MAIL SUMMARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12281, 27 May 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

MAIL SUMMARY.

OUR LETTER HOME.

His Excellency the Governor has been exceedingly busy during the past few weeks. WLen the last mail left His Excellency, Lady Ranfurly, and party were absent on a trip to the country. The party visited the Waiinangu geyser and Te Aroha, and then proceeded to the northern end of the Main 'Trunk railway line, now being constructed to connect Auckland with Wellington. Trains are now running to Taumaranui, on the banks of the Wanganui River, but the Governor and party drove beyond this to see the works in course of construction, reaching the outskirts of the Waiinarino forest., some 10 miles south of Piriaka, and about 190 miles from Auckland. On May 14 the party reached Auckland, and since then His Excellency has opened the new Chamber of Commerce in Swanson-street, Auckland, and the Queen Victoria School for Maori Girls at Parnell, and laid the foundation stone of the Home for Veterans of the Army and Navy at Three Kings, Auckland. It is understood that Lord Ranfurly's term as Governor of New Zealand expires in about a year, and that Lady Ranfurly will leave the colony for Home during this year. In view of this Lady Pvaufurly is not likely to be in Auckland again after the departure of the Governor and party for Wellington next month, and a citizens' ball is being •Arranged as a farewell to Lady Ranfurly, and to mark the appreciation of the citizens of the kindness of Lord and Lady Ranfurly to the people of Auckland, and their interest in the city. A presentation is also to be made to Lady Ranfurly by the citizens of Auckland prior to her departure from the colony. .Great interest has been taken in the ceremonies in connection with the consecration of the Right Rev. Dr. Neligan as Anglican Bishop of Auckland, and in welcoming the new Bishop to his diocese. Dr. Neligan arrived at Wellington on Saturday, May 16, and was welcomed by the acting-Primate (Bishop Nevili. of Dmiedin), Archdeacon Calder. Bishop's Commissary, Auckland, and other representatives of the Anglican Church in the colony. On Wednesday, May 19, the Bishop-elect, reached his diocese, and was met by the members of the Standing Committee of the diocese. The consecration and enthronnieut took place iu St. Mary's Cathedral, Parnell, on the following day (Ascension Day), all the New Zealand Bishops being present, with the exception of Bishop Wallis, of Wellington, who is now in England. At the enthronement, which took place in the evening, the newly-consecrated Bishop addressed his people. .Reports from many quarters had led people to expect great things of Bishop Neligan, and expectations were more than realised. He has a splendid voice, and could be heard most distinctly in every part of the building. From the outset he fairly compelled the attention of his hearers, and until he left the pulpit every eye was fixed upon him and every word was listened to with the deepest attention. The address, which was delivered with intense earnestness, was certainly a memorable one, and- is not likely to be soon forgotten by anyone who was privileged to hear it. On Friday, May 22, Bishop Neligan took part in the opening of a new school for Maori girls at Parnell. On Saturday evening a public welcome was accorded to the new Bishop. The Mayor of Auckland was in the chair. His Excellency the Governor was present, and extended a welcome to Bishop and Sirs. Neligan. Letters of welcome were read from the Roman Catholic Bishop, who was in the country, and irom the Premier of New Zealand. The Revs. H. B. Gray (Presbyterian) and W. Ready (Methodist) represented the other denominations, and welcomed the new Bishop on behalf of the Auckland Ministers* Association, while representatives of the Y.M.C. A. were also present, and spoke words of welcome on behalf of their association. Illuminated addresses were presented to Bishop Neligan from the clergy and laity of his diocese, and from the Maori clergy and laity. The Bishop gave a stirring speech, and strengthened the high opinion formed of him. On Sunday evening last His Lordship preached in St. Mary's Cathedral to a large congregation. In all his public appearances Dr. Neligan has made a great impression, both on members of the Anglican communion and of other denominations. Both the Bishop and Mrs. Neligan have been much struck with the cordiality of their welcome, and by the kindness they have received from ail classes of the community since their arrival in New Zealand.

A Ministerial party, including the Premier, the Minister for Public Works, the Minister for Lands, and the Minister for Native Affairs, has just paid a, visit to Auckland. The Premier arrived oil May 13, and received a number of deputations, mostly on local matters, hilt including a deputation from the Auckland Trades and Labour Council, to which he made some important- statements as to the intentions of the Government regarding labour legislation during the approaching session of Parliament. Oil Friday, May 15, the Premier went on to Huntly, and had a. conference' with Mahuta, the Maori "King," and a number of native chiefs, with the result that the difficulties which Mahuta and his followers have hitherto placed in the way of the proper administration of the Maori Councils Act and the opening up of native lands for settlement were cleared away, and Maliuta was some days later appointed a member of the Legislative Council, and was, in the presence of His Excellency the Governor, sworn in as a member of His Majesty's Executive Council in New Zealand. . In the course of his. tour' of the country, Mr. Seddon unveiled a fountain at Paeroa, erected as a memorial of Sergeant-Major Bradford, the first New Zealander to fall in the South African war, and opened a new hospital at Waihi. He delivered a political speech at Hamilton, and was entertained at some social functions at Piotorua.

