TOPICS OF THE DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4289, 23 February 1901, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

FEDERATION COMMISSION. The Federation Commission will probably open its sittings at the Parliamentary Buildings ou Monday morning. Amongst those- who have been in- . yited to, give evidence arc Messrs William. Booth (Wairarapa), John Duncan, Grosley Lukin, J. L. Kelly, J. S. Dalrymple (Feilding), 11. K. Simpson (Rai;- , gitikei), A. B. Russell (Palmerstoo North), W. Crabbe, Samuel Brown, s Nicholas Reid, T. W. Hislop, J. McPherson, Andrew Collins, J. B. 11a-wo-od, W. (T. Glasgow, Dr Findlay, Colo--1 nel Ponton and Major Undocks. Gentlemen. who volunteer evidence will also 3 be heard. Exception has been taken in some of the Southern paper.-; because i the Federation Commissioners did not hold sittings at the smaller centres like : Uamaru and Timaru. The reasonable ; reply to this criticism is that if the Commissioners stopped at Camara and Timaru they might justly bo called upon ■ to hold sittings at Masterfcon, Palmerston North, Feilding, Wanganui’and all , the .smaller towns of the colony. As the Commission is costing the ' colon" something like £2OO a- day, and as a. number of the gentlemen who compose . it have not a. year or two to devote to . matters outside their businesses, it is perhaps as well that any process which would unduly prolong its sittings should be avoided. The position is that any reputable member of the community cab volunteer evidence, cud that inJho case of witnesses from a instance their expenses arc paid. This being' the case, it is hard to realise that hardship- will be suffered by any .section of the community as the result of the course which is being pursued. | WESLEYAN CONFERENCE. The Wesleyan Conference will open in Wesley Church, Taranaki street, on Thursday, the 28th instant, and will extend over nine or ton days. On the opening day an address will be given by the retiring president, the Rev j. S. Smalley, of Nelson. The election of president and other officers will also take-place on that day, and / tho first Jistf of stations will oo read. The new president will probably bo either the Rev C. H. Garland or the Rov Dr Morley, both of whom are at present stationed at Christchurch. The conference conversazione' will be held on thej evening of Friday, the Ist March. It is expected that over IG9 members of Conference—ministers and laymen—will be present.