WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2798, 1 February 1878, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

This day.

Nearly all the officers of the Telegraph Department have joined in petitioning the Gorernment to grant the increase to Balaries voted on the last estimates. The withholding of that increase is considered a great hardship. The amount of Customs revenue collected during January at this port was, £11,323, or £6181 oyer the corresponding month of hut year. The inquiry into the alleged frauds in connection with the Corporation waterwprks contract has been concluded. AH the evidence, documents, etc., bearing on the case hetiag been laid before Mr Blacket';, G! 37erament Engineer, he has made his repcil, which will be laid before the Council this after aeon. His report states tVat ha received every po»----<-,M» aCK f"*" nflo ft°n» the contractor and the City Engineer in enau«r o _ urn l 0 i report. "He finds that the extras on (he contract amount in round numbers to £4800, but from this he

deducts nearly £2400 for work in the original contract which was not required to be carried out. The result, therefore, is that the contractor is awarded about £2400, instead of £2900, originally claimed. The contractor having expresfcel his willingness to abide by Mr Elackett's decision, the matter is now considered settled.

At the sale of the Whakatane run today, it was bought by Patrick Comiskey for £15,000.