WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9488, 18 April 1894, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES .

[ST XILUORAFH. — own correspondent.] Wellington, Tuesday. CABINET. Ministers sat in Cabinet to-day, but nothing reliable has transpired as to the nature of their deliberations. It appears, however, to be understood that the deliberations were altogether concerned with questions of finance and the tariff. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. I am informed that there will be a good many additions to tho list of Justices of the Peace. Action is to be taken shortly under the Magistrates' Act of last session bo extend the jurisdiction to £200, and enlarge the districts. It is in contemplation to extend the hours of the Supreme Court Offices to four o'clock. LOCAL LAW OFFICERS. There is one alteration which will bo regarded with a good deal of interest by legal practitioners. The Government have been brought to consider that payment in fees to legal practitioners for legal assistance is very costly. The practice has been to distribute; the Government business among lawyers indifferently, always provided the reputation of the person entrusted with such business might be relied on. In consequence of the large expenditure in this direction it is intended to appoint law officers in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, to transact Government business. THE ELECTORAL ROLLS. The Colonial Secretary has promised that inquiry shall be made as to the reasons for which persons whose names were on the roll for the general election were struck off the roll for the licensing election. THE CANADIAN CONFERENCE. Mr. Lee Smith, the representative of New Zealand at the Ottawa Conference, leaves here by the next mail for Canada.