LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2719, 14 December 1889, Page 2

LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

(BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION). Wellington, Friday. At three o'clock this morning a fire broke out in the Bay View boarding-house Thorndon, owned and occupied by Mrs Egan. The building being an old one, was completely gutted, and as the flames spread rapidly, the lodgers were not able to save anything. The origin of the fire is unknown. The South British had £500 on the building, half reinsured with the Equitable. The Acting-Premier intends wiring to the Postmaster-General of New South Wales re the duplicate cable, Sir Henry Parkes having failed to reply to all the communications sent to him. In expectation of a great rush of business during the Exhibition, the Cable Company reduced the rates of press messages from New Zealand by one-third. They find, however, they have done much less business all round than during the same month last year. Workmen are still busy on the drainage works round Government House and Government buildings. A number of old drains inside the grounds of the former have been torn up. Welcome rain has fallen all day, and will do much good in the country districts, and there is every appearance of it continuing. A letter has been received from the Premier, stating that his health has not improved so far by his visit to Tasmania. Mr Mitchelson has received n cable from the Eastern Extension Company to-day, pressing for a reply re the duplicate cable. In the meantime they are goinc on with the preparation of the cable, so that it is believed thay will lay it on their own account, whatever the answer of New Zealand and New South Wales may be. Nineteen leases of the city corporation reclamation were submitted by auction today, but only two lots were quitted at the upset prices, the others being withdrawn. The Colonial Secretary returned from the South this afternoon.