WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 182, 2 August 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(Froth our own correspondent )

[By Telegraph.]

Monday, 915 p.m. A meeting cf Otsgo and Southland membars wss held atthe Parliamentary Buildings to-day. The meeung was convened by Mr Macandrew wbo preiid-d. I understand tbat the members preeent were -(tsars Rain, Barron, Basticgi, Brown, DeLtutour, Finn, Fulton, Hirst, Jones, Mecandrew, McCaughan, McLean, Murray, Pyke, Shanks, Shrimski, Stewart, and Thomson. Tbe special object of the meeting wai to discuss the Representation Bill and to offer suggestions to the Government aa to the mode of dealing with ihe question. There was coniiderable discussion on the Ministerial proposals for the redistribution of representation, and it is understood tbat a very strong feeling was expressed against the proposed increase in the number of membeis to 91, and nearly all present intimated a decided preference for a reduction in Ihe number to sixty or thereabouts, but it was generally agreed that this, however cesirable it might be, was impracticable owicg to the unpopularity of depriving any place oi its special represent ation, and thus, in sppearacce at any rate, partially disfranchising it. One or two differed from the view that there were tod ipany members already, and argued hi faror of

mcreaeiDg the numerical strength.of the House. After considerable discussion the following resolutions were agreed to :— m on the motion of Mr Brown, "That in the opinion of this meeting there Bhould be D ° "tnc-rease of the number of members in the Honse of Representatives, and that in any readjustment it shall be understood that City and Suburban constituencies should upon the average have 33 per cent more in* haoitantß to the representation than the country constituencies; (2) on the motion of Mr Murray, :That each Provincial District should have apportioned to it th_ number of raemberß it is entitled to, and the distribution of such representation should then be arranged on thenumbers at present representing such Provincial District; (&) on the motion of Mr Barron, That Mr Macandrew should wait upon the. Premier and arrange for a deputation of Otago members to lay the above resolutions before the Government. A copy of the resolution" was trausSJtted to the Government arranging for the deputation, so that Ministers might be prepared to deal with the matter. It is probable that a somewhat similar course may be adopted by the Auckland) Canterbury, and Nelson members, it being generally felt that the chances of agreement on any plan of redistribution are almost hopeless unless some understanding can be arrived at for facilitating the Settlement of this vexed question. The Estimates were finally revised and considered to-day. They are now definitely in the hands 01 the Premier for presentation to^ Parliament tomorrow. Every effort is being made to have them ready for distribution at this afternoon's sitting, tut at all events they are Almost certain to be down in the evening. They ha*£e undergone extensive modifications, and it is this thai; has has caused the delay in printing Ministers have been in Cabinet ali the afternoon on the Public Works Statement, which is expected to fce dellveted on Friday, or, if not then, on Monday, when it wiil be proposed that the House sit for Government business. , The present-intention is to take the debate oh the Financial Statement tomorrow evening on thie motion for going into Committee of Supply^ There is as yet no indication of any fresh-hostile movement on the part of the' Opposition, nor docs it appear probable that another concerted attack will be made oh the Governmeht this session. The chances of the Opposition are plainly seen to be hopeless in the present Parliament, and the only hope is to get up a good •' case " in preparation forthe general election, which it is now expected will takeiplace about November next.

The .Representation and . Railways Construction Bills are still not quite ready, but ar,e likely to be circulated towards the end of the week.

Many anxious inquiries are being made as to wheii the Gaming and Lotteries Bill is to come into force if passed. This, however, is npt provided for in the Bill, and Parliament has as yet come to ho decision in the matter. Should the Bill pass withdut a proviso to this effect being incorporated, then it will take effect from the date of its receiving the Governor's assent. The general opinion now is that the Bill will not get through the tower Housej but will I meet with the same fate as in former years. Many regard it'as excessive in its stringency, and as trenching too muchjohL the liberty of the subject. This feeling has, grown since the debate commenced, and I look oh the present prospects of the Bill as somewhat gloomy. . j This Day, 3 p.m. The Government will propose to go into the Estimates to-night, unless there is any lengthened debate on the'financial statement on the motion to go into Committee of Supply. * - , The detailed Estimates have just circulated. The . following are the Nelson items "—Registrar of Electors^ reduced £5; Lunaic Asylum, reduced £40 j Supreme and District Courts, no reduction ; Resident Magistrate's Court,. Clerk at £100 a; year struck off ; Gaoler, reduced. £65 ; Matron, £10 ; Inland mails, reduced £30 ; Customs C .Hector, reduced £100 ; . Landina-waiter, reduced £50. The following Cukdms offices are Struck out :— Locker, £190 ; Tidewaiter, £100;; Cadet, £130. ' , .

