WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10130, 13 May 1896, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

[B* MMGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT,] Wellington, Tuesday. THE COMING SESSION.

I understand that the Treasurer is engaged upon the preparation of the Estimates. Ministers are anxious, I am informed, to bring down their Estimates and to pass them at the earliest possible date, Once passed, short work would be made of a good deal of contentious business that is certain to turn up, THE MULLET,

The official attendance of Sir James Hector as one of the Commissioners of the Brunner inquiry is likely to postpone the report he was engaged upon in respoot to the mullob supply in Auckland, I learn that Sir James Hector, is examining the whole question of fish supply on both coasts of New Zealand, tie has been engaged in microscopic examination of the ova of the mullet, the schnapper, and other species. The object is to discover the stages of erabryonio development so as to fix with some precision the seasons of full maturity of the fish, and the periods of spawning,

SIR R. STOUT. In an interview with a Post representative Sir R. Stout replies to a charge, that his Government had perpetrated a "job" in the purchase of the district railways. He goes into the history of this and other transactions, in which he gives a categorioat denial to statements made by Mr. Seddon and the Ministerial journal. The report of the interview is very long, but the following representsfiiirly wliatis material in it. He says When the whole history of the transaction is told, the Premier will have plaood himself in a very peculiar position, as the members oharged with jobbery in this matter were Sir J. Vogel, the Hon. Mr. Ballance, Sir R. Stout, Sir P. Buckley, Hons. Richardson, Lnmach, and Tole. Mr. Seddon and his Government had appointed Sir .J. Vogel their financial adviser, Sir Patrick Buokley they had appointed a Supreme Court Judge, thoy supported Mr. Larnacli's candidaturo for Tuapeka, they appointed Mr, Tote Crown Solicitor in Auokland, and called the Hon. E Richardson to the Legislative Council, and (said Sir Robert) thoy evon offered office to me, so you see that all these "jobbers" have been offered or had high office conferred upon them. The Districts Bill was referred to the Public Accounts Committee, of which, says Sir Robert, "I was not a member." Both Mr. Ballance and Sir H. Atkinson took an active interest in the purchase. Mr. Seddon voted for the second reading when the Bill came down first, but it was defeated in the Council. Subsequently a resolution was carried in the House to the

effect that the Government bo requested to make the beat arrangement thoy could with the District Railway Companies. FOl • nine members voted for the resolution, ami twenty-four against it. Mr. Seddon did not vote for tho second reading when the Bill came down the second time (1885), but he made a speech on the first occasion to the effect, ''that the Government were for

once and for all dealing with these rail ways in a decisive manner, which would prove beneficial in the long run to the people of New Zealand. As to being a director of the Agricultural Company, Sir Robert says : Sir Geo. Grey said so, but neither Mr. Ballance nor myself occupied such a position. We were never either directors or shareholders, or had any interest whatever in it.