AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 6, 10 August 1910, Page 5

AUCKLAND.

Riding Costumes.

\£he executive committee of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association had the temerity last week to pronounce on the sort of costumes in Jvhicli the ladv competitors should cavort lound the prize ring next November, in pursuit of the elusive red ribbon. At the last show one daring young person considerably scandalised the public by a somewhat unusual attire, which more than trenched on the garments usually as the prerogative of the Sterner sex. The schedule committee recommended that this year all riders should appear “in proper riding costume.”

Mr. A. R. Harris wanted it made more explicit, so that the unseemly appearance pf hist summer might not be repeated. Mr. E. D. O’Rorke said he had been somewhat shocked in looking over the Home papers to find that a lady had ridden in an exactly similar costume at

the horse show held nt Olympia. It appeared that the Dominion was once more in the lead. One member announced that his daughter certainly should not compete if last year’s dress were again permitted. Mr. I. Gray said the matter hud cropped up owing to the complaint from a boy’s father as to one lad apjiearing in the ring in the costume of a well-known private school. Mr. Phillips remarked that if the Association had taken the same stand in the past as they proposed to-day the divided skirt would never have arrived. The president admitted that the sidesaddle was as dead as mutton, but this matter of what was a right and proper costume was on a very different footing. Mr. Salmon agreed that many of the public were scandalised at the dress worn last year, and the stewards came in for a good deal of criticism. The question of deciding who should say what was a proper riding costume for a lady was raised, and every member appealed" to promptly declined the honour of adjudicating on this delicate matter. Finally it was resolved to word the schedule so as to leave no room for doubt that the offensive costume under discussion would be quite a sufficient reason for disqualifying the fair rider, The Wall That Fell. The Minister for Marine (the Hon. J, Millar) is really in earnest in regard to his announced intention of taking legal action against the Auckland Harbour Board, unless that body can give some satisfactory’ explanation in eonnecnection with its action over “the wall that fell” at Freeman’s Bay reclamation works. It may' be remembered that, on the occasion referred to, the people of Auckland woke up one morning to find that a great length of concrete wall had fallen into the sea, representing a. loss of thousands of pounds. The Minister states that the Harbour Board officers did not follow the plans for this work as approved by’ the Marine Department. Bearing on this breach of the regulations, he has written to the Auckland Board, asking for an explanation, but so far no reply’ has come to hand. Unless the answer, when it arrives, is satisfactory, the Minister intends compelling the Board to shoulder its responsibility.

Money for Amusements.

“One would not think there is any scarcity’ of money in Auckland, said Mr. R. Stewart, Mr. J. C. Williamson’s manager, on Friday’, when he drew the attention of a reporter to the booking for the pantomime “Aladdin” at Messrs. Wildman and Arey’s. The booking has, indeed, been phenomenal. People intent upon securing the best seats assembled ae early as 5 o’clock in the morning, and at 8 a m., there was an immense crowd of people, stretched out in a long queue, four deep, extending from the booking office through the Arcade into Fort-street. Booking kept np steadily all day, and at closing time practically’ the whole of the ordinary circle and orchestra stalls seats for the first six nights had been sold, while the two matinee performances were almost as heavily booked up, and several extra rows of seats were added from the ordinary stalls. By two o’clock in the afternoon £445 had been taken in booking fees, and before closing the total had increased to Between £650 and £7OO. Booking continued steadily to-day, and more extra rows of stalls were added to meet the demand. Mr. Williamson has had many’ record bookings here, but the booking for “Aladdin” is easily the best.

Harbour Board Finances. PROVISION FOR FUTURE WORKS. The chairman of the Finance and Legal Committee of the Harbour Board (Mr. W. J. Napier), at a special meeting of the Finance and Legal Committee, held last week, brought up the following report:— ■Stalenn-nt showing the financial ability of the Auckland Harbour Board to proceed with vigour in the construction and complelion of Queen-street wharf end of the wall for the eastern reclamation. —The total amount required to complete Queen-street wharf, including the south-east corner, and the quay front up to No. 2 jetty, demolishing old wharves, removing existing sheds aud constructing three new two-storey sheds, is £137,000. The wall for the easterri

