WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6452, 5 April 1899, Page 1

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

[From Our ComiEsroNDENT.] WELLINGTON, April 4. Some comment has been made on the action of a certain distinguished cleric who prayed on Sunday morning for the safety of the volunteer contingent for service in Samoa u'liilst a second member of the Church militant preached a warlike sermon in tiie camp, based on the assumption that the troops were actually going. The Minister of Public Works has been spending his Easter holidays, not in leisured rest, but .in a careful inspection of the railway works at the southern end of the Nortli Island main trunk line. The financial year of the Railway Department closed on Friday last, and though the returns are not yet quite complete, a period of three weeks being required to elapse before all the balance-sheets can be received and checked, the officers are confident that tlie estimated receipts (£1,370,000) will be exceeded by ninety thousand to one hundred thousand pounds. The estimated expenditure was £916,000, but the amount will probably bo slightly exceeded, several returns of minor expenses having still to come in. The payments for compensation arising out of the Rakaia disaster will form part of the expenditure for' the current year, commencing April 1. On Tuesday next a conference of Government dairy instructors and graders of butter at all the main ports of shipment throughout the colony will be held in the Government Buildings, Mr Ruddick, Dairy Commissioner, presiding. It is expected that manyvaluable suggestions for the improvement and development of the industry, and for concerted action, will be submitted to the conference. The question of the Dairy College is also likely to come up. At present, I am informed, tlie opinions of the experts are in favour of some place on the West Coast of the North Island, but nothing of a definite character has been decided. Mr J. N. Hickson. has been appointed to succeed Mr Howley, Clerk of the Court at Timaru, Mr Howley having obtained six months' leave of absence, to visit England. The Premier returned to Wellington this morning,, and the Minister of Lands is expected to-morrow. Mr Hogben, the recently appointed Inspector of Schools in succession to the late Mr Habens, arrived in Wellington to-day, and had a long consultation with the Hon W. C. Walker, the Minister of Education. Mr Hogben will commence his duties tomorrow. The tender of. Messrs Robinson Bros., Nelson, has been accepted by the Public Works Ddpartment for the erection of new offices for the cable station at Wakapuaka. The cost will be something under £2000. , Mr D. D. Hyde, Government poultry expert, has gone on a visit to the West Coast, Nelson and Marlborough. The delegates at the conference of the Churches of Christ have resolved that the new century shall be inaugurated by a general conference of the northern, middle and southern districts, at Dunedin, in the Christmas season.