WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5089, 9 May 1885, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

This day,

A heavy north-west g*le is blowing, with heavy rain, and the races have been postponed until the first fine day. Mr C. W. Cutten, of the firm of Moorhouse, Edwards, and Cutten, solicitors, died at his residence, Island Bay. this morning. He had been ailing for a week. The Government has under consideration a circular from Mr Bailey, Colonial Secretary for New South Wales, asking the several colonies to compensate private owners for any loss sustained through any action of a hostile nation ; but no determination has been arrived at as yet, as the Government considers that it is a question which might render the colony responsible for heavy liabilities, and should first receive the sanction of Parliament.

When the Militia are called out it will be **only single men from 17 to 30, and these will bare to undergo a certain number of hours of drill in the year. The National Land Disposition Bill is in course of preparation, and will be circulated before the opening of Parliament. It is proposed that all the native lauds of the colony shall be dealt with through the agency of boards established iv various districts, but the }and« are to be itrictly

dealt with under the land laws of the colony. Each board is to consist of three members, the Chairmen of the Native Committees to bo ex-offy^o members of boards; there is to be a local board for every large block of land, and in cases where there are one hundred owners they may appoint a committee to make representations to the Board. The new Land Bill has been printed ; it is very voluminous, and consolidates all the existing land laws of the colony, and repeals twenty-six Acts and Ordinances. The Premier returns to-morrow from the South. The Native Minister has received reports from Parihaka that statements made, to the effect that the natives were threatening Europeans, are without the slightest foundation. The surveys for three more sections of the North Island Main Trunk Bailway are being pushed on, and Government hope to have the contracts out shortly. One section is fifteen miles from the present contract at the Te Awamutu end, and other section is eleven miles from the present contract at the Marton end ; the third is a tunnel contract about the middle of the* line.