NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 38

NEW ZEALAND NEWS ITEMS

AUCKLAND.

Tauranga was lighted with gas for the> first time on the 17th. The opening ceremony was performed by . the Mayor (Rev. ,

Canon Jordan) at 3 p.m. on the 17th, amid great enthusiasm. The proprietors (Messrs Keen and Reid, of Wellington) presented tJie Mayor with a silver — mounted ebony walking- stick, and at night entertained the leading citizens at dinner. The street lamps, which light and extinguish themselves, are considered the finest in th 1 * Dominion.

George Thomas Hutton and John. Holmes, two young men, were on the- 19th sentenced at the Police Court to a year's, hard labour. The police stated that they; - belonged to a numerous and growing class, which Tobbed and assaulted drunken men. The magistrate said be was determined » to assist the police in ridding the town, of such characters. / . - Seven shopkeepers, charged with selling;, cigarettes to youths under. 15, had con.-* viotione recorded, and. were- ordered' to •■pay costs.

TARANAKI.

• Splendid samples >of oil are being; secured from both bores at the Taranaki Company's wells, especially at the new deep level seam. Great interest is being evinced ( locally in the new developments, which are being closely watched.

WELLINGTON. Among the passengers who arrived from Sydney on the 18th was Don Manuel Mascarenae, who is on a tour round the world. He is devoting two days to NewZealand. These he will spend in Wellington, returning to Sydney by' Friday's - steamer. The Don is accompanied by his secretary. He is from Mexico, where* he is interested in banking, railway, mining, and other ventures. He is reputed to be very wealthy." He 6ays there ax© unlimited openings for the investment oS 1 . capital in Mexico, and there are invested: there very large sums of American and British capital. The opening up of the-four-track railway at Tehualta^ec will, he says, shortly give a much quicker route to Europe from Australia and New Zealand than would the Panama Canal. The railway is owned by the Government, but will to all intents and purposes be aa * international line. He thinks a market might be found in Mexico for New Zealand wool, butter, and cheese.

A spirit medium who came over fronv Australia- the other day is still •" performing " here, but is being badly shown up by the local preW. The consequence is that there is a slump in prices, and the two-jruinea seances have given place to five-shilling seances.

William Alfred Masters, comjaercial traveller, who arrived from Sydney by the Moeraki on the 18th, was charged at the Magistrate's Court on the 19th witfc having in his possession 100 tins of opium „ valued at about £300. He was fined £100, and an order was made for the forfeiture of the opium. , A^ conference of delegates from local bodies adopted a scheme for a new Infectious Diseases Hospital, costing approximately £13,000 complete. The local bodies are to find half the money, and the Government half. The WellingtonCity Council will be responsible for 84.45 per cent. N of £6600, the rest being distributed among 'the neighbouring local bodies.

WEST COAST.

It is understood that the Railway De«»-. partment proposes in future to make awharfage charge of 2d per 100 superficial feet on all timber passing over the Westport wharf, the regulation providing " timber carried by railway for export free" to be cancelled.

The Westport Harbour Board engineer expects to have the cut through the* \restern breakwater for the launching, of th» Taviuni completed about the end of this month. It has been found necessary to> inak« good some slips that have- occurred on the w«st side of the breakwater, requiring about 600 tons of stone.