Notes from the “ Observer."

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 252, 30 March 1906, Page 2

Notes from the “ Observer."

The medal for gallantry, if there is such a decoration, is claimed by Ka wbians on behalf of a little fellow named Harris Symons. Lately young Harris' sister cut her foot, and so could not walk to school. For two days the attentive little brother mounted her on his pony, and in this way rode her to the township school. On the third day the pony was mining. But rather than disappoint the little girl, young Harris tnok her upon his back and ■* pick-a-backed " her to and from school. Whbn a boy will do this much for his own sister, what will he not be worth to another fellow’s sister in course of a few years ?

Some townships are all main street. Kawhia is in tbe anomalous position of having do main street whatever. Imagine a number of shops and houses built along the water front in a row as straight as a dog’s hind leg, and that is a rough plan of Kawhia. However, there is to ba a change. The Government have let a contract for properly forming the street, and the Kawhians already see visions of a city to which Paris will not )be a circumstance. “ When once our native land gets opened up,” a Kawhia citizen will begin, and unless you have time and patience to listen to a sketch of a oom* ing metropolis, it is wise to out short bis lecturette before he gets his second wind.

Fcr arranging gorgeous picnics, tbe administrators of New Zealand lands will take some beating. The highwater mark was probably reached last year, when a dozen gentlemen, with a big staff of officials, careered round the calony for months taking evidence on land tenure questions, and at a cost that ran into five figures produced a huge blue-book which has simply been pigeon-holed, and will never be heard of again. But this was only one picnic of many. Not to go away from home, the Auckland Land Board have i’ust made a tour in the wilds of the ling Country and tbe West Coast. Possibly it will do some good by making tbe Commissioners acquainted with the lands they administer. And who will blame them if they held their outing in the part of the year when travelling in ths bush is most enjoyable ?