WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3171, 18 April 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

This day.

The Hon. Mr Macandrew has given an order to Mr Smith, of Taranaki, to make eight wheels for railway carriages out of Taranaki iron sand. Four of the wheels are for the Sydney Exhibition, and four for test purposes on. the New Zealand railways.

Father Ryan, Marist brother, now on the West Coast, has offered, if the natives will give a small endowment of land, to teach all the native youths of the coast. It is understood that the proposal is favorably regarded by the natives.

The Stadt Haarlem averaged thirteen and a half knots on the voyage from Lyttelton to Cape Campbell. She will not be thrown open to the public until she is out' of the hands of the painters, and renovated, when it is expected a luncheon will be given on board.

The Stad Haarlem arrived about seven this morning, and at once came alongside of the wharf. The immigrants have all gone to the Immigration Barracks. A large gang of painters were at once set to work painting the vessel inside and outside. ■:■■■■ ■r\ -;. .; ■.)... ... . ;

Thursday.

Additional regulations regarding un« claimed letters will come into force on the Ist of next month.: Letters posted within the colony ha?ing the names and addresses of the writers printed on the envelopes, if not claimed within one month,: to be returned opened to the writer; Letters posted within the colonj, and having the names and addresses of the writers printed on the envelope, together with a request that the letters may be returned if unclaimed within a stated period, to be returned unopened to the writers, in accordance with such request, provided, however, that no unclaimed letter shall be returned, unless it shall have been in a.post office at least ten days. The postal revenue collected for the three quarters ending 31st March last is as follows: — September quarter, £28,550; December quarter, £28,961; March quarter, £34,619; total, £92,132. The great bulk of this amount is derived from postage stamps and Imperial postage

receipts.

Mr Moore, who has been prospecting for gold in the Wairiui-o-mata Valley, near Wellington, states that he has found several auriferous reefs within the Hutt County, and asks the County Council either to give a subsidy of £500 for each payable quartz reef or alluvial goldfield he may discover during the next three years, or to guarantee him th» gold duty arising therefrom for the next 15 years. The Council declined to entertain the proposal. The Post argues that as the reward is entirely dependent upon results his offer is worthy of being entertained.

The E. A. Seed, Wesleyan, who proceeds to Christchurch to-morrow, was last night presented with an address and a purse containing fifty guineas, by the members of the Wesleyan Church here.

The yacht Prentice, missing since Good Friday, has returned safely. .:

It is anticipated that the supply of labor on the Wairarapa this winter will be in excess of the demand.

The Stad Haarlem, upon arrival here will be brought alongside the wharf at once. Every obstacle to her' coming alongside will be removed. She has a thousand tons of cargo for Wellington, and will take away from here five hundred bales of wool and five hundred casks of tallow. '.'..;

G. W. Dutton has executed a deed of assignment of his estate for the benefit of his: creditors. , , ; The New Zealand Fire Insurance and Underwriters' Association declined to

assist the Masterton Borough Council in providing a water supply for fire purposes. , The Masterton Fire Brigada organised a " bee" as a means of erecting a bell tower.

A gubernatorial party last night expressed an opinion that the Opera House was superior to any similar building in New South Wales.

£20,000 worth of Bhares in the Foxton Sandon Kailway have been taken up. Private information states that not fewer than four thousand natives will attend the forthcoming Waikato meeting-

When Peel wag sentenced to two years this morning for larceny his young wife, about 19, went off into a swoon, and did not recover consciousness for about twenty minutes.

Mr James Mackay, in his report to the Gorernment on the Waimate Plains trouble, recommends the appointment of a Commission to investigate the nature of the unfulfilled promises re Waimate, with authority to issue Crown grants for such reserves as are to be made for the redemp-' tion of McLean's promises, which are found, on investigation, to be bona fide. It is said in the Maori mind an offer is equivalent to a promise, and Mr Mackay pointed this out to the Government. Thus, if an officer of the Government offered the original owners of a confiscated block, 5.Q00 acres, they would consider this as a promise; but at the samii time, they would endeavor to obtain 10,(KKfc ' In the written instructions given by Sir Donald McLean to Mr Parris and Major Brown re-Waimate, the following occurs, although the language is not precise :— "Although the land on the Waimate is 'nominally' confiscated, you will see that ample reserves are made for all the bapus on the plain; and a sum of money, not more than five shillings pr acre, be given to the original owners of the soil for such portion thereof as shall be held to be confiscated." ; J <?.?.■> The Hon. Wi Parata says he was quite aware that such an understanding pre» vailed; and adds, that he believes-if this promise had been adhered to the ' raruraru' or trouble of the surveyors would not have taken place. ..... .... The Hon. the Native Minister and Captain Blake have: also reported on the difficulty, and it is understood that such a Commission as is recommended will be appointed. •■."■■■ t 'The inquiry held before Commissioners Bay and Livingstone, J.P's regarding the charges against Captain Wilson, of the Hawera Native Police, has concluded, and is is understood the charges have been substantiated. . "

It is stated the estate of the late W. B. Ehodes, in Eangitikei, is to be cut up for Sale. •-■;;" ■.:.•-•" ■■-.' .. ■;;■■-* r.: ■- '-V ; •; V "

[; The yield of wheat in' the Eangitikei district this year is estimated to be ten bushels per acre less than last. ~' ': "~