OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4081, 5 April 1892, Page 2

OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

(From Our OvmQorrtspondent.) Wellwgios, Monday. My letter this week must be but a chronicle of very small beer, for 'nothing weighty of any moment has happened either publicly or privately since last writing. We, iudeed, pursue "the even tenor of our way" with unvarying monotony in these " fortunate isles." No Williams, the Windsor murderer, in these parts (thank goodness I) to rouse every, body's morbid curiosity and excite unwholesome conversation and feverish anxiety to know the latest details, The Press Association, by the way, do what they can in the matter though, and really some of the stuff that is cabled is positively sickening, and the wonder is to me that the papers don't absolutely refuse to pay for such trash. Fancy telegraphing all the way from the Old Country that Madame Tussaud, of waxworks fame, has bought the villa at _ Eainhill, where Deeming, alias Williams, etc, etc, committed his first murder, (was it his first?), for exhibition in her Chamber of Horrors at the celebrated Baker Street establishment, so dear to ua in the days of our youth. I see that Mr W, 'c. Buchanan, M.H.R., hag also been severely attaoked with the usual fit of financial blues which it appears the bondholders, bankers and financiers of the world's metropolis never, fail to impart to any newly craved colonist, Writing to Mr Win, Booth, of Carterton,' from London, Mr Buchanan says that the likelihood of the colony becoming a defaulter is now not implied, but actually asserted. Surely Mr Buchanan, "canny mon," is able conclusively to deal with such statements as these? But there is no doubt now as to the feeling of great uneasiness infinancial circles, and the sooner the Government give utterance to some assurance of finality in the direction of taxation, the sooner will this cry cease. M that I believe myself that there is very much cause for fear, but capitalists are like a flock of sheep, where one rushes away,seized perhaps with causeless alarm, so immediately do the whole flock turn tails and flee without rhyme or reason, It behoves the Government, then to be extremely careful and not hurt the tender susceptibilities of these gentlemen with the money bags, or they, " like sheep may go astray" also. ' The fiat has gone forth, the new show ground is to be at Petone, and the Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Association have now pledged themselves to an expenditure oi .£2OOO for the purchase of the site. Where or how the money is going to bo raised is a matter that does not seem to trouble very much the energetic and volatile ex-president, Dr Newman, M.H.R. Apparently it Is a case of trusting to luck. The new president and commiitee will have to "take their coats off" to make the project a financial success. Ends barely meet at present, with only a small rental to pay, but when .£l2O per annum has to he raised to pay interest on the purchase money (for of course it will have to be borrowed) it mil be. somewhat of a squeeze. The ground should be eminently suitable for the Wairarapa exhibitors, as it is right on the railway line, and exhibitors from other parts of the province and colony will also findit convenient. But the question arises, how will it auib the public ? When the cost of getting on the show ground is Is 6d it has rather a depressing effect on the general public. The ex-president of the association and the general committee talked glibly about taking people to the ground in thousands. 1 hope such will be the case, but I have grave doubts whether the new site will improve the attendance at all. 1 am told that it was mainly through . '■"•trunientality of the Wairarapa V'-a'u * - a of the committee and Hutt member . „ that Petone was finallv chosen, side?, (proclaim it not from the housetops) Petoue is in the ex-Presi-dent's electorate I I hear there is some'talk of sending Home from New Zealand a thoroughly representative football team to leave here in time for the next football season in England. As this would be about next September or even earlier, it is necessary, if there is anything in.the rumour, to get the team selected and in training at once. The fixtures at Home would also have to be arranged, and really I do not see how there can possibly be time now to make preparations for the next English football season. It is very much open to doubt whether these athletic excursions of such magnitude do much good to our young athletes; there is a chance of unsettling them in their future occupations which very often mars their prospect of getting along in life. Also'thereistoomuchofa tendenoy in theso colonies towards athletic Hero worship. Poor is the race that docs not delight in physical culture, but we should remember that rousole should not be placed before mind There is no doubt a leaning towards over cultivating the former to the neglect of the latter, Three-fourths of our newspapers spaoe is taken up now-a-days with records of cricket, cycling, rowing, football, and athletics generally, to the exclusion of subjects oi'a more intellectual nature. There is no doubt that •" a sound mind in a sound body " is the desideratum of every human being, and we should bo careful in our ardent worship of athletics not to forget; this, Typhoid fever has even ventured to attack the ranks of that stalwart band of brave defenders of our, hearths and hoines-the Permanent 1 Artillery Force. The A.C. Depot at Mount Cook has, therefore, been declared to be in an insanitary condition and the men have been promptly ordered out before this enemy, more deadly in its attacks than that of a foreign invader, has had time to thin the ranks. The men are now in camp at the Heads under Major Messenger and Lieutenant Hume, and with plenty of drill and the life giving ozone they, should be in the pink of condition when they return to town quarters again, , Captain Pike of H.M.S. "Tauranga," has declared himself thoroughly satisfied with our system of defences, and with the way in which they are manned and managed, It is no doubt perfectly true that a hostile cruiser sailing into Port .Nicholson would meet with a warm reception from the various batteries and submarine, mines,, but the question is—would they enter at all? To stand off Island Bay or Lyell's Bay'd'nd thrdw shells' from that distance js. a niiife'of 'corridara'tive ease with the lopg rarJge artillery now'in use, Nothing would be .easier also

