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Bush Advocate, Volume XXII, Issue 16, 20 January 1910, Page 4

On page 2 to-day will be found further results of the British elections and additional particulars of the Australian floods. Page 3: Commercial. Page 6: Country correspondence. Page 7: A report of the Kumeroa sports. The secretary of the Wanganui Caledonian Society . (Mr N. M. Forbes) has received a consignment of heather from Scotland for distribution among members. The monthly meeting of the directors of the Tamaki Co-operative Dairy Coy., Ltd., was held at Te Rehunga on Tuesday evening. A considerable amount of routine business was transacted. Accounts amounting to £1223 14s were passed for payment. A bicycle road race, for .youths under 17, was held yesterday afternoon. The course was from Te Behunga to Dannevirke, about seven miles. The first part of the distance was over new metal. J. Jones was the winner, G. Curran being second. The time, was given as 26 minutes. Commenting on the slowness of a local train, the North of Auckland Times says:—"lt is said in Helensville that one can always tell when the train is coming, by reason of the fact that the .driver's dog precedes it. The dog always gets in first, and never appears half so tired as 'Weary Willie' or the passengers who are fuming in the hot, stuffy carriages."

When the members of the South Island Dairy Association were inspecting the grading of butter and cheese at Lyttelton the other day, the grader in charge, Mr Bowman, stated there was a great improvement in the cheese, the quality of which was. two points better than it was two years ago, and altogether much more even. There had also been a considerable improvement in the quality of the butter.

A resident in Moray-place, Dunedin, gained recently some interesting experience with regard to the pugnacity of the weasel. Whilst cutting grass he heard a rustling sound, and, upon investigating, was surprised to find it was caused by a weasel, which upon his approach promptly sprang at him. He avoided the animal, which immediately sprang at him again, and was proceeding to make a third attack when a timely blow with a hook despatched it. The weasel, which was taken into the office of the Otago Daily Times, was about 9in. long.

Last evening in the Oddfellows' Hall Miss Gibb, who is leaving for Wellington,. was entertained at a farewell social by her many friends and a most enjoyable evening was spent. Dancing, for which the music was supplied by Mrs Houlihan, was kept going merrily under the direction of Mr W. P. Hope, as M.C. Songs were given by Messrs Hansard, Spence, Miss M'lvor, and recitations by Mrs Farrow and Mr Adler, Misses Eaton and Paton playing the accompaniments. During the evening, Mr L. G. Armstrong presented the guest of the evening with a handsome gold brooch, Mr Alf. Spence responding on Miss Gibbs' behalf. A most enjoyable gathering was brought to a close shortly before midnight by the singing of "Auld lang syne."

The following is the interpretation of an appeal recently made by the Hon. A. T. Ngata to native landholders to make better use of their land : "You Maoris here have a fine block of land. Some of it you are farming yourselves, while part of it is leased to your pakeha neighbors. I Avant you to look at the difference between the land you are farming yourselves, and then' at the land being farmed by the pakeha on each side of you. The land seems to me to be of the same character; but look at the difference. You are letting your land go back into scrub. Your fences are falling to pieces; some parts are not fenced at all. You are not making the most of your land. Now look at the land joining you—Mr Tatham's 'Homewood' and Mr Elder's 'Waikaraka.' They are making the most of their properties. They are keeping the plough going, keeping the scrub down and the fences in good order; in fact, good farming. Now, I want you to take note of what I am saying, and it is this: If you do not farm "your land properly, and make the best use of it—which you can, seeing that those round you are doing it—take my word for it that the pakeha will stop in and take the land from you and farm it himself. The land is too valuable to bo wasted or allowed to lie idle. There is such a demand for land at the present time that it cannot ho satisfied, and my parting advice to you is to take a lesson from the pakeha. farmer, and make the most of vour land, otherwise you will have to stand aside and make your way for those who are eager and anxious to put the land to better use."

A position is awaiting the young man who advertised in Tuesday's issue of the Advocate for a situation on a farm.

Dalgety and Co.. Ltd., the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Co., Ltd., and Abraham and Williams, Ltd., have determined that their stock sales at Pahiatua will in future commence at 11.30 a.m., so as to suit the buyers from the adjoining districts. _ The alteration has been made owing; to the alteration in the railway timetahle, and the new arrangement will come into force on Tuesday next.

Owing to the heavy rain which fell to-day the Tennis Club bad to postpone the tournament games which were to have been played this afternoon until to-morrow. It was the intention of the club to have played off as many games as possible to-day, and if the club's courts were not fit to play on to have utilised the High School courts. Unfortunately this idea had to be abandoned, and at the time of 'writing (3 p.m.) it appears that the possibility of the. weather clearing is somewhat remote.