Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5662, 23 May 1879, Page 4

Mr. Hutchison, we understand, has taken umbrage at a paragraph which appeared in our issue of yesterday with reference to his meeting of the previous night. In that paragraph we said ;—“ Mr. Hutchison made a speech of the character peculiar to him—full of claptrap, spied by variations from the truth when points were to be made in that way." Ho doubt these were strong words, nevertheless not a whit too strong. Let us take one of the public statements of Mr. Hutchison as a sample of his truthfulness. He said : —“ Mr. Hunter talks of not being able to understand the changes (hinted at in my published address) in the management of the municipal affairs of Wellington. Well, I will explain what I mean. When I was Mayor the expenses of the Town Clerk’s department were never more than £IOOO a year, now they are at least £2OOO. When I was Mayor the expenses of the City Engineer's department were never more than £IOOO per annum; now they are at 'least £2OOO per annum. There is no more work done now in either department, yet the expenditure has been doubled. Surely this requires a change. This doubling has taken place within the brief space of two years. (Great cheering.)” We believed that statement to be utterly false, and on inquiry at the Corporation offices yesterday found the facts to be as follows :—When Mr. Hutchison was Mayor, the cost of the Town Clerk’s department was £1425 per annum, instead of “ never more than a thousand now it is £1667. When Mr. Hutchison was Mayor the cost of the Engineer's department was, including Mr. Climie’s salary, £276" ; and excluding Mr. Climie’s salary nearly £2OOO ; at present it is £IB7O. Comparison of the manner in which the Corporation work was done in Mr. Hutchison’s time, and that in which it is -done now. Is needless. Everyone except that gentleman agrees that the administration of the affairs of the city has wonderfully improved, and that both the Town Clerk and City Engineer are thoroughly fit for the positions they respectively occupy. Mr. Hutchison, when he made the statement quoted, must either have been exceedingly careless of what he said, or else determined at any hazard to raise a cheer. In any case he has no reason to complain of being accused of varying from the truth.

A meeting was held by each of the ’ candidates for the Mayoral chair last night. Mr. Hunter addressed the electors at the Princess Hotel, Molesworth-street, and having been listened to with the utmost attention for over an hour by a full meeting, was accorded a unanimous vote of confidence. Mr. Hunter’s speech was necessarily somewhat of a recapitation of utterances already reported.—Mr. Hutchison had a full attendance at his meeting at the sohoolhouse, Newtown, and was listened to attentively throughout his address. He also had but little new to add to bis previous speeches. At the conclusion of his remarks his supporters carried a vote iu his favor.

The Hon. J. N. Wilson has been sworn in as a member of the Executive Council.

Detective Sullivan arrested two persons, named respectively Richard and Mary Aldridge, for stealing clothes from a line, yesterday. They will be brought before the Court to-day.

Mr. Darrell’s drama “Back from the Grave” was performed for the fourth time at the Opera House last night to a very good attendance. The piece i J , we understand, to be played hut three times more here—to-night, to-morrow, and on Monday—as on Tuesday Mr. Darrell is compelled, according to engagement, to transport the scenery, mechanism, &c., used in the representation, to Christ-: church. The play is therefore to be withdrawn on Monday night, though it might evidently draw good houses for a longer period. Seven representations, however, is an unusually long run in Wellington, aud maybe taken as a strong indication that the sensation school of drama is in high estimation with local play-: goers.

The usual meeting of the Young Men’s Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society was held last evening. There was a large attendance of members, the. room being crowded. An essay on “Hamlet,” which drew forth some interesting criticism, was read by the Rev. Vice-President. The President after a short speech brought a most enjoyable meeting to a close.

The 1 Vairarapa Daily of the 22nd instant says :—“ An inquest was held yesterday by Dr. Spratt, District Coroner, at the Club Hotel, Masterton, on the late fire in Bentleystreet. The inquiry was held at the request of Mr. R. Bruce Wallace, of theNationallnsuranoe Company, the underwriters having, we understand, in every instance decided on having inquests whenever they can get them, irrespective of reasonable expectation of eliciting information, by the process. In the present case all the jury could do was to discover that Mr. Hutton had not had his chimney swept for twelve months, and to embody this statement iu their verdict, which, as might have been expected, declared that certain premises were burnt on the 10th May, and that there was no evidence to show how the fire originated.” The English correspondent of an exchange says :—“ As it is just possible that all your readers do not see the scientific paper called Nature, I may, perhaps, be allowed to mention that iu this week’s number that journal gives a specimen of some writing done with a machine, which telegraphed by means of an electric wire the exact caligraphy of the person sending the message. Nature vouches for it that the new discovery is a perfect one, and more valuable than that of the telephone, as by its means the exact writing of a person can be sent to any distance. It is for other persons much wiser than myself to determine this, however. Some are rude enough to observe that it would be no advantage for their friends’ writing to be given in fac simile."

The highly instructive and entertaining exhibition of the Phonograph at the Athenaeum continues to attract citizens, and very successful entertainments are given on afternoons and evenings. We have been requested by Mr. Griffiths, the proprietor, to state that there is no justification for a paragraph in an evening paper about the refusal of admission to a reporter. '

The drapery and clothing establishments of the city will close on Monday instead of Saturday, in order to allow of the employes keeping holiday in honor of the Queen's Birthday on that day. The Reform Eootball match, which was intended to take place at the Hutt on Saturday, has been postponed until the Monday following. The first term of the Wellington School of Art commences on Monday next. The banks close on Saturday in honor of the Queen’s Birthday.

Letters of naturalisation have been issued to Frederick Last, of Wellington, shipwright.

Mr. 3? Sidey will hold a sale at 11 this forenoon, at Messrs. Nathan and Co's store, of a large quantity of wire nails of good brand.