than to land bodies' of troops anywhere along the coast and maroh to attaok the town as was demonstrated at the last manoeuvres by Lieutenant Hume apd a company of the Permanent Artillery. But then, as Captain Pike pointed out, it is unlikely that we would ever be attacked in force owing to the difficulty that would be experienced in obtaining supplies for a largo number of ships and men. We have also our men-of-war who are supposed to patrol the coast in limes of war, but who by the way in these "pipingtimes of peace" are more pleasantly engaged in losing £SOO torpedos, playing tennis, danomg or picnicking. The" Tauranga" officers have had a "real good time" of it lately. Acting-vice-fegalty has entartained them right heartily and every one' has vied with one another in making the latter portion of their stay a pleasant one m order to make up for the very Unpleasant wet fortnight Bpent in Lowry Bay looking for the errant "Whitehead." The black-'coated civilians have been gnashing their teeth lately over the decided preference for gold lace and brass bultoos shown by the fair sex in Wellington, but no doubt the "whirligig of time will bring in its revenges," for the sailors we have not always with us, but the temporarily forsaken oivilians remain. Of course the'topic of the week is the tramway strike. It is forced under public notice by the fact of the streets being so empty of tramway traffic during the day and the general inconvenience to which everyone is put who wants to get about this straggling city. I need not enter into here on the question of right or wrong on the part of either the strikers or the tramway proprietor, but the fact is patent that the relations between employer and employed are not very clearly defined now-a-days. Who is to command? The man who finds the capital and the plant and pays the wages, or those who do the work, take the pay, and none of tho loss? It seems to. me that labour is not quite fair. If times are bad, they must, of course, suffer with the times. Why should the employer bo the sole loser ? Mr Hall, the tramway proprietor, has now signified his willingness to submit the oase to arbitration and it is to be hoped that this affair will be amicably, equitably, and quiokly adjusted. Our venerable townsman and pioneer settler, Mr 0. J, Pharazyn has just left for a visit to England. Everyone admires the hardihood and pluok of the old gentleman, who is now considerably past eigbty, and it is the universal wish that this octogenarian voyager may return safely to the land of his adoption and enjoy his last days in the place where so large a portion of his life has been spent and where, with his fellow pioneers, he has borne so much of the " heat and burden of the day" incidental to early colonisation. Maatottoa is to be visited about Easter by a party of ladies and gentlemen forming a concert and tableaux company. A treat is in store for the Masterton people, as the tableaux when performed recently here were really beautifully dressed and staged, and the singing was excellent. The entertainment was originally got up in aid of St. Paul's Church organ enlargement fund and proved so successful in town that the fair manages has decided to give the Masterton publio a taste of their quality. I trust the entertainment will be duly appreciated, Kosmos.