WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9011, 17 October 1892, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Wellington, Saturday. THE FRUIT CROP. Mr. Hanlon, the Government Pomologist, has returned from an inspection of the orchards in Nelson and Marlborough. He will report the results of his observations to the Government, He considers that there will be a full crop of apples, pears aud cherries throughout properly kept orchards in those two provincial districts. There will also be a good crop of cultivated peaches throughout the same area. Against these favourable results he states that there will bo but a half-crop of plums, a quartercrop of apricots, and a very small crop of currants and raspberries. He invites information from all fruitgrowers in the colony. THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS AND MR. SKDIK>N. The official warfare between the Minister of Public Works and the Commissioners o. Railways continues with unabated energy, This morning a categorical statement of railway results appears in the Times in an interview between the Minister and a special reporter. The Hon. .Mr. Seddon gives an emphatic denial to the interpretation put by the Commissioners upon the results of railway working. He contradicts specifically the statement of the Commissioners which I forwarded to you in a recent telegraphic message. Mr. Seddon, in reply to the Commissioners, that they reduced the amount payable to their coal contractor when they reduced the freight charges, says that the effect of the action taken by the Commissioners does not end with the coal contractor but extends to all the coal companies. Taking the reduction of freight at 2d a ton upon 312,000 tons of output, this shows a concession to the coal companies equal to £2600 a year. As to the contention of the Commissioners that the increase of railway expenditure was £60,000, not £77,000, the Minister says that counting the salaries of the Commissioners and the increased estimates of the working expenses, he brings the expenditure to within £4 of the £77,000 stated. As to the £113,000, increase of revenue, the Minister says ho only referred to last year, and therefore the statement of the Commissioners covering three years is not an answer to his statement. He says there was a decrease of revenue to the extent of £0270 compared with the previous year, that there was a decrease of £12,084 of net revenue, that there was a decrease of 3* 2d on the percentage of profit, a decrease in tonnage of 19,220 tons, a decrease of live stock of 194,863. head; while, on the other hand there was an increase of capital to the extent of £378,000, of passengers 122.135 persons, and an increase of mileage of 17 miles. He further says that the Commis sioners sold engines and vehicles to the extent of £'26,200. and had work done in the workshops to the value of £30,390 Theso two items, he says, the Commissioners have not satisfactorily explained. He draws attention to the increases made by the

Commissioners to the salaries of officers. The Commissioners, he says, give their engineer £800 a year, which is higher than is given (£750) to the Engineer-in-Chief of the colony. Allusion is made to an interview given by the Minister to a newspaper correspondent, tho result of which, it is slated, the Post kept back. This brings the Post into the battle upon the ground that their reporter was not present at this interview. The two evening papers take up the cudgels on behalf of the Commissioners, so that the Minister of Public Works may be said to have a sultry time of it. He draws attention to the fact that the Commissioners have an advantage " in respect to getting currency for their statements which lie does not possess." This brings down upon him a foretaste of the wrath to come, so that from the present aspect of the dispute no end to it seems apparent, THE WEATHER. Since yesterday the wind has been blowing with extraordinary violence, accom panied by pelting rain without the slightest intermission. Wellington people call it half a gale if they said half a " hurricane" it would be nearer the mark. The members of the Legislative Council who left by the s.s. Takapuna last night must have had a very lively time in Cook's Straits. The wind has been quite strong enough to blow stout pieces of timber along the streets to the peril of wayfarers. It is delightful to some people because of its invigorating property; other people do not like it for the reason that Miss Melrose, in *■'■ Our Boys," did not like bread and cheese, " because it is so awfully wholesome."