Miscellaneous Extracts.

Hastings Standard, Issue 201, 19 December 1896, Page 4

Miscellaneous Extracts.

THE MAORI ELECTIONS.

The elections for the four Maori members of the House are conducted on the old plan, and without any secrecy whatever. The nominations were in<i.dr> in a public meeting, at which, after the Returning Officer read the writ, the candidates were proposed and seconded, and a show of hands was taken and a poll demanded. The voting is conducted by the native electors entering one by one the polling booth, where they present their voting papers as evidence of rogisttation, and when requested by the Returning Officer, each states the name of the candidate for whom the elector intends to vote and his own name. The Returning Officer or deputy then writes the name of the candidate on the voting paper and signs it, and passes it to a Maori associate, who certifies to it as a witness. The natives in some parts of the colony are agitating for the ballot system. THE "O'BRIENS" ANI) "LEES" COLLIDE. During a hurling match at Cloghroe between two Gaelic teams the O'Rriens " and the " Lees " —a serious row occured, in which a considerable number of persons were injured. The Lee team were having the best of the contest, seeing which the O'j'mens lost their temper, resorted to foul play, and the two teams belabored one another with their hurleys. Their respective backers, who were present in force, joined in the fray, freely using their walking-sticks. The police were unable to quell the disturbances. A member of the Lee team got a severe blow on the backbone, and he had to be carried oft'the field. One of the O'Brien team received a shocking wound over the left eye. Many others received slight injuries and six members of the Lee Hurling Club were unable to take any further part in the day's tournament. These quarrels at Gaelic athletic meetings are of constant occurrence ; the opposing teams are invariably made up of rival Nationalist factions. On the same day. at Corkpaik, a football match was played between country teams from Cloyne and Dummanway, when a similar row, though not of so setious a nature occurred.

FOHEIGN KIVALS. " Now," said Lord Roseberry at the opening of the 1 Technical Institute in England the other day. "let me give you one little object-lesson, which is worth a ton of argument. The other day a young American gentleman went through the technical course in Germany. He was offered a considerable position in Germany, but he preferred naturally, being an American, to live if possible in England, if in Europe at a!!, and so lie came over to England and was at once offered by a large firm a lucrative post, and the firm al-o told liim, " if we had many men like you there would be employment found for all of them ; but what happens is ihis—that, as we have not men with that technical and commercial education which is given abroad, we have to take foreigners to fill these posts. And what is the result? The result is that foreigners learn our business and they go back very properly and naturally, and practise it at'home to our detriment and rivalry."

NEW ZEALAND MINING ENTERPRISES. New Zealand mining enterprises seem to hold their own on the London market better than the mining stock of any other country that we have an account of. According to what we can gather, a nmnbrr of people in the Home country who have relations with persons of character and in a good mercantiie position in Wellington are engaged considering a scheme for investing in gold mining speculations in this colony. The leading idea is to obtain the service of a capable colonial board in Wellington, while the people at Home will undertake, on the advice and information of the Wellington board to procure the money with which to purchase the options of mining properties or work with established mines. The gold mining industry is evidently in for a good innings, and New Zealand seems to be the field most in favour at present. "With those who know the confidence is felt to be thoroughly justified. THE DRY SEASON. Reports from different parts of the colony state that there are indications of a phenomenally dry summer and autumn. In the Auckland district it is reported that the prospect for the farmer is a dismal one—a shortage of grain crops and of grass, and a starving season for stock. The North Otago Times states that the continued dry weather is proving serious to the root crops. In many places the turnips have not come away well, and will have to be resown. The innumerable Hocks of small birds are also playing havoc with the seed, and it is quite possible a great many turnip fields will have to be resown. In some places the cereal crops are also suffering, but generally the wheat is looking remarkably well. The Timaru Herald reports : —The continued dry and very warm weather is forcing on the crops at a very great rate, and harvest among winter-grown wheat and oats will be early. Early sown crops are now " shot," and it is remarkablehow short in the straw r is the greater part of the grain. In some places, and that not a few, the straw is notafootin length, yet the ears are well developed and full. Here and there the crops run very light, but on the majority of farms that we have seen, fairly good yields may be anticipated.