WELLINGTON NOTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 January 1905, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(Special to "Star.")

WELLINGTON, This Dav

In ils principal lending article today, the New Zealand Times urges that proceedings should be taken against the licensee, of the Island Bay Hotel, because the shipwrecked passengers and crew of the steamer Nombucca were allowed on the premises, and probably supplied with refreshments between midnight and 1 a.m. This, the Times states, is a distinct broach of the licensing law. "The law, as it stands in this liberal and progressive country," proceeds the Times, "casts upon the entry-makers the onus of proof that it was not made for illegal purposes. There have been several more or less In minous decisions in Magistrates' Courts upon the point. The latest of these appeared in our columns yesterday. Mr James. S.M.. at Eketahuna, was called upon to decide this question of illegal entry. The publican in this case had invited a particular friend to sup with him on Christmas Eve. The police are more argus-eyed in Eketahuna than in Island Bay apparently." The article, which is headed, "Where are the Police!" has caused considerable amusement.

Mr G. W. Seagar, of Christchurch, who has just returned from an Australian trip had an experience of the recent bushfires in New South W ales. He was in the town of Katoomba, which seemed doomed to be overwhelmed by a trrent of fire

carried up by a westerly, but at the last moment the wind changed to northerly, and the fire was diverted. The flames came within 200 yards of residences in the town, and people had to take refuge in water tanks. The temperature was 110 degrees in the shade. The glass in

the windows was too hot to put one's hand against, and the roads were almost too hot to walk on. Mr Seagar suffered a good deal physically, but is now quite himself again. Excelent progress is being made with the new building for the Bank of New South Wales, which will he a handsome ornament to the city's main street. Another bank-viz, the Bank of Australasia — is about to erect a new building in the Italian style. It will be threestorey, and is to be erected on a central site recently acquired at a cost, of £20,000. 'l'he new building will cost about £25,000. The doors and finishings will he executed in Tasmanian black wood. The ceilings will he highly decorative and ornamental, and the flooring of the public part of the banking chamber will be of coloured rubber interlocking tiling— a striking innovation in flooring that is new to the colonies. The staircases will be of white marble throughout, and he wrought-iron grills, the enclosures, and the ballustrading, etc., will be specially imported. The strongroom, with its walls and ceilings, will he reinforced with steel beams and laced rails These beams will be of the astonishing dimensions of 14in by 8in. and the room will be fireproof. The floors and ceilings are to be of fire proof material throughout. The Wellington Council is con idering an improvement in the city water supply. A report has been prepared, and the Finance Committee is to consider the whole matter. Whilst working uner the Jervois Quay wharf this morning ; a carpenter named M'Hugh saw a man swing himself from the deck of the wharf into the water, and swim amongst the piles. M'Hugh got a punt, went to where Ihe man was concealed, and hauled him aboard. The man was subsequently handed over to the police. His name is Arthur Carew He was employed on the steamer Aotea, which he joined wo weeks ago at Lyttellon, and he appears to be mentally affected. The arrivals in the colony during 1904 totalled 32,632, and the departures were 22,277, leaving a gain to the colony of 10,356. New South Wales furnished the largest proportion of arrivals (18,151), and the large number (13,741) of those who left New Zealand went, to that colony. A total of 4654 came from the United Kingdom, and 2720 left New Zea land for the Home Country. The local Consular Agent for Italy has received notification that all Italians born in 1884 who possess the necessary qualifi cations for performing their military service in the navy are called to the levy as from the 1st. inst. All Italians in the Wellington district who come under this category must, therefore, report themselves immediately. The disappearance of a young girl, employed as a general servant by a settler at Bulls, is causing some anxiety. She left the house on Sunday afternoon, ostensibly for a walk, but has not been seen since. The girl was about 20 years of age. Mr T. W. Kirk. Government Biologist, who underwent a rather serious operation recently, is making good progress towards recovery.