The Labour deputation asked the Premier for compulsory preference to unionists under the Arbitration Act, the appointment of inspectors to enforce the awards of the Arbitration Court, that the indentures of ap- 1 prentices be open to inspection, and that the Arbitration Act be amended to prevent action being taken similar to that recently taken by employers in the furniture trade in Auckland. The Premier, in reply, gave the deputation all they asked for. He said he .believed in organised labour, and that non-unionists, were a danger to labour and to capital. He said when the Act was first passed -Mr. Justice Williams read and interpreted it that the preamble laid down distinctly that there was to be preference to unionists, and' for a considerable time he administered the Act on that reading, and there was no injury to capital. They were simply going back to that position. No doubt exception would be taken to it in the House,. but he believed a majority would be found quite willing to concede that which was the law of the land when the Act was first passed. His answer on this point was that the Government intended to ask the House to give preference to unionists, safe.guarded in such a way that there could be no abuse of the power given by the Legislature. The Premier then went on to say that the Government intended to appoint inspectors of awards. The unionists could not give information about breaches of -awards without becoming marked men. He also approved of factory inspectors having power to inspect indentures. \JJith regard to what had occurred in the furniture trade in Auckland he intended to ask Parliament to so perfect the law that what had occurred in Auckland in the furniture trade shall not occur again. The ceremony of swearing in Mahuta as a member of the Executive Council took place at Government House on Friday, May 15, in the presence of His Excellency the Governor, the Premier, the Minister for Public Works, the Minister for Lands, and the Minister for Native Affairs. The New ■ Zealand Governments have always had difficulties with the "King" party among the natives, and recently there has been considerable difficulty in getting the Maori Councils Act into operation among the followers of •jvianuta., and also in getting them to throw rp. e ' r °pen for European settlement. cPKsfiilw a^ rS + i >Wev ? r ' aye now been suemSJ?iril?' aDd develop- ° Ma ° ri . The Hon. W. Hall-Jones \fi„- t , Public Works, came North maiulffor the purpose of going over the railway L ® under construction. He spent abnnt Y .«tiosortii ot

on his return to the city received a deputation from the North Island Main Trunk Railway League, to whom he stated that the North Auckland line would be pushed on to paying points as funds permitted. Primary consideration would always be given to the Main Trunk Auckland to Wellingtonwhich he hoped to see completed before the expiry of his term of office as Minister for Public Works. The Minister returned to Wellington over the route of the Main Trunk railway. Two cases of smallpox were discovered on the steamer Gracchus at Lyttelton on Saturday morning, May 16. The steamer came to LytteVtou by way of Melbourne, Port Chalmers, and Timaru, but it was only when she reached Lytte£ton that the illness was discovered to be smallpox. One of the patients, Johnson, the third officer, died on the morning of May 17; the other, Bell, the third engineer, is recovering. The crew were sent into quarantine, the cargo was fumigated, and all lumpers who handled it had to be vaccinated. This precaution was taken even as far north as Auckland, to which port some of the cargo by the Gracchus was transhipped. The annual meeting of the Northern Steamship Company was held in Auckland on May 15. The directors reported that the net profit on working accounts for the year ending March 31, after making provision for insurance, depreciation, and boiler accounts, was £4981 4s 2d; transfer fees, £12 10s; balance brought forward, April 1, 1902, £862 0s 9d: total, £5855 14s lid. The following appropriations of this amount were recommended: To payment of a dividend at the rate of 7 per cent, per annum, half of which was paid to shareholders on November 17, 1902, as an interim dividend, £4874 18s 4d; leaving a balance to be carried to the credit of profit and loss account, £980 ; 16s 7(1. The report was adopted. The chairman, in his speech to shareholders, referred to the losses suffered during the year by the stranding of the Kunieri, a fire on the Ohinemuri, and the total wreck of the Gairloch, the first total loss the company has sustained. These losses had led to the consideration of the general question of insurance, with the result that the directors have taken out a policy over the Ngapuhi, the largest of the company's fleet, for, although the insurance account had been increasing for many years, the directors considered it was imprudent to continue to carry, such a large risk in one bottom. The Parliamentary party, which left on ja trip to the Islands on April 19, have reached Suva on the return trip, and are expected to arrive in Auckland on Saturday or Sunday next.

On Empire Day (Monday, May 25), His Excellency the Governor laid at the Three Kings the foundation stone of the eminently practical and appropriate "national memorial to those who fell in the service of the Empire during the South African war, 18991902." Although situated on the isthmus of Auckland, and to that extent associated with our city, we should be the last to forget that in the "raising of this Veterans' Home every city and province in the two islands is taking an equal part. It is in the fullest sense a, " national memorial," reminding us of occasions in which provincialism has no part, of the dead who died for all of us, of the blood brotherhood that is between all of us, and of our common duty to the wide Empire which keeps the peace not only in New Zealand, but wherever the British are. But apart from the declared dedication of the Veterans' Home, it will ever be associated in the thoughts and words of the people of New Zealand with the Governor whose name is fittingly inscribed on the foundation stone. The devotion with which Lord Ranfurly has pleaded the cause of the old scldier and the frankness with which he has insisted that even in this young colony men who have fought for their country, and ours, already need that honourable consideration which blesseth him that gives as well a? him that takes, have persuaded willing listeners to take Time by the forelock and to establish now a "hospital" which, in the ordinary course of things, would hardly have been thought of until crying evils forced us to attend. The foundation stone of the home is laid. The building and furnishing is provided for. But only £2000 is available as a maintenance fund, whereas £9000 is required to place the institution upon a sound basis. Need we say that this amount ought to be speedily forthcoming in order that our national memorial " to those who fell in the service of the Empire " need not be robbed of completeness bv the management being crippled and hampered through perpetual shortness of cash ? It would be unworthy of the colony if. after doing so much, it should hesitate about finishing the scheme in a satisfactory and businesslike manner. After the laying of the foundation stone Lord and Lady Ranfurly entertained about 400 Veterans* at a luncheon and concert at Government House.

The Government intends to take the Matamata Estate under the Land for Settlement Act, and has notified the Assets Realisation Board to that effect. At the time the Board received the Government's notification it was negotiating with a syndicate for the sale of the property at £3 per acre, but the Government has now stepped in, and the Compensation Court will be called upon to fix the price which the Board is to receive from the Stale.