GENERAL TELEGRAMS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 232, 6 February 1911, Page 2

GENERAL TELEGRAMS

PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE, j *By Telegraph.—Press Association. ' Timaru, Saturday. iA short time ago the Public Works Department asked the Mackenzie County Council to undertake the expenditure of a vote of £IOO for a bridge over the Hooker at the end of the Mount Cook range on the way to the Ball Hut ana Tasman Glacier. The council declined to undertake it, saying the engineer haa enough to do. To-day the council received a letter that in consequence of that refusal the vote had been cancelled. STATE PLANTATION BURNED. Blenheim, Saturday. On Thursday afternoon a fire broke out in Dumgree plantation, where several acres of trees were planted a few years ago by prison labor, and despite the efforts of a gang of men to extinguish the flames, swept the hundred acres which contained all the best trees. The damage is estimated at from £4OO to' £SOO. THE PALMERSTON BURGLARY. Palmerston N., Saturday. Howard Walters, alias Erl Wayne, previously convicted for horse stealing at Auckland, was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labor for stealing two cash boxes containing £lO cash from the Manawatu Club, where accused was employed. " ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. Wellington, Saturday. The superintendent of the Advances to Settlers Office takes exception to Mr. Ellingham's statement at a meeting of the Land Board. In referring to the troubles of back blocks settlers, Mr. EUingham said there was no doubt that settlers were not getting justice from the department. "It is," says the superintendent, "a question of security, not of justice. Obviously if a settler is asking for relief and talking of abandoning his holding owing to excessive rent and taxes, as Mr. Ellingham states is the case, his holding is valueless as security. The department is anxious to help settlers, and is doing so to the extent ot many thousands every week, but cannot advance a penny if the security required by the statute is not offered."