DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 5, 23 November 1906, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

It is satisfactory to note that beef for export is now worth 22s per hundred pounds at the Freezing Company's works, Mr J. C. Allen having secured a contract for two hundred at that price. The great Tasmanian potato, the Gem of the South, the result of several years experimental work by an investigator of that State, has, it is stated, been imported to the colony, several of the still highly-priced seed tubers — they are selling at Ss each —being now in the ground at one of the State experimental farms. The potato has given the highest record yield, not only from a first tuberation, but from any tuberation, the actual yield being 43 tons to the acre, the ratio of crop to the seed planted being as 70 to I. In colour it resemble the Derwent, and in shape a kidney. The cooking quality of the South is said to be excellent, and the keeping quality perfect. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., have received a cable from London advising that the Board of Directors has decided to recommend at the annual meeting, to be held early in December, the payment of a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum, free of income tax, on the paid up capital for the year ending 30th June last The new courthouse at Hamilton was opened last week, and the first court held therein on the 14th ult. In the evening a dinner was held in the Hamilton Hotel to commemorate the event. District Judge Kettle, and Mr H. W. Northcroft, S.M., were present, also members of the legal fraternity from various parts of the district.

At the Sydney wool sales held on the 13th ult., there was a good demand for better class wools. Good greasy wool was in strong demand at slightly higher rates. In the English sales crossbred wool is very firm. An unusual development occurred in connection with the Raglan Town Board election, the polling for which was to have taken place on Saturday last. Ten nominations had been received for the five seats on the Board, and at the last moment it was discovered that five of the persons nominated were not elegible for election in consequence of their names, or those of their nominators, not appearing on the ratepayers' roll for the district, Messrs Gilmour, Middlemiss, Dando, Watkins and Moon, were therefore disqualified, and Messrs A. Gilmour, Green, Rutherford, Sanders, and Smith were declared duly elected. As indicating the growth of the dairying industry of the Auckland province, it is interesting to note that 326 tons of butter were shipped at Auckland for England on Saturday last. This is a fortnight's return, and constitutes a record for this province. The largest previous shipment from Auckland for a fortnight was in January last, when 305 tons were shipped.

It is stated that shearing operations in the Gisborne district have been seriously hampered by continuous wet weather. At Waikaremoana and Tiniroto, in the same district, last week's cold weather caused considerable mortality among the sheep. In a recent speech the Premier stated there would be a substantial reduction in the parcel post rates, .at the beginning of next year. There was some plain speaking at the last meeting of the Waitomo County Council with reference to the position in which the Council was placed, owing to the action of Government departments in not replyiug to numerous letters and telegrams requesting the position of the Council to be defined. Councillor Loveday advocated the sending of a delegate to Wellington to represent matters personally to the authorities, and said that after a considerable experience in dealing with Government departments he was of opinion, that writing letters was simply time wasted. The position of the Council as to what roads were to be considered Main Trunk roads, and which should be completed and metalled by the Government departments, had not been defined, and he failed to see how the Council could carry on operations until the matter was placed on a proper footing. As far as the Ohura settlers were concerned, for them to try and complete the road works entirely by rating would be madness, and would mean rating themselves off their holdings. Until the Government made and installed the main roads, the settlers could do nothing. Other councillors spoke in the same strain, the Chairman describing the position as unbearable for much longer.

Mr J. R. Lowry, of Glenmurray, last year tried an experiment in growing six different varieties of potatoes, including the famous " Northern Star," and he found that " Brownlee's Beauty" was free from blight and gave the best results. Within the past three years imports of Colonial butter into Great Britain increased from 24,000 to 57,000 tons, while during the same period imporations of foreign butter decreased from 186,000 to 158,000 tons. Recent advice received from Sydney states that wool freights are now 0-16 of a penny for greasy and H-,16 for scoured. Owing to the competition amongst New Zealand steamship owners this colony's wool growers are getting the benefit of a 3-16 rate. The position must strongly favour New Zealand farmers. Prices of wool are higher than they have been for years and freights have probably never been lower.

For high-class circulars and up-to-date billheads, you can't beat the Chronicle office. Our entire plant is new, and our types in the latest style. At the meeting of the Waitomo County Council on Monday last, attention was called to the difference existing between lands held under Native lease and Crown lease for the purpose of rating for loans. The Native tenure was usually a 21 years' lease, and as the loan extended over a much longer term, the question of including lands leased from Natives was raised. This question is of considerable importance throughout the King Country, and it is to be hoped some equitable method of overcoming I he difficulty will be defined.

In addition to the sale of village sections in Te Kuiti on November 23, there will be two farm sections opened for selection in the district on Decembar 19th. Both blocks are situated in Waitomo County, one being 724 acres, within five miles of Te Kuiti railway station, and the other,' 288 acres, on the Haurua road, within five miles of Hangatiki railway station. There has been some good sport obtained by anglers in the local streams during the past week or two, but the fish continue small. At Taumarunui, it is said that good fishing has been had, some of the trout reaching from four to six pounds. In some instances the fish were found to be in poor condition. . The Hon. A. Pitt, Attorney-General and Minister for Defence, died at Christchurch on Saturday last. The deceased gentleman had been ailing for some time, and never recovered from the operation which it was found necessary to perform on him recently. Widespread regret is felt over the sad occurrence, and very high tributes have been paid to the deceased by his colleagues and all who came in contact with him.

