SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

Evening Star, Issue 11661, 16 December 1902, Page 3

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

WELLINGTON, December 16.

Mr Hayes, superintending engineer of the Mines Department, has returned to Wellington after several weeks’ absence on the West Coast, where he was supervising operations at the Seddonville and Point Elizabeth State collieries. Mr Hayes, in tho course of a minute’s chat with your representative, stated that very satisfactory progress had been made in opening np the-'" coal uropertios. The long tunnel at Seddonville mine is driven about halfway through, and it is expected to touch coal a few months hence. Air Lindop has now dual control of the State mines. The new Hayes fan, constructed from -designs of Mr Hayes, has been erected in the Millerton colliery of the Westport Coal Company, and was recently . subjected to very exhaustive and critical tests. The average velocitv of air-current showed that at a speed of 144 revolutions per minute the fan was circulating 58,500 cubic feet of air water, tho gauge reading being 0.45 in. This fan is so designed as to entirely obviate vibration and noise so common in many ventilating fans by a simple yet effective method. The air, after leaving the tins of the Wades, is diffused considerably, consequently the loss of power when air is discharged into the’ surrounding atmosphere at a high velocity is greatly reduced. This patent, which is doing first-class work in the Southern mines, will likely be universally adopted in Ntw Zealand in the near future. The new educational regulations, framed bv the Education Department, in the way of extending free education, have created a very favorable impression in scholastic circles hero. In its last leading article the ‘ Post ’ says that the new regulations (the full text of which has already reached your readers) indicate that the department is striving to extend the scope of free education in this colony. Its object is undoubtedly good, and we trust that this policy will be steadily pursued until the higher educational institutions of New Zealand have been thrown open to all scholars and students who are qualified to receive such benefits from them as will repay the outlay made by the State. In conclusion, your contemnorarv trusts that the governing bodies affected by these regulations will find.it as workable as its.intention is commendable.

CHRISTCHURCH, December 16.

The Premier has received, through His Excellency the Governor, a copy of a letter fiom tho War Office acquainting him with the fact that the war gratuity drawn by members of the army nursing service and the army nursing service reserve will lie granted to the ladies who were sent out officially as nursing sisters from oversea colonies, and also to those ladies who proceeded to South Africa from the colonics at their own expense and were taken into employment locally. The gratuity would be issued at once.

The increase in the cost of living in Now Zealand during the past twelve months has been more apparent than the reasons; therefore, with the object of discovering some of the local causes for the rise, a representative of the ‘Press’ interviewed a number of retailers and business men. He ascertained that house rents have risen from 10 to 20 per cent, during the last seven years; that the price of imported groceries has not increased, but that all local products, such as butter, flour, oatmeal, cheese, ham, and bacon, have risen enormously in the last twelve months; that meat has gone up from Id to l£d per pound ; that the price of potatoes is 50 per cent, higher than jt was twelve months ago; and that oread, which used to be sold at from 4d to 5d per Alb loaf, now costs from 6d to 7d. No wonder the housewife is crying out and the salaried class is complaining of the pinch. Times may lie good for employers, farmers, and the workers under the Arbitration Act, but the prosperity is not reflected among clerks and other people in receipt of salaries which are not fixed by law and do not rise automatically with either the prosperity or the increased cost of living. Mr Charles Carter, late of the Pollard Opera Company, is at present in Christchurch. He announces a farewell concert for this evening. Mr W. W Tanner, M.H.R., is to be entertained by his supporters at a social gathering to-morrow evening. Mr Duncan Rutherford, the well-known Amuri squatter and a brother of Mr A. W. Rutherford, M.H.R., having added to the accommodation at Hanmer Springs by building a large social hall there, now contemplates establishing a line of motor cars between the springs and the railway at Cuiverden. At present the only means of communication is coach. The Government have been approached to extend the railway, but so far have'not shown much disposition to grant the request. When the Minister of Lands passed through Christchurch a short time ago, Mr H. 6. Ell, M.H.R., waited upon him and urged that the Government should do something to obtain public reserves, especially oi bush laud, in this province. Mr Ell pointed out that the Government received * large sums of money from Canterbury, and very little was returned. The request for reserves, he added, was a moderate one, and he thought the Government ought to oo something to preserve what little native bush m the province. If all the native bash, disappeared the native birds would go also, and there would be a double loss. The Minister expressed 'a- wish to know what bush still existed on private lauds in the province, and promised to lock into the matter* Subsequently Mr Ell saw Mr T. Humphries, Commissioner of Grown Lands, who stated that by the direction of the Minister he was collecting information in regard to bnsh on Banks Peninsula, and would forward it as soos. as possible. The.

Commissioner also stated that he was pre« paring an exhaustive'report on the native bush.throughout the lapd of Canterbury.