MAIL SUMMARY. FOR EUROPE AND AMERICA

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 39, 15 February 1905, Page 6

MAIL SUMMARY. FOR EUROPE AND AMERICA

OUR HOME LETTER AUCKLAND, February 13. His Excellency the Governor, after living in Auckland for several months, left for tire South about three weeks ago, proceeding as far as Invercargill to lay the foundation stone of a new Town Hall. His Excellency is now residing in Christehareh, where he will remain for a month or two. At Oamaru he recently unveiled a memorial to troopers who fell in the Boer War. Sir Joseph Ward, interviewed at Christehurch, declared the colony was . still very prosperous. Prices of 'wool and meat had been and were still ' very good; indeed, though there was- fluctuation for the moment in the wool market, the price was atill very good. The enhanced values of wool would ultimately be distributed among all classes of the community and ■would materially add gencrallv to the individual wealth of the colony. There was no dearth of employment in the ordinary sense in any part of the colony. They had only to look at the unusually large number of people using the railways to see everywhere business people or others on pleasure bent "on the move." The revenue was very healthy, and there was nothing ahead to justify the assumption that the existing prosperity was likeiy to be diminished. Sir Joseph Ward gave a '"X.yt.telton Times , ' reporter some interesting information regarding the steps taken by the Government tcT adverti.se the colony abroad. He said that, noticing that an exhibition w.is to be held in Liverpool during January, he had instructed the Department of Industries and Commerce to got together a comprehensive exhibit of this colony and its producf-s, so as {o bring directly tinder the notice o( the large manufacturing districts of the centre of England what New Zealand sent Home in the way of "produce, consisting mostly of frozen mutton and lamb, of which fresh carcases were to be placed on view each day of the exhibition. During May next another exhibition would be held at the Crystal Palace, London. This was to last from May to October. The produce exhibited in Liverpool would be transferred to the Crystal Palace Exhibition, London, and would be supplemented, if necessary, by fresh supplies from the colqny. If the exhibits were placed in a commanding position he had little doubt that a creditable display would be made, with the best of results to the export trade of the colony. In these times of keen competition, when more favourable markets, at any rate as regards dislance, were a necessity, they must leave no stone unturned to bring- under the notice of the consuming markets the superior quality and finish of our products, and. as they all more or less depended upon the welfare of the producer, it behoved them to use every endeav.our to insure for him the best market and the highest prices for his produce. The Senate of the New Zealand University held its annual meeting i'a Auckland a fortnight ago. A large number of matters affecting the University were discussed, the principal being the course for the degree of commerce, authorised by the University Amendment Act of last session. A School of Commerce will he commenced in Auckland. Steps were also taken to enable the University to confer degrees in divinity. Slight alterations were made in some of the degree courses. The Senate will meet in Dunedin next year. Mr J. D. Dineen, a student of the Auckland University College, has been selected by the University Council as the Auckland candidate for the Rhodes Scholarship. Mr Dinccn is a junior scholar of the University, and sat for his degree at the November examinations. The students nominated will be submitted to the Selection Committee on February 28. The Australian cricket eleven, prior to its tour to England, is now visiting New Zealand. The -ftrst match was played in Auckland on Friday, Saturday, and Monday last. th» Australians winning very easily by an innings and L">G runs. The Australians scored 442 in Uteir first innings, while the two ventures of the local fifteen only produced 179 and 107. The batting of the visitors was an object lesson to local cricketers, and their smart fielding and brilliant returning were also very educative. The fine batting of Victor Trrunper, who scored 92 runs, aroused the enthusiasm of the large crowd present, the ease with which the played all the bowling being remarkable. The team is as solid a batting and fielding sids as lias ever made the trip, but its bowling lacks variety, there being neither a slow bowler nor a left-hander in the team. A conference of insurance managers was held in Wellington recently. Some reticence is shown with regard, to the business transacted, but it is underStood "that in what is termed K W risks (including churches, dwellings, etc), the tariffs have been reduced by 33 l-3rd per cent., and that the basis of rates under "X," "V," and "Z" schedule in all tariffs (which includes warehouses, manufactories, hotels, etc.) will bs reduced by 10 per cent. The risks coming under "special higher rates" will remain as they are, and not be subject to any discotint or reduction pending the issue of revised rates by the committee of the Council. It is further etated that the reduction of 10 per cent, is to be made on all present "schedule rates." It is also said that the minimum premium of 5/ in the present tariff, and the fee at present charged for registering transfer of interest in policies, are to be abolished. The report on the trade and revenue of the port of Auckland for 1904 has been compiled by the Customs authorities, and it shows that in every department our trade is expanding and the material returns that we gather from this progress are increasing. The receipts from Customs duties rose last year by nearly £30,009 —a result due chieily to the great extension of our import trade. The value of imports into the port of Auckland for 1903 was £3,167,185; but last year the aggregate value rose to £3,248,123, showing an increase of £80,935. One striking featare of the increase is the growth, of our Pacific Island trade, which finds a natural centre at Auckland. As to exports, the returns are not quite so satisfactory, but we can point to a substantial rise of over I £11,000. Though our exports to Au-j-

