WELLINGTON.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 294, 25 November 1884, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[Own Correspondent.] The approaching contest for the Mayoralty promises to be somewhat amusing, if not exciting. Councillor Petherick, who is a thorn in the side of the present Mayor, and very troublesome to a majority of the Council, is about to make a bold dash for the chair, but I fear his chances of success are, on the whole, rather slender. His contention that because more than two ratepayers signed the nomination papers of his opponents, their nomination is therefore illegal will not help him much. Apparently he does not intend to rely on this quibble, but will first go to the poll and take his chance there. In an address delivered to a few ratepayers in opening the campaign, he said that he went into the Council for reform, and to keep down taxation and civic expenditure. He objected, for instance, to such items as £2 per day for the hire of a buggy horse for the city surveyor, and £2 3s 6d to Mr. John Maginity' for refreshments when the members of the Council visited the new waterworks.

The Post in a late issue devotes a special leader to the question of “ Intemperance in the Legislature.” It contends, in an apologetic way, that the last session was not altogether deserving of the unenviable soubriquet of the “ Drunken Parliament ” which according to some accounts it had earned for itself. “ So long as we (says the Post) have known the New Zealand Parliament, it has contained members addicted to drunkenness. We need not recall the names of those who, in former years, have disgraced themselves, their constituents, and the colony by their conduct in this respect. Those who have been constant in their attendance on Parliament during the last eighteen years will readily recall many scandalous scenes in the House, resulting from over indulgence in drink, on the part of certain members. There were no such scenes during the late session, and there were comparatively few exhibitions even of individual inebriety in the House itself. The writer completely exonerates the new members from this charge, and states that some of them have even replaced men who were noted for their excesses in the last Parliament. In both Houses the flagrant offenders numbered five, two in the Council, and three in the House of Representatives. The “ Lords ” alluded to are described as men of good position and abilities, “ but who, throughout the session, were literally soaked with liquor morning, noon, and night.” Of the three “ drunks ” in the Lower House one is described as occupying a high official position, and as having been frequently incapacated for his exalted duties. Who can this be? The proposal to hold an exhibition of Colonial manufactures in Wellington haa stirred up our local manufacturers to take a warm interest in the subject. An influential

deputation of citizens waited on the Colonial Treasurer on Thursday last with reference to this proposal, and came away, on the whole, well pleased with the result of the interview. The Mayor impressed on the Government the necessity of guarding the exhibition from degenerating in a bazaar for the sale of > goods like the great exhibition of Messrs Joubert <Sr Twopenny, which had proved so disastrous to the shopkeepers of Christchurch. The question of a suitable building is still in abeyance. The Treasurer thinks the drillshed with additions thereto, would do, and he deprecated the idea going forth that the exhibition was to be made an excuse for the erection o! another large building in Wellingtn>. The arrest of W. Waring Taylor must have been somewhat of a surprise to that individual, as the newspapers had on several occasions stated that the victims of misplaced confidence had all declined to take action, and the recent decision of Judge Richmond in Nelson in a similar case, declining to convict a bankrupt accused of fraudulent practices without trial, made it appear very much like a certainty that W, W. Taylor would likewise escape punishment.