WELLINGTON NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4578, 24 February 1893, Page 3

WELLINGTON NEWS.

■ ' *» [FBOM OUB OWN COBBBSPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Fbb. 23. THB VOLUNTEEBS. The arrangements are now complete for the Easter Encampments, which are to be conduoted on a large and comprehensive scale. The leading idea is that the whole of the forces of each of. the fonr principal districts are to converge at each of the four prinoipal ports, to co-operate for the defence' of those fortified positions. The assumption will be that the enemy has attacked the harbour, and the orders are that he must be repelled. The carrying out of these ideas will be 16ft to the local authorities. In Auckland, Canterbury and Otago the district volunteers will be brought to the ports to man the batteries, support them, and act generally as they would be expected to act in case of need, and on the Bame ground. At Wellington the men from Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Wanganui, Wairarapa and Palmerston will converge on the metropolis. Westland and Nelson also are to have encamp*, ments, and may combine at their option.' The leading idea with them is the defence of the coal harbours. In the cavalry of the North Island a plan has been formed to concentrate all the corps, axcept those of Auckland and Palnierston North, on a special warning, in the work of acting together. Whether a similar plan is to be followed in the South I have not been able tb ascertain. COLONEL FOX'S BEPOBT. Such is the general plan. I hear that it is approved of by Colonel Fox, from which I conclude that there is, in his report, extended and comprehensive reference to the great subject of annual training evidently a cardinal feature of the same. Tou will remember, probably, that Mr Seddon, when he took charge of the Defence Department, proposed this very plan to the Volunteers of the Colony. When a high authority like Colonel Fox goes on the same lines, it is a feather in Mr Seddon's cap. His common sense hit upon the right thing as seen by expert military eyeß. To return to the report of the Colonel, you will have heard that it is not quite complete, inasmuch as the Colonel has yet to report on Nelson and Westland, principally with a view to the coal harbours. He starts soon on this work, and will make a supplementary report on his return. Another thing : The new attack formation has jnet been made the subject of instruction to the volunteers, and we may expect a full and exhaustive discussion of the whole subject. TBADE OP THE COUNTBY. The Trade Review contains come very interesting comparisons between tbe North and South Islands for a period of six years ending Dec. 31, 1892. There are three Bhort tables, showing the customs revenue, imports and exports. The revenue in 1887 fer the North and South Islands respectively was £479,940 and .£700,645, whereas in 1892 it was .£829,528 and .£819.607. The imports (excluding specie) were -£2,730,625 and £3,305,096. In exports the North Island iB Btill behind, the figures being for 1887 (excluding gold and specie) -82,513,450 and .63,319,444, and for 1892 £4,207,776 and £4,326,266. The difference in favour of the South has been reduced from £1,100,000 to £119,000. For the two islands the exports for 1892 amount to £9,367,916, as against £9,400,094, £9,428,760 and £9,044,607 for the years 1891, 1890 and 1889. The chief increases last year (1892) were for wool, grain, dairy produce and kauri gum, the amounts being respectively £183,000, £156,000, £192,000 and £80,000. On the other hand, there were many decreases, gold £54,000, frozen meat £160,000, other meats £50,000, liemp £64,000, coal £9000, fungus £5000, woollens and apparel £11,000, sheepskins £15,000, tallow £8000, timber £95,000, potatoes £15,000, and a number of smaller decreases, which bring the year's total down below that of the year previous by some £33,000. On the whole, one is surprised that it is not more.' MB eCHNADHOBST. Mr Schnadhorst, the famous Liberal organiser, who has persistently refused interviews throughout Australia and New Zealand, fell a victim to-day to a Post reporter. He refused information, however, on anything but the main Bills in Mr Gladstone's programme. On these he was communicative enough. Here is the interviewer's description of Mr Schnadhorst :— "Oor representative found the object of his quest at the Occidental Hotel, a gentleman as far removed from the ideal party boss,' say of New York or Washington, as

,* it would be possible to conceive. Small j shrewd, elderly, portly/bald, active, with ■ keenly penetrating eyes, olean shaven, , except of iron-grey toi ts at eaoh aide, an ■ ear trumpet, and a manner mildly deprecal wry; hesitating in speeob, but speaking | clearly and to the point. Such is Mr | Schnadhorst." Upon the -Registration Bill he gave information regarding two i pointe. Under the present syßtem the ; residence condition is twelve months, and jthe date fixed for calculation, is I July 16 m each year, resembling in that | respect the old registration practice in j New Zealand. Its effect is that a man j who leaves his district on July 16 cannot ] be registered again for two and a half i years. The new Bill proposes to reduce j the time to three months, and to abolish | the fixed date, taking the date of appli. cation as the limit for calculation. Again, it is the practice in England for landlorda to pay the rates of their tenants, ; recovering on rent day; but when they neglect to pay punctually, as they often do, their tenants, who hold the rpte-p&ying qualification, are disfranchised. That evil is to be reformed by the new Bill. The effect of these two reforms, Mr Schnadhorst thinks, will be to add 10 to 15 per cent to the number of registered electors, chiefly Liberal." Regarding the Home Bule Bill, he said it was by no means certain that the Lords would refuse to pass the Bill. They have, Mr Schnadhorst says, threatened again and again on many big questions, but have never yet carried out their threats. This was seen in the various Eeform Bills, the Irish Church question and many others; therefore he would not like to predict that they would venture to carry the position to extremes, and if they should do so, nothing which could hapnen would be so likely to rouse the indignation of the English people. Of the attitude of the Liberals towards the Colonies he spoke very warmly, quoting Lord Bosebery as the exponent of their opinions. It is needless to say that Mr Schnadhorst is delighted with every part of the South Island. He goes north to the hot lakes and the springs presently, and will spend about a month on the business. [Pxr Pbkss Association.] Mr Lowe, Engineer of Working Bailways, haa returned from a visit to England. He also inspected the French and Amerioan lines, and will furnish a report to the Bailway Commissioners on what he has seen. Mr Botherham, the Locomotive Superintendent, is now in America inspecting the new compound locomotives. He is expected to return next month.