CURRENT TOPICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7025, 13 January 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

CHARGES OF "EXTRAVAGANCE.” Our contemporary, the “Post,” in its vigilance for ecopomy in everything (except expenditure on establishing Choirs of Military Science) has come ■to the conclusion that the "elaborate preparations" -which are being made at the Betone workshops to enable the Governor and his household to make a railway tour in the North Island, indicate that the Minister for Railways has forsaken his democratic faith in simplicity. The “Post" is most emphatically of opinion that the arrangements could be "much more economically managed without approach to cheese-par-ing,” and is very' wrath __at the expenditure involved in this business. The facts are that the "elaborate preparations" our contemporary is bo angry about will cost .£ls. They consist- of temporarily removing the seats from two secondclass carriages in order that the cars can accommodate stretchers to sleep upon. The floor space down the centre of each carriage is being covered by a strip of inexpensive carpet. If the arrangements could be conducted more "economically” than this it would be interesting to know what form they would take. When the cars are used by the Governor they will be attached to ordinary goods or mixed trains, and detached at sidings en route in tile way common to timber waggons. It is verygratifying to find the press keeping an eye on Mr Millar, but when its tliundc.turns out to be about taking the seats out of a couple of second-class carriages the noise seems to be in inverse proportion to the necessities of the case. COUNCILLORS AS TURNXCEYS. Betone shopkeepers are up in arms in opposition to the Borough Council’s attempt to fix Saturday as the. halfholidav. The consensus of opinion is that the change, unless Wellington adopted it also, would be suicidal. Those

'opposed are determined that li the council persist and Saturday is gazetted they will immediately petition for a variation of the order in regard to their trades. A peculiar position promises to arise in regard to joint action on the part of. Hutt and Petono. It appears that it will bo necos-sary for the delegates Horn *bv two councils to meet and fix the half-holiday for the combined district. The Potone delegate will be instructed to vote for Saturday, the Hutt delegate to vote for Wednesday. As to split tho difference would mean Friday morning, and as commissions arc not in favour in Pet one just now!, it is suggested that tho only feasible solution is to postpone de--1 cision for a year to see whether amalgamation of the boroughs comes to pass. And there are some who see breaker* ’ ahead even then!

TOO MANY BURIAL GROUNDS. "When the Taita cemetery was laid out a ground was reserved for the Catholic community of Petono and Hutt, As the Catholics, however, have a burial ground of their own in West Petono it has not been deemed necessary to toko advantage of the other provision. Recently the secretary of tho Board of Control forwarded, under instructions, an invitation' to Father Lane to contribute vLT2 towards tho cost of maintaining this unused ground, which ran through the" centre of the cemetery and hud to be kept clear of growth and tidy. At yesterday's* meeting of the board a reply waa read from Father Lano suggesting that the amount asked was large; seeing that the ground was not used. The writer said he would not mind paying towards the general improvement, clearing gorse, or any specific improvement he thought necessary whilst* the cemetery remained unused. “It is scarcely fair of the trustees," continued the letter, "to put on a charge so exorbitant. I would like a detailed account of the work done by the caretaker. It'seems to me by the letter the ‘trustees have consulted the caretaker instead of the caretaker consulting the trustees as to the amount to be sneut. However, X must go> and see you, and also tho cemetery." Tho letter concluded by thanking the trustees for their attention. The chairman was delegated to meet Father Lane and endeavour to come to an agreement. AMOKURA TO VISIT DEPOTS FOR CASTAWAYS, Next Monday, in order ho give the nort recruits on tho Government training ship Amokura an initial idea of life on tho ocean wave, the vessel will leave Wellington for a short cruise in Cook Strait, and will also, manoeuvre in the Marlborough Sounds. The Amokura will return to Wellington, in a fortnight, and will then embark on a now departure in visiting the depots for castaways on tho outlying Southern Island groups. 'Tho vessel will rail at tho Snares, Aucklands, Campbell, Antipodes, .and Bounty Islands. The trip should prove instructive and interesting for tho ,boye, and at the same of great assistance, inasmuch as it wi 11 relievo .the busy. Hincmoa of a considerable .amount of work. The Amokura recently made a trip to the Kermadoos .with the same object in view', and the work was accomplished satisfactorily.

NEW ZEALAND’S LONDON OFFICE. The lease, of the New Zealand High Commissioner’s Office in Victoria street, London, expires next September, and it is safe to prophesy that there will be a removal to more central premises. For €OlllO time tlio High Commissioner has , been looking out for a fresh location m the heart of the city, and an announcement would probably have been mndo regarding the new location of the oflice but for the illness of tho Hon. W. Hall-Jones. Sir Joseph Ward was questioned on the subject yesterday by a "New Zealand Times” representative, and stated that the Government wished to secure promises in the Strand. Our offices are required to bo in a more central position than Victoria street, remarked Sir Joseph. cf We must hayo them in a place where people congregate —and thev do not congregate where tho offices are now. The old position was quite suitable when tho Agent-General a duties were more on tho lines of a dipiomatio attache, but their activities are of a much more general description now. Other colonies have gone into the busiest street, and we must do tho same.