WELLINGTON NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 12366, 2 December 1904, Page 6

WELLINGTON NOTES

- [Special to the Stab.] WELLINGTON, December 2. The -Wear and strain of negotiating the many curves on the city track is telling upon the wheels of the electric tramcars. A breakdown occurred in Cuba street on Wednesday night, between nine and' ten o’clock, and stopped the traffic for the night by that route. Three cars have been disabled by broken wheels within the past fortnight. The Customs revenue collected at the port for the month of November totalled £51,987 4s 7d, and the beer duty for the same period £998 2s Bd. The figures lor the corresponding month last year were £47,269 4s 5d and £BBI 5s 5d respectively. A dozen Chinese who have jnst arrived in the colony yesterday paid £1,200 by way of poll tax. 1 Fishing in the rivers of the Waimariw) is prohibited for two years. The Commissioner of Customs, in cot sequence of complaints laid regarding the transport of fruit, is trying to arrange that the Countess of Ranfurly shall carry some regularly from the Cobk Islands. With regard to the Premier’s statement that Christchurch hairdressers and others were wanting but a little latitude in respect to the Shops Act, I find that many hairdressers here are declaring that seven o’clock closing would be satisfactory. Increasing tram traffic has compelled ’the • ‘ City Council to order nine more cars—three deckers and three combinations from Home, and three combinations here, at -a probable cost of £I,OOO each. Possibly six more cars will be ordered, or fifteen in all. A request for penny through tickets for schools was refused, the returns not admitting of reductions. Tire City Council have adopted a report to insure the Town Hall for £30,000 and the furniture for £4,000 if the premium is not excessive. A suggestion was made that the State Fire Department should be askedto make a special quotation. The applications for the custodianship of the hall totalled 142. There was a feeling of relief in financial circles this morning at the reference by tlw ‘ Morning Post ’ to the issue of the million loan in London at the end of the week. 1 have reason to believe that the statement if substantially correct. It is officially recognised that it would be impoisible to float a loan locally in the face of municipal heavy borrowing, with long currency at 4£ per cent., the rise in building societies interest of J> per cent, for deposit rates, and the probability that the banks would soon follow suit—there factors produced nervousness in financial circles lest the Government should demand the million in the colony, which would be followed by awkward consequences ;. bonce the relief of financiers. Remembering the Wertralian recent issue of 4 per _ cents, at 97£, I predict that our lain will ba offered at 4 per cent, at £99, or on terms equivalent to par. '