reclamation will cost £150,000. Total, £287,000. Of this there could profitably' be expended within the next twelve months £150,000. The revenue of the Board during the next twelve months will be, at a conservative estimate, £122,000, but if the increase in revenue shown by the last half-year is maintained, the revenue will be £141,000. Out of this there will have to be provided as fixed charges for administration and maintenance £41,000, for interest £52,000, for sinking fund £BOOO, leaving a net available sum of £21,000 Ito pay- interest on unraised loans. The interest on £250,000, plus a sinking fund of one per-cent, amounts to £13,750 per annum. The Board has commitments for contracts and equipments ordered coming in at intervals between now and September, 1911, amounting to £138,035. T 1 iese consist of the following: — Freight, etc., floating crane £4,879 Sheds 21,322 Queen-street Wharf shutters ...» 1.540 Sheer leg foundations 1.575 Sewer Freeman’s Bay 2,605 Quay-street jetty (to be paid) ~ 11,682 Steel for jetty 2,113 Electric lighting Railway Wharf 878 Pontoon, Birkenhead 408 Suction dredge, No. 2, balance ~ 1.152 Suction dredge, No. 2, balance .. 1,739 Hapai balance 1,784 Balance weights for cranes 1,660 Neuchatel <’o. 6,716 Ferry offices 48,832 Floating crane 16,086 Architect 2,533 Electric cranes 6,456 I>uty, etc 2,390 Erection 1,800 Sheer leg slings 385 Total £138,035 There is an unexpended sum of loan money in hand, amounting to £51,796. The available loan fund, assuming the Board raises £250,000 of the 1908 loan (the unraised portion of which amounts to £750,000) would be £301,796, out of which there has to be paid before September, 1911, the above-mentioned sum of £138,035, leaving an available balance of £163,761. It will thus be seen that the revenue of the Board amply justifies the raising of a further portion of the loan of £750,000, viz., £250,000. Owing to an informal promise that was made in London, it is not advisable that we go to the London market to raise any portion of this money, nor do we require it in one sum. During the next six months, it is probable that only from £25,000 to £30,000 will be required as part payments on existing commitments as abovementioned, and before any interest would be payable on the new loan there would be, say, surplus revenue of £20,000 in addition to the £51,796 loan money in hand. The Board owes no money by way of overdraft, having a credit balance at the present time at the Bank of New Zealand. We therefore beg to report that the Board is in a financial position to proceed with vigour in the completion of the works referred to, and we recommend that should the available balances in loan account and general account be paid away before the end of the current year, that a temporary overdraft of, say, £50,000 be arranged for, or that debentures for that amount be issued locally, pending the issue of debentures fox £250,000 early in 19] 1. The Board’s revenue is rapidly expanding, and in 1913 the old loan of 1874 will be entirely extinguished by the operation of the Sinking Fund, thus releasing a large annual sum, which will be available to pay interest on future loans to continue the harbour improvement scheme adopted by "the Board, and the. completion of which can be accomplished without undue strain on our finances. We may mention that the value of the Board’s assets is £1,765,867.

Racing; and the Tote. A deputation from the Auckland Metropolitan and suburban racing clubs waited on Sir Joseph Ward on Monday and protested against the proposed reduction in the number of totalisator permits for race meetings. Air. Mitchelson said that a great deal of discredit had arisen from tlie fact that men refused, licenses by the metropolitan club had received licenses from country clubs, Mr. Mitchelson commexited upon the large increase of unregistered meetings not controlled by the metropolitan body or the Racing Conference. The Premier, replying, said that the clubs had not to consider what the Government thought alxmt the matter, but rather to face public opinion. No doubt there was too much racing in New Zealand. Even people in favour of that sport advocated control to elhuinaie abuses which Lad crept in. Tie proposed to introduce measures wliich

would be passed this session. He could not give details of the bill, which would be referred to a small committee, which would take evidence and report to the House. Agricultural Science. The Auckland Board of Education has resolved to make agricultural science a compulsory subject in all district High Schools, to offer substantial prizes for the best school gardens, to require students of the Training (Allege to take a course of nature study and agricul dural science, and to take care of the maintenance of school gardens. It was further resolved that the time had come when the Minister should favour ably consider the advisability of making a definite scheme of nature study and rural educat ion compulsory subjects in Fifth and Sixth Standards in all country schools from grade four upwank. Miners Killed A serious accident occurred last week in Ralph’s Mine, at Huntly, whereby two men named Frank W. Moore and William Brough were killed by a large fall of stone and fireclay. It appears that the deceased Moore and a miner named Ward were working on a stone drive near Taupiri West heading. Ward had just moved away a short distance to charge another shot, when the fall occurred, burying his mate and Brough, who was trucking to them. Ward escaped unhurt. Assistance was immediately forthcoming, and the stone was quickly lifted off the men, who, however, were badly crushed and quite dead. Moore, who came here from Komata three months ago, was about 30 years of age, and leaves a wife ami live chib dren, the youngest nine days old. Brough, who belongs to Happy Valley, Victoria, was a single man about 25 years of age. He has a brother in the Nelson district. An inquest was held on Wednesday, and the jury found that the fatality whs accidental, and that nn