OUR WELLINGTON LETTER

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 25, 19 November 1878, Page 2

OUR WELLINGTON LETTER

(from our own correspondent.) PKINCE OF WALES' BIRTHDAY. The annual Holiday in honor of the birthday of the heir-apparent to the British Crown was this year held on the llth instead of tho 9th November. The day was fine, though somewhat windy, and a very great number of people went holi-day-making in the hundred-and-one-ways known to ploasure-seekors. Excursion trains were run on the railway, marine excursions wero made about tho harbor, and tho Athletic Club's sports took place on tho Cricket Ground. About 7,000 people used tho City Tramway as a mean* of conveyance to their various pleasure resorts. SCARCITY OF ROLLING STOCK. I have told you before that our railway is very badly provided with rolling-stock, and since the opening to Featherston, much iucouvenionce to the country settlers has resulted from this cause. La.st week a deputation of persons interested waited on the Commissioner of Railways and pointed out the disadvantages under which they were labouring in not being able to get their produce Bent away when they have taken it to the station, and a promise was made that further trucks would be at once pro's ided. Since then we hear there is to bo a change of management liore. Our present manager, Mr Stone, is to change places with Mr George Ashcroi't of Nelson, and business people generally are hoping that much benefit may result from the change. LAND TAX DEPARTMENT. So Mr John Sperry is the lucky man o f this new department. Mr Sperry is an old Otago Provincial officer (herein lies the secret, probably), nnd with a salary of £7uO per annum should get along very nicely as Commissioner. By the way, what a number of these Otago men have como into prominenco lately Iteally, Otago must be the true home of om'oial genius, long hidden under the Provincial cloud, but no v bursting out into Colonial glory. Mil MOSS*? ADDRESS. Mr Moss — one of Auckland's new members, and a close associate of the Premier's —has boen addressing his constituents,

telling the people of all the great aud wonderful thiiix-H that are going lo be done. Mi- Moss tells us that the great mutter for consideration next session, will be a seuarato Government for ouch Mnnti, with a federal , Government in Wellington. Tliis is startling ! Mr Mobs — a ntuuiich aud, one would think, reliable supporter of the dovemmeul , ■ j and a. close associate of Sir Geovjje trey's — [ puo.ishiiig .such treason against thfewwom* i nieiifc m tiii.-<, what o m it meuu ? "Perhaps holding the Jiext session of Parliament in . (JhiUtchuvch ih euifcsldereA a fitting 1 proludo ', to this. However, we shall Hue. TWKXTY YEARS' CAPTIVITY. Quito a sensation was created in town a \ few days since by lie announcement thai a '. woman hud been kept in close confinement : | in her brother's house in Wainui-o-mata I for twenty yearn. The case is now being > inquired into, but from what I can hear, it appears that the woman is an idiot, and has really been very well cared for, for twenty » years, and only been placed under restraint J when such treatmeD t became advisable for her , own good. Nowspapar competition is very 3 brisk in Wellington just now, and this over* eagernessjto obtain nows ia generally productive of sensational paragraphs. MAYoitAL ELECTION. Our Mayoralty contest is waxing warm just now, and meetinga are held nlmost 'i nightly. Mr Joe Dransfield, the present n Mayor, is beforp the burgesses for rc-elec-j % tioL, and Mr W. Hutchison, the ex-Sfayor, f is opposing him, and some very hard thintje have been Baid on both sides. It would bs Le mere speculation to say now who is likely 6 to be successful, but Mr Dransficld has a xt strong and organized following, and Mr |j^ Hutchison is trying the " Working Man's" ticket. COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION. Considerable interest has been shown in ie the Hutt County election this year, and rs numerous meetings have been held, but LO most of the Eidings have expressed their .^ confidence iv their old representatives by ' i returning them ag.iin.