AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10755, 20 March 1897, Page 6

AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES.

(Fbom Oxjs Own Correspondent.) Auckland, March 18,

DEATH OF AN OLD SETTLES.

The death is annonnced of Samuel Ludbroolr Clarke at Otahuhu. His life really forms part of New Zealand's history. Samuel Clarke was the second son of the late Mr George Clarke, who, when Governor Hobson arrived in New Zealand, held office under the Imperial Government of. Protector of Aborigines. Deceased was born at- Kirikiri, Bay of Islands, in 1824-, in the first wooden house built by the church missionaries. The house i 3 still standing and occupied. It is the oldest woodea house in the North Island. When Clarke was 10 yesrs old he was sent by his, parents, in company with two ether lads, to England under charge of one of the missionaries in H.M. Buffalo, afterwards wrecked at Mercury Bay. The two lads who accompanied deceased to England were Judge B. M. Williams (now living in Mount Eden district) and Mr Henry Kemp (who is still living near Auckland). After spending seven years in England, Mr Clarke returned to Auckland, and became a pioneer settler at Waipuna, on the Tamaki, near the present township of Panmure. Early in the forties he bought the Wymondly estate at East Tamaki, known as Clarke and Endbrook's farm. In 1860 he sold this farm and went to live at Tauranga as a settler. He. was one of the first to use a plongh in the Tauranga district. He ploughed up what is now called Cameron road. In order to prevent the Natives making a thoroughfare through his property, Clarke fenced and put np a large swing gate at the end of his farm. When the war extended to the Bay of Tlenfcy district the Maoris used his fences and this particular gate in the construction of the Gate Pa; hence the name of this celebrated pa. During the war Mr Clarke and his family were obliged to leave. After he returned to Tauranga he took* great interest in everything connected with'the growth of the district. He subsequently retired from active life, and came to Otahuhu to end his days nessr where he commenced his early career. STJGA.K BEET INDUSTRY. Re the sugar beet industry in the Waikato, the Herald understands that considerable progress has been made lately in reference to the establishment of the industry in the Waikato district. There has been quiet but; steady and persevering work going on all the time, and it is believed that capital for the concemis available, provided that the Government Bolus Bill of £50,000 for 10,000 tons of sugar, as introduced by tbe Hod. Mr Ward in 1895, is put' on the Statute Book. This is a largs concession to make to any industry, and the Government and country will require to have some good hope of success before venturing to offer so large a sum as a bonus. Mr Pond, the Government analyst, says, and he is supported by Professor Black, of.Otsgo University, that it would be difficult to find any place in the world better suited by nature to the growth of beet for sugar than the Waikato basiu. This oninion is fully borne out- by actual /experiments ■which have been niado by various settlers in the district. As me.eh as 20 tons to the acre of roots have beea grown having an average of 15 per cent, of saccharine matter, which is a high percentage. The farmers in the Waikato have already guaranteed an area of 3000 acres for cropping, and the balk of this large area represents patches of from 5 to 20 acres each, so that it will be seen that the industry is one especially likely to benefit small krfaers of land.