DISTRICT PARS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 175, 22 July 1909, Page 2

DISTRICT PARS.

The many town and country friends of Mr H. 11. Pettit. until recently proprietor of the "Kawhia Settler," prior to his departure from Kawhia, presented him with a handsome gold medal as a mark of esteem and of the respect in which he has been held during his residence in that township. Good wishes for Mr Pettit's future prosperity were showered upon him from all parts of the district. A petition in bankruptcy was filed on Tuesday by Lindley Victor Morgan, Chas. Herbet Phillips, and Samuel Dobbinson, of Te Kuiti, trading as Phillips and Co., painters and paperhangers. The first meeting of creditors will be held at the official assignee's office, Auckland, on Friday, July 80th next.

The sheep returns for the Dominion ; for the year ending April 30th last =ho*,v an increase on the previous year of 924,167, the North Island being responsible for 453,830 and the South Island for 470,337. The various district* show increases as follow: — Auckland 129,817; Napier-Gisborne 131,313; Wellington-West Coast 192, 700; Marlborough-Nelson 31,819; Canterbury-Kaikoura 148,998; Otago 289,520. The social in aid of the Te Kuiti Hockey Club, which takes place this evening in the Town Hall, promises to be a highly enjoyable function. A feature of the evening will be the performance by the new orchestra, comprised of local amateur talent. The orchestra includes a piano, two violins, a cornet, and a flute, and the mebmers have been busy rehearsing during the past week. At the last meeting of the Waitomo County Council the election of chairman to fill the vacancy caused by the death of the late chairman, Mr Jer. Ormsby, resulted in Mr A. Scholes being appointed to the position. Mr Scholes has represented Hangatiki Riding on the County ever since the Council was established, and has a thorough knowledge of the work of the Council. The Acting-Premier, the Hon. James Carroll, stated on Tuesday that sines 1906 an aggregate of 1,530,123 acres of Crown land had been leased or sold in the various provincial districts. The Crown Lands Guide now contained 1,144,443 acres; that now advertised on posters totalled 108,233 acres; and the area in the hands of the Land and Survey Office to be ready for opening and settlement before the end of August was 110,094 acres. It is under tood that some 30,000 acres, reclaimed from the Piako Swamp, will be available for settlement early in autumn.

A distressing fatality occurred at Raetihi on Tuesday morning about 10.30. A quantity of gelignite exploded in a small building used as a gelignite store at the rear of the premises of Mr J. B. Gibson, ironmonger. Mr Gibson, who was in the small building at the time, was killed instantly, and the building was wrecked.

Upwards of forty members of the Wellington police met on Monday night when the following rseolutoin was carried unanimously:—"That this meeting views with grave concern the proceedings at the Dunedin sitting of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the New Zealand Police Force, inasmuch as it is reported —1. That grossly untrue assertions as to misconduct in the Wellington police Barracks, etc., were made by Mr Arnold, M.P.; 2. that Constabls Lennon, formerly of Wellingon, but now an assistant clerk in the Dunedin police office, has been described by Inspector o'Bri<«n as a "pet" from another district, and was denied the right of cross-examin-ation of his accusers, whereas others were allowed to freely cross-examine non-accusers, and adversely criticise absentee officers; 3. that Mr Bishop, S.M., has now publicly acknowledged that a previous commission inquiring ino the New Zealand police, and of which he was chairman, framed its report, severely dealing with officers, at least partially from newspaper reports of ics proceedings, and having regard to the apparent seriousness of the situation, this meeting desires to express its full appreciation of, and confidence in, our present Commissioner of Police, Mr Dinnie, and further resolves to employ able counsel to represent the police of Wellington and suburbs at the approaching sitting of the Royal Commission in this city, so that the protection of individual and collective rights of all concerned may be ensured, and that justice, fair play, and truth may prevail."

Arrangements have been made for a libera! display of county maps prepared at headquarters at the new Lands Office in Hamilton, and it as also intended to transfer a draughtsman from Auckland to Hamilton in order to cope with the extra work necessitated by settlement en the Hauraki plains. On Friday, the 23rd inst., Dalgety and Company, Limited, hold their usual monthly sale in the Ngaruawahia yards. Included in the entries are a good line of 2 tooth wethers, 25 two and a half to three and a half year old bullocks in forward condition, as well as dairy cows and store cattle. They will also offer fruit and ornament trees from Mr Sharpe's well known nursery. Notwithstanding the efforts of the Stock Department to stamp out tubercolosis in cattle, says a Wairarapa paper, it seems as if the trouble exists on every hand, Dairy farmers speak of the uncertainty which exists among themselves concerning beasts, and a few days ago a'cow that was suspected but which to the eye looked well, was shot, the owner being determined to know whether the disease was among his stock. On cutting the beast open it was found to be in a very advanced state of tubercolosis. The Solicitor-General has given the opinion that in no case can New Zealand beer be legally sold in bulk except in the original casks —this includes two gallon jars—which have been sent out stamped from a brewery; hence the practice of filling small kegs, or jars, by bottlers or hotelkeepers from stamped casks .is illegal. In view of the fact that the practice has obtained in some ports for many years, Collectors of Customs have been requested to give publicity to this instruction, and if, thereafter, unstamped two gallon jars, or kegs, of beer are found, they arc to be detained, and the facts reported to Wellington office of the De- j partment. The estimated population of the four chief centres at the end of June i was: Auckland, 93,544; Wellington, I Christchurch, 76,769; Dunedin, 61,279. j Another application for a wholesale license in the King Country came be- | fore the Taumarunui Licensing Com- j mittee at Waitara on Wednesday, the | applicant being Thos. McDonald, j whose premises are at Raurimu. The j committee dealt with the matter in i camera, and refused the application, j It is understood tha only one member of the committee voted in favour of granting the license

