WELLINGTON NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9013, 28 March 1888, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT, Wellington, Tuesday.

NEW ZEALAND MIDLAND RAILWAY. It has transpired that tho rumours which were rife some time ago, to the effect that the contract for this work was not in smooth water, were well founded. The Company, it turns out, were not satisfied with the contract as agreed to by the Parliamentary Committee, and have ever since been importuning the Government for some modification of

limitation of the term of the contract, which was fixed by the committee ; hence the incessant korero between Sir Harry Atkinson and the agents of the company. The local journals here, which are reported to be in the confidence of Ministers, describe the situation almost in the same words, and precisely to the same purport as follows :—" It is understood that a large proportion of Ministers' time since Parliament was prorogued has been occupied in the endeavour to effect a final settlement of the Midland railway contract. Various unforeseen difficulties are said to have arisen owing to the very indefinite shape in which matters were left by the late Government, and the arrangement of all the moot points has been a work of great labour and much anxiety. It is hoped and believed, however, that at last the longvexed question has been finally settled. At all events a form of contract, embodying the extreme extent of concession to which the Government would doom it right to consent, has gone home by the San Francisco mail which left New Zealand yesterday. It is possible that the London directors may even yet raise objections, and endeavour to obtain further alterations, but if so, any such attempt will be strenuously resisted. It is not anticipated, however, that this will bo the case, as the contract in its present shape complies with all the reasonable stipulations of the company, whoso representatives in the colony appear to be satisfied with the footing upon which the agreement between the company and the Government has at last been placed. TUB RABBIT CONFERENCE IN NEW SOUTH WALKS. Mr. A. D. Bell, a runholder at Waihenio, in Otago, a son of the Agent-General, ha? been appointed to represent New Zealand at the conference to consider and decide as to the efficiency and results of M. Pasteur's system of extirpating the rabbit pest. Mr. Bell, I am informed, is an accomplished chemist as well as a sheep farmer. He gnve important evidence before the joint committee of the General Assembly which sat to inquire into the working of the Sheep and Rabbit Acts, in 1884. I understand that Mr. Bell goes to the conference at his own expense. | THE NORSK WOOD SETTLERS. The Crown Lands Ranger was dispatched to-day by the Minister of Lands to inquire into the condition of the burnt-out settlers, with instructions to report upon the best means of affording them assistance towards re-establishing their homes. The Government are anxious to avoid doing anything that would interrupt the flow of general benevolence towards the temporary relief of the sufferers, but equally desirous of giving help in some form that may be permanently useful. SHEEP RATES. I understand that the arrears of rates due to the Government represent a very large sum. Otago contains the largest number of defaulters. Auckland, where the flocks are small, does not owe much in the aggregate, and the individual liability is also small. At the same time sheep-owners should be warned in time to pay these rates, for the Government intend to prosecute all defaulters. This is authentic, and may be taken as a word to those who would be wise in time. WESTPORT AND GRETMOUTH HARBOUR BOARDS. The Government have resolved to gazette out the members of these boards, and then proceed to the appointment of officers to carry out the works on behalf ot Her Majesty the Queen. It appears that the legal case put by the Chairman of the Board is without bottom. The Harbours Act of 1878 is to bo read with the Westport Harbour Board Act of 1884. The fountain of authority in these matters is the " Order-in-Council." The Board may be dissolved at any time in the event of the General Assembly authorising the Governor to take over the harbour works, together with all contracts and engagements relating thereto. POLICE CHANGES. Inspector Browne, who has been for many years at the head of the Detective Department in Wellington, will proceed to Auckland and take charge of the Detective Department there. Mr. Browne is very popular here, and very general regret is expressed that he will be reduced in rank in compliance with retrenchment proposals which the Minister of Justice is carrying out. Mr. Browne is a very experienced officer. MOUNT COOK PRISON. As the result of the visit of Ministers to Mount Cook Prison, I am informed that the wing which was to be annexed to the building will not be erected. The structure as it stands is larger than will be required for several years to come. This determination will save the colony several thousand pounds.