Wellington.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2137, 9 November 1875, Page 2

Wellington.

(from our own correspondent. ) j

Jtfov'embe^Sth. 1

As a calm succeeds tlie storm, so has stagnation ; succeeded the excitenjeijfeidf the session. Wellington is very much more dull now than it was before the opening of Parliament. ' Hence there is little of interest to communicate from this part of the colony.! ■■ • '; ••":.

Mining speculation at a distance from the scene of operation is not always profitable. This sentiment is not original, and many of your readers may, at one time or other, have been painfully aware of its truth; but I mention it because a gentleman here incidently mentioned to me all sharebrokers were not honest. He was evidently mad enough to think at one time, that these gentlemen, as part of their bringing up, underwent a sort of moral training in the interest of speculators. Moreover he had a friend, in Auckland on 'Change. To this friend he sent £60 to invest in Union Beach shares:> The £60 was speculated, but not in the direction desired, and the sharebroker has since left the ; colony;. Jleaving nothing, to his client but the memory of his £60.

Mr John Moore Perfier has been (in professional parlance) knocking the company playing at the Theatre Royal. He played Captain Hawkesley last night and achieved a marked success.

Speaking of Mr Perrier, who is better known to some of your readers as the Intelligent Vagrant, makes me think of somebody else^-Mr j. D. Wickham. Sometimes when looking at a vacant chair we are caused to think of some one who has sat on it. Reversing the case in the present instance, when-thinking of the Intelligent Vagrant I am at once reminded of one whom he used to "sit" on. Thinking of Mr Wickham, of whom I have always entertained a rich -opinion, I am reminded of Gems; Gems again lead the fancy on to " Court," and bribery, corruption, and usurpation. Mr Brissenden has not created a favorable impression in Wellington, and his allusion to Colonel. McDonnell in evidence has not improved public opinion. However silly the world may have grown, the generality of people have a sense of decency. Mr Brissenden has assumed the air of an injured innocent, and of one who has been assailed while endeavoring to promote the cause of justice —abstract justice, as he called it. His impudence on this head is scarcely less astonishing than his claim to the title of gentleman, as which he is gazetted. Business is very dull here at present, although public works are proceeding with astonishing rapidity in various directions. The reclamation of a large portion of" the foreshore of Wellington is a work of considerable magnitude. When completed the reclaimed land will give to the city additional 50 acres, and, as all the flat land— including that already reclaimed-r-has been utilised, the ground is sure to be built upon at once. Town sections fetch an extravagant price, and daily increase in value. A small city allotment was leased the other day for £4 a, foot frontage, and to show the rapid increase of value, I may mention that a similar piece a few yards distance was sold some eighteen months back for 10s per foot. Following is the adopted report of the Public Works Committee on application of Charles O'Neill re street tramway in Wellington :—" Your committee have had an interview with Mr O'Neill in reference to the offer "made by Messrs O'JSTeill, Henderson, and Co., toconstruct street tramways. After fully-considering the; matter, jihey recommend that ihe required permission for the construction of street tramways in this city—under the provisions of- the Tramways Act, 1872—be given to Messrs O'Neill, Henderson, and Co., in terms of their application, and on. the following conditions, which have been agreed to by Mr O'Neill on behalf of the firm:—' 1. We agree to provide security for the completion of the first line made, such security to be a bond for two hundred and fifty pounds sterling. 2. The first line'wo propose to make will be'from the railway station to the p.ripket ground, and -will

have the tramway in operation within eighteen months from the date of obtaining the final authority to proceed in terms •Of the' Tramways Act of 1872. 3. The term of monopoly required for the city, including wharf, if desired, to be ten 'years. 4. The rails to be flush with the roadway at crown of street, and subject to approval. 6. We' agree to keep in repair the streets between the rails, and 3ft. on either side of the rails, and the use of the tramway for conveyance of metal for street' repairs to be allowed, provided the ordinary traffic is not in any way interfered w,i.th., JJ. The Council^to,haje. p^w.er, at twelve months" notice, to direct tht» exten-* sionof the tramway to any street of suitable gradient where there is reason to believe the»traffic would pay. six per cent.-on the : capital. 7. rl he fare to be a .uniform rate of threepence. The-time-table to be afterwards mutually agreed to. 9; The rates and charges for the conveyance, of goods to be •'- one-half less than present cartage rates.'"