AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 273, 27 November 1901, Page 2

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

SPURTING. i Special to Times. > Auckland, last night. Bluejacket for the Auckland Cup and Cruciform for the Kailas Handicap is the most fancied double • -aa the nominations being announce st night. Since my last notes - .e :m,:s Tauhei has improved every d and. is getting in good work. Should . r Harding decide Ito start the gr.-y tu jn. me Handicap at the Tak.ipuiiii rtu .-, commencing next 1 Saturday, with sue a a nice handy weight. | she will take a power of heating. Materoa ; does not seem to improve. She is such a I had traveller that she will probably take time to he her own self again. When tit Materoa will be hard to beat. MAUIH EVIDENC'D.

The time occupied in taking Maori evidence at the supreme Court, owing to the necessity fur interpreting, considerably protracts a case. During the present criminal sessions there have been several Maori cases, all of which were long ones. When a half-caste woman was put into the witness box yesterday, Judge Conolly, anxious to save time, asked if she could not give evidence in English. V\ hen asked to speak in the pakeha tongue the woman said in English, ** X don t think 1 can speak the hard words ” : so an interpreter had to be called on again. His Honor remarked that in his opinion it would have been better if early mission- | aries. instead of inventing the Maori ] language, had taught all the Maoris English, then to-day all Maoris would have known English. Mr Reid, one of the counsel in the case, said : 11 It certainly would have been a blessing to us. Your Honor.” SHIPWRECKED SAILORS. The crew of the wrecked barque lvoyal Tar went to the Sailors’ Home. Unfortunately there is not in Auckland a Shipwrecked Mariners’ Benefit Society. In England the Hoard of Trade also allow seamen in sueh circumstances ;,i few pounds to enable them to procure necessities, but here the men have to bear the loss themselves, with the exception that pending the inquiry their wages continue.