WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12120, 5 December 1894, Page 2

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

* REFORM SPECIAL SETTLEMENT. THE CABLE SERVICE. ! (Pee Pkess Asiociation ) Wellington, Deceraoer. i Mr Cadman is being urged by an English firm to adopt an explosive apparatus for signals instead of the expensive syren system. It is claimed that loud detonations canbe heard a great distance, and the system has been attended with i success where adopted. Oottou powder is used for tho purpose. i The new gaol is to be erected at Dunedin on the co-operative system at a cost of £10,000 Tho meteri.il will be brick, but the building will be made as unlike a gaol »8 possible in view of its central position. An early start is to be made with dredging the Nelson harbour, a work which was authorised last session, Th 9 Department is now in treaty for suitable plant. Later. A meeting of the Reform Special Settlemout Association wss held at Masterton yesterday to discuss the demands made by the Commisßionei 1 of Crcwn Lands for two instalments, and threatening the forfeiture of land unleES the conditions were complied with by the end of the year. Mr Hogp, AI.H.R , who pre- , sided, strongly denounced tho Linds \ Department, describing it as a dead : letter office, Ultimately a petition was I drawn up to bo presented to the Minister of Land?, setting forth that (lie block granted to the Association was on the understanding that no rent be claimed for two ytiars from t he completion of tho survey, and that tho accrued rent for that period be added to tho capital value. As the notice of the completion of the survey was only given about the end of 1893, c"en if the Oommissioner is right the routal could only commence from the Ist of January, 1891', and two half-yearly instalments cannot therefore b 3 due, as the circular states on the Ist January last, as no Ibises have yet been isaisd. and as tho Land Act (Section 14i) provides that improvem3nt c i shall be completed within stated times from the date I of base, a ntfficition with regard to the j rent and certainly with regard to iinI provemeats is in error. The petitioners also allege that the arrangement for opening up selections with roads was not carried out. '

"The Labour Department states that the Chr^stchurch unemployed are going via Napier to Nffn'ojsa, and not to Gisborne. Tho labour market fcid Wen favourable up to yesterday, when an' agitation was begun and 50 namos wero registered,

Tho Bonevolent Trustees received a letter from tho Private Secretary to the Governor stating* that during Lord Glasgow's visit to Earatonga ha was preaeutad with a large quantity of coffee, more lh»n Le : t c likely to nso, and offering trio Trustees liis option .of talcing ono or two sacks (l2olbs in a sac.),j on tj.e payment of tho duly of 3d par lb. Tlio coffoo is atprosent ia bond. 'I he Postmaster. Goficral lias recoivod tho following cable from Sydney rpspoctjng tbo thr.oatoned withdrawal of Victoria fiomtbecablo guarantee:— !'Th ( Q following ia the full o?tract from a Gydnp'y njornjng papor to-day referred to in the press mes.sages of this morning; 'The Victorian Premier expresses^) surprisf? at the misunderstanding which prevailß m thu action of Iho Victorian PostmasterGeneral. Mr Turner (Premier) says it w&n merely a general notice, so that lln Postal Conference in March might to in a position to deal with tho enliro question of cable service. It was a notice of intention to retire absolutely from a joint guwijnteoof a majority of the calonio3 to continue pheii subscription. Victoria will remain a pnrtj* t'o'thb preientcrrango.nent, but if the majority' favours discbfitinuiug Victoria will join thorn' in standing out. Mr PuSy's (Postmaster-Genera), Victoria) action," which he appears to havo kept se.croti wa<) simply siving tliree months' D9[jce jn iho k'tms of iho contract/ ."