NEW PLYMOUTH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 26

NEW PLYMOUTH.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

The Exhibition, has been booming all this week, during which we have bfid a good deal of Ministerial patronage. The Hon. O. H. Mills was the first member of the Cabinet to visit the town, accompanied by Mrs and Misses Mills. During his stay Mr Mills visited the petroleum prospecting works at Moturoa, and congratulated Mr Fair, the prospector, on his enterprise and wished him success. Oil Tuesday night Sir Joseph Ward, Lady Ward and Miss Ward arrived, and on Wednesday they "did” the Exhibition. During the day Sir Joseph, iu his capacity as Minister for Railways, was "torpedoed” by deputations on the old, old subjects, namely, reduction of charges on the port line, and deviating the Wellington line along the beach in order to remove it from the centre of the town, where it crosses Devon street. Of course Sir Joseph said all sorts of nice things, and assured his hearers that he would give their grievances his serious consideration.

During his visit to tUe Elxhibition Sir Joseph Ward addresed the Maoris at the village, and they in return presented him with a mat. The Minister also made an address to the Etiropeans. The same night Sir Joseph and party left for Auckland, it being Lady Ward’s intention to take a course of the baths at Rotorua,

On Thursday morning the Premier and party arrived from the West Coast in the Hinemoa, and were suitably welcomed by the Mayor and others. The Premier was entertained at, a lunch at the Elxhibition, and then had a tour round the building. He also visited the military tournament. During the afternoon the Premier made a short address.

The Exhibition numbers of the "New Zealand Mail" have met with a large sale Here, and the proprietors have been commended all round for their enterprise. The Exhibition will be closed on Tuesday next.

Mr Cecil Wallis Crocker, a porter at the New Plymouth railway station, was killed on Wednesday night at Stratford. He had gone down in the 4.2 S p.m. train from New Plymouth to Stratford to assist the guard, and 1 was to return in the in express. He apparently attempted to get on the cowcatcher of the express when approaching the Stratford station, and fell, breaking his neck. He was found partly on the catcher and partly on the front part of the engine, and was attended to at once, but died while being conveyed to New Plymouth. He was 26 years old, and second' sou of Mr S. Crocker of Devon street east.

Mr W. J. Penn, editor of the “Herald," is now able to get about after a severe illness. He will take a couple of months' spell at Hanmer and the Southern lakes before getting into “harness" again.