Our Wellington Letter

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 19, 30 July 1889, Page 3

Our Wellington Letter

(FROM OTJB, oVk CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, iuly26. The Chemis case is still exciting a great deal of interest. The evening papers have been simply inuudated with letters giving all ihe various shades of opinion that it is possible to conceive on the subject. A few nights ago the Post gave nearly two columns of its space to these letters, and even then only those which brought forth any new argument were printed. The Times has not been so favored, evidently from the fact that that paper is regarded as. the Government Organ, and has been rising its columns for the defence of the police and prosecution. Mr Jellicoe, who has taken up Chemis case since the death of Mr Bunny, has been engaged in a -wordy warfare with the Minister of Jus tice, the learned counsel being desirous of L^ obtaining a private interview with the 1& prisoner, but this the prison authorities object to. Mr Jellicoe being at last exasperated at the action of the Minister in putting all sorts of obstacles in his way, wrote a very severe letter to the Government threatening that unless bis request ! was granted he would appeal, through. His j Excellency the Governor, to the Imperial i Government. This had the effect of bringing a smart retort back from the prison authorities to the effect that they would have nothing more to say to the learned counsel until .his threat was disposed of. Mr j Jellicoe, however, is determined in the course that he has taken and has waited upon Lord Onslow with a view of having his threat carried into execution. Mr Bell, the Crown Prosecutor, has taken umbrage at a portion of the shorthand notes of the interview between Chemis and his counsel a few evenings ago, which have been published, and which were to the effect that the prosecution in tEe late trial had kept back important evidence which was in the prisoner's favor. Mr Bell has issued a writ against Ms brother lawyer, claiming £5000 damages. Truly the tongue is an unruly member. The dark and threatening clouds which liave been hanging over the House of during the past week, have at last burst and dispelled the calm that has reigned supreme since the opening of. Parliament. The Eepresentation Bill, which is the " sore point " at issue, is being very vigorously stonewalled by the town members who profess to have «nough material in their hands to carry on the fight incessantly until Tuesday next. The Government, on the other hand, axe doggedly determined not to give in, and any privileges, such as adjournments for lunch, &c, asked by the Opposition, are opposed most bitterly by the Premier and his colleagues. Yesterday the Government had au express load of bedding sent to the House for the convenience of their side, and the besieging party also came armed with xugs and blankets ready for the fray. The proceedings are sometimes a little amusing, for instance, the night before last, just before resuming after the supper adjournment at 11 p.m., Mr Pyke took the Premier's seat and was badgered with questions by a few members who happened to be in the chamber, Mr Pyke replied in the usual evasive style, to wit, *' The Government will take the matter into consideration." Just then the Premier appeared on the scene and members scrambled to their seats like a lot of school boys. Mr Moss, who is the leader of the antagonistic party, indulged in a little sarcasm at the expense of your member on "Wednesday evening, asserting that Mr Macarthur was really the head of the Government, and asking that gentleman whether he would agree to the bill being held over for a time. Of course this question " brought down the House." To use the words of Sergeant O'Reilly in the Pirates of Penzance, Ministers lives are not happy ones. The correspondence which has taken place between Judge Ward, Mr Hislop and Mr Fergus relative to a case in which Judge Ward decided adversely in which Mr Hislop, as the solicitor, was concerned, and which Mr Hislop, as the Minister, sought to bring the judge to book for, on the ground that the verdict must have been biased, as the judge was indebted to the winning company to the extent of Mr Hislop called Mr Fergus to his aid, but the judge fought them both manfully, pointing out that it was monstrous for it to be thought that it was impossible for a judge to_ conscientiously consider a case in which a person to whom the judge might be indebted for a few shillings, was concerned. Judge Ward is considered to have come out the cleanest from the mire.