DEPARTMENTAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 28

DEPARTMENTAL NEWS.

The result of the enquiry into the causes of the recent railway aeci lent at Waiwera, between Balehitin, and Gore, is that the (lovenr.noiit have decided to dispense with the services of Mr Coker, stat-ioninasfer at Clinton: Mr bray, clerk at Balelutha, and Driver Wingham and Guard Hughes.

A quantity of singed kauri and totara trees on the Forest Reserve, Tangihua, Auckland, is to be sold by auction at Auckland, on June 12th next.

There is every reason to expect a keen competition for the- Atdgo-.van estate, Otago, as the Lands and Survey Department have issued 2000 pamphlets descriptive of the estate, together with 350 large maps, and applications are still coining in for more. The Public Works Department liavo received two tenders for the erection of the Alakolitne viaduct from Wellington, and two from Christchurch. No tenders liavo come in from Dunedin, and advices have not, yet been received from Auckland. Ihe increase ot passenger traffic and tho carriage of stock on t ho Government railways has necessitated a large increase being made in rolling stock, engines, waggons, .to., and Gabinct has accordingly passed a vote of .£IO,OOO for this purpose. The special settlers at Maratu, Auckland, have applied to the Government for a grant of grass seed, to enable them to sow their paddocks,which have been devastated by bush tires. Tito matter has been referred to the Minister of Lands.

Air Walker, of Wanganui, who was some time since offered tho appointment of manager of the State farm at Levin, has written to the Government intimating his acceptance of tho position, and tho appointment has been conferred upon him. The Railway Department has now on hand a very large number of trees ready for transplanting, and tho Government have decided to plant them on a reserve of 1000 acres at Kaiigaroa Plains, Taupo. It is intended to inaugurate a new system in connection with tho preparations for tho opening of Parliament. Hitherto it has boon customary to coniine the work to a few, and the re-ult has been that it usually spread over a period of five or six weeks. It is now intended to put more men on with a view to finishing tho work in a little over a week, and by this means a larger number of men will be benefited by the expenditure. As far as can at present be ascertained, it is probable that Parliament will open very early in .1 une.

Complaints have been made to the Government that there is a large amommt of old and mutilated silver in circulation. The matter canto before Cabinet on Monday, when it was decided tliit fuller information should bo obtained before definite action is taken.

Mr Buckle, formerly chief clerk in the Native Land Court at Wellington, lias been appointed Registrar in place of Air H. D. Johnson, recently promoted to be Judge of the Native Land Court. Mr Buckle’s position as chief clerk will be filled by Mr McGrath. In connection with the Government’s proposed action to quash tiie order made for the removal of Mrs Morrison’s license from Rotorua to I’aeroa, tho Government have been advised that as Airs Morrison's lease, which was granted by the Lands Department in July, Iprovides for the- remc-va! cf both the license and the premises it veui-i be futile to take action to quasi: tit? trier for removal. But it apt ears, hq;:;a: that the removal men.fit--: ir. the lea.-;■ --t&c been referred t > tho burveyor-Genoral. as the Government were not aware, when notice was given of objection to the removal, that he had written to Mrs Morrison giving his consent to the removal.