AUCKLAND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 736, 8 April 1910, Page 4

AUCKLAND NOTES.

SWAMP LANS). AN EXCITING CHASE. (By 'Telegraph.—Special CotTesrondenO Auckland, April 7. For some time past Mr. W. F. Maa«, sey, member for Franklin and Leader* of the Opposition; has boon interesting' himself in the pdss&ility of draining) tho Whangamarino Swamp, lying be-, tween Kangiriri and Mercer, of whichi spmo. 100,000. acres still belong to tho> Crown. .'Mr. .Masscy brought tho subject rip. in Parliament last session, and a promise was given that aa engineer! would be sent to visit the district and' report. In pursuance of this. promise! the engineer in charge of tho drainage of the Piako Swamp recently visited; the' locality, and it is understood thate' he has reported that it fe quite possible* to deepen the Yfaikato River beloii Mercer, and so drain tlie hug©.area ci swamp land in-the.loca.Sitjv .■■..-.'.

■'.' A HUNTED M&ORI. . ' ; : ; The escapades of a Waingaro Natfpa> are reported to be aronsing considerable- interest''about Kawhia, in' Borneo '■ -. eases amounting to .disquietude, morerespecially among tho Maori v residents... It is alleged that he relieved a fellow! Native of over £4 in leash, together! with some jewellery, at Qparau, and in-' formation to that effect!-wa-s given to'; the police. The man was pointed outi to the local constable on the racecourse on- Ea-ster Morjday,' but wheiL approached on the sui(ject he vaulted on to, a saddled horse standing.. riear,i and bolted at top speedy with tho policel '■■ and others in'-full "cry. .Half amite '■'.'-■. down a steep incline brought the innS to the main road,- up iriiich tho Maori, doubled, with, his pursisers hot on Msl heels. Turning a. shas-'j) bend in. the/. road; he jumped off has- horse and, :\ slipped into the scrub. The party proceeded to beat the coyer,, but.'allefforts to- run the quarry to. earth were an-.. successful, and the puiaait i was called off. The same evening, with hat and , garments inside out, too Maori calmly rode past where tho police and others*; were waiting, but he was not at first* recognised. . ■ As .soon, as lis.- disguise -...'. was' detected, the chasfe was resumed. • While,going at full gallop, the'Mgitiyo'st ' horse-fell, and ' Mr. "IV. Armstrong'® ' mount, a good.Jumper, cleared .ther prostrate horse and rider.- -Before tha . rest of the field could come up "or MrArmstrong could turn, the Native' had| - .' ". ' slipped through' a, fence, . and .disap-' ■ '.- > peared in tho vegetation of a'sirampw ...'.' j Although he has been,sighted on :Vari- : ■, ~ i ous occasions during'the.week,' ; helas| 1 so far evaded capture. It is" assertedl i that the Maori, who is well armed, "ia - particularly. clever in eluding the arm! of the law. It is said that on one oc'casion, years ago, he was ensconced in a!' willow, tree on an island, near .Ngarua* - wahia, when * "wanted," and on the .': Eolice ■ climbing the.tree 'to dislodge. . im, he jumped into the river, secured* ■■' the police boat, and pulled ishore, leaving the police in' insular solitude.. On*: another occasion,. it is stated; he leffe the constable floating down the middlen of. the AVaikato, in a canoe, while 'ha, . swam ashore with the "oinly paddle. A? warrant has.,be'en issued'for "his arrest, . •'■■:.' but he is still at .large. . '-~.'T■':;

'.NAVAL RESERVISTS! 1 ;-•'■ "Your, boys turn out better than.yourl men," lemarked Captain AV. F. Blunt* commander of H.M.S. Pioneer, to anj reporter, ...when: .speaking ~.o( -the success -which attended the ,train< ing Zealanders'_ for- service in; the Navy. ■ Those of .the. nien who dis-< play a. r willingness to settle';down : jindeiS ,the..dfscipl]ne'"of\ life.; usually) made successes, Captain Blunt''stated,, but in cases where recruits came fromi the- hack- country, and ■ cjuickly tired.'ofl sea life, they, 'often displayed a foolish! ■tendency to .desert. On the other)' hand, the younger New Zealandefs "en-> tered more into the spirit of nayal.s'er-< tico, and were far more amenable to dis-> cipline..; In fact, he considered that this country, has been; doing very fine-work, during recent years in the direction' oi cadet training.- The boys seem'to. have far' more, healthy attractions" to keep, them off itbe streets,, and to :prevent' them 'from .'cultivating an inclination for idling. '.-...--.'.'■._

THE.'GAME OP POOL. The question'whether "pool" as played on billiard tables constitutes a game'ofi' .' skill or of chance/ is likely to fqrinl ". ■■ the basis of legal'argument at Aucki ' land in the near future.- ' Summonses, it is understood, ' have been issued against s'ome local billiard saloon-keep-i ers for the purpose of bringing, a test! ease, and ,the' : saloon-keepers are -con-sulting-leading- legal-authorities. 'Tol. those uninitiated in the arts of the! cue, it might be - mentioned-that the most ■ popular form of pool is' played with ordinary billiard cues and-balls, ■ the object being'to knock over certain! ' wooden pins which'are placed en certain -parts :of the table." Before- tha. commencement of the game each playe* draws from a basket or bag a;marble, the number upon which constitutes a -form of handicap, and which may M . ' kept secret' until the' conclusion of: thq game. The ".pool" is comprised of ■ th«r entrance-money ' handed in ' by; eacl, player;" and, after a deduction 'for th< of the table; the money is; paid to the" winner. -In a case at, Huntly recently,- Mr. Northcroft, 'S.M:, ruled that pool wasari illegal .game,, and! accordingly recorded ' 'a' convictioa against the keeper" of abilliard-room} who was prosecuted by the. police. . .