WAIKATO NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 239, 5 March 1910, Page 2

WAIKATO NOTES.

Hamilton, Friday Night. To-day Hamilton has boon suggestive of Goldsmith's "Descried Village." It is "People's Day" of Hie Waikalo Central A. and P. Show at Cambridge, and as I write I can hear the whirl if returning life to a city of desolation. The afternoon ha.i been dreadful in i'a stillness. I have been even unable to find that denizen of the street \vho; e. habitat is in the locality oJ: a certain institution upon whose windows 01 c finds inscribed "parlor." In desper; - tioti I have looked upon the nut-brown ale —or what does duty for that beverage in the colonies —in solitude loneliness. Just the contrary was yesterday, for ere the sun had passed 11 o highest point the streels were crowded with an expectant throng. "What means this gathering,"quoth 1, of one who was hurrying to swell lhe crowd. I was told that Kitchener of Khartoum was expected in Hamilton. Two hours after he was expected he arrived in a motor car, which drew up aI; the Ilan> i 1 ton Hotel. Here he was treated to three New Zealand cheers, to which 1 e raised his hat, and then withdrew (o the privacy of his own special apartments. I did not sec 11 is Lordship on this occasion. That, of course, was my loss. I believe that ho looks like a soldier, so that is something. All the afternoon and evening a crowd hung around the hotel, with what object goodness only knows. Maybe the unsoaped were anxious that he should express his opinions on men and other matters from the balcony. Possibly they hoped for a heart to heart talk on the Defence Council or the merits of the Knyvett case, but of these nothing was heard. At the request of the Mayor of Hamilton the conqueror of Khartoum went out on to the balcony and showed himself to a host of school children who had sent in a. message that they would not go t.ill they had seen him. "Children, go home, now," said the warrior, and the kiddies went, one lad remarking lhni he thought that Kitchener would "be covered all over with medals." And so Kitchener has passed on to the boiling mud and sloe-eyed Maori maidens of Rotorua. He takes a great interest in Maori matters, docs Kitchener. Well, ono cannot upbraid him for that. The Supreme Court sessions finished this week. The cases were sordid (as criminal cases mostly are). There was not one that had a spark of originality, and therefore to all excepting those of unhealthy mind, the hearing was painful. The lad Paull was U'iil.enced to seven years hard labor, be having pleaded guilty. The other accused persons got esntencea of various lengths for various misdeeds. Son:o were discharged, some admitted to probation, and some ordered to come up for sentence when called upon; After all our dear old Law and Order is indulgent at times. The most remarkable part of the sittings to me was the pertinacity with which the general public filled the court all day listening to the evidence in some of the cases. I really thought that we wero a busy community. I am sadly disillusionised. It is astonishing how man finds the other man's downfall so full of interest. It is an unhappy state of affairs. This is a Christian community, too, so 1 am told.

Those local bodies who have not been able to secure their loan money.'! will have an opportunity of going into the matter with Mr. Poynton, the Superintendent of the Department, on Wednedsay ltfth, on which date the official will visit Hamilton for that express purpose, bavin/,' decided to come here on the representa),ionH of Mr. 11. J. Greenslade, M.P., who went into the question when in Wellington last week. What the upr.hot will ho of course is in the hands of the godft, hut, doubllcas, something acceptable to all parties will he arranged.

A rather .'far] death occurred nl Franklon yesterday. A little child, not two year* of n%e., mcuml mmn toadstools and ale lb«m, Uainft taken ill medical aid was called In and tbc stomach pump 4i#ed, hut without avail, the poisonous nature of tho fungi having apparently entered Into the little one's system, with lbs result that death ensued a few houri later.

A mmwebat tragic death occurred on the Franktou road some days ago, Mr. i, W. Henderson, secretary of the Waikato Bacon Company, while cycling along at midday, fell off his machine and died. Some affection of the heart was th« cause. Mr. Henderson was an old New Zealand resident, he having come to theße shores so far back as 1874, wqtJ in the of the Bank of New Zealand for over twenty years. He was an elder in the Baptist Church, and well liked and respected. Mr, Balyerty has notified the Waikato Musical and Elocutionary Society that he will not be able to act aw judge of tie competitions at Hamilton in May, owing to his being engaged in a similar capacity in Christchurch. The committee are now looking about for other judges.