WELLINGTON NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9149, 3 September 1888, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.i Wellington, Saturday. SIR GEORGE GREY. Sib George will, in all probability, remain here till Friday next, going to Auckland by the East Coast route. He will occupy the interval in seeing about the appointment of the Point Resolution Commission busines and other matters. THE ROTORUA LEASES. Sydney Taiwhanga is interviewing the Government relative to the Rotorua township lease rents in arrear, with a view of getting a settlement of accounts, and having the matter handed over to the natives, so that they may proceed against defaulters. To my enquiry as to the amount which the natives wanted for the township in view of the Government contemplating purchasing the freehold, Sydney modestly named £30,000 as the amount which the natives would accept. NATIVE PETITION TO THE QUEEN. Sydney is having the petition to the Queen concerning the Native Bills printed in English ana Maori, for circulation throughout the country, so as to be signed by the native population. Sydney goes to Parihaka shortly, to get the signatures of Te Whiti and his compatriots. The petition to the Queen refers copiously to the Treaty of Waitangi, and the destruction of the native race through the Native Bills, which gives it a peculiarly Taiwhsngaian flavour. QUARTZ FOR SWANSEA. I believe that Major Jackson has been suggesting: a scheme by which the steamers of the Cardiff Steam Colliery, said to be willing to deliver coal at Melbourne at 25s per ton during the coal strike, could come on to Auckland for return cargo in tho shape of quartz for treatment at Swansea Reduction Works. RAILWAY FREIGHTS. Negotiations are going 011 between the railway authorities, the Manawatu Railway Company, and the West Coast farmers, for a reduced through rate in freights on dead meat between Wanganui, Hawera, Pa tea, and Wellington. The reduction proposed is 13s 9d per ton. The settlers would also gain in the saving of fat, offal, etc., and the concession will greatly aid the farming interests. I understand it is not proposed to make such reduction on the Auckland lines, the concession being only for long di» tances. THE STOCK DEPARTMENT. I understand that the Government intend to abolish the office of Superintendent of the Stock Department, and that Mr. Bayley (the present Inspecting Superintendent) will be offered the appointmeent of Sheep Inspeo tor in the Auckland district on the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee. THE LATE CAPTAIN BAILEY. Captain Robertson, late of the s.s. Oreti, who was a friend of the deceased Captain Bailey, of the schooner Colonist, has taken charge of the remains, and the body was sent up by train to Waitara to-day for burial there. 1 hear the poor fellow has left his wife and family poorly provided for, the vessel being uninsured. LEFT BEHIND. A number of Southern members, restive at not getting to their homes through bad weather yesterday, and the reported delay in the arrival of the s.s. Wanaka, are now endeavouring to get the Government to lay on the s.s. Stella for Lyttelton in order to catch Monday morning's train. The matter will be settled to-night. Sunday. Owing to the non-arrival of the Stella the Southern members will not get away till to-morrow afternoon by the Mararoa. They are very irate at their enforced detention, and say that while the other members who left before the close of the session reached their homes in comfort, they who remained have simply got punished for their patriotism MRS. AGNEW. This disappointed petitioner was arrested yesterday on two charges—first, for behaviour calculated to provoke a breach of the peace towards the Premier on Lambton Quay; ' the second, for using provoking language towards him. She was subsequently bailed out. The poor woman seems to be going demented over the failure of her petitions to the Assembly. ,