OUR LETTER HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11949, 25 April 1902, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR LETTER HOME.

His Excellency the Governor (Lord Ranfurly), accompanied by Captain Dudley Alexander, private secretary, and the Hon. C. HillTrevor, A.D.C., arrived in Auckland from Wellington on Saturday, 6th inst. Lady Eanfurly and her daughters (Lady Constance Knox and Lady Eileen Knox) arrived on the following Wednesday at Government House. His Excellency and Lady Ranfurly intend remaining in Auckland until the end of May. His Excellency takes a keen interest in all the local institutions and has been kept busy since his arrival attending public meetings. On tho 15th inst. a ball was given at Government House in honour of RearAdmiral Sir Lewis Beaumont and tho officers of the Australasian squadron then on.a visit to Auckland, and proved a most brilliant affair. In the early part of the month an interesting gathering of naval and military veterans took place at Government House to receive the new ribbons for their medals which the Governor so kindly secured from the War Office at the suggestion of the Prince of Wales. Next Monday His Excellency and Lady Ranfurly leave for a week's excursion by railway train into the interior of the North Island. During the trip they are to visit Rotorua for the purpose of presenting to the Arawa tribe of Maoris the Union flag which has just been sent out as a gift from the Prince of Wales, who, no doubt, has very pleasant recollections of the warm welcome ho received from the Maoris when he visited Rotorua last June as the Duke of York.

The Premier (the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon), on the eve of his departure from the colony to attend the Coronation celebrations as New Zealand's representative, received an enthusiastic send-off. At Christchurch, on the Bth inst., the Mayor of that city (Mr. A. E. G. Rhodes) presided at a valedictory gathering and Was supported by Sir John Hall, Sir J. Ward, Hon. J. Carroll, Hon. W. C. Walker, Hon. C. Louisson, "Messrs. T. Parata, G. G. Stead, T. W. Stringer, Bishop Grimes, Bishop Julius, the mayors of the suburban boroughs, and city councillors. The audience numbered something like 3000 people, and included a very large proportion of Indies. The testimonial, which was presented to Mr. Seddon, bore over 20,000 signatures, representing all shades of political opinion. In making the presentation Sir John Hall, referring to New Zealand's attitude with regard to the Boer war, said that during the last two years Mr. Seddon had not failed to ' persevere with untiring energy and judgment to press their duty upon New Zealanders, and as a result this colony sent proportionately more assistance than any other colony. The address to Mr. Seddon is to be supplemented by a purse of sovereigns. The Premier returned thanks in a characteristic speech. At Wellington Mr. Seddon was banqueted on the 10th inst., ■when . there was a large and representative gathering of citizens, the Mayor (Mr. J- G. W. Aitken) presiding. The toast of " The Guest of the Evening" was proposed by Sir James Prendergast, who paid a tribute to the humanity and bravery of the troops in South Africa. He also eulogised the services of the Premier to the Empire in regard to the war, and hoped advantage would be taken of the Coronation to show the world the solidarity of the Empire. The colony, lie said, could not be better represented on that occasion than by Mr. Seddon. He manifestly possessed the capacity of gauging public opinion and announcing whaVwas likely to be acceptable to the people. Mr. Seddon sailed on Monday, the 14th inst., in the Drayton Grange, by which troopship the Tenth Contingent also sailed. The double occasion was celebrated at Wellington (the port of departure) with enthusiasm. Accompanying the Premier are Mrs. Seddon, Miss Seddon, Miss May Seddon, Mr. and Mrs. Dyer, and Mr. Thompson, private secretary. During Mr. Seddon's absence Sir Joseph Ward takes bis place as Acting-Premier.

The Tenth Contingent's departure was witnessed by several thousands of people in Wellington, though the formal 'farewell was merged in that given to Mr. Seddon. The troops were lustily cheered on embarkation and left in the best of. spirits amidst hearty congratulations. The news of the death of Cecil Rhodes was received here with great sorrow, and the universal feeling evinced by the untoward event points conclusively to the fact that New Zealanders share the opinion ho unanimously expressed in _ the Mother Country that his loss is a great national calamity, that in him we lose one of the greatest Englishmen of modern times. Press and pulpit have combined in eulogising Mr. Rhodes' munificence in the disposal of his wealth. If the nature of his munificent educational bequests come somewhat as a surprise, they rise supremely above all criticisms by the characteristic grandeur of their conception. The scope of his will is infinitely beyond that of Caesar. Mr. Rhodes has shown a grasp of the meaning of Empire and race which may well excite the wondering admiration of the entire Anglo-Teutonic world. It is not too much to say of him that he has set fast and deep a foundation-stone for that English-speaking Federation which is to most men little more than iv dream. Not content with this he has boldly attempted to bridge the widening gulf between the oceanic and Continental branches of the great Anglo-Teutonic race. At one stroke he has made of his loved Oxford, stateliest and most cultured of English Universities, the Alma Mater of the English-speaking world. We may have to wait for a generation or two to see the harvesting of the seed that the dead states-

man is still planting, but that the harvest will be good and great none can doubt even now.

