TELEGRAMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2071, 4 May 1907, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

There was a largo gathering of about fifty oyster-pickers in the vicinity of the Customs House yesterday. It was gathered that they were dissatisfied with the action of the Government in not opening tho beds on which they could profitably work, and as a consequonce had derided not to take out a license. There ire about 100 pickers in Auckland, mil on inquiry it was ascertained .hat only throe licenses had been applied for. Those were taken out early in the morning, and. since then ■io applications had been recoived, ilthough tho season opened tho previous day. “It’s this way,” exclaimed a picker to a Star reporter. “The beds opened up aro innocent of oysters, and it would not pay us to take out a license. Wo talked matters over this morning and aro more determined than ever not to take out licenses. Wo will wait on tlio Minister for Marine and _placo before him our views. Wo think that Waiheke and other places where oysters aro plentiful should have been opened and not the present lot, which need closing for a time to enable the fish to develop.”

' Press Association.' _ DUNEDIN, yesterday. Mr. Goodman, who has been appointed electrical engineer for Adelaide tramways, was entertained last night. He was presented with a gold watch by the late staff and associated engineers. At Dunedin seventeen new pensions were granted in April, the amijunts ranging from £2 to £2G a . Tear. Seven claims were ■ refused, five because of incomes being proved, one on account of property being owned by claimant' and another bef' ‘ cause claimant had not fulfilled the of residence. Seventy-two '■"".’renewals were granted, the lowest i sum apportioned being -£9 a year. fr Norte, were refused. '• The inquest on the bodies of "Wm. . Casserley and John Fyffe, killed by % the Milburn blasting accident in Feb- - V ruarv, concluded to-day. The. ver- *, diet was that the men were killed by an explosion caused by a charge %'■ blocking in a hole and the force used i to clear, the block. . THAMES, yesterday. The Hon! Mr. McGowan received

several depiitatio'ns. The most important was one formulating proposals for the deep development of the field. It-is proposel to sink the Hauraki shaft to 1000 ft., and Government assistance is asked for. Mr. McGowan favored the. scheme, which was one of .importance, and promis-ed-to recoiiuncnd the Government to grant a' mmitd for pound subsidy. ' PA MtrcilSTON, last night. \t 10 30 o’clock a fire in Pascal street d’-stroved an eight roomed •house occupied hv Mr. T. Pyan and owned h.y M’\ Coltinson. hiotlung was save' l . The furniture was insured " for £3-.0 in the. Commercial Union. The insurance on the house was not ascertained.

VOLCANIC ACTIVITY. AUCKLAND, yesterday. The Star’s correspondent at Raurimu wires that, an earthquake war felt at Horojrito on Wednesday at C 45 1) m. A loud noise preceded the Shock, Which continued for some sec, ends. A v *Sttght shock was also ielt at Raurimu. . \ Taupo correspondent wires that Rn,pohn is quiet. Ngaruahoe u more than ordinarily* active, emittiim large quantities of steam am - ashes. Sakaanu geyser is -frequently activT), ejecting water to a height of over olio hundred feet.

THE TARANAKI SEAT. NEW PLYMOUTH, last night. Great interest lias being aroused in the bye-election for (lie Taranaki seat, all three candidates addressing crowded houses. So far as the Bill is concerned the only issue before the electors is that of reasonable endowments versus no Qiidawincuts. All the candidates are optional tenure advocates, except that the Government and Independent Liberal candidates favor reasonable areas of crown land being set aside for the endowments mentioned .in the hill, the balance of crown land to be sold on the optional system, while the Opposition .candidate, Air. Okey, is opposed to endowments. It is reported that a hall has been engaged for Air. Alassey on the eve of the election and lie may he assisted by Me'ssrs. Horries and Bedford. In that event" it is almost certain that a Minister will entor the field.

NATURE STUDY. AUCKLAND, yesterday. During a discussion on the system on nature study lately inaugurated the chairman of the (Education Board (Air. j/ Bagnall) said that it had been proposed that the Board should

have certificates printed and some had been issued. They were brought under the notice of the .Department., and it was thought that they showed too high a qualification, and the secretary held that tlio Board was hot entitled to issue such a certificate. The cerificntes read: “This is to certify that is qualified to teach nature study and elementary agriculture in the Auckland public schools, including practical work in school gardens, plant experiments, budding, pruning, grafting, plant diseases, botany, insects, soil, analysis, dairying, weather observations, astronomy, and nature study.” Mr. Petrie, the Board's chief inspector, reported that ho considered the certificates far too pretentious for the class of qualification a' teacher could get from two months’ tuition, and the signing of it placed the •’hairman in a ridiculous position. After discussion, on the chairman’s motion, it was decided to alter the -ertificates to show that the teachers had undergone a course of training iml had passed an examination in ,he subjects mentioned.

DISSATISFIED OYSTER-PICKERS AUCKLAND, yesterday.