LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10962, 3 May 1907, Page 1

LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS

(Per Pre3i Association.)

AUCKLAND, last night. A number of sportsmen who went up country for the" opening of tlie shooting sea§on yesterday report that on the whole the shooting was not so good this year as last. A few fair bugs of ducks- were obtained. Dr Raynor and Mr H. Nathan got 130 brace at Hake and Whangape. Unusually large numbers of swans were reported to have been seen tliis season, and on Tuesday at- Moatakara Lake ducks were seen m thousands, but to-day, after yesterday's shooting, very few are to be seen, .the birds luiving retreated to inaccessible swamps. Pheasants are reported to be very scarce. For some time negotiations have been m progress for the acquisition by the Government of the Otakanini, block of native land at Helensville, held by the Ngatiwhatua tribe, and it now appears practically certain that the Government will acquire the area. Tlie. block contains 16,000 acres, and lies north-west of Helensville. It is valued at £1 per acre, with the exception of the- eastern portion facing the Helensville channel, containing, 2000 acres, nil flat land and three -p art? swamp, which is valued at £12 per acre. If these figures are realised, the amount to be paid will not be far below £40,000' to be handed over to the natives.. Mr D. Paul, as director on behalf of the natives, says the money will be expendecb on better utilisation of the lands held by the same natives elsewhere. -■

A Star telegram from Okahune states that a prolonged earth tremor was felt there last evening, preceded by a lond rumbling. Ruapehu is otherwise quiet. Nearly 2000 natives from all parts of thei North Island have assembled at Waahi, the settlement of. the Hon. Mahuta, M.L.C.,' where a great meeting will commence on Saturday, the subject of the korero being, as far as can be learnt, the selection of delegates to proceed to England for the purpose of interviewing Kang; Edward,- whose intervention is to be. .sought, to.-.- right alleged breaches of the treaty of Waitangi by the GoVernment.of New Zealand. Whatever the object; the movement is a popular one, arid has succeeded m bringing together what iß..jiaid to be the largest gathering heOd m 'the Waikato since the death of the late King Tawhiao. Tlie business of the meeting is managed by a native committee.- In addition there are present several native parsons (Anglican and Methodists), as well as many "pakehas who take a sincere interest m everything that pertains tp the a&tive race. At tne entrance of the pa is a notice board, which forbids the, riding A of horses within the. enclosure, drinking, the carrying of drink to the Village, and the admission of "drunkards" inside the fence, under penalties to be inflicted by the komiti. It is stated that over £10C0 was raised on Tuesday towards the purchase of. the necessary provisions for the large gathering. A varnish at Avondale. owned by 'Mr F. W. Best, was destroyed by fire to-day. A boiler filled with inflammable material used m varnish . manufacture caught, fire, and the whole building was soon a mass of flames, and only a few cases of turpentine were saved. Two young men, one*^i son of, the proprietor, narrowly 'escaped from the building with Lheir lives. The -building and contents were insured, but particulars as to policies are ;not available.

The engine of a goods train from Auckland was derailed at Ngaruawahia this morning whilst crossing points m the sta T tion yard. No serious damage resulted, but the up and down Rotorua expresses were blocked for a considerable time, the Auckland express arriving two hours late to-night. v^ Owinjj to the restricted area over which oysters may be picked pnfy three jioenses have been takphdut to day. There are over 100 pickers m Auckland, and they intend to place their grievances before the Minister "for Marine.

Int the Arbitration Court, m the tramway; strike cases., Rcfoert' Hassell, motorman, 'in' referring to the -alleged risk through teaching learners, said that since the strike he had had an accident 'owing to 'teaclring a learner, and had been fined £2,' the costs, £5, being paid by the Company.' William George Bassett, formerly an employe of the Auckland Iramway 2 Company, and latterly inspector on the Ghristchurch /; tramway's, said he had known motormen at Christchurch refuseto teach learners ' without bein| punished for it. Further liearing was adjourned till to-morrow. ,''■.'•

MASTERTON, last night. With reference tq the proposed professional team for England, two or three of the Red Stars players have been approached with a view to securing their services, but they have emphatically declined to have anything to do with tlie project. It is stated that the is being worked up from Wellington. TIMARU, last night. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones opened a! new band-room for the Battalion Band, this afternoon. - It is a substantial building with concrete walls. Volunteer officers and a large number of people were prasent:

Mr Hall-Jones will address his constituents to-morrow evening. ' DUNEDIN, last night. The funeral of the Hoii. W. M. J Bolt,> M.L.0., who died suddenly on Monday evening on the journey from Waipori to Berwick,, took place this afternoon. Tlie Rev. Wm. Saunders conducted the service at the residence of deceased, after which a large cortege followed the coffin to tlie Northern Cemetery, where the sraveside service was also conducted by Ir Saunders. Besides the relations of deceased there were a large number present, including representatives of tlie various public bodies and Government Departments. A number of wreaths were received from Ministers and public bodies. The pall-bearers ' were cli'oseh from members of both House ' of, Parliament, ' and comprised the Hons. Jenkinsori, ' Gep. Jones, J. B; Callafi, J. T*/ Paul,' and' "J. R, Sinclair. MX-O.'s, and Mr J. F." Arnold, M.H.R. Following the mourning coaclies were -the Mayor (Mr M. Loudon)' the ex-Mayor (Mr G. Lawrence), city councillors, and the town 'clerk, besides representatives of the city corporation staff (of which one of Mr Bolt's, sons is a memnery, Messrs W. Burnett and G. Esther (chairman and secretary respectively of the Dunedin Drainage Board), and Messrs T. K.'Sidey and A. R. Barclay, M.H.R.'s. '