The contest for the Manukau seat is proceeding. Mr Lang has opened a vigorous campaign, and Mr George Ballard has announced himself a candidate for the seat in the Government interests.

At a sale of Crown lands at Taihape, on November 15th, three sections were offered for sale. The sections, which varied from one-quarter acre to rather more than an acre each, were sold, one realising the upset price of £2OO, another going at £285, or £35 above the upset price, and the third bringing £3OB, or £SB over the upset price. The bidding at this sale was dull.

The entries for the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association's 16th annual show, which will be held at Alexandra Park on November 30th and December Ist, show a most satisfactory increase on the totals for last year. The horse section, exclusive of competitions of all descriptions, numbers 389, which lis II less ithan last year, but it is expected there will be an increase in the total when the competitions entries are made up. In the cattle section there are 882 entries, as against 718 last year, an increase of 164. There is a regretable falling off in the sheep section, the entries numbering 166 as against 170 last year, but this is more than made up by the dairy section, in which 126 boxes of factory butter will be shown. That the acquisition by the Farmers' Freezing Company of Hellaby's freezing works was a step in the right direction, is shown by the fact that during the three weeks the Glasgow works have been open this season, iooo head of cattle were passed through. The Freezing charges have been brought down to YaA per lb, which has enabled the buyer to advance 2/- per ioolbs on his previous price. At the last meeting of the Auckland Education Board the Chief Inspector, in referring to the proposed system of itinerant teachers, pointed out that the only'difficulty was to get suitable teachers to undertake the work for the small pay that can be earned at such schools. In such districts, when roads improved, it might be possible to continue on the half-time plan some small schools now taught by sole teachers, could thus be secured. At the Auckland Supreme Court on Monday last, William Stevenson Aickin, sharebroker, who pleaded guilty to sending a letter to the Premier (Sir Joseph Ward), threatening his life, was brought up for sentence. In commenting upon the offence. His Honour, Mr Justice Edwards, said the action of the accused indicated that he had " a bee in his bonnet." Aickin was bound over to keep the peace for a period of three years, in his own recognisance of £IOOO, and two sureties of £SOO each. A further condition was imposed, to the effect that Aickin was not to leave Auckland, further than a distance of 20 miles from the city, for the period stated. According to recent advices from England, considerable attention is being paid to New Zealand's copper mining possibilities. Among the many resources of the King Country it is quite within the bounds of possibility that the copper mining may yet be included. Some little prospecting has already been done in that direction and it has long been known that exceptionally good copper indications exist in the vicinity of the Kawa, a short distance north of Otorohanga.

It is understood that the local road district has been divided into two sections, and Mr A. Julian is to have charge of the southern portion, which starts from the northern boundary of the Egmont electorate and takes in the area to the southward as far as Mokau Heads, and across to Takaanu. Mr T. Burd, who has had charge of the district for the past eight years, is thus relieved of the work of portion of the large area, which has hitherto fallen to his lot. The new arrangement will, doubtless, be welcomed by both officers, as the recent rapid growth of the King Country necessitated a corresponding increase in the road works. Mr Burd retains charge of the larger portion of the district, which extends north from Te Kuiti and includes most of the Waikato. The Minister of Lands has stated that the Government propose at an early date to conduct experiments at one of the State farms to ascertain the best and most profitable way of feeding calves with other than a whole milk diet.

It is stated that the Government has arranged for the purchase of Native blocks, aggregating about 30,000 acres of good land, within a few miles of Te Kuiti. The blocks in question, are situated to the south and east of the township, and when they are cut up and opened for selection, should contribute towards the development of the district. The opening of these lands will probably not eventuate for some considerable time, as necessary road works and other preliminary matters have yet to be undertaken. The public school at Te Kuiti, which has been closed for some weeks for alterations and additions, is now nearing completion, and it is anticl* gated will be reopened on Monday, December 3rd.

The South African football team, at present touring Great Britain, met its first defeat at the hands of Scotland by 6 points to nil. Further additions are being made to the businesses of Te Kuiti, and the firm of Green and Colebrook are putting in hand at onceithe erection of an up-to-date bakery.

The statistics for Great Britain show that farming is gradually changing from grain to grass. During last year over 20,000 acres of non-urban lands have been changed into grass and the wheat area has been reduced by 2.3 per cent, mainly because of the low prices of the previous year. An important land sale will be held by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, at Hastings on Wednesday, December 12th next. The block to be offered consists of 1981 acres of the Te Mahanga estate, the property of Messrs W. J. and A. F. Douglas, who have decided, on the request of inquirers, to subdivide a portion of their estate. It is wellknown that the Te Mahanga block contains some of the richest lands in Hawke's Bay, and has long been known as an ideal spot for the raising of firstclass cattle, sheep and horses. A large proportion of the land open for sale is undulating fiats, while the balance contains mostly low limestone hills. The flats are noted for growing very heavy crops of grain, roots and fodder, and have a sunny situation. There are twelve lots to be offered containing areas ranging from 320 to 39 acres. The small areas would make ideal dairy farms. The whole of the sections are well watered and provision has been made for reading, giving easy access to each allotment, while the terms of purchase are exceedingly easy.