LOCAL NEWS AND NOTES.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 2, Issue 127, 10 July 1895, Page 2

LOCAL NEWS AND NOTES.

The next meeting of the Town Hoard takes place on Wednesday the 17th inst. in the Court House. The official assignoc, has petitioned the Government to take over the survey liens forming to a great extent the assets in the estate of Henry Walker Mitchell. 'Die temperature of the Priest's Bath during the past week ranged from 94 to 104. and that of the Sulphur Hath from !)S to 10S deg. A choice selection of fancy stationery with floral designs, also tinted note and envelopes are on snh. at the Otnuixior.K Office-* The Library Committee meet to-night at 8 o'clock when the advisability of making certain changes in the newspaper and magazine list, and other matters will be considered. The tender of Messrs Heenan and Giles has been accepted by Mr E. Robertson for tin; work of erecting new stables and removing and erecting old stables, &c, on the comer of Hinemoa and Tutanckai Streets.

Mr C. White has taken up the duties of telegraph lineman here, and has been allowed the old selioolliou.se us a residence. Mr White has for the hist 20 yours been stationed at the Manukau Heads and arrived in Botorua with his family last week. The rainfall as recorded at the Sanatorium during the week amounted to O'.Sl inches. The greatest fall occurred on the 6th when O-loin fell. The lowest reading of the thermometer was 19*2 deg on the Nth. Messrs Karl Bros, and Williams have at present in their yards a quantity of mangiao and honeysuckle suitable for cabinet-makers and coach-builders. Inspection is invited.**

The Herald states that the extra field allowance made to the artillery and police in the Galatea district is about to be discontinued, and thinks that, in view of tin 1 hardships experienced in camping-out in the present inclement weather they are fairly entitled to it. According to the Observer a consignment of 120 tons of furniture from England destined for the Grand Hotel, here, has been landed and stored in Auckland, in readiness to be forwarded on as soon as the building is sufficiently advanced for its reception. Mr J. H. Kirby, of the Hawkcs Bay Herald editorial staff is at present in Botorua and is staying at Mr Brent's Bathgate House. Mr Kirby is a veteran pressman, of wide and varied experience, whom it is always a pleasure to meet. As a writer he is original, as a raconteur, racy and up to date, and as his health is a little shattered by overwork it is to be profoundly hoped that our recuperating waters may not belie their reputation. The Rev. Thos. A. Xorrie, of Te Aroha, conducted Presbyterian Service in the Schoolhouse both forenoon and evening on Sunday last, the attendance at the latter being excellent. At the close of evening service the Rev. gentleman took occasion to thank Mr Light on behalf of the congregation for his late services at the harmonium he having to return to Wellington. Mr Norric hoped to see someone come forward and take his place, he also advised the young people to organise a choir as he considered the singing to be of as much importance as the preaching. In order to enable Mr Mueller, Commissioner of Crown Lands, and a member of the Town Board, to be present at the sittings of that body, the days of meeting will in future be on the third Wednesday of euea month instead of the fourth as heretofore. By this arrangement Mr Mueller will arrive here on Tuesday night and will return by Thursday's train at the unhallowed hour of four o'clock in the morning. If the Board would change their day of meeting to Tuesday Mr Mueller could take his departure from here at the more sensible hour of 9 a.m. Wednesday.

The following is the team chosen to represent Rotorua in the football match with Cambridge on Saturday :—Fullback: Kuka; Three-quarters : Dansoy, Webber. TeWiiemu ; Five-eighths: Pelham ; Half-back : Mitchell; Wing-for-wards : Kanapu, Bailey; Forwards: Foley Boord, Wirra, Ngarowhata, Wharetutuki. A. Graham, G. Steele; emergencies: T. Mayes, Arawhata, C. A. Clark. The team will leave here on Friday by coach. A smart piece of road surveying was, we are informed by an independent critic, carried out last week on the Rotorua-Te Teko road under the supervision of Mr Webb, assistant road-surveyor. A party of thirteen men, sent up to work on the road, unexpectedly arrived in Rotorua'on a Wednesday and Mr Webb proceeded to Tikitere to give them a start on the work. The men arrived at their camp on the following day and by Saturday the work was laid out and the contracts ready for signature, so that the men were able to commence operations on the following Monday. On the succeeding Thursday twenty-five mor • men arrived at Tikitere and on the Friday the contracts for this party were all ready, let and signed. The distance covered in these? agreements comprised over three miles of road and the time occupied in surveying, hiving out and drawing up the contracts was less than a week.

