AUCKLAND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 301, 14 September 1908, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

September 12. The Auckland Electric Tramways Company has forwarded a statement of the profit and loss account of the tramways within the city for the year ended December 31, 1007, to the City Council. The total amount of profits available for distribution on the working within the limits of the City of Auckland for 1907 was £33,551 6s. Id., of which tho 1 council was entitled to 5 per cent, on tho first £5000, and 10 per cent, on the amount in excess of £5000, the amount in this instanco payable to tho council being £3005 2s. 7d. The traffic receipts within the city totalled £85,959 Is. The sum of £468 ss. 4d. was received for season tickets, wliile the mileage run within the city totalled 1,210,670, the grand total mileage for /the year for city and suburbs being 2,050,286 The- acting-Mayor (Mr. Grey) moved a /formal m6tion to the effect that the amount be received without prejudice, and subject to the audit of the company's accounts on behalf of tho City Council; and also that tho town clerk be instructed to inform' tho tramway company that the amount was the lowest tho council was entitled to receive on any reasonable basis, but the fact; of the council's percentage having been computed on the present basis was to bo no bar to the council computing at any future time its percentage upon the correct basis. The motion was carried. Dominion Artists. The free exhibition of tho Auckland Society of Arts is meeting with a fair share of public patronage, but the primary object of the exhibition, that of selling /the works of New Zealand artists, has not so far been achieved. People visit tho gallery in fair numbers each day, inspect and admire, but do not buy. The lack of purchasers seems to arise from the fact that tho persons visiting the exhibition aro not picture buyers. It is tho picture buyers and 'connoisseurs that the socioty wants. Tho ; date of tho annual meeting of the society ' has not yet been definitely fixed, but it will probably bo on September 30. A remarkably successful year, has been-experienced, and tho society looks forward to a still more successful development 'next' year. It is /expected that tho picture purchase fund will stimulate local art, and tend to the production of subject pictures' of an historical character. Tho Rotorua Maoris. "Hungry Maoris, but not starving Maoris," remarked a visitor from Rotorua. The gentleman in question, who knows the Rotorua Maoris well, declares that there was a considerable amount of hardsliip among tho tribes in that district at the present time. There was a scarcity of potatoes for ono thing, and when the Maoris were short of that article of food they folt it keenly. Referring to the vexed question of fishingrights, the speaker thought it would bo a good thing if tho Maoris were allowed to catch all tho fish they could in Lake Rotorua, as that area of water was considerably over-stocked with rainbow trout at the present tim'o. Concerning Lake Taupo lie said it was undoubtedly a fact that the kokopu, the small native trout, had practically disappeared from tho lake through tho voracity of the. rainbow trout. The kolcopu used at one time to form part of the Native diet. Lively Crsi'fish. There was a fine supply of local crayfish on tho market on Friday, and people who like this form of lato supper were able tc liavo it in plenty. Tho barrowmen winvended the delicacy had all their work cut out to keep tho' crayfish on their trucks til they wero sold. They kept scuttling away in all directions in the most ludicrous fashion, and buyers were to be' observed carrying away tlioir purchases in rather gingerlj fashion, carefully avoiding tho huge "feelers' ; or "nippers" that the crayfish were throwing out. These crayfish are. being caught in large quantities, at the present time all around Hauraki Gulf, and others aro, corning from' the Barrier.- Schnapper, white; bait; and piper still continue plentiful, anc they are being retailed very clieaply.