WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2293, 10 February 1898, Page 30

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, February 5 DEMOLITION OF PARLIAMENT BUILDING'S.

A stag of some 20 workmen aie engaged in pulling down the i'ront entrance of Parliament; BnildiDgs. This portion of the buildings covers the ground occupied by the old Provincial Council buildings and offices, iuc'udiug the present C&bineo room, the lovter press room, the ladies' tea room, the strangers' room, the rooms upstairs occupied by the Goldfields Committee, the Native Affairs Committee, and those rooms used by Ministers on Ihtrsame flooi 1 . You ar-s aware thab £7000 was voted for tLe ereetioa of a new structure to contain the library. Tha conditions of the vote were th-it the structure should be of brick or stone. It was round that thi« sum would be insufficient if all the accommodation required during the aittiuga should fee provided, and an additional sum of £5000 is to be applied to the replacement of the parliamentary offices— tha part of the building which is now in progress of demolition pu'i up for the purpose of the old Provincial Council. With respect to the new structure the front elevation will be brought; forward some 20ft so as fco be in line with the portion of the general design which is at preeent occupied by the official residence of the Speaker during eech session. The front elevation will be carried wifcuin two or fchree feet oi the fence at the Hill street end. It is estimated that the library and the alterations indicated will cost abuut £12,000. In the opinion of come experts v;ho have seen the plans aud specifications the work cannot be done for the money. The inteiior limit; of the proposed extension vdil be the staircase which lead 1 ) up to the committee rooms in the new wing, which include the Joint, the Stock, Waste Land, and other tooimitfcee rooms, and the room occupied by the leader 01 the Opposition. The new front will give direct entrance to the long lobby. The design will be in harmony wilh that portion ot the building which will for the present remain standing. It will nor, as I am informed, interfere with the Speaker's apartment, the rooms occupied by the eierks of the House of Representatives, the Hansard reporters, the txfcra cierks or committee reporters, or the rooms occupied by the Local Bills and Petitions Committees. Tfaesa will be brought into ihe geufi-al plan of the future House of Parliament later on. The wovk is to be pushed forwafd as rapidly as possible, bat it is bareiy pafsib'e that it can be completed before the nexfe session of Parliament. &IR ■WALTER BULLEK, V. THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE.

Mr Justice Deuniston has giv-11 his dee sion upon the legal question reserved iv thin case. He affirais that the trustee canuot pay th>j coßts of the action cub of trust moneys — that is to fcay, nsom-y coming into his hands which he has to administer in his office as trustee. As &n officer of the Government, the trusteo is right in bis objfftion to payjnenfc out of this iund. But the troveru merit may pay the money out of unauthorised expenditure or ether fund that would be applicable for defending «ueh action.

THE COMING WKLT.I!SGTON ELECTION.

Mr John R( ss (ot S:»rgond J p)i Mr La Grove, and Mr Meuteatc 'Ifcnj .hafc they intond to stand as candidates ?.t the uomiug election. Mr A. R. Atkinson is likely to retire in favour oi Mr Duthie ; indeed, there is a very general d-e«iire that Wellington should be represented by one of the "leading commercial men." The belief is growing stronger that; S<lr Dubuie will cocaply with the requisition made to hiai. [&tr Dottue li^s &ii>ce coubented to srand. — Ed.] February 7.

THE COI.ITN T G EIECTiON.

The rame of Mr H. F. Fraser is epoken of i fee-day as a probable candidate for the representation of Wellington at the coming election. Mr Fraser formerly represented Wellington. Mr Beauc'jamp, of Banr.atyne and Co., in also trof-ly Bpcke:i of. Ib i* not thought that eitner of these gentlemen will have a " snow " as compared ■with Mr Duiibi-\ as, in fact, there is a scarcity of men in W<-llin$:lon jusb now who would be regarded as "fit and proper persons " to represent such a commeicial cojnmunifcy as Wellington has bfcoms. Commercial men ! themselves have little inclination for political ] life. It is stated upon authority th&t the Premier will have to decide for his party whom they will support. Mr John Ross, of fcsargood'p, is the only person yet named who ' would have the slightest chance of being returned .

SELECTING A GOVERNMENT CANDIDATP,

Mcftmgb were held to-night by the Welling- j ton Trades and Labour Council end the j Workers' Union rei»srdicg the choice of a ' candidate for ths Wellington vacancy caused by tha retirement of Sir Robert Sfcoufc. The Pfemiei 1 sddi-ssed those assembled. I learn from an oxce'leub scurc-3, however, that there t is anything but uuauimicy in the matter ; in facfc, there! its a decided split iv the camp, one > section wanting My Collius. of Chriitchut-ch, as their candidate, and the other, headed by the Premier, sticking out for Mr Horusby, editor of the New Zealand Times, who shoi'tly retires from fcbat position. An the Premier has decided in favour of Sir Hornsby iii is pretty safe to pradicb thr.t he will be tho Grcvemmsnt candidate. Mr Duthie, if he sbands in the Opposition interest, should, however, win the seat.