WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 19

WELLINGTON.

| A poll of the Stratford rate-payers decided in favour of rating on the unimproved value by 137 to 6*. j HAWKE'S BAY. A poll to decide whether Hastings should be rated on unimproved values was taken on the 14th. Tho proposal was rejected by 16 votes, the polling beiny: For, 250; against, 266. I The movement to eroct a memorial on the fir^t landing-place.of Captain Cook in New Zealand is meeting with good support. The Bishop of Waiapu, writing to the local - committee, states that the features of tho scene of Captain Cook's first contact with the Natives have been completely obliterated by tho work connected with the Gisborne breakwater, but the landing-place, which is very clearly indicated by Captain Cook's journal, is as yet intact, and this may not be the case a few years hence.. Tl.e Bishop al co expresses the hope that the monument when erected will be one worthy of the object. (

Mr T. Y. Byrne, chairman of the Westland County Council, who i-abled to the Premier on the 14ili instant expressing the concern of West Coast friends at tho serious illness of Mrs Seddon. received the following reply from Mr Stddon to-day, timed London, 14lh, 2.30 p.m.: — " Pleased to hear from and remove anxiety of Wertlander 5.. Mrs iseddon now on fair way to recovery "' The Ciiief Commissioner of Crown Lands at the Land Board meeting on Thursday stated that large areas of laud which had been locked up for o\or 15 years owing to the Midland railway reservation v.oulcl be tin own open for selection within tho next two months. In tho meantime the board refused to grant temporary grazing licences. It is anticipated there- will be considerable competition for many block' The survey of portion of Diedrich't c-state-, recently resumed by the Go\eminent, is being pushed on. The Hokitjka Borough Count il }ia\e decided to send the Mayor, in conjunction with the County Chairman and Councillor Grinimond to Wellington, to urs?e the Government to proclaim the Hokitika River a tailing site to allow a big English company to construct the Kanieri Lake water race to Back Creek at a cost of £100,000. The council also resolved to borrow £7500 under the Loans to Local Bodies Act for the erection of abattoirs, comprehensive drainage scheme, and other sanitary matters. The Mercedes Which left Westport on Saturday for Hongkong, has the. largest cargo ever taken across tho Puller bar — viz., 3860 tons of cargo coal and 500 tons in the original bunkers.

The Tourist Department received the following telegram from Rotorua on the 15th:—"Waimangu geyser very acthe; tremendous explosions from 8 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. to-day; height from 800 ft to 900 ft." The Thames Valley Land Company's estate, which, according to a cable message received on Thursday, is under offer to the Government, is in the Waikato district, near Litchfield. The cctate has an area of 169,000 acres. The Waikato was spoken by the barque Clocheton The Waikato has no passengers. Arrangementfc have been made by Mr Shaw, acting secietaiv, for addresses to be giren by Messrs J. A. Kinsetffc D Cuddie,

D. J. M r Gowan, W. W. Singleton (of the Dairy Commissioner's Office), J. A. Gilruth (Government chief veterinarian), and V. W. B. Grevillo (of the New Zealand Dairyman) at the annual meeting of the National Dairy Association of New Zealand next month at Stratford. The Eubjects to be treated are suggestions for further improvement of the dairy industry, factory management, hints on the preparation and application of a starter in buttermaking, gome of the defects in cheese-mak-ing and their remedies, and diseases of stock affecting dairy farmers and factors affecting it.

It is stated that theie has been a continual improvement in ihe quality of flax sent forward for export of ]ate. In June, 1901, when the grading was not compulsory, 163 bales were examined by the Government grader at this port. Last month the number of bales graded for export was 5482, thi3 being the whole quantity intended for export. The effect of last month's floods on the quality of the flax is appaient on a great deal of the fibre now arriving. A large proportion has had to bo consigned to the fourth and fifth of the five classes into which flax ib graded.

A Marlborough deputation waited on Ministers on the 22nd to urge tho completion of the South Island Main Trunk line. The Canterbury members of Parliament present supported the reque.«t. Sir J. G. Ward, in hi 6 reply, said the Government recognised the d'-sirableness of the work, but must maintain a strong finance. A huge borrowing' policy could not be- "auctioned. When the loan proposals were framed next year they would con-ider the claim? of the South Island Main Trunk line.

The Education Department has been requested to formulate a scheme in connection with the three scholarships for New Zealand which are to be founded by Ihft exectitors of the will of the late Cecil Rhodes. Each i-cliolarship will be tenable at Oxford for three years, and will be worth £300 per annum.

Palmer=ton North Council ha=- decided to submit to the ratepayers, a drainage scheme estimated to co«t £35,000, but only £22,000 ■will be tpent at present.

At a meeting of the feh.irehoklers of theUp River Settlers' Company, Wangamu, it was resolved to r<jert the offer of £3200 made by Hatrick mid Co. for th© steamer Aotea, and to rairc additional capital to carry on. The Maoris raided £700, the Up River settlers a like amount, and elo?e on £1000 is pionaised by the townspeople. Tlio Maoris have al°o pledged thenr-eKea to give the whole nrocceds of the next fruit ciop to tho fund if necessary.