WELLINGTON NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 39, 15 February 1905, Page 6

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. NEW* GOVERNMENT GEOLOGIST. Mr J. Mclntosh Bell, who has been appointed Government Geologist in snecession to Sir James Hector, will arrive in Auckland from Canada by the 'Prkco steamer on the 22n.d inst. INDIAN AND COLONIAL EXHIBITION. Mr G. S. Munro, Acting-Secretary of tLe Departments of Industries and. Commerce, who has been visiting the pririeipa.] cities in the South Island in connection with the arrangements the Department is making for a display o£ the colony's products and manufactures at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition to be held at the Crystal Palace, London, reports that the result of his mission was very satisfactory, and he states that there is every probability of the colony's being well represented at the Exhibition. THE POTATO. DISEASE. Most of those present at a demonstration yesterday of spraying potatoes to guard against the potato disease were of the opinion that the disease had been introduced by early potatoes from Auckland, many of which had been thrown away by purchasers. In one case the disease was traced to pigmaah brought out from Wellington. THE LAND COMMISSIONSeveral of the North Island members of the Land Tenure Commission, including Messre W. W. McCardJc, of Kawhia, and R. Hall, of Auckland, will restch Wellington early to-morrow aftettioon and proceed South by the Mararoa, sailing the same evening. Mr MeKerrow is giving evidence in the Flaxbourne compensation case at Blenheim, and may not be able to leave for Duuedin, where the first meeting of the Commission, is to be held, until Thursday night. TRAMWAY EXTENSION. Surveys of the new tramway extension to Kilbimie, Brooklyn and Island Bay are now proceeding, and it is expected that the Order-in-Council will be issued shortly. WOMAN'S SAD STORY. The sad fate of a young single -woman hailing from Victoria was investigated by the stipendiary magistrate yesterday morning. The woman, who applied to have her infant-in-orins admitted to a receiving home, stated that she Ciune here from Victoria on the 18th January in search of a man whose acquaintance she made in Western Australia, and whom she alleged was the parent of her two children. The elder c-hild (three years of age) had, she alleged, been taken by its father from the house where she had boarded her out, and brought to New Zealand, and for the sake of the little one the witness had followed. She went to an address at Petone which the man ha-d given her, but although she saw there his luggage she had been unable to find him. Though the man was not her husband, she said she bad been through a form of marriage with him at Marradeen, in Victoria. She had since heard that he had been previously marrierl. The order was granted. RARATONGAN MEDICAL OFFICER. Arrangements have been made by the ehk'f health officer for Dr. Thomas Bennett, of Foxtou, to act as locum tenens for Dr. Gatlcy at Raratonga. Dr. Gatley is about to visit the Old Country, having obtained sis: months' leave of absence to enable him to do so.