CHATHAM ISLAND NEWS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10070, 18 August 1910, Page 6

CHATHAM ISLAND NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

On May 24th last the annual shootuing match took place lit Whangamarino. There was a fair number of competitors, and the distances were '2OO, 300, and 400 yards. Some good shooting was done, there being five shoots at each range. The winner was E. M. C. Guest, one time of Masterton, whose score read 23, 24, 24, total 71. out of a possible 75. The rest were close, and shooting may be said to be "011 the improve" down here. Guest has been on the island four years, and when he came knownothing about rifles or the use of them. In this connection the name of Mr Shand again looms large, for he was the secretary and practically the life and soul of the club. Under his management, many years of it, the club has progressed wonderfully, and always had a good credit balance. Now, one may say, the backbone of the club has gone, and truly lie who takes the place of the deceased will have a great difficulty in worthily filling his shoes. Mr Shand was at one time a, decent shot himself, but lately has given it up. His cheery face will be missed at the future meetings.

Another of the diminishing few of the. Moriori race died the other day at -Wairua. This was Ropia, a very old man, some 80 or 90 years of age. He was a pure Moriori. He leaves three generations of descendants, but the present ones are mixed with the Maori race to some extent.

We have had a very severe dose of the "mare mare" this year. You call it influenza in New Zealand, but this is the local name for it. Several settlers have Lad a very bad time with it, and the children all over the island have had it badly. As a rule, two or three days sees it gone, but this time two or three weeks and even more has been the period of attack. Some people say it comes from New Zealand with the steamer. Strange to say it is always rife after "steamer time," but that is probaply because at that time most of the settlers meet together at Waitangi, and it is a case of "swapping germs," or something of the sort. It has almost disappeared now, but will, 110 doubt, start again after the. "Ripple" has been here.

Strange things happen in a place so isolated as this. An instance of this was the fact that at Te One School the school cadets, as usual, 011 May 24th (Empire Day), saluted the flag and gave cheers for King and country; and all the time KingEdward was dead, and we were not to know for some time afterwards. When the news did come, however, flags were put at half-mast, and in our belated way,we joined in the general mourning for our much lamented ruler. And the proclamation followed in due course. Two addresses have also been prepared and signed by the settlers, one to Queen Alexandra and the other to King George, expressing our loyalty and devotion to the Throne, and our respectful sympathy with their Majesties in their great loss. We are if you are interested enough to notice, about the farthest off settlers of the Empire, so perhaps our distance and the slow communication will be accepted as our excuse for our tardiness. We are none the less loyal, if we are slow.