LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 6977, 18 February 1918, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A statement iv regard to native reserves accounts for the -year ended Viarchol. 1917, has l>eeu issued by the Public Tiustoo. This shows tha: the balance iv hand ia connection with Taurauga Edueatioual Sudowrocnt Reserves ia £85 -Is sd. A ueparato return \a given for Lot 302, Section 1, the balance iv hand being £U2s6d. Of hospital districts in th« Domiuion tho Bay of Islaii'la has tho largest ■ Maori population, viz, 8,807. Wai into Icomes next with 5,360 Maoris, and ftbo Bay of Plenty third vdth 5, 87;j. iThe smallest number of natives is found iv the iiulier disiriof, whore there are only 36. A Military Medical Board will sit at Kotorua on March S, !), and 11, leaving for Taur.uiga ou tho last, u.itc The value of imports received at the port of Taur.inga for the quarter euded December 31,1917, was £1,0-io, against £2,8-19 f>r the corresponding quarter of 1916, The value of imports for the year ID 17 was £ti,ooG against £6 } '104 for 191 fi. The upper portion of the Matai Road, wnich was recently repaired by the workmen of the liotorua County Couucil—tho cost; being borne by the liotorua and Taurauga Ouuuty Councils —is now in exceileut order. The capabilities of the bush eouutry between the coast and Kotorua i* well exemplilied by the work that had been accomplished by many euterprisiog settlers in the aroa "between the Mangorewa Gorge and Te Mttai. The farms of Messrs d lUsou, M.rcdy Brothers, Keith, Gordon, Jenkins, and others have excellent grass on them and several p-iddocks of clover, are showing a great growth. The etuok lookti well, too. The settlers have thoroughly mastered the pioneering difficulties and tho smiling homesteads are proof of the face tint their pluck and energy have been amply rewarded. The Te M.-itai district just now ia looking remarkably well. All the paddocks aic fuii of feed and the con'lit.ou of the fat cattle and d tiry cows compare more than favourably with those of the best districts iv the province. Tho maize crops arc lookiug spleudid, especially o:ie ou Mr II P Webber's farm, which should givo the grower a haudsomo yield. Three or four farms iv this diitiict are reported to have changed bauds during tlie past few days—one at £GO, and another at £53, and a third at a price in the vicinity of £00 per acre.— Te Aroha News. The annual, agricultuial show to be held at To Puko ou Thursday next promises to provide an iuterestiug exhibition cf live stock, The horse and cattle sections have filled well, and some very fine animals will be on show, ihe leaping events, aa usual, are calculated to provide koon contests. Givoo tiua weather, the show should attract a largo attendance from all over tho countj. The New Zeahud Loan ani Mercantile Agency Co, Ltd, will hold their sheep fair aud,fortnightly stock sale at To Puke to-morrow. The entries comprise 2,000 ewes, wethers and Jambs and 400 head of cattle. The firm will hold a sale in their Ngongataha yards on Saturday next. The Government offices throughout New Zealand will be closed for the Easter holidays on Friday, March 29, Saturday, March 30, aud Monday, April 1, Mr B A Meek, Government auditor, arrived here ou au official visit on Friday evening aud is staying at the Star Hotel. The Whakatana Agricultural and Pastoral Assooiition's annual show is to be held at Taneatua on February 27. The steamer Tusmaa will call in at Tauranga on Tuesday, February 26, returning on Thursday, February 28. •Schedules may be obtained at the office of this paper or fruui Mr .-V W Carmichael. Iv tho years to come tho settlers on Ball's Koadehould rank with the most prosperous in the Taurauga County. Messrs Ball Brothers are enterprising grazisrs, whoso mobs ol cattle at present illustrate the stock-feeding capabilities of the land. Further back tho excellent grass on the farm which Mr A Montgomery is working is the means of carrying a large number of cattle and sheep. Nextcomes the extensive holding of Messrs Liohteustein and Arnolisoo, which is being rapidly improved and is just now grazing a large number of sheep, which for weight and quality will take some beating. All the farms ou Ball's Eoad arc now looking well, and many of them are a credit to the owners. 1. meeting of the Committee of the Salvation Army War Work Appeal, with such friends as are interested iv this work, is convened by His Worship the Mayor to meet Commissioner Hodder at tho Borough Couucil Chambers at 7.30 on Wednesday next. The turnip crops in the county are looking well and give every indication of. a good .yieldl Hay seems to be takirig the place of roots on many farms if one miy judge by the numerous stacks to be seen in the Pongakawa, Paongaroa, Maiai aud other districts. Snapshots at the recent GfisborneTe Kuiti and Taumaruuui races make up an interesting portion of last week's issue of the New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review. Striking illustrations depictiug scenes in the shell-torn areas of France, America's entry into the war, and incidents in the different war zones, make up a particularly attractive number. A meeting of the Matamata Fish and Grame Conservation Society was held^ recently for the purpose of discussing business and infusing new life into the society (says the Matamata Record). Mr E G Clarke (late secretary at Putaruru) was appointed secretary. Fifteen ncr,- members were enrolled on the night, and the secretary states that six more have joined since. It was reported that twenty young pheasants wore liberated a fortnight ago, and more consignments are promised. It wag decided to inspect various streams withiu tho boundarieo ia view of 'a proaiiacd' supply of trout. The Auckland Society anticipates haying half-a--million fry for liberation. Motor Cars for hire day or night Ring 'Phone No. 72. Goo. Davios Cameron Eoad*

