WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2888, 2 May 1888, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

(From our own correspondent.) THE CHINESE QUESTION. By latest intelligence the Chinese question as regards the Australasias, is assuming an aspect of the very gravest importance. The Chinese Commissioners who visited Australia and other countries with the view of noting the treatment to which their countrymen are subjected, submit a plan for obtaining contributions from places where Chinamen congregate for k the support of war vessels to protect l Chinese interests. At the same time we learn that the unwillingness of the English Government to interfere with Chinese immigration into 'Australia is causing considerable indignation there. We are always guarding against the imaginary attacks of European nations, duit it is more than probable that our fill rivals in the Pacific will, in the course of a decade or so, be China and Japan. New Zealand at present takes scant active interest in the problem that is working itself out, although here and mother cities of the Colony, there is a strong antiChinese sentiment.

GOLD AT TERAWHITI. A company is about to be floated at Wellington for the purpose of pros pecting for and obtaining gold at Terawhiti. The capital is put down at £24,000 in one pound shares, and calls are payable at fd per share per month. I have recently seen some _ magnificent specimens which I have * every reason to suppose came from Terawhiti, and it is the opinion of many experienced and practical miners that a very rich field will some day be discovered there, though the happy event may not take place in our time 1 0 FIRE AND FIRE ESCAPES,

"The loss of two lives at the recent fire at Waipawa should act as a caution to those who live in wooden dwellings, It is extraordinary how few lives aro lost at fires in this colony when we consider the nature and construction of the majority of our houses. The poor fellows who were burned at Waipawa were evidently first suffocated, and it may not be out of place to point out that if people slept, as they should, with their bedroom window open, no matter how slightly, at top or bottom, there would be an outlet for the smoke in case of fire, and they would not be smothered by the fumes. One or two fire escapes have recently been exhibited here, but as regards fire escapes which a are kept in upstairs bedrooms there ' are one or two objections which no inventor has as yet overcome, In the first place no woman, child, or elderly person would have the nerve to descend a frail swinging ladder; secondly, if the house were ou fire in lower storey, the flames would scorch anyone on such a ladder, and thirdly, these arrangements when wanted for use are always out of gear. A fire escape to be of any use should be a deep canvas bag, or something of similar natto, into which a nervous person could be bundled nolens volens, and immediately it leaves the window it should swing clear of the house altogether, It should do this automatically, for if a rope from a window be thrown out to the crowd below, the chances are some excitable ass will get hold of it, and haul the so-called escape into a position where its occupants will be slowly grilled, ENGLISH FOOTBALLERS.

There is considerable interest manifested here in the approaching visit of the English Football Team, and if the weather be at all decent, Wellington will turn out en mam. The betting, such as there is, is of course ffliavor of the visitors, One of the rail papers is publishing a coupon which it asks its readers to fill in with the names of those .who should play. These coupons, it is said, are being filled in principally by young ladies, As a natural consequence, they, bless their hearts! plump for the best looking players, irrespective of other 'Twas ever thus. MISCELLANEOUS. On dit that the elegant Wakefield is courting a Wellington constituency with a view to future electoral favors, He very frequently favors the inhabitants by delivering lectures which are, I hear, somewhat of the' Good Young Man who died' I?ype. , , , Wellington Opera House Company has had another meeting and an election of Directors. Mr Dransfield was not elected. . . , Wellington Public School scandal severely hushed up. t better so. . , . The Chinese lengers per "Afghan," not permitted to land in Melbourne, are coming on to New Zealand, More leprosy. Joy I . . . Weather today (Tuesday) simply superb. Quite liot, and the festive blue-fly on the rampage. It is said that a number of men are out of work and there is some not iiiconeicleraMe diotreoti hero, If

so, it is of the shrinking and not of the noisy type. Amusements are well patronised, and as I write TeArc House is crowded with purchasers, the doors aro locked, benches placed outside aro packed with patient sitters, and a notice pasted up records that every department is full of buyers and the doors cannot be unlocked until 1.30 p.m. It's a case of money or your life!" .. . The BroughBoucicault combination aro doing good biz, . . , Amy Sherwin appears to have courted unpopularity atNapier. Our New Zealand idols of the moment seldom stand the wash, , . . The poor Emperor of Germany, bidding Victoria good-bye, hoped they would next meet under better auspices. Perhapt he meant the climate would be warmer.