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Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 71, 23 March 1908, Page 4

The following is Captain Edwin's weather forecast for 24\ hours.from 9 a.m. this day:—"Easterly strong winds to gale. , Bain probable after twenty hours. Glass falL"

Employees of the Brett Printing and Publishing Company held an enjoyable picnic at Papakura on Saturday notwithstanding the damp weather. A large number journeyed by special train at 9.30 a.m., and the number was considerably augmented by the 1.10 pan. train. Although the continued rain prohibited outdoor pastimes, the Papakura" Hall wiia requisitioned and games indulged in throughout the day by the young people, whilst their elders whiled , away the time with songs and dances. The sports programme, which had to be abandoned, will be carried out at Takapuna on Saturday afternoon next. The annual statutory meeting of tho Auckland City Council will be held on Wednesday next at 10 a.m., foT the purpose of correcting and certifying the district electors' roll.

The Hon. Jas. Carroll, Minister for Native Affairs, left Auckland by the express this morning for Euatoki, in the Urewera country, via Rotorua. At Ruatoki he will meet the natives of the Urewera to make arrangements with them for the opening of the country to the prospector. It has been stated oq many occasions that valuable gold reefs exist in the country, and very shortly now opportunity will be given for proof of this. In addition, the Minister will discuss the question of opening up certain lands for 'settlement. Mr. Carroll, who is accompanied by his private secretary, Mr. W. Gordon, will return to Auckland on Saturday evening, and next week he will proceed North in connection with the opening of native lands for settlement.

A Masterton district farmer, who has had exactly a thousand acres of bush, log and grass country swept by fire this season, remarked to an ''Age" reporter: —"If I had my choice over again between the fire and the country as it was —fencing and all—l should say 'give mc the fire.' There are others in a similar position to myself, and my own conviction is that a much large-r percentage of thn fire-swept country than is gonerally supposed is more benefited than otherwise by the fiery visitations." Settlers from Hukanul and other Fortymile Bush districts also concur in the belief that tha dry season of 1008 has removed unsightly logs and stumps which simply retarded, agriculture find would not have paid to remove an firewood.

Mr. Harold Beauchamp, chairman ; of the Bank 'of New Zealand, who, with Mr. W. CaUender, general manager of that institution, hae been on a .visit to the North, found that business (so he intimated to" a "Post" reporter) in the Auckland province was being affected more or less not only by the fall in the : price of wool, but also by the slump in the value of hemp and kauri gum, two of the most importan? products in that part of the colony. In his opinion the depression in the value of those two articles is owing to the state of the trade in America, and. to a less extent, as regards flax, by the substantial export from Manila. "It is evident," added Mr. Beauchamp, "that unless some arrangements can be made by which employees of fiaxmillirig can be induced to accept lower wages, between 7000 and 7500 men engaged in tile industry in various parts of the Dominion will be thrown • out- of work." Speaking of the state of trade, he did not wish it to be. inferred that there was any cause for alarm at the present moment, as producers and traders have had such a splendid innings for so many years that the majority of them can stand a period of low prices. Without being prejudicially affected to any great extent, we could draw comfort from the decline in the bank rate at Home to 3 per cent. With the easier monetary conditions in London, there is no reason why the Government and the public bodies should not resume borrowing at Home." .-.-- ■ " .;'•...'■■•

The Union Co.'s steamer Maitai (Miowera) was two days overdue from Sydney when she dispelled a good deal of anxiety by arriving at Wellington at one p.m. yesterday. The vessel passed Farewell Spit on Friday afternoon, and' in the ordinary course of events she should have reached' Wellington about eight hours later. However, she encountered a heavy southerly gale, and after the Pencarrow light was. made out the weather became very thick, with the result that the leading light on Soames' Island was obscured. Rather than risk entering •the harbour in thick rain'with a terrific sea behind the vessel, the captain decidied to put out into the open.sea. The steamer was ihove to off Cape Palliser on Saturday.. The weather cleared on Sunday morning and the Maitai reached Wellington as above.

The steamer Surrey arrived from West Coast of England ports, Capetown, and Hobart, with 124 immigrants for the Dominion. Of this number 52 joined the vessel at' l Capetown, the remainder being from the Old Country.' The Auckland passengers number 50.-.., The majority of the immigrants are tradespeople, and there is a sprinkling of farmers and labourers.,. According, to .their statements the position of the worker is anything but cheerful at Home, while the South Africans take Up an. even more depressing attitude with, regard to their country, where matters generally are stated to be in a very bad way.

The s.s. Waitangi, on board of whicU vessel a fire occurred at Hokianga recently, arrived at Onehunga yesterday, morning. The Waitangi, although under steam all the .-time, was to-wed by the" Claymore for most of the journey; On reaching the ilanukau bar the towiine carried away, and the: Waitangi steamed across safely; in fact, it is stated that she could really have made the passage unaided. An examination of the tangi revealed that. she Ead sustained little da.TPn.ge as the result of the recent fire, and £25 or £30. will probably cover the repairs. The Waitangrwill.be ready for sea on Wednesdsb;

In_ connection with the sentences of imprisonment with hard labour recently passed upon two boys of fourteen at the Auckland Supreme Court, the Minister of Justice has informed the Women's Political League that the lads iiiu question, Leslie Mclndoe and Alick INaOian, have been transferred to the Barnham'lndustrial School. ..

