BURSTING OF "THE BOOMS." AN INCIDENT OF THIRTY YEARS AGO RECALLED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 59, 7 September 1909, Page 8

BURSTING OF "THE BOOMS." AN INCIDENT OF THIRTY YEARS AGO RECALLED.

The announcement in a telegram, received by the Marine Department from Auckland, that the Kauri Timber .Company's booms at Tairua have burst, and that 900 logs are adrift, will recall to old residents ox. the Thames a similar occurrence about 30 years ago. Heavy rain had fallen all over the Auckland provincial district for some days — with the result that the rivers were in high flood. The Shortland Sawmill Company had been unable for months to get its logs down the Kauaeranga creek, owing to a drought, and operations at the mill were in consequence almost at a standstill. The rapid rising of the creek was hailed with delight by both proprietors and employees, as it was felt that in a few hours sufficient timber would be brought down to keep the mill going for at least a year. Unfortunately, the flood was so great that some thousands of logs were carried down the stream with such force that the booms were unable to stand the terrific strain imposed upon them. The Heavy chains fastened to the logs composing the booms snapped with a report that was heard a mile away, and the logs tore down to the mouth of the creek, and scattered all over the Hauraki Gulf. Several fishing boats anchored in the fairway were either sunk at their moorings or carried out to sea, and the sawmill company spent considerable money in the effort to recover the logs. Many, in fact, were never recovered, and for months masters of the coasting vessels were obliged to keep a sharp look out to avoid colliding with the stray logs. The bursting of the booms probably involved the company in a loss of between £1000 and £2000. Last evening was pleasantly spent by the members of the Trinity Church Mutual Improvement Society, when a programme entitled "An Evening with New Zealand's Poets" was presented. The songs and recitations were all composed by New Zealanders and were well rendered. The secretary of the society (Mr. S. Martin) read short character sketches of all the writeis. The items were as follows, the names of the composers being given first in each case :—: — James Edward Fitzgerald ("The Nightwatch Song of the Charlotte Jane"), Mr. Gilbert; Charles C. Bowen ("The Old Year and the New"), Mr. J. Dick; William Pember Reeves ("New Zealand"), Miss Phillips; Alfred Dormett ("Runolf and Amohai"). Mr. Shand, Alfred Hill ("Waiata Poi"), Miss Mueller; Miss Mary Colborne-Veel ("Emigravifc"), Miss 0. Chappie; Arthur H. Adams ("Prelude to the Nazarene"), Mr. Parker; Mrs. Annie Glenny Wilson ("The Forty Mile Bush"), Miss Baillie; Miss Jessie Mackay ("Rona"), Athia Martin; Thomas Bracken ("God's Own Country"), Miss I. Henderson ; Will Lawson ("Shelling Peas"), Mr. Ferguson; David M'Kee Wright ("In Town"), Miss M'Donald; David \V. M. Burn ("The Slave"), Miss Cousins; Francis Chambers ("A Little Prayer"), Mr. Shand; song, Miss Francis. Complaints have been received by the Federal Minister for Customs regarding the condition of frozen mutton as it arrives in England from Australia. It has been suggested to Sir Robert Best (reports the Sydney Daily Telegraph) that he should niter the regulations so as to compel a Commonwealth mark to be placed on all carcases. Sir Robert Best is considering the suggestion so as to make branding compulsory, and also lo have it shown that the carcase wan sound on the date when shipped. The deterioration complained of is alleged to