LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 232, 9 February 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Anyone wanting first-class furniture should note that Mr. .Lever will Sell by auction at his mart on .Saturday afternoon a consignment of choice goods as per advertisement. A dance will be held in the meeting house at Aria on Sports night, February 17th. As a large number of visitors are expected at the sports, no doubt the dance will be well attended.

A large two-storeyed house, nearing completion, at Rangaroa, was destroyed by fire at 2 a.m. on Sunday. The place was owned by Mr. E. 0. Mortinson, and insured in the State Fire Department for £450.

A man named Muir was admitted to the Waikato Hospital, at Hamilton, on Monday night, from Ohaupo, suffering from a fractured leg and bruises all over his body. His injuries were caused by a fall of earth. The Ohura County Council is determined to have a bridge over the Ongarue, and has guaranteed most of the money needed to get the Government subsidy of £2 for £l. Business men "of Taumarunui are giving £5 or more each t& hasten the erection of this much-needed bridge.

Halley's comet was located on Wednesday by Mr John Grigg, of the Thames Observatory. The location of the comet is in the direction of the Planet Saturn.

The reported discovery of gold in the vicinity of Ohakune turned out to be a hoax. Some practical jokers gilded a piece of scoria, with the result that Ohakune was thrown into a state of great exciement —till the truth came out.

The progress of the Scout movement in New Zealand has been phenomenal, and already 3000 scouts have been enrolled. Auckland heads the list, with Wellington second, and although the movement started in the South Island, the North Island has already the bigger enrolment of members. The net amount, inclusive of expenses, accruing from the benefit concert and dance, together with subscriptions collected in aid of Mr. and Mrs. McNamara, of Ongarue, totalled £32 14s lOd. This amount was handed to Mr. and Mrs. McNamara yesterday. The committee who had the matter in hand were Messrs A. McK. Moir, J. H. O'Connell and 11. Ford.

The reported eruption of fiuapehu is discredited by one who climbed the mountain on Sunday and the stationmaster at Waiouru. The climber found the lake on the top cool enough for him to bear his hand in it. The vagaries of the wind are considered to be responsible for the apparent issue of the Ngauruhoc steam from Kuapchu. It has been decided to hold the Oparure Sports on Thursday, March 3rd. the day following the Te Kuiti Sporst. The full programme will appear in the "Chronicle" on Wednesday, February 16th. The events will comprise wood-chopping, running, hop step and jump, and two horse events. As the Oparure sports ground is only one and a half miles from Te Kuiti, no doubt a very large number of competitors in the Te Kuiti sports will remain and try their luck there.

The position of district health officer at Auckland, rendered vacant by the appointment of Dr. Purdy as chief health officer for Tasmania, is to be filled by Dr. R. H. Makgill, Government bacteriologist. Dr. Makgill will leave for the north this week. The pathological laboratory in Wellington will be under the immediate charge of Mr. Hurley, but Dr. Makgill will continue to act as its superintendent, and will visit Wellington whenever the necessity arises for h>'s presence there.

A start has been made at Frank ton railway station with the laying of tho mechanism for the signnl-box system of controlling tho points and signals. This enables the whole station to be worked from one box, where a signalman will be constantly stationed. It may not be generally known that more than forty trains a day pass through Frankton, which promises to become the busiest junction in the island. An amusing incident, and one showing the Prime Minister's readiness to adapt himself to whatever circumstances may arise, occurred in a passage of one of the Hastings hotels on Monday week (says the Hawkc's Bay Herald). Sir Joseph Ward was chatting with Mr. A. L. D. Fraser when an old Maori chief, of notable lineage, appeared on the scene, magnificently got-up in overcoat and top hat. Mi\ Fraser asked him, in Maori of course, the cause of his gala adornment, and the old chief replied that he had come to sec the Prime Minister. "Why, here see the Prime Minister," said Mr Fraser, and duly presenetd him to Sir Joseph. The Maori uttered an exclamation, presumably of delight, removed his hat, and thrust forward his face. The invitation was unmistakable, to decline it would have been an insult, and Sir Joseph gravely rubbed noses with the veteran.