NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 36, 1 February 1908, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS

"BLACK SUNDAY." Per Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. A newspaper representative had a conversation with .Mr. Stevenson, F.R.A.S., regarding the predictions published from Wellington, of hurricanes, earthquakes, and tidal waves for Sunday, -it is true," said Mr. Stevenson, "that the moon will on th it day make its closest approach to the earth, hut it lias been quite as near on former occasions without all of these disasters resulting. To my mind the only part of these predictions likely to eventuate is that earthquakes may occur about this time." "Is there any method of indicating the possible locality likely to be affected by the earthquake* 1 ' '•lt is hardly possible to indicate at what spot earthquakes may manifest themselves. 1 cannot see why, as the earth is rotating rapidly, New Zealand should come under the moon's influence more particularly thin other places, but I ,ln think that if earthquakes do occur Ihev will probably be in the Southern Hemisphere. I may add that presumably high tides will occur during the i next few days.

BREAK-UP OF DROUGHT. Wellington, Last Night. The rainfall registered for the month of January was just a little over half-an-ineh. In January last year the record was nearly live inches and in Jauu- | arv 1905 an inch and a-half. For November and December 1907 and January 1908. the total rainfall has been three inches, against nine and a-half for the previous corresponding periods: It is hoped the drought has now broken. The weather today was much cooler and general rain set in at dawn, and continues, to the great relief of the community.

RAM FAIR. Napier, Last Night, j The ram fair was continued to-day, when flock rams of the Border Leicester, Southdown-. English Udcestcis. am!( »i----riedales (all ages), and Lincoln am Romnev llocks (three shears and ove ) were offered. Lineolns and Romnev s utmost instances brought fair prices, but the other varieties were slow ot anju Lincolns brought up to 3gs., which price ,va« paid for 213 shear sheep bred hj |) S. Fleming. Romiieys realised un to 43' os this beiii" obtained for four) shears bred l.v F,. Eglinlon, of Feathersion Ten Border Leicester shearlings, hm lbv Kelson Bros., Ltd., M™f[ WiC-S top price for that variety, loi Southdowns 7V,gs. was the highest figure, and this was obtained for >om>. shearlings bred by Ceo. Rhodes, «f -'» , mere. Canterbury. Corricdalcs solii at ■>„*., and English Lciccsters at hall a guinea.

■\N IMI'OKTANT QI'KSTIGS. Auckland, Last Sig»t- ---\„ important question concerning rebate- of rent to Crown tenants under ,ho Bush'and Swamp Act came before ,he Auckland U.n.l Board at its meeting this afternoon. Settlers taking up eases under the Act referred to are allowed ["hold the land rent free for four years, after paying the first halt-year's rent. If however, they transfer the ease hey ~,. required to pay the rent in full «1> till the date of transfer, and it i» »!'• ,i„„ K | with the Board whether the transfer shall be allowed a remission to. „„. Glance of the unexpired term o four vears. It was the latter point that , i-onoed tin in connection with the trans,er ... -evcral leases in the Oputiki d,slrid which have recently changed Hants at a considerable profit. The Coniinis--ioiter (Mr. ■!. MackeitKio) said that the intention of the Act,,.as he took it, was to assist settlers ill the back country duriti" the earlv years of their occupation, and before*the land was productive. If. however, they chose to traffic in the laud the concession ought not to lie allowed to the incoming tenant. A number of the cases, he said, indicated that the land was being made use of for speculative purposes, and a speculator could take up the land, pay a halPyear's rent, do a certain amount of improvements, and then soil out at a huge protil the transaction being made more profitable from the fact that the land was rent free to the end of the four vears from the time when it was originally'taken up- This seemed to be the position if the transferees were allowed the lienelit of the rebate. It was agreed, after considerable discussion, to defer the matter until the next meeting of the Land Board, in order that it might be discussed by a full Board, including the lepresentative of the Crown tenants.

