WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7605, 15 January 1903, Page 3

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

... [From Our '•OonREsroNPENT.] WELLINGTON, Jan. 15. A question which may affect Crown tenants in other parrs of .the colony came before the Minister of Lands recently, when several tenant 3 on the- Richmond Brook and Starborough Estates complained that they had been granted a rebate of only 5 per cent on their rents instead of 10 per cent. The Minister has explained that as the matter lies entirely with the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the- Receiver of Land Revenue he cannot interfere. He had intended to have the matter put on a better footing, and had introduced a Bill lasb session to. effect this, but owing to some, opposition and the early close of tho session, the Bill was not proceeded with. Mr Hogben, Secretary to the Education Department, has supplied me with a ser-viceably-bnund book, entitled "Hand TVork for Schools," containing notes drawn up by Mr E. C- Isaacs, manual and technical inspector, with a view of assisting, teachers who are taking up wood-work in school classes, and which ehould also be of service to instructors and pupils of other wO , O( *" ,york classes. These notes serve the additional purpose of indicating what is expected in a two years' course in wood-work: for a class recognised under the Ma *"r and Technical Instruction Act, IHUU. The book, which should prove invaluable to teachers, instructors and puoils : of wood-work classes is well supplied with illustrations pertaining to this special craft. It has just left the printer's hands, and will be ready for distribution shortly. \ suggestion made in Auckland by the Hon J. Carroll that a small 'herd of Angora poa<s should' be introduced into the mountainous country of tie Urewera Natives meets with- favour from the Minister of Agriculture, and an experiment is likely to be made very shortly. When the Hon J. Carroll arrives in Wellington he will -confer with, the Hon T. Y. Duncan on the matter. The- latter thinks that goats would thrive well on the not over-luxuriant land to be found! in parts of the Urewera country. In regard to the strictures passed in certain quarters on the Tourist Department for not more extensively advertising New Zealand's wonderlaudk in Great Britain, Canada and elsewhere, it might be interesting to mention that two lady visitors from England were in the local tourist office last week, and each assured the Superintendent that the beauties of our tourist report? and the facilities provkM for reaching them were known from one- end of London to- the other. Mr Donne was able- to satisfy your representative that the Department •had gone to an immense amount of trouble j and expense in proclaiming New Zealand's tourist resorts abroad. Advertising on a big fchome is in progress for still further lu-rnldina; their attractiveness. Mr Paterson, Director of the Dc-irtment of Agriculture for Western Australia, who has been visiting tho Hot Lakes district, had an intervyiw this morning with the Minister of Agriculture and Mr Ritchie, Secretary to the Department, on matters connected with agriculture in this colony.