WELLINGTON SPECIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 241, 19 October 1901, Page 2

WELLINGTON SPECIAL.

THE ABATTOIRS EMBEOGLIO

(Special to Times.) Wellington, last night. The Municipal abattoirs embroglio threatens to develop into some interesting phases hosore it is finally settled. The whole of the eovrespoiulerc > that has passed between the Minister for Agriculture and the Abattoirs' Committee of the City Council was presented to the Council last night, and indicated pretty plainly that the Minister had changed from being an impartial judge of the best site to being an advocate of a particular site, ot which J. 0. McKorrow. Government Land Assessor, is stated to be the vendor. There is an opinion prevalent in town that an attempt is being made to perpetrate a job to which the Corporation has refused to become a party, and will, unless tiio Minister backs down, probably adopt police of inaction, leaving the Government to sue for such penalties as the Act will permit it to recover for noncompliance with the provision that the abattoirs must be built by next April. NATIVE LAND LEGISLATION.

Tne Court of Appeal has been applied to by Mr W. L. iiees to tix a time for hearing an application for leave to appeal in forma pauperis in three eases between the Natives in the Poverty Bay district and City of Glasgow Bank Assets Company. The Court lias intimated that the application might be put at the bottom of the list. If leave to appeal is granted, the appeal will not be heard until the next sittings of the Court. The papers relating to tils case have not yet been tiled. MARKET FOR COLONIAL PRODUCTS.

An enquiry has been made here by a leading native firm in Japan for regular supplies of wool, hides, Max, and certain kinds of timber and other New Zealand products. The firm are manufacturers on a very large scale, and some of tlie.r goods are exported to the colony. The princi-

pals propose to scud two or three representatives to New Zealand to arrange tor shipments, and ha.cashed whether any restrictions will be placed upon them by the Government. The Premier lias replied that eaeli agent- will be required to pav a poll tax of A‘loo, but the amount will be refunded when he completes his business and leaves on the return journey. THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

The Wellington timber merchants have

assured the Premier they are in sympathy with his protests against the Federal tariff, and will do all in their power to assist hi m when the proposed conference of sawmillcrs takes place. UNIMPROVED V Al. UES.

The Trades Council has obtained sufficient signatures to the petition circulated to j ustify asking the City Council to take a poll on the question of bringing Rating on Unimproved Values Act into operation. REDUCTION OF PORT CHARGES.

In connection with the application of the three large Homo steamship companies for a reduction of dumping and port charges for vessels coming back a second time, the Harbor Board Engineer stated that if the Arbitration Court acceded to the demands of the wharf laborers that two men must in future be employed to wlieol double dumps instead of one. The Board might have to consider whether it would have to increase its charges as a whole rather than reduce the companies and those suggested by shipping.