NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 18, 1 May 1902, Page 19

NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

A CASE of plague has bern discovered at Auckland. The patient was taken ill on the l!>th ult.. infection being caught through handling cargo from an infected port, and died on Monday The Federal Government, having agreed to deliver New Zealand penny post letters in Australia, this Colony has now agreed to a halfpenny terminal rate on cable*. The new rate as to letters will not take effect till the Order-in Council is gazetted. It is understood that the Railway Department is making arrangements to cut down the time-table of the Dunedin-Chmt-church express train by half an hour, and the change is likely to be made shortly. The details are being worked out now. It is understood that the Government has made a tentative offer to the Manawatu Railway Company on a basis equivalent to 30s per share for the line itself, allowing the company to retain and realise some of the other assets. Labor is so scarce in the Timaru district just now that men are being sent for from A shburton, Christchurch, Wellington, and anywhere they can be obtained. Threshing opeiationsare interfered with by reason of the scarcity of labor. Among the officers specially mentioned in despatches by the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa are Major Bauchop. Lieutenants Dan Hickey (Dunedin), Emerson (Napier), and Overton (Christchurch), together with Farrier-Sergeant Quinn (Wanganui) The Wellington Harbor Board has resolved to raise the salary of its secretary and engineer, Mr W. Fergusson, from £1600 to £1750 per annum, and to enter into an undertaking to retain his services for five years. Mr. Fergusson lately received the offer of an appointment at more than the latter figure. A telegram from Morrinsville (Auckland) states that a Maori, said to be 100 years old, feeling unwell, told bin friends that he would bury himself, and disappeared on Friday. Eight men searched for him without success. They then returned to hia whare hungry, and ate some honey thpy found there. Five died, and the other three recovered, after much suffering. Mr. Outtrim, chairman of the Victorian Factories Commission, interviewed in Sydney, said Ihe Commission had absolutely a unique experience through New Zealand — a Colony where there were no unemployed. The population generally eeeiued in a prosperous condition. They examined a large number of employers find employees, who were unanimously of opinion that the principle of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act was a sound one. They would be very sorry indeed to go back to the old order of things. He spoke highly of the simplicity and admirable administration of the Conciliation Court. We have to thank Messrs. Angus and Robertson, of Sydney, for a copy of the ' Guide to Musical Examinations, ' by Mr. G. T. Cotterill, headmaster of the Paddington Superior Public School. The work will no doubt be very ueeful to teachers and others preparing for musical examinations in New South Wales, as it presents the papers set for the examination* held for the past three years by the Department of Public instruction of that State. Althongn the work has been published primarily with the object of assisting students for the citato examinations, ttili there are many matters in it which will assist those studying for the examinations under the auspices of the Home colleges The Telegraph Department advises as follows : — As already advised, the Pacific cable is now open for general traffic. The rates will be as iollows : — To New bouth Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia — Ordinary, I^l per word; Government, 3]l. Tasmania — Ordinary. f>£d per word; Government, 4}d. The foregoing reductions also apply to messages sent per the Eastern Extension Company's cables, except for Government messages. To Norfolk Island — Ordinary, 3d per word ; Government, 2d. To Fiji — Ordinary. Sd per word ; Government, (id. These rates apply to the Pacific cable. International messages will also be accepted for transmission via the Pacific cable, and the rates, until further advised, are the same as over the Eastern Extension Company's cable. Press messages may be accepted for Fiji via the I'aciSe cable at 3d per word, plus fid per 100 words or fraction thereof. Other press rates by either route will be the same as the rates now charged over the Eastern Company's cables. On Tuesday evening a gathering of a social character was held in the Shamrock Hotel. Dunedin. when Mr Joseph T .omey was presented with a gold watch by a few of hid friends on the occasion of his retirement from business Mr A Thomson, who pi elided, eulogised the many gocd qualities of the guest of the evening. On Friday evening a social gathering was held in the Mechanic*' Hall, Waikouaiti, for the purpose of giving a send-off to Mr and Mrs P. Toouiey. who hive been residents iv the district tor some years. The Mayor, who occupied the chair, presented Mr Tootney. on behalf of his many friends in the district, with a handsome Mos^iel travelling rug. and Mrs Tuomey with a btautiful silver-mounted laay's companion. Mr Tooiney was a^o the recipient of a Maori spoar and axe from some Native well- wishers. A deputation waited on Sir J. G. Ward in Punedin on!. Saturday morning for the purpose of bringing under his notice the urgent necessity for a scale of cheap fares that would bring au ex-curt-ion to Lalce VV'akatipu withing the reach ot all clause*. In reply, the Minister ior Railways made an linpoitant announcement that, considerable reductions would be made in passenger fares within a very short tim». tic said he hud bci n fully impressed with the absolute necessity of the railways of the Colony being usk! bo as to enable people to get to those placed at a reaaonablo cost. With

