AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 21

AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Auckland, February 7. SIR G. GREY AT ROTORUA. During his residence at Rotorua Sir G. Grey has interested himself in getting the excessive tolls charged by the Maoris for sightseeing reduced. He has visited Mokoia, Te N^ae, Whakareware, and other localities, and has discussed the matter of tolls. There is every prospect thas he will succeed in getting the Natives to abandon the recent increased charges. TEMPERANCE WORK. An interesting presentation has been made by Sir G Grey to two chiefs who were instrumental in inducing a large number of Maoris to join the temperance organisation. When he wes in the district before, Sir George promised two badges for this work, and he brought up with him two Maltese crosses in parti-coloured stones encircled in gold. Sir George appropriately addressed the recipients, and encouraged them to jjo on with the good work they had begun. Tho chiefs were delighted with this mark of distinction. February 9. WEST COAST V. AUCKLAND TIMBER. A short time since it was announced that in

future puriri would be discarded for railway sleepers, and that the timber to be substituted would be silver pine, which is obtained on the West Coast of the South Island. In consequence of this large quantities of silver pine for sleepers has been lately brought from the West Coast by sea to Manukau, thence to Auckland by rail, thence again by sea to Whangarei, Bay of Islauds. A considerable quantity is I piled up at Newmarket and also at Whangarei, to be used in the extension of the line, which is b-ing done by co-operative labour. The railway employees who know anything about timber and who know the requirements of timber which has to be placed in the ground smile sardonically when they contemplate this stuff and compare it with puriri, which is growing within a short distance of where the silver pine is lying, or where it is to be used. But it grows in Auckland while the silver pine grows in Westland. Engineers declare that it has not half the life of a puriri sleeper, but it is supplied to them, and they know that it would be futile to remonstrate. February 12. MINING AT DEEP LEVELS. Mr Murray, the Victorian mining expert, who has been visiting the Thames goldlields with a view to reporting on the prospects of obtaining gold at low levels, has returned to Auckland. Mr Murray has had to go pfetfcy rapidly over the ground, but the arrangements made respecting his visit have enabled him to obtain all the material required for his report. THE WAITEMATA ELECTION PETITION. The Herald, referring to the Waitemata election petition cage, says: — "At the recent Auckland elections we bare seen a complicated machinery put in operation to do illegal and corrupt acts without detection, while in other instances scarcely any trouble was taken to conceal that the law was being infringed. It all depends upon whether there is anybody who can furnish the funds to get up a petition and take the chances. What is now wanted to complete the revelations of the Waitemata election^ is to find out who is behind the petitioner. No one can doubt for a moment that Mr Monk was the chosen of Waitemata. It could not be contended for a moment that the difference of Votes between him and Mr Jackson Palmer was gained by any illegal practice, even if such practices were all on one side, and yet tho election is overturned at the instance of Mr Palmer, who gets another chunce aud disqualifies his most formidable opponent. There is never a pretence in these election petitions that such action is taken to vindicate the purity of elections. It is usually a case of the pot calling the kettle black, aud the pot may be the more deeply begrimed of the two. It is not likely that the present law will be effective in causing greater purity iv tho conduct of elections. We suppose, however, that we must jurit make the best of it and endeavour to enforce tho proper lessons One of thee is that candidates should take care to employ proper agents If Mr Monk had deliberately plotted to obtain voles by giving beer at Taupaki or elsewhere ho could have got agf-nts in Auckland (who live by that kind of busineFs) who could h?.ve done ten times the amount of bribery that young Monk did, and who could ha\o ' I '.ne it in such ajj&y that detection would "hi.vi t '<» v iiiifO;bi'>le. i (i,.., " M"vM "v ii: f n !» pit whi^h "leviircr <.•' ctioivcn es'vpt'u, -'i.ud ho muftpij Iho penalty.' I KiiiJJ. . ..L'u. I A pnvati- rabh'U'aui has been received by a I gum rr.prrh ml in A i-rkhmd giving tho result cf a 6'ilc hfld iv Lor, I >n this raonlh, a;d it stnt'-, that 3000 cases wre oiien-d. of which thic"qutiilers were m> j i afc a decline cf £6 per tou A n^EST cr,\ra. The Star propounds *•» a remedy in the nature of reducing tho output and utilis- ! ing labour in other wa}s, that the Government should give work yo n proportion of diggers. To the north vi Wairoa right up to HokiaDga lies a grr\it i:a. t ;>" cmntiv belonging to the Go -c-: r'c::l . It is \\M fit for settlement, bu^ .v -t it i-, -"vithoist i settler and untraversod by ;> road. In a few years all that country will be wanted, and the Government will have to open it up. Why should they not do so now, when they have bo much labour at their disposal, and, very probably, cheap labour too ? Diggers are not making such high wages that they would turn with scorn from remuneration compatible with what would be relief works. The Star hopes that the people of Auckland will look this thing in the face and urge the Government to open the land referred to. The Government has to thank the gumfielda for having little relief works in tho north. Now that the gumfields require a little temporary help, surely the powers at Wellington will not turn a deaf ear to their prayers.