AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 314, 15 January 1902, Page 3

AUCKLAND SPECIAL.

THE EIGHTH CONTINGENT,

(Special to Toms.) Auckland, last night. Licut.-Colonel Davies, C. 8., who has been appointed to the command of the Eighth New Zoaland Contingent for South Africa, has returned from Wellington, and will remain in Auckland until tho arrival of the troopship with the North Island battalion. The steamer is expected from Wellington about the end of the month. An effort is being made to bring the regiments from tho North and South Islands together as closely as possible, so as to keep the contingent in one body. If there woro a long interval between the arrival of two portions of the contingent at Capetown it is feared the first detachment

might be put in the field, and tho other on arrival despatched to another part of the arena of operations. GAMING AND LOTTEEIES ACT.

A somewhat severe interpretation of the Gaming and Lotteries Act was made in the E.M. Court this morning. From the evidence it seemed, according to a special message received from Wellington, that a goose and pig lottery was got up at an hotel at Johnsonville, of which James Wareham is the licensee. As the sequel of the affair Wareham and several of his customers wero summoned by tho police on charges of having taken part in a lottery for which prizes were thrown for with dice. It was pleadod in defence that a goose and pig lottery was an ancient Christmas custom ; that it was an “ hereditary custom among Englishmen,” and it had boon practised in Johnsonville for thirty-two years and no one had taken objection to it. After consultation the charge under the Licensing Act against Wareham was withdrawn, and he was joined with tho others in tho information undor the Gaming and Lotteries Act. The finos inflicted ranged from 5s to 13s, and costs from T 9 to TL2. A FAST PASSAGE.

The E.M.S. Sonoma, which arrived from Francisco, Honolulu, and Pago Pago, yesterday afternoon, made a fast passage, the actual time taken on tho voyage was 17 days, 3 hours, and 40 minutes, including stoppages at Honolulu, and Pago Pago, tho steaming time being 16 days, 7 hours, and 5 minutes. The Sierra holds the record for the run between San Francisco and Auckland, having completed the voyage, including stoppages, in 16 days, 22 hours, and 37 minutes, whilo hor actual steaming time was 16 days, 3 hours, and 13 minutes. It is only fair to the Sonoma, however, to state that she was detained three hours or more in a dense fog when off the Great Barrier, and that she made the trip within 5 hours, 3 minutes, and 3 hours, 52 minutes respectively of the Sierra’s times, which is a creditable performance. A large number of passengers in both classes were landed in Auckland from the steamer, while a good number went on to Australia in her early this morning. Tho Sonoma brought about 400 tons of general merchandise for this port.