WELLINGTON NOTES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11478, 10 January 1903, Page 8

WELLINGTON NOTES.

• ♦ ■ ..-'ft S, (SPECIAL TO "TttE PRESS.") V M WELLINGTON, January %. , ; -J Tha rumour that has gained cunw_»y;' in the south, to the effect that the tion of the general manager of the B_£ '■ of New Zealand is due to a serious dtf_- *; ference with the Government Auditor,- j* ' also prevalent here. lamiu a position to? state that the reason given by Mr EmbLiagj V to his directors was that "he felt more vaji '*. more satisfied every day that he co_4 not for any lengthened period stand th| ~T continual strain that is associated with kk J present post." Hence his decision that " he should tender his" resignation. Mare. over, he has been in inditterent health late." iy, and he feels that it is desirable that •"" he should have vest and change, of scene. A private cable message been received announcing the marriage m Lon. - don of Captain Madocks, of the Royal Artillery (formerly staff officer to Culon_ Pentou when Commandant of the New Zealand Forces), to Miss Buller, only daughter of Sir Walter Buller. AfUr returning to Wellington from South Af. - rica, where he distinguished himself at New ■ Zealand Hill as an officer of the First Contingent, Major Madocks rejoined his batttry in hlugland. He has just been promoted " to tho rank of staff captain at York. Mr J. Hi. Williams, managing director of the Wellington Steam Ferry Company, who went Home early last year, returned by the Waikure yesterday, accompanied by his wife, whom he married in Eng.and.. While in England he secured for the company a new steamer, the Kapiti, for tho Weiliugtoii-Patea trade. She is a rttsel of about 200 tons gross. The fine new steamer Corinthic, which is now lying at the wharf, ha» been moit unlucky in the matter of accidents on board. Another accident occurred on __ steamer to-day, when a fireman n__o4 , John Cucklin fell down the engine-rown skylight, a distance of 20ft or 30it, break* iug his thigh. A bar across the room brofct the, full, or ,tho man's injuries would h»Te been more serious. A man who fell dowa the hold is now lying in hospital ia * precarious condition, and at Hobart. tho boatswain was killed by the hoisting aaehinery. That sailors are still a superstitious class, even on Up-to-date steam vot> sels, is evidenced from the fact that m> one can be found to take the vacant billet' ' even though it means promotion to any of the crew who could fill it. Even the boat. ■ swain's mate has resigned his position,' preferring to go a grade lower rather than-, reniain in that capacity. The position it not likely to be refilled till after the vessel's return Home. On her next voyage there will be a new crew, and by that ' time the incident will have been forgotten * and a new boatswain will be forthcom- ■ ingi

There were some very wealthy passengers on the outward trip. One family took a whole series of upper deck cabins, and a*r vera! of these weie made into one for tho purpose of a sitting-room for their convw» tnience. The stewards got no less than - £150 in tips for their attention to p_augers on the outward voyage. Up to the present 57 polls have beta taken in all parts of the colony on the question of adopting the system of rating on unimproved . values—3 in cities, 32 -in boroughs, 1 in a town district, 13 in comities, and Bin road districts. Christchurch " adopted the system by 596 ito 615, and Wei- " lington by 1261 to 591, while Auckland rejected it by 1697, to 763. In borougho 26 polls were carried out of 32, and in counties 12 out of 13, while all the polls « road districts were in favour of the system. Oufc of the 57 polls 49 have been carried and t \ lost. s . . . In regard to tlie retirement of seven! , C___e_t officers of the Defence forces, it '' been stated Xdeut.-Colon*- Newall was , retired because he was over age- ' As 4 matter of fact, he is not yet over the ago ! ; laid down for retirement, _nd is youngerY than Lieut.-Colonel Porter, who has bs*_ - ; . mentioned as his probable suooeanr. It/*; was __o freported that one reason of tfat.v retirement of Captain Lomax was that be is ".*.'. over age, but that cannot be the reason, af;,* he has many years to live before be x___oi < -> that limit. Lieut.-Colonel Newall "As* been requested to continue in lis positMl . until further notice, and baa agreed to 4»V'so. ■;' * There have apparo-fcly been some s«rjfii ' of opinion at the Roman Qjm> lie Convent here. The Mother S_p__# has left the inKhiturtion, and is a_kt to _» now living privately with fri—ads. Sa__ 1 t of the nuns have also left t_* co-rent mg account of the alleged unfair trea___»t ot||

the Mother Superior.