WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11782, 6 January 1899, Page 6

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

[From Our Correspondent.] /WELLINGTON, Jan. 5. Iho Hon W. Hiui-dones and me piun W. C. Walker will, probaffiy be back to-mor-roiV*. The Premier was at Kumara yesterday, whicix will be hiis headquarters cluxing ois stay pa.the ‘West Coast. No definite decision will be come to as to the permanent appointment of police inspectors at the four principal centimes of the colony until the Cabinet re-assemnles here. *ho “ Post,” in a sub-leader to-night, referring to the views of the _Prbgresaivo. Liberal Association of Christoaurch, ,hi regard to the appointment of Justices’ of the _ Peace, says that the Association is entitled credit lor rousing public attention, and its proposals deserve careful especially the nomination by local bodies, and tho compilation of a sort- of Justices’ “ vadqmecum, but if the right men are chosen, the twelve months’ probation is scarcely necessary, and if. would be interesting’ to know how the diiristehurch Progressive Liberals would expect nevviy-appointed middle-aged Justices to behave during this’hjvitiate.' j • Complaints have reached the Public Works Department from the men engaged in laying the foundation for the East Cape lighthouse, the iron material for the construction of which is being prepared at the Thames. They complain'of not being taken off by the Government, steamers for their Christinas holiday, and of being left without money to buy clothes, and other necessaries. The Department answer to this is that the steamers were engaged upon vastly more important and. urgent public that the Government Inspector holds' moneys which .were disbursed .as needed, and, that communication with the mainland is open by boat, while an ample supply of goods of. all kinds can be obtained at the store. 1 The labourers- are paid 8s a day, carpenters 10s,, and only Is a day is de-, 1 ducted for food, which is of first-class ■ quality." The “ New Zealand Times” has been .ridiculing the steps, taken in, Auckland to - vent tbs landing of Austrians from Sydney: A telegram having appeared in: the. newspapers stating that the Permanent Artillery; and ; a strong body of police were toresist the landing, the “Times” sarcastically invests the affair • with international significance, and" pictures grave diplomatic complications at Vienna. I learn, however, on the best authority, that so far from any abslird display of needless force being made, only three extra policemen over the normal number, were stationed on the wharf on the occasion in question. ’ The special Wellington correspondent of several papers recently 'furnished them until what purported to be the report of an interview with his- Excellency the Governor on the subject-of the scenery of the colony. In the course of that interview, Lord Ranfurly is represented as deploring the fact that grave negligence is being shown in not sufficiently advertising the health and beauty spots of the colony in order to attract tourists. If the Governor', really used the language attributed to him, he merely exemplified the' old axiom that even the highest are not free'- from error. Evidently the Governor is in• ignorance of what is. being done by the Land and Survey Department in the way of directing the. attention of tourists to the "attractions of New Zealand, simply because the work is being .done outside the colony, and not under-his own eyes. .Since -1894, shoals of pamphlets," illustrations, guide-books, circulars, .posters, and other publications, have been distributed in all the chief centres of the United Kingdom, and other parts of the - world. They have been’ Sent-to clubs, Institutes,'agencies, reading-rooms, 'libraries, 'railway stations, watering *’• places, and every place where'-they were likely to come under the observation of the travelling public. In the case of India, the distribution of a few score copies of the illustrated guide books had the effect of inducing several • officers going ‘on furlough, or sick-leave, take New Zealand en route to EnglandProbably thereris .no- part of the world which, in proportion to its population, has been, so extensively and judiciously advertised as New. Zealand, and particularly the Hot Lakes and Milford Sounds. , Mr Reeves, the Agent-General, has devoted much attention to the- matter. -