THE MINISTER FOR DEFENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7181, 4 June 1891, Page 3

THE MINISTER FOR DEFENCE.

Inspecting the Lyttelton Ports. The Hon E. J. Seddon, Minister for Defence, arrived at Lyttelton by the 8.20 a.m. train to-day, and embarked upon the Government steam launch. He was accompanied by Colonel Hume, Lieu-tenant-Colonel Gordon, Major Douglaa and Mr Joyce, M.H.8., Messrs Bell (engineer), Wilson (foreman of works) and Cleary (chief gaoler). The party first went to Fort Jervois, Eipa Island, where the prisoners are engaged on the defence works. The little island now presents a very different aspect to the place which at one time served as a quarantine ground for the passengers of vessels arriving from ports which were declared unclean. A high stone wall has been built all round it, and on the island itself the four breech loading guns are erected. All particulars of the fort have been given by as, suffice it then to Bay that the prisoners are now making fair progress with the work. The magazine is now finished, and a few mere months will probably see the whole fort cbmpleted. After visiting the pits in which the huge guns are mounted, tho magazine and other parts of the fort the party returned to Lyttelton, and were driven first to the batteries on the north Bhore, where two 7-inch and two 64---pounders are erected, and then to Erskine Point, the recently-finished battery, where another 7-inch muzzle-loader is erected. The Minister returned to Christchurch by tho mid-day train, and will leave for Wellington this evening.