In Postal, Telegraphe; F&roor, Stamps, Land and Deeds Registry; Railways; Volunteers, and Crown Lands, no material changes are proposed so far as Nelson is concerned. -The 10 per cj ft deduction f torn salaries applies only to June 30th last.

The N.Z. Timei says that a report has reached Wellington that tha ever-green comedian, Mr William Hoakins, is fof the third, time about to enter the matrimonii estate, the bride elect being a Melbourne lady, still in her.teensi The veteran actor is at present in Adelaide, supporting the American actress, Miss Pomeroy— as a member of whose company Mr Hoskins, it is expected, will revisit New Zealand in September next. .' . .

Ih its "Essence. of Parliament" tbtiPost of Thursday last saya :— Mr. Reeves resumed the no confidence debate and* started off 1 ' with tbe following exceedingly pithy, not to say witty, remark:— « Sir, lam going to vote for tbe Government," and then after looking around the House to see the effect of jsuch •^announcement;- added the word " leaving those beeches." Neither side applauded, and Mr Reeves proceeded with a discourse on things in general, and the Government's sins in particular. In his opinim, Mr Saunders bad damned his political career, arid as for Mr Weston he could only describe tbat gentleman's conduct aa "tidliwio£ing." In fact Mr Reeves looked upon him as an ">rcbtidliwinker," and ** the inventor of a tidliwinking party." A calculation has been made that thß distribution of £50,000 as bonuses to holders of policies in the Government Insurance Department will result in an average of about 21s or 23a cash for each £100 insured, or about £4 if left as reversionary bonus payable at death. Thus the holders of a £500 policy would receive from £5 to £6 cash,<^ have about £20 adied to the amount 0f his policy, the actual amount, of course, being dependent on the duration of the policy! The Princes Albert Victor and George, and other middies (says the Sydney Bulletin) were busy ons day on board the Bacchante, working out the reckoning They were all muddled, over it and none of them could get tbe thing to come right? At last ooaof the bewildered middies looked across at Albert Victor, and said :« I B py, if ; . this is the way you're going on, what a blooming fine king you'll make !"

--'The- Wellington correspondent of j the Auckland Herald^ telegraphed the other 4*X -—Sir George Grey's Affirmation in lieu of Oatha Bill, passed through committee, atid he Was warmly applauded on the Bill being reported. Dr Wallis insisted tb|*t;provision ehculd alto be made -for Agnostics, w.hodid not believe in right or wrong, in trnth.or error, a* well; as for Atheists, ; Mr Pj ke rose to a point of order,' and protested against* the word" Agnostic," as abusive language, amidst roars of laughter. ; On wbich Px WalliSi.elftbflr-Aely; and cotidescendiogly explained to ( Mr Pyke theL meaning, hlsfory,* and derivation of the word, amid increased merriment. Mr Pyke. was profaie in expressions of gratitude for enlightenment.

A gentleman from the Sydney aide recently arrived in Timaru, and put up at one of the leading hotels. After liquoring up considerably for a few weeks, he thought he would take a trip to see the surrounding country. He hired a horse and buggy from a w.ll-known livery stable" keeper, and proceeded South'. As he did not return within a reasonable time, the owner of the buggy became uneasy, and took the road to Waimate, where he found his property in charge of. a worthey host of that place. It appears that the man from New South Wales had put up at an hotel for the night, but as he had not a stiver he failed to pay his bill, and the hotelkeeper stuck to the horse and buggy as security. The owner, however, on arrival at Waimate paid the account, and right glad he was to receive his property. The new arrival has gone further South to give the Dunedinites a turn. . ■ .

A few years ago wheaten bread was almost unknown amongst the Chinese, but the Celestials who return home from the coasts of California and the other Pacific States bring with them not only a liking for flour bread, but a knowledge of how to make it, and the consequence is that a considerable trade is begginning to develop betweentSan Francesco and Cl^a in America***' flonr.

The Dunedin Herald says :— •" $he Cota! mittee of the "Sir Jobn Richardson's Portrait Fund" have, after paying all expenses connected with the procuring of an elegant and suitable portrait, a balance of £50 on hand, which they have decided to invest till £100 is accumulated, out of which revenue they intend to found a scholarship."

A Justice of the Peace in Greenfield, Massachusetts, who married an elderly couple the other day, was paid his fee in dried apples.

Among the curious vocations in life very few have been more curious thehthatof an' individual now said to be living in "pedal ease " near Baden. He was boot stretcher to the late Archduke Franz Carl, the father of the present Emperor of Austtia. For many years it was his only duty to wear his royal master's new boots before they were adopted by .the owner ; and for the comfort which his self Sacrifice secured the Archduke he is now*/ we are told, in the enjoyment of a perpetual pension.