Interprovincial

New Zealand Tablet, 27 September 1906, Page 24

Interprovincial

' Butter, mutton, potatoes, and flour are dearer in New Zealand, where we produce - them, than in the English or Scottish markets,' remarked Mr. Hogg, M.H.R., at a meeting of the Wellington Benevolent Institution Trustees last week. What is understood to be the largest contract ever let in the Colony— the laying out of the Christchurch electric tramway system by the New Zealand Electrical Construction Company — is now practically completed. The contract was let by the Tramway Board for the sum of £241,196 to the lowest tenderer Extra work costing £11,000, carried out -afterwards, brines the total amount to £252,000. The Catholic Debating Society's meeting on September 18 (writes our Hokitika correspondent) was well attended, Mr! J. Toomey presiding. The oratorical competition, which was to have taken place, was postponed for a fortnight. The ' Question Box ' occupied' the attention of members, and it proved highly successful. A feature of the proceedings was the prominent part taken by the junior members, who are making good progress. A combination of Wellington and Christchurch capitalists is understood to be contemplating establishing another morning paper in Wellington (says the Dunedin ' Evening Star '). It is to be more conservative in policy than either the ' New Zealand Times ' or the ' Post,' and advocacy of the option of the freehold for- Crown tenants will be one of its planks. Possibly the Government's land proposals have led to a longcontemplated project taking definite shape. The ' Otago Daily Times ' understands that the Dunedin new Railway Station will be opened for public traffic definitely on Monday, October 22. The work of putting everything in order and the transferring of the necessary material from the old to the new buikling will be effected on Sunday, October 21, and it is quite probable that on that day the running to Port Chalmers will be made from the new building. The date of the official opening of the new station remains unsettled. Mr. and Mrs. R. Cotter, of Arrowtown, celebrated their golden wedding on September 12. A number of old friends (says ' The Lake County Press ') met at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Cotter and tendered their heartiest congratulations, at the same time expressing a wish that they would long be spared to enjoy the best of health and continued ■happiness. We join with them in their good wishes. A pleasant hour or two was spent in chatting over the happenings of the early days, the old-time memories creating many a joke. The wharves at Timaru Harbor originally cost £32,000, and at a recent meeting of the Harbor Board the chairman said that £19,000 had been since spent on renewing these wharves. By reason of this heavy expenditure for renewals the Board is now considering the advisableness of erecting their proposed new wharves along the north mole, in enforced concrete. The resident engineer has reported favorably upon this material for wharfage purposes, and estimates of cost are to be obtained from the Ferroconcrete Company of Australasia, Ltd. The Government has introduced a Bill to provide for the regulation and inspection of private hospitals. It is provided that every 'private hospital shall be licensed, and any person who fails to license shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £50. Every application for a license shall be accompanied by a fee of 10s, a statement of the number of patients proposed to be treated, a plan and -description o£ the hospital and the sanitary arrangements, and a statement as to the class of cases intended to be received. No license shall be granted and no alteratian or addition shall be made to any private hospital without the approval of the Inspector-general of Hospitals. Interviewed by a newspaper representative with regard to his intentions in the event of the £50 000 limit clause in the Land Bill passing, Mr. J ' C N. Grigg, owner of the Longbeach Estate, said 'he intended anticipating the Bill, and would commence selling portion of the estate immediately. On Saturday the first block of the estate, comprising 1200 acres was sold, and instructions have been , given • for the sale of other blocks, so that a lange portion of this i famous estate, which ha^ a world-wide reputation as a model farm, is likely, to be subdivided into comparatively small holdings. The estate contains 10 000 acres of first-class land, the improved value of which is £112,211.

News bas -been received (says the Wellington Post ') of the success of Mr. T. E. Butler, at the Chicago State Board dental examination- held at ' the University of Illinois. Mr.- Butler came second in- a very long list, the first man beating him only 'by two marks. After the" results had been announced, Mr. Butler received a lucrative" appointment as locum tenens for a leading Illinois dentist, which he intends keeping until the university reopens. He will then go through a further oourse of' study, after which be will return to Wellington to practice his profession 1 in partnership with his brother,. Mr. Butler is an ex-student of St. Patrick's College. A Press Association telegram' from Wellington states that the tent that so long sheltered the grave of the late Mr. Seddon on the crown of Observatory Hill has been replaced by a galvanised iron structure. Men are now excavating and preparing a place for the new mausoleum, wMok is to be 22ft 6in square, with external walls of brick, lined with concrete in layers 3ft to sft thick. The depth from the surface of the ground to the floor will be 9ft and the tomb will be arched up to a height of 4*ft above the outside level. The new vault will take "in the one in which Mr. Seddon's remains now repose but it will not be necessary to disturb the casket me plans make provision for four recesses. Replying to a deputation advocating the construction of the Blenheim-Waipara railway the Premier said that the line was a very important one. The completion of the through lines was a matter of material importance to the Colony, , and it was only a matter of time when the crossing of the straits would be rendered comparatively easy, and the public would be able to travel by rail right through each^island. The position at present, however, was that the Colony could spend only a certain amount of money in any one year on railway construction, and while that was the case the important lines already in hand must receive first consideration. However, the North Island Main Trunk line was approaching completion, the Midland railway would be finished (except for the tunnel) wjthin a short period, and the Otago Central line would within two months reach the spot at which it would be )!stopped for the present. When the North Is- ! an ' d . c llne . had been completed the Government would be justified in pushing on the Blenheim-Waipara railway at a much faster pace. The Minister of Public Works had the Waiau bridge in hand, and the work would no doubt receive attention.