LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 20, 5 January 1928, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

It is stated that it is unlikely the report of the commission set up to enquire into the confiscation of native lands, will be published before presentation to Parliament next session.

The Thames Star” learns that a well-known Auckland citizen interested in gold-mining will leave shortly for the. United States to endeavour to raise capital there for mining propositions, including certain of the claims recently pegged out in the Kurangahake district.

The Hon. 0. J. Hawkcn yesterday said the Government had last year planted 32,000 acres of trees on the Government plantations, which now amounted to 130,001) acres. ln e object was to plant 330,000 acres by 1935. Tests were being made to see if certain New Zealand woods could bo utilised to make paper pulp. The nurserymen ar e to wait on the Government with a view to requesting State nurseries to compete with private nurserymen in fair competition, and stop the present cutting.

The new motor regulations, recently circulated in draft form, will probably not be gazetted as revised for some weeks. A fair response has been made to the invitation extended to local bodies and others to consider the proposals and forward suggestions to the authorities, a fair batch of replies having reached the Public Works Department. It is understood that the major proposals have been generally accepted as satisfactory, but that the criticism offered has not, in the main, followed a constuctive line. The revised regulations are ready for issue, but further consideration by the Cabinet will be necessary before they are gazetted.

Some pakehas who live in towns “™e. realise the part that their Maori brethren are playing in the agricultural development of the country. A good example of what the Maoris are doing in this respect, and of how they are being encouraged in it by their white neighbours was seen at the Nuhaka A. and P. Show, when it was noted that a number of exhibitors, and incidentally manv of the prize-winners, in the open cattle, sheep and horse classes were Maoris, lhe Nuhaka_A. and P. Society is giving the Maoris every encouragement to improve the quality of their stock, and in the catalogue were several well-filled classes set aside entirely for Maori exhibitors.

A conference of school inspectors is to be held towards the end of next month, to consider modifications in the primary school curriculum and the recommendations made in that connection by the school syllabus revision committee, which has been hearing evidence on the question at intervals during the pffst twelve months. An advanee draft*of the committee’s report is now.under consideration by officers of the Education Department, and it is anticipated that an advanced draft of the revised syllabus will lie placed before the conference of inspectors. The final meeting of the syllabus revision committee will also be held in February, when the finishing touches will be put to the report, which will then go on to tjje Minister.

A case of alleged fraud in New Zealand on the part of a man posing as a skin buyer is mentioned bv a Sydney paper. It is stated that a few’ weeks ago the victim—a middleaged and prosperous New Zealander —was introduced in the Dominion to a man who posed as a skin buver. A few meetings, and the “skin buyer” induced the New Zealander to invest £7OO with him in a skin deal. They would buv in New Zealand, ho said, and double their money by selling in Melbourne. The “buyer” handled all the business—as well as the cash—paid the fares to Melbourne, where the pair put up af the licst hotel. For a week the “buyer” took the New Zealander round Melbourne, ostensibly selling their slims. And then he disappeared. Detectives, it is said, traced the “buyer” to the steamer Sierra, bound for Honolulu. The paper adds: “But <iothing can lie done from Australia, since the offence was committed in New Zealand. And the victim of the swindle must go to New Zealand to swear a warrant personally before extradition proceedings can commence.

By winning the play-off in the Dominion chess championship yesterday, A. W. O. Davies, Auckland, retained the title. His opponent was F. K. Kelling.

The Girl Guides who are in camp at Maraetotara are not experiencing the best of w’eather. there being a good deal of rain. However, they are verv cheerful, and enjoying the life under canvas.

This being the last day of the holiday excursion trains, a large number of visitors left Hastings by the mail train this morning, on route for their various homes. There was a considerable gathering of friends on the railway platform to bid them adieu.

A youth, aged 18 years, was caught in a house at Point Chevalier last night. In his pockets were a torch, a black mask, a key. and sandshoes. He was remanded in the Auckland Police Court this morning on a charge of breaking and entering. The tenants of the house were temporarily absent.— Press Association.

A resident of Hawera was the victim of a particularly despicable instance of petty theft recently. An energetic gardener, he had cultivated a healthy-looking patch of notatoes. The crop gave every appearance of proving sufficient for the requirements of the household for some months, but on returning home one morning after a night’s absence the owner found that someone else had reaped the reward of his labours, the patch having been thoroughly combed and the wole of the potatoes removed.

A meeting of the executive of the Pig Federation was held in Palmerston North yesterday to consider the Government offer of £30,000 as subsidy on exported pork and bacon. Representatives from as far north as northern Wairoa and Waikato attended. The discussion was taken in committee, afterwards it was announced that representatives had been appointed to attend a conference to be called shortly by the Agricultural Department, when the method of apportioning the subsidy will be finalised.

Life apparently pursues a very even course in Dunedin, to judge hy the vital statistics for the past three years. In 195 the births numbered 1615. and the figures the following year were identicial, while in 1927 they were only two short of the figures for the previous two years. Again, the marriage reurns for 1925 and 1926 were identical, the figures being 777, while in 1927 there Were 770 marriages. Nor is that all. for the death rate was equally consistent. In 1925 there were 919 deaths, while the two following years the figures were 993. Nature seems to have balanced her books very well in these instances.

A resident of Christchuch is the possessor of a. watch -which has been returned to him in very unusual circumstances (says the “Lyttelton Times”). Some time ago when visiting the Franz Josef Glacier he had the misfortune to lose the watch, which fell down a deep crack in the ice. He gave up all hope of recovering the timepiece, and on returning to Christchurch bought another. Recently, however, the guide who was with the party found the watch lying on the top of the ice, and, in due course, it was returned to the owner. The expenditure of a few shillings was all that was required to repair the damage the watch had sustained.

The household of James Anderson, dairy farmer, of Waihi Plains, gad a thrilling experience during sue heavy thunderstorm which visited the Waihi district a few days ago. Harvesting operations had been temporarily suspended, and the family arid their helpers had assembled indoors, when the house was struck by lightning. It burst through the room with a deafening report, thoroughly alarming all present. Two holes were torn near the roof. The lightning had struck a telephone post some distance from the house and split the wooden crosspiece ano ran along the wire and entered the building.

A ladies’ deputation turned up at the last meeting of the Rotorua Borough Council with a grievance that there was unfairness in regard to the allocation of visitors from excursions and conferences (says an exchange). One deputationist wanted to know why she had been allotted one excursionist only, and collectively they inquired what houses had received the bulk of the visitors. The ladies also handed in a letter, which stated, inter aiia: “I and other ratepayers are vour judges. You are our servants, and if the council feels a bit upset by plain home truths, the sooner that such thin-skinned gentlemen give way to others of tougher fibre, the better. Apparently a little brief authority is not good for some otherwise worthy gentlemen.” The ladies wished the councillors a happy New Year before departing and then the council settled down to discuss the problem that faced it.

The totalisator revenue accruing to the State during the racing period between July 31, 1926, and July 31, 1927, totalled £559,627. For the financial year the amount was £583,421. According to the New Zealand Official Year Book, 1928, the number of racing days for the year ended July 31, 1927, was 319, as compared with 326 in 1926, the relative number of races being 2522 and 2578. The totalisator investments were £7,552,894, compared with £8,605,582, and the amount paid in dividends £6,422,270 (£7,317,752), Government taxes on totalisator investments, dividends, and stakes totalled £559,627, as compared with £634,492 in 1926. The 7J per cent, of the totalisator investments retained by the clubs was represented by £566,467 (£645,419). The unpaid fractions, also retained by the clubs, accounted for the useful sum of £35,393, as against £39,959 in 1926.