WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9189, 19 October 1888, Page 6

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

'■■■'; ;■.' ;V-:;; 'X~'XX,[ •'„'"_''..'..* -- '~ ■■■ [BY TELEGRAPH.— CC r.TJESPONDENT.] - Thursday. ' '•.■'. l)"l : MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS. ■As I suspected, the attack made upon the contemplated visit ; of the Hon. Mr. Fisher I and the Hon. Mr. Mitchelson to Melbourne," . which I . forwarded lost night, \ was made upon insufficient information, or perhaps without any information whatever to justify it. K Mr; Mitchelson is going upon his own private business at his own expense, and on a short holiday, to which, having been engaged constantly in the work of his 1 departments, he is entitled. j; Mr. Fisher ■is going to Melbourne in compliance with a pressing invitation given to Km as Minis- j tor of Education by the Hon. Mr. Pear-j son, ■ Minister ;of Public Instruction •' in i Victoria, tto be present •■:'■ at *: a series of important conferences to /take i place in connection with the ; Education J section of the Melbourne Exhibition. This invitation was forwarded through the New Zealand Commissioners. The following is copied from the memorandum of the ; Hon Mr. \ Pearson : — " The Department of Public Instruction in Victoria is anxious to make use of the approaching Centennial Exhibition at Melbourne for the purpose of forming a comparative -estimate as to the value of its school : system, / The Commissioners haVe kindly agreed to group all educational exhibits together, * so that there will be no difficulty in obtaining a full representation of all the /neighbouring colonies." The Minister ;of Instruction ; then j requests that the New Zealand Government would send some one to represent New Zealand. It was ; further stated *by Mr. Pearson that application had been' made to -: the /Governments / of France,- Germany, and the United States for exhibits,' such as models and "all kinds ' "of apparatus for technical schools; as well -as for the ordinary State schools.// This' application had been favourably entertained. France and Germany would be represented in the manner desired, and also by educational experts. / The Hon. Mr. Fisher, in a minute to; this memorandum, instructed the Under-Secretary of his department to write | in reply that, as Mr. Pearson's object was to I secure exhibits from France, Germany, and the. United States, the exposition of the systems | education |adopted in these countries would be of great interest, and at a more advanced period the Government of Zealand would consider -whether it would send a competent person toreportupon it." It will be recollected 'that Ministers were invited severally and together by the Victorian Government ;to visit the Exhibition, but they could not then comply on acccbuhtf of J the occurrence- of the session of the General Assembly. This special vitation was received during the session, 'and is deemed, I believe/ of ■! sufficient ; educational and official importance to make its acceptance in the public interest desirable. BAILWAY/COMMISSIONERSHIP. / The Hon. the Minister of /Public Works informed me to-day that a i cablegram had been ;received from the Agent-General to the effect ' that application had been :received from two Candida who appeared by their experience to be eligible to the office of Chief 1 ; Commissioner. He (was at the ■ date of •• his cablegram in communication with these gentlemen, but he had not come to any decision.'* The responsibility of the office makes the duty of recommending to it a -matter "of '-the greatest difficulty. DELAYED MAILS. ; Last week there were ho mails from the North (overland) for a whole.week.'i Inquiry elicited the'; fact that the railway servants had ' neglected to transfer the mails to the proper train. The guard ; and the enginedriver, whose duty it was to attend to the matter, have been reduced, in ;,;', their pay. The guard accepts the punishment, but the engine-driver pleads that he acted as in duty-bound under the guard's orders, and protests against the injustice of his punishment. /• DECREASE OF PHEASANTS IN THE NORTH ; 4 . • ISLAND. This subject was discussed by the Wellington / Philosophical -•■!■ Society yesterday evening. Mr. Liffertdn attributes the fact which has become"widely observed, to the taste of.;■ the weka (woodhen) for pheasant eggs. In the discussion of the subjectj Mr. H. P. Higginson suggested the-want of grain food as a patent cause of the decrease m some districts, and Mr. Coleman Phillip considered that, so far/ as the Wairarapa was concerned, the ravages 'of hawks and the laying of poisoned grain were the chief causes. , iS SALE OF GOVERNMENT LAND. ; At a sale which was held here yesterday, the area disposed of -was 25,970 acres, realising £18,068. There were; two cash purchasers, one of 130 acres for £50, and the other 230 acres for £86. There were six purchasers under deferred payment, and thirty-mho under perpetual lease agreements.' ' ' NATIVE AFFAIRS. - '.'i The following appears in the Press of this evening :—" We understand that the abolition •of the Native Department' and, the control of native affairs being handed over to the charge }of -the bOn. Colonial Secre- : tary's department will take place in a few days' time. -.■'• Among other reforms in connection with the Native administration will be the appointment of more -judges of the Native '■ Lands . Court, with a view to ex_pediting ; the , settlement ;of land; disputes, and' question of title, and the. system oi procedure of courts will also be thoroughly revised." ~ -THE SONNYSIDE ASYLUM. ,'•!,, v:' ; The Hon. the ' Colonial /Secretary say£ . that the ! Snhhyside Asylum has;. suffered ;.' injury by the fire yesterday' to the extent of one-fourth of the building. < The monej estimate of the damage done is not officiallj : known yet. The building will be repaired forthwith. ; > The female patients have beer 1 housed in the immigration barracks. Twc or three refractory ,;: cases have had to b< !•• accommodated* in ithe/ Addington{;Gaol. ; The repairs to the Asylum will be under taken immediately. ■ ' '■':'• ' . ' j