Our Wellington Letter

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 112, 15 March 1890, Page 2

Our Wellington Letter

[FBOM OTO OWN COBBEBPOWDBNT."j Wellington, Mnreh Ufc ' We have had an excellent musical .^. dtfrwg' the past week consequent 1 upon* >I the arrival in our midst of JSautley, thegreat English baritone, whose presence at the Opera House has filled that capaciousbuilding to overflowing every evening: despite, the high figure at which admittance was obtainable. It had been rumoured for some days that the great . oratorio " Elijah" was to ha produced during Mr Sanfley's season with that gen* . tletnan in the title rdle, but the knowing: ones kept very " mum," it evidently being: the desire of the management to keep the liatter as quiet as possible until Santley'sseries of concerts were oyer. On Tuesday night, however, all doubt . was dis- . pell( d by the announcement that the* work would be given on Wednesday evening. Then the disease broke out in its worst form, for Wellington Ha*/ gone- y ■• Santly mad, aud the tickei office nest; : morning was a sight to be remembered ;' such a rush for seats as has not been known in "Wellington before took place, and though the Dress Circle and Orchestral chairs were fixed at ss, not a reserved seat was obtainable two hours after the . shop opened. The great singer is accompanied by Miss Ellen Atkins, soprano, a> lady not unknown in Feilding. who, by the wayi has wonderfully improved. Mr Stockwell, a tenor of some hot*, and Mr ; Bradley, a world famed organist and pianist who, however, unfortunately in- . ■ -■ ■ dulges top freely in what is commonly known as "piling on tKe agonj "which accomplishment drew from, the "pit " somesevere sarcasm, which at last compelled the pianist to beat a haaty retreat. Had Mr Bradley just* played- a few bars oorf r " Yankee doodle " or "The Girl I left behind me," .the " gods " would have voted, him a musician of the first water. The toll gate dispute is causing some little stir in the city, especially as the names of two well Jknow solicitors have been mixed up in the affair for having, it is alleged, incitedvthe people -of Ngahau- • ranga to riot, and thus haying indirectly ; led to the demolishing of the obnoxious gates. For years past, the gate on the . Hutt road has been a very " sore point " with the good people of the suburban' villages and towns to the- north of Welling- fi ton, and strenuous efforts have been made; from time to time to have the " nuisance " abolished, but the creation of the new Borough of Onslow has led to an additional gate being erected. This was too much for the long suffering people of Johnsonville and Ngahauranga, who instituted Lynch law and consigned the gatesto the flames. The experiment of' erecting other gates was made yesterday, but they have followed the fate of their brethren. Doubtless more will be heard of the trouble in the near future. — . r At the Wesley. Church last Sunday evening the Eev. Jos. Berry commented severely on the gambling spirit of the age r and said that it made him blush for very shame* that it was impossible for a person to visit a Fire Brigade demonstration or- - a cricket match now-a-days without meeting with men, young and old, betting and gambling at every corner. - The Rev. gentleman is a frequent visitor at all kinds of manly sports, and therefore speaks with authority in condemning one of the greatest curses on the face of the ~ globe. ■ r „ There are a certain class of individuals who inhabit this globe and who consider it their duty to annoy and molest whenever the occasion presents itself, any human being that happens to have a dark skin. At the BM. Court to-day, how- - ever, a man named Jones was fined J;3 or ; six days' imprisonment, for brutally assaulting a colored cook at one of the restaurants in the city,' which should servo as a lesson to any other person who may hold the. sanie opinion as the man Jones. , The Post of this evening makes a pro- : test against the challenges and sayings of Wery brajfging fighter being cabled out „-- here, and adds that they do not wish to either pay for or give .the spaoe to pubUsh ■ matter that may interest people of such depraved tastes.- The Post has set an ex- - ample that might well be copied by its contemporaries, for it is only the publicity given to these brutal prize fights th^t gives & zest to them. ' . : :