Page 4 Advertisements Column 5

Evening Post, Volume LXI, Issue 16, 19 January 1901, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL. o With the object of selecting a site for the establishment of an industrial school for males only, the Minister of Lands (Hon. T. Y. Duncan) and Minister of Education (Hon. W. C. Walker) paid a visit to Leviu yesterday, accompanied by Mr. A. Barron (Acting-Surveyor-General), Mr. G. Hogben (Secretary for education), and Mr. J. D. Bitchie. (Secretary for Agriculture). An inspection was made of two sites, one being the State Farm, of 800 acres, which is about a mile from Wereroa, and the other a block of 1,000 acres of Crown land adjacent. About 100 acres are required for the industrial school, and the selection will be made as soon as possible. Both sites are said to be well litted for the purpose, and the quality of the land is suitable for carrying on the agricultural pursuits or such like industries, in which it is proposed to train the inmates. The report that Captain Abram, of the Hawea, passed the disabled vessel Grace Harwar off Portland Island, and disregarded signals of distress, was regarded by some of his friends ni Wellington as improbable, and one of them telegraphed to him on the subject. In his reply Captain Abriun says that he would not knowingly pass any distressed vessel ; that he passed the ship in question at a distance of five miles, and saw no signals; that she appeared to be all fight except that her mizzen-topsail was gone; and that the weather was fine at the time. To put an end to the toll-gate trouble in Taranakij one of the members of the County Council proposes to move for the abolition of toll after the 31st March, and the adoption of a wheel-tax in lieu of it. If the County does nob abolish the toll, the Omata settlers threaten to form a road, which will pass round the tollgate and outside toll limits, the work to be defrayed by public subscription. The Hawera Acclimatisation Society will probably accept an offer made by a. local resident, who is about to visit England, to bring out a- consignment of plover, or lapwing. No other bird is so beneficial to cultivators as the lapwing. It devours snails, wire-worms, beetles, aphides, the lame of various insects that infest grass, turnips, wheat, and other crops, and other pests. As it feeds in the evening, it has opportunities of getting at many insects which commit their depredations after sundown. It is also a useful sporting bird. A three days' meeting of Maoris, for the election of members of the Native Council and the Native Land Court, under the provisions of the native legislation of last session, has just concluded at Parawanui, near Bulls. Mr. Eruera Sutherland presided, and nearly 200 visiting natives weVe present. The meeting appointed representatives on the Maori Council for most of the 14 tribes -resent, and nominations were received for the Native Land Court. During their visit to Levin yesterday the Ministers of Lands and Agriculture were interviewed bj r a local deputation, consisting of Dr. Mackenzie, Messrs. W. C. Nation, Bartholomew, J. Prouse, and Silvester. The deputation asked that the Government , should acquire about 100 acres of native land on the western side of Horowhenua Lake, to be cut up into quaiter-acre sections and thrown open for sale ; no person to have more than one section. Such an arrangement would, it was urged, prove a, great advantage to residents of the surrounding district. The Minister of Lands gave a favourable reSly, stating that if there were no legal iiliculties in the case he would endeavour to have effect given to the wishes of the deputation. , A stock of over 50,000 negatives, dating back for 35 years, was included in the property destroyed by fire in Messrs. Wngglesworth and Binns's premises yesterday. During the past fortnight the Kauponui Daily Factory, Eltham, has turned out cheese to the value of £4500. The Factory Act is not more stringent than are the rules regarding cleanliness and purity in the making of Defiance Butter.— Advt.