WELLINGTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 10, 26 September 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[FROM OUU OWS COIIBESPONDENT.]" STATE OP" J'AttTl S. The elections are now over, and th§ members urexe-as^einbling in Wellingtotuasiifp less than- 35? out of the 84 memberff incite Old Parliament will not be required to engage in senatorial labours again, at least 1 for. the present ; of this number 11 were Government supporters, 21 Oppositionists, and the other three abstained from voting altogether on the great division, either from being absent from the House or walking out when the division bell rang. Five of the re-el«cted members have deserted their old constituencies and have 4 wooed new ones, four of these being Ministeiialists.aqd onlyonebeing.an Opposition--ist. Of the <•"< members who have been reelected by their ol.( constituencies; 20 are Ministerialists and 28 are Oppositionists. Parties are now so evenly balanced — each side claiming h majority — that it is impossible to say how things will go; by this,time next -week we shall know more about it probably. NEW POST OFFICE. The Government ate now inviting competitive designs for our new Post and Telegraph buildings. The promises offered are not superabundantly , liberal — £100 for the first approved design, and £50 for the, second — designs to bo sent in by 3Ut October. Let us hope that a, suitable design may after all be selertod.and something one toward removing the present shanty. . , . y , ,'■ CITX THAMWAY. . ■ i ,.' i >] The Tramway Company haveinsiied their f first balance sheet, > which, all: things Considered, is very satisfactory. It shows clearly that the, concern is much more , than paying its working expenses, but a heavy sum has gone in the shape of interest on borrowed money on account of so many shares remaining unallotted. When times improve and they succeed in getting these shaves off their hands they may reasonably expect to he tolerably prosperous. THE MAYOKALTY, ''v •• Mr Hutchison having been elected 4a%1l an opcfcraordinaiy vacancy in. the ybief Magistracy, will this iirne enjoy bu^ avtorief period of power, unless he should snec^fifo fully woo the burgesses again. ' ' The names of Mr Peai-ce arid Mr Levin, "'"•• are mentioned as likely candidates, and either would probably succeed in beating Mr Hutchison ; indeed, if Mr Levin shoujij^fc stand, his victory would bo anuoial certainty^f^ Of this one may judge by reading the articles in Ihe Chronicle, Mr Hutshison's organ, which journal little short of beseeches these gentlemen not to come forward, lest they should he beaten. Beaten, forsooth ! Our late election shows how a contest beweon Levin and Hutchison would result. CIVIL SERVANTS AND ELECTIONEERING-. Some little con stern nl ion was caused in the Government Buildings last week through an officer of the Survey ment having been peremptorily dismissed, and several others solemnly warned, or - called npo:i for explanations, for various little matters connected with the late elections. The " i'iberaU' oftnjAidates- were defeated in both theJULutgancTrho "Wellington Country DistridßreSmi^pmlHt is stated that certain officials weut a little further than merely recording their votes to bring about this most desirable end. However, the survey officer fans since fc\>eh reinstated, and the great excitement has passed away, 1 certain persons having 1 rcsolvfid to be less opouly enthusiastic in future. ...■'"■ VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS. A deputation from our Working Men'g, — League has \ recently interviewed the Gb-^ ■ varnment, urging them to afford greater 'fl facilities for taking up land by the working*^ classes. They were informed that the ( Government intended to introduce a measure providing for village Bet*le^ientß on Crown •Lands opened up 'by new lines of railway .no person to be allowed to take up more than one acre in the village, and fifty acres of rural land. The land is to be sold on deferred payment, but with a strict residential clausp.jand the Government would Hud the purchasers "in work for three or four days a week to assist them in paying for their holdings. Now this is all very fine ; it sounds well, no doubt, and I have every belief that many poor men would be beguiled into this fallacious bargain. How can the Government give these men work ?' If they locite them near where railway works are going on they may obtain woik within walking distance for about twelve months at the utmost, but what then f the line will have been so far done as to b,e out of their'a-eacH ' khdJEurther/th is order Qf< 1 things will only be rendered possible at all * by the present system of making our railway by L oontraqtj >Jbeiiyc>ba^«fiJ^S jM/ » contractor would only employ men. who could work regularly and constancy* and not thosa who would want to spend two or three days a week on their holdings The debate .on, this measure may possibly en. . lightWus » litflle^but ' «t /present it"ia w "*"•■ fearful and wonderful mystery^ •