MAORI CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 56, 25 February 1908, Page 2

MAORI CONFERENCE.

Auckland, Last Night. The southern and district, delegate* t„ the Maori conference, which is to <e W at Orakei, were welcomed by the Orakei natives this afternoon, home oU ] deleUes are present, and another ~'arU, under the lie v. Mr. Bennett, Oi Siotdrna, arrive at Orakei to-morrou. \|r ,] Thornton, president oi the Je \nic Association, is presiding. bimc the' association was organise.!, it has I received much help from the lioycrn,„ent native school teach..,', and others | engaged in -Maori work.

CUIDINAI, -WKA.WS MESSAGE to LAIv NEW ZEALAND.

Auckland, Last -Night. Cardinal Mown and P am-'left by the Victoria on their return to Sydney til » CV(m ,„ B . faking at the eorded to him last evening, 1 "' Mora.., speaking with reference to t c Maori people, whose nobleness of eli.uacter and beauty of language could be said, .scarcely be, surpassed by any other race, expressed a hope that the race would be preserved and their language banded down. it would be a terrUdo thing on the s«ri of the New Zealand (iovcrnnicnt to allow such a race to perish and their language 1., be forgotten, lie congratulated the people oi -New /.eaI land on their grand Oovcrnnicnt, developed along the lines of a Sound democracy.

STAMP) NO OUT THE FRUIT FLY. Wellington, Last Night. _ The Government Biologist (Mr. T. W. Kirl?) states that the Department has been unable to find the fruit fly in the gardens at Napier and Blenheim in which it appeared last year. These gardens were subjected to drastic treatment, and liave been closely inspected, so that there is reason to hope th.it the pest has been stamped out in those localities, although this is not certain until the end of the season has passed. The strictest watch is being kept on the gardens in Auckland in which the fly appeared, and very stringent measures have been taken to suppress the pest. The biological division of the Department intends to make a further distribution of ladybirds in certain parts of the South Island, where the bluegum blight still exists. It is now almost impossible to find the blight and ladybirds. In the Timnvu district, formerly the chief seat of the trouble, thousands) of ladybirds have been distributed by the Department wherever the blight was known to exist, and with most satisfactory results. Air. Cockayne, Assistant Biologist, leaves for the south _ to-night with a further supply of ladybirds.

MR. McNAB ON THE WEST COAST. Greymouth, Last Night. The Hon. McNab arrived from Westland this morning, and visited the State coal mines and J'oint Elizabeth. At the State mine township the Minister was entertained at a complimentary dinner, and, in responding to the toast of his health, .said he was delighted aMhe prospects of the coast from an agricultural point of view. He received a deputation from tlie Miners' Union, who advocated State-owned steamships for carrying State coal from Greymouth. The Minister said lie would place the representations before his colleagues. Other matters-of local importance were dealt with on arrival in Greymouth. The Minister was entertained at afternoon tea by the W.C.T.U. at tlie Sailors' Rest. The Minister leaves for Reef ton in tlie morning.

PALMERSTON NORTH ITEMS. Palmerston N., Last Night. Councillors Clausen, Matheson, and Nash hare signed a requisition requesting the Mayor (Mr. R. Essex) to call a special meeting to consider the matter of the resignation of Mr. W. W. Smith, Curator of Reserves.

The Butt-Rumford Concert Company appeared at the Opera House last evening, receiving a tremendous reception. Mr. H. Haydon, flic originator of (lie motion which caused the recent deadlock in the Borough Council, has decided to contest the mayoralty at the forthcoming election.

The Conciliation Board held a brief sitting to-day in connection with' the but-ter-worker's' dispute. Tho chairman stated that it appeared the. employers had not accepted the invitation to he present, and it was decided to adjourn and visit some of the factories around Palmerston North.

MR. MILEAR AT KAITANGATA. Dunedin, Last Night. The Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister of Marine, paid a visit to Nuggets and Kaitangata to-day. At the former place a deputation of fishermen waited on the Minister with' the object of bringing under his notice the necessity for improving the facilities for the landing :>f heats. In replying, the Minister expressed the opinion that the best course to adopt in the meantime was to improve the present landing. So long as the expenditure would be within a few hundred pounds he thought he could undertake to have the work done. The deputation expressed entire concurrence with the Minister's suggestion. Mr. Millar subsequently visited Kaitangata in connection with the proposal to form n harbor at the mouth of the Molyneaux river. In connection with this matter a deputation waited on the' Minister tonight.