WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12996, 11 December 1902, Page 6

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

[FrOM.OuU CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Dec. 10. It is understood that Mr J. W. A. Marehant, Surveyor-General, who is now in the Auckland district, inspecting the balance of the Kawhia county lands on behalf of the Government, has reported that they are of fairly good quality. Tho surveys in connection with these lands are being pushed on most expeditiously, in order that they may be thrown open for settlement at the earliest possible date. Some time ago it was stated in certain quarters that the Government was keeping back the throwing open for settlement of the balance of the Crown lands in the Auckland province. This statement is utterly ridiculous, when it is remembered that at the very outside not more than 900,000 acres are fit for close settlement, though possibly another 500,000 acres are suitable for pastoral purposes. • Information has been received by the Health Department that an epidemic of diphtheria and measles at the Native school at Taumarew has necessitated the school committee closing the school immediately. South Africa is a somewhat well-discuss-ed country amongst us just now, for public opinion is disappointed that the result of the war is a. crop of warnings to all and sundry to keep out of Africa. The "Times," this- morning, after pointing out that the only hope for'Africa constitutionally and etbnologically, lies in the establishment of a white mining proletariat at the Hand, and close settlement of the country- by white (British) yeomen, asks if the millionaires of the Rand are to 'be allowed, bv insisting on replacing the dwindling black labour bv importing Chinamen, to spoil the chances obtained for Africa by the blood and treasure of the Empire,. What the British people think is shown by a rather suggestive fact. The Delphic, now on the wav here from British ports, has 264 passengers for Cape Town, and none for New Zealand. There will be presently a rush of resumed estates for feeding.the prevalent earth hunger. Mr Barron has returned - from his travels with offers in his pocket from everywhere in the districts of Wellington, Taranaki. Bay of Islands, Kaiapara, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tologa, Bay, Gisborne)-Wai-roa and Hawke's Bay. The Land Purchase Board will put its considering teeth into these properties, and then we may expect, I hear, a deluge of land to submerge all ballot difficulties. Apropos of these, the newly-elected member for Egmont, Mr Jennings, who was repeatedly declared defeated until the last returns arrived, after tremendous difficulties, thanks to great grit and sense of duty on the part of the officers, is advocating for a change, by which preference is to be given to those disappointed at the land ballot-boxes. H e says he knows men who have- been wandering about for years from ballot to ballot without success. That, of course,' is not the way to encourage settlement. Mr Jennings has a host of good wishes behind him. The- Public Works Act- will be invoked on Saturday for- compensation, from the Go. vernment to a prettv tune, Messrs Levin and Co. claiming 630,000, and Sir Walter Buller £IO,OOO, in connection with land taken ■compulsorily for extending the Post Office. It is not, wonderful that Sir Joseph Ward, on a late occasion, was not enthusiastic about the compulsory system. The Premier is in Wanganui, on Native business, with Mr Carroll.