There was given on April 11 at Te Awamutu a striking proof of the incompetency of the Government in the administration of the public lands. After repeated delays and after the unjustifiable and unwarranted withdrawal of the most popular conditions of tenure, the ridiculously insufficient number of fortyseven sections was opened and allotted by ballot. The township was crowded with land-seekers, eager to secure an opportunity to go upon the land no matter what the terms might be. That the land would be rushed upon almost any terms was asserted by every critic and opponent of the sudden but deliberate attack made by the Government upon the freehold principle. Undoubtedly, the effect of the limitation was felt. Bona-fide settlers have unquestionably refrained from applying. Would-be land-seekers have left the colony, the limitation being the last straw on the back of their patience. But the demand for Northern land is so great, the areas opened by the Government are so wretchedly small, that had the conditions been even less popular, such sections as those allotted as stated would have been applied for over and over again. There are millions of acres still idling for the would-be settlers who wait wearily for opportunity to go upon them ; and it is hardly possible that even the Seddon Administration can keep them locked up perpetually.

In view of the great demand for dairying and agricultural land in the Auckland province it is an astonishing fact that very little is being done by the Assets Realisation Board to throw open to settlement the very desirable properties which it holds. The balloting for the Kawhia sections referred to above emphasises the eagerness of a large number of would-be settlers to take up land which will require years of industrious exertion to bring into full productiveness. It is extremely unreasonable that areas well within the zone of actual settlement, parts of which have been actually under cultivation for many years, should be held as purely pastoral properties by a Board which is a creation of a Government professing to look upon closer settlement as an essential part of its policy. Were the Waikato properties of the Assets Realisation Board in the hands of private individuals or of private companies, it is hardly possible that they would be so persistently retained in their present condition. Possibly the Government does not desire to allow the natural expansion of the great dairying industry of the North. But if it does desire to do this, surely an arrangement could be made with the Assets Board by which the Government would take over their magnificent blocks at a reasonable figure, cut them up and have them opened for settlement. For apparently we have little prospect of any ordinary pressure hastening the action or enlivening i.V-0 activity of the Assets Realisation Board.

The Auckland Harbour Board, at their meeting on April 15, authorised their secretary (Mr. J. M. Brigham) to proceed to London to arrange with the Admiralty all matters in connection with the completion of the equipment of Calliope Dock and the adjustment of the subsidy in relation thereto. The Board, at the same meeting, agreed to adopt the plans of the Admiralty in connection with the sheer-legs foundations, etc., as submitted to them by His Excellency Rear-Ad-miral Beaumont, on behalf of the Admiralty, subject to certain details. Mr. Brigham leaves by the outgoing 'Frisco mail to-morrow.

The Premier recently informed a deputation from the Wellington Ministers' Association and the New Zealand Alliance, who had waited upon him to urge that there should be further restrictions to prevent the sale of liquor to the Maoris, that he would frankly tell them the Government was satisfied that better accommodation must be provided for the tourists pouring into this colony, and complaining of the want of accommodation in the King Country. He thought the Government should itself provide that accommodation, and the Cabinet was with him in this matter, and would take steps to secure that the need was supplied. The Rev. Mr. Isitt, on the part of the deputation, was by no means satisfied with this announcement. He thought the efforts of the Government should take the shape or a substantial subsidy for temperance hotels. He said he would meet the Premier's frankness with an equally frank avowal that the temperance forces would strain every nerve to withstand any attempt on the part of the Government to establish State-owned houses that were licensed to sell liquor. There are, indeed, very serious objections to such a proposal as that made by the Premier. The State has already a great deal too much to do in New Zealand, and is not managing its proper functions so well that it can claim to add to them such a business as the sale of liquor.

An important agreement has been come to in connection with postal and cable rates between the Commonwealth and New Zealand. On Wednesday last Sir Joseph Ward, Postmaster-General, received from Mr. Drake, the Federal PostmasterGeneral, a cablegram agreeing to accept Sir Joseph's proposal for a New Zealand halfpenny terminal rate for Australian traffic on the Pacific cable, and also to accept New Zealand letters, prepaid, at a penny rate. The message further stated that the Federal Government had agreed to accept such letters from all parts of the British Empire. The connection of New Zealand with Fiji is now an accomplished fact by means of the Pacific cable. In the meantime the land line connecting Doubtless Bay (the cable station) with the telegraphic centres of the colony has been actively car-

rieel on and intercolonial and international traffic was opened on Wednesday last. During the past month a Commission, set up by the Victorian Government, has been engaged in collecting evidence in New Zealand as to the working of our Conciliation and Arbitration Act with the view of being guided thereby in their recommendations to their own Government in connection with an Act to take the place of the Shops and Factories Act which expires shortly. The Commission sat in Auckland on Monday last, when the majority of those who gave evidence were in favour of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act remaining in force subject to certain amendments, while in one or two instances witnesses condemned the Conciliation Board, referring to it as practically useless and a waste of public money.

