COLONIAL DEPARTMENTAL CONFERENCES.

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 23

COLONIAL DEPARTMENTAL CONFERENCES.

The annual conference of depart men-' tal heads, including chief engineers, chief mechanical engineers, accountants and traffic superintendents, mil be held at Adelaide on the 17 th inst. It will be attended by the above-named officials from Tasmania, Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria. Queensland and South Australia. New Zealand has been invited to attend, but owing to the great pressure of work in this colony she will only be represented by Mr C. Hudson, assistant general manager, who is now in Australia. The conference mil last until the 28th inst. On March 17th a conference on the same lines will be held at Adelaide of the general managers and commissioners of the abovementioned colonies, to deal with the recommendations' made by the first conference. This is the first time New Zealand has been invited to be present, but owing to the short notice gh c.z, arrangements could not be made ror her to be represented. It is probable the next conference will be held at Sydney. and it is hoped that in the future Nr-u Zealand will lie selected for the purpose. The interchange of ideas that wh" 'tal-.c place will probably result in mutual benefit to all the colonies represented.

Constable Thos. O’Gradv has been j:pointed an Inspector of Factories under the Factories Act oi' 1894. The heart of a vegetarian beats or. an average 58 to the minute; that of the meateater 75. This represents a difference of 20,000 bents m 24 hours. The value of minerals raised in Tasmania during 1899 is set down in the official statistics at close on one million and a half, ait. increase of .£579,565 over 1898. Labour is reported to he at a premium in the Bruce district just now, owing to the number of hands required by the contractor for the Fortification Coal Company’s railway line, and to the needs of the approaching harvest.