WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 405, 2 May 1902, Page 3

WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

(Truth.) The disappearance of Mr McMurran, journalist and soft goods traveller, of New York, from his accustomed beat, has led to tho discovery that he has been comfortably stowed away in a quiet corner of the Parliamentary Buildings, that he may ful fil an order to “ write up ” this colony in book form. It is understood that the work will comprise an eloquent exposition of tho leading features of New Zealand—its scenic wonders, its industries, it liberal laws and advanced civilisation, with possibly a few tips, from unimpeachable authorities, concerning the policy and performance of the men who claim to have made it what it is to-day written from tho standpoint of one who has seen these things with his own eyes and heard with his own ears. To facilitate the compilation, and possibly inspire the writer to great things, a lady typewriter, and much departmental and other literature is stated to have been'placed at the disposal of the author, who hopes to achieve a magnum opus which the Government of the day will print, publish, and distribute to an ignorant world, at a cost of perhaps a paltry thousand or so. Of the author s ability—disclosed in previous contributions to the Press, notably that in regard to Rotorua—there is no need to speak. It is enough to know that Mr Murran has been called upon and is hero 1 Tho City Corporation has an unenviable reputation for muddling. Ratepayers appear to have hardly realised as yet the expensive character of the mistake which led to the city being cast in for about £3OOO and .£IO,OOO more than it ought to have paid for the “ Byko,’ corner. Before they havo timo to recover it seems likely that a further shock awaits them. As the story comes to me, some time back the occupier of a portion of what is claimed to bo a part of the city reserve, worth, perhaps, £15,000 to-day, applied to have a title issued to him by reason of bis long and undisturbed occupation. The Corporation filed a caveat, and the Registrar refused a titlo pending the investigation which it was naturally supposed would follow. But the Corporation authorities went to sleep, as usual, forgot all about demands of the law, and when they awoke to their duty found that the statutory period for ronewal of the caveat had gone by, and that the claimant had got his title. Presumably expensive litigation will be resorted to in s.n endeavour to rectify the mistake. . ■ Another anecdote of municipal torpidity is told by a legal luminary who has aspirations to the mayoral chair. When the Adelaide road street-widening schemo was under consideration, a certain propertyowner had a lot of land in the street line, needful for'tho purpose of the scheme, for which he was asking something under £2OO. A wideawake speculator bought it, and when the street-widening scheme was determined upon shortly afterwards, he opened his mouth to the tune of over £4OO, and got it from the Corporation. Now all the adjoining owners are said to be clamouring for compensation on a similar basis, and claim that theCorportion must “ dub up,” as by its own action in the transaction previously referred to, it fixed the marketable value of land in the locality! , If report speaks truly, something in the nature of a faction tight is gnj n § on amongst the members of the Working Men’s Club, arising, primarily, from the apparent desire of a section of the Committee to run the institution on lines that are not approved by others. There were recently certain suspensions ordered by the Committee, whose decision was reversed on appeal to a special meeting. Since then further complications have arisen through an even more stringent action by the Committee, and the contemplated deposition of the steward, who has been in tho service of club for a period of six years. Some' lively proceedings may be anticipated at the halfyearly meeting of members in July, and perhaps it is just as well that such duty linen as may be brought to light will be washed in private, as the meetings are not open to the Press. The vacant stewardship, worth £4 10s per week, has boen sought after by over 150 applicants, but no appointment has yet been made. It seems a pity to spoil a good story, but knowledge of the truth compels me to state that the yarn that haß been travelling the rounds of the newspaper Press about a certain West Coast clerk of the court swearing a witness on a yellow back novel is pure fiction. I,happen to know the facts. A certain coastal magistrate's court clerk was also clerk of awards, and as his dutieß when attending sittings of tho Arbitration Court were not onerous, he was accustomed to while away the hours in the perusal of yellow-backs left on hand by a certain judge, who had a partiality for fiction in his leisure moments. The simultaneous disappearance of the novel with the production of a testament when an oath was required of a witness, probably gave rise to a speculation, which grew into a romance. There is not to be an enquiry.