WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2649, 21 April 1894, Page 3

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

[Lyttelton Times’ correspondent.] ministers’ movements. Wellington, April 19. The Colonial Treasurer leaves tomorrow for the south. The Minister of Lauds will probably go by the same boat. Mr M’Keuzie goes on to the Central Otago to formally open the nine-mile section of railway which has just been completed from Middlemarch to a place called Maloney’s, but which henceforth is to be known as Eock and Pillar, after the range of that name, which flanks the Strath Taieri Plains at this point. The remaining nine miles of the railway, lying between Maloney’s and Hyde, are also very near completion, and will be ready for opening in a mouth or two. Of the extension from Hyde to Eweburn, which was authorised last session, some two three miles are now in course of formation. Mr M’Kenzie expects to return to Wellington during the first week of next mouth. SETTLING THE UNEMPLOYED. Ihe Minister of Lauds is engaged in developing a scheme for helping the deserving unemployed to carve out homes for themselves and to become their own masters. Contracts for bush-felling will be let, and the men will have the option of taking up sections of the laud they clear, the price of the felling being added to the value of the land. The men will thus be enabled to hew out sections for themselves. SAMOA. The riovenimout decided to-day, in Cabinet, to recommend the Imperial Coverument that the only fair solution of the Samoa dillienlty h to hand the .Navigator Islands, which include Samoa, to Now Zealand ; and if the imperial authoi itios are not prepared to do this, Now Zealand is willing to administer the government of those islands from this colony iu the intcrets of the treaty Powers. The geographical position of Now Zealand, and the fact of ."Samoa being on the lino of new mail and cable routes, make Now Zealand the best pbie-. Com which to govern it. COLONEL l-'OX. Ministers have declared to have an hr ouiry made into the manner in which Colonel Pox’s letters to the Premier, making a conditional tender of his resignation, were obtained by the Evening Post.

IMPERIAL POLITICS. London, April 19. Mr Balfour’s amendment to the motion to set up a Scotch Grand Committee was rejected by a majority of 33 votes. Mr Campbell Bauuerman stated that a similar committee would be appointed in regard to Welsh and Irish aftairs. On the motion of the Marquis of Ripon the Colonial Governor’s Leave of Absence Bill was read a first time in the House of Lords. The Bill providing for the disestablishment of the Church of Wales will be introduced into the House of Commons on the 23rd inst. The Unionist press complain of the complex nature of the Budget, and of its apparent electioneering character. The Scotch and Irish members are much incensed at the increase of the duty on spirits. The Radicals are delighted at the proposed graduated death duties. It is announced that Sir Charles Russell will succeed the late Lord Bowen as a Lord Justice of the Court of Appeal. Sir John Rigby succeeds Sir Charles Russell as Attorney-General. In the House of Commons, Colonel Nolan, the member for Galway North, introduced a Bill providing for the repeal of the Irish Crimes Act. The Bill was read a second time on a division by a majority of 60.