WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7585, 19 December 1902, Page 3

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

— » ) [Fkom Our Correspondent.] 7 WELLINGTON, Dec. 19. Captains of big steamers visiting this port will be interested to hear that the Marino Department has approved of the shifting of the buoy, recently laid! down, further to the southward, to a position near where the Afchenic struck. It was mentioned at yesterday's meeting of the Harbour Board that when tfoa Board got oufc its new dredge, this slight obstruction would very speedily be removed. It is all soft material, and a dredge would be able to deal with it easily. A dredge > would be able to go down to 43ft. In the future the Harbourmaster will take out large vessels. The election, expenses of the senior member of Wellington, Mr Aitken, amounted to £71 10s 3d. The statutory account, rendered to the Retuming-offioer by Mr J. Godber of the cost of his contest for a City seat' shows a total of £115 0s 3d. [Representations were made to the Department of Agriculture t>y the Upper Butt section of the Farmers,' Union relative to the clearing of gorse from railway lands, but it is alleged tibat nothing has been done to eradicate the gorse, and the settlers are complaining bitterly that their lands are being infested with noxious weeds from the railway line. Further action is likely to be taken after the holidays. Regarding! complaints of alleged irregularities on the part of 'Mr King, the Re-turhing-officcr for Auckland City in connection with the recent general election, the Government has decided that Ma* Haselden, Stipendiary Magistrate at Auckland, and Mr H. Pollen, Under-Secreta'ry to the Colonial Secretary's Department, shall hold am inquiry to investigate the circumstances. The Cabinet yesterday decided to decline the offer of a private- residence and grounds in tho neighbourhood of Dunedin in connection with the establishment of a sanatorium in the South Island for the treatment* of consumptives.