LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 274, 6 July 1910, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Miss Pine's new quarter for music, painting and infant school commences on July 11th.* The stationmaster at Halcombe, Mr W. Morton, has been transferred to Te Awamutu. The Public Works Department no tifies that land in the Kawhia South Survey district, being part of Hautura East No. lb section 3 a, has been taken for the purposes of a road. A flock of sheep were being driven through Dargaville when one of the animals, seeing its reflection in the window of a store, charged viciously, and smashed it to atoms. The damage is estimated at £22. Major Lusk, president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, Auckland province, and the provincial secretary (Mr A. J. G. Schmitt) left for Wellington by Sunday night's express, to attend the Dominion Farmers' Conference, to be held on July 12th, 13tb, and 14th. Considerable areas of Native land in the Waikato and King Country districts, says the Native Minister, which are under offer to the Government, are the subject of investigation by the Land Purchase Officer at the present time, and negotiations are proceeding very satisfactorily. The erection of a telephone wire between Mahoenui and Paemako has been approved by the Department in response to representations by the New. Zealand Farmers' Union, Auckland province. The union has been advised that instructions have been given for the work to be proceeded with forthwith. The Government has no intention at present of issuing a new design or postage stamps, in consequence of the death of King. Edward VII. The Prime Minister who gave . a reply to this effect when questioned by a "Dominion" reporter on the matter, recalled that when Queen Victoria died no new design was issued for a considerable time. According to the Prime Minister, the majority of the Bills and the annual Departmental reports are practically ready for presentation to the House, and the Government will .be able to coommence legislative Work immediately the Address-in-Reply debate is concluded. It is probable that the Financial Statement will be brought down before the session has proceeded.very far. During the past few weeks there have been several large transactions in land in various parts of the Hamilton district. Among the properties which have changed hands are the .Richmond Down Estate at Walton, the Sunnyside Estate at Cambridge road, near Hamilton, and a large block on the hillside portion of the old Woodlands Estate., Mr George Howie, of Eureka, is also reported to have sold his farm, of 800 acres, to a goldfields' syndicate at £2O per acre. During the last month 26,7650z of gold were exported from New Zealand, valued at £105,033, as again U 46,381oz, valued at £185,217, in June of last year. The quantity of silver exported last month was 175,3180z of a value of £17,519, as against 177,2950z of a value of £17,758 in June, 1909. For the six months ended June 30th last gold was exported to the value of £888,687 and silver to the value of £90,666. These figures show a decline of £58,684 in respect of gold and £629 in respect of silver compared with the corresponding six months of 1909. As a very marked example of the great "taihoa" policy of the present Native Lands administration, says our Otorohanga correspondent, it may be mentioned that it is now two years since the saleyards movement was started in Otorohanga. At that time those interested we're given to under- • stand that they would have very little difficulty in acquiring the freehold of Ave acres' adjoining the township, and administered by the Maori Land Board, provided that the saleyards were not run by a private company or a syndicate. In order to meet these views of the Maori Land Board' a public company was formed, but now after two years continuous agitation to bring the business to a finality, the company have had to give the matter up in disgust and purchase a site for the yards elsewhere. The site chosen is a very good one, within easy reach of the township, and we expect very soon to have up-to-date yards erected thereon. The absence of saleyards here has been a very great drawback to the district as well as a very great inconvenience to the surrounding farmers. ..