regard to Lake Wakatipu, that was the primary motive of the Government in deciding to put a more powerful steamer upon the lake. A steamer that would cairy 1000 passengers would ordinarily appear to be ahead of the present requirements ; but they were making provision for an unusually large flow of peo; le who, on a particular day, mirht want to go across the lake and return He contemplated that the fare on the lake would simply be about the ordinary railway mileage fare, and the people would not have to run the ribk of a block. They did not wi«h to interfere with private enterprise; that was not the object of the Government. They wished to see the man of moderate means take hv* wife and children across the lake at a reasonable rate, and that was one of the reasons why up till now he had deferred his scheme for a reduction upon long-distance fares, which they were going to make before long. He might tell them that there would he no sp< cial rate made in favor of Dunedin or any town in the Colony. It would be a permanent reduction on long-dintance fares, and so far as the people of Dunedin were concerned it would enable them to go to the lakes for a sum, if not quite half the present rates, very nearly so That was the ordinary daily reduction ; and then, of cour-e. there would be the uniform system of excursion fares that applied from time to time. The railways were here to be run for the purpose of being utilised, and not for the trains to be sent away with a few people. and by making concessions they would induce a number of people to travel for pleasure, and business, too, if necessary. Li this way distant places would be brought within the reach of the people of moderate means. H« thought that within the next few months he would be able to announce what the permanent reduction upon pasBenger fares would really be, and they would find that it would be a very important thing tor the Colony itself. He thought it would give them increased traffic, and he should look forward to increabed revenue. He had always fouDd that in making conce«sious to induce people to travel they had got more revenue under the new system. He should expect himself to see hundreds and hundreds of people who had not been to the i.ixk^ uavd there from Dunedm,and the Government would give similar facilities to the people of Christehuroh and other stations along the line : ho that, instead of depending entirely upon outside visitors— who. by the way. they were always pleased to see—they would also have their own people going to those places which were so accessible. Our Morven correspondent (says the North Ota<io Tmu.s) write 8 as follows -—A concert in aid of the funds for an organ for StJoseph's Church, Waihao, took place here on Friday night. Splendid weather, a good object, and an excellent programme secured a large attendance. The singers were Mrs. Henderson. Mi«se.s T* ohill, Lucy Kent, Kathleen Twohill (a tiny mite, but a talented musician). Me.Sßr«. C. J. Gold-tone. J. McAleer, and the R d v. Km her O'Connell. Encores were in each case fcageily demanded and heartily responded to. The Rev. Father Aubrey contributed seveiul items on the violin, accompanied by Father O'Connell, and received loud applause. Mr McAleer, in suitable costume, danml veiy finely an Irish jig, Miss Ackhuret playoi a pianolorte K)lu, and accompanied most of the singers. Mi-s Wall d,!s,o assisted a* accompanist Both ladies were loudly applauded. Before the close the U.-v. Father Reguault, in a brief speech, explained the object of the meeting. The debt on the Waihao Caurch had been cleaied off, ai.d now further efforts had to be made towan s the full eqnipnie.it of the sacred edifice. He congratulated the audience on having tn joyed a performance quite as go.-d as any they could have had in a town. He proposed votes of thanks to all who had contributed to the success of the conceit, These wore enthusiastically atci idol. The finale sung by the company con.-ibted of a verse of • God have Ireland,' followed by one from • God save the King.'