is useful, and idered by some to be of excepintelligence. Moreover, _ he' pays the rent, and this is more n be said cf cleaner and more il animals. Whether it was lligence, the usefulness, or the haracter indicated by his rentreputation that attracted a Te sident it is needless to inquire, efficient to know that the resiquestion is said to have laid i hands on a neighbour's pig, es to escape with his crime ted. It is a painful subject; rticularly as the resident has borne a character equal to the nd most law-abiding of his jrs. The owner of the pig is r adopting the right course in ng civilly against the culprit, the man through the police ght be the means of hastening lis downward course, while a sson, in the shape of costs and without undue publicity, may aeans of dragging him back a brink of moral ruin, lement Wragge is apparently : taken too seriously in respect weather predictions. A man 3S on the mantie of the prophet ng the weather is juggling ; things in the matter of the 5, besides a much smaller con>n in the shape of his reputaMr Wragge has knowledge erience wherewith to guide reading the signs and porhich affect the atmosphere of e planet; still his knowledge erience belong to the finite, pplying a finite mind" to the if the infinite allowances have ade. Acting on the generally idea that the drought propheMr Wragge had begun,, the laced his household on famine nth respect to water, and caretched the tanks. Flower beds etable plots went unwatered, estic discord ruled in conseAfter Sunday's experience, igge's name became mud in ily circle, and when the real comes I am preparing for a aising experience in waterfrom the river. ing Country is a good place l to after a holiday; or even lengthy absence among the a city.- The holiday-makers 3 themselves off in a hurry Ihristmas have now returned just as holiday-makers usually They one and all, jointly and express immense gratifieagetting back, while it is d several have registered lot jointly and severally) to marry and settle down permanently before next Christmas, and so prepare valid excuse for spending Christmas at home. One well-known and popular bachelor, whose name must remain unwritten, is declared to have slept all the holidays. A candid friend suggests as a reason that a change of diet very frequently acts in this manner. Perhaps some well-informed reader can tell us if this is a fact. - Many people predicted that if the railway regulation prohibiting the carriage of • liquor by rail into the King Country was removed, the inhabitants weul|3 be reduced to a deplorable condition of debauchery, and sly grog selling would become established on all hands. - . The regulation has been removed, and although there has hardly been time to give the new order of things a - fair trial, on the surface little change is noticeable. The railway returns in the matter of passenger fares to Te Awamutu and Hamilton may show a falling-off, but this will -probably be balanced by freights on parcels. This Christmas for the first time for many years the thirsty ones were able to have their Christmas hampers consigned instead vf having to go to the nearest.licensed house and bring j home thfe goods in person. The risk of a man spending a too convivial time in the hotel was thus gbviated, and probably fewer headaches were experienced as a result. An air of mystery appears to enshroud the doings of the Minister for Internal Affairs in connection with his ' treatment of the Te Kuiti Borough Council scheme. At latest advices the Minister was to make enquiries concerning a certain objection, with a vjew to decide upon what was a right and proper course to adopt. Objectors to anything have a right to be heard, but in questions affecting the public weal it is obviously necessary that an objection is made the~matter : .should be considered promptly and a decision arrived at without undue delay. Rarely is a progressive public -movement undertaken prematurely, and by delaying a project which concerns a whole community a Minister is - apt to become unpopular. Mr Buddo

would be : well advised to get a hustle on with his enquiries. The prospects of athletic activity at Te Kuiti a few months ago seemed large and one' began 'to wonder how the various games could be carried on by the limited popluatioh. Something had to go, and the problem .was solved by .everybody leaving the games to take care of themselves. Cricketers went swimming, tennis players ..worked overtime at buisness, croquet was resigned to the children, and bowlers had their hands full in : attending" to their green, while all looked forward to the holidays and; sighed for change. It seems, strange, however, that local players can . distinguish themselves when away from, home, while the energy and interest necessary to take part in a game locally seems lacking. A local bowler at present, in Wellington has been meeting some of the Empire City cracks arid making them look easy for him, while one of our cricketers has been doing well in Auckland cricket during the season. Certainly, the bowler had the advantage of a prismatic compass, but the cricketer relied upon himself entirely.