LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 22 September 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"-SNo fewer than 125 passengers made the journey from Auckland to Whangarei last night per s.s. Manaia.

To-night,will be the final screening of the present programme at the Lyceum. "The Airman's Bride" is a delightful drama by the Gaumont Company. The rest of the programme is good.

A small area of land, 75 acres in

extent, a portion of the Te Mata kauri gum reserve, in the Hukerenui survey district, has had the reservation lifted off it.

~—Mr R. H. Allan has been appointed secretary to the Whangarei Municipal Band in place of Mr N. Whisker, who has resigned. All communications should be addressed i to the neAV secretary*.

In the Oddfellows' Hall to-morroAV night Mr R. G. Grubb will lecture on "The Future of Europe," as the outcome of th_ preoeut great Avar. A nearty invitation to the lecture is extended to the public.

The Weather Bureau reports:—lndications are for northerly winds, strong to gale. The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled. Rain probable. Barometer falling. Tides high. Sea heavy on the coast.

As a sequel to a raid on the billiard room at the Mapuna private 'hotel, where play was in progress after hours, proceedings were taken by the police. The case,.was called at the Magistrate's Court this morning, and adjourned until the next sitting in consequence of several summonses being still unserved.

Hector Spence, son of Mr J. M. Spence, of Whangarei, acting as a garrison artillery gunner at Fort Cautley, was admitted to the Auckland Hospital on Sunday, suffering from concussion of the brain. While performing his duties in the gun pits he slipped and fell and his head struck one of the shells used for the big guns. An inquiry made at the hospital elicited the information that his condition is not considered serious.

An improvement has been effected at the Whangarei railway station by providing a new office in the goous shed and placing a clerk in charge of the goods department. In future the whole of the goods work will be conducted in the new office, and business firms, carriers, and others should apply there on all matters connected 1 with the goods traffic. All accounts for the cariiaae of goods should be paid at the goods office. Parcels and luggage traffic will be dealt wd th at the passenger station as heretofore.

At a sitting of the Warden's Court to-day, before Mr E. Page, S.M., applications from C. O. Knight for a prospecting license of 99 .acres, a water-race of ten heads, and the forfeiture of a claim held by H. L. Jennings, all at Puhipuhi, • were granted. An application by C Longhurst for a prospecting license over 100 acres at Puhipuhi was withdrawn, and an application by Cunningham and Hamilton for the cancellation of a coal-mining license was adjourned.

-•The sequel to a discussion by two local residents on Saturday night anent the merits of horses owned by them was a race over the seven-fur-long course at Kensington Park yesterday afternoon, the owners riding their respective steeds. There was an attendance of about fifty enthusiastic spectators. The race proved an exciting one, three lengths .separating the competitors at the judge's box. Rumour now has it that more is to be heard ahout the contest, and it is possible proceedings will follow on the alleged ground that the event was an illegally conducted horse race.

The Government is taking active steps to .provide for adequate facilities for the shipping of New Zealand produce to the Home markets. The Minister for Defence, Hon. J. Allen, states that the Prime Minister is now dn communication by cable with the' Imperial authorities and shipping companies in England, and dt Avas hoped that as a •result an ample number of cargo steamers fitted Avith refrigerating machinery would be available to take New Zealand produce Home. The Minister also intimated that the Government was taking full advantage of the opportunity to ship produce by the troop, ships. *

A further demonstration of the loyalty of the Maoris has been received by the' Prime Minister in an offer conveyed to him by a number of native chiefs to give a half-year's rent from the Ohutu and other blocks to the Empire Defence Fund. The amount of this gift wil be about £1000. The chiefs aIBO expressed their pleasure at the fact that the Imperial Government has decided to avail itself of the services of a Maori contingent during the war. . The news that the Government has accepted a contingent of Maoris has caused unbounded satisfaction in Wairoa (Hawke's Bay) district. Leading chiefs are now meeting in Wairoa, where6o volunteered in one

hour

Mounted Rifle Squadron, under the command of Colonel C. E. R. Mackesy, marched from the Epsom camp into Queen Street on Saturday afternoon. The troops arrived dn Queen Street, via Wellesley Street East, and marched towards the wharf and returned to the camp, via Customs Street East. The march through Queen Street was an impressive spectacle. • As the troops turned to go up Customs Street the last of the rearguard was opposite the Strand , Arcade. The ride through the streets was to have taken place in the morning, but owing to the review at Epsom taking longer than was anticipated the mounted men could not leave the camp grounds till nearly 2 p.m. A great crowd lined Queen Street in the morning and were disappointed at the non-arrival of the troops. Many, however, remained till the afternoon and witnessed the march and were rewarded for their patience by a fine display of men and horses.

The charge for transmission of radio telegrams to or from ships trading exclusively between ports on the. coast of the Dominion while such ships are voyaging betAveen tlx- ports of Wellington and Lyttelton from or to any telegraph office in the Dominion is now 2i_d per word, with, a minimum charge of Is 3d, equal to a message of-six

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