INTERPROVINCIAL ITEMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 150, 25 June 1904, Page 12

INTERPROVINCIAL ITEMS.

Tho export of timber from the Thames i.-j lapidly inerou'-ing. During the p.ist lew weeks 1.500,000tt of white pine timber has been sent to*Au.stralia, and tho mill.. «io supplying fui'iher large orders at good prices. It has (says Ihe Colonist) been proposed by several enterprising business men in Nelson, whoso interests lio in tho block bounded by Hardy, Collingwood, Bridge, and Trafalgar 'streets, lo put down an electric light plant largo enough to light all tho buildings. If it is, business houses and hotel. 1 ; will be provided with v superior illuminant at a less cost than gas, and the person installing the plant may also make a handsomo profit, in providing tho plant. Tho throwing open for settlement of Iho Mount Vernon Estate- h^is induced vie Ilawkea Bay Land Botud to leeomjnend tho Government lo reserve a patch of limestone on tho estate between Waipawa and Waipawamala slieam, and to make provision for holdings from about forty to sixty acres for working men. Timber still continues lo come forward lo Gisborne in huge quantities, and the import for the last two and a half months runs to over one- million feot. Ono of twenty-six competitors from all parts of the colony for the Dunedin fallen soldiers' memorial, the successful design fell to a Dunedin firm. Ib allows for a monument 36ft high, tho upper halt of which is formed by a square pillar, surmounted by an enriched capital, wreathed, on which stands a" life-sized figure of a trooper in a defiant attitude. Tlie column Mauds on a broad, oquaro ba=o, gradually moulded nnd reduced with rows of steps at ita greatest width, tho sqcond base having a. font in ono face, and spaces for inscription tablets in tho others, urms piled being reared at the four corners. Mrs. Caloy, who was so seriously injured in the Auckland tram accident last Christmas, has returned to her homo at Waihi. Last week, for tho fiist timo since her return, she was out in her invulid chair, which she propels., herself. A Greymouth coi respondent of the Otago Daily Times states that largo stocks of gicenslone from tho Wcsllaiid district are being held by local speculators. Tho stone cannot bo sold for more than Is per lb, us the demand is not stiong. Some of tho blocks of stone weigh as much as five tone. All efforts to find the reef havo proved fruitless Two deaths from influenza- havo occurred among tho native women at Tolaga. Tho present winter is likely to bo a, hard ono among the natives on tho East Const. Works in progress in Gore and others contemplated represent, an expendiluio of about £40,000. In order to give the children some practical help in realising tho metrio Hy&lcm it is proposed to paint distances in motres on the inside of tho Normal School fence at Christchurch. In connection with the llawera elecjrier lighting installation, it is stated that, it is intended to use the current at Normanby for tho smelting of ironsand for the production of pure steel. The electrical power obtainable being very strong, it is reported that the projectors can turn out pure steel at £1 2s id per ton, after railing their sand from Putco. Messrs. Gumiuan and Co., of the Ota- I nga mill, Hawkca Bay, aro so well satisfied with tho work done by the timber drying kiln recently erected for them that they havo ordJoted njiother of tho sunie soit. Tho road between Gisborno and the Motu is in a shocking condition. Tho co&t of enrtago has risen from^D4 10s to £8 per ton, and if bad weather continued it will bo necessary to u«o pack horses to get goods in Tho Howick motor 'bus has proved sufficiently successful to warrant the piomotors cabling for particulars as to whether another 25 horse-power "bus can bo delivered by next November, in oider to copo with tho demand for pnssuges. J* was stated in tho Arbitration Court at Gisborno that tho local sheep wcro bigger than elsewhere heavier when alive, much harder lo cut, and the wool was coarser, especially when it got a little long. The Southdowns in Canterbury had fine wool, while the crossbreds at Gisborno wero very " cross " indeed. Mr. G. Witty, M.il.R. for JKiccarton, informed an utidienco which ho addressed the other evening at Addington that ho hud come, out to tho colony in an emigrant ship with 2s in his pockets. Thero is evidently (says tho Southland Times) plenty of money availublo' in Invorcurgill if tho borrower can make tho bait attractive enough. Wo understand that though tenders havo not yet boon invited, the entire amount of the loan recently authorised by tho ratepayers of Avenat has been offered from three or four quarters. The Auckland Star states that the local demand for timber has fallen off considerably during the past fow weeks. The demund for timber lor export continues very strong for tho English market, several buyers being hero at present. Sonio of the mills havo combined to loud 'a. vessel with from 600,000 to 700,000 feet for London. Of course, tho demand is only for first-class timber in largo t>izes, and tho millers have to face the difficulty of marketing locally tho inferior stulF that is not required for tho English market. 'Aa a good deal of the rimu has .been cut out in tho South, thore is v chance of opening up a steady trade down tbcro for medium timber, unk'ss Amcriciui is imported, which can be laid down in Auckland at about 8s per 100. Tho Westland County Council recently passed a resolution urging that work on the Midland railway shou.d be pushed on with greater speed. The Minister, in reply, stated that the railway will reccivo careful consideration from the Government when tho Public Woiks Estimates are being prepared, and also informed tho Council that tho final report by Mr. V, G. Bogue, tho "American expert, on the Arthur's Pass tunnel has not yet been received though it was expected early in the year. The Westport Coal Company has opened a new railway at Dennis! on a mile and a half long to convey coal from the mino to the breakhcad, abolishing tunnel haulugo. A West Coast exchange says a spell of about six weeks iino weather would onable the contractor to carry Iho Hokitiku bridgo to the opposite side of the river. Recent unfavourable weather had tho clFcct of almost stopping work at tho Rtiuoture. The Thames Star states that a couplo of Tivo fiogs of a rare species wero found embedded in quartz when breaking 1 down the reef in tho Monto Crislo mine, Tokatcu, by Mr. Oliver Mason last week. At a. mooting of the Rotorua Carnival Committee tho balance-sheet showed a deficit of £32 11s. It was resolved lo make a call on all the guarantors for 15 per cent, of their guarantee. The total amount guaranteed was £200, j»o that 3s in tho £ is expected to square mailers. Tho workmen engaged in tho PneroaWaihi railway woika are making good progress, and ono gang is currying out foimation works witJiin half a mile of Waihi. Tho largo bridges across tho Ohinemi>ri arc being pushed on, nnd tho KarniiK:ihn4;c tunnel h well advanced. The foundations nt Wuikiuo vie completed at n good height above thu river line, and tho station yard and platelayers' house aro about completed