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New Zealand Mail, Issue 914, 6 September 1889, Page 20

Train Alterations. —The train now timed to leave Wellington at 10 p.m. for the Lower Hutt was altered on Monday to leave Wellington at 10.15 p.m. The Waitomo Caves.— -One of the most interesting of all the reports presented to the present session of Parliament is the one from the Chief Surveyor (Auckland), on his visit to the Waitomo caves in the King Country. It is very evident the Colony possesses a great attraction for tourists. They are the finest yet discovered in this land of marvels. It is to be hoped that the Govern menfc will see their way clear either to purchase the site of them or to assume the control with the consent of the Natives. Judiciously worked, these caves could be made a good source sf revenue if put properly in order. The introduction of the electric light would reveal the many beauties of the interior. The present practice of using candles or torches is very unsatisfactory and may lead to a permanent disfigurement of the beautiful handiwork of nature. With the eltctric light, a decent road and proper guides, the caves would attract people from all parts of the Colony as well as secure a large proportion of tourists passing through New Zealand. The barque Kentish Lass, which is reported as having left Newcastle on the 21st ult, arrived in harbour on Monday night. The grandmother of the Emperor of China is 80 years old, blind, deaf, and a cripple, and the other day her loving grandson presented her with 500 singiug birds, 200 silk dresses, and 100 musical instruments. In New York last year there were 92,661 county paupers, 43,112 town paupers, and 57,896 needy persons who procured temporary relief. It is proposed to held four days’ festivities in Auckland in January next in celebration of the jubilee of the Colony. The programme has not yet been finally agreed upon. During the last nineteen years 310 amendments to the Constitution of the United States have been proposed in Congress, but only three have been adopted. Up to the end of last year over 1500 bodies had been oremated in Italy and Dresden, and 50 at St John’s, Woking, Surrey.