Mangonui County Times AND NORTHERN REPRESENTATIVE. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1904. Local and General.

Northland Age, Volume 1, Issue 17, 6 December 1904, Page 2

Mangonui County Times AND NORTHERN REPRESENTATIVE.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1904. Local and General.

‘‘What right, what true, what fit wo justly call, Let this be all uiy care—ior this is all.” .

Father Beresses held mass on Sunday last in McKay’s hall. The liev. J. A. Lomond held service at Mangonui, Oruru and Fair burn on Sunday last to good congregations.

Considerable damage to the grass paddocks at Kaeo is reported as the result of the recent heavy Hoods, which left a heavy deposit of mud thereon. The contractors (Messrs. Mathcson and Baldook) for the new post office buildings, which are now completed, leave by the Clansman on Thursday morning. About 2,000 vessels of all kinds disappear in the sea every year, carrying down 12,000 human beings, and involving a loss of £20,000,000 in property. Far away from civilisation, gesture language is still extant in Australasia. Sonic of the tribes possess such an excellent code that it is almost as efficient as a spoken language. The, s.s. Clansman will arrive in Mangonui about 5.30 p.m. this evening, and leave at the usual time Thursday morning, passengers to be aboard by 12 o’clock midnight. Intending visitors to Auckland are reminded of the Northern S.S. Co.’s advertisement in our columns, in reference to the reduced fare for Xmas and New Year holidays. Mr. J. H. Smith, of Awanui, writes us thanking all friends and brothers of Court Pride of Awanui, A.0.F., for the very kind treatment and consideration that he received during his late serious illness, and especially Bros. J. Subritzky and L. H. Cl ancle t for the assistance they gave him night and day. Dr. Seafchard’s clever and able treatment is also much appreciated. Mr. Smith cannot thank all . kind friends personally, so takes this opportunity to convey to them the best wishes from one who does not forget a kindness.

The Government is periodically approached by religious bodies who are intent on having the totalizator and other forms of gambling abolished. Some years ago sufficient pressure was brought to bear to have consultation sweeps within New Zealand made illegal. Drastic post office regulations have come into force, whereby letters addressed to promoters of consultations abroad are detained, but so far from having suppressed the gambling we believe the volume of money leaving New Zealand is greater than ever. By consulting the official Year Book of 1904 an amusing sidelight is thrown on the situation taken up by the anti-gambling religions bodies, as during the past year 71 licenses have been granted to them by the Colonial Secretary under the “Gambling and Lotteries Act, 1881-.” A petition signed and forwarded to the N.S..S Co. by a large number of residents in the Awanui and Kaitaia districts, praying for a larger and more up-to-date boat has been replied to by the Manager as follows: —“I am aware of the fact that the Chelmsford is behind the increasing requirements of the trade, and may tell you that our Superintendent Engineer, now in Scotland, has instructions to invito tenders for a new fstcainer of similar dimensions to the s.s. Kanieri, ■which would enable me to place the latter vessel in the service. You must be aware that only a small vessel can run to Awanui, as there is only a limited space in the river for turning, unless the settlers wall go to the expense of excavating the banks on either side to enable a larger boat to turn. You will see from this communication that the wants of your trade have not been Overlooked, and that some time during next year a change in the direction indicated maybe expected.”