WELLINGTON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2220, 18 June 1908, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

[Special to “Times.”] WELLINGTON, Juno 16. A REPREHENSIBLE PRACTICE. Several women have on various occasions, while attending —entertainments at- tlio Opera House, had long cuts mado in their opera cloaks by some person who is evideutly a lunatic. Tho cloaks are slit not while in tho dressing room but while being •worn. I have heard of one lady, who, on returning from tho Opera House, found a clean cut in her blouse. She could not account for it, but next day sb© found a long slash in her opera cJoa'k . The cuts had been made by a keen instrument, which had gone through both blouse and opera cloak. Tho dresses of women standing in a street crowd have also been cub in the same way. When the lunatic referred to commenced operations at the’’ beginning of the present Julius Knight season in tho Opera House, detectives were told off with a view to his discovery, but for tho time being the miscreant seems to have ceased operations. Recently a young lady attending one of the performances at tho Opera House felt a pull at the back of her coat, and, onlooking'round, she saw a man making off ' and at the same time endeavoring to hide his face. A detective who has been on the look-out believes that the man uses a tiny keen-bladed knife, attached to a ring on one of. his fingers; such an instrument as is used by the sneak thieves of' London' and other big cities for cutting out purees and stripping ladies’ bag handles and gentlemen’s i watch guards., 'the Coming session.' I learn from a reliable source that the Government will do all in. its power to make the coming session of Parliament a short one, and this decision in this respect will meet with very general -acceptance. It is quite possible that Sir Joseph 'Ward will have his Budget statement ready by ■the middle of July.POLICE CHANGES.

Sub-Inspector J. O’Donovan, who lias for it quarter of a century been, connected wjth the Wellington Police Department’, is to be transferred to Palmerston North. Some years Rgo lie passed the solicitor’s examination. Station-Sergeant W. J. Phair will fill the vacancy at Wellington. He joined the force in 1877. Sergeant Darby, of Thames, replaces Sergeant Phair, and-Sergeant 'Morgan, of Christchurch, procoeds to Thames. «WvEW PARLIAMENTARY BUILDINGS. . The hard cane-hacked chairs that ' will take the place of the burnt easy leather spring-cushioned settees in Parliament’s new habitation will not lend themselves, to stonewall tactics. There will be a small drawer under each chair for a member’s .papers, but lie will have no bench in front of him on which to place his books, or on which he cah write letters to his long- ■ suffering constituents about roads and bridges. The summoning of members to division from the now distant librarv will also be a novel feature, and will no doubt cause many a sprint down the corrugated iron causeway which will probably be known as the “Makohino viaduct.” GENERAL. Mr. Geo. Humphries, of the Press 'Association staff, underwent an operation yesterday. Tho winter has been so mud that many trees and shrubs are blossoming out of season. Rata flowers were gathered in a gully at the Lower Hutt yesterday, and roses and lilac liavo been in bloom. The Misses Pollen, daughters of Dr. Pollen. Government Health Officer here, have returned t 0 New_ Zealand after a lengthy stay in the Old Coun- • A rthur Duncan, the holder of the New Zealand golf championship, will leave’ for Australia on .Friday. Ho will compete in. the Australian golf championship contest, commencing on 10th July next."