Local and General.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 378, 4 September 1908, Page 2

Local and General.

The annual meeting of the Te Rau-a-moa Dairy Company is fixed (as per advertisement) for Saturday next, 12th inst. ‘ More or Less Topical ” has been crowded out of this issue; also extracts from the Native Land Purchase officer’s report, dealing with blocks in this district. There has been quite an epidemic of colds here lately, the complaint appa rently having been brought back by visitors to Auckland at tbe time of tbe American fleet. The rainfall at Kawhia, as registered by the Government rain guage, for the month of August was 4.19 in. During the same month in 1907 5.26 in in fell, and in 1906 2 07 in. Great complaints are made relative to the small birds in tbo vicinity of Kawhia, some of tbe residents having had their'vegetable beds completely ruined two or three timjg in sauces

A new post office has been established for the convenience of settlers in tbe Whakapirau Valley (Kinohaku) to be known as “ Waerengabou.” Mr R. Neely has been appointed postmaster. In this issue Messrs Falwa?ser and Pettit advertise a further list of properties that have been put in their hands for disposal. Those in seiroh of businesses, farms, or houses would do well i to peruse same. A teiiler at Kinohaku, W. D Smith, had tbe misfortune to lose fair, wbare and contents by fire one day daring the week, tho only things saved being his blankets. Tbe loss is estimated at bat ween £2lO and £4O. For Bronchial Cougbn tike Woods’ G real Peppermint Cure, la 6d and , 2d fld.

A protest is entered bj Messrs Jonathan Ltd. on our front page. ThejNortbern S.S. Go’s, time table (or the month ot September appears in this issue.

A splendid seoiion ak Kinohaku is advertised in thia issue for sale by Messrs Faiwaeser and Pettit. Whilst playing with a tin wind mill last week, at Meketu, » tad named Ooweli had his arm very badly out. To-morrow (Saturday) night the second progressive euchre party, io sid of the Coiiu-e Fund, wit! be held ui Soott'e Hall.

Mr W. H. Berg has decided io in future run his new launch, Malatua, from Oparau, and in this issue advertises tbe times of sailing. Mr J. G. Penniket, of Ohaupo has been elected a director of the N.Z. Dairy Association, the voting being: Penniket 7558; Greenslade 5415.

An interesting letter relative to the prices ot stores procured in Auckland and Kawbia has been forwarded to us and will appear in our next issue. On Tuesday last Mrs Perham had a sum ot money stolen from the dining room of Hotel Moana, and tbe matter has been placed in the hands ot the police. Candidates for tbe Town Board election, to be held on tbe 16tb, are not so tar very numerous, the names ot Messrs Jonathan, F. Newton, W. Morgan and Pettit being the the only ones mentioned. In this issue Mr Pettit announces hie candidature. A Ratepayers Association has been formed at Oparau, tbe object ot which is to closely watch county matters, Mr C. Bell being appointed chairman, and Mr U.Oiaraon sec etary. The first meeting has been fixed for Saturday, tbe 12th met., notice ot which is given by advertisement in Ibis issue. Tbe most forgetful man in the world has been found. He tell ill recently with symptoms indicating appendicitis and submitted to an operation. To their great surprise and embarrasmenl the surgeons found that the appendix bad already been removed. The patient afforded the) necessary explanation when he recovered tram the other by stating that be remembered, when be “came'to think otit,” than he bad been through a similar operation two years earlier.

A New Zealand correspondent writes to The Scotsman thus: “What usually strikes a Home man first on arriving in New Zealand is tbe colossal conceit of the average young Maorilsnder, together with an appaling ignorance of anything outside bis own immediate New Zealand saved the Empire in the Boer war, is an article ot faith here, and the belief that this country stands between Britain and starvation is equally accepted.”

