GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue IV, 26 July 1902, Page 216

GENERAL NEWS.

There was a magnificent eruption of Waimaugu at the beginning of la~-t week. The geyser commenced about 8 p.m. on Sunday evening, and played continuously till 11 a.m. on Monday. It is said that some of the ejecta was thrown as far as Te Wairoa. Since the Cook memorial movement was started (says a Gisborne paper) many people hare visited the Boat Harbour on the Kaiti to view the first landing place in New Zealand of the great navigator. It is a remarkable fact that until lately some people resident in the district for vears were not aware that the landing place was quite close to the town of Gisborne.

The Governor is advised that the steamer Salamis left Capetown on July 11 with Lieutenants D. D. Byrne, S. C. Caulton, J. A. Colledge. D. A. l>e Hickey, and 19 New Zealand troopers; also' that Private David MacLaughlin, of the Contingent, was dangerously ill with lung trouble at Howick on July 14. The number of unemployed in Auckland seems to have been very much magnified at the recent meeting. In all 126 single men and 66 married men signed the list of unemployed prepared by Messrs Forster and" Middlemass last week, most of the signatories describing themselves as miners and labourers. A serious accident befel a Maori boy, son of Wetene. at IVhareroa (near Tauranga), last week. His people were engaged cutting chaff, using a horse-power, aud the boy was leaning over the draw-bar and following it round when his trousers were caught by the revolving shaft, transmitting the power to the chaff-cut-ter. His leg was drawn tinder the shaft and badly fractured between the knee and ankle, and the flesh badly torn from the thigh downwards, before the machine could be stopped. He was at once brought over in a boat to Tauranga for surgical attention. A successful social was la-lsi in Tauranga last week in the Royal as a welcome to returned sokwrs from South Africa. Eight returned men were present, including Sergt.-Major Johnston. Sergt. Horne, Corporal Lodder and Trooper E. Wrigley (7th Contingent), Troopers Matheson and Harris (Sixth), Trooper J. Tanner (Fourth), and G. H. Mann (First). The Tauranga Mounted Rifles attended in uniform, and aiso many veterans. wearing, amongst others. Crimean. Mutiny, and New Zealand medals. About 200 of the general public were present. The men were given an enthusiastic welcome. At the meeting of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce last week the mailer of the State Fire Insurance Bill, uow before the House, was introduced by the president, Mr. J. 11. Upton. and the measure came in for a severe handling by the members. Mr. Upton said he did not think the Chamber should silently pass a matter so seriously affecting the welfare of the country at large, and particularly certain interests. There were two reasons why they should not pass the matter over, first on the broad principle that State competition was wrong in trade, and secondly it might result in serious loss to the colony. Farmers and other residents of Opotiki at a meeting attended by about 100 persons on Saturday last discussed the nature of the steamer service to the district. Mr H. 11. Hogg, chairman of the County Council, presided. The chief matter complained of was the double handling of cargo, due to the system of having all the Opotiki cargo taken to and from Ohiwa by tender, involving loss to shippers and consignees. It was felt that the district was now entitled to a weekly service by one of the larger steamers, and the following resolution, proposed by Dr. Reid, was unanimously carried:- "That in the opinion of this meeting the trade of Opotiki fully warrants the arrival and departure of one of the larger cargo boats, either the Waiotahi or Terranorn, the latter for preference." Messa Hogg, Waateny, Gordon,

Donald, and Dr. Reid were appointed a committee to lay the requirements of the district before the manager of the Northern Steamship Company, and act on behalf of the community in shipping matters generally.

The N.Z. Shipping Co.'s steamer Waikato, bound from London to New Zealand, was spoken on Friday before last in lat. 33 south, long, 10 east, in the South Atlantic Ocean. Her main shaft was broken, and she was drifting south-east 30 miles daily. .

The disabled steamer Waikato, when spoken last Friday in the South Atlantic, had been drifting for a fortnight. The crew were well. A steam tug has been sent out from (Capetown in search of the disabled steamer Waikato.

A London cable last week stated that probate has been granted in the will of the late Mr Charles Marcus Wakefield, of Wellington, N.Z., the estate being sworn at £ 55,325. A contemporary gives the following particulars of the late Mr Wakefield: — "Mr Charles Marcus Wakefield. J.P., of Belmont, near Uxbridge. died at the age of 64. The cause of death was paralysis, a development from exposure suffered years ago when shipwrecked off Cape Horn. The deceased was a nephew of the famous Edward Gibbon Wakefield, and a son of Mr David Bell Wakefield, barrister-at-law. For some time in his early manhood he lived in New Zealand, and he seems to have always retained a fondness for that part of the world, of which he gave evidence in at least one lecture on New Zealand to the people of Uxbridge and its neighbourhood. Mr Wakefield lived a quiet life, rather as a student than a public man.

News was received in Auckland last week of the sudden end of the well-known old Maori chief. Hori Kukutai. of Lower Waikato, through an accident on the railway line. Constable Lanigan of Papakura wired to Police-Inspector Cullen stating that a native, who was identified as Hori Kukutai, was found lying dead on the railway line one mile south of Papakura railway station at 2 p.m. on Friday. He was supposed to have fallen off the train and so been killed. Sir Joseph Ward and the Hon. Mr Carroll sent messages of condolence to the relatives of deceased.

The Financial Statement, in referring to the proposed reductions in railway fares over long distances, states'that it is proposed to keep the universal system of charging that now prevails on the railways in operation, with this material alteration, that after 50 miles the charge will be reduced, both for first and second class, by Jd per mile for distances from 51 to ICO miles, and then a further reduction of jd per mile for all distances of 101 miles end over. This reduction is a very substantial one over the longer distances, amounting in the case of Rotorua to as much as 20 per cent, in first-class return fares. The change has not yet come into operation, but as soon as all details are settled it will be announced. The effect of the reductions from Auckland to four typical stations will be as follows: — The present fares to Cambridge (101 miles) are 12. 9 first class, and 8/6 second class single, the returns being as in all cases in New Zealand railways, exactly double, 25/6 first class, and 17/ second class. _ They will be reduced to 11/8 and 7/5 single, and 23/4 and 14/10 return, a reduction of 2/2 on the return rates. The rates to Te Aroha (115 miles) are now 14/6 first class and 9/8 second class single, and 29/ first- and 19/4 second return. The reduced charges will be 12/10 and 8/ single, and 25,-8 and 16/ return, a reduction on the double trip of 3/4. To Okoroire (131 miles) the present fares are 16/6 first and 11/ second single, the returns being 33/ and 22/. When the reductions are effected the charges will be 14/6 and 9/8 single, and 29/4 and 17/4 return, a reduction of 4/8 on the return in both classes. The present fares to Rotorua (171 miles) are 21/6 first class and 14/4 second class single, the returns being 43/ and 28/8. Under the new schedule the charges will be: Single 17/6 and 10/4, return 35/ and 20/8, the reduction on the return fares in both classes thus being 8/.