WELLINGTON NOTES.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10870, 21 January 1901, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(FnOM A COBRESPONDENT.) WELLINGTON, January 19. When the General Post Office was built, there were not wanting those who said it was too large. Others had a more accurate idea of the requirements of the near future. If advice that was then tendered had been listerted to, the Government of the day would have secured the whole block of land on half of which the. Post Office stands. That was not done, but it has to be done now, as an extension of the building is imperative. The Wellington diocese will have two excellent clerical representatives at tbe General Anglican Synod, at Napier, in the persons of the R<jv. T. H. Sprott, of St. Paul's, Thomdon. and the Rev. C. C. Harper, of Pa'merston North. Mr Sprott is a. man of great ability, and a deep and original thinker. His sermons, when one has become accustomed to his North of Ireland accent, are extremely suggestive, and of engrossing interest. Whilst Mr Sprott is a man of philosophic mind, Mr Harper is a man of action.

Wrigglesworth and Binns's stock, destroyed in yesterday's fire, included a collection of negatives extending over a period of thirty-five years. The Hutt River Board has decided to call for tenders for river protection and training works, for which a loan of £10,000 has been raised.

Two prospectors report that they have found two seams of coal in the Mauriceville district, which is at present noted for its limestone deposits.

It is said that Masterton butchers have agreed to undertake the establishment of abattoirs in the borough or its vicinity. The Acting-Premier has telegraphed to the Mayor of Napier that he will do his best to get the Imperial troops to visit that town.

■Mr Thos. Pilcher, who died last night at Brougham avenue, at ftie age of sixtysix, arrived in Wellington in 1851. He began business five years later as a ship and Customshouse agent. He owned two of the trading schooners, which then formed the only means of communication between Wellington, and Marlborough, and the West Coast of the North Island. He was in the carrying trade between Wellington and Wairarapa townships before the opening of the railway. He chartered the steamers available in those times for trips to Picton, Port Underwood, and Nelson at popular fares, and, it ia claimed, was thus the pioneer of cheap -excursion traffic. The deceased leaves a widow and family. Of six of his sons, Mr E. G. Pilcher is secretary of the Greymouth Coal Company, and Mr Herbert Pilcher is resident in Capetown, where his ■seirices on behalf of the New Zealand Contingents have been so valuable.