NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 50, 11 December 1902, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL.

The business of the Christchurch poultry depot has grown so rapidly lately that it has been found necessary to increase the accommodation so as to make it four times greater than it is at present. Speaking at St. Patrick's Coltege on Thursday evening, the Premier stated that as a result of his visit to the Cork Exhibition he was going to introduce into New Zealand certain improvements in fruit-growing, which, he believed, would be of great service to the Colony. At the last meeting of the Ashburton Catholic Literary Society there was a large attendance of members, when Mr. 1\ Crow, of Tinwald. n-a\e the members an enjoyable evening's entertainment. Mr. Crow has recently imported an Edison phonograph with a large selection of records, and his kindness was much appreciated. The selections by Edison's peerless orchestra were well worth hearing. Mr. Withford, M.H.It, of Auckland, has icceived the following wire from Ihe Premier " — ' The settlement of the people on the land is still the alpha and omega of the Government policy, and it will be achieved in a satisfactory degree. The public notification of the fact that land is open for selection will, to some extent, alleviate the situation. Settlement and partial surveys are arranged for. Evei y bona fide application for land will be met.' In the course of an inter\iew with a northern journalist, the Hon. James Carroll, Natne Minister, said, provided the Maoris fell in with the idea, and were prepared to co-operate with hum, he would use his best endeavors to have Maori hospitals erected in various parts of the Colony Mr. Carroll considers the establishment of such hospitals ol paramount importance to the Maoris, as the mortality amongst the various tribes has been serious to the point of threatened extinction. His Lordship Bishop dimes (writes our Timaru correspondent) is to be present at the distribution of prizes at the Convent of the Sacred Heart on Thursday next — The Itev. Father O'Connell is pacing a visit to Waimate, where his many friends are nleased to see him — In both the Timaru and Teniuka churches on Sunday the congregations were asked to pray for the • epose of the soul of the late Father Malone. In Teniuka, where the deceased pviest was curate for some tune. Father Fauvel paid a most graceful tribute to his memorThe 'Journal' of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society (Messrs. Guy and Co . Cork) is always full of interest for Irish antiquarians, and more especially for those who are natives of Minister The last quarterly issue is especially good, containing, among other matters, a continuance of the history of the Barr" clan by the Rev. Father Barry ; sketches of Cork (illustrated 1 * by W. Roe, 1838, edited by ' R.D. ; ' Regnum Corkagiense, or description of the Kingdom of Cork,' edited by Robert Day, F S.A. ; 'Some Notes of the Trish Judiciary in the reign of Charles II , 1666-1685,' by F. E. pall. M.R.I A. ; and in addition the usual notes. This publication is one of the most interesting and useful of its kind, and should recehe generous support from all Cork men. A very successful land ballot for a large area of land in varjpus parts of the Taranaki land district, mostly in the north, took place at New Plymouth on Thursday The total area under offer was about 7500 acres. In the present lot there were .">BS applications for 51 sections balloted for, comprising 32,420 acres About 60 applicants were jnesent. Messrs W. T. Jennings, M.H.R., and McLuggage, J P., of Whnngamomooa, were elected by

the selectors to act as scrutineers. Before the ballot Mr. James McKenzie, Commissioner, stated the conditions of settlement, and said any attempt to secure sections lor speculative purposes would be sternly dealt with by the Land Board, but to those who showed the s- hit of bona fide settlers every consideration nnd a.<-sistance would be given The sections balloted for are yjtuatcd in the Ohura Opaku, Omona, Ware, Aria, and Pouatu survey districts. Those in Ohura are keenly sought for there being as many as 77 applications for one section as a result of the ballot sections were secured b" perf£\\ s fl '° m cl J ll J I ' a . i ;l s °Ju the c J> lon y- Those present were yicll satisfied with the conduct of the ballot Twenty w£r r< ££? m se< ~ tions in Ohura balloted on the 28th paATT^Tcolony. "*""* * Per8 ° nS dUterent