LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2222, 5 October 1886, Page 2

LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

LnY TELEGRAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION. 1 Wellington, Monday. Kohn and Son have just completed for the Dargaville rifles a really beautiful challenge belt. The la.it biick will be laid in the last tunnel of the Wellington and Manawatu railway at Pukenia this afternoon. Tuo occasion will bo attended with some little ceremony. A marble slab with a suitable inscription will be placed over the enhance to the tunnel. The Government hav3 received from the Agent-General some excellent photographs of the ferneiy display in the Colonial and Indian Exhibition. Taken from various points they are admirable works of art, and give a good idea of the excellence of the show. Tho Wellington Woollen Company have now 74 hands engaged at their mill> at Kurokoio, and it is expected that the number will exceed 100 when the remaining ten looms are started. The M.miU are flocking to the neighbourhood of Wellington, in oidcr to be present at the trial of Te Whiti and his fellow prisoners, in which they manifest great interest. It was stated some time aero th.it the accused would be tiied by a jury composed of half Europeans and half native, but no such application has been made to the Court, and an ordinary jury will be empjimeled. Te Whiti still u-fu~.es to be represented by counsel, but his friend*, arc constantly in communication with him, and hope to break down his prejudice befoie the case is called on. The Post-master-General intends to com municate with the Australian Governments and a^k them to make a reduction on the amount levied upon cable messages pas> ing through their dominon to a, unifmm charge of (id for the fiist 10 woids, and halfpenny a word after ; this would mean a gain of Is per first 10 words ; jd a word afterwards as compajed with tl.o present rates. If the Governments do not consent they will be asked to fix the above rates for Press messages, which at pi e-ent are charged the same a*> ordinary messages. Sir Julius is also favourable to reducing New Zealand rates on messages to London to Id per word, and abolishing extra charges now imposed after 8 p.m. The Mararoa, with the English mails of September 9th, has left San Fiauciico for Auckland. The Alameda, with the colonial mails of 14th September, an ived at San Fiancisco from Auckland on the 2nd inst., two days earlier than time table date. The ketch Janet, from Waitapu to Lyttelton with timber, was wrecked at Cape Campbell on Saturday night. The fourth annual exhibition of the Fine Arts Association was opened this afternoon by His Excellency the Governor. It is understood that William Peato is about to take legal proceeding-! agaiust Allan Whitfield, claiming damages in connection with the recent action brought by the latter against Peate.