WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2918, 7 June 1888, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(From jOur Own Correspondent), The Weather. If the old saying be true that a greeyjwinter makes a full churchyard, things in the undertaker's line should be brisk just now. To-day is as warm 3 or warmer than the same month in the antipodes, flies are swarming, and bees are in the gardens, late revellers, trying to extract honey where thorns only are. M tho mine time, onq

hears of very little sickness in Wei" lington, and our legislators all appear in beautiful health, i The Parliamentary Situation f remarkably queer situation indeed old lines of demarcation between Ministerialists and Oppositionists appear to have been temporarily effaced, and members on some questions are Ministerialists, and on others vice versa. On the tariff question evory man seems an Ishmaelite, his hand against that of his neighbor. That tlio Premier's proposals have seriously alienated many of his erstwhile followers there can be no doubt, and the worst of it is that among these are*some of the best men in the House, Mr Ormond, as far as can be judged, is playing a lone hand, and no one as yet has mastered his little game. The Premier begins to look moro and more anxious, and no man can say with any / certainty what the result will be.

Weatherwise political prophets vatic-

inate that Sir Harry will carry his proposals in the moin. Even should he do so, however, by aid of the opposition

—and he cannot without such aid—the opposition will desert him on other matters of legislation. A dissolution is freely spoken about, but did this

emtuate, we should still havo to face tlifpine stupid old problem--" Who will lead?" No country ever wanted a strong clever man at the helm more

than this colony at the present moment. The hour is liore—where is tho man ? Echo answers' where ?' Worth Heading. Leaving the hot, unwholesome air of politics, permit me to state that having myself just enjoyed a very rare literary treat, I am anxious that my Wairarapa readers who are so inclined should have a similar pleasure, The novels that, once read, remain ever afterwards as pleasant milestones in Aour memory, marking an epoch in the TOvelopment of our thought, are painfully few and far between. Such a novel, however, is the "Ordeal of Richard Feverel," by ltichard Meredith. The book is not a new one, but not many copies have penetrated to this Colony. 'The Ordeal' is the history of an experiment in tho education of a youth, and the story conclusively demonstrates the weakness and folly of pending systems .when dealing witlroo complex a problem as human nature. For the rest' The Ordeal' is totally unlike any other work I have ever read, the style marvellously fresh, quaint, witty, and interesting; the story itself pathetic in the highest degree, and one which can never be forgotten. After wading in the literary gutters of Zola and others of the so-called realistic school, the reader will find ' The Ordeal of Richard Feverel' pure and refreshing as a limpid mountain stream.

Saturday Pops & Temperance. &ffhe Saturday popular concerts seem 'm have vanished with the Rev, Isitt. Nothing at least has yet been heard of any intention to resuscitate them this season. This is a great pity, as they were a very useful form of entertainments. According to Mr Goldie, of Auckland, the Temperance Reformers of Wellington are a tang way astern of their brethren of Aujpmd. Mr Goldie at the first annual meeting of the Wellington Auxiliary of the New Zealand Alliance, managed to laud his native city to the skies at the expense of poor Wellington, This naturally gave some offence to the local brethren. This little incident is only another illustration of the apparently eternal local jealously which obtains in New Zealand, and which, as long as it exists, will effectually prevent the Colony growing. Just fancy the irrepressible Goldie, with tongue in cheek, crowing: " We've shut up more public houses in Auckland than you have in Wellington. Yah!' And suppose Mr Eraser, say, replying ~*s(iYe Had Saturday Temperance pops in Wellington, and you had none in Auckland,—Bali!"