WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11397, 14 April 1899, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

(From Our Own CoraiEsroNDENT.)

WELLINGTON, April 13.

When General Booth was in Wellington lie told the pressmen who interviewed him that '■ the Government. had expressed itself favourable to the si%gestions made by him that the Salvation Army should be given charge of some'of the inmates of the industrial homes of the colony. A representative of the Women's Political League expostulated with Mr Seddon about doing any such thing, and told him that it smacked of devoting State money to sectarian purposes. The .Premier then adroitly climbed down in such; a way as to make it appear as if he only intended to. give tho Salvation Army the same sort of subsidy as was given to other organisations engaged in rescue work, General Booth evidently went1 away with the notion that the Premier really meant what he said. This was made apparent by a cablegram which arrived here the other day giving a precis of an interview with Sydney" journalists, but it is amply confirmed by Sydney' files just to hand, which show that General Booth, in reply to an interrogation, said: " Then, too, we intend to extend our social work there (New, Zealand). My son, on my behalf, had an interview with the New Zealand Ministry, and I think that they are preparedto grant us everything that we asked for. The Government are going to give us' their reformatory boys, and will give us grants, generally speaking, for every side of our social work. . I could not wish for anything more cordial than the inter-, course I.had with Mr Seddon and the members of his.Ministry." General Booth is a diplomatist, and so ■is Mr Seddon, but the greatest of these in one respect- is veritably Mr Seddon. , "

I regret to. say that Mr John Duthie, M.H.E., is confined to his bed through illness. ;He.has been in indifferent health ever since his return from* the West Coast district, but has persisted in getting about despite the doctor's .injunctions to the contrary, with the results stated. He was to have left Wellington to-night on his way south to be present at Mr Rolleston's Riccarton meeting, but was, of course, unable to do so. • .. :

The Premier is at/present at New Plymouth, where he.is to be banqueted to-. morroir. night. It is said that his ps'it is intended as a counterblast to 'Mr ,T. E. Taylor's enthusiastic reception in the "capital of'Taranaki"a week or two back. Mr K. M.< Smith, is again to be .the Government candidate for the Taranaki "seat at tli* next'election.