TELEGRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 78, 4 April 1910, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

WAIRARAPA HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD. [ax klkobaph — *fecul to the fost.) MASTERTOX, 2ud April. The first dieeting of the newly constituted Wairarapa Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday, seventeen I members being present. Mr. E. G. Eton (Masterton) was elected chairmnn. H was decided to -nvite applications for the position of secretary, and a committee was set up to define the dutie», and n> »alary. Ihe Bank of New Zealand was appointed the board's bankers, Mr. W. G. Beard wax appointed solicitor, and^commiUees were »et up to administer the affairs of the Maoterton, Pahiatua, and Greytown Hospitals These committee* include several members who are not on the board, but were members of the previous Hospital Trustees. This is in accordance with the Drorisions of the Act. The adminietiation of Charitable Aid was placed in the hands of the local bodies, except as regards the Borough of Masterton, for which a special board was set up to administer Charitable Aid and Sol way Home for aged poor. A MYSTERIOUS PETITION. FOR A ROYAL COMMISSION. [IT TM.KGHAPH — SPECIAL TO THt POST.) AUCKLAND, This Day. An alleged petition for a Royal Commission to enquire into the affairs of the Auckland Harbour Board, which v. as hinted at by two of the members at last meeting of the board, is somewhat elusive. Several people confess to having heard of it, but no one will own up to being its author, and nobody can be discovered who signed it. The chief items on which the board aie indicted for mismanagement in this nebulous petition are said to be the building of Admiralty House, and the purchase of the fire float and the tug boat. Its destination is said to be the Minister for Marine, but he is at present away in Australia, so confirmation from this source is still wanting. Representative merchants know nothing of the affair, and it seems certain that the petition can bear the names of very few influential people, if it exists at all. 4 s one prominent business man states, "You will hear most of the board's alleged shortcomings discussed, but I never heard a whisper about any sort of a petition." There was some suggestion that the shipping people were at the bottom of the agitation, but the Shipowners' Federation gives this an authoritative denial. The Citizens' League, which also got the credit, also denies absolutely any knowledge of the mysterious petition. The chairman of the Harbour Board says he believes there is foundation for the rumour that a petition is in existence, but beyond that he knows nothing of it. CPBES3 ASSOCIATION! DRAUGHTS TOURNEY. AUCKLAND, 3rd April. The New Zealand draughts tournament is now about half through, and should be ended about Wednesday next. Following are' the results to date :—: — Calderwood (Huntly), matches played 12, points 10; W. Penman, Huntly, 15, 11; HeUiker (Dunedin), 12, 8£ ; Boreham (Dunedin), 13, 84; A. Penman (Huntly), 14. 10; Campbell (New Plymouth), 11, 6; Smith (Wellington), 12, 6i; Lowther (Westport), 12, 4±; Mackay (Auckland), Is, 44; Bruce (New Plymouth), 12, 4A ; Gibson (Marion), 12j 5j ; Heavey (Whangarei), 16, 14.. DUNEDIN PUBLIC LIBRARY. DUNEDIN, 3rd April. The Finance Committee of the City Council has placed a sum of £2369 on the estimates for library purposes for the year ending March, 1911. The committee reports that on the figures furnished by the chairman of the Library Committee it is estimated that a sum equal to a penny rate will cover the annual upkeep of the library after the current year. WOOL SAMPLES. CHRISTCHURCH, 2nd April. The Department of Agriculture has forwarded to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Netherlands at The Hague a collection of New Zealand wools, comprising merino, Corriedales, halfbreds and crossbreds of various crosses, Romney, English Leicester, Border Leicester, and Lincoln. The principal qualities in Bradford spinning wools of each breed and cross have been branded on each sample and range of j samples). The principal grades of Mipe woole are also included. The samples have been obtained from various parts of the Dominion. MISCELLANEOUS. THAMES, 2nd April. The police have received information that a man named M'Lennan, residing at Neatsville, cut his throat, but it is believed the main artery is intact. A gang of men are bringing the man to the Thames. The road ib very rough and the journey long and arduous. NELSON, 3rd April. Travis last night succeeded in lowering the world's record for endurance in piano playing, playing continuously for olhr 30mm. He received a great ovation. Efforts to raise the sunken steamer Koi have temporarily ceased. The vessel has now been righted, but remains fast in the sand. AUCKLAND, This Day. The value of butter made by the New i Zealand Dairy Association for February ! was £29,453 13s lid, on account of which an advance sum of £19,547 lls 7d has been paid to milk suppliers. These advance payments will be supplemented by further substantial sums which will be paid out at the end of the season in the usual way. The association's payments for milk supplied in February of last year were £15,372 17s 6d, thus showing an increase of £4174 Ms Id.

As many people have wondered just what Lord Kitchener thought of the New Zealand Volunteer Force as material for building up an army, a statement made by his Excellency the Governor at Port Chalmers on Wednesday I evening is interesting, observes the Otago Daily Times. "I had the privilege of spending a week in the company of Lord Kitchener," said Lord Plunket, "and he told me many things which I would like to tell you, but which I may not repeat. But one thing I will say. Lord Kitchener regarded the troops he saw in different places in this country as being material for absolutely magnificent soldiers. In some respects lie thought them almost perfectly adapted to the purpose in view. He said that if these men were trained as they ought to be trained, under his or some similar scheme, New Zealand would then have a force that might cope with a highly trained and disciplined force that might be sent against the Dominion from any part of the world. Is not any self •sacrifice worth while if it justifies an opinion like that?"