Interprovincial

New Zealand Tablet, 12 July 1906, Page 24

Interprovincial

Only nine of the ' life members- of the Legislative Council now remain : Hon. W. D. H. Baillie, Hon. C. C. Bowen, Hon. C. J. Johnston, Hon. G. McLean, Sir H. J. Miller, Hon. J. D. Ormcnd, Hon. H. Scotland, Hon. E. C. J. Stevens, and the Hon. L. Walker. The total number of members has decreased' to 37. The' weight of the Christchurch Mayoral chain has now reached 3ffi. It is composed • entirely of solid gold, shields presented b)y qach of the Mayors on leaving office with the exception of Mr. Eden George. The portrait of that gentleman is also missing from the collection of pictures of the Mayors hung in the Mayor's room. Mr. F. w. Marchant, who was engaged to report on the merits of the two harbor schemes at Napier, pronounces unhesitatingly in favor of the breakwater scheme. To complete this will, he estimates, cost £181,560, while to form a new harbor at the Spit would entail an expenditure of £325,900. It has been definitely decided by the Government to set up a Royal Commission to inquire into the shipping of wet wool and flax, and the cause of the recent fires on board steamers. The Premier's recommendations in th s direction were discuased by the Cabinet and approved. It has not yet been decided when the * commission will commence its labors. Mr. Way the eminent American oil expert, who has just finished an exhaustive inspection of the petroleum iegion between Ngaire Swamp and Omata, declares that he has met the strongest indications of petroleum in that radius of about 30 miles, and especially at* Were's farm, Omata, where he discovered the best petroleum in the district. He considers that portion of Taranaki, ' which also includes the well of the Taranaki Petroleum Company, e|q.ual to any in-dications in the United States. Since these discoveries the whole country has been secured on oil boring options. When Sir J, G. Ward reached New York last week, President Roosevelt's carriage met him and conveyed him to Segamore Hill, where he lunched with the President. On being intemevved Sir Joseph Ward referred to New Zealand's surplus wool and kauri gum, and stated that he was able to negotiate on the question of reciprocity with the United States without reference to Britain. He was prepared to take the preliminary siops and on hist departure to lea-e the matter .v Wvi hands of the British \Fmbassv. The leading \'^%v York cdi tors lunched with Sir Joseph Ward at the Waldorf Hotel, and the latter discussed the question of reciprocity in natural products between America and New Zealand with the principal citizens.