NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 55, 6 March 1901, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND.

By Telegraph—Per Press Association. Wellington, last night.

The Agricultural Department expa ;ts to obtain about 100 tons of bark till ) year, worth from £6 to £7 10s, pg; ton, from the wattle plantation at rtangiriri, Waikato. . Sir James Prendergast, ex-Chief Justice, has been appointed by the Government to proceed to London and represent the colony at the conference in reference to the appointment of a colonial Judge to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Mr Perham, Chief Engineer of the Mines Department, leaves Wellington to-night to survey the site of the dam which the Government has decided to erect at Ida Valley, Central Otago, for irrigation purposes. The export of gold from New Zealand for the two months of the present year was 72,2970 z, valued at £287,960, or an increase of 18,8830 z, valued at £69,102, compared with the first two months of last year. During last month 48,8890 z of silver, valued at £5227, were exported. Auckland, last night.

Evidence was given before the Federation Commission this morning by Messrs A. B. Donald, ship-owner, T. T. Masefield, ironfounder, Wesley Spragg, manager of the New Zealand Dairy Association, and Sturges, VicePrseident of the Otahuhu Fruitgrowers’ Association. Mr Donald advocated Federation, and the other three took opposite views. The ’Frisco mail steamer Ventura was due at Auckland yesterday, according to time-table, and was only signalled at 3 o’clock this afternoon. Since the commencement of the year, when the new table-table came into force, none of the inward boats have been up to time. M Neiv Plymouth, last night. The Hon. Mr Cadman and Mr Smith, M.H.R., went to Mokau this morning to inspectjthe coal mines and other mineral resources. Both intend to leave for England shortly to lay the mineral resources of Taranaki before capitalists. Captain Coutts was congratulated by the Hon. Mr McGowan on his appointment to the Seventh Contingent at a small gathering of personal friends last night. ■ Mr McGowan loft for the South this morning. Woodville, last night.

George Rogers, with half-a-dozen aliases, another of the spieler gang that visited Woodville at race time, was sentenced this morning to three months for obscene language, and one month for vagrancy. Dunedin, last night.

Charles Brett, a fisherman, employed by Mr Bilson, of Dunedin, was drowned yesterday afternoon by the upsetting of his boat in the passage at Moeraki. Deceased was single, aged about 35. Invercargill, last night. The Supreme Court sittings opened before Judge Williams to-day. Charles Heatley, who escaped from the prison gang shortly before the expiry of his sentence, pleaded guilty to the theft of a gun, ammunition, and clothing from a hut during his temporary freedom. After capture he again attempted to escape, and got 12 months. He was now sentenced to six months additional. John Robert Corkhill, who pleaded guilty to forgery and uttering, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment