OTOROHANGA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 240, 9 March 1910, Page 5

OTOROHANGA.

Own Correspondent,

I am pleased to report that Mr. E. Kerr, the well-known Temperance Hotel keeper, of Te Kuiti, has acquired Mr. D. Ormsby's boarding house at Otorohanga, and took possession on Monday. Mr. Kerr's capable

management will do much to recom- - mend his new purchase to the travelling public. The Maori Land Board sat in Otorohanga on Friday, and paid out the rents.

The Picnic Account shows a satisfactory credit balance of about £36, which is creiitable to all concerned in arranging this great annual festival. The Domain Board is making extensive improvements to its grounds, and £7O is to be spent in draining, fencing, ploughing, etc., at once. Tenders have already been called for. The Military Gymkhana is giving ten per cent of its profits to the Domain funds.

A very interesting address was given last week by J. W. Ellis Esq., of the firm of Messrs Ellis and Burnand, Ltd.. who have a branch timber mill in this district. Mr. Ellis, who has recently toured the world in search of new methods and latest machinery for treating timber, etc., in his address stated that of the countries visited by him: England, Germany and America, he was not so much interested in the first two countries and that America was the place he found most scope for his research. Mr. Ellis then outlined

the latest machinery for haulage of

logs and the making of sashes, doors, _ etc. While in America he visited the * much talked-of Oregon pine forests, and was there satisfied why it was so easy for the exporter to supply other countries with cheaper timber. The forests there are on the salt water frontage and the ground has an easy slope to roll timber into the sea where it is yarded up by a ring of logs dogged together and so transported to the mill. Another thing which he saw which would be of great value to the King Country was the treatment of timber pulp, so that instead of turning the waste over the bank into the river they turned it into alcohol. . After referring to one or two other matters the meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Ellis for his interesting lecture. Miss Jenning, assistant teacher at the school, has resigned, and leaves at Easter vacation. She will be greatly missed by the children. The influx of new t ettlers to Otorohanga has already made itself felt in the school, the roll number of children now being over 150. Accommodation is at present overtaxed, especially in the infants' room, needs enlarging. The New Zealand Railway authorities are erecting an engine shed, and also a 2000 gallon tank at the station, and it is rumoured that the WellingtonAuckland express trains, will stop here to take water. - Cricket will bfl played in this town on Saturday next by teams Married v. Single. This should prove a very keen contest, as each team has one win .to its credit. After the match a dinner will be held, the losers being the payers.