WELLINGTON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2228, 27 June 1908, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

[Special to “Times.”] WELLINGTON, June 25. A NEW DEPARTMENT. Another Government Department being one to deal with advertising, has been formed, and has taken, up its quarters in offices rented on Lambton Quay. It is understood the staff will be taken almost entirely from tho civil service. Advertising will, be systematised, and it is hoped to effect a considerable saving by the new departure. Tho various Departments, however, will as formerly compile their own advertisements, but tho bureau .will send them out to the -arious newspapers and publications. POLITICAL NOTES.

The Hon. A. R. Guinness, Speaker of the House of Representatives, arrived here • to-day, and had a look, over tho new Parliament House. He is master of the .buildings during the session, and his duties necessitate his residence on the premises. He was surprised, therefore, to find that only one room had been set apart for his use. He intends to have this rectified before Monday, and contemplates a number of other alteration in the existing arrangements. The disposition of the galleries, such as they are, will favorably be subject to some alteration, and minor improvements will be affected in other directions. Mr. Guinness states there is considerable activity on the West Coast. The coming political battle between Mr T. Seddon, M.P., and Mr H. L Mitchell will, he says, be very keen and close. 'Mr K. Monro, brother of the manager of the late Christchurch Exhibition, will, he says, also put up a big fight against Mr Colvin. The fiabor representative committee is actively organising its plan of campaign for the Wellington seats. At a meeting held last evening it was decided to contest three seats,' including the suburbs and Newtown. No definite action was taken with respect to the other seats. Labor candidates for other seats will be selected at a later date. Mr G. Mander Marchant, president of tho Liberal and Federal Federation, will in all probability be ■a candidate for Wellington East at the general election. The four-masted barquentine Ren'ield from Liverpool, which arrived here yesterday after an adventurous voyage, reports that on Tuesday night, about ten o’clock, she had a narrow escape of being rundown bv a itcamer, evidently a. passenger boat, which headed away in the direction of Stephens .Island. THE NATIVE RACE.

Some remarkably fine types of tatooed .Maoris have been found by Mr Hamilton, of the Dominion museum, is models for Mr Nelson Illingworth, ;hc sculptor, who has been commissioned by the Government to make busts of f ist disappearing types. Another old chief, also most elaborately atooed, was found at Ngae, iiear Roorua. TJie heads of both subjects are remarkably fine specimens of the indent art of tatooing. A young roman, well tatooed, and one very ild man was found near Galatea. He s believed to be oyer 100 years old and this is determined by the fact hat he took part in the great battle :>f the Tumu, from which event so many of the chief events of modern Maori history are dated. TREE-PLANTING BY PRISONERS In this region, says the “Post,” Mr Hamilton saw. much of tho tree-plant-ing by prisoners at Waiotapu. The j uniaceous ground was considered worthless and the Government has miles of it, but it is bearing fine healthy young trees, which in time rill be of .great commercial value as the native timber becomes more ;cnrce. The trees include larches and other pines and gum trees, all of timber value. .