A ratner amusing incident happened the other day to two'gentlemen who were inotoring to Parawanvii to play in a polo match. On account of the long spell of dry weather lately; experienced,, they, reckoned on crossing the Rangitikei river dryshod. However, on reaching the river they found that, owing to the late rains, the river was swollen. Like the average colonial, lacking neither resource nor brain, they quickly divested themselves of their nether garments, and carried the motor-bike over. On returning for their clothes, however, they found to" their horror and dismay that the tide had , anticipated them.. The clothes were not lost—but gone before. Luckily help arrived in the shape of Mr. Norman who happened to be passing -with his trap. Thus a sensation" that might have required the constable's investigation was averted.'—Eeilding "Star:"

Some men who have had the habit of looking on the beer when it is long and are, now confined at the Salvation Army Inebriates' Home, on Pakatoa Island, near Auckland, are not happy. Brigadier Albiston, in conversation -with, a "Wellington limes" reporter, expressed the feelings of one man .in the man's own language, .-which, however, cannot tie reproduced quite verbatim, throwing his arms round with an expression of ■unmitigated' disgust, the man said:—"Huh, nice sort of a thing to get on to bloke, ain't it? Wy, if I'd a got as drunk as six men and was sent to gaol I'd *a only gone up for a month or three months at the most. I'd *a had a bit of a rest, and then come out and gono on tho booze agen. But (here he screamed with rage) yer packs mc off on a bloamin' island far two years—two long years—with never a beer all the time. It's crool 'ard, that's wot it is. Will I bo a teetotaler when I gets out I Will I ever be sober ? Not mc!"

a An overheated bearing resulted in the outbreak of a fire a± the Oromahoe flaxmill last week. The flames spread, rapidly, but the efforts of the mill hands were successful in confining the fire to the scutching portion of the building, together with the fibre and tow, winch were being operated upon. The stripper, boiler and engine were undamaged, but nevertheless the loss is a serious one to the owner and the district, as it was hoped that more favourable conditions would have enabled t.he mill to recommence operations before long. Mrs. M. Dodds a married ■woman, died suddenly this morning at her residence in Brighton-road, °Parnell. It appeared that she had lived with her husband and family in that locality for the past two years. She was taken ill .on Sunday morning, hut appeared to get better during the Mr. Dodds remained up all night, lind this morning his wife said she would get breakfast. He told her to remain « bed, and, as she appeared to be sleeping quietly, he left the room, returning a few minutes later to find Mr.. Doclds dead.

The sittings of tho Onehunga Assessment Court, for the purpose, of hearing objections to the valuations will bo held on Friday, April 3rd ut 10 a.m. Mr. it, W. Nbrtheroft, SJd., will presides.

The.; Royal Mint authorities do notJ mind if silversmiths take to melting down shillings for silver, for the simple reason that there is not twelvepeace. •worth of silver in a shilling. But when V it comes to sovereigns the Mint 'would prefer that jewellers should get their gold' through some other agency. Every sovereign contains a full twenty• shillings' -worth of gold, and. the Royal Mint loses something like £4000 a/year in the manufacture of sovereigns. This infoiv mation came to light at a meeting of the Wellington Shopkeepers' Association, "when Mr. F. H. Allen was recounting his' impressions of a visit to a manufacturing jeweller's establishment in this city.— While bathing off the Onetinng* Wharf yesterday, a boy named Andrews got into difficulties in the heavy sea rim--ning. His cries for help attracted the attention of his father, who had just finished dressing after his swim, and, he immeliately. went' to the lad's assistance, and soon succeeded in rescuing hint from his perilous position. The following tenders have been received for the erection of the Seddon. Memorial at the Royal Oak Corner, Onehunga: Messrs. Parkinson and. Co., £750 ."■ Bouskill, £780; Harris and C 0.,. £820* A meeting of the committee was held on Saturday afternoon, when the tender of Messrs. Parkinson and Co. was provisionally accepted. A further meeting will be held next Thursday, when the matter will ; he finally accepted. A difficult problem has "been set the engineers in charge of the construction of the Main Trunk line a little beydnS Waiouru. While a cutting was being widened the earth underneath suddenly r collapsed, exposing an immense underground cave, the bottom of which save the Mangaweka "Settler," has not yet . been discovered. It is stated that it will take a large sum to repair the cutting, even if it has not been rendered entirely useless. The Feilding correspondent of the "Manawatu Daily Times" records that a farmer has two spaniels pups which are being suckled alternately by a sow with a litter and a eat which has lost her kittens. The pups take their morning meal with the suckers, and their afternoon nourishment is ■' drawn from the cat- They appear to thrive rematka"bly on the mixed diet. A meeting of the executive of-the Hew Zealand Dairymenfs Association win be held on Friday, April 4 to consider the unfortunate position in wiieh the association is placed through the collapseof the Auckland winter show. MEhe meeting will discuss the advisability of joining the Waikato Winter Show Association in making a big display of butter. The cxc. cutive -will also be called upon to recebe the resignation of Mr. Kin, 1 the energetic secretary, -who is 1 leaving Auckland to take up his residence in Wellington. ,Mr. J. H. Dalton has secured -Qid coo- ■ tract for the supply of uniforms to the Auckland.. Electric Tramways Company for the ensuing year. : Messrs. Hoffman and Co. are hdding-a, great sale of pianos and organs up to the 31st Marchj when they: wfll retire from business,—(Ad;) ..