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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 578, 21 June 1913, Page 4

The French Government's monopoly of the sale of cigars and tobacco produced the amount of £21,600,000 last year. Over 1000 persons were killed on the English railways last year, and more than eight times aB many were injured, the respective totals being 10*11 and 8700. The victims were mostly railway employees. The questions on tho agenda paper for the Olympic Congress, which is to be held in Paris in March next, include the following:—Whether women shall be permited to take part in the games? The minimum age of competitors? Definition of amateurism? Nature of the programme? Mr Clement Wragge, in a cablegram from Adelaide to the Press Association, advises that a disturbance is approaching the New Zealand, coast. He adviseß those concerned in the refloating of the stranded steamer Indrabarah to hasten their preparations.

Preliminary notice of the sale oC a property by irder of the official assignee appears in our column to-day. Full particulars at Mr Graham's office. Mr C. Bower Ismay haß dropped hiß application for an injunction againßt paying over tho Derby stakes to Mr A. I P. Cunliffe, owner of Aboyour. Mr Jas. Bryce, formerly British Ambassador to America, has been offered the chairmanship of tho Commission which will shortly inquire into the university question in South Africa. Colonel Seely. Secretary of State for War, informed the House of Commons that the War Office was issuing a notification that it will not, after three years have elapased, purchase horses whose tails have been docked. . It is Btated that Miss Eleanor Wilson, the daughter of the United States President, takes copious notes at all the functions which she attends in Washington. Her idea, it is believed, is to write a book dissecting society. On Sunday night the Ke.v. E. S. Wayne give an address to men, and speaks to members of tho Church of England Men's Society. Suitable hymns will be chosen and tho aims of the society made clear to all. The Hamburg-America liner Imperator has successfully comploted her maiden voyage, and was given a great reception on arrival at New York, many prominent people participating in the welcome. She maintained an average speed .throghout the voyage of 22 knots. The married ladies of St. Luke's Church are hodling a social on Wednesday evening next. As that previously held by the married men was a great success, this will also take the form of a euchre party and Cinderella dance. The object of these socialß is to bring parishknors together in the enjoyment of healthy and moderate amusement, as well as to pay off the debt on organ and piano. Seven sections in Mangono and Kopuaranga survey districts, about twenty miles to the north of Masterton, which were recently held as grazing runs, were ballotted for on Thursday. There were fifty-seven qualified applicants, and most of thße sucesaful at the ballot were residents of the district. At the Supreme Court on Thursday two youths about 1(5 years of age appeared for sentence on a charge of breaking and entering and theft at Ohakune. The Chief Justice said that he regretted that there waß no intermediate place for offenders of this class. The boys had apparently been addicted to reading trashy literature. Both were ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. Good work is being done on the unmetalled streoti of To Kuiti with the grader. Portions of Taupiri and King streets had been worn into holes and the crown had got worn off tho road. Being of pumice formation the streets stand tho traffic extremely well if no water is allowed to lie thereon, and the j|work now being done should improve the conditions somewhat until a supply of metal is available. At the annual reunion of tho Farmers' Union at Hairini, Mr J. A. Young, member for Waikato, gave an address, in the course of which he strongly condemned the present constitution of the Assessment Courts. It was, he said, the primary function of tho Department and tho local body represented by assessors to levy taxeß, but the landowner who had to pay taxes had quite as much right: to representation. Mr Young warned them of the undue inflation of argicultural lands by speculators, and cautioned the genuine farmers to beware of the new Liberals who were advocating an extra penny in the pound on land tax, which the Massey Government had increased from .£SOO to £IOOO.

The pressing need for more labourers for farm work was discussed at a meeting of the executive committe of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union on Wednesday, when the following motion was carried: "That this executive instructs its representatives, when attending the Dominion Conference, tojuse endeavours to get the Government to inaugurate a system of immigration, especially of suitable farm labourers, farmers with capital, and domestic servants, and should also endeavour to get. the £lO impost on prospective immigrants reduced to £5." At last meeting of the Waitara Harbour Board Mr Bine made a formal protest against Mr Jennings taking his seat as a member. Mr Jennings stated that he had received no notification of his seat being cancelled, and until such notice he maintained that he was entitled to sit as a member. A communication was road from the Prime Minister acknowledging a letter convoying a resolution passed by the board recommending that Mr A H. Halcombe bo appointed as Government nominee on the board in the event of Mr Jennings' appointmen being terminated, and stating that the matter would receive careful consideration. Military headquarters have forwarded the concerning the examination of non - commissioned officers of the territorial force and senior cadets for first appointment to commissions:--"Please note and inform all concerned that the above examination this year is postponed to the beginning of September, for the present. In exceptional cases noncommissioned officers of the territorial force may be recommended as candidates up to the age of 30. Schoolmasters of secondary Bchools may be recommended as candidates at anv ago for commissions in senior cadet companies of their schools. In the case of ichoolmasters, papers "A" and "B" are dispensed with. Candidates for commissions in the territorial force can elect to sit for commisssions in any arm, but; must state, when applying, to bo allowed to present themselves for examination, to which arm they are desirous of being appointed on obtaining a commission."