WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11630, 18 April 1901, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

[BY TELEGRAM. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. A DANGEROUS PASTIME. Two boys were brought before the Magistrate (Dr. McArthur) this morning charged with placing a plank across the Manawatu line at Croft on. One boy pleaded guilty, and was discharged with a caution, but was ordered to pay eleven shillings costs. The case against the other boy was dismissed.

WELLINGTON WIND. A gale of more Hum ordinary strength baa been'blowing here since yesterday morning. The velocity recorded at the observatory during the twenty-four hours ended at nine o'clock this morning was 634 miles. In consequence of the high wind the telegraph communication was delayed on most of the lines. ' AN INDIGNANT JUDGE. For a long time there have been loud complaints of the want of accommodation in the Supreme Court building and offices. Yesterday it was impossible for Mr. Justice Edwards to get a place to sit in. He mentioned that his/own as well as the public inconvenience was very great.. He said he would be obliged to forego an appointment which he had made for Friday, as both the Supreme Court proper and the chamber room would be occupied by the other Judges. Unless something was presently done to provide other accommodation, the Judges would have to consider seriously the question of retaking possession of the room now used as the law library. The chamber room was unfitted for a Court, and was never intended for that purpose, and as far as lie was personally concerned, he simply would not sit in it in winter time, as it was dangerous to health to do so. NORTH OF AUCKLAND. It is understood here that the Minister for Lands gave the Northern settlers every encouragement to hope that they would be relieved of soma of the difficulties under which they at present labour. He recognises a great number of difficulties there which the settlers in other places have not to encounter. It is believed that he will introduce legislation next session for lightening as much as possible the burthen of rent on bush land during the first year or two. INDIAN CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS. The Government have made repeated representations to the Imperial authorities for facilities for examination of colonial candidates for the Indian Civil Service. The difficulty in the way was a regulation which made it impossible to reserve appointments for such candidates. Written examinations could be held, but not oral. The Imperial Government have now sanctioned a change. The Civil Service Commissioners will now admit a colonial _ of birth, and candidates educated in the colonies have on several occasions been successful in the examinations. Beyond this, however, the Imperial Government cannot at present modify the Civil Service regulations. The universities of Australia and New Zealand recently petitioned the Secretary of State on the subject, and the reply of Mr. Chamberlain received by the university is to this eti'ect.

NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY,

Mr. John Dufcliie writes to the local press stating that the Makohine viaduct, over which there has been such grievous delay, is after all only a small affair. Its roadway is 650 ft, carried on two short spans of 40ft, resting on concrete, two of 247 ft, and a centre one of 178 ft. These spans rest on the concrete and two iron trestle towers. The height of these trestles appears by the plan to be 200 ft each, and the height, from the rail level to the bed of the creek is given as 237 ft. Over this viaduct the Government has now boggled for ten years. It took them five to musty courage to start, and the work has now been five in hand, and yet an indefinite further term is wanted to finish. Compare this with the viaduct recently reported as finished in Burma. This work is fully three times the size of Makohine. Its roadway is 2260 ft. with spans of of 120 ft to 140 ft, supported (like the. Makohine) on trestle towers varying from 45ft to 320 ft high. The contract for this large work, in which there was over 4000 tons of steel used, was let in April, 1899, and was completed and handed over to the "Jumna Railway Company in December last, being thus erected in under 20 months. In the presence of such tacts, it will, Mr. Duthie thinks, lie recognised that the characteristic of this Makoliine Government work has been a waste of time and money.