WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 41

WELLINGTON.

The Customs offioeis m?Ae another seizure on board a steamer on the 4th. ihitime on the Manuka, from Sydney, which berthed this afternoon. The officei*, and crew (says the Pcot) were a.sked in the usual way to declare if they ht'.d anything dutiable, and the answers were alleged to be satisfactory. The customary search was then made, and it is stated that a handsome set of lady's fur» was found in the cabin of an officer. The matter wa6 reported to the collector, « ho is taking further proceedings. Arthur Frederick Wimsett, an officer of the parcels department of the Wellington Pest Office, was on flic a th committed foi trial on five charges involving complicity in the extensive robberies from the parcele office last January, concerning which James Hemingway is now ser\ ing a long sentence in gaol. The Wellington newspapers commend the Minister of Public Works on his straightout talk to the deputation about the extension of the Otago Central railway. At

the same time they have a sly dig at him on the subject of one of the railways in his own district, the prosecution of which, as everyone knows, is resulting in a waste of public money. Information has been received in Wellington that the Eastern and Australian line has just secured the contract, for the ■ monthly shipment of frozen meat from Brisbane to "Manila. The meat will be required for the American troops and civilians in Manila and districts. ] The public have guaranteed £700 for the North Island band contest to be ' held here in February or eaily in March. Cabinet has decided to appoint a Ten- j ders Board to deal with all tenders received for public works. The board will consist of the Minister of Public Works, the Under-&ecretary of Public Works, the Engineer-in-Chief, the General Manager o.f Railways, and the Government Architect, with the -Minister as chairman. The Public Trust Office was not put into possession of its new premises any too soon, for during its first month of occupancy the new business entrusted to it totalled 90 estates and 86 wills— l 76 in all. This is a record, and is nearly [ double the average. t Richard Thomas Power, a young man, was arrested by Detectives Hammond and Cameron late on Saturday night on a charge of burglary. He had skeleton keys and a bag of coppers when caught coming out of a shop in Willis street. At the Police Court on the 9th he was charged on 10 informations with breaking and entering various premises. There was also one information of theft. To the latter he pleaded guilty. It was stated that the skeleton keys found in his possession would open the doors of all the premises mentioned in the informations. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence on the chasrgs of stealing.