LOCAL NEWS AND NOTES.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 193, 12 August 1896, Page 2

LOCAL NEWS AND NOTES.

The Sydney Bulletin can be obtained weekly at the Chronicle Office.* The Prospecting Association calls for applications from competent prospectors. Stead's Masterpiece Library, Numbers 1, 2 and 3to hand, Threepence each at Chronicle Office.* On the third page will bo found the remarks of Mr W. Kelly on the Truck Bill now before the House. They are full of interest. Guide: "Now you must be careful. Many a tourist has broken his neek at this ' spot." ■ Tourist : (to his wife): " Maria, you go first." "In Ancient Muori Land : " By Elsdon Best. Intending advertisers are requested to send in their favors without delay to the Chronicle Office.* The native land court was adjourned this morning for a week or so, to enable Judge Wilson to proceed to Mercer to adjudicate on certain cases Bet down for rehearing. At the police court on Monday before Mr S. T. Brent, J.P., Patrick Kieley for being drnnk and disorderly on the previous night was fined 20s with the alternative of seven days. The transfer of the license of the Lake House Hotel from Russell B. Graham, to T. C. Urquhart will be considered at the licensing meeting to be held at Tauranga on September 2nd. While Mr Baber is here he will survey the recently applied for addition to the Cemetery reserve, and also the area embracing the waterfall on the Puarenga stream, required for future electric lighting purposes. The number of baths taken at the Sanatorium during the months of April, May, June and. July was 9,21-1 compared with 0,791 for the same period last year. The receipts amounted to £l-10 9s (id as against £ll9 2s Od last year. The increase is most satisfactory. The Government ofi'er a bonus of £2OO for the discovery of a deposit of marketable manure. The Prospecting Association should make a note of this. In looking for gold they might strike the other thing. Apparently there's money in both. We understand that an area of five acres at Waiotapu, disposed of by the Government to Messrs L-. D. Nathan and Co. as a hotel site is in process of being laid off. On that being done building operations will he at once commenced. Local men will have an opportunity of tendering for the work. " Since the Government, commenced running the Rotorua • Sanatorium," remarks Te Aroha News, " thousands of pounds have been expended in connection with the baths and also in beautifying and adorning the grounds to make them pleasing to the eye." And all this, according to Dr MacGregor, is for the benefit of the Sanatorium patients. The demand for premises suitable for retail stores in the., new town still continues, all the places recently vacant having been quickly snapped up. Mrs Young of Molcoia View announces in another column that the frontage's of her two sections in Arawa Street, opposite the Post Office, are to let for a term.of years on building leases. A choice selection of. oil paintings by Mr C. Blomfiekl may now be seen at the Chronicle Office. They comprise views in this neighborhood, Wairakei, Wliakarewarewa, &c., and from their faithfulness and attention to detail are well worth the attention of lovers of art. In addition to these there are a number of water color sketches suitable for birthday or Easter Cards.* The weather of late has been characterised by sudden changes, on the whole bearing testimony to an early Spring. On Friday evening heavy rain set in and continued all night, the gauge at the Sanatorium recording 1.43 in. On Saturday a heavey gale from the south lowered the temperature considerably and drove away the rain-clouds. Since then frosty mornings and balmy, cloudless days have continued. Various specimens of gold bearing stone have been shown here of late all well authenticated as having been obtained from various points of the district and proving incontestibly that •' the colouf " at least is to be got in the neighborhood. Some years ago Mr Firth made a microscopical examination of the volcanic dust from Mount Kakaramea and observed traces of gold, but not sufficent to induce systematic working. The offer of the Town Board to supply young trees and shrubs for planting purposes in commemoration of Arbor Day was largely availed of. Fort 3-two residents sent in applications in response to the Board's advertisement and the available stock was divided as judiciously as possible. The total number distributed was 1313 or an average of a little over 31 per applicant. Mr Dansey heads the list with 111 closely followed by Mr Boultou with 103, while Miss Gladys Atty modestly put in a request for one. The' plants distributed comprised ash, larch, chestnut, plane sycamore, golden basket willow, oak, laurel, rhododendron, laurestina, azalea, and guelder rose. The Rotorua Dramatic Club is now an accomplished fact and rehearsals are in full swing two nights in each week. The initial play to be presented is Dion Boueicault's " Conn, the Shaughraun," in which Mr Toby Mayes will assume the name-part. The rest of the cast has been judiciously allotted, and tho rehearsals prove beyond dispute that much latent dramatic talent has hitherto remained undiscovered in Botorua. Mr Mayes is coaching tho coin's d'ramatique and the bulk of the scenery, as far as the restricted stage accommodation of the Pukeroa Hall will allow, will be brought from Hamilt on. The scenery in question is from the brush of Mr Neville Thornton. Tho club's first performance will take place some time in October. Music, Music, Music : —A choice selection of the latest songs, by such composers as Pinsuti, Bortbold Tours, C. Godfrey, Sherwin, Banks Winter, Henry Klein, Juncker. Caraccioli, Braham, Ivan Caryll, Angela ltawlinson, Gatty, Birch, Bamett, Desonimes, Offenbach, &e iScc. Also Waltzes, Marches, Gavottes, Serenades, Bondeaus, and Overtures for the Pianoforte by Gung'l, D'Albert, Rossini, Stephen Glover, Kettcn, . Beethoven, Lai'dell'' Heunerbein Harrison White Pecliotseh, Bonser, &c &c. Francis and Days lltli Comic Annual, words and music at CmiONICLE Office.*

