AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 277, 2 December 1901, Page 3

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

SPORTING-

(Special to Timks.) Auckland, last night. The main event at Takapuna yesterday proved a dead heat between the Gisborne horse Tauhci and Sparkling AVater,. St. Urania was third. St. Olga was tho only other starter. Tauhci was away last, and passing the stand was several lengths behind. At tho home turn the victory of the Gisborne mare was loudly proclaimed by tho speculators. There was a great struggle to the post.'; ?The general opinion was that Tauhei had won. DISCHARGED HANDS. Notwithstanding all the denials, it is clear that the Government is not “ flush of funds ” just now, and it will he lucky for Gisborne if the strike there is not urged as an opportunity to greatly lessen the number of workmen employed. About 20 men have been discharged from the railway works on the Ilelensvillo line. Quito a number of the men are putting in their time in Queen street waiting for something to turn up. Several of them stated that they are anxious to find work, but thought their prospects were not very bright till after tho holidays. AVhon the reporter ventured to query about the -

causo of their dismissal the invariable reply was “ That’s what we want to find out.” As to the mode of their dismissal some state that they got no warning; in fact, cases were mentioned where the only intimation of dismissal was a notieo posted up at tho work notifying that certain gangs were not to start work. As showing that the men dismissed are not all ineapables, as has been suggested, one workman stated that ho had for a time beon working on contract, and by pegging in hard had managed to make from 10s to 12s a day, but he had not been long at this when tho torms were changed, and lie was put on wages, so that his wage could not oxceod Is per hour. So that they wero better off than tho Gisborne men.

MAIN TRUNK LINE.

A special correspondent telegraphs from Palmerston North:—“ Within the past few days a hundred men have been dis-

missed about tho Taibapo portion of the North Island Main Trunk line, while a number of settlers, who bad been induced to invest in drays and teams for railway work, are at their wits’ ond owing to being knocked off before they had an opportunity to pay for them. Theso eases are the harder as for months past broken weather prevented a living wage being earned. The outlook is not very promising, as I have not seen so many men seeking work unsuccessfully for ten years as during the past month.” A FIRE.

• Shortly after midnight Captain Taw, of the s.s. Chelmsford, discovered that the s.s. AVeka, lying at the Onehunga Wharf, was on fire. The alarm was at once given, and the Onehunga Fire Brigade was soon on the scene. As an abundant supply of water was available, the flames were got under after about an hour’s work, hut not before nearly the whole of the interior oi the steamer was gutted. The AVeka had a large cargo of goneral merchandise on board, which was of course very seriously damaged by fire and water. Tho fire is supposed to have originated in tho bunkers. The AA r oka is owned by the Onehunga and AVaiuku Steam Navigation Company.

PRODUCE MARKETS.

The local produco markets have been fully supplied with most lines during tho past week. Heavy shipments of fruits came forward from Sydney and Fiji. Now potatoes came to hand more freely, and prices declined, and if it had not been for orders for export they would have dropped still further. Butter was none too plentiful, and fully maintained last week’s rates. Eggs were in keen demand, and sold at higher rates. Poultry, although fairly plentiful, sold well, on account of hoavy orders from tho' Islands for the Christmas trade. AVHITE STAR LINE.

The following appears in to-day’s Herald :—A short time since it was announced that Mr Pierpont Morgan, tho great American financier, had.acquired a controlling interest, on behalf of American capitalists, in the well-known AVhite Star lino, which owns somo of tho finest boats in tho world, and does an enormous trade across the Atlantic, and is rapidly building up a great servico to Australia. In Liverpool it is now believed that the transaction has been completed. Recently Mr Morgan paid a sudden and unexpected visit to the Pacific Coast, crossing by the Northern Pacific railway to Seattle, and it is reported that ho has a great railroad and shipping combination in hand, which may even extend to this colony, and embrace the Spreckles line of steamers. In the London Daily Express of October 17 appears tho following cable messago from New York .

New York, October 16. Whatever may be said to the contrary, Wall street believes pretty firmly in the White Star deal. An official of tho Atlantic Transport Company, the closest ally of the Morgan and Leyland interests, said that American capital wants English steamship lines, because Englishmen know how to run ships more cheaply than the Americans, who, on the other hand, can beat the English in running railroads cheaply. Tho American railroad interests are determined to own or control the steamships of Europe. Mr Morgan fs endeavoring to obtain the Oceanic Company, and the entire New Zealand trade. The Oceanic Company owns eleven ships, four of which are about 6000 tons each. SETTLING LAND.

The following is from to-day’s morning journallt is impossible to refrain from the conclusion that the Government are greatly to blame for the delay that will take place in the opening of the lands at Kawhia for settlement. _ Wo were told on the authority of a Minister that somewhere about 80,000 or 100,000 acres of land would bo put up for sale so that settlers could get to work in the present season. But it seems that although all the survey work is completed and the plans are all ready, the valuations have all to bo gone over again. According to the present system of dealing with Government lands, valuations have to be made of every block. The Government do this, but it seems that the conclusion has been come to that these are not to be trusted, and an independent valuation has to be made. This system of valuation and ballot is exceedingly faulty, and is unfair in many cases, but in any event the valuations might have been fixed, and ought to have been fixed long ' Now a season is lost, and the whole colony isgreatly injured. There is no doubt that the land will be taken up by an excellent class of settlers, who will make it a producing area within a few mouths. The opening of this extensive tract will practically connect the Waikato country with the Kawhia country, and will make the latter port one of some importance. If wo were in the South, we should claim that a railway should bo made to' connect the port of Kawhia with the Main Trunk railway, but we suppose wo must not speak of that for some years to come. The opening of this land will be of immense importance for Auckland, but it is the last considerable area that we can expect for some time, as we are now at a deadlock in regard to acquiring Native land. In tho session before last, an Act was passed providing machinery by which the Natives could sell or lease land to Europeans under a Board But tho scheme was found to be unworkable. In this -last session, an amendment Act was jusscc. but apparently the position is mfr.oc-tur. It seems quite likely that nothing will bo done. The Natives are anxious to utilise their surplus lands, while there are good settlers willin'* to take them up. But- the Government will not buy the lands, and cannot, or will not, set up a workable plan of enabling the Natives to make their lands available.