Our Wellington Letter

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 12, 12 July 1890, Page 3

Our Wellington Letter

(FROM OUR OWN COBREBPONDENT.) Wellington, July 10. It is now three weeks since Parliament opened, and scarcely an atom of business . lias been clone. The unwarranted obstruction of certain members of the Opposition will not be forgotten by the electors at the polling booth. A good Opposition is a blessing to any country, but one that adopts the tactics of the present one, wants consigning to obscurity. What is :all this nonsense about dissolution ? Were the members of the present Parliament not elected for three years ? We have a Government now in power that has pulled the colony out of the mire into which the late Government dragged it, and it has reestablished the colony's credit at Home. Where the kwt Government could only liopeto retrench to £40.000 the present •Government did it to the extent of nearly ,£3OO 000, and has twice brought down a Burplus. Still the howl from day to day is " dissohition, dissolution. Why/ .imply that certain gentlemen in the present House would like to be sitting on the Government benches. They have their little axo to grind, and if theycannot gam *heir end in the present House, they think there is just a chance that they may set it in the next. If not, they can again Jo into Opposition and again cry "Dissolution I Dissolution 1 Down with the GoTernment J" Even if it will cost another ,£20,000 to bave an extra session ; what is that so long as they have a chance of gaining that which is so near their heart. According to current rumour, Mr -Hutchison opened his mouth too wide a few -days ago when he charged two members ef the Government with being indebted Tery heavily to the Bank of New Zealand, and now that a committee is to be appointed to enquire into the matter— the iiember for Waitotara shivers in his shoes. „ t _ • We have been taught from earliest lni_noy that " Beggars must not be choosers "but an old man named Pucill, who has been boarded out by the Benevolent Society seems to tbink differently. Quite xecently this old growler was asked to do «, little light work about the institution at which he is boarded, such as cleaning Are irons and fenders ; but as Dr Ewart had stated that the oldman was incapable of doing heavy work, Mr Lazybones interpreted that to mean that he was to recline on a couch all day long and study " the art of taking things easy." Ihe Bey. Van Stavern, however, objected to the charitable funds being wasted in that fashion and told the keeper of the boardinghouse to turn any refractory boarders out who refused to help in light work. Pucill accepted the alternative and made his way to the R.M. Court, where he complained of being treated very harshly. He was, however, taken back at the institution, but still refusing to work, and becoming very abusive, was again committed to the tender mercies of the street, from whence he wandered to the Police Station and asked to be locked up. His request was granted, pending further enquiry. The Rev. Van Stavern, who has been interviewed on the subject, has paid surprise visits to the institution complained of and reports that the food is good and wholesome and such as he himself would eat, that the beds are clean and warm, and everything possible is done for the comfort of the old men. Mr Van Stavern further stated that several of the old men had been allowed to retain money that they had earned as " Sandwich Men," on condition that they spent it in warm clothing, &c., but instead of doing so they got gloriously drunk. Some people don't kown when they are well oft evidently. The Tramway Strike still remains unsettled. Mr Sidney Smith, the Manager, has now resigned, and Mr Greenfield, one of the proprietors, evidently with an qye to economy, has taken upon himself the arduous duties of Manager. It is quite on the boards that the next thing we shall see will 'be Dr Grace, the other partner, acting as driver or groom. •* Where is the labour question going to end?" is a question that is frequently asked. No sooner is one difficulty settled than another comes to the front. The threat of the Marine Officers' Association to withdraw all officers from their ships in New Zealand waters on the 14th instant, unless their demands are complied with, is a decidedly peculiar one, and one that will command much public sympathy. Mr McLean, the Managing Director of the Union Company, has clearly shown to the Marine Officers' Association that their officers are far better paid than those of the other companies in Australia, and that they have no just cause for complaint. The Committee of the Association, however, think differently, but they have been put to the ••.right about " by the Maritime Council, who have telegraphed " stop her," which order has been obeyed, and the ship now lies at anchor though in rather troubled waters. _^