The Whakarewarewa natives, under the auspices of Mr and Mrs Nelson, of the Geyser Hotel, kept Arbor-day as a holiday and planted a number of trees in the vicinity of the pa. At the suggestion of Mrs Hewett, Superintendent of Work among Maoris, several games were afterwards indulged in. In these the Maoris took the greatest interest and judging from their peals of laughter, and the evident amusement of onlookers a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon was spent bv all. The Waihi correspondent of the Ohinemuri Gazette states that Mr Atty, of lioforua, has been engaged as foreman of Mr Cannell's wheelwrighting and coachbuilding establishment at Waihi. In securing Mr Afty's services Mr Cannell is indeed fortunate, as the work turned out here by the former is certainly first-class, ill* Atty lias, however, a considerable amount of work in hand and his departure for liis new sphere of labour will not take place for some time to come. A meeting of the Library Committee took place in the Reading Room on Friday night. Present Messrs Purcell, (chair). Boord, Kirk, Samson, Williams and Watt. As several donations had been received in aid of the building fund it was resolved to deposit the same in the Post Office Savings Bank in the name of the president, Mr Malfrov. The treasurer reported that the receipts for the month amounted to £l2 Is 8d and the expenditure to £6 Is 1 Id leaving a balance in hand of £5 19s 9d. This would be further increased by the receipt of the annual donation of £5 from the Town Board which was now available. The newspaper and periodical account for the half year was passed for payment and a list of books to bo added to the Library was submitted and agreed to. Mr S. T. Brent is at present, proceeding with certain extensive additions to Bathgate House from which it is very clearly demonstrated that whatever pessimistic individuals may say in regard to (lie future of Rotorua has no weight with him. The little forest of spars now rising up at the reat of the present building indicates very clearly v/liat is contemplated and a closer inspection will show precisely the. extent of the work going on. The additions extend a length of 137 fecit by a depth of 30 feet and will comprise 16 single and double bedrooms, four sitting-rooms nnd a large dining-liall. 20 by 30 feet. This will give Bathgate House accommodation for over 100 guests. Next year Mr Brent hopes still further to carry on his improvements by the erection of a large concert-room for the use of visitors and a great dining-liall extending to the boundary of his property in Eruera St. Mr J. Buber, chief surveyor of the Tauranga district, arrived in B.otorna on Friday, and took up his quarters at Tarawera House. Mr Ruber comes here for the purpose of laying out pathsand roads through the geyser area at Whakarewarewa and even in the brief inteival that has elapsed since his arrival he has made a thorough inspection of the ground and consulted with Mr Malfroy as to the mode of operation?-. The boundary line between the nat ive land and that-recently acquired by the Crown will be fenced oft', and the present precarious bridge over the Puarenga stream will be either improved or reconstructed. At all events a proper approach will be made on either side. Trees, mostly of the deciduous orders, will bo planted, and the pathways will meander in and about the various points of interest to siglit-seers. Mr Baber will be stationed here for some tinie to come, as his commission extends to (he proper opening up'by footpaths of the Waiotapu Valley. A meeting of the members of the Rotorua. Prospecting Association took place on Saturday night at the Grand Hotel Mr S. T. Brent in the Chair. The treasurer, Mr Dnnsey, stated that he had applied on behalf of the Association for a prospecting license for the Clown and native lands within the district. Ho had pointed out to the Minsiter that the native owners were not only willing but anxious that the license shouldbegrarited and that several of the loading men had joined the Association. Every care would betaken that native burial grounds &c. should not be interfered with. He had also forwarded the written consent, of the natives. I:Ie had notified the despatch of his letter by telegram and in rereply thereto received an intimation that it would be necessary to forward a fee of 20s and a tracing of the native land sought to be prospected. The fee bad been sent and the tracing of the Ilorolioro block would also be transmitsed as soon as it was-prepared. It was intimated that the list of membership had closed with 07 paying subscribers. A general discussion ensued in regard to securing the services of properly qualified prospectors and it was eventually resolved to advertise for same. We arc in receipt of the July number of " Cosmos " an Australian illustrated Magazine, and must congratulate those responsible for its production on the continued improvement observable from a literary as well as an artistic point of view. Many attempts have been made to establish an Australian Magazine v.'itb more or less success—generally less—but we are inclined to think that "Cosmos " has come to stay. If it does not command success it most decidedly deserves it, which is much more than could be said of many of its predecessors that had but an ephemeral existence. In the number under notice the initial article— The Bar of New South Wales —is contributed by Mr D. J. Quinn. Wo have already given our readers r. sample of Mr Quinn's descriptive powers- —the outcome of a short visit made to this district last year—and when we say that he displays an equally felicitous knack in these pen and ink portraitures of the leading advocates of the New South Welsh Bar, it may bo judged that considerable satisfaction follows their perusal. Their interest is enhanced by portraits of the Hon. " Jack " Want, Sir E. Salomons and Mr E. Barton. The editor, Mr A. Montgomery, fills a few very readable pages with " A Chat with Dion Boucicault," a propos of which a portrait of the other member of the duumvirate Mr Robert Brougb, is given. The other contents 1 comprise a one act play by the Consul-General for Franco, the continuation of the serial story by Louise Mack "In an Australian City," two fictional sketches, "Musical Notes " by H. Kowalski and various fugitive verses of more tlian ordinary merit. £SO, £lO, £lO, £5. Given away for a single gne.-s. Send stamp for particulars and' circulars to Box 17G, P. 0., Wellington.

