Our Wellington Watchman.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2648, 15 July 1887, Page 2

Our Wellington Watchman.

The Wellington Evening Post, of Monday last, had a most authoritative and dictatorial article on the political situation in the Wairarapa, and wound up by a veiled recommendation to the electors to vote for, the Post's old friend, Mr Bunny. -Phear that a number of people in Wairarapa South are a good, deal disgusted with the Editorial- busy-body of the journal' named, being strongly under the impression that thoy are ablo to; manage their own political affairs without his aid or counsel. • On Tuesday, the Post published a map of the electoral districts as a supplement. This map had been heralded with a great flourish of trumpets, but unfortunately for the Post people, they have made a most tremendous mess of it. Gladstone does not appear on the map at all, Martinborough they have lifted up by the roots, carried a distance of 20 miles or so, and flopped it down somewhere in the direction of a boiling-down Establishment. If the Editor of the Post does not know more of politics than ho does of Geography his attendance at an adult nightschool would be beneficial to himself and readers.

I was in company the other day with a New Zealand Manufacturer,, and asked ••him whether he was a Freetrader or Protectionist. Ho made the stereotyped .reply, viz., that he' favored a moderato degree of Protection—where Protection was wanted —but he added "our workmen are wild for Protection." "What," I asked hiin, " would be the result of rigid Protection to them?" "Theresult to the Manufacturers," he replied, " would be little one way or another; the result to the workman would be an almost immediate fall of wages. Manufacturers would, as a natural result, enter into keener competition with each other, prices would be cut, and wages would fall. We (the manufacturers) see this clearly, but the workmen will not see it. They have got the idea that there is some charm in the mero word Protection."

The Rev, T. W. Dunn, who has had considerable experience as a lecturer on phrenology, and is now lecturing thoron in the Dunedin Choral Hall, lias announced his intention of discoursing on the phrenological developments of the Dunedin candidates for the House of Representative. It might pay the electors of some other districts to engage the services of the Roy. gentleman to examine and'report upon the bumps of their candidates. I would suggest that Mr Hogg, for instance, might produce his chart, duly signed by Mr Dunn, and setting forth that he (Mr Hogg) is largely blessed in the matters of independence, honesty, voracity, &c. Of course we know Mr H. pos : sesses these admirable qualities, but Mr Dunn's certificate to the same effect would be confirmation strong as holy writ,

There was quite an excitement here at the alarming intelligence that a new and dreadful disease had broken out among the cattle in the Waira-, rapa, and prudent houeswives were beginning to make arrangements for putting their families on a purely vegetable diet. However, now we have learned that the terrible disease is a very common one and that a very few animals have been attacked, and those'.only which had partaken of grass infected with ergot, we are commencing to return to the usual beefsteak. It is rather dangerous at the present moment to spread these alarmist reports, for the papers have nothing much to write about and are tremendously thankful for small mercies in the way of nows.

The following is extracted from the N.Z. Times:-"The Rev W. C. Oliver, preaching in Nelson on' Babylon,' said, ' Some records have beon discovered of- a large banking firm doing business in Babylon for a period of 117 years. These records show that loans were negotiated and business transacted very similar to that of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company at the present time.'" No wonder "Babylon is Fallen," eh? Not only did the Government waste upwards of £30,000 by carelessness with regard to the burning of the Wellington Post Office, but they seem determined to'incur further liabilities by leaving the ruins in such a state that either a g.jod shock of earthquake or a stiff gale of .wind' would most assuredly level one if not more of the tottering ( walls." As the old' office stands. on the'.' direct line of" the temporary Post ..Office,: it • is, • of

course, in the Hue of much traffic, After/the walls have faUen:ani|& tombed a score, or so of respechlir citizong, Goyermrient will probably do ' something for the public safety. 'At present Ministers"are. top busy electioneering.andit would be better 'to pay another £30,d,000r so ascompensatien for;;. : squ\9 : that that.anyraember bf; ;, the; present Ministry 'should;io3B,,liiß;Bea't in th« .House."." .'' ; >- :^^: v"T-.H::.4^>-J" : #!: Tlie '.Stovt\ Goyernmeni; -is :§mMmiM&o- - pjad'tp hear that'.M| JB.ucKanan; ', -had an -' excellent" Reception" at: Carterton and •: sphere; is a-' very good. abstract- : of Ins > speech' at Carterton'in sto-day's Nv' i&liifres,'-. judging frotn which Ins address appears i to have contained the". stuMy.cominon sense and real grasp of affairs, which; characterise all Mr Buchanan's ■ss& aiice^."--;. .■'.;•- v ..}?. [■s^\ i ..Election matters are'quiethere'sofar. ■ .;Mr;Msher is expected walk: oyer, and Dr prabubiy liave the: samo - .;. ;'of the; otPfA seats.nothing said. Several amb|tious':gentleirieh? have notified' their : iritehtion of stand-' 1 ing, but have 'not yet "'published their/' views.';"'- ';::.; '■: '-;.'-.i-..';. ■ ■■■'h^::