Late Shipping. NUHAKA ROAD.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 79, 11 April 1901, Page 3

Late Shipping.

NUHAKA ROAD.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, April 10. Arrived : Pukaki from Westport, and Monowai. Sailed : Zealaudia, for Auckland, with an English mail.

Melbourne, April 10, Sailed : Waihora.

Apricots grown in the Cheviot district fetched ‘2Bs per case in Wellington this season.

The Ituahine ranges in the neighborhood of are being prospected for gold. A sum of .0400 has been set apart by iho Adelaide Military Department to encourage rifle shooting.

There are six million bushels of wheat awaiting transit from Now South Wales for markets over the sea.

Grapes grown in the open air in the Wairarapa are usually quite ripe by the end of March, but this year they' are all behind owing to the want of sunshine. The following announcement causes a good deal of interest to the Christchurch Press, letters received by the last mail from the Hon. AV. P. Reeves, Agent-Geheral for the colony in London, states that it is possible ho may return to New Zealand in time for the next general election. There has been from time to time a deal of speculation as to Mr Reeves’ return to the colony. Rumour lias gone so far as to proclaim that the Premier would be his successor as Agent-General. A correspondent of the Melbourne Age, referring to an article “ The Romance of the British Throne,” published in that paper, writes : — ,l It may interest some of your readers to know that the original document signed by Richard Cromwell, and witnessed by six Earls and Lords, under which he agreed to resign the Crown of England for ever for himself and his heirs, is in the possession of the Auckland (New Zealand) Public Library. This important public document was presented to the library, with other manuscripts, by the late Sir George Grey some years ago, with the history of how it came into his possession, and was given only on the understanding that the history was not to be published until after his death.” Australian papers contain further particulars of the disaster that has overtaken the steamer Federal, though her loss was not then certain. The Age says:— Some idea of the violence of the gale which blew along the coast on Thursday and Friday -may be gathered from a letter written by Captain McGibbon, of the steamer Surrey, to Mr Fullarton, manager for Messrs Mcllwraith, McEacharn. He says that although the Surrey had 17 feet of freeboard, the waves constantly broke over her. “I am afraid.” he adds, that a smaller steamer, if laden, would find the weather very [much worse than we did, although I feel certain it was only our great freeboard, and letting the steamer just drift that saved us from serious damage. Between 1 and 2 o’clock on Friday morning one very heavy sea struck the steamer amidships, tearing our heavy iron ashshoot from its fastenings. A huge volume of water was hurled upon the bridge—3o feet 'fiflove sea level—nearly talcing the chief officer and myself overboard, and of course swamping us both.” The hull of the Federal was insured against total loss for .-£14,760. Part of this amount is distributed among several marine offices, one of the chief holders being the North Queensland, and the remainder of the risk is held by the owners of the vessel. Sir Malcolm McEacharn said that to replace the Federal would cost £35,000. Her market value was about £25,000. The cargo of coal, in all 3450 tons, was insured at cost price free on board.

The troubles of census collectors are related by the New Zealand Times. The following is one of the best items: — “ One hapless sub-enumerator called at a house where there happened to be a bulldog who knew its business. The dog, which was at the end of a long chain, remained gracefully curled up outside the kennel until the man got safely past on his way to the house. Then the animal rapidly cut off the lines of communication, and made a hold flank attack, driving the enemy to seek refuge behind a door, which luckily proved to be unlocked. But once inside, the census man had to stay there. There was no way out but by the door, by which he hod entered,” and this was out of the question. The occupants of the house having gone out for the day, there was nobody to call the dog off. Thus the visitor was reduced to a state of siege. He remained in this plight for twenty minutes, by which time the dog had decided on a piece of strategy. It made a feint of retreating, and curled itself up again outside the kennel. The unfortunate sub-enumerator, peeping out, I saw only one chance, and he took it. Throwing open the door, he made a wild dash past the kennel. The dog rushed at him, hut could only seize his coat-tail. This was torn off, and some spare schedules which its owner carried there went with it. These were returned next day, having been recovered by the owner of the dog when he came home,”

(To the Editor of the Times.)

i Sir,— Now that ouv member and th Minister of Lands are in the district, it i | only right that there should be pressei | home upon them the necessity for haviu the grants for certain works and improve ments expended with all speed, so tha the work could be completed during tin fine weather we are likely to have befor< the rainy season sets in. As a member o a party visiting the Morere Hot Springs I was very much struck with the neglect everywhere reigning supreme. The road from Tarewa to the Hot Springs Hotel is nothing more than a bog, and uuless something is done will be simply impassable to any kind of traffic from this end. ! The track to the Spiings is in no better state, and it is deplorable to think that the [ Government should allow this unrivalled bush scenery to remain in such an un-get-at-able state, considering there has been a vote of something like seven hundred pounds for this puipose, aud is as yet unexpended. Hundreds of pounds have been spent : n trying to beautify Rotorua, whereas at the Morere Springs very little need he spent in that direction, as the variety and denseness of the bush is remarkable. Why should not the track and shelter at the baths be brought up-to-date, | so as to allow visitors to obtain the benefits of these wonderful waters at a mini-

mum of trouble and inconvenience ? The cost would only be a mere fraction of the amount put down for the purpose. In > yalids and others would then have very lew complaints to make, as the accommodation provided at the hotel by Mr Cooper leaves little ground for complaint, everything in the way of food and attention being rather above than under the average of good country houses. It is not my intention to try and teach my mother to suck eggs, but I must insist on the fact that where fascines have been used in soft parts of the road, on the other side of Nuhaka, the ground was much firmer, and a great deal easier and safer to travel over. I see no reason why the same principle cannot be applied to the long stretch of bog on this side of the Springs. Then, no doubt, it would be found that visitors would attempt the little trip in any weather, without the fear of accidents that attaches to it in the present state of the road. The lion, members having lately come through this part of the district by trap, were no doubt feeling touched on tliis particular part of the road. Wairoa County can without doubt teach CookCounty a lesson in regard to care of roads, as with the exception of a few (and very few places) their roads were good, notwithstanding the amount of rain experienced of late. At present travellers arc able to tell what County they arc in simply by looking at the state of the road.—l am, etc., Townsman. April 9th.