WELLINGTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 50, 17 February 1880, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[FROM OUR OWX COItK2SPOXT)BST.] r iH!3 NEW ZEALA^DER AN T D THE COifET. Your town contemporary, the Now Zeahwder, lias *been launching its; thunders at an imaginary Wellington eori'G9Dondent of the Manawatu Times, for having dated to quote from its now notorious pui'agmph respecting tho comei with its tail fore* lriost. The scathing remarks, however, I am pi'oud euougU to conclude, were intended to apply to " your own," but to so trivial an erfor as this, it is needless fin* your content porary to pay attention, for it matters not whutever paper he may take up he may rely upon finding his weighty utterances commented upon in an equally appreciative and Complimentary manner to that in which I referred to them. The New Zealanders reply is intended to be » "crusher," and heavy ordnance in the shape of Chambers' Encyclopaedia, &c., is brought to beat to work my annihilation ; however, I still survive. The instruction inculcated by the scientific man of your contemporary it is only seemly for me — an individual of humble mien — to receive with g.atitude ; and considering the terribly ' tread-on-thp-tail-o'-my coat " style of the paragraph, it behoves me to offer auy further remarks to so illustrious a personage (for it cannot be denied th:» ' his celebrated effort has buddenly raised him to the greatest notoriety) i with becoming reverence and caution. However, with regard to the rising of the comet, I might remind the renowned scientist that the revolution of ihe earth iv its orbit causes all th heavenly bodies in *"he western skies f-o appear to arise, comets included ; and I should advise him, when he happens to require another "comet *' paragraph for the information of his woudariiig leaders, to seek competent advice iv attempting i-s compi ation. It is in cresting to obseive that in the same i*sue as that in whuh my denunciation appears, the New Zealander has a contributed article on this ennet question. I hus it would appear that other help has been called in to rescue the " renowned scientist " from his difficult si uation. Mark the moral of this! MR STEWART AT DUXfDI.V. Mr Downie Stewart, one of the members for Duuedin, has been trea*iug his constituent to a dissertati *n ! on public affairs, and hus given the ! usual outline of what transpired in Parliament; last session and all thai, kind of thing, but. treated very lightly with the reasons for his " oat-turning " trick which he played so well when in Wellington. It will be remembered that the feel ing of the good people of Dunediu was so a' rung against the Grey Admiuistra'.ion that even Mr Macaudrew, one of the sfaunchest friends Otago evei had, dared nut stand again for his favourite City; an.i that .Mr Stewart was one of the trio of pOpositionists who were returned in their interests. Yet this otherwise worihy gentleman, although he voted against Sir George (jrey in the division that ousted him from i position and power, turned round to the other side and gave him his warmest support directly Mr Hall decided to give the Attorney-General* •ship to a Worthier man and. a lawyer of higher standing. Mr Stewart had no claim whutever to the office, and although he now denies that this was the motive which prompted his action, I am afraid people generally will find it rather hard to bring ihemselves t> believe hi>u. New Zealand has had politicians enough of this stamp, and the House of He* •prasen atives could well bo rid of this last ppecimen of the class. YACHT RACE. Our late regatta has bften productive of at leE.st one cause of serious disagreement, and the second-class yacht race, owing to various mistakes on the part of different people, has lircl to be sailed three times over. The Committee were of opinion that Mr Hill's yacht, the Pet, hod asserted her superiority s;> decidedly '>n both the fi;st and second occasions, ulthough all the prescribed conditions had not , been fulfilled, that they awarded her the first prize, and decided that the remainder of thrt b-iats should sail ayain for t c sec in I prize. This so ou rag^d the owners of the Red Jacket that they challenged the Pet to come to the starting-point and sail the race with tho rest, and so decide definitely which was the faster sailer of the two. To this Mr hi ill agreed, but wi hout giving- up the firs 1 prize, already awarded him, and on the race being sailed for the third time, the J-fed Jacket drew away from hei rival, and tho Pet was utterly unable to overtake her, the Eed Jacket winning eventually by more than half nn hour. The Committeo now find themselves in this predicament : they hav-5 a letter from the owner of the Put stating his intention of prosecuting them in the H.M. Court if they do not pay over the prize- money already awarded him. and they also have a letter from the owners of the rival boa*, stating their intention of acting similarly if the prize mouey which they assert they have honestly earned is not paid over to tlvm I believe the Committee intend to carry out their original intontion, and give the first prize to the Pet, and run the risk of the Red Jacket's action prov ing successful.