Our Wellington Letter

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 14, 19 July 1890, Page 3

Our Wellington Letter

• \ *~ — (fbom ovr own cobkespondent.) Wellington, July 17. Now that the Financial Debate wrangle has finished and members have ceased their verbosity, it is expected that thej "Will settle down to real work. It was a most unique sight to see a Governmeni voting against its own Estimates as wae the case on Tuesday night, when, the Ministry voted for Mr Monk's amendment, " That the first vote be reduced £1 as on indication to reduce the Estimates by £50,000" ; but when the sequel is told that they only did so to keep the " Skinflints" in their ranks, who otherwise would have voted, on principle, for the Opposition amendment that the vote be reduced £5, which the Government threatened to take as a no-confidence motion. At supper time a compromise was effected, and the Government agreed to Mr Monk's amendment, which means that some ' constituencies will have to suffer through the reduction, as the Government intimated it was not their intention to cut down salaries. The Opposition having been out-generalled, it is considered that they will now cease their obstructive tactics. As in Dunedin, so here, public opinion seems to be against so much loquaciousness. For many years past the true spirit of amateur athletic games has been considerably marred by several well-known players assuming a semi-professional attitude— i.e., they would only play for Clubs on consideration that they were not troubled for their subscriptions. Tbi? has led to others, who perhaps were not valued at such a high figure, taking upon themselves to play season after season, loth at cricket and football, without parting with any filthjr lucre toward the maintenance of their Club, and if the Secretary approached them on the subject they would transfer their bone and muscle —not brains, for people of that class do not possess sueh — to another Club; but, as " necessity is. the mother of invention," it has entered the heads of several true lovers of our National Games to form an Association to prevent members who are indebted to one Club from playing for another until this liability is settled. This is a step in the right direction. That eccentric, but nevertheless energetic body, the Salvation Army, has been making quite a stir in our city during the past week, in which they have -held Councils of War, and decided upen securing reinforcements and making vigorous onslaughts upon the enemy. In one of their evening marches, a few nights ago, some little sensation was caused by the appearance of three of their officers inarching in the centre of the ranks dressed in convict attire. They were men who had been imprisoned for doing what they considered their duty, but what the law looked upon as pbsbructing the thoroughfare. Ah well ! Our Salvation friends may be just a little too peculiar for some of us, but it cwanot be said of them that they do not do their duty however unpleasant they may happen to be. Wellington is in the fashion as wdQ # as other large cities in the way of burglaries, but there is one consolation, the police have been one too many for these gentry, who have had to suffer for their indiscretion. At the R.M. Court a few days ago a man named Walters was committed for trial for having entered the house _of another man named Le Ray, and stealing a watch therefrom valued at £8. It was shown in the evidence that the accused had watched the house tor days, and in iis own house was found a key which fitted Le Ray's front door. Walters had pawned tha watch for 15s. His career was, however, cut short by a "sturdy man in blue" laying his hand on his shoulder and requesting his presence in ■" another placo 1" Young New Zealand, xemember " the way of the transgressors is hard." Anyone whose business carries him past the Pier Hotel, in the vicinity of the wharf, must have been struck by the .number of firemen belonging to the ocean liners who are congregated in -and around -that edifice, and not unfrequently several -trials at fisticuffs take place among the imbibers during the spree. For this reason these firemen are generally looked upon as being the lowest in the ship in more senses than one, and the junior Engineer of the Ruapehu found this to be only too true on the recent trip from" JEngland, when be found it necessary to rate one of them for not turning out promptly, and for sp doing the Engineer received a blow which knocked him senseless. His assailant was yesterday escorted to the Hotel de Garvey, where he has "been requested to stay, for one calendar month.