WELLINGTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 18, 2 November 1880, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

♦ (F 110 51 01*1". OWN* COUUESI'OXOEN'T.) WEM.IXGTOX-FOXTOV RAILWAY. The Committee uppoiuted at the public meeting held here not longsiuca to ascertain what help tho Government would give to the proposed West Coast Railway Company have received a very satisfactory reply to their application. The (joveruraent is wiping to hand over all the work done between Kiiwnrra and Johnsonville (the formation of which section, by the way, is nearly compMe), all the surrey* nlreu.iy executed, tho ironwork imported for the bridge over the neck of Poiirua Harbour, Hnd to undertake for the Company all the survey work remaining to be done, estimated to cost gome £300 on!}'. Besides all this, wherever tho proposed railway passes through Crown land, the Government will hand over the fee simple, aud whera native lands are crossed the Government will f{ive the Company every assistance in its power in conducting tho necessary negotiations for its acquisition ; and the piece of shallow wmer between Pipirea and IC'iiwarra, tho Company is to bepermiited to reclaim with i he surplus excavated earth from the cuttings ueiir Jviiwarra, and the freehold of a portion cf it will be hauded over to them. In return for all these concessions the Go vernment stipulates for a substantial guarantee that the Company will really carry out tho object aimed ;>t, viz, construct a sjood and substantial *" Iway from Wellington to Foxton. If times were more prosperous it would need no prophetic vision to foresee that a compairy thusrichlyendorsed would float immediately, but in tho present depression Sir Travel's and his colleague* will, I am afraid, notwithstanding tho substantial advantages they havo gained, have a difficult task before them. Nevertheless, | I wiah them the very best of success. TEUAWKITI DIGGINGS. For some little time past a parly of men have been '• fossicking " for gold in tho Terawhiti district, but of late their labours li ive attracted no little attention, and their numbers havo gradually HWelled till they now number about 50 men ; aod townspeople are beginning to t;ilk of the "diggings." No rich finds havo occurred up to the present, but the men aro all n;a!«ing wngos), which is a good deal more thnn many can ajy in theso times, and are hopeful for t!io future. Tho workings are nlhivial nt present, rs, although loU of gold-bearing stone has been exposed, ther« is no machinery on the ground ibr'crushing it, but a Company for accomplishing this end is now talked of. A "j£\yable goldfield within easy distanco of town would be about os good a remedy for the "unemployed" cry as any that could be devised. BVXDAY. SCHOOL CEHTENAUY. The various Nonconformist Sunday Schools aro no-v celebrating the Centenary of their establishment by Robert Raikes, of Gloucester. For some, unexplained lenson the Church of England Schools are holding aloof, but those in charge of the ceremonies should be more pleased than displeased at

this, as, where they could put the youngsters if they had any more to provide room for is " more than any fellah can understand.' 1 The princinnl meetings are held in the new Wesley Church in Taranaki street, which b the largest Church in town, and on Sunday afternoon last at the Floral Serrioe- about 1500 children found seats there, besides, SOO or more adults. The sight was really a grand one, and the addrcs» delivered by the Rev. Mr Williams was very attontitelyv listentod to. On Monday » conference 0? T ministers and teachers was held in St. John's Presbyterian Church, and on Wednesday a sermon to teachers was preached in W'eslsy Church by the Rev. Mr Habeas, the Government Inspector - General of Schools, and tonight (Friday) a Service of Sacred Song by 100 adults and 200 children. unJer the leadership of Mr Angelo Forest is to be held in the samedhurch. A special commemoratory medal has been struck, and every teacher and scholar has been presented with one. The proceedings oa the whole have created very great interest. AN ERRATIC SiTELITE. Mr F. J. Mosa, the hon. member for Parnell, and a Greyite star of thn first order of magnitude, has spoken. This hon. gentleman was on Tuesday evening last pleased to deliver a post-sessional address to his favoured constituents, and .treated their delightful ears to a dissertation on political 4 things in general." He made eorae rather extraordinary statement?, as is his vront, but purely from such a source nothing i}ould bo m>re extraordinary than this. Speaking of the present Ministry, Mr Moss said : — '• One thing only kept them in power, and that was tho dread of Sir lieorge Grey's restoration." Exactly so, Mr Mosp. That is one reason at any rato, and most people will admit a sufficient reason, if that would be the inevitable consequence of a deposition of the "powers that be;" but to see the infatuated Aucklandera opening their eyes to thin, and can-* ' didly oonf esss ag it, must, I think be regarded as a Bign of the time?, and not an unsatiß< /actory sign either.