Regarding the interview between the county chairman and the Public Works Minister at Wellington with respect to the Cromwell bridge erection, Mf Pyke writes to the Cromwc-li Argus to say he agrees with the chairman that the Minister's manner induced the impression that he would accept the offer of the council and place £3500 on the Estimates for the Cromwell bridge without any condition except that of the completion of the work. Mr Pyke continues: " But I am amused by the suggestion that the failure of the chairman's mission was owing to Mr Fergus and myself being ' both in opposi tion.' For myself, I was not aware of this, and am not now. But even if it were so, and the Government were influenced by such considera tions, there yet remains the fact that bridges are being built at Roxburgh and Beaumont, and these are in my district."

The Auckland Bell says that it has now be come a matter of knowledge that the deposit from the recent eruptions at Tarawera has been of the utmost advantage to nearly all the country on which it has fallen. At Whakatane, on the eoasi, as is known, the volcanic deposit fell to a depth or two or three inches. Major Swindley, resident there, pressed down with his feet the material lodged on a portion of his lawn; he then dug up a portion of the turf with the deposit upon it, and placing it in a wooden casing transmitted it to Mr Pond, the analytical chemist of Auckland. The depth of the deposit is 2iin, and of the turf attached to it about 3in. On Ist August Mr Pond planted in the deposit grass and clover seed, and since then exposed the case and its contents to the ordinary in fluences of the weather and the rains of heaven. There is now a growth of the most luxurious and healthy grass of over 3Mn in height, with a corresponding growth of most promising clover. Nothing could be more indicative of the thorough fertility of the deposit. On removing a side of the case the roots of the grass and clover can be traced, but they have not yet reached the turf, so that the luxurious growth is simply the product of the fertility of the deposit itself, the atmosphere, sunlight, and rain.
