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Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9407, 30 March 1909, Page 5

Tologa Bay reports that five and a half inches of\rsin fell on Monday. The river is in high flood. After considering evidence in connection with the Wakatu-Storm collision the Marine Department decided that a magisterial inquiry should take place at Lyttelton at air early date. The scow Rona, which went on a salvage expedition to the wreck of tiie Ben Avon in Paliser Bay a few days ago has not returned. The heavy weather recently has given cause for anxiety as to her safety, as there is no there. Mounted constables have been senfc to search the beach.

Probably the largest load of wool ever carried by a waggon team of eight horses in Otago, passed through Oromwell on Friday morning from Mouut Pisa Station, consisting of 60 bales of scoured wool weighing 7 cons 4 owt.

The Lake Wakatipu Mail reports that the earthquake experienced on Tuesday at Queenstown was of great violence and long duration. Build-, ings swayed so that the inmates rushed out into the, streets, fearing that the next moment might bring their total collapse. Fortunately, however, no more serious damage resulted than the precipitation of a few bottles and some crockery from off the kitchen shelves.

In giving judgment in a case in which the manager of gfche Northern Steamship Company was charged with selling liquor on the steamer Gale while being moored alongside the Waipu wharf, Mr Kettje, S.M., said the steward had given the liquor in exchange for fowls which were not intended for (the benefit of the Company He did not think defendant or his Company were liable and dismissed the information but expressed the opinion that the steward should he prosecuted.

Owing to the present unsatisfactory state of the law dealing with the enforcement of the payment of rates by Natives, the Raglan County Council has written to all counties in the Auckland Province concerned with Native rating, suggesting that a conference he held in Auckland to discuss the matter and take united action in trying to get the law amended. The Taranaki Ootmty Council has been asked to assist by getting its surrounding counties to take similar action.

The call of duty was strong upon a telegraph messenger in a Northern centre when he 'interrupted Sir Joseph Ward in the midst of a weighty peroration on. .the land question to inquire if he knew the whereabouts of his private secretary, Mr ( Hislop. The boy was told by his postmaster to find Mr Hislop, and he took the most direct means of doing so, states the Katipo. The audience geatly appr eclated the incident, and after Sir Joseph had imparted the desired information, applauded loudly. During the Supreme Court session on the West Coast last week a case occupied a great deal of the attention of the Court in which the question of blank cheques figured largely. When the grand jury were investigating the charges, a witness in-the case was summoned before them and asked did she supply a blank cheque to the accused. “I did,” was the reply. “Did you recognise the writing on it?” queried a sapient grand juror, who must have been thinking of something else, and for some minutes he could not account for the broad smile which went round the jury room.

The task of draining the huge Piako, Swamp, consisting of some 90,000 acres, is proceeding apace, and there is every indication that an undertaking which was regarded sas being somewhat venturesome will prove a big success. Since the work of reclamation began something over a year ago, over 130 miles of drains have been cut, and one is in full flowing order, with the result that some 30,000 acres of land, which formerly were under water, are now completely dry. In fact, it could, for the most part, be opened for selection any day, and being generally of very rich quality it is considered there would be a big demand for it. But it is necessary first to construct roads and provide means of access. This will be done as quickly as possible, and it is anticipated that by next year a very considerable proportion of the whole area will be opened for settlement. Considerable interest was excited among the nnmerbns spectators on the Dunedin wharves on Tuesday morning (says the Otago Daily Times) by the spectacle of the ship’s company of the s.s. Maheno indulging in boat-drill. Under the perfect weather conditions prevailing the exercise had as much the semblance of a pleasant recreation as anything else, but its utilitarian side was none the less obvious. The big steamer was hauled out slightly from the Rattray street wharf, and at the given signal nine boats were launched and mauned by between and 80 hands. The crews rowed out iu procession till opposite the Victoria wharf, a and their heterogeneous appearance, as well as- the i oarsmanship of one or individuals probably more at home in the cook’s galley than on the thwarts of a lifeboat, provided soma diversion fbr onlookers disposed .to /be nautically critical. Having gained sufficient offing, oars were shipped and lug-sails hoisted, and ypith a capital breeze the flotilla .sped gaily back to the Maheno. presenting a most ati MaciiVo i -b- - k ■ i. u.-./ i