NEWS IN BRIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 38

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Discussing the weather and prospects for the coming season Mr J. Trotter, chairman of tho South Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union, stated that he could not remember a better winter since 1901 (reports the Timaru Herald). His remarks were borne out by other members. During dredging operations at Gisborne for the new harbour, the dredge Korua unearthed the prow of a wooden sailing vessel buried in the sands of Waikanae foreshore. This is believed to be portion of the barquentine Rio Grande, driven ashore over 40 years ago. A property in Queen street, Auckland, with a frontage of 22ft and a depth of 180 ft, was sold at auction for £14,900, equal to £670 a foot. This property is encumbered with a long lease at a low rental, which accounts for the low-price, Queen street property being valued at £I4OO a foot. Mr It. A. M'Kenzie’s Ti Toki station, w the Patangata district, containing 2100 acres, has been purchased by Messrs Herrick Bros., of Hastings; and Messrs Herriqk’s property of 450 acres of heavy swamp land near Hastings has been acquired by Mr M'Kenzie. The prices have not been divulged. At tho Police Court, Whakatane, on July 5 a young man, Edward Stewart, was charged with being drunk while in charge of a motor car. On the previous Saturday night, at 11 o’clock, his car had collided with another car. and a woman passenger in the latter was slightly injured. Defendant was convicted and fined £2O. In conversation with a Clutha Leader representative recently a Greenfield ifarmer stated that tha ploughing had been got through well and there had been a good deal of autumn and winter sowing. He was of opinion that, with the decreased prices for lamb and wool, the area under wheat in that region would be much greater than last year. Important developments are expected in the coal-mining industry of Mount Somers in the near future (reports the Ashburton Guardian), as a large company is being formed, to be known as the Kapai Coal Company (Ltd.), for the purpose of acquiring the rights of all coal leases and deposits, comprising several hundred aero, in the Ashburton Gorge. The capital of the company will be £32.000. Geo. Albt. Heaps, aged 21, pleaded guilty in Auckland Police Court to breaking and entering a confectionery store at Milford on June 30, and stealing goods worth £l6. Accused was committed for sentence. He was traced by footprints on the window, which he evidently broke with his boot, and by the recovery of the stolen property in his house. There may bo a Scottish Association football team to tour New Zealand next yeai for one of the vice-presidents of the Canterbury Football Association, Mr W. G. Bagrie, who left New Zealand on a trip abroad recently, has been authorised to negotiate with the Scottish authorities for the sending of a team to New Zealand next season. Under the will of Mr William Brown, who died recently at Reefton, the sum of £SOO is to be set aside on the death of his widow, and the income therefrom paid to the Mayor of Hokitika and applied by him in providing Christmas cheer or comforts for poor orphan children or poor, aged, and infirm persons residing in and around the Borough of Hokitika. The 30 dwellings being erected by the Railways Department on Somme Parade, Wellington, to the value of £21,000, are nearing completion (says the Evening Post). It is understood that a further 20 dwellings of a similar type are to be erected on the Paul Estate site in the near future. Some 20 years ago an oil bore was put ■■down at Vogeltown, the southern suburb of New Plymouth, but abandoned for want of capital. Recently investigations were made by Mr J. A. Spencer, a petroleum geologist, and on the strength of his favourable reports drilling operations are likely to be resumed shortly by allied Auckland and Californian interests In view of the complete stoppage of the purchase of kauri gum by storekeepers from the gumdiggers, who, owing to their credit being stopped, are at the present time on the verge of starvation, Mr Tau Henare (Northern Maori district) is asking the Government if it can see its way to repeal the Kauri Gum Control Act, 1925. Representatives of a Manawatu dairy company have been visiting Wanganui for the purpose of making arrangements to handle up-river cream (reports the Herald). It is proposed by the company to put on two boats to deal especially with the cream traffic between Pipiriki and Wanganui. The movement is said to be meeting with a good deal of support. Messrs A. H. Kimbell, Under-Secretary for Mines, and S. H. Jenkinsen, of the Railways Engineering staff, Wellington, visited the State Mines last week for the purpose of into coal supplies suitable for the use of the New Zealand Railways. Their investigations proved satisfactory (says the Grevmouth Evening Star), anu coal was found to abound in quantities which would meet all the demands of the Railways Department. At the Onehunga Police Court a borough council official, whose name was ordered to be suppressed in the meantime, was charged with the theft of £4 14s from the funds of the Borough Council. Sergeant Cruickshank stated that other charges were pending, and it was practically certain that the amount would be Increased to £3OO. The accused was remanded until July 14, bail being allowed in self £3OO, and two sureties of £2OO each. Practical evidence of the value of making the attractions of New Zealand known overseas ia supplied by the fact that the Cunard liner Franconia has been chartered to bring a party of 210 American

tourists to New Zealand. The tourists will land at Auckland, visit the thermal district, and come down the Wanganui River, breaking the journey in that town. A similar special excursion was conducted successfully last season. The Franconia is expected to reach Auckland during February next. “It would be just as well if signals at railway croesings were stereotyped and given in the same manner at all places,” said Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., in the Whangarei Police Court, when dealing with cases in which motor vehicle drivers were charged with crossing the lino when it was not clear. One driver said he saw the crossing keeper waving a green Hag so he went on. Another driver said he misunderstood the signal. The contention by the prosecution was that the flags were for the guidance of tho engine-driver only. Shipments of sheep are still being made from Poverty Bay to the Addington market, and a line of ewes was sent forward during last week-end. Despite the fact that prices at Addington have slumped considerably during the past month, dealers are still apparently willing to take a gamble (remarks the Poverty Bay Herald). More than 110.000 ewe have now been shipped away this season, the mortality rate in the various shipments being very low indeed, in some cases being as low as 1 per 1000. It is expected that the final shipments will be made in the very near future. The Standing Committee of the New Zealand Institute at Wellington passed resolutions against the encouragement of any foreign plant or animal in Tongariro National Park, especially game birds and animals which would interfere with the natural fauna or flora. It strongly opposes the leasing of any part of the park to private individuals, or the milling of timber in the park, and suggests that acclimatisation societies should not be allowed to liberate imported animals or plants anywhere near the park. Trout hatcheries are to be erected at Tokaanu, on Lake Taupo. Construction has been delayed by difficulties of title, or operations wculd have been started before.