IN OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 202, 20 May 1908, Page 9

IN OTHER CENTRES.

(BY TEMWUAPIi—SrZCIAIi COKUEOI'OKDENTB.] : 4 AUCKLAND. . Hay 19. The Greater Auckland question would seem to bo coming nearer to a head. At least two or threo of tlio outsido local bodies aro beginning to favour tlio idea. At last night's meet-ins- of the Newmarket) Borough Council ono of tho members said that during tlio ensuing twelve months the. Greater Auckland scheme, would bp'adopted, and tho Council and Borough would bo merged into a largor body and district.. Again, at Parnoil a councillor said his feeJing was that tho sooner Parnell merged its identity in that of Greater Auckland the better. With reference to what had been said regarding Parnell's sanitary arrangements, he thought 'anyone could smell as well as see what Parnoil had done'in this respect, and it was 110 credit to 'Parnell. Greater Auckland was required to complete their drainage. Ho further referred to tho Borough, as a "one horso show." A second councillor attributed tlio remarks of the first to a desire "to rouso us up to ,i deeper sense of our duty.'' Mining in' Urewera. ' The "Herald's" Frasertown correspondent writes: "It is' understood that llua, the Maori : prophet, will go to Wellington to confer with tho Government regarding' tho throwing open of the Urewera country for gold mining. It is an open secret that a rich reef has been located not far from Waikaremoana, and that an Auckland syndicate is prepared to start operations if tho Native obstruction can be overcome." '.'Dirty .Water."'- • i lii a letter to tho Parnell Borough Council , last evening, a ratepayer abruptly. requested the Council to call the attention of the City Council to tlio "dirty condition; of tho water supply.": It had | been ■ particularly bad this last month, ho stated; "at times in fact-it has not been fit to wash a dog'in." It was decided to pass the 1 letter on to tho City Council for consideration.

State Oysters,' The oyster industry may now bo considered tobo in full swing', and it is announced by the officials at the Government depot, that the supply coming forward from the beds is equal to the demand for the bivalve. On Saturday 367 bags wero received at tho depot. Another largo consignment is expected from tlio Waiheko" Island neds to-day, and a further supply from tho Bay of Islands tomorrow. " Not Understood." ' • A well-known - pastoralist in tho Gisborne district, speaking to a " Herald" representative yesterday, remarked that there was much irritation in tho Poverty rJßay country' over tho fact that Cook, Wainpu, and part of Wairoa ■ Counties, which are in the Auckland province, were included in tho Hawke's Bay land' and _stock 1 district instead of the Auckland district. Why these areas should bo joined to Hawke's Bay was ' something "not understood,and it was felt ■to be unfair, as in statistics ■ published, by tho Government of. " livo stock and land holdings,; etc.," tho figures of Poverty Bay went to swell the Hiiwke's Bay totals, and wore, of course, deducted from Auckland's total, resulting in misapprehension all round. For' instance,' Auckland was K really entitled to about two million more shcop than it got credit for in tho Government returns, and' some Hawke's Bay people were actually including the figures relating to Poverty Bay in ondoavouriug to show that Hawke's.Bay was so largo and important a province that it should bo connccted by rail with Gisborne before Auckland was iconnee.ted. , Poverty Bay people wanted tho Auckland connection, and would fight for that tooth and nail, and there was a very rich trade inte'chaiine promising. ■ As an illustration of the progress ,of. industry in- i'ovorty Bay,' it was remarked that 1 last week the, freezing wofks at Gisbo'rno put through meat equa1,t0.12,150 sheep, and this, is believed to bo a record ior thoso.works. " -

CHRISTCiIURCH. . , . . . ' ' May 10. ■ A visit to tho Tepid, Bath shows that it is being patronised to an extent oven beyond that predicted _ by' the ulost optimistic forecasts, ,aiid during men's hours , tho bath has been a'remarkable picturo of crowded humanity. Between- eight and' half-past nine o'clock on Sunday morning 700 persons were admitted. Yesterday evening thero were 200 men and boys in the bath at seven o'clock, and ~tho water romained perfectly clear, tho 'flow being continuous. \ .- ' Conoliiation Board. Reference was made at tho Conciliation Board this , morning by Mr. W. Minsom (chairman) to tho wrong impression that was prevalent to the.offect that tho term of offico ,6f th-o Board had expired the previous day, and that consequent upon, an extension of timo not having been granted to-day's proceedings in tho farm labourers' dispute were informal. Mr. Miuson said that theso statements wero emphatically wrong, and there was nothing in the. facts of tho position to justify them: No application for an extension of timo had been made, and consequently thero had been no refusal to, extend the time. "Thoss Interjections." . "I will absolutely refuse to go on," said Mr. Thorn vehemently' at - tlio Conciliation Board yesterday, throwing down his notes, ''unless. I am protected from these interjections." Mr. R. Evans was tho offender. As one of tho representatives of tho farmers, liO' had sat almost next to-Mr. Thorn, who was summing up, and had subjected him to a running firo of interjections, which-Mr. Thorn for tho most part had borne good-naturedly. Mr. Thorn continued that over sinco ho had commenced his summing up ho had been interrupted without end, and the Chairman could count about' 300 interruptions in the typewritten report. Tho Chairman 1 said-lie thought that Mr. Thorn had a good deal of justification in protesting _ so' vehemently against Mr. Evans's interjections. Mr. Evans thereupon lifted his hat and essayed to go out, observing that tlio country knew his-opinions on' the matter. -The Chairman said, "Sit down, sit down," in a deprecatory manner, and Mr. Evans sat down.' Mr. Thorn said that the very points which Mr. Evans interrupted. upon wero' tho very points that ho was making-correctly, and Mr. Evans timo after time had had to admit that he was correct, lie could only think that the interruptions had-been mado with tho deliberate purpose of destroying the effect- of his speech.