NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 17, 24 April 1902, Page 20

NEW ZEALAND: GENERAL.

Ordeks for 40 000 fowls have reached the Colony from South Africa. The Cabinet has approved of the proposal for the establishment of a model village for Maori lads and young women who have T'assed through the Native schools and in some cases through Native high schools. The village will probably be founded at Pamoana, on the Wanganui River, if a grant of land there can be secured. Negotiations have been carried on lately by the AsftntGeneral with steamship builders in the old country with a view to obtaining a suitable vesßel lor Lake Wakatipu. The Cabinet lias now decided to authorise the Agent-General to close for a steamer at an estimated cost of £23.000. She will run in connection with the railway service. Satisfactory progress is being made with th^ erection of the machinery of the Bruce Woollen Mills. The several machines for the various departments are all approaching completion. The period at which the mill will start is variously estimated (says the Herald) at from five to six weeks from date, but it will hardly be in a position to do anything in the way of manufacturing before at least two months. Inspector Pender has been presentel with a purse of sovereigns by the Wellington branch of the Law Society, on his retirement from the force after ."ili years' military and police service. The presentation was made by Mr. Martin, president of the society, and the recipient was congi ululated on the admirable manner in which he had discharged the duties of his position in the Empire City. There was a gocd deal of chaff and laughter at the Tnnaru Hospital Board meeting the other day (says the Oin aru Mail) over two items in the steward's accounts — quarter-dozen r<-zorn and one-twelfth gross of ping-pong balls. The resident surgeon said that the razors are used in the operating room, but not p'ng-pong balls ; he knew nothing about them. Inquiry was made, and ihe information obtained that the ping-pong balls were obtained for the recreation of the nurses. A litigant at the Supreme Court. Christ hurch, asked that his cage should be adjourned because his lawyer was unable to attend, and he was afraid that it would take him some time to 1 educate ' another lawyer. As a smile went round the representatives of the legal profeasion present, his Honor assured the anxious litigant that lawyers c u!d assimilate information much more readily than could be done by laymen. There was no need f. r him to 'educate' lawyers, as their minds were trained to grasp legal points. When it was announced that the Government had given notice to terminate the running agreement with the Manawatu Company the Wellington shareholders in the company cabled to Mr. Sedi'.oa at Sydney stating what had been done, and inquiring if he approved of it. Tbe Premier's reply is as follows : — ' No cause for anxiety. Notice necessary in accordance with the settled policy of the Government, announced to the House list session. Rest assured present amicable relationship with the company will be maintained.' The North Otago Times states : ' We have seen oat sheaves from Ngapara and Awamoa, where it was reported that much damage had been done by the rain. These sheaves had stood cut in all the rain, and, while we do not say that they have Buffered no injury, we maintain that it is trifling compared with the reports that have been in circulation. The oats will be discolored, it is true, and those on the outside of the sheaves have sprouted to Borne extent, but the inside grain has suffered no material noticeable damage, if we except the discoloration. If all the grain that has been subject to the weather is properly handled, the opinion of competent men id that the lots will be nothing like what was expected.' It is said that the Government are about to make some retrenchments in the Civil Service, and there was somewhat of a flutter in the Governm< nt Buildings on Monday (says the Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily 'Times) c .used by the iesue of a circular stating that all civil servants who have n ached the age of 65 and are in receipt of £200 a year or more are to be retired forthwith, and that the date of the retiremi nt of those officials who are 65 or over and whose salaries are under £200 per annum will be left to the discretion of Ministers. At the same time, the Government is going in pretty extensively for the employment of young girls in the service. To-day in one department five girls were taken on. On Saturday afternoon the members of the literary and commercial staffs oH the Otago Daily Times and Witness made a presentation to Mr H. L. Griffen, who, a short time ago, resigned his position on the Times reporting staff to conduct the laieri Advocate, recently acquired by him. Mr G. Fenwick, managing director of the company, proposed Mr Griffen's health in a felicitous speech.

He expressed the regret those present felt at losing Mr Griffen, after nearly 11 years' work on the reporting staff, but hoped that, like many others who had left the service of the Times in the past, thestep he had taken would be to his advantage. Mr Fenwick then presented Mr Griffen with a travelling bag on behalf of the Timts and Witness staffs, and wished him every success in his new sphere of work. Mr Griffen. in reply, thanked Mr Fenwick for his kindly remark", and all present for the good feeling they had displayed towards him. He heartily appreciated his comrades' kind 1c timonial to him, and would always retain kindly reco leotiDns of ihe bonhomieoi the staff in general. The Drayton Grange, with part of the Tenth New Zealand Contingent and Mr Stddon on board, arrived in Sydney on Saturday afternoon. The Drayton Gtange proceeded up the harbor amid a serenade of whistles from the haibor steamers. Mr. O'Sullivan, Minister of Works, boarded the vessel to welcome Mr. Seddnn. a brilliant gathering attended a banquet at the Hotel Australia-in the ev< ning, undt-r the auspices of the Birt Company and Houlders Company, to welcome Mr. Seddon. Amongst those present were Messrs, Bart >n (Federal Premier), See (State Premier), Wire, O'Sullivan, Reid, Sir W. Lyno, and Mr. James Mills. Mr. Cox (chairman) and Messrs Barton, See, Wise, and Sir W. Lyne eulogised the guest Mrs. Seddon was presented with a bouquet on behalf of the shipping companies who tendered the banquet. It may be mentioned that but for the companies foiestalling them the Government of New South Wales had intended to give a reception to Mr. Seddon. Mr. Wise characterised Mr. Seddon as a great Englishman. He not only represented the Imperial interests, but he represented the democracy. He would figure in English history a 9 one who had helped to make the Empire a living reality. A skrious accident, happily unattended by any fatal results, occurred on the Otago Central railway line, close to Hindon, on Monday night, when the afternoon goods train outward collided with the Ida Valley train Fortunately both trains were going at a slow rate at the time, otherwise the results would have been much more serious. As it was both engines were derailed and badly pmashed. four waggons and one carriage badly damaged, and five waggons derailed. Fireman Ewart of the up-train was thrown out, rolling down the embankment. His hip was dislocated. Martin, the driver of the same train, was severely shaken. The passengers on this train being protected by a number of waggons did not experieDce more than a rough shaking. The passengers on the downtrain fared much worse, and those injured were Sergeant-major Cardale, of the local Deteuce Office ; Mrs J. R' id, of Wedderburn ; aid Mr Tnylor, of Middlemaroh. The accident occurred on an inward curve, and when the engine of the down-train left the rails it struck the emb mkment It must be regarded aa little short of providential that it occurred where, it did, instead of a lutle higher up, where the whole train must have gone into the river, and an appalling catastrophe resulted. As it wa» two trucks overhung the river, and the strength of the coupling* prevented them from going down the embankment.