DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 60, 16 July 1913, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS.

ARBOR DAY IN WELLINGTON [Per Press Association. ) Wellington, July 16.

Arbor Day was celebrated in a more thorough manner than ever previously. Mostly all the local'"schools planted trees, while the City Conned and Beautifying Societies also planted areas. The Mayor visited several localities and planted commemdrativo trees.

THE AWAWA-TOTARA BLOCK. Wairoa, July 16. | It is reported on good authority that the natives have practically agreed to sell the Awawa-Totara block to. the Government. The laud, which has an area of 17,000 acres, is situated near the Waikari route of the East Coast Railway which runs through it. There is a fairly strong inclination on the part of the Natives to sell their surplus lands, and the local authorities consider it the best way of settling the Native question to have the lands occupied by Europeans paying rates for road and bridge construction.

WAIROA HARBOR. As showing the splendid effects of the half-finished harbor, Wairoa put up a»record for a week’s shipping laht week, nineteen boats arriving and departing, fully loaded.

AN EXPENSIVE “JOY” RIDE. Timaru, July 16. Three young men were committed for trial at the Supreme Court on chargee of damaging property. They took out a motor car* for a joy ride by night and from inexperience did £4O to £SO damage.

A VIOLENT ROBBERY, Auckland, July 16. Something of a sensation was caused at the corner of Pitt street and Karangahapo road about 11 o’clock this morning, when cries for “help” came from a man as he rushed out of a boardinghouse. The man was in a ■state of great excitement, and his face was smothered in blood. His name, he said, was John King, and had recently come from Wellington. At the boardinghouse he had made the acquaintance of two men, and yesterday when a remittance of £IOO reached hini from Wellington, these men were aware of the fact. During the day they obtained a'small loan from him. This morning they again approached him for a further advance, which he declined, whereupon they assaulted him. He was violently attacked by tlie two men, who almost beat him to insensibility, and then robbed him of his money. King was attended to by Dr. Goklicutt, wDo, after dressing several wounds about his face, ordered his removal to the hospital.