LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20054, 14 April 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

At the Hawke's Bay Rifle Association meeting yesterday, Loveday, of Ohura, won the Champion Belt and gold medal. According to a London cable General Sir Reginald Hart has been recalled from. South Africa. General Sir James Murray is succeeding him. It is believed that the Ministry wishes to disassociate itself from the recent drastic actions of General Botha. The Maori sports at Waitotara yesterday were held in Mr. Gregor McGregor's paddocks, and to mark their appreciation of Mr McGregor's generosity the promoters of the sports presented him last night with a valuable gold medal. In the Hawke's Bay Education District there were 134 schools at the end of the year. The number of children attending public schools in the district increased by 664, the number on the roll at the end of the year being 11,795. The average roll increased by 637, and the average attendance 572. The infant son of Mr A. H. Addison, of Palmerston North, was attacked by a fox terrier at the "WSanganui tennis courts yesterday, and received nasty injuries to his face. On the previous day the child had been playing with, a terrier belonging to Mr O. Goldebury, and caime to no harm. Yesterday the child made advances to a stfange dbg, which turned upon him and bit him on the cheek and lips. Dr. Christie "attended the sufferer, and the Wounds necessitated three stitches. ' Even the Maori -woman emulates her pakeha sister in striving after effect. Yesterday at the Waitotara sports, a wahine with plenty of averdupois, took part in a poi dance, and evidently shewas not quite satisfied as to her colour. She did not, apparently, consider herself dark enough, so she set to work with a blacking brush, and by the liberal use of "Day land (Martin's" product, managed to make her face jet black. The .eifect was striking, and she excited no small amount of amusement.

I There was a large gathering of Maoris at Ihu Puku (Waitotara) on Sunday, when the new meeting-house recently erected by the natives of the district was opened. The ceremony (writes our travelling reporter) was performed performed in Maori style—that is by incantations, etc.—by Tv Patea and Whareaitu, after which the Rev. Baddon conducted1 a most impressive service. About 500 Maoris took j part in the ceremony. In the afternoon I a meeting of a political nature was held, ' when West Coast matters were discussed. Th© West Coast Lands Settlement Act, 1913, was approved, and Te Hikaka was nominated for the position of Valuator under the Act. The meeting was distinctly in support of th© present Government. Nepia Tauri was appointed chairman of the meeting, and Reihana Ngana secretary. The Wangianui Carnival Maori haka team distinguished itself in the Maori competition at the Maori sports Held at Waitotara yesterday, and1 succeeded in carrying off the first prize for grand haka, the value of which was £5 and a valuable silver cup. , Tyvo teams entered, But the Wanganui boys were in | great form, and they gave a splendid j representation of a dance that stirred the hearts of. old warriors in the days gone bye. One of the conditions was that the team should not consist of less , than ".sixj and as Wanganui only mustered five, Mrs Gregor McGregor lined j up with th© others and made the team complete. Wanganui's win was very popular, and at the conclusion of th© balsa the team was most vociferously cheered. The team was as follows: Hi Hiroti (captain), W. Enria, A. Takarangi, Te Hiroti, M. Thompson and Mrs Gregor McGregor.