tralia have decreased by over £50,00, this reduction is more than balanced by an expansion of oar export trade with the United Kragdom to the amount of £162,193. As we must expect for a long time to come, our chief exports are the products of- the extractive industries hased upon our rich natural resources. Last year we exported butter to the'value of £248,602 as against £195,433 in 1903, and cheese to the value of £3J59 as against £653 in 1903 —a total increase of over JE 55,000. Our frozen meat export fell oil to the amount of £4] ,692, and our gold expert, though it totalled nearly £830,000. was £40.000 behind the previous year. Flax showed a rise of nearly' £57,000; and by far the greatest decrease was in kauri gum, which through uncertain markets and low prices fell off to the amount of nearly £130,000 as compared with 1903. The rise in -wool during the last half of the year gave Auckland a solid increase of £72,105 over the previous year's returns. The month of January is generally regarded in the Islands as one of the worst months of the year for hurricanes. Last month a hurrieajie did considerable damage at Nitte. Tonga, and Samoa, while Fiji also suffered pretty severely. At Niue the natives lost more considerably by the destruction of their trees than the other islanders- In the Cook Group the hurricane appeared to be no more than a severe gale. Notwithstanding, churches, schools, and houses were more or less damaged, but the worst feature was the immense quantity of native food destroyed. Some small boats were -wrecked on th Fiji coast. During the hurricane off Nine, on January 14, the mate of the Government schooner Countess of Rjinfurly, a Norwegian named Molverg, was washed overboard and drowned. The locallyowned schooner Yaabel met with a severe handling off Niue era December 2S, bpt sustained no damage. The criminal sessions of tbe Auckland Supreme Court have just been concluded. The Grand Jury threw out the bill against T)r Collins, charged with manslaughter in the case of Wallis Wuyte, a patient at the Auckland Hospital, whoso death with other complaints against the management of the liosptial formed the basis of a recent Royal Commiesion inquiry. Dr. Colliua was, therefore, discharg-ed. and he has since resigned hia position as medical super- [ intecdont o fthe hospital. The Grand Jury also returned no* bill in the charge against William Murton, a flax-cutter, charged with murdering an old woman at Mercer, the only evidence against the accused being that he was the last person seen in the presence of the deceased woman. The coach factory of MessTs Sargent and Littleproud, on the Strand, Beach road, Auckland, and contents were practically destroyed by fire on February 10. The damage amounted to some thousands of pounds, and the insurance was only £1000. The Premier has explained t3*at the telegram which he despatched to the A gent-General regarding the SeddonTaylor libel action, and which was published in several English newspapers, was a private one, sent as an ordinary citizen. If tbe cable were published in the English newspapers it was the result of a misunderstanding, its publication not being authorised. Mr John Ross, for many years local partner in the firm of Sargood, Son and Ewen, died in Dunedin recently. Mr Ross came to New Zealand in 1864, and' was appointed clerk in the firm of Sargood, Son and Ewen, being connected with the firm until an attack of paralysis compelled him to retire in 1901. lie was admitted partner in 1883, and managed the branch here when it was established. He leaves a widow, three sons and two daughters. A collision between a tramear and a 'bus occurred in Symonds-stroet on Monday evening, resulting in the death of one passenger and the injury of several others, including the driver. Both vehicles were going in the same direction, and tbe 'bns got on the line in , front of the car, which dashed into it. The *bus was smashed to matchwood, and the passengers were thrown violently to the roadway. Mrs. Foster, of Picton-street, Ponsonby. fell under the car, and was so terribly injured that she died within a few minutes. The driver and a girl named Hill were rather seriously hurt, but the injuries to the other six passengers were of a minor nature. The car was practically uninjured, and its passengers escaped entirely.