WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7796, 16 November 1886, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

[BY TELEGRAPH—OWN CORRESPONDENTS.! Wellington, Monday. MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS. The Hon. Mr. Ballance proceeded to Ficton and Blenheim this afternoon on business connected with the Lands Department. The Hon. Mr. Buokley will proceed to Auckland on Wednesday next to inspect the hospitals and lanatic asylums in that district. The Hon. Mr. Larnach, Minister of Mines, will proceed to Auckland towards the end of the present month. He is expected to return from Weßtport to Wellington about the 19th instant. THE GOVERNOR. A telegram has been received here announcing that His Excellency sailed this evening from Lyttelton on his return to Wellington. COURT OF APPEAL. The argument on the appeal case re Bloomfield concluded this afternoon (the fourth day), Mr. Travers being heard in support of the decision of the Chief Justice, which set aside the stock mortgage as being a bill of sale, and a preferential disposition of assets in favour of particular creditors (Messrs Common, Shelton, and Co., Gisborne). The argument of Mr. Bell (counsel for appellants, the above-named firm) was in effect that security was given for an antecedent debt and further advance, and that Common, Skelton, and Co. did not, and could not, know that Bloomfield was on the eve of bankruptcy when the instrument was executed. The argument of Mr. Travers was that, while a bill of sale under the Bankruptcy Act is absolutely void within sixty days of bankruptcy, a stock mortgage under the Chattels Security Act may be void in certain circumstances, and that such circumstances existed in this case. Their Honors (Justices Richmond, Williams, and Ward) reserved the decision of the Court. THE CABLE RATES EMBROGLIO. All the local papers congratulate the Colonial Treasurer upon the successful issue of his dispute with the Cable Company. ANNUAL RAILWAY TICKETS. I understand that petitions have been sent to the Minister of Public Works praying that the Railway Department should accept payments in quarterly or monthly instalments for annual railway tickets. It is stated that numbers of persons would be induced to live some distance in the country if payments for the annual railway ticket were made easy for the holder. The matter is at present under consideration, POLITICAL. There is quite a collapse of interest in politics for the present. THE MIDLAND RAILWAY COMPANY. I am informed this company are busily engaged in organising their official staff. The advent of Mr. Brodie Hoare is talked of as having some significance. He is a director and will no doubt go over the ground. The only significance bis visit can have is to expedite the work of construction! As Mr. Hoare is a partner of a great London financial firm, there may be collaterial reasons for his visit, but no one is likely to know what they are.