TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume X, Issue 1941, 29 May 1888, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC NE WS.

(per united pbess association.)

WELLINGTON, May 29. At tbe installation of Sir H. A. Atkinson as B.W.D.G.M. last night, tbe district and provincial grand lodges of Canterbury, Auckland, Otago and Southland, and Westland were represented, and numerous brethren were present Irom other Scotch, English, and Irish lodges. Sir H. Atkinson promised, as soon as time permitted, to look into the subject of benevolence, and to visit every lodge in bis district. Henry Wilson, for obtaining board and lodging from Edward Newland, Taranaki, by means of false pretenoes, was sentenced to one month'B imprisonment.

TIMARU, May 29. A settler for illegally cutting and removing small timber from Crown Lands was ordered to pay tbe value of the wood, £2 ss, and costs amounting to £11 Gs.

We remind our readers of the performance of the comic opera " Martha " to-night. The weather though cold has cleared up greatly, and there will be bright moonlight alter eight o'clock.

Tbe recent fresh in the Waitara river is reported to have scoured away the accumulation of sand at the mouth, and tbe depth of water has increased several feet.

About 20 persons attended tho meeting of ratepayers held at Okaiawa last evening, It was resolved to merge tbe road board in tbe Council by 12 votes to 4. A report is held over.

It is understood that Ministers have been in close cabinet all to-day, and refuse to see anyone. The Financial Statement is expected to-night, but no announcement with reference to it has yet been made. Difficulties are rumored to have arisen among Ministers, in reference to the financial proposals.

Tht question asked in Parliament the other day by Mr. Merchant in relation to tho ownership of certain blocks referred to. the Pokoogahu and Mangainingi (No. 2) blocks, which are immediately behind the Ngaire swamp. Tbe reply of the Minister was that the MaogamiDgi No. 2 was already tbe property of the Crown, and that tbe other waß native land. In addition to tbe small amount of money now available for native land purchases, there were, be said, special difficulties in the way of acquiring this block. Any one who refers to the map of tbe district will see that there would be very grave objeotiom to allowing this block to fall into private hands.