Thol ■ •-,•:lr Katikati p atrioti * League iuvo ayuiu undertaken th« • catering at the agricultur.il sh<;w ,„ bo held ou March 13. ' tQ Commissioner Hodder, of th Solv.il ion Army, acconapmiej by Mr Hoddor is visiting Tuu, illg / t fa',' weoK. To-morrow evening he will hold a Salvation meeting iv the Arrnv barracK*. at 8 p m, and on Wednesday evening is to maet the members of tl Salvation Army War W,,vk Find Apppal, ami others interest-d i v ,i work, at tlio Borough C,, U!H il Ch»m hers at 7.30. " m* MrW.Ußira.ws, w]lu h l(J fi j, . the position of senior clerk p^ tnl graphic in -bo local p, )st *1 relograph Oltioo for , , UIO " c * bas rec-ivrd ~,tico of hi, tr;nafJto tiio lel.graph Oilioo in Auckland • end leave* for his now sphere in akm ".f)rttj;.jht. Mr Simons' many h' m l u.'o wi.l ragrot to hear of his departure but will oo plvass.l to l<nov that th transfer means well-meri'cd promotion Mr Jl L Mi,h ? i, a w,l!.k»own public man of tho Wo^l Ooasi- who c .nested the Grey scut somo' little t.uio ago, nil! ViS i; T.«;rauga next }T-«'"i^ ol?» a-lT- prosideul oft!i* l-niUM iM.-o bngados- Ass.u.nuion <, n a will attend tho Conference sittings. Visitors fit tho Star 11 tp| du-in" the vyo,k-,nd included :-Me ltre \ Va \ Oa V-; (lining), Messrs Anderson Meilars. Lnud, Mile?, Hil* o H, !) 0 -.. a J " (Aueklaud), Mr Frank Keid, luspectinoDuguioer, Minos Department, and Mr ' Paul, Inspector of Mines for the Ohineinuri District. A musketry pir.ula of the 3«th Com. pany of Senior Cidets will ba hold O q Saturday, March 9. This pa»ad« will complete the annual musketry course for the year 1917-1918. All cadets who have not completed their musketry course must parade and'no leave can be grant'd. - Mr A. Lever, May^r o£ Wedfcport aud Mrs Lever, will be amongst the visitors to Tauranga next week. Major Main, area officer, has returned to Tauranga aftor an absence of several weeks. One ounce of butter wasted daily i Q ' each New Zealand home represents 2000 tons a year, the total vieid from -"52,000 cows. The first of tho United Fire Brigades' delegates are due to arrive in IVurau^* ou Thursday next, twelve baing expected to reach hero that day. Fifty others are due hero on Friday and tho remainder, about fifty, on Saturday, The delegates will travel to Waihi by train aud thence to Taurangi by Messrs Deverell aud Oiumiius' motor cars. Hon. G W Kussell (Minister of Internal Affairs) and Inspector Hugo have intimated that: tlioy hopo to attend tho Conference. Tho Aucklaud Education Board has decided to open a school ou tha Whataroa Road. The members of the St Jjhu Ambulance will meet to-moirow evening in the Chinch of Euglaod Parish Hall. Captain T J Watts, Secretary of the United Firo Brigades' Association and tho other members of the Association's Executive—Messrs Hoau. Ooupe'r, ' K>ith, Seautiobury and O-sborno—are duo to arrive in Tauranga oa Friday next to rnako preparations for the opening of the conference on Monday. Mr T Kirk has secured a contract from Mr Mountfort (Otorohanga) for " dismantling tho Yorkshire Grey building and erecting one or two residences on the site. A start has already been made with tho work. Mr A Martin, proprietor of tho Gore Standard, and a past president of the United Fire Brigades' Association, will - be present at the conference of the Association at Tauranga next week. An epidemic of typhoid fever amongst the natives has broken out ia a portion of tho county, and the Health '. Department is taking all necessary stops to cope with tho epidotnic Advices from Auckland state that very little maize is arriving from the Coast,' aud prices therefore still rule high. A little Australian has' been offering, and sold readily at good prices. The difficulty at the present time ia to secure space on steamers from Australia. Endeavours are beiog made for the f Fire Brigade delegates to visit Te Puke ton Thursday, 28th inec. The journey, if rnado, will be by train, and the entertaining of the visitors, will be in the hands of the Te Puke people. At the Westfield fat stock sale on Wednesday there was a good demand for cattle, with a good supply, and prices were slightly firmer than hgfc week. Large numbers of calves came forward, aud prices were easier a 9 a rule, though prime vealcrs sustained" their former values. An average yarding of sheep sold at late rates. Prime lambs sold well, and showed an improvement, other classes being unchanged. Pigs were in good supply, aud were inclined to be easier. ; At the last meeting of the Matainata Couoty Council a letter with reforenco. ■ to improvements to iho Kaioiai Road was received frnm Mr Q W Vercoe (Farmers' Auctioneering Co., Ltd), who stated that when recently on a holiday at Tauranga ho had been approached by some of the leading farmers in tho Te Puko district, who ' ' pointed out that if the road were put ' in repair for motor traffic it would ■ enable them to attend the saloaafc \f■■! m iia and Tirau, and got honi6 -1; ajs7 !>!<• satno night, as the distance f•: tsi : c Puke to Matamafa and Tirau . is approximately only fifty three miles. He concluded, " I would like to point out that To Puko and surrounding districts, are essentially fattening districts, and it would D 9 of great benefit to all concerned if we had " outside buyers able to regularly attend - these sales,"—The Council decided to - reply that the matter was receiving attention,