TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7788, 12 March 1904, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(OPer Press Association).; New Plymouth, March. 11. About 31,0u0 acres of land in twentysix sections in the. Ohura country and adjoining were applied for to-day at a Crown lands ballot.

There were about'4so applicants-. Out of 61,000 acres offered in 115 sections' one section had 108 applicants. It is that the bulk ot the remaining sections will be taken up in a few duys.

The Commissioner specially warned, speculators to keep out of the ballot, as the Board would adopt strenuous measures to keep them from trafllcing in any land acquired. °■ ■ On Thursday a cash sale of township sections in the village settlements in the ting Country took placa at the Crown Lands Office. A. very large number sold, buyers bavins; a special fancy for the Mangaroa township, some allotments realising three times the upset prices.

• ■ Chbistghcech, March 11. A requisition is being signed asking the Mayor of Cbristchm-ch to hold n public meeting for the purpose of asking the Government to btrengihen the defences of the colony, especially with regard to tho principal ports and coal fields.

Nblsojt. March 11. In the case Reynolds v. the Harbour Board, n verdict was given for plaintiff for £939 10s.

The counter claim of the Board was disallowed, and the nonsuit points and other law points raised were referred to Wellington.

Hokitika, March 11. A loan poll to-day on the proposals to raise £23,000 in addition to £10,000 already sanctioned for a water supply, drainage, and aanitation, waa declared carried.

Leslie Eeynoldp, who is'the engineer engaged, prepares tho n. ossary plans and specifications, and will be called upon to prepare the details of the scheme.

Wellington, March 11. The Admiralty transport Auchencnie sailed to-day for Hongkong with 5569 tnns of coal for British warship-; on the China station.

Frederick De Eosa, an old n-si.ient of the Hutt, and a veteran of Lucknow, Inkerman andSebaslapol, died suddenly in the city this afternoon.

The fraudulent brnkmptcy of one Peter Stephens, an A ssyrian, who carried on business as a draper m this city, led to several other persons being criminally prosecuted for their connection with the affair to-day.. Geo. Faris, vrho had been extradited from Sydney, and Geo. Peters, pleaded guifty to charges of perjury, and were committed for sentence to the Supreme Court; and Geo. Fans, Hannah Stephens and Peter Stephens were committed for trial on the charge of conspiring to defraud creditors m the estate of Peter Stephens. DuKEDiff, March 11. The Premier has decided to pay to School Committees the extri capitation of ninepence provided under the second schedule of ihe Public School Teachers' salaries Act, which lias been brought into operation by Order-in-Council. ' At a recent meeting of tho Cabinet the question of the opening of the State coal mine was considered. It was resolved that thtt coal from the mine should be supplied: (1) To the colony tor btate 'purposes (2) to the Admiralty ror national purposes, and (3) the snrplus to be used to supply the householders of the colony at a price that would pay the colony and at the same time be reasonable to the purchasers.