WELLINGTON NEWS.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 17, Issue 3, 13 January 1903, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS.

{From our own Correspondent)

(Ihj Telegraph.)

Wellington, Last Nighf

Mr W. Crow, Private Secretary to Hon. Mr Mills, Minister of Trade and Customs, has been granted six months’ leave of absence, and sails for London by the s.s. Niwaru about the end of this month. Ho has been twentyfive y.ars in the Civil Service, havingjoined the Post and Telegraph Department as messenger boy-in I<S77. For fourteen years he was holographist and postal clerk in various offices, and during the past ten years be has acted successively as Priva'e Secretary to Sir J. G. Ward, Hon Mr Peeves (Agent-General) when that gentleman was Minister of Education and Labour, Right Hon the Premier, and Hon Mr Mills. On the occasion of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 Mr Crow accompanied the Right Hon Mr Seddon to England as Private Secretary. Mr J. W. Black, of the Land and‘lncome Tax Department, will act as Mr Crow’s locum tenenss.

Rain fell steadily for some hoars in Canterbury on Saturday. The farmers are beginning to get anxious about their crops, which are now splendid, and with fine weather the harvest, though late, should be a record one. The weather here during the past ten days has been very boisterous and wet.

The Hon. Mr Mills left for Auckland on Saturday. From there he goes to the Bay of Islands district, returning through the Whangarei district. He expects to be absent from Wellington about ten days. Recently several Crown tenants on the Richmond Brook and Starborough Estates complained to Mr Mills that they had been granted a rebate of only 5 per cent, on their rents instead of 10 per cent. The Minister of Lands has now replied that as the law stands at present the matter lies entirely with the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Receiver of Land Revenue, and he cannot therefore interfere. He intended to have the matter put on a better footing, and introduced a Bill last Session to' effect this, but owing to some opposition, and the early close of the Session, the Bill was not proceeded with.