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248 in the Old World. We have several clubs, half a dozen banks, wharves and dry docks for shipping, three daily papers, and several weeklies and monthlies; and as for public institutions, in the way of hospitals, asylums, and the like, you cannot name one that we are without."

In their walks and rides about Wellington our friends verified the correctness of the foregoing statement in all its essential features. They saw the factories, founderies, shops, and other industrial establishments the gentleman had mentioned; they called at one of the banks to obtain money on their letters of credit; they visited one of the newspaper offices, and saw the press turning out the huge sheets which are the glory of Wellington and the admiration of all New Zealand—except where personal or local preferences are otherwise—and the Doctor was made at home at half the clubs before he had been six hours in the place.

"It is an enterprising city," wrote Frank in his journal, after their first round of sight-seeing was ended. "It has a hospital with more than a hundred beds, a lunatic asylum, and a prison, and according to what we hear, all these institutions are well patronized. But what most surprises us are the public buildings, which ought to be sufficient for the wants of the city for many years to come. The Government Building is an immense structure in the Italian style; it covers an area of two acres, and is said to be the largest wooden edifice in the world. Then there are Government House, where the colonial governor lives and exercises the duties of ruler of New Zealand; the Houses of Legislature, which are lighted by electric light, the Provincial Buildings, the Supreme Court Buildings, and the offices of the city and of the provincial district. The telegraph and postal departments are in the largest brick building in the colony; and as for churches, they are, as the auctioneers say in their advertisements, 'too numerous to mention.'

"We have the choice of twenty or more hotels, and if we should want to go to the theatre we have three to choose from, though the number is just now reduced to two, as one is closed for repairs. They showed us the College, which has about one hundred and fifty students, who come mostly from Wellington and its vicinity, though there are representatives of every district in the colony. The streets are well paved and lighted with gas; they have street railways by which you can go quickly to all the principal suburbs; and if you prefer to ride by yourself, there are as many cabs as you could wish for.

"We have visited the colonial museum, where we saw much to interest us, particularly in regard to the Maoris. There is a fine