WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIII, Issue 3571, 25 March 1880, Page 3

WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Under this heading the Hemld supplies the following

It is pretty generally understood that Mr E. G. Wood will join the Government, as the Auckland representative in the Cabinet. It was for some time thought, subsequent to tho recess, that Mr Sheehari would cast in his lot with the Hall Cabinet, but nothing now is heard of the alliance.

A successor will have to be appointed to Major Stack, formerly of the First Wnikato Regiment, who, until his death, hadchargeof the Constabulary depot. The selection will of course rest solely with the Commissioner Constabulary, and 1 should not be surprised to hear that Captain Swindley, of the East Coast, will take the position. Owing to Captain Swindley's military experience, and to the fact of many of his friends being at present in office, the probability is that he will be gazetted to the vacanpy. From what I can "gather, I shoul 1 not be surprised to learn that when the House meets, Ministers will bring in an amended Counties A ct. In many provincial districts the Act is wholly unsuited to public requirements, whilst in other counties the amount of expenses for management leaves but little for the real work which the framers of the enactment contemplated. In the proposed new bills extended powers of borrowing are talked of, oonscqiientupon the state of the exchequer being such that all subsidies must bo stopped in the future. 'J he heavy annual appropriations for Police and Resident Magistrates will receive careful consideration before the House meets, and the well-informed hero state that a number of these officials will be done awuy with, with a view of extending the judicial districts, and decreasinf.'i the total number at present employed. The Government will insist upon the " great unpaid " taking their fair share of police court work, failing which His Excellency will be moved to remove them from the Commission of the Peace.

The enormous expenditure of heads of departments travelling all over the colony on official business has now reached to such a heavy amount that it must be curtailed, but in what manner or in what shape these allowances are to be lessened is not yet sgreedupon. _ The retention of Chief Judge Fentou in office will dispense with the order of Ministers that the Native Lands Court, its judties and officials, were all to bo located in Wellington. Judge Fenton always fought against the removal of his department from Auckland, and now that he has reentered on his duties, mattersjn that respect will remain in statu quo. k. The Minister of Public Works is not likely to go Worth until Mrßryce, the Native Minister, cau accompany him. Then a quorum of Ministers will bo in Auckland, and some public undertakings will be decided on, M.r Whitaker is not expected hero before the commencement of May, and in all probability the two lirst-mentioned colleagues oi the Attorney General may not reach Auckland before the middle of next mouth.

It is now generally understood that ar« raugements have been completed belwocu tho Government and tho parties inter' ested in the Patetero lands, that upon

certain conditions the former will relinquish their liens on the lands. The exact nature of (he conditions is not positively known, but I should not be surprised to find that setting apart a certain percentage of the. who'e area in suitable sections on the deferred payeneut system will be a first consideration with the Government, There is one thing clear about the Patelere land, and it is this, that the Assembly, when it meets, will require full details of how the matter has been disposed of.