Amongst the alterations and improvements being made in the new town it may bo noted that the shop and dwelling- : house on Mrs Young's section in Arawa ; Street are now completed, as is also the addition to the old courthouse? in the , same street whereby the building has been converted into a. commodious store and comfortable residence. It is occupied : by Mrs Huett. dressmaker. Further up the street Mr E. Robertson is erecting a cottage. Mr Birss has removed his shop ! to his location in Ilinemoa Street fronting the site of flu? proposed new Ciikoxhi.k Office. In the same street a largo dwel- ; ling-house is being erected by Mr Kusabs, and Mr Robertson will shortly commence the erection of his new stables at the cor- | nor of Tutanckai Street. In the sumo street a bakehouse has been erected over the oven lately built by Mr F. Lake.

The entertainment given by Captain | Fisher, " The Tattooed Man," on Thursday and Saturday evenings last was very liberally patronised considering the time of the year and the precarious condition I of the weather which tenuis to make poopie careful before they venture out of doors after nightfall. The natives who j are supposed to be connoisseurs in the i artof tattooing predominated tlio audience on both occasions, and Captain Fisher passed through the ordeal of their criti- , cism satisfactorily. They at all events assured themselves by thoclosest personal scrutiny that it was no false cuticle which was submitted for their inspection. The' first part of the" entertainment on both occasions consisted of a series of weird and wonderful feats of magic and mystery I in which curds appeared and disappeared in the' most, unexpected maimer, pewter measures, handbags and guinea-pigs were produced from nothingness, and mouthfuls of blazing fire worn swallowed by this uncanny individual with seeming gusto and to flu* great amazement e>f all be- '■ holders.

Asocial meeting toolcplncc in tlic schoolhouse on Friday evening lust with tin? object of augmenting a fund being raised for the pin-pose of obtaining material t" stock a bazaar, which will be held before th<> year expires, in aid of the Presbyterian Church building fund. The arrangements wore in the hands of Mrs Hall mid the Misses Murray and Stewart, and these ladies vied with each other in fheir efforts to conduce to the comfort and enjoyment of their guests. Under their supervision an excellent tea wis server 1 , which was done ample justice to by (he large audience of young and old. The Rov. Mr Xorrie was proscni and entend heartily into the enjoyment of the evening. Mrs Kivett contributed a couple of songs, the aria " Resignation." being much admired, and (he Misses Robinson also sang most acceptably. Mr Light performed one or two violin solos in his usual masterly manner, and Messrs Fordyce, Oliver, Wallace and Mossop assisted in the vocal part of the entertainment. Mr Landells played (he accompaniments most satisfactorily, and altogether an enjoyable evening was spent. Mr Joseph Mcllae. of the Waverlev Hotel, Auckland, and late of the Palace Hotel here has filed a declaration of insolvency. His sworn statement made before the official assignee shows that he took over the Lake House Hotel about five years ago at a rental of £2B per month. He added furnil ure costing £225. He also ran the Pala -o Hotel. He gave up the Palace Hotel seven or eight months ago and the Like House Hotel about two months ago. He gave up the latter because he was losing money every day and in debt to the extent of the present liability of £1,254 8s 9d, unsecured, and an estimated loss on his securities of £238 12s. On June 10 he became licensee of the Woverley Hot<d at a rental of £2.3 4s 9d per week—including cost of license, rates and taxes, in fact, everything but gas. His liabilities were as follows : unsecured debts amount to £1,254 8s 9d; secured, £1,038 12s (less estimated value of securities £800), £238 12s; total debts £1.493 0s 9d. The total assets are valued at £:!<>•, including cash £205, book debts £l2O, furniture, £3O; two horses at Rotorua, £10; deficiency, £l,llß 4s 9d.

