WELLINGTON.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1616, 2 October 1874, Page 378

WELLINGTON.

(FROM OtR OWN CORRESPONDENT.), , 28th September. On Wednesday last we had our share of post-sessional ppatuiii'ig, Mr Pearce and Mr Hunter, the city inombers, had invited their constituents t.j meet them. A couple or three hundred comfortably-clad and placid-minded electors walked through the drizzle to. the Oddfellows' Hall, to hear what their Parliamentary mouthpieces had to say ; but courtesy, more than political interest, got the gathering together. Or else the same motive impelled their attendance that sends skindeep Christians to church on Sunday : it was the correct thing to do. With that kind of feeling it was not to be wondered at that the meeting was a little funereal. The calm unconcern of the audience appeared to react upon the speakers, and put a damper upon any latent fire that might be in them ; and their efforts were not up to past performances, particularly as regards manner. The speeches certainly read well, as if they had been carefully conned. The only remarkable feature about them was the ingenuity displayed in preparing the way to swim with the incoming political tide ; for it may be fixed upon as a fact that, both will be found favoring the abolition measure promised us, although each has announced himself ariti-the-other on Provincialism.' In all other respects, they have been warm supporters of the present regime. After all, it seems to matter little what opinions Mr Pearce and Mr Hunter hold, or what line they adopt. The electors are always satisfied. It is only necessary for these two respectable members to come forward, as in this instance, speak their piece, bow, and gracefully retire, without unction or anger upon one side or the other having been elicited. As Mark Twain said of the Innocents Abroad, only a corpse was wanted to make a decent funeral. It is astonishing what changes can be effected by a little time and patience. A few weeks ago there was a howl at the wretched human rubbish the Doctor was shovelling upon our immaculate shores. The denunciations came first from the demagogues ot Otago, and the echo was passed along to the North Cape. There has come a lull, and one wonders at the strength of the Colonial stomach in swallowing such large rations of unsavory food without any bad results. There is Wellington, after swallowing all the wickedness of toe Woodlan?, and what it could since get hold of in half-a-dozen other vessels, seems to get the keener appetite. To-day troubled to provide temporary accommodation for the new arrivals to-morrow they have found it for themselves, and we see no more of them. An amusing incident occurred a few days ago, in connection with the last batch of immigrants left in the depot. An unsophisticated employer of labor applied to the Provincial authorities for sixteen able-bodied men, and promised constant employment. The depot had just the compliment, and they were despatched to their destination, which they were not destined to reach. They had 70 miles to travel, but 40 had not been gone before the consignment had dwindlod to one—the sixteenth part of the order. In contrast to this, I feel bound to mention that contractors calculate upon shortly being able to lower wages permanently. They cannot well do so yet. Beware of reformers ! We have been afflicted with them in city affairs for a long time, and are now worse off than ever. The injection of new blood has completely driven out the old, which was generally considered to be very thin and impure stuff. I am afraid the remedy has been more damaging than the disease. There is not a city in the Colony that pays moro liberally for mismanagement than Wellington—not one in which the citizens cotton to dirty streets and malodorous backyards than in this unsavory city. Every increase of the municipal staff seems to have led to greater inefficiency. Wo have an engineer who is übiquitous, and yet never sees what is wanted ; a sanitary inspector, who does nothing, and has a man to help him with his arduous duties; a brace of contractors, who are highly paid to do something to the streets of the city, but what, is not very clear—unless it is the manufacture of mud ; a corporation with the temper of the Kilkenny cats, but mole-eyed to the defects of its officers; and a local press, too absorbed in high politics or jealous inuendoes to insist upon having the civic establishment put in order. So mote it be. A movement is on foot to establish a free library. With material enough for three good libraries, there is not one available to the public in the full sense of the term. There is the General Assembly; but that is tapu to all but the select few ; the oi polloi cannot enter there. Then there is the Provincial libiary, still more select and sacred. Lastly, there is the Athenaeum, entrance to which is purchased . by a guinea a-year subscription. It is thought that a comparatively small sum might buy out the Athenaeum, and that if the moribund Provincial Council could be induced to leave their books as a legacy, a well-appointed library would be the result; and a ve'ry small addition to the city rates would keep it in a state of efficiency, and eventually make it worthy of the position and importance of the city, which is now like an adolescent youth whose habiliments have an unsightly display of wrist and ankle wharves, thoroughfares, schools, hospitals, jails, judicatures, and other social institutions being all in a down-at-heel state. The local shipping company have decided to stick to their ships, and they are wise in their generation for so doing. As a commercial centre, wo are growing apace, much more rapidly than we are given credit for; and if the importations of Wellington merchants go on increasing as they are shown to be by the records of the Customs, the bagmen of Dunedin will have to seek for " fresh fields and pastures new." Here at least, where they once, were supreme, their occupation is like Othello's-gone, Tho other day the prin-

cipal of the firm of W. and G. Turnbull and Co. pndowed our college with £I,OOO. A few" short years ago, the importance of the firm was as microscopic as that of a ' dozen others here unknown to fame; now it possesses -palatial stores, and distributes its varied merchandize by its own steamers ; yet the rapid expansion of its trade necessitates further additions to its storing and distributive power. The salvage case is going along gaily. The lawyers scent blood, and are getting at the merits of the case with that deliberation and utter disregard of cost which is the pride of legal machinery. If the cost of the preliminary formalities is anything to go by, the financial result—to the wigs and gowns at least—will bo a handsome testimonial to their ingenious efforts after justice. , Our wharf bids fair for as fatal a preeminence as the rivers of New Zealand, Last week recorded another addition to the long long catalogue of persons drowned by stumbling over its unprotected edge in the dim and treacherous light. The remains of the third mate of the Euterpe were washed up a few days ago, a,sad memento of the baleful effects of intemperance, and the dangers of a dark and unguarded wharf. The people of Thorndon have determined there shall be no excuse for the unwashed., A company has been, or is about to be, formed to erect baths at that end of the town. Those at Te Aro are so remote as to be practically of no use to half the city. The Opera Company are making hay, for their sun has not yet set; and if they courted patronage in lowering the prices of admission, they evince an economy not appreciated very much in the way in which they mount pieces that demand a good deal of scenic display. (by electric telegraph.) lbt October. A new morning paper is coining out in Wellington. It is to be the property of a joint-slock company, and Mr Harrison, M.H.U., will be the editor. Tho name of the paper will be " The Independent," and its platform a purely Colonial policy.