Interprovincial

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 15, 16 April 1908, Page 24

Interprovincial

Authority has been given by Cabinet for the erection^ on" Somes Island', in Wellington Harbor, of a new hospital intended for the isolation of actual patients when vessels are quarantined on account of disease. From a private letter received in Dunedin we learn that the Very Rev. Father Power, of Hawera, is accompanied on his journey Home by the Rev. Father O'Neill, Casterton, Victoria, and the Rev. Fathers Luby and O'Brien, of Melbourne. The Prime Minister addressed a meeting at Kaitangata on Saturday under the auspices of the local branch of the Miners' Union. Referring to the termination of the financial year, Sir Joseph mentioned that the public revenue would be at least £8,800,0, jO. It is announced by tihe four steam shipping companies that trade between New Zealand and England that a reduction has been made in the freight to the Old Country. The reductions are as follows :— Wool and skins, -ja per ft ; hemp and tow, 10s per ton weight,, tallow and pelts, 5s per +on weight. A total of 5986 persons was employed on co-opera-tive works in the Dominion last month*, vf that number, the Public Works Department absorbed 2935 (248 artisans and 2687 laborers-, and t-lfo Roads Ix-partment 3051 (laborers). On the North Island Main Trunk Railway were employed 107 artisans and 1085 laborers. The present fruit season in Auckland -has eclipsed all records. The crop is almost unparalleled. The only one which failed to reach the standard was the apple crop. This was due to" many early varieties being discarded owing to the codlin moth. The production of grapes was phenomenal, but was equalled by ' tho demand. . ' Are you cne of the cited farmers ?' the Chairman of the Conciliation Board asked a farmer who applied to be heard just as the Board was about to conclude its sitting at Darfield.^ ' Yes,' replied the farmer, ' I'm one of the cited farmers, and also one of the excited farmers , I have been here since Monday waiting an opportunity to fs?e evidence.'. For the position (A librarian for the Dunedin Free Public (Carnegie) LibTary, 69 applications have been received from all parts of the Dominion and Commonwealth of Australia. The salary Is £250 a year. It is said that there were clergymen, barristers, solicitors, journalists, men with University degrees/ and other® who have training in literary pursuits, amongst the many applicants for tb.3 post. - During the Hon. James Carroll's journey from WhaK-atane to RuatoM, he stopped for a few minutes at Wilson s store, on the boundary of the Urewera Country, and there Mr. Wilson informed the .Minister as evidence of the way the Natives at RuatoM are takingup dairying:, that he had cashed cheques for monthly payments from the Ttuato'ai cberse factory for £400 for milk supplied by Maoris', and the cheques were show as evidence of the truth of the statement. n The Mayor of Auckland has receives the following &+ rami i^ oin * the ■ Prime Mißist ©r wita reference to the visit of the American fleet :— l In reply to your telegram, the Government programme for entertaining 'the fleet will be considered 1 when Ministers meet . in Wei-

hnigton next week, and I will advise you of the decision when I am in a position to do so. -The hearty co-operation of the cdtizens of Auckland will be apprecated by -blue Government. J For your information as. to the number of vessels, this bis been asked for, and I am informed/ that 14 ar,e coming, though this Is not ■definite.' Grief> and surprise (says Tuesday's ■' Press ') overcame 273- people at noon or thereabouts, yesterday when, m response t 0 thoir frenzied ..ringing up of the tele-j-hone exchange the you ng ladies in charge, like the stars, sent back no answer, and the wire brought no +KPK P i y ' + t,. seventy-six of the number it suddenly dawned that tihtey had not paid their year's subscription, and there was a frenzied rush for the office, and' a swift parung wath the indispensable cash. Thereafter f o r ih QQ m + ?€? € ulCet Voio6S of the attendants floated through the tcfiephooe as -usual, but the remaining 199 still marily ''cut, off/ X^ m **»*"** by the sum ~ ,rv, n - The ?r?? r ? With which the Customs authorities examine f articles was illustrated at the Auckland Harbor Sed^f 1 " 11 ' 2 - 011^ 11 } I^' when lhe fact was menarose whale the matter was under Ministerial consideration. The result was a. charge for 28 days' storage \T; S- he .^S^^'declded t o recommend the B stances - storage ch arges under-;the circum+ho °?f °-- . the .b. bi Sg«st printing jobs ever undertaken in the Dominion is being carried out by the Government Frinifaaa: Office /says the 'New Zealand Times'). The mammoth task allotted to it, in addition to the umal ample supply of official printing, is the production of all the Parliamentary electoral rolls of the Dominion There are quite half a million electors,^ and 76 European constituencies. Each constituency will. require a thousand copies of its roll, so that 76;000 will have to be printed. As they average 100 pages each, tons of Paper will require to be used for their preparation. The big undertaking is to place in type the names, electoral qualifications, and occupations of the half million voters. The metal used for this purpose weighs thirty-five tons, and, although the work commenced on November 15., and has beeoi carried on b|y means of the rapid linotype machine, it is still not quite completed. The Wellington Art Gallery was burglariously entered between 5.30 p.m. on Saturday and 2.30 an Sunday afternoon,, and a famous landscape painting by B W. Leader, R.A., was stolen. This painting, which is an >nglish landscape <' View from Surrey Hills '), was on a canvas about 4ft by sft. It was Safe when the gallery was closed on Saturday. On Sunday the frame ■vv a s discovered in aoi ante-room, and a dark-lantern, a jemmy, and other burglar tools were lying around. The picture was brought to New Zealand by Mr. Alfred Longden, with other English works of art, for the recent New Z© a land Exhibition, and was subsequently purchased by Mrs. W. B. Rhodes, 0 * Wel«iins;ton, for about 0 £600, and presented to the gallery. The agricultural outlook, . so far as it concerns the North Otago Ddstrict (says the « Oamaru Mail ') is at the present time most promising, and given a continuance of the present favorable season farmers should do much towards retrieving the losses imposed on them, by the late unfortunate drought. Not only have the recent rains rendered the ground suitable to" allow of ploughing operations being vigorously proceeded with, but the phenomenal growth of grass has enhanced, to a oonsideraible extent, the prospects for winter feed., In keeping, too, with the improved prostpects for-winter-ing, the values of sheep have risen, and good prices have been realised. Horses are still in great demand, and com'ttiand a price which is but a reflection .of their, usefulness at the present time in assisting in the preraration of the land for next season's crops. With the increased settlement and aided by the prevailing favorable conditions, there should be a marked increase in the aggregate wealth of the community.