HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1907, 17 October 1906, Page 4

HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

THE BARQUE LUTTERWORTH. (By Phnkloi'H.) Wellington.'3 Since this vessel, with it terrific list, was towed into the luirbor beside the wharf, site lias been the object ol' much curiosity. Liuleeil, some persons have earrietl their curiosity to the length of stripping the \ esse I o‘r all that was left on it in the shape of clothes or valuables and poor Airs Hicks, the captain’s wife, whoso bravery has been the theme of general admiration, find#, now she has arrived in Wellington, she has lost everything. ' urely meanness could go no further, and the thieves who have stolen the belongings of the shipwrecked sailors must be near relatives of the boys who grub up plants from the graves in the cemetery and sell them. ■j ho Lutterworth was a pathetic sight with her rags of canvas, iter splintered bowsprit and bulwarks, and the stump of the must. The deck lay at such an angle that crawling up it was dillicult, and one looked at the littlo'place between the railings and the side of the cabin, and tried to realise the feelings of that little knot of despairing souls who, drenched and Hinting with hunger, had lasted out all those dreadful hours of danger and darkness, blown below in the hold, men were busy shovelling the gravel the shiftingof which hud been the partial cause of the shipwreck. It must have been a heart-rending task to try and right the shifted ballast in that terrible gale with the vessel drifting each moment nearer to destruction.

AX EX LTINU INCIDENT

The tariff discussion was on in the House with its inevitable conclusion and the galleries were full, although the topic was scarcely treated by members in a popular stylo. It was a hut evening, and just as Sir Joseph Ward was in the midst of his endeavors to refuse the proposals without hurting anyone’s feelings, a little stir began in the ladies’ gallery that grew into a simmer of excitement. Towards the far end a lady, wife of the member for Wanganui, - who, all unconscious, was below listening to his chief, — had fainted. Kindly girls ran out for water and after some agitation, and Mrs E. M. Smith’s coming to the rescue, the lady was carried out by the orderly. Outside, the suggestions continued, and opinions wore divided as to treatment. One elderly lady oven proposed putting a peppermint drop in her mouth as a su rc means of bringing her to. In spite of the many sympathetic advisors, the lady soon came round. Really, the atmosphere in the gallery is so close at times that one wonders to sec how frequented it is, even by women who have no political relations and no little axes of their own to grind. There is not now even the excitement of the supper adjournment and the receipts from the tea-room arc sai l to he dwindling in consequence This week end the House has been well nigh deserted. Mr Kirkbridc, who is not well, li is gone homo to Auckland to recuperate Mr Lewis, who is paying Mr I'olson a visit, is accompanying him as far as Wanganui. Mr Lethbridge has gone home to the Kangitikei Air Dutliic, whose lovely country place at the Ilutt is always open on Sundays to friends political or otherwise, is entertaining Air and Airs Donald lteid and Air Bollard. On Saturday last Airs Lcmare and Air and Airs Malcolm Boss spent a delightful afternoon there. Air Lcmare, who is a keen photographer and billiard player, as well as a most magnificent organist, lias given two of his wonderful recitals on our city organ. THE LANDS DEBATE.

The following prophetic reference to the Lands Bill was written before the remarkable climax came :

This is the piece do resistance of tho Government menu this session, and it seems likely that it is going to stick in the throats of a number of their supporters Everything has been subordinated to this measure, and w hen the extreme dullness and unnecessary talk have been complained of, tho answer is always, “Just you wait for the Lands Bill ! ” If tho discussion is not exciting and interesting, the galleries will be much disappointed. There arc all the elements of a struggle in Committee, with a disaffected country party, a divided Ministry, and a new Chairman with a tendency to rule with a high hand.’ If you pass a knot of men talking together these days, it is pretty sure they arc discussing the Lands Bill. IS T o one knows what will be the upshot of the debate, but. there is a general opinion that the Billwill not go through this session. The Minister for Lands, by way of an introduction to his Bill, entertained tho llouso to a mutton-bird supper on Friday It was almost midnight when they sat down, and cold grilled mutton-birds, eaten at such an hour, to tho accompaniment of tea and coffee —for Mr McNab is a teetotaller—arc not calculated to malic our legislators rise in the morning with that oven temper and clear head that betokens a digestion that has not boon tampered with Many of them probably would bo able to tost Fra Abortus' dictum “Bo pleasant until ten o’clock in tho morning, and the rest of the day will take care of itself.” From the captious view of an ex tremc freeholder and Oppositionist, this same mutton-bird midnight cnrousal may be a deep laid scheme of tho Minister to disarm his political opponents.