AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 88, 23 April 1901, Page 3

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

MUNICIPAL. . [Special to Times.] Auckland, last night. I hear that the rush for Mayoralties and seats in Wellington city and suburbs ; is unprecedented. There are thirteen candidates for six mayoral seats, and ninetyeight for fifty-seven seats on Borough Councils. THE LINDA WEBER. The news from Gisborne stating that anxiety is being felt regarding the safety of the brigantine Linda Weber has caused alarm here. The vessel left Gisborne five weeks ago to-morrow, under the command of Captain Simon McKenzie, a wellknown master here, his instructions being to proceed to Ngunguru to load coal for Auckland, or if the weather proved unfavorable, to go on to Hokianga to load timber for Sydney. The wind was blowing right into Ngunguru about ’the time the brigantine was due there, so that she would probably go on to Hokianga, but in any case she should have put in an appearance before this. A brigantine passing to the westward was observed from Cape Maria Van Dienian on the Bth inst., but this could hardly have been the Linda Weber, as she would have been sailing to the southward. The vessel may have been blown out to sea while endeavoring to make Hokianga. She is owned by Captain D. Shaw, of Auckland. ROYALTY AND NATIVES. The Ngatimahuta tribe and other Maoris residing at Waahi, Mahuta’s settlement on the Waikato River, near Huntly, have decided that they will not proceed to Rotorua to take part in the welcome there to the Duke and Duchess of York. In the event of there being no chance of showing their canoe sports on the Waikato, Mnhuta and his people will arrange an excellent series of big canoe parades and races on the Waikato River in honor of the Royal visitors, and they are hopeful that the Royal train will make a short stay at some suitable place on the river to enable the travellers to see the interesting canoe sports. They do not desire to go to Rotorua, and join in a welcome which would be held within the boundaries of another tribe. TI-IE ROTORUA GATHERING.

The Hon. James Carroll, Native Minister, accompanied by the Gisborne Maori chiefs, leaves for the East Coast by the s.s. Mararoa to-morrow. He will probably return here in about three weeks’ time, in order to revisit Rotorua, and satisfy himself that the arrangements for the Maori reception to the Duke and Duchess of York arc going on satisfactorily. In the meantime, Captain Gilbcrd Mail-, who is very well known to the Natives of the Hot Lakes, where ho saw much service during the war times, is loft at Rotorua in charge of the arrangements for the Maori gathering. There has been such a great rush for accommodation at Rotorua in anticipation of the welcome there to the Royal visitors in June that all the available rooms in the hotelsand boardinghouses have already been booked. TIMES TIPSTER, The winner of the Avondale Handicap, The Needle, last Saturday, was tipped by the Gisborne Times sporting correspondent out of a field of sixteen. It appears that the Times sporting correspondent,, who usually ventures out before the sun, was the witness of a sensational gallop previous to the races by the Needle. The following morning the sporting scribe watches the defeat of the Needle by Formula and Firclly, and on Friday, among his usual sporting notes, mentioned Formula and Firclly as possessing likely chances, but owing to some discrepancy it was really The Needle was tipped and proved the winner, and returned the nice dividend of AS 19s. It might bo remarked that this event was proved to be tbc most open one that has taken place in Auckland for a number of years,