LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waipa Post, Volume II, Issue 77, 16 January 1912, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr J. A. Young, M.P. for Waikato, was in Te Awamutu yesterday afternoon.

A special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will be held on Thursday evening to consider workers' dwellings proposals at Te Awamutu.

The Empire Picture Company will produce another excellent programme at the Town Hall this evening, when the beautiful Assyrian photo - play, " The Queen of Nineveh," and many other high-class subjects will be screened.

The small bird is said to be levying heavy toll on the crops in various parts of the. dominion just now. A report from Masterton states that the birds arc working devastation in some of the oat crops in the district. The sparrow is said to be proving particularly destructive.

The amount received by the Advances to Settlers Office as application fees during the period Ist April, 1907, to June 30th, 1911, was £34,606 13s 4d. Of this amount £5,430 9s 5d was refunded to the 4394 applicants whose applications could not be considered and were refused during that period.

We are requested to state that philharmonic practices will be held at the Town Hall to-morrow night. This week there will be no vocal practice, the whole evening being devoted to the orchestral section of the society. Members are requested to be regular in their attendance to practices in view of the concert to be held on February 7th.

A public meeting of the supporters of the Te Awamutu Town Band (which means everybody) will be held in the supper room of the Town Hall on Friday next, 18th inst., at 8 p.m;, for the purpose of receiving the annual report and balance-sheet and the election of officers for the ensuing year. We are requested to announce that band practice will be held on Thursday evening next, instead of on Friday, owing to the annual general meeting of members and supporters of the Band to be held on Friday. /

On Friday evening a most enjoyable function was held at the Empire Cafe, when the friends of Mr A. M. Dalley met to bid him farewell prior to his departure for Wellington. Mr W. F. Stewart presided, and, on behalf of Mr Dalley's friends, presented him with a shaving outfit. In making the presentation the chairman stated that Mr Dalley had resided in Te Awamutu for only about seven months, but' during that time he had become most popular. All were sorry, at his departure, but as the transfer meant promotion Mr Dalley was to be congratulated. He wished the guest all success in his new sphere, and hoped that, when opportunity offered, he would visit Te Awamutu and renew the acquaintance of his local friends. Mr Dalley, in an appropriate manner, replied, thanking all for their kindness to him, and assured them that he went with most pleasant recollections of Te ! Awamutu. During the evening the following toasts were duly honoured : —" The King "; " Agriculture as affecting the Waikato," proposed by Mr Groves and responded to by Mr Douglas ; " Sport," proposed by the guest of the evening and responded to by Mr Le Sueur. Songs were contributed by Messrs Dalton, Ross, Lovelock, Beresford, and Douglas. Mr Dalton as pianist was all that could be desired. As Mr Dalley left to catch the Main Trunk express ringing cheers were given, after which the party dispersed.

A social and dance will be held at Hairini on Friday.

The new post office building was taken over yesterday by the Public Works Department from the contractor. The work of wiring and other internal fittings have been commenced by the telegraph'engineer, and it is expected the building will be opened for business in about three weeks.

The wool imports into Great Britain last year were the largest on record totalling 803,433,0001 b, as against 719,045,0001 b in IQOB. The bulk of the supply was as follows:--Australia, 312,710,000 lb; New Zealand, 176,457.0001 b : South Africa, 115,901,0001 b. and India, 56,225,0001 b. The average value was maintained at per lb, as against 9%d in 1908, and in the two previous years.

Mr H. J. Greenslade was responsible for a return being presented to Parliament last session which shows that 103,888 acres of native land have been sold and 69,237 acres leased in the Waikato-Maniapoto Maori Land District during the last five years. The Waikato-Maniapoto Board came into existence only on July Ist, 1910. The above figures include the operations of the Board for twelve months ending June 30th, 1911.

The foundation tablet of twenty-three workers' homes was laid by the Hon. J. A. Millar on Wednesday at Island Bay. The rents will run from 15s to 17s a week for 5 or 6 roomed cottages with bath, etc, and the properties are being acquired by the tenants out of the payments. The Taumarunui Press states the Prime Minister announced that the LabourDepartment was negotiating for land at Taumarunui and also setting aside Crown land at that town for workers' homes. A powerful public opinion backing the scheme would soon bring exorbitant rents to an -end, he said. Why should Te Awamutu not benefit in a like manner ?

Dr Maui Pomare, the new member for the Western Maori district, was born at Pahou, under the shadow of Mount Egmont, and is in his thirty-fifth year. He was educated at the Boys' High School, Christchurch, and afterwards at the Maori College at Te Ante, Hawke's Bay. He then went to America, and studied medicine, taking his M.D. degree at the Chicago University. While a student, he went on a trip to England as medical officer in a yacht owned by the millionaire philanthropist Peabody. He was appointed a health officer to the Maoris by the New Zealand Government in 1901 and was surgeon captain to the Te Ore Ore Mounted Rifles. He married a daughter of the late Mr Woodbine Johnson, a Poverty Bay runholder, and has resided for some years at Lower Hutt.

" Taihoa " and its meaning form the subject of a letter to the Marlborough Express by MiThomas S. Grace, son of one of the first missionaries who converted the Bay of Plenty and Taupo Maoris in the far off days preceding Constitutional Government in New Zealand. Mr Grace writes: —" In a recent issue of the Marlborough Express you quoted Sir James Carroll's interpretation of the now familiar Maori adverb ' taihoa.' Such a fanciful meaning as the honourable gentleman gives can but hoodwink the pakeha uninitiated in the Maori vernacular. 'Taihoa' does not mean 'careful consideration, prudent and wise advancement, careful deliberation, putting the brake on, chewing things over,' although it may be used for these reasons. Engiishised this word just corresponds to our own adverb, ' by-and-by ' postponing indefinitely for any reason or no reason at all what may be said and done at once. It has always meant this, and can never mean anything else, whether applied to the occasional or habitual procrastinations of a pakeha, Maori chief, or honourable Parliamentarian grievously pestered by urgent petitions of unsatiating constituents.