LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 267, 11 June 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The rainfall in Te Kuiti for the 24 hours ending 9 a.m. yesterday, was 1.55 inches.

Mr W. K. Mulgan, M.A., at present in the employ of the Canterbury Education Board has been appointed to the position of chief inspector of the Auckland Education Board, vice Mr Petrie, resigned. Mr Geo. Alexander, the advance representative for Devonport's dramatic company, is in town making arrangements for the company's appearance here in "Gone Beyond Recall," on Saturday next at the Town Hall. Mr Livingstone, of Mairoa road, Pio Pio, sent away by train on Wednesday night 80 head of three-year cattle for Hawke's Bay. They were in splendid condition, affording an indication of the suitability of the district for stockraising purposes.

The secretary of the New Zealand Farmers' Union (Mr A. J. G. Schmitt) has forwarded a petition to the Prime Minister from 57 Paemako settlers, praying for a connection of the telephone service between Mahoenui and Paemako, a distance of twelve miles. Mr C. B. Lever will sell on Thursday, June 30th, Mr V. S. Hattaway's boardinghouse furniture and farm implements at the boardinghouse, Pio Pio. This includes a McCormick mower and reaper, tripod harrows, disc harrows, harness, horses and a wheelbarrow. "We cannot collect any charitable aid rate on native land," remarked the clerk of the Cook County Council at a meeting which was held this week. "We cannot even collect our general rate on Native land. Last year we collected £ls out of £IB,OOO, and we engaged a solicitor, who did far less than I was able to do myself." The Minister of Public Works writes to Mr Jennings, M.P., with reference to a petition from Mr E. H. Hardy and others praying for the construction of a road from Te Kuiti via Mangapehi, Porotarao and Ongarue to Taumarunui, that the question will be considered when the Estimates for the current year are being framed. Mr Dew, employed by Mr Whale, of Mairoa, met with a most distressing accident on Wednesday. He had been chopping timber and managed to cut his ankle, the blow severing an artery and causing great loss of blood. It was found impossible to check the flow and Dew was literally bleeding to death when Dr Fulhrton arrived and bound up the wound. Dew is now going on as favourably as can be expected under the circumstances.

A great Maori gathering is being held at Waahi, near Huntly* Representatives of the tribes in the King Country are present among others, some 2500 Natives being assembled. The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), accompanied by the Hons. Carroll and Ngata, are present to confer with them on matter of vital importance to the Native race, the most important of which are the confirmation of the business done at the last meeting, what land is to be reserved for the Natives, land on which to establish farms on which the Natives can build a home, and work in a manner similar to the European; land for a papa kainga; land for the mana of Mahutu; definition of the power of Mahutu over his people; to affirm the principles of the proclamation of 1884, whereby liquor was to be kept out of the Rohe Potae Coiintry. A Waikato settler has just learnt that it is an expensive thing to light fires on his property. Giving judgment in the case, Jory v. Stokes, at Te Awamutu, Mr F. O'B. Loughnan. S.M., said:—"The defendant, Frank Stokes, lit a fire for the purpose of burning blackberries on or about October 35th, 1908, on land adjoining the land of the plaintiff. The fire spread to the plaintiff's property, and burnt 117 acres of swamp land, whereby the plaintiff suffered damage. The law relating to the spread of fires in New Zealand is well settled, and in an action for damages caused by such fires spreading to adjoining land it is not necessary to prove negligence. After carefully considering the evidence and comparing the state of the burnt swamp with the state of the virgin swamp, I assess the damage at £ll7. Judgment will be for plaintiff against both defendants for £ll7, and costs £ll 17s 6d."