Tahiti Notes.

From Our Own Correspondent.

PAPEETE, March 24.

The steam yacht “Nahlin,” belong ing to Lady Yule, and said to be one of the largest pleasure craft in the world, arrived at Papeete on March 14 and will remain here until the 26th, to take in fuel oil which is expected on s.s. “Monowai.” The vessel then pro ceeds to California, via the Marquesas.

It would be superfluous to give a description of the “Nahlin” and her elaborate equipment of machinery, el ectrical fitments, and speed boats, see ing that this has already appeared in great detail in the New Zealand papers. The inhabitants of Papeete and nearby districts are indebted to Lady Yule for a fine display of fire works given last night, which attracted large crowds of spectators.

At the moment of writing, the schooner “France Austral,” under char ter to Mr. Victor Berge, is just going out the Pass on a pearl-diving expedi tion to the shark-infested waters of the Marquesas Islands. We mentioned Mr. Berge’s expedition in a previous letter. We all wish them the best of luck. The yacht “Nahlin” gave them a farewell with her siren, which should carry them on their adventurous voyage.

Messrs. A. B. Donald’s trading schooner “Tiare Taporo” arrived yes terday, after an uneventful sojourn in the Northern Cook Group, where she has been laid up through the hurricane season. She brought a full load of copra, and returns shortly to her home port of Rarotonga with benzine and other lines which the mail steamers refuse to carry. The old-established firm of A. B. Donald appears to flourish in spite of bad times, and now has under construction a gasoline sta tion on a vacant lot adjoining their premises on the Papeete waterfront.

Mr. Cazeaux, Inspector of French Colonies, is now on a visit to Tahiti in his official capacity, and it is hoped in consequence that the plans which the local Government have been consider ing for the improvement of roads and the construction of new bridges will now take definite shape. It has been publicly known for some time past that an allocation from the war reparations fund amounting, it is stated, to 30,000,000 francs, has been set aside for

French Oceania to relieve the strain on local resources. New Caledonia ap bears to have received a similar sum.