LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14158, 6 September 1909, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Owing to the steamer carrying the English mails failing to connect with the s.s. Victoria at Sydney, no English mail was landed at Auckland yesterday. The mail will reach Auckland, via Wellington, about Thursday or Friday next.

Asked by a Herald representative lastevening whether the Government had purchased another portion of the. Te Akau Block, in addition to the 13,000 acres now being thrown open, the Hon. D. Buddo, Acting-Minister for Lands, said that all he could say was that more of the Te Akau Block would be placed on the market at an early date.

The sale of 6| acres of land at Takapuna to a local syndicate for £430 per acre has just taken place. The land is opposite the Lake bakery, and runs from the main road to the Takapima beach. The syndicate is subdividing the property. The sale was effected through the Auckland Land and Estate Agency, acting in conjunction with Messrs. Paul Hansen and Co.

The "wild cat" train collided with some horses at Waihou on Thursday night (writes our Te Aroha correspondent), and so badly injured two that it became necessary to destroy them. The horses were the property of Mr. Glynn Lewis, of the Waihou Hotel, who is a heavy loser.

Speaking to a Herald representative last evening with reference to his inspection of the improved farm settlements which are being thrown open for selection at Kakahi, Otorohanga, and near Waitomo, the Hon. D. Buddo, ActingMinister for Lands, stated that, ho found the lands in question were quite equal, if not better, than the average in the respective districts. "They are," he said, "all practically ready for settlement, so that the settlers can go at once and fix their homestead sites. The whole of the 400 sections being opened extending from Raurimu to a little this side of Te Kuiti, are convenient to the Main Trunk line, none of them being more than 12 miles away. I am quite satisfied that the whole of them are admirably suited for the purpose for which they are intended, and that the settlers will be able to make a comfortable living out of them."

The new scheme of management at the Costley Home, which the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board has decided to carry into effect, has the approval of the Minister in charge of hospitals and charitable aid (the Hon. Geo. Fowlds. "We have long felt," remarked Mr. Fowlds to a reporter yesterday, "the want of more skilled supervision at the institution, and as recommended by the Inspector-General the alterations will actually result in a saving of expense." The Minister also thought the Board had acted wisely in appointing a member of the clerical staff to act as secretary at the Auckland Hospital. Ministers recognised that, there had been considerable waste at some of the NewZealand institutions, and official supervision of the management was really needed-

The Acting-Minister for Land* (the Hon. D. Buddo) is an enthusiast, tipoti; the beauties of the, trip tip the Hauraki' Golf into the Wailemata, from Thames to Auckland. "After all the inconveniences of travelling over bad roads la mud and rain," hu said to a Herald re. preventative last evening, "it was a we!. come change to find myself on the short trip by steamer from Thames to Auckland to-day. The afternoon was pleasant, and the scenery coming along between the various islands and th« main land with, the lights and shades of the bush, mads me wonder why so little had been made of what is decidedly one of the most attractive journeys in Auckland province, f, as a visitor to Auckland on a good many occasions, have been attracted by its thermal springs and its beautiful lakes, but very few ever mention the journey I have" just come to-day, which I consider m well worth any tourist taking in addition to the many others in Auckland province."'

The Huddart-Parker steamer Victoria, which arrived from Sydney last night, met with rough weather on the voyage, She took Ik-i- departure from Sydney on Wednesday afternoon, and experienced fine weather until Saturday, when strong easterly winds, with high sens and thick weather prevailed till arrival in port. The weather was so thick on Saturday, that the speed of the Victoria was reduced for several hours. A big sea broke on board the vessel forward and. slightly damaged the companionway.' Otherwise no damage was done. The Victoria will resume her voyage to Dunedin, via ports, to-morrow.

