AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 162, 20 July 1901, Page 2

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

OUK SOLDIERS. (Special to Times.) Auckland, Thursday. We welcome home to-day (says one writer) from South Africa tho Auckland members of the Fourth and Fifth Contingents. It is true that the war still wears along, and that it may be months before the peace they fought to bring about blesses our African colonies, but wo have the proud satisfaction of knowing that none have done more to bring its certain issue near than the brave lads who to-day como home again, and comrades who held with theirTifo blood the loyalty .of Aucklanders. To these dead heroes our hearts naturally turn at this time of rojoicing, nor least to those whom Africa spared only for them io die on the water, and even within sight of their native land. This is tho price which nations must pay for peace and security, a price which

bravo nations are ever ready to pay, which every trooper who comes home today has offered to pay for us without flinching. For this we are all tho debtors of each and every man who went to uphold tho Empire in South Africa, and in heartfelt sympathy with every homo from which death has taken its toll. Upon the shoulders of every trooper living or dead has been laid tho knighthood that follows heroic duty and doing, and the knowledge of this soothes tho grief that weeps soft tears in every home made desolate, and ' will make stronger and truer for peacc- ’ fill citizenship every true man whom 1 peril of war has spared. It is our national fc duty to see that none suffer poverty be- > cause a broad-winner died for his country, - and that a fitting place in the industrial 3 ranks is quickly re-opened for every man J whom New Zoalaud called from thorn 2 to fall into tho ranks of war. As warmly as S she bado thorn “Goodbye,” Auckland o bids her soldier lads “ welcome home.” d May it bo so with you in Gisborne, as I v am suro it will.

AUCKLAND'S VENERABLE MAYOR,

Tho appearance of tho venerable mayor of tho city, in his official robes, with his j white locks uncovered to the breeze, was j tho signal for cheering. Dr Campbell’s j remarks were concisely appropriate to the 1 occasion, and very brief. Advancing to j tho front of tho platform, he spoke his , words of welcome to the returned troopers. I He said that the. peoplo of Auckland came I with full hearts of gratitude to welcome I their boys home again. In time cf peril, i when tho Mother Country was in danger, | this country found its opportunity. They took tho lead and sent their young soldiers to tho front, and they had done their duty there. “While glad to see you and we!you home again,” concluded the doctor, “ we nevertheless must sympathise with the relatives of those of you who fell upon the field.” DR POMARE. Auckland, last night. Doctor Pomare, recently appointed Native Health Officer, who rendered valuable services to the Maoris during the Duke’s visit to Rotorua, is at present at the Thames, looking at the sanitary and health conditions under which the local Maoris live.

MR FINN. Mr H. J. Finn, solicitor, of Gisborne, is to remain in Auckland for a month, having several cases to dispose of here. JESSIE MINNS. Up to yesterday, Jessica Minns, who was charged at the Police Court on Tuesday last witli having murdered Leonora, Eva, and Nina Johnston and others, in connection with the Grand Hotel fire, and remanded till Saturday next, had boon unable to obtain a surety for the bail fixed by the Court, and she still remains in the custody of tho Police. Ever since Jessie has been in prison, Mrs Minns (her mother) has each day, for a couple of hours, lived about tho police station.

PROMOTION. A returned trooper of tho Fourth Contingent states that a member of the Gisborne section of rough riders who gained promotion in tho field as a Lance-Corporal, and has joined tho Seventh under Colonel Porter, is to be made a sergeant. MARINE SURVEY. The survey of the coast of New Zealand was among tho matters dealt with in the despatches from His Excellency tho Governor to the Secretary of State, laid before Parliament. According to a wire received this afternoon, in August of last year His Excellency replied to a despatch from tho Secretary of State, informing him that the Government of New Zealand had agreed to tho terms therein named for a re-survey, namely, that tho colony pay'half of the cost. In December last His Excellency informed the Secretary of State of tho portions of tho coasts which Ministers consider should bo first surveyed, the places being named as follows in order of importance : —(1) East Coast of North Island, from Cape Kidnappers to Capo Palliser ; (2) Portland Island to East Cape, especially the portion between tho Gable Foreland and Gisborne ; (3) Bay of Plenty, particularly tho portion between Tauranga harbor and Town Point ; (4) a small portion of the coast off Coromandel harbor ; (5) West Coast of tho North Island, from Cape Maria Van Dicman to Manukau harbor.

In the South Island : (1) Castle Point to Farewell Spit, especially between Kakuranga Point and Greymouth ; (2) a small portion of the coast on each side of the French Pass. The Antipodes Islands and Bounty Islands have never been surveyed, anil the sketch survey made by Captain Fairchild is altogether erroneous.