OTOROHANGA NEWS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 58, Issue 4191, 31 May 1939, Page 11

OTOROHANGA NEWS

TOPICS OF THE HOUR. GOOD GATE RECEIPTS. . (Our Resident Representative). The Otorohanga Picnic Racing Club took £197 at the outer gates at their inaugural meeting on Saturday, last at Is 6d per head. The most popular event at the fixture was the drovers’ race, won by Mr Denis E. Egan, on his fine horse, De Valera, from a field of 13 starters. This race was a triumph for horsmanship, in a stirring l battle for supremacy up the long straight. There was a rumour among the crowd that the horse was a “ringer,” whose pedigree traced back to the mighty Carbine. This, of course, was soon discounted, as the tabulated pedigree of De Valera shows that he is a brown gelding by Rebellion —Republic, and was bred at the well-known Stud of Mr Ngawiri Utuku Waimarama, of Oparure. The sire was a product of Messrs Te Wliiti and Tohu’s. old-es-tablished Parahaka Stud, which has turned out, during the course of the years, some of the finest racehorses, remounts and packhorses .in the Dominion. The dam was by Titokowaru from Pungawerewere, and was bred at Stony River by the late Mr Tara Waitara. De Valera is not engaged at the Great Northerns this year, _ but no doubt, will be sent to Christchurch for the grand National fixture, as ne is a perfect jumper and a true stayer. RUGBY. The Hangatiki Senior A team was beaten for the first time this season bv the Waitere fifteen, at Hangatiki on Saturday by 8 points to 3. For Waitere, Matthews scored two tries, one of which was converted by Branch. The only try for Hangatiki was scored by Te Kanawa. All Otorohanga games were postI poned on account of the Picnic Races.

ALLEGED SEXUAL OFFENCE. Rema Tahatika, a 29 year old Maori, of Otewa, was charged before Mr Clive Tucker J.P. at the Otorohanga Court, on Monday with an indecent assault on a female. On the application of the police he was remanded, . bail being granted. BONUS FOR WILD PIGS. The fact that the Government are now paying Is per snout for wild pigs between June Ist, and Feburuary 29th, 1940, is interesting the young men of the back country, where wild pigs are a menace to the lambing flocks each season. On some of the out-back sheep properties the losses each season from the ravages of pigs is very considerable. As the wild pig usually hunts his prey at night, or in the very early morning, and works close to cover, his destruction is extremely difficult. Not only are newly born lambs devoured by these animals, but cast sheep are frequently killed and partly eaten. The bonus will be an added incentive to young men to clear the bush and scrub near sheep farms of these unwelcome visitors of the night and early morning. Hunting with bull-dogs and pigspears will be the popular methods of the chase, and, no doubt, during the period that the bonus runs, the wild pig population of this territory will be considerably reduced.