WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 65

WELLINGTON.

The New Zealand State Fire Insurance Department will commence operations on January 4.

Mr J. H. Owen, manager of Sharlands, who has just returned from a round-the-world tou>.\ was very much struck during his visit to the United States with the ihxrst of the Americans for knowledge. Some hundreds of young m&n from the lolkges and universities were at St.' Louis, and to pay their wa}- pushed visitors about in bath-cbaus at a dollar an 'hour. Mr Owen was thus pushed about. He says that the young fellow he retained during his vjsit was simply insatiable, for news about the colony. The knowledge gained at St. Louis by "the students must count for a good deal. Mr Owen popped into the Colombo Theatre one e\ening and saw eight V^assar ijirls go through a refined musical performance. They were girls from the well-known college, earning their keep, and gaining knowledge with the same keeness as= th© undergraduates of the bath-chairs. At. St. Louis he. visited the vast drug warehouse of Messrs Meyer Bros., one of the largest 'in the world, where are employed 600 people, including 75 typists and 75 travellers. They have over 20,000 customers on their books. A visit of inspection was also paid to the Chicago University, which Mr Rockefeller endowed to the extent of £3,000,000. One hotel at Chicago— the Auditorium— cost £700,000 to build. It oovprs an a«re and a-half of ground, has 400 rooms, and contains a theatre that will ?eat 4500 ppople. No rooms are to be had under 3dol (12s 6d) a night. Comprehensive arrangements are being made by the Ngatiraukawa tribe for the hui of welcome at Otaki to the Hon. Huia Onslow, who arrives with Lady Onsiow to-morrow on a visit to the colony. It had been intended to hold the hui on Boxing Day, but it has now been postponed until Wednesday, 28th inst.

In the Divorce Court on Monday a decree nisi was granted Annie Maud Georgina Cleveland against James Cleveland on the ground of misconduct. Applications for restitution of conjugal rights were granted to Edward Davy against May Davy, to Benjamin Curlew against Frances Louisa Curlew, and to Ellen May Pearce against William B. Pearoe.

Reginald P. Wilder, son of a well-known Rangiora runholder, second prefect of the Wanganui Collegiate School, pluckily saved a boy from drowning in the river on Monday. The boy had gone <3own for the la«t time, when Wilder, fully attired, dived to his rescue, ana succeeded in bringing him to shore. AYilder holds the Australian Humane Society's medal for proficiency in life-saving, which he won at the school this year.