WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7583, 23 December 1902, Page 3

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

♦ [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, Dec. 23. The retail tradesmen complain that the present Christmas week so far is one of the dullest business periods Wellington has experiencedi for several years past at this particular season. Traffic by steamers and railway promises to be unusually heavy during the holidays. The Government and Manawatu Railway officials have been hard: pressed during the last two days coping with the marked increase in traffic, and the shipping clerks have their work cut out to ikeep up with the rush of excursionists. Evidence of tho popularity of the Hon C. H. Mills is forthcoming by the fact of 'his receiving over 200 telegrams and..'letters congratulating him oil his re-election at the recent general elections. These- missives were from persons of all political! Shades and opinions throughout the colony. One hears so little about how matters are progressing at the erection of a lighthouse on Kahurangi Point, West Coast, *hat a few particulars I have gleaned from men employed on, the work might be interesting to the seafaring community. Owing to th& difficulty of landing material at the site chosen for the lighthouse, operations have been tediously retarded since a start was made seven months ago. Kaihurangi has the reputation of being one of the worst landing-places in the colony, and the task of getting material ashore as attended with great difficulty, not 'to say danger, as will bo readily understood when: it is stated thai tho Tuibanckat and' the Hinemoa had each two boats considerably damaged whilst essaying this operation, and the steamer Tekapo Was diodging about for weeks on end waiting fora favourable chance toJand her cargo. All tihis* has, of course, tended to hamper the work of construction, but now that a greater portion of timber and brickwork is on the spot, things will proceed more expeditiously. The tower plates have been landed from the scow Ngaru, and iJhe piles for the foundation of the lighthouse are air in position. Immediately after the holidays a start wall be made with the concrete formation. A number of stores have. been, put up, and tihe. timber is ready for the erection of quarters for 1 the principal lighthouse-keeper and his two assistants. U nothing unforeseen, happens, the lighbhoTfsei should be well on towards completion in eight months hence. The hands employed 1 there have suspended work till after the New Year. A curiosity in the shape of a. big- canqe, obtained by Captain Wwrsley, of the schooner Countess of Ranfurly, from a Nuie (Savage Group) Islander, has come into. the possession! of Captain Post, of the Tutanekai, and excited much attention here. On one of the paddles is a long inscription set-: ting forth the history, of this stronglyconstructed craft. '