NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1433, 7 May 1912, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

im TelcKrttDh—l'rets AMoc!atlon.) . LAND SPECULATION, A COUNCII/S PURCHASE ANTICIPATED. Auckland, May C. In conncclion with tho proposed purchasn ol' tho Orakci Block l>v tho Auckland Cily Council from the'.Maori owners nml the stops llml it is believed have been l;ikcn by privnle speculators to get in ahead of (he City Council, definite inforinalion is p.v:ii lal>l<- nf at least one transaction for which a transfer has been lodged ill (lie Maori l.aiul Hoard ollico (lull which is not valid until confirmed by the .Maori Land Jloard). The area i f land concerned is .|!l acres, and the price is .CISIIII. Tiio Orakci Committee of the City Council has decided to oppose this or any other transfer, and, as already intimated, the Mayor has been authorised to proceed to Wellington if necessary in connection with these transactions. Seen by a reporter with regard to tlio above transaction, tho Mayor said ho did not think thera would 1» much difficulty in successfully opposing tho transfers oil the ground that those private tloaliiifis were iiot in the best' interests of the Maoris. The city can do much better than this Cor the .Maoris, and will liavo 710 diflicuity in proving it, said tho Mayor in conclusion. BUSHFELLING ACCIDENT. Gisborne, May G. Allen Tloid was busiifelling at Waisuato on n steep hillside about ten o'clock this morning, when a tnwa tree on which ho and his mate were engaged kicked as lioid was putting in a back scarf, and fell, pinning him to the ground. His inato extracted him with difficulty, and then went to tho nearest homestead for assistance. Ono of tho rescuers rendered first aid, and at 10.30 a.m. tliev set off to carry the injured man to a waiting buggy, three-quarters of a mile awny. The country was .so steep that the journey was not completed till 3.45 p.m., after wiiich Ro : d was driven to the Gisborne Hospital. He is suffering from shock and a broken leg. MR. LAURENSON IN NELSON. Nelson, 31 ay G. The Hon. 'George Lanrenson, Minister for Labour, inspected to-dav a number of sites offered for workers' homes in tho city. A meeting of applicants is to be lipid to ballot for the sites upon, which they would prefer dwellings erected. In the afternoon the .Minister received several deputations on local matters, and visited principal factories. He was also taken round the district by motor-ear, and visited orchards at Stoke and Mou-te-re. He returned to Wellington this evening by tho Nikrui. BURGLARIES IN AUCKLAND. Auckland, May G. Another burglary occurred at I'arnell on Friday, when ,i dwelling was entered and a number of articles of person, attire were stolen. A man was arrested on Saturday evening in connection with the crime, and remanded for a week, AWANUI AERO TOWER. , Auckland. May 6. Mr. J. H. Forrest (who superintends t-lio erection of the tower and wireless apparatus at Awanui Station) and other wireless experts arrived from Sydney yesterday. The preliminary work lias already been completed. Awanui will be the first wireless station: of the first-class in the Dominion. AUTO-FRANKING CHARGES, Napier, Slay G. Recently tho Postal Department notified the abolition of the li per cent, poundage allowed merchants on automatic franking machines. Mr. Brown, M.P., at tho request of a deputation, made representations to the Postmaster-General on the subject, but Mr. Ell has replied regretting that he cannot see his way to reinslate the poundage, as the expense of making the collection and allowing credit to holders is so heavy, materially reducing tho amount collected for postages. COUNCILLOR AND CONTRACT. Dargaville, May 6. An extraordinary vacancy having occurred on the Borough Council, Mr. i\ A. Jones, proprietor of the "North Auckland Times," was returned against two other candidates. His return was questioned owing to a printing and advertising contract with (he council. The manager of tho "Times" asked for the withdrawal 01 the contract, and the question was submitted to Dr. Bamfcrd, of Auckland, who ndvised that Mr. Jqnes was disqualified, and also ineligible to stand again unless tho council agreed to the- cancellation of the contract. Meanwhile, Mr. Jones offered to insert the borough advertisements free if tho council agreed lo cancellation. There was some objection to this course, but a majority of tho council agreed to cancellation, so Mr. .Tones is now considered eligible to stand for the position. FIRE ON TRAWLER. Napier, M.iy G. An outbreak of fire occurred on the trawler Savaii, but was suppressed before It had time to spread out of the engineroom and cabin. Damage to the extent of .£3OO was done. The vessel was not insured. RUGBY AND DRILL. Invcrcarflill, May 3. The committee of tho Southland Rugby Union, at its meeting to-night, passed a resolution iirappreciatiou of the Defence Act, and .recognising tho fair and just manner in which the defence authorities are endeavouring to carry out their uoue-too-light task. Members were of opinion that the attendance of Rugby players at parados on a few occasions during the season would not seriously interfere with carrying through the local Rugby fixtures. BRIEF MENTION. Stratford, May G. Frederic Smith Pollock, a well-known coach builder, was found dead, hanging in , an outhouse behind his ofliee, yesterday afternoon. Gisborne, May G. K fire last evening damaged a portion of the premises of B. Lewis, draper. The ; brigade made a good save. ; Gisborne, May G. 1 Thomas Farrell, aged 40, a labourer, 1 residing at Muriwai, died suddenly yesterday, while carrying a bucket of water. Gisborne, May G. Mr. James Graham, n settler of Pulm, was found unconscious on the Cliff Road on Saturday evening, and died yesterday from cerebral haemorrhage. Auckland, May G. A man named Percy Young, who fell from a tree at Matakava yesterday, was i brought to the Auckland Hospital suf- : fering from a fractured thigh.