LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6289, 13 January 1882, Page 5

LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPOXDEVT.] Wellington, Thursday. THE GOVERNMENT , AND THIS MAILS. 1 The attention of the Government hag been directed to the following Auckland telegram, circulated yesterday by the Press Association : —"Government are attacked by both papers for their continued inattention to the representation by the postal authorities and the public for better fumigating appliances here. Although the mail steamer arrived at noon yesterday, the fumigation will probably not be completed till midnight to-ui.ht. The steamers have been delayed for the Southern mail. Great public inconvenience and loss will be suffered throughout the colony, which might be avoided by a trifling expenditure upon a proper smoke-house. When the English mail steamer was last quarantined, two clear days elapsed betore the mails were delivered in Auckland, yet no attention has been paid to the representations then made to the Government about the inadequacy of the fumigating facilities." The Postmaster-General informs me that this is a complete misrepresentation of faets, the truth being that the continued lack of proper appliances is wholly and solely due to the neglect of the Auckland Harbour Board, which exercises the functions of the Board of Health for the port. Government have made representations to the Board time after time, but ineffectually, and as the Board has entire jurisdiction, the Government possess no authority to interfere and take the matter out of their hands. Further strong rneasm'es, however, will probably be adopted for bringing the delinquent Board to a perception of its duties, and compelling proper fumigation appliances to be provided without longer delay.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER. As some fuss has been made in certain quarters about the illness of the Colonial Treasurer, I may as well say thai iVis indisposition has been of the most triftX*; description, find he is now quite convalescent. He was ofily absent from the office two days, and more as a judicious precaution than through the severity of his illness. HIS EXCELLENCY. Sir Arthur Gordon has gone to stay at Brancepth, the Waif am pa station of Mr. Beetham, M.H.R. As rsual ho did not inform Ministers of his intention to absent himself from the seat of Government. He kept the train waiting a quarter of an hour and then missed it after all,lmt managed to catch it by hard driving alonjj the road a short distance out of town. The atfair has caused some amusement. GENERAL MANAGER OP RAILWAYS. There are fresh rumours afloat regarding tha general managership of railways. It is beliovcd that Mr. Maxwell will goat the end of his resignation term, as at first intended, ami that he will be succeeded by his second in command, Mr. Hannay. On inquiry, I am informed that nothing is yet definitely settled, hnt I am inclined to believe the above report will prove correct.