The foundation-stone of the new church being erected for St. Matthew's parish in Auckland was laid on Wednesday last, and in addition to the religious significance of the event, it was made the occasion of a Masonic ceremony such as has rarely taken place in this city. The Masonic part of the ceremony was performed by the Grand Master of New Zealand, assisted by the District Grand Master, English Constitution, the Provincial Grand Master, Irish Constitution, and the Provincial Grand Master, Scotch Constitution, and His Excellency tlie Governor of New Zealand declared the stone well and truly laid.

Auckland has passed through the period allotted to the election of Mayors throughout the boroughs and municipalities of the colony without the necessity having arisen for an election of the kind. Mr. Alfred Kidd has been re-elected to the position of Mayor unopposed.

The Government seems to have taken no steps to secure a continuance of the daily mail service between Auckland and the South which was established during the past summer. The steamship companies have resumed the old service between Onehunga and New Plymouth, so that we have now only four mails weekly, each way, on the most important of our internal lines of communication. This is a backward step which very considerably inconveniences merchants, travellers and the community generally.

The constitution of the New Zealand team for the forthcoming National Rifle Association's meeting at Bisley and the exclusion of Auckland riflemen therefrom has been thoroughly aired, mainly by Mr. Geo. Fowlds, M.H.R., who has been in persistent communication with the authorities on the subject. The team, notwithstanding, remains as at first selected. If the best riflemen in the colony have been selected by the Rifle Association executive as our representative Bisley team, there is no more to be said, even if the whole number hail from one small township in Otago. But we do not appear to have any means cf knowing who are the best shots in the colony excepting by the scores made at championship competitions. Judging by these, Auckland has fair claim to at least one place in the team, and it is much to be regretted that our local volunteers should have been given the impression that their complete exclusion is not reasonable nor just.

After an extraordinary amount of vacillation the Commonwealth Parliament has, in committee on the tariff proposals, finally decided, by the narrow majority of one, to place undressed New Zealand white and kauri pine of all sizes on the free list. In coming to this decision the committee were no doubt largely influenced by the action of the New Zealand Government in imposing an export duty upon certain classes of timber extensively used in Australia. That duty was imposed because of the decision of the committee in the first instance to place an import duty on New Zealand timber. Now that the committee have reconsidered the matter and have determined to admit white and kauri pine free we presume that the Government will on their part respond by abolishing it. To continue it in the altered circumstances would be an ungracious proceeding on the part of this colony, and this opinion is endorsed by persons interested in the timber industry.

When lie was at Rotoma the Duke of York [now the Prince of Wales) was much impressed with the Maori welcome he received, «rid as a proof that he lias not forgotten the dusky subjects of King Kdward VII. he has forwarded to His Excellency the Governor (Lord Ranfurly) a Union Jack for presentation to the Arawa tribe, who are already ill possession of more than one, Royal gift, notably, the Hag presented to them many years ago by the Duke of Edinburgh. The Hag was sent out in the s.s. Tongariro, which has just arrived from London, and was delivered at Government House yesterday. The Governor intends to present the Hag in person, and for this purpose he will visit Rotorua, on May I. accompanied by Lady Ranfurly. The Auckland Customs returns for the quarter ending March 31 have been compiled. The net Customs duty was £46,417 7s, compared with £42,241 12s 4d for the same quarter last year, an increase of £4176 14s Bd. The net beer dutv was £1695 12s 9d, against £1479 14s 2d, an increase of £217 18s 7d. The gold export was 15,710«z, valued at £55,178. compared with 11,016<»!, valued at £40.376, an increase of 46940z and £14,802 7s. The silver export was 48,3640z, valued at, £5634, compared with 35,2080z, valued at £3599, an increase of 13,156nz and £2035. The butter exported during the month was I7B4ewt, valued at £8201, compared with 5048cwt, valued at £20,854, a decrease of 3464cwt and £12,653; cheese, 239cwt, valued at £454, against 698cwt„ valued at £1457, a decrease of 459cw.t and £1003. His Excellency the Governor has received the following letter from Captain Burton J. Daveney, who commanded the veterans' parade "on April 12:—"I have been requested by the officers and soldiers who attended the parade on Saturday to receive the various ribbons for their war medals from Your Excellency's hands, to express their appreciation of the continued kind interest which Your Excellency has evinced in the welfare of the old soldiers of the Empire. Many of them are now of great age, and have served the State in all climes and under every circumstance, but at no time have they ever experienced parental care of their welfare, and they consequently beg that you will kindly accept their gratitude for the great consideration that you have' shown to them.—l have the I honour to be, etc., B. J. Davenet, officer paying Imperial pensions.' l