It was at a M.tori settlement (writer the Observer) not one hundred :.iilp s from Rotorua. An old native 01 ii.iFuence who owned considerable proncrtv was taken seriously ill, and as sli people thought he was about to wing },i s flight to the Iteinga, he was, ttccordic.* to custom, put in a little whare in a remote part of the settlement by himself to die. The old man, however, acted j n a most annoying manner, for he persisted in living on, when he ought to have been dead and buried. At last his dutiful nephew, who would inherit his property and money, got tired of seeing the old fellow alive and kicking, and he gave him a good talking to for being such an inconsiderate old fool as to slick to lifa so long when he ought to l;e making a fine subject for u big tangi, and told liini he was nothing more or less than un humbug. Then lie rode into the nearest township ami told the local undertaker to go out and measure old Kikowliakariri's body for a coffin. Chips and Crape went out accordingly, but wag astonished to find the ancienl man silling up comfortably and taking a swig from a bottle of waipiro. So he went back to the toy-hasty nephew and explained that he couldn't, measure the uncle, as lie was'nt dead yet, but was sitting up very much alive. "By golly, lie dead all right, lie' only gammon !" was the unconcerned reply of the young blood, and it was with difficulty he was persuaded that it was not a la mode to stow away an undesirable relative in a coffin while still alive. XYLOTECHNOGR APHICA.

Is the name of a process for staining wood various colors. A much easier name to remember is "Wolfe," the inventor of Wolfe's Schnapps.