AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 97, 3 May 1901, Page 2

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

THE NATIATE GATHERING. (Special to Times.) Ait’.land, last night. - Mr Paratenc Ngat • (well known among . the Gisborne nat; s) and Hone Helce, M.H.R. for the N.- .h Island district, are ( at present in town, and have been busily ■ engaged in the North and here meeting ■ the Ngapuhi and oilier tribes, making arrangements for their visit to Rotorua in , June to join in the welcome to the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. Mr Heke expects that between 400 and 500 natives from the north of Auckland will come down here and go up to Rotorua by train for the big gathering. They will pass through Auckland in the first days of Juno. The-nativo contingent from the North will bo a very representative one, comprising people from Parcngarenga (the district of the Aopouri tribe) in the far North, the Bay of Islands, Hokianga, AVhangarei, and down to Kaipara. The Ngapuhi natives were at first anxious to get the Duke and Duchess to visit the Bay of Islands, where they would bo received at the historic ground of AVaitangi by the assembled tribes. A telegram conveying this request was sent to the Hon. Jas. Carroll, Native Minister, who explained that it was impossible for the hospitable invitation of tho Ngapuhi to bo accepted. The northerners are joining heartily in the proposal to welcome tho “ Queen’s Mokopuna” (grandson), as they term tho Duke, at Rotorua, and will bo led by Mr Heke and the Poverty Bay chiefs. They intend taking a quantity of potatoes and other food with them. Tho Ngatihuia tribe are sending 200 tons of firewood. The other liapus arc cutting poles and rapu for house buildings, and collecting the berries of the tawa and other native delicacies as food for visiting tribes. DR POMARE.

Doctor Pomare, the recontly-appointed Sanitary Inspector among tho Maoris, knows just what he is talking about. Hero is a slab of common sense from his advice to the natives, “ Open your houses and let tho pure fresh air come in and purify your blood. That will make good tissue, good tissue will ensure better brains, good brains mean good thoughts, and good thoughts mean good lives. Hence the letting in of an abundance of good pure air will make good men of you.” Much better this than a string of scientific phrases. SPORTING NOTES. Record Reign has been scratched from all engagements in connection with the Juno meeting. This hurdler is to be shipped to Sydney next Monday to fulfil engagements at Sydney. I hear that Ivan, the Gisborne pony, is likely to bo a competitor in tho pony races at Potter's Paddock, his owner having succeeded in getting him under the standard. TEACHERS’ SALARIES. At ft meeting of the Board of Education last night a letter was road from tho Minister for Education suggesting a scheme for the distribution of the special grant to increase teachers’ salaries. The suggested scheme differed in some respects from the last proposal of tho Board, mainly to the disadvantage of country teachers. The aggregate amount allowance according to tho scheme would be £6978, as against £7220 originally proposed by the Minister, and £7400 as proposed by the Board. It was resolved to accept the Minister’s scheme under protest, tho ground of the protest being that the allocation was too much in the interest of tile town teachers, and not liberal enough to the country teachers. It was agreed to give additional money in the form of bonuses to teachers. LATE SIR GEORGE GREY. Mr AV. J. Speight, Hon. Secretary to the Grey Statue Committee, has received from London from Mr AVilliamson, sculptor, a number of designs and model casts of a statue of the late Sir George Grey for approval by the'Committee. Mr AVilliamson has sent out casts in order to get the opinions of the Committee.