GOVERNMENT HOUSE AND ADMIRALTY HOUSE. JEALOUS WELLINGTON.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 238, 21 January 1888, Page 8

GOVERNMENT HOUSE AND ADMIRALTY HOUSE.

JEALOUS WELLINGTON.

Ik the courso of an article protesting against the proposed sale of the large Ministerial residence, and urging it should be retained aa a public reserve; for this city, which it considers is badly provided in that respect, the " Post " says : "We are quite aware that this suggestion will evoke a storm of indignation, especially in Auckland, where the courtly, chivalrous, and polished member for Marsden will probably use •as strong language as the usages of the best society, of which he has been officially declared, to be an ornament, may permit. The righteous soul of the philanthropic, sagacious and far-seeing Monk will be vexed within him and wroth ; and even the liberal-minded, unbigoted, genial and generous Goldie will be stirreil up. We should not wonder if thesep atriotic members were actually tocarry their disinterested devotion to the public interest so far as to actually prepay telegrams Ito the Premier (they can no longer send them ' Collect ') protesting against such a scheme and demanding the immediate sale of the 'land. Yet, strange as it may seem, we are, in making the suggestion, only taking a cue from Auckland example, and asking that what has been done and is proposed to be done in Auckland, may be done also in Wellington." The Writer proceeds to point out that Auckland Admiralty House, erected on a colonial reserve, and which has cost the colony a good deal of money at one time or another, has for some time been occupied- by the professors ' of the local University, and that GovernmentHouse,coveringwith its grounds an area of 8J acres, is not likely to be again required as a residence for the Governor, while the colony cannot afford to maintain it for the convenience of the Naval Commander of the station. The article concludes as follows :— " The 1 purpose of Government House reserve in Auckland 1 will certainly have to be changed' if the land itself is not sold. | Auckland people have already to some cxi tent recognised this, and have more than once intimated a desire to convert it into a site for an endowment of the Auckland University College, in addition to the Admiralty House reserve and the liberal money endowment already possessed by that establishment. Wellington, of course, neither has a college nor an endowment for one. It is content to wait and bide its time to have justice done, but ife will nbfc ; submit to be altogether jumped on, and allow all the spoils to go to theNorthi In plain words, if Wellington reserves, like the Tinakori Road property, are- to be sold, and the proceeds into the Treasury for general purposes, the same course must be insisted on in regard to the Auckland reserves of a similar character. If, the Governor's and Admiral's houses in Auckland ate to be conferred on the University College there, we are claiming nothing unreasonable in urging that the Pre mier'sresidence, if no longer required, should be given as an endowment for a Wellington ;» University College. If this is refused, and the land sold, then let the same measure be meted out to Auckland, and Wellington will not perhaps be the greatest sufferer. We are confident that we can trust to a sense of fair play on the part of the rest of the colony to ensure equal justice in this' matter. Perhaps this view of the case has not before suggested itself to the minds ot the Auckland patriots, who are anxious to sell the 2 acres 1 rood and 23 perches in Tinakori Road. There is another reserve in Auckland over at North Shore for naval purposes about which something may be said on a future occasion."

A case of canine sagacity occurred a short time ago which is worthy of beiug chronicled. Mrs Emanuel Bayly, of Opunake, was standing on the rocks on^ the beach with the deep water within, a fetf inches of her feet and a, favourite dog juflfc behind her.' tfho dog suddenly began to howl and run backwards and forwards, towards his mistress, and afc length being unable to accomplish: his purposes seized her, dress and dragged her baokwards away from the edge. On recovering ficom the slight fall this .occasioned sh«:w*s horri^ed-to see the dorsal fin. of a shark, within a few, feet of where.she was standing. The shark followed along the limit of the deep water until Mrs Bayly, was out of reaoli ofhia jatra. . ■ . y Mrs ,Bondclippert "Doctor, what do youfthinkis the mafcter with me?'!' } Doot&r: .i'fil amilinoliried to think that "your ,blo6dj i8 nofrpure.^ I'll havo to give you something. :*dv<pui?ify*; your blood." Mrs rßoSdcUppec^aughtift) : " You-jire pigj>*W «o<? W9*P thfct I belong to a gpod ol*