WELLINGTON NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 12762, 15 March 1906, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES

[Special to 'the Star.] March 15. While in England on his projected visit Dr Yal'intine is to work for the Christchurch International Exhibition. He expects to get many exhibits from the Sanitary Institute, London, but hopes also to get assistance from other public health departments with which the Government had been in communication. He intends, he says, to make inciuirics regarding various matters affecting the public health, particularly the muiiicipalisation of milk. Room is to be found in the space secured by tie Government. The licensing election was wholly without interest. There is much talk, nevertheless, about the " parties" who " contested " the same. These were " reformers " and " indefinites." The " reformers " were really conservatives of the ten o'clock closing and of the last Committee's moderate policy. Th© "indefinites' were apparently anxious to give tbe trade a free hand without saying anything about anything. The whole thing from.-first to last va-s a makebelieve, which the newspapers carry 011 by vaguely congratulating the city on tlie results. A oase of hardship under th© old age pension system is causing comment. A man who was refused the pension, on the ground that he was more than pensioners are allowed, to ©am by the statute, breaks down, in health, and not being able to earn anything at all applies ;igain for the pension, only to find himself barred .by the statute, which does not allow applications to be nearer to each other than twelve- months. The Premier' is to leave for ChristchuTch this everting. It is understood that he will attend the banquet to Mr Flatman at Geraldin© on Friday. Travellers anxious, to see the Wanganui River, beware! Warnings are abroad that the boats are apt to be delayed by low water for seventy-two hours between Taumanmaii and Pipiriki, and as they carry no provisions the result is sometimes more picturesque than respectable.