WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1722, 28 June 1884, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(PltOM OuK Owjf CoBKESFONDENT,)

Spiritualism is steadily on the increase here, and many meetings have been held in private houses uf hie for the purpose of _ holding communication with the visitants from the spirit world, The Times ot Monday contains an account of a meeting of spiritualist, tp which a representative' Of, that:journal was invited. Prom the report it appears that there were about twenty-five present, the greater number being ladies. A semicircle was formed, in front of whioh was a table, at which the medium'sat. \ He was a man about 25 years of age, uf light complexion, and appeared to be of a retiring disposition. The proceedings wore opened by the singing of a hymn and the reading of the' 16th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. The reading was followed by the singing of another hymn, during which the medium, who is said to be clairvoyant, went off .into a trance. Tho medium while going off gave one or two spasmodic shudders, similar to those which are premonif'ary symptoms in tho eases of persons suffering from epileptio fits, and with closed eyelids remained in a sitting posture till the hymn was sung. His body was then presumed to have been taken possession of by the controlling spirit, which was stated to be that of the late departed John Mackay, and iii his trance thV medium rose ad delivered a short prayer, after whioh he gave,a short address relative to the treatment of criminals in the various prisons of New Zealand. The address was suoh as an ordinary mortal would have, given, and dealt chiefly with the,faot that criminals of all classes are allowed to mix too much together, the old and bad ones thus contaminating those who are younger in crime, The spirit considered tliat criminals should be looked upon as those who were morally sick, and be treated more as those who are budily sick are treated—with love and kjncjnasq, and not as brutes, as they are how'treated, He thought women ought to be obtained to look after female prisoners. The spirit was in favor of substituting solitary con; finement for capital, punishment as lie considered the State had no right to take human life. The teaching 'of •#ade'S ) in prisons was advocated by the spirits as being a means of men gaining an honest livelihood when they got out. As the subject of prison management and organization was a wide one the spirit proposed that questions should be put to him. A number of questions were then-pron pounded, . He stated that while on earth he had no personal experience of prison life: all his knowledge having been gained after he had entered the spirifc world,. To the question of happiness in tip spirit world, he sale) they were as happy as far as their individual position enabled each one to appreciate happiness. He objected to material manifestations being held on Sunday evenings,as he thought that the meeting on.those evenings should be devoted to.the manifestation of purely religious subjects.: Another hymn was then sang, daring whioh.' the medium came out of his : trance.''■-■• ; A most ; 'crußl;_abt;.of larrikinism has lately, come' under (the.notice of .the public,'' • If appears that some, youths, belonging to respectable parents, went to .the tent of a, man of about 60 years ofage, •who resides at Shellj .Baiaich, one of the, bays a short distance >from the city, and, finding no.one at home, wrecked it and all they could find' in-it, Their.love of mischief was not satisfied by this, so they took-away. two pet .cats', the only companionathe poor old man had to cheer him in his lonely hours. The nolice : were made aware of the affair, and a considerable sum has, I believe, been paid to the owner,of thetent.to payfor damages, and to stop criminal proceedings. ,: A very serious accident, occurred to James Fax, at Wainuiomata, on Saturday

afternoon last, A horse drawing a truck fan away, and in applying tho break Faxwas thrown off, and the wheel of the truok passed over his■• loft arm. The elbow wasseverely-crusheil and lacerated, hiei head, received several deep wounds, and.the loft leg was kicked by the horse, mflioting lacerated wounds. Dt Wilford was sent for and dressed the wounds, and the man was the next, day. sent to the hospital'where v he':was'atten"ded'-io by Dr Keywotth and Dr v Grace;'/It is feared that the elbow joint fs'ho badly iojured that the arm jvil! have tbM't'aken off..