WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13543, 16 March 1906, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

fFnoit Our Owk Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON. March 15

Mr A. Hamilton, director of the Colonial Museum, has returned from an expedition to a pave at Tahnra (inland from Gisboruc, near _Waika.re-mcs.na), where, he found the remains of some 14 moas, including throe of the Largest .species of Dinornis." Chatting with a reporter this morning. Mr Hamilton said that his find included probably the test, skull of a Dinornis that lias .cvsr yet been'' discovered in the Norili Island. A number n f KGO d skill's had been in various parts of the South Island, hut it was very seldom that rood specimens were obtained in tlio- north. Ho hoped to have, found the iremains of the Notoruis (takalie) and come of the other extinct birds of New Zealand, m that the bones might be comparer! with specimens from the South Island, of which ho had a number in his collection. Apart from tlio moa, the only oilier bird of which ho had found traces was a small kiwi, represented by the bones of an immature specimen. He also observed remains of the tur.tara lizard. Ho says that the scone of the deposits is a small cave in jniiiMonc in heavily bushed country which is boimr opened up. Woodmen felling trees last year noticed the cave, but Mr Hamilton postponed his visit till the lumbar had boon burnt off. "I lisvo no doubt," he coaelmbd, " (bat many other cavois with bird remains will ta found as settlement progresses." j\lr/r. E. Donne, superintendent of the Tourist Department, has been doing some exploring- in the wilds of Westland. During the week- he travelled down the west coast, and is due to reach Queenstown, via the Hiiust I'uss, to-day. His mission h to inquire info tlis qucsfion of opening up a through trip to the Lake', so that tourist-.! will have an opportunity.) of admiring the gorgeous mountain aiid forest reentry on tliis route. Mr Donuo intends visiting Jlaumcr before reluming to Wellington, where lie is expected to arrive en the 23th March.

There is at least ono school in England where Iho pupils have a chance o[ learning 1)0,1 otid all doubt that Now Zealand is not a promontory of New Caledonia, a lake in Australia', or the capital city of the Cook Islands. This fortunate institution, in which Iho children are taught that New Zealand i« not merely "the place where the 'All Blacks' come from." is the Ifalwcll Road Council School, Bolton, Lancashire One. of the masters received a present of 44 New Zealand views from Mr C. R. C. Robison. superintendent of the Health and Tourists' Resorts Office, Wellington, and, in returning thanks for the gift, he writes that the pictures have been placed in very good oak frames, and that "the children are'

in groat glee Willi lliis now possession." This enterprising teacher lias also secured specimens of leaves of Now Zealand trees, and is flms able to give his classes .interesting object lessons. A gentleman in the Tourist. O'Pcp yesterday remarked that money devoted io providing other schools in Einrlund with sets of Now Zoalanrl views would he cash well invented.

A telephone oniployoe. whilst assisting ill liikiin' down a mimboi - of telephone wires in Victoria street, which had been superseded by the insnlatcd system, rocehod an electric shock yestorday which throw him into the gutter. ' The wire he had boon handling Ciiino in contact with an electric light wire. The ground on which he had been standing was wot and caused him to receive a (.'renter shook than ho would have received had flic ground boon dry. The department, to prevent those accidents as far as possible, took the precaution Io provide the men with indiarubber gloves. The man in ciue=tinn had a. pair of gloves, but. placed them in his pocket and paid the penalty. Counterfeit half-crowns arc in circulation in Wellington. The milling has been done very cleverly, mill it. is said that the ''King" of the spurious article is almost true.