SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

Evening Star, Issue 11152, 30 January 1900, Page 3

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

WELLINGTON, January 29. The General Manager of Railways stateß that the railways throughout the colony, especially the Hurunui-Bluff section, are unnsnally busy at present. There is a difficulty in providing adequate rolling stock, and the various workshops are working overtime to meet the difficulty. At the opening ceremony at the Home for Incurables, founded by Mother Mary Aubert, yesterday the chief singers in the ohoir were Mhsea Roae Bl&ney, Mills, and Gleeson, of Donedin. Mr W. Barron, who ha 3 been appointed teller in the Donedin branch of the Bank of Australasia, leaves for the South shortly. Ministers were in Cabinet during" the forenoon, and were to have resumed in Cabinet at three o'clock but for the fact that the Premier was besieged by deputations and interviewing. lam informed, however, that the matters considered in Cabinet were of a merely departmental character. Firßt came two deputations from Kaiwarra and Karori with requests for a now railway station and other local requirements. Then an irascible old lady, who insisted upon seeing the Premier as one of " the rights of women," wanted to be present at a deputation which was to be introduced by Mr T. Wilford, M.H.R. Being remonstrated with, she threatened to put " a head on " the honorable and learned member for Wellington Suburbs, and menaced the Premier's messenger with severe pains and penalties for barring her entrance. The eccentric female was placated/and persuaded from resorting to physical violence. Then followed a procession of callers, including Mr Quin, a leading member of the South Australian Legislature, who is making a tour of Now Zealand with the object of studying our laws institutions, especially the legislation relating to lands and settlements. It was within ten minutes of 7 p.m., at which hour the Premier was due on board the Rotomahana, with the Hon. W- C. Walker, Minister of Education, en route to Invercargill to attend the banquet to the Hon. J. G. Ward on Wednesday, when the procession of callers ceased, and Mr Seddon had just time to rush away in a cab to catch the steamer. Tour readers will be able to form some idea of the Premier's phenomenal capacity for work when I state that he had been at work during the greater part of Sunday up to three o'clock this (Monday) morning, resuming at ten o'clock after "a few hours' respite, and coatinuing right on to within a few minutes of seven in the evening. I venture to say there are few men in the colony who could bear such a mental and physical strain.

At the annual meeting of the Wellington Typographical Union £5 was voted towards tho fund which is being made to enable tho Canterbury Trades Council to test in the Supreme Court the question of preference of employment for unionists.