WELLINGTON NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 47, 24 February 1904, Page 8

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. A NATIVE MEDICO. Mr. Peter Henry Buck, of Otago University, has achieved the distinction of being the first of his race ( Maori I to obtain the New Zealand degree of Bachelor of Medicine. In reading the list of medical students who were entitled to the degree at the Senate this morning, Professor Scott made reference to Mr. Buck's success, and intimated that he intended to assume his Maori name and practice among his own people. Buck. who is a half-caste, has made a name for himself in colonial athletic and football circles. TELEPHONE EXTENSION. Replying to a deputation who interviewed him in reference to the erection of a new post oiiice at Lower Ilutt. Sir Joseph Ward. Postmaster-General, said that his sympathies were entirely in the direction of lessening telephone charges in this colony, as he recognised that if such a service was to be useful it aiust be within the reach of everybody. The long distance telephones throughout the colony were a very heavy strain, and from all parts of the colony applications were being made for wires to such an extent that no administration could provide them within a limited period. The money at their disposal was not sufficient to meet 20 per cent, of the applications sent in. The difficulty was that the ordinary telephone service was growing at such a great rate that it cost about £20,000 a year to provide ordinary fresh telephones and. appliances at the Exchanges, to -ay nothing ot trunk wires and other development As to charges the -amo rates were in operation in all pans of the colony. THE BATTLESHIP NEW ZEALAND. Apropos of the suiijjest ion of the Mayor of Timaru that the colony .-dioidd present a oiec-e of plate or shicM to the new hattk-.-hi;i New Zealand, .i similar suggestion was made to the Premier by a Wellington citizen some m\ months ago. Mr. Seddoa, in hi-- reply, made it clear that so far us this colony was concerned, it was improbable that the action advocated would be entertained.