Those who suffer in any way with ; their eyes will be interested to note 1 that the sight specialist, Mr Jno. L. j Nicol, intends to make periodic visits , to this town. The value of perfect | eye sight is inestimable and everyone should ascertain if their eyes require aid or correction. Unfortunately in the past, this desire for good vision has been well recognised by the quack, presenting himself as an oculist, and his nefarious work has in many instances, caused irretrievable injury to the delicate organ. Mr Nicol's notification appears in another column. In connection with the Presbyterian Church at Te Kuiti a meeting was held at the residence of the Rev. N. J. Ravn on Tuesday last. Afetr discussing matters it was resolved to call a further meeting for Friday evening next, when steps will be taken to place church matters on a permanent footing. The meeting is to be held at Mr. Ravn's residence at 7.30 pm. A largely attended and unusually interesting social was held in the Congregational Church on Monday, 19th inst, in connection with the Young Men's Social Institute, with whom were associated the ladies of the Church and Congregation. Presentations were made to Mr and Mrs Baker and W. S. Turner, who are shortly leaving the town. The former received from the ladies a handsome combined toast and butter dish, and the latter a travelling rug and letter wallet from the members of the Institute. The Rev. R. Mitchell made the presentations, and together with the Rev. Wilson Potts, voiced the esteem in which the departing guests are personally held and in the name of all present conveyed the best wishes fora happy and prosperous future. In connection with the Young Men's Social Institute, a meeting of special interest will be held in the Congregational Church on Monday, the 26 th inst, when "Our Own" Chamber of Commerce will meet. As this is an open meeting a large attendance may be anticipated.

The method of preparing butter in India would not suit our New Zealand factories. There is no "over-run," no "water-logging," The butter after churning is boiled, to get rid of all waterand curd,the former evaporating, the latter sinking as dregs, and a clear oil is obtainsd, which granulates on cooling. This is called "ghee," and it is said that if potted will keep good for 200 years.

The establishing of the no-license system is usually followed by a crop of liquor prosecutions.until the community has become accustomed to the altered conditions, and the first batch of offenders at Waihi were dealt with on Monday last. The breaches were all of a technical nature, and nominal fines were inflicted. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., have received the following telegram from their London house, under date 20th July, 19C9 : —"Wool. —Sales closed firmly to-day, with good competition. The total number of bales of wool sold at the sales as 134,000, of which 52,000 were were taken for the Continent and 9000 for America. Number of bales held over is 16,000. America is operating freely. As compared with the closing rates at last sales, prices are about par to five per cent, lower for crossbred lambswool, medium greasy crossbred, and fine crossbred slipe and about 1\ per cent, to 10 per ecnt, lower for coarse crossbred slipe, medium crossbred slipe, and coarse crossbred, shabbv and wasty. Prices for fine crossbred and lambs are aboat the same as at last sales." One hundred and sixty-four entries, representing 215 competitors, exclusive of choirs, have been received for the musical and elocutionary competition to be held on August 4. 5, and 6, at Hamilton. It was decided that conductors be allowed for choirs, but not for vocal quartettes, and all copies of selected pieces must be in the secretary's hand 3 by July 28.

The match between the Australian eleven and Yorkshire is in an extremely interesting stage. In the first innings the County team made 347 runs, to which the Australians replied with 267. At latest advices the Homp team had made 19 runs without the loss of a wicket, so that they were 99 runs to the good with ten wickets in hand. As there is a full day's play ahead there appears to be a good chance of the County team scoring a win. On appearances the most the visitors can hope for i i a draw. i The Minister of Agriculture has decided to prosecute offenders who are bringing New Zealand butter into disrepute by excessive moisture. The Hon. R. McKenzie also states that the Government is already advertising New Zealand meat, although London dealers do not appear to be aware of it. Large advertisements have been appearing for a month or two. Mr Hogg, M.P.. passed through the district to Auckland this morning, and will deliver his speech at the City tomorrow evening. In conversation with the 'Chronicle" representative the ex-Minister for Roads made special reference to the Te Kuiti-Awakino road and said it was to be hoped an active metalling policy would be carried out on the main roads of the district during the coming summer. Mr Hogg also referred to the Native Land Question, and expressed the belief that the best way to solve the unemployed difficulty was to open the Native and Crown lands in suitable areas, and under conditions which would enable working men to improve their holdings and earn enough to live on until the land was brought to producing stage.