A death under peculiar circumstances occurred at the pa hero on Friday night or Saturday morning. A half-witted (rori-rori) native woman named Kota belonging to Awahou, who bad been brought, here l>y her relatives forthepurposo of receiving certain money to which she was entitled, had been staying at the pa for some time, her friends having returned to Awahou. Not seeing anything of her on Saturday a woman named Hincmarama looked into the whuro where she was staying and discovered the occupant dead. Judging by appearances the woman must have died on the previous night or early in the morning, as the body was quite rigid. There seems to have been a good deal of hcivrtlcssncSß shown by the relatives of this woman in their treatment of her, for as soon as they obtained possession of the money they appear to have left her uncared for. She was found lying in a pool of dirty water, in front of a burnt-out five, and, from the emaciated appearance of the body must havo been imiJi'operly nourished. Ritahia, another native woman, on hearing of the circumstances had the body removed from the whare and properly cared for. Kcta was unmarried, about 30 years of age, and the grand-daughter of Eangiheuea, a famous chief of the Tuhorungi. The remains have since .Leon removed to Whatarewarewa for the customary tangi.

At a meeting of committee of the Presbyterian Church on Thursday last Mr H. W. Neighbour was elected a member and was also appointed treasurer. Mrs Graham, of Lake House, has convened a meeting of property owners and residents for the purpose of discussing matters affecting their interests, the consideration of winch is desirable before the season opens*. It is to be hoped that the advisability of taking steps towards the erection of a public hall, either by the formation of a company or otherwise, will not lie lost sight of. The meeting takes place to-night at Lake House as announced in another column. The finibe-r for the platform which is to be erected on the summit of Xpjonfrofalm is now to hand, and Mr Purcell will proceed with the work as soon as time will permit, probably in the course of a fortnight. The platform will be constructed somewhat after the style of mine poppetheads, and will rise 10ft clear from the apex of the mountain, on the site of the old trig station, An easy ladder-way for ladies will be provided, with handrail." and the platform will be surrounded by a breast-work 4ft nigh. The roadway to the summit will also soon be proceeded with, and then; is no doubtthat the Xgongotah'a Lookout will prove a favorite resort amongst tourists next season. Day by day the rapid advance towards completion of the new Grand Hotel is more and more observable. So far as the outside is concerned the building is practically finished and it is now in the hands of Mr E. Williams, of Northcotc-strcct, Ponsonby, who lias the contract for the painting and decorating. Under his direction the stately pile is gradually guining in beauty, but it would bo unwise to dilate on this portion of the work until it is more advanced. Inside the building Mr McCallum's men are as busy as bees, and order is quickly being evolved out of a bowildcring maze of scaffolding and plunking. The staircases to the upper floors arc in position and each is furnished with huge stained windows, embossed with Japanese figuring in the centre panes, the margin being of ruby-colored glass, through which the light is diffused in soft and agreeable tone. MrTaylorof Auckland is responsible for these windows and they reflect the utmost credit on his workmanship. Some of the upstairs sitting rooms arc almost finished. The ceilings are in kauri panel work, polished and varnished, with centre ornamentation hi choice arm varied designs. The drawing room has had extra care bestowed upon it. the cornicing and ornamental work being heavier and of a more florid description than in the other apartments. The fireplaces are fitted with giiitcs centred in tiled porcelain, the slabs being piiiked out with floral patterns. The panels of all the doors, upstairs and downstairs, are beautifully executed of figured rimii and will lie supplied with ebony door handles, as these are impervious to the attacks of the sulphurcharged atmosphere. Special attention has also been paid to the bar fittings and these when finished will present a mofit attractive appearance. A dado will surround the public part of (lie bar, with alternate panels of kauri and riuiu. A very ornalobackpiecc of cunningly carved kauri will serve as an appropriate shrine for the attendant Hebe who will minister to the wants of the votaries of Bacchus. An inner porch of handsome proportions, with svri=~ doors, will render the •.•lacsnug and comfortable in any sort of weather, and slide panels afford moans of communication with the bar parlors. The verandah which sweeps round the two frontages to Fcnton and Ilinemoa streets is spacious, with bays projecting over the two main entrances. The drawing room and sitting rooms open on to the verandah which will afford an agreeable promenade 01' lounging place, as it offers a magnificiont prospect of a wide expanse of country. Mr John Currie, the architect. seems to have omitted nothing in designing a hotel which will rank among the best in the island, and Mr It. H. McCalluni, the contractor may be congratulated on the successful progress of his work. I MITATI (>XS ()F Til]-: REAL Original fall far short of it and are as unpleasant as it is palatable. Insist upon having the real, that is Wolfe's Schnapps.