MAGISTRATE TAKEWELLED. Invereargill, Last Night, A nathering of about fifty representative citizens farcwellcd Mr. McCarthy, S.M.. to-day. The Mayor, with whom was associated Mr. .1. Tmnbull (senior .I.P. and former Magistrate), presided. The speakers referred to Mr. McCarthy's desire to improve the social condition of the citv. Mr. Watson, chairman of the Harbor Board, said that all fairminded people would admit that he did hi- duty according to his conscience. lie had done his best for the advancement of good living and the suppression of crime and disorder, and in losing Mr. McCnrlliy those who had these things at heart losi a friend. Mr. McCarthy was presented with some silverware, and Mrs. McCarthy with a gold bangle.

THE PREMIER. Auckland, Last Night, sir .los.eph Ward attended a social given to Mr. Kiild, M.P., by the latter's electoral committee this evening. The Prime Minister delivered a short, address, but he refrained from touching on any political questions, stating that he intended to deliver a political speech in Auckland at an early date. The Premier returns to Wellington on Sunday.

AUCKLAND LANDS. Auckland, Last Xiglil. During the next three months, and exclusive ot areas gazetted, particulars of which were announced recently, about 42/Sfi!) acres of Crown land in the Auckland province have been surveyed, and will in all probability come into the market during the next three months. Lands in course of survey for settlement and expected In lie opened during Hie current year total 77.2-11 acres, and lands formerly opened under the Land Acl of 1892, and now in course of reopening under the amending Act of 1907. amount to 43fi.!)11i acres: thus (be total area available for selection during tho I current year will be 557,020 acres.

fkditiAtton of la Ron i.-xro\s. Dunedin, Last Night. A communication emanating from the Waikato Miners' Union has lieen received by the local branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, in which are submitted proposals lor the federation of all New Zealand workers' unions. The advantages of such a move are pointed '/ut in the circular, which states that (his alone is the way by which the workers may hop? to improve their social conditions.' it is proposed that a conference lie held in a suitable centre. The Carpenters and Joiners' Union favorably received the proposition, and referred the matter to Ihe Trades and Labor Council, with the inlimation that it was prepared to send two delegates to the conference.

AX AYVAHD: LABOR DISSATISFIED, Dunedin. Last Night. The local branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners is much dissatisfied with the award of the Arbitration Court at the last sittings. I he mutter was discussed at a meeting to-night, when the almost unanimous opinion was expressed that nothing further nrtilil I*, expected towards the betterment ot conditions from the Arbitration Court, and that any hope of improvement was by legalisation. The principal jiamt of dissatisfaction was in j regard to wages as compared with what is paid tn bricklayers and plasterers, who, it is said, receive Is 4d per dav more than carpenters, and have prac- l tieally no tools t„ snpplv. The matter I 11, to receive furlher consideration.

UAIItY ASSOCfATinX MEKTIXC. Tnvereargill, Last Night. M the annual meeting of members of ■ he Southland branch of the National Dairy Association to-night it was resolved that the subscription be on the basi* ot tnnnago without limit; that all unifiers for discussion at the annual onterence lie put in (]„, hands of the secretary thirty clear ,| a ys before the conference and be forwarded at once to lie various directors for consideration: that it be recommended to the Minister 01 Agriculture |„ include the cooling of w.lk in dairy inspectors' duties, and thai inspectors instruct and assist farmers as In flic cheapest and best mode I lor the same. |

•Mr. Sawyers, fiovernment instructor, gave an address on cheese-i'iadiiK'. Tie stated, inter alia, that lie"was unable to detect any great improvement ill th • cheese, though It was slightlv belter in llavor. r ■

_ Mr. Smglelon, Acting Dairv Commissioner, spoke on dairying gencralW. He expressed (be opinion ihal New Zealand had little to learn in regard to what it was trying to do. What tjicv wanted was not more knowledge, but more car*.