AUCKLAND NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1932, Page 3

AUCKLAND NOTES

j (From our correspondent.) 1 private letter received from Sydney refers to the widespread feeling of relief over there at the changed political aspect-caused by the defeat of Lang.-s The- cloud of depression appears- to be;,lifting, but with a budget deficiency of some tkiteen and av half millions the new Govnrnmnet will 'have a hard row to hoe to establish confidence anij,. prosperity again. One of the,: Steps; to- be. taken is to close the State: coal' mine, at- Lithgow which is costing: the Government over £IOO,OOO a yfeyr, as- the. cost of producing con-1 froJft the 'mine is about 5s a ton- greater that from private collieries;, The iloss on the Cockatoo dotkyafll 'last (year was £52,060 but it is improbable ftli'is dock • will be closed as it is of jjijnportance to the Commonwealth. It ■ii (highly probably however that "something will be done regarding the ‘Queensland sugar indu try as the people. of Australia- are paying some £7,000,000 a year in indirect taxation, -(through the high price to the coats inner) forth'©;. purpose • of keeping (white-labour employed; in' the.'.Queenshand canefieldW • There are evidently •many iprobl'ems ' facing the people; of Australia before permanent prosperity can - be again-established, but these are not insurmountable .now the broad downward path'of inflation, extravagance, and repudiation, has been abandoned for the nairow thorny path of’ deflation, economy, and the honest and honourable acceptance of financial obligations, which alone can lead to re‘establishment of credit. In the State ballot held about a •fortnight ago for eleven. Crown sections '.jn' the Waikato and Bay of Plenty Ihera were 184 applicants, many of .'them being young men working or iieigh.bou.ring ! farms. Taranaki reports that there is mo-e demand for farms than there has been for a num-b-r of yedrs. Notwithstanding the criticism, of the “ten acre” scheme there have been numerous applications and enquiries; and it appears Dm land settlement is going on steadily. In the past three years the Minister of Lands states 2080 farms have Imer -elected, by new settlers of which 955 were properties not previously farmed. Last week a furtb?ir b Q llot was h' Id for 10 sections, for which there were over 200 applicants. Since the opening up of the new waterfront road there has been, an increase in suburban settlement in the direction of St. Helior’s Bay and the Tamaki. The son views from some of these newly opened awns are very fine, and as now there -are perfect roads, giving access to residential areas cov.erhjg Vniles of country the e is? PkeMliocKl in the future of large and ''■permanent, settlement in this locality'. \ slight outbreak of diphtheria lias, however, caused Dr. Hughes, the liealtli .pffitwr, to- issue a warning, that an adequate system of drainage will be? absolutely necessary before- the outlying Tamaki area, becomes closeF settled. . Two recent fires' in Auckland have been traced to hot ashes having h-©” nlaced in combustibl' a retainers —’’’ one case a- cardboard box. Siienrintendent Salmon of the City Fire Brig- " ndie is of opinion that in such .cases the Fire Board should prope r ute.< ,

Exceptional interest attached to the arrival of the' Melanesian Mission steamier Southern Cross about a fortnight ago, as this was the last voya" 0 the old vessel is’ to make for the missii r,, n, and she is now laid up in th" stream awaiting a purchaser—if on" can. be found. Tt is about 30 years since she first came out. She was then an, auxiliary barquentine. but later on owe mast was removed, the yards sent clown, and the vessel has since run as a steamer. A good useful little vessel' she has, on the whole proved herseff to he. Captain Burgess has been in charge of her near’y all the time and Lis nut , up. a fino record, coming

through practically without mishap, , though he-has had.to work constant-, ly amidst coral reefs; runcharted rocks,! treacherous tides and currents and the! conditions which make the navigation aniongist the islands! the most' trickyand dangerous perhaps in the'world. Some two years ago, , by-a fine feat of seamanship Captain!-Burgets broughthis little ’ vessel in from Norfolk “- 'Xs-; 'and with a juryniddr, the l nidclelrj having -> carried away while, off that! island: Sister Dawes, of the- Eaubahi Hospital, Mai ait-ay- -and tile IleVs., Teal and' Do Toil' were passengers by the 'Southertf Cross- ; bii last, trip. A new, and smalllef- vessel is l expected to arrive from England about November br -.Deccmler, biit from pro-, sent appearances-it serins probable, that direct service between Auckland and the Melanesian Mission" debtres will be discontinued., rl A very plieasant -evening was spent by a large number of invited guests at Archbishop and' Mrs Avtrill at Bishopsgourt recently when films-il-lustrating life and conditions in Melanesia were shown. Particulars were given of the work done—more particularly thie medical work.. It was pointed , out'- that the. hospital at Faubau,. which is run by May-, bury with two Nursing Sisters has in addition to permanent patients a very large number of out patients. [ am informed the’e are between 2000 and 3000 natives who have tickets entitling them to treatment. Some gruesome pictures illustrating leprosy and tropical diseases were shown last night, ahd the point was emphasised that only shortage of funds prevented further extension of this heroic .and humanitarian' work. Major Robinson, the secretary said: “I have-th©.auth-ority of both Bishop l -Steward and Bishop Molynenx for saying that-it is now perfectly safe for anyone to visit the coastal districts on any island; lii the diocese. That result has been achieved, not by gunboats, but by missionaries.”

.The annual winter show of - ‘exhibition is now in full swing, andris being largely attended, many new anc] attractive features having'been introduced. The most,strikng feature is the display of locally produced articles, and manufactured goods. It shows that New Zealand, so far as'food .and clothing products is concerned is larely a self contained and self supporting country. The range of manufactured goods emphasises the import-, ancp of our secondary industries, even in Mieir present jiartly developed stage.