NEWS ITEMS

(Fbom ocr Latest Exchanges.)

Mr Tame Parata (Thomas Pratt), who is re-elected for the Southern Maori district in the House of Representatives, has a farm at Waikouaiti, Otago. He was born on Ruapuka Island in 1887, and through his mother is a descendant of the famous ohiefs of the Ngaitahu and Ngatimamoe tribes. His father was Captain Pratt, who in the early days freqnented the Bluff in a whaler. During last month the Auckland Crown Lands Board sold 8,81G,484ft of kauri timber for £1,694 15s.

With regard to the fossil remains of a saurian monster found at Purangi, the Crown Lands Commissioner is awaiting a reply from Wellington to Mr W. H. Skinner'e report, before taking any steps to remove tbe remains. The Maoris, it is said, have a tradition that a monster, which they called Parabia, formerly existed in that district, to which it was customary to make an offering of the first fruits of the season but whether Mr Hertzog's discovery has any connection with the traditional Paraliia is uncertain.

The employes of the Belfast Freezing Works have subscribed a sum of £5 12s 6d for a monster plum pudding to be given to the poor who obtain their Christmas cheer through the agency of Mr Herrick's Home at Ohristchurch. The sum subscribed has sufficed to purchase ingredients for a plum pudding which when mixed weighed 4051 b. The ingredients were 2001 b flour, 501 b sultanas, 601 b currants, 401 b suet, 151 b lemon peel, 201 b sugar, 7doz eggs, spices, essence of lemon, &c. Tbe pudding will be boiled in one of the large steam pans in the preserving department at tbe works, and eighteen hours will be allowed for the cooking operation. The sheep farmers of the Plate, who are looked upon as among the most formidable competitors with the j sheep raisers of this country in the Home market, have to contend with one enemy which is even more terrible tban the New Zealand rabbit— the locust. A letter from a correspondent at the Eiver Plate in the ♦ Australian Pastoralists Eeview ' of Nov 16 states that locusts are devastating the northern provinces, that thousands of dollars have been voted by the Government for tbe destruction of eggs and the recently hatched insect, but that neither the individual nor the Government has delayed by one infinitesimal fraction of time the onward march of the scourge.

The Auckland School of Mines register sheds a little light on the way in which the funds of mining companies are disbursed, and who gets the benefit. One man, it seems, holds a seat on 26 directorates, and another on 25 ; thus, allowing 10s for each board meeting, and two sittings a month, they will draw, the one £812, and the other £800 per annum. The average number of directors is about six to eaoh company. There must be about 1886 directors for the 531 claims registered who are receiving £12 a year each, or £16,682, which the shareholders have to pay.

Although Balmoral is about six hundred miles from London, the Queen is as thoroughly in touch with the metropolis when in Scotland as when at Osborue. 'J here is a private telegraph wire direct from the Castle to London, which is working from morning till night when the Queen is at Balmoral. Henare Kaihau, who : is elected for the Western Maori electorate, beating Major Kemp and the late member (Ropata te Ao), is a chief of the Ngatiteata tribe, of Lower Waikato, and has a farm at Maioro, near Waiuku He is a very intelligent man and has a good knowledge of English, and is of splendid physique. Henare has the support of tho Waikato kingite party. THE HABIT OP HEALTH, Tbe constant use of Pbab a Soap A clergyman in Fawke's .Bay is said to have surprised his congregation recently by startling a whistling racket i in the pulpit. He was talking for a while, and seemingly did not impress his congregation so favourably as he wished, so he started to whistle, and all eyes were on him at once. The death is announced of Paki Wi Honga, one of tbe leading chiefs of the Ngahuhi, at Eaikohe, Bay of Islands.

On a large sheep station in the Waikato a number of lambs and a sheep have been found dead, and are bettered to have been killed by weasels.

A Maori shearer at a shed not a hundred miles from Masterton got leave from the proprietor for a day off to bury hia child, which had died the night previous. He told s friend, " Mff bury him quick and then go to races I"

Mb Freybebg, the Government oiin~ ber expert, is urging the Wellington City Council to use red birch and mountain birch ia experimenting as to the most suitable timber for street paving. Either of those "woods will, he believes, be found admirably suited for the purpose. Sawn birch can be purchased in Marlborough Sounds foe i about 7s per 100 ft, and as the freight to Wellington will be only Is 9d, the streets can, he maintains, be paved at considerably less than half the cost that is incurred in doing similar work in London.