Last Saturday at Auckland, Taranaki footballers were defeated by tbe Auckland reps by nine points to nil. This ma'.ob was more than interesting to several in this district, as residing at Awaroa there are two settlers who were in tbe Taranaki representative team when tbe amber and blacks were eo famous. We refer to Mr A. W. Babbage, who played several seasons as full back, and Mr F. A. Pearson, who at one time was recognised one of tbe best wing forwards in the (as New Zealand then was) colony. We take the following from tbe report (just to hand) of the Department of Landa:— “Tbs various blocks of Native lands in the Aotaa-Rohepotae dietriots, tbe purchase of which ie now being onnoiuded, are either too far removed from tbe railway line, ot are not of sufficiently giod quality to warrant their subdivision into the small arras required for Improved farrne. It is very doubtful, therefore, it any considerable area of land can be placed at tbe disposal of applicants under these oonditinns." Just so. Another nf tbe many reasons for connecting Kawhia and the Main Trank by rail. It is not often that we personally complain of charges, etc., but on Tuesday wo bad an experience that should be recorded. A small parcal of paper was required from Baglan which duly arrived by the s s. Bimu. Tbe material was worth about one shilling, and the following were the charges thereon : Freight, Is; wharfage at Baglan, 3d; wharfage at Kawhia Id. The freight to any unbiassed mind will be recognised as excessive, but if such Is the case, what about the 8d wharfage at Baglan ? Why it is absolute robbery. No wonder the Raglan Harbour Board is in such a flourishing condition. We often bear complaints here about the wharfage dues at Kawbia, but it can now be seen that the residents are exctiedingly fortunate in that respect.

Tbe local Bodies Loans’ Amendment Bill contains a scheme whereby local authorities, instead of procuring loans from the Government, may raise loans from the public on debentures g larantesd by government. No such guarantee is to be given except by Order-in Council, and tbe aggregate amount to be guaranteed in any one year is not to exceed £500,000. In respect of every guaranteed loan tbe local autnorities must esmbli-b a sinking fund in tbe hands oi tbe Public Trustee. Tbe annual payment into the sinking fund must be not less than 1 per cent, of the loan, half of this amount being paid by the local authority, and the other half by Government by way ot subsidy. The BUI provides a simpler method ot settling objections to tbe special roll of ratepayers which is prepared, when a loan is charged on a particular part ot the district At present all such objections have to bo heard by an Assessment Court under tbe Bating Act. Clause 19 provides that in respect of all future loans raised by local autnorities under tbe Act tbe public trustee shall be tbe sole Commissioner ot sinking Inode, and that all sinking funds be vested io Governmoat ssouiittes.

A start has been made towards the erection of the Kawbia Butter Factory. By the s.e. Bimu on Tuesday some of the machinery arrived, besides 110 bags of lime end cement and 5500 bricks, for use in the construction ot 'he floor, eto. A fine king fish was c.pfnrad near tbe wharf by MrH. J. Fslwee-er on Frid>y morning. When landed it wee found that embedded in the back of of tbi fish was a epear, folly two feet long, wbiob judging by tbe rust and barnacles attaobed thereto must have been there for some considerable time. Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure for Coughs and Colds never tails. Is fid and 2s fid.

During tbe past week Messrs Burd (District Boads Engineer) and Forsyth (Bridge Inspector) paid an official vi-it to portions of the Kawhia district, and the result wifi be that very shortly works of great importance are to be undertaken. For some time past settlers in tbe vicinity of Ratanui and Ngapwnga have been agitating for road communication with tbe Marokopa Biver and we learn that their request is to be acceded to. It is now stated that tbs Government intend to erect a wharf at Lemon Point, widen the Kinohaku road to Te Anga, where tbe Marokopa Biver ie to bridged, and continue the road right on; to Te Kuiti, thus making a 16ft. dray road from tbe Kawbia Harbour to the Mein Trunk Line. Further, it is intended to blast out a quantity of the rocks at tbe Marokopa Entrance, erect a wharf there, construct tbe road leading thereto, and snag and deepen the river right up to Te Anga. Other important works mentioned (but not with s> much authority as those already referred to) are widening the Awaroa Maboe road, the completion of the Te Maika road, and tbe erection of a wharf at tbe place from which the road derives its name. Add io these tbe survey of tbe Kawbia Harbour Bailway and the reason of the Hon. B. M’Nab’s prediction of a boom at Kawhia is very apparent.