LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4372, 11 February 1909, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tlie Sunday School scholars of St. Mark’s will go to Morrinsville on Saturday morning by the 7.2,i am. train for their annual picnic. Given favourable weather conditions, the little ones should enjoy a very pleasent outing in the splendid grounds of Mr Henry Clifford, where good shelter is obtainable.

Writing in the Dominion in regard to the liuia bird, Mr W. VV. >mith. ot .New

Plymouth, siys :—“ As there »re many mercenary collectors travelling übout the Dominion in search of the last living specimens procurable of the Huia and other rare specimens of native biids.it is of the utmost importance for those who know to preserve silence as t > their present habit .ts until a niffHent number have been captured Hnd securely p.aced on the insular bird sanctuaries. Impatience for the honour attached to such very important work should be rigidly suppressed until it is successfully accomplished. The increasingly great demand forhuia feathers has be.-n, aud is, the chief cause of tin rapid disappearance of this unique and beautiful bird. I have I reviously suggested, and again do so. that the Government should rigidly supp ess the sale of hum and all native bi>d feathers, in order to prevent such nefarious traffic. We know that 9,3 or more per cent of feathers sold by dealers as those of the hu a are spurious, and are chiefly * faked’ turkey feathers. I think it is monstrous that such nefarious dealings and practices should be tolerated in the Dominion. If effectively suppressed the demand for these charming birds would almost cease, which would enable them to live on in their beautiful forest haunts at leist a few years longer. ” Britain, the country which spends £167.000,000 per annum in strong drink, has at present millions of people practically in a state of starvation. One redeeming feature or the situation is the earnest way in which many of the Churches are endeavouring to alleviate the sufferings of those who, in many cases, are suffering through no fault of their own.

The Wanganui loan has been over subscribed in London.

The fi.Bt direct shipment of Baltic pine, says the Waikato Times, for about twenty years—since the time before saw-milling was properly started, when, old residents will remember, 'Baltic pine was used largely for building houses—is coming to Dunedin by tbe Norwegian barque Orphelia, which is about due now. She has 1,000,000 feet of timber abroad, all consigned to Hogg and Co., of Dunedin, but 350,000 feet is to be sent

on to Christchurch. Hitherto timber from the Baltic has been imported via Australia, consequently users of it will benefit to the extent of the transhipment charges ; but it in no way completes with' our local red pine, as it is used for purposes for which red pine is unsuitable.

Miss Gillett, who has been seriously indisposed for some weeks and confined to her bed, is, her frieuds will be glad to learn, able to be up agahS|, this week, and hopes soon to her usual health. ' r -' Whilst driving in from the Waihi beach on Sunday, Mr and Mrs Keily and child met with an accident which might have resulted in serious consequences. It appears that the horse became restive, finally kicking the trap over a cliff, but fortunately the occupants esenped without serious inj ary. At the last meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council Mr S. J, Laughlin was appointed to represent the Council on the Thames Harbour Board says “ The Thames Advertiser.” Mr Laughlin thanked the members for placing their trust in him, and said he would do his best to watch their interests, and the interest of the district generally. On Sunday next the Yicar of St. Mark’s, will' deliver an address on a subject which was very thoroughly and practically discussed at the Lambeth Conference held last year. It is entitled Marriage Problem. The Conference says, “ The Sanctity of Marriage, is being openly violated in civilised countries and there is an avowed determin ■ ation on the part of persons of extreme opinion so pi ess to the front their advocacy of a complete abolition of the tie of marriage. ” Marriage is the root of the family life and family life is the basis of social order, and consequently this subject is one of more 1 than passing interest.

Mr H. J. Hyde, of Waitoa, writes as follows “ I wish to draw your attention to a wrong statement in your report of the Te Aroha Show. Your account of pigs over 12 months (boar), Mr Rogers Ist, O’Grady 2nd, which is notvcorrect; it should have been Rogers Ist, H. J. Hyde 2nd, also in the light

cart horse up to half a-ton Mr Bossons did not get a place at all. Hoping you will cot rect the same ” We have again consulted the A. and H. prize-list and find that the figures we published are correct, but would suggest that our correspondent apply to the Secretary for corroboration.

Wandering around youi district and in the course of my travels says a contributor, I was much surprised to see the wonderful transformation on the Waitoa Estate. Where there used to be in the past almost a wilderness now you see quite a number of smiling homesteads, and most of the settlers seem to be more than satisfied with their purchases, as there is no doubt they should be, as the quality of the laud leaves nothing to be desired and the only drawback to this district as far as I can see, is the state of the roads .in the winter time. I understand from the settlers on this Estate that the drains will soon receive attention as they are keeping abreast oi the times and have formed a Drainage Board, and with such men as Messrs Matthew Henry and Ronald Matheson at the head of things, we may expect in the near future to see the Waitoa Estate take the lead and show the other districts that they can show no better returns from there land

then the Waitoa Estate. I was much surprised to see the splendid crops of potatoes and oats that can be grown on this Estate without manure. I was shown one paddock that has been cropped with nothing else but potatoes for the last f :ur years without manure Hjtd every crop has been a good one, the last being the best. At a sitting of the District Court held at Thames last Tuesday, a case of alleged indc'-ejit ussault at Wa’bon oarne before His Honor District Judge Kettle. As

the Crown Prosecutor (Mr Selwyn Mays) and the prisoner freely exercised the right to challeng" it tpok some time to get tie jury expannelled. The jury being ininble to agree upon a verdict, the Crown Prosecutor ashed for an ajournment until the next session of the District Court in three months time. Mr Clendon, who appeared for the defence applied for the same bail to be granted as before namely, prisoner one hundred pounds and two sureties of fifty pounds each, of one of one hundred This was granted. Mr W. Wilson, Revans-street, Newtown, Wellington, N.Z , writes : *• My liver has given me a. lot of trouble. Not long ago I had liver blotches all over my face and tried all sorts of things but obtained no relief. On the advice of a friend I tried Chamberlain’s Tablets and before I had taken two bottles the blotches had disappeared from my face, and I have not been troubled since.’ For sale by J. B. Johnson, Agents.—Ad