MISCELLANEOUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 118, 19 May 1892, Page 3

MISCELLANEOUS.

Government printing office will be in the Hon. Mr Cadman'sdepartment in future.

The Dr. Burns monument ab Dunedin was formally handed over to the Dunedin Corporation on April 30 by Mr Robert Chapman.

The building of the two wings of the Government Insurance Buildings at Wellington has been started by Mr Carmichael, the contrast price being £13,000.

Messrs S. Cochrane and Son, auctioneers, have sold privately 17ft frontage in Queen-street., with the premises now occupied by Mr James Ah Kew, for £2,250.

The officers of the Native Department throughout the colony have subscribed for a handsome tombstone to be placed over the

grave of the into Mr T. W. Lewis, tormorly Native Undor-Sccrotary.

Tho brother stewards of Mr John Warren, lato steward of the Union S.S. Company s fleet, who died of influenza last year, havo oroctod to his memory in St. Peter's Cemetery, Onehunga, a handsome marble monument.

Thames Land Spocial Settlement Association have applied to tho Minister of Lands for a block of 11,000 acres of good land on tho S. W. corner of the Tuutnabamahoo block, near the Pohokura block, just north of Stratford, Taranaki.

News from Raglan states that one of the largest gatherings of tho natives held in that district) took placo ab tho Kopua, Raglan, lately, many hundreds of natives arriving latoly from Aotoa and elsowhere, accompanied by their chiefs—Kawhara, Tumubina, To Humu, Huhi and Paunga. Lamenb was made over the loss of the chiof Koreopa, and other departod Maoris.

A Timaru gentleman who has been for several years investigating tho causes and sources of our colonial earthquake.1?, and who has suppliod to him telegraphic notices, with particulars of all that aro absorved, has arrived at the conclusion that most, if not all, of thoso folt in this part of New Zealand originate at a point under tho sou, about 62 miles from Wanganui and 47 from Wellington. This would bo about holf way between Otnki and D'Urvillo's Island, and agrees with observations takon hero during the last lifty years by tho lato Rev. R. Taylor and others.

Mr E. Bartley, tho Government valuer for the Land Tax in Auckland says that to his mind property looks a groab deal better, with respect to an investment, than it did two or three yoars a»o. There are sonio places where, for instaneo, houses have boon built in gullies, and in othor cases where housos havo beon bnilb out of proportion to the locality, or of such dimensions as to bo undefiirablo, and theso havo bocomo bad proporby, bub with such exceptions ho found property lookintr very well indeed. He was very much struck by the absonco of ompty houses, both in the cit^ and suburbs, and feels that, with tho long dulnoss that has existed in bho building trado, things havo about righted themselves. He believes houso property will never again be purchasable ab so low values as those for which ownors aro now prepared to soil.

Tho annual meeting of mombors of tho Auckland Chess Club was held on April 28. Mr Alfrod Jlosking (President) prosidod. Ho referred to the proceedings of tho Club during the past your, and stated that in tho handicap tournament lately completed Mr W r. W. Bruce was tho winner of tho first prize, (i handsome marblo clock ; Mr Tylden won the socond prize, a handsome trophy. The President presented tho prizes to tlie successful competitor/1. The statement of accounts, read by Mr Alfred Ash ton, showed thero was a balance of 15a 4d to tho credit of tho Club. On the motion of Mr Hosking Mr Alfred Jowitb was unanimously elected President, and Mr Alfred Ashton was re-elected Secretary. Tho following wero oloctcd tho Comtnittoo for tho ensuing year :— Messrs Cozens, Gome, Hoskine, Young, Captain Herrold, Tammadge, Hemus, Mark, and Bruce. A handsome framed photograph of tho playors in the lato New Zealand Choss Congress held at Auckland was presented by tho Club to Mr Hosking, tho retiring President, for )fi3 valuable services in connoctioti with tho Congress.

Re. tho rumourod intention of Gonornl Booth to sond a shipment of tho " submorßGd tontli " to New Zealand, inquiry at the local Army headquarters elicited tho fact that whon tho last mail loft England General Booth was disposed to consider Now Zealand tho most suitablo placo in which to try tho oxporimont of His ovor-sou colony, and statements contained in the monthly official publication of tho Armyseemed to indicate that two colonies would be planted,ono at tho Capo and ono on 5000 acros Bomowhere in Taranalci district, oO'ered to tho General by tho Government on tho occasion of his vi^it to Wellington. It is also understood the General wan promised 3,000 acres in tho North of Auckland by a privato individual for tho purposes of his experiment. ThoGovernroont think thore is somo mistake about tho nnnouiicomont that General Booth intends to despatch tho first batch of Salvation Army settlors to New Zealand, as they have received no information on tho subject, and no land has boon allotted in Taranalci or elsewhere. Land was promised on condition that no criminals should bo oxported, and the first batch was to be seloctod from a contingent of tho Army. Ie was also understood that the English draft was to bo placed in tho Homo colony first; to get agricultural experience, and thero has nob yet been time to do fhis. The Premier lias cabled Mr Perceval for furblior information. It is possible tho draft mentioned in tho cable is intended for land privately ottered.