LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 251, 16 April 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Mr W. Bowler, chief clerk at the head office of the Native Lands Department, succeeds Mr Holland as president of the Maniapoto Board. Sergeant Maguire, who was shot in an encounter with Powelka at Palmerston North on Sunday night, succumbed to his wounds at 6 o'clock on Thursday morning. The Federal elections in Australia so far give 45 Labour members and 30 coalition members returned. Four seats remain undecided. The votes on the two questions put to the referendum show "Yes" as far as examined. The total expenditure of. the necessary equipment to put the new defence scheme upon a working footing will, Sir Joseph Ward states, amount to about £60,000. The-cost of ammunition will be £35,000, and stores and magazines will involve an expenditure of £SOOO. As already stated, the purchase of equipment to the extent of £490,00 has been authorised. It has been decided by the Government, on the recommendation of the Teleraph Department, to provide two new copper trunk wires between Wellington and Auckland. When completed this will enable telephone communication to be carried on at night between the two cities, the wires being used for telegraph purposes during the day. Ten guineas in prizes for an hour or two's work is the unusually attractive subject of an advertisement in another column. The genuineness and fairness of the contest is guaranteed by the substantial firm inaugurating it, and our enterprising young people (and old too) would do well to learn particulars and forward their word-lists. The Government is making provision for the necessary fund to execute surveys and for the purchase of Native lands. The Purchase Board holds a meeting on the to consider offers for purchase by the Crown. It is expected that a period of great activity in native land operations all along the line will ensue. Probably the most significant fact disclosed during the wool-selling season has been the big advance made by Japan in the purchase of the staple on Australian markets. Japanese buyers have taken about double the; amount they did in the previous season. Not only this, but they have purchased all descriptions of wool, which shows that considerable advances are taking place in wool manufacturing in Japan. The coolness" and nerve of our New Zealand girls was well illustrated one night lately. A highly respected and athletic damsel was returning home after visiting some friends, one light when she as accosted by the usual male thing, who enquired if he might walk with her. She was equal to the occasion and coolly* looking her tormentor up and down, she said in her nicest tones, ''Certainjy, if you're afraid tp go alone. '' Halley's comet was picked up by the director of the Wanganui observatory at 5.10 on Wednseday morning. Its position was RA. 23 hours 58 minutes, and north declination 7 deg. 55 minutes. The nucleus was very bright, and distinctly expanded across the major axis of the comet. The coma was distinct, and the tail could be traced for about five minuter of the arc. The comet could be seen distinctly till 5.45. At Wednesday's meeting of the Auckland Education Board it was decided to invite applications for the position of Chief Inspector of Schools, returnable on the 9th May, at a salary of £6OO per annum. Appointment of teachers of King Country interest were dealt with as follows:—Mr D. J. Rogers to be teacher Mairoa sphoplj Miss A. E. Joyce, aspistant to Gtorohaiiga school; Miss E. W. Wylie, substitute to Taumarunui school; .Mr W. H. Smith, to temporary charge of Otorohanga school. As an evidence of the go-ahead nature of the King Country and the interest that is being displayed in Pio Pio, due no doubt to the establishment of saleyards and a butter factory there, Messrs Young and Co. announce having disposed on behalf of Mr V. S. Hattaway, of the whole of his freehold sections, in all eighteen. Quite a number of business places are being built and in view of this fact, Mr |}as instructed Young and Co. to ct]t up a further 3.9 acres of Native lease jm mediately opposite Green and Colebrook's store. As soon as the survey is completed circulars will be issued relative to prices and condition? of sale. In cutting up this block, provision will be made for accommodation paddocks, which are Uglily essential where saleyards are established.*

Here is a tale of a tin and a tired > traveller told in the Timaru Herald. A young New Zealander who was engaged to take a mob of sheep from the Orari Gorge Station, having no horse, and as the sheep were fat and could not be driven fast, took the precaution to possess himself of an empty benzine tin before starting. Ever and anon he uprighted this on the roadside, and sat upon it to rest his weary bones, picking it up and carrying it under his arm when he had to walk on again to catch up to the sheep. One could well wish that New Zealand cities were to have an "ideal home" exhibition such as the one which Princess Christian opened at Olympia, London, the other day. No doubt much good could be done here by ocular proof that no huge amount of money is needed to make a simple house please rather than horrify a sensitive observer. Will private enterprise some day see an advantage in offering habitable abodes to people of moderate means, or will it be left to the State or municipalities?— "Evening Post:" The New Zealand loan recently raised, Sir Joseph Ward states, has been absolutely and satisfactorily floated. It was, he said, obtained at £9B 10s, while that floated recently for New South Wales brought only £96. The public took 85 per cent, of the loan. There was thus only 15 per cent, in the hands of the underwriting brokers. The fact of 85 per cent, having been taken straight out at £9B 10s is exceedingly satisfactory, and no loan has been floated so well for a considerable time. Anyone wanting a first-class investment in town property should not miss the opportunity which will be offered on Thursday next when Mr C. B. Lever will submit by auction that valuable section in Rora Street, owned by Mr Ivess, just beyond Kelvin Boardinghouse. The section has been subdivided into convenient allotments, on one of which is a six room dwelling and shop; the annual rentals are exceptionally low and upsets have been fixed at very low figures as the owner is determined to sell. The sale will be held on the ground at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Although the butter export season is now nearing its close, the factories are still turning out large quantities. For the fortnight ended on Thursday, 6600 boxes, or 165 tons, were sent into cool store for shipment by the s.s. lonic from Wellington, as against 1135 boxes, or 28 tons, for the corresponding period last year. Farmers have seen the advantages that will accrue from winter dairying, and quite a number of Auckland factories will continue operations throughout the winter. Consequently supplies should be well maintained. The chief of the General Staff (Colonel Robin) when asked to give particulars of the reported appointment of Colonel Allan Bell, of the Waikato, to undergo a course of military training in England, stated that there was evidently some misapprehension though it was probably not due to Colonel Bell. He was going to England privately on a visit, and had simply been accorded the facilities at the disposal of every New Zealand Volunteer officer under such circumstance l , being given a recommendation to the High Commissioner, which would result in his being brought into touch with the military authorities. Colonel Bell's trip was, however, entirely upon his own initiative and at his own expense. Just a little judgment is needed to be exercised when one is prepnring for a Christy Minstrel performance or a Basuto war dance, or a masquerade. Burnt cork is generally used to ensure the correct complexion of the face, but in order that there should be no possible chance of his colour fading, a member of the Basuto tribe at present taking part in the Catholic Bazaar went one better than burnt cork, says the "Nelson Mail." He substituted black lacquer. There is no need to complain of the quality of the brand used, either in respect of the density of the colour or its adhesiveness, as the boy is a walking testimonial in regard to both, as he has found out to his cost. According to statements made by members of the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society specially energetic measures are to be taken against• poachers this season. A jetter has been drawn up by the president tp be forwarded to the country sopieties asking for their co-operation jn stopping poaching. It is pointed out in this letter that the society intends to appoint one or two paid rangers, and it is asked that assistance should be rendered by the local society in protecting its own district by honorary rangers, and paid rangers where necessary. It was resolved to offer the Thames Society the sum of £lO, and seven other societeis £5 each, as a contribution towards this end. The Huntly Rod and Gun Club notified that all its members would act as honorary rangers. The Council appointed a ranger for three months, and a second ranger for a fortnight immediately prior to the opening of the season.