GENERAL TELEGRAMS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 29, 27 February 1909, Page 2

GENERAL TELEGRAMS

IRONMASTEUS' ASSOCIATION. Uy Telegraph.—l'ress Association. Wellington, Last Night. The annual conference .of the New Zealand Ironmasters' Association concluded to-day. The proceedings were held ill private. The following officers were elected:—President, Mr. W. Crabtree (Wellington); vice - presidents, Messrs William Black (Duncdin), John Anderson (Christehurch), and G. Eraser (Auckland); treasurer, Air. John Scott (Christehurch); secretary, Mr. W. 11. Allen (Wellington).

CABINET AUTHORISATIONS. Wellington, Last Night, Cabinet to-day authorised the expenditure of £32,000 for railway rolling stock, £1025 for the purchase of railway sleepers, £4OOO for the Coal Creek raiiway, £2OOO for the Keefton-lnanga-hua railway, and £I2OO for the Stral-ford-Ongarue railway. ISLANDS FRUIT. ' Auckland, Last Night. The regulations requiring the production of certificates wiuli fruit shipped to Auckland from the Islands will-be strictly enforced from April 1. In speaking to a Herald reporter, Mr. U. Harnett, local fruit inspector, stated tluit since the regulations were, gazetted some months ago, shipments of Island fruits arriving in Auckland have been lauded in excellent condition. The s.s. Tofua brought 4708 cases and 210 bunches of bananas, 3S eases of pines, and a number of cases of mangoes. The bananas and pines were, on examination, found to be in perfect condition, but about 10 cases of mangoes were discovered to be infected by fruit fly, and were condemned.

OREGON PINE INDUSTRY. Wellington, Last Night. Mr. Charles Cropp, a resident o'f Washington State, United States of America, is on a visit to Wellington. Mr. Croup is a native of Auckland, and was brought up to journalism at the Thames, but for the past seventeen years he has been connected with a leading firm of shipping and commission agents (Balfour, Guthrie and Co.) at Tacoma, Washington State. The llrm deals largely in timber, and one object of Mr. Cropp's visit to New Zealand is to enquire into the question of increasing the export of Oregon pine to the Dominion. Mr. C'ropp states that nine thousand million feet of pine is sent away from fagot "Sound and Columbia River districts annually, moro than half being used in America. Owing to the demand for the timber, the price has gone up over three dollars per 1000 feet during the past few months, and it 5 s possible .that a further rise will tako place. Mr. Cropp predicts' a much increased export of Oregon timber to New Zealand and Australia. He will visit Greytown to-morrow and go South early next week.

J MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS. '■ Auckland, Last Night. ' The Hon. R. McKcnzie left to-night ;' for Coroniandel. He will subsequently j visit Thames and Waihi. The latter town will be reached un Tuesday night. ' and the Minister is going to devote the | whole of Wednesday to meeting deputations there. On Thursday morning early | the Minister will leave for Katikati 1 (Tauranga), and on Friday morning for To Puke and Whakatane. He will probably remain for the night at Whakatane, and proceed to Opotiki on Saturday, thence to Mohu by horse. The remainder of the. journey to Gisborne will be made by conveyance and train. SCHOOLS OF MIXES Auckland, Last Xigbt. A deputation from the Auckland University College Council waited upon the Minister for Mines this afternoon in regard lo the Auckland School of Mines. Sir Maurice O'Rnrke said the Auckland College had established a School of Mines, but they were not on the same fooling with the School of Mines at flunedin. He thought it only fair that in Auckland they should have similar privileges. For instance, a young man at Waihi bad won a scholarship, but was compelled to go to Duiicdin to enjoy its privileges. The Minister said that personally he thought it was better to i have one good School of Mines than ( three or four bad ones. He would look I into (lie matter however. THE IMMIGRATION" QUESTION. Wellington. Lust Night.

The Prime Minister lias sent a cable, gram to the High Commissioner ashing 111 ill lo report by cubic relative to p iui gration to New Zealand that has been carried out outside the High Commissioner's olliec, ami to ascertain whether the shipping companies are employing' anyone on commission, ami, if so. do they obtain a class of emigrants dift'orI cut lo that which the High Commissioner is obtaining assisted passages for: also lo slate whether (he shipping companics are giving reduced passages to those who arc recommended liv private people to come to the Dominion. The Vremie.r lias also added that a class of immigrant is coming to Xew Zealand wbich is at present not required in the Dominion.