A petition in bankrupiv,, has been filed by Arthur Clark Popplewell, fl.ixmili manager, of Whangape. The tola! liabilities arc shown as £94, ami the assets as £80, leaving a deficit of £14. The debtor states that his position has been brought about chiefly by tint having received wages amounting to £33. due to him from one employer, and through the bankruptcy of another employer, which result-: ed in his receiving only lis in the £ of the wages due to him. A meeting of creditors will be hold on Friday next. *

A deputation of Birkdale residents! waited on the Birkenhead Borough Council last Thursday evening, for the purpose of conferring with the Council as to the .boundaries of the Birkda'e district, which it is proposed to separate from the Borough of Birkenhead and form into a separate district. The Council, after hearing the views of the deputation, decided that the boundary line of the pro* posed Birkdale local district be as shown on plan, from Soldier's Bay along road to dividing lino between sections 18 and 19 of lot 149, and from that point to' section 37, and from (hence to dividing' line between sections 5 and 6, crossing! the main road to Bagot's boundary, along tho gully. and following gully as far as section 12, thenaj, along the dividing line between 12 turn 13 to junction of the borough boundary, at Victoria Road ; the above boundaries being portions of blocks 7, 11, and 12, parish of Takapuna, which the Birketv head Borough Council agree to condi tionally, upon the proposed newly- formed local authority agreeing to free tfc<« waterworks reservoir site from rating by tho proposed new body as long as (hi site is used exclusively for borough purposes, and not for trading.

The s.s. Corinnn, which usually reaches* Onchunga on a Saturday, did not berth' at that pott until yesterday afternoon, having been delayed twice. On the trip' up from Dunedin to Wellington the Corinna was hindered by bad weather, while on arrival in the Manukau she war further delayed yesterday morning) through running on a mud bank near Capo' Horn. After remaining on the hank' several hours, the steamer was got off, and reached the wharf without further mishap. The Corinna will leave for New" Plymouth and Wellington about nine' o'clock this morning.

Ihe order of business at the Supremo, Court from this morning will be. the pre-' sentation of Charles Rollon, remanded'; for sentence in connection with a charge! of committing a criminal offence on a young girl at Paeroa ; — Wogan, charged' with bigamy ; Joseph Mansfield Hornistoti, with unlawfully abandoning a child ; Win. Jas. Courtney, with faL-3 pretences; and! Walter Carter, with breaking, entering,; and theft. Mr. Justice Edwards will! then hear legal argument in the cases of] H t , de v. Cashmore, Finlayson v. White-! 'aw (a Kawakawa case), Hughes v. ! Hanna, Hughes v. Self, Blake v. Fischer,' Taupo Totara Timber Company v. Lynn, Poppolwell and Co., Horsnell v. Ami-* land Tramways Company, Fowler uaef others v. Handler and Hand ley, and. Dadson v. Waihi Grand Junction Gold Mining Company, Limited.

The number of cases of drunkenness, dealt with at the Auckland .Police Court' during the month of August, as compiled! from the press reports by Mr. W. 3. Macdermott, was much below that of' July, there being only 150 in August, aS; against 218 in July. Amongst the. 150; were 47 first offenders, ten were females, 18 had broken prohibition orders, 16 were) prohibited, and three were sent to Paka-! toa for 12 months. One wwi found drunk] while in charge of a horse and cart, and: one was drunk at a railway station. A; young fellow came to town with £13 in. his pocket. When arrested he had only 3s 6d. There were numerous charges of obscene language, indecency, fighting, and obstructing the police. The sum of £100'10s was paid in fines and forfeited bail money.

When the p.s. Ngatiawa, from Tauranga and Opojiki. was passing Cape Colville at eight o'clock on Saturday morning a, number of sacks of flour were seen drifting about. It is supposed that the flour had been washed overboard from a punt or lighter tendering a vessel in ona of the Cape bays.

More exhibits from the Solomon Islands * have been added to the collection in tliL Dominion Museum. First in size ant! importance is a fairly large- model of a native canoe, well made, and apparently a faithful reproduction- The other exhibits comprise head ornaments and amulets made from sections of shell, a wooden bow] in the shape of a bonila fish, an elaborate woven belt of black unci yellow materia!, a stone amulet, and eome decorative comb*. Two flint implements, one for boring holes in wood, «nd the other a somewhat rough-ly-shaped axe, probably of considerable age, ar.fr interesting as being exactly the same a.s implements used by the pre-lns-toric inhabitants of Europe, the quality of the flint appearing also to be much th.9 same as that used by the early residents of Britain for such tools. Flint of this quality is not found in New Zealand, or probably the Maoris would ha\-e made usa of a material so well adapted to purposes : of outting and boring