WELLINGTON.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3545, 18 November 1882, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

November 18. The tender, of Messrs Murdoch and Rose, for the alterations to the Parliamentary buildings, has been accepted at £9,600. Messrs Kellar and Cunard, illusionists, opened here last night with immense success.

It is understood that Mr Byrce has written to Wahanui, but wben the messenger went to deliver the missive it was ascertained that Wabanui had gone to Mokau to attend the funeral of his sister, who had just died there. A native messenger has, however, been sent on with the letter.

A despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies states that the petition to the Queen from the Senate of the New Zealand University asking for power to confer degrees ia sciences had been presented to Her Majesty, together with the Ministerial recommendation in favor of it, and the Queen had been pleased graciously to grant the prayer of the petition. Lord Kimberley, however, points out that the letters patent cannot be prepared until the local Legislature bas modified or repealed the New Zealand University Act of 1875. It may be mentioned that until this Act is modified or repealed the letters patent are useless. Some changes are about to be made in the management of the Go?ernment Insurance Department. Mr Hepburn Lyall, the chief accountant, is to be appointed secretary to the department, and placed in charge of the inside staff, Mr George Thorne, agency superintendent, having charge of the outside staff, both being as heretofore under Commissioner D. M. I/uckie. Mr Godfrey Knight resigns the management of the industrial branch, whieb will be continued with the ordinary department, and conducted by Messrs Lyall and Thorne as inside and outside managers under the commissioner. Mr Godfrey Knight retains his old position as head actuary, and is about to be despatched to Melbourne on an official mission in connection with the department.