AUCKLAND NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1933, Page 7

AUCKLAND NOTES

(From our correspondent). A very unusual sight in those days is three large sailing vessels in port at one time. Just now two large fourmasted barques, the MadgaAene Vineen and the Passat, and the barque Winterhude are in harbour. The Madgalene Vineen is, 1 believe, the largest sailing vessel now in commission, and on Sunday it is estimated some three thousand people went on board to inspect her. She is an imposing 'sight with her lofty spars, double topgallant and royal yards, and the maze of rigging and cordage' which was so familiar to the sailor man of past generations, but which is now so ■ seldom seen. These three vessels have caused great interest, showing that the love of the. old stately sailing ship is still inherent in us. Two of these vessels are Finnish, and one German. The British ensign will probably never be seen hoisted, on vessels of this type again. There has been great consternation lately amongst the . 22,000 people who live on the north shore of the harbour, and get their water supply from 'Lake Takapuna (or Lake Pukuke as it is more correctly called). During the recent dry spell the water in the lake has fallen and has become* contaminated and 'very objectionable. The last week or so it has become so bad that it was undrinkable and there has been a rush to put up tanks and collect rain water. Fortunately in Devonport there is limited supply from a spring near Mount Cambria.-.-..Morn-ing and evening a long queue lined up with billies, buckets, and other receptacles to get a supply of drinkable water. . The problem is a very serious one, which , has really been too , long shelved, as it was known the supply from the lake was inadequate to meet the requirements of the growing pop u ulation of these popular marine suburbs.

Amongst the prevailing depression the only cheerful news is of increased gold production. , There is no doubt a good deal of gold is being found in and around the. Thames Coror main del districts. The. Latest,- and most, sensational find was a. specimen of stone, weighing about 1121bs. from which' 161. ounces 12-dwts of .bullion were extracted by the Thames,. School of Mines. ' The , lucky finders - were Messrs. S'arich and Oropp. • They; had been working for some twelve months with little ,or no success, and ' were almost without resources when the extension of No. 5 scheme for the assistance of miners enabled them to continue with the above gratifying results.' The, find may lead-to important developments. ' .

Many a bald pat© will become still more bald, and many a gray bead still more gray if the Government' per* s|stS in endeavouring to extract still more revenue from those already ptac-t-ieafljy 'crashed w!jth taxation. Thb latest Sate: Tax is a most pevnlexing problem. At present it is safe to say. businessmen, wholesalers, retailers, and manufacturers do not know how they stand, or how- they are going to stand. After a largely attended meeting of manufacturers held this week one member declared there was every probability they would all be landed in gaol sooner or later, for breach of some rule or other. Anyone who has a good word to sa.y for the Government just now runs the risk of becoming unpopular.: I notice the later returns from the Okarito dredge which have shown a marked improvement have had the effect of hardening up the shares on ithe Stock Exchange where sellers are now asking 9s bd. Considerable interest is shown here regarding mining developments on the Coast. Sister Verne Dawes of the Melanesian Mission returned to Auckland by by the Monterey this week on sick leave. She has experienced a temporary breakdown in health owing to the climate'. In the British Solomon Islands the climatic conditions are very trying for white people. Some of the missioners manage to become acclimatised, but in other cases they are unable to continue the very .strenuous work. Dr. Maybury and Sister Guy less also returned, by the same

istaamer; The mission hospital at Fauabu will, I believe, in the meantime be carried on by nursing sisters and missioners from Siota.