THE WEATHER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2721, 16 March 1916, Page 4

THE WEATHER

0 SUMMARY AND FORECAST AJ 4 P.M. YESTERDAY. Present Indications are for freshening .easterly to northerly winds, increasing cloud and haziness, foggy at times in inany parts, with a falling barometer everywhere. Kxpeot a change generally, with rain following shortly in • the northern, West Gcwet, and southern districts. The winds have been variable and moderate, the weather very warm 'and humid; cloudy end misty , at times in many parts of the country. The barometer rose slightly last night, but fell again to-day. D. C. BATES. Meteorological Office, Wellington. March 15, 1916. DISTRICT, REPORTS. (From Our Spccial Correspondents.! Masterton, March 15.—Pine, but cltyidy. Featherston, March 15.—Pine and warm.- . Ureytown,»March 15—Fine and bright.

Some remarkable disclosures weru recently made before a Royal Commissioner in Queensland, appointed to inquire into a ease_ arising out of all np-. peal by -an applicant for Crown land from the decision of a Land Commissioner -in refusing his application to seicct a grazing homestead. In the appeal case allegations of favouritism to a naturalised German, who won the ballot, were made against a' ranger. On the day the ballot ' was drawn tho ranger prepared the cards and envelopes, and sat on the Bench at tho Court. . One of tho witnesses, a land agent, said that the ranger had admitted to him that he had faked tho ballots, and it would be as good as £!JSO to him. On asking how the ballot was faked, the ranger said: "You got 38 envelopes; place them in a box on the table. You have one f closed dummy envelope on the Bench beside you. You then pick up another envelope, mark it 'accepted,' show it to the applicants, put it down on the Bench alongside of you, close it, then pick up tho dummy envelope, and hand it to the person to put in the box. with the other d 8 papers. Then when the right man comes along, and hands you up his envelope, yott pick up the accepted one, open it, and Bhow it to the applicants. You see the Accepted envelope _«ever goes in tho box." 'Other evidence of an incriminating character was given. *Tho Royal Commissioner has now handed a. report of the proceedings to the Minister of Lands, in which ho expresses tho opm, ion that the ovidonce was sufficient to satisfy him that the Tanger had faked the ballot. Tho Minister thereupon notified the ranger that ho would bo suspended, pending action by tho Public Service Board.

The Mayor wishes us to state that he will be obliged if private Diotor-car owners will pay a visit to the Mararoa in tho morning and take parties of wounded soldiers arriving by that steamer for drives. There will be a long interval of time between the arrival of these ineu and tho public reccDtioo,