JOTTINGS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4228, 27 September 1892, Page 3

JOTTINGS.

[By Our Wellington Correspondent.] Wellington, Monday, The staple topics of conversation ,'during the past week have been, the Fish-MoKcnzie-Piokle-jar episode, JFoli's concerts, and the finding of the Coroner's jury at the inquest, on the body of tho man (ireenrosa, shot by Finloy on tho 18th inst. With reto the discreditable ulliiir at Club Hotel, in which no less than four Ministers of tho Crown seem to have been implicated, tho main facts have been so fully disclosed by the Wellington papers and by tho Press Agency ol tho Colony, that it would be superfluous on my part to-go over the ground again, Tho opinion is widely expressed hero by men of both shades of political colour, that tlio fact of Cabinet Ministers and prominent legislators degiading thoir position by pot-house brawls of this will have tho ell'cot of alienat»ug from them the support of the upholders of political decency.

Unfortunately during tho past session inoro personal rancour has been given vent to than during any other session in the Parliamentary history of New Zealand, Scenes aro of daily occurrence that vie with the disorderly conduct of members of the legislatures in the other colonies, and which have happily been absent hitherto from uur .aAite houso since the time tho constrtution was granted. To a large extent Ministers are answerable for a great deal of this unrulincsi, their replies to questions arecurt and often insolent, their conduct, with some exceptions, is overbearing and arbitrary, and tboy persistently iguoro all precedents ot political courtesy towards their opponents, which has tended greatly to irritate and annoy all concerned. From boing a model legislature, as regards decorum in holiaviour and courtesy in debato, our Parliament is gradually doveloping into an unruly assembly of illbred and unmannerly hinds, bent on venting personal spite and grievances on overy possible opportunity, Beneficial and remedial legislation is entirely lost sight of in the desire to vilify and abuse one another. If this is the outcomo of Liberal Government, it makes one reflect what will be the ultimate condition of affairs if the destinies of the country are for long controlled by such mon as are now in jjbver,

SignorFoli has been delighting us nil at the Opera Houso by his magnificent Binging during the pHst week, and those who have omitted to hear the great basso have missed an opportu* nit; of hearing an exhibition of vocal powers which has no equal at the present momentum opportunity which may never occur agaiu in this part of tho world, Signor Foli is now in the prima of life and the height of his lame, and his voice is at tho zenith of its power and fullness; in this respect he is unlike other great artists who have favoured the colonics with their presence. For expression, for power, and for execution Signor Foii stands nnequalled, and it is a revolution to listen to him and understand to wba a pitch of perfection the human voic is capable of being developed. ' On e might almost fancy that the deep, rich full bass notes of a magnificent organ were pealing sonorously through ' the theatre, if one shuts tho eyes w&n Signor Foli is singing a selects from "one of the grand old masters ; from one of the bards sublimo," We have had, in fact, a musical treat which tho peoplo of the Empire City aro incapable of appreciating properly, as is evidenced by the very moderate audiences that have attended the concerts. Let a comic opera or a company playing sensational dramas of tho blood-and-thunder, virtue trium-phant-and-Tice-vanquishedstylecomes here, and the house is crowded nightly. The advent of a star of such magnitude in tho musical firmament as Foli createsbutlanguidenthusiasm. And yet Foli is an artist who could nightly draw thousands in the capitals of the oldor world and the new world, too, for that matter, Then also the colonial public has so much for its money and even that does not draw; for instanco the top price to hear an artist like Foli is four shillings and for that the colonial public gets from fivo to six songa from the great star himself as well as other really excellent tie, In the old country this sum . Id only purchase two songs at the most from tho world's " priruo basso" except it were on some special occasion. Truly we are a strange people, we colonials I Tho Concert Company with Bignor Foli is ex» tremcly good of its kind and forms a very pleasing portion of the entertainment,

Eumour bath it that Parliament will prorogue on the Bth proximo, but' to attain this much Lo be desired achievement some lightning change acts in the way of legislation must bo accomplished, as there are a great many measures on the order paper ns yet undealt with, There will no doubt bo considerable slaughter, but even then there is enough business in hand, which if properly attended to, will keep Parliament going for another month at least. Amongst tho dropped measures will be the Civil Service Bill, an act that will cause bitter disappointment to tho Sgrtjge generally, as, if passed, it TOd have given general satisfaction 4 as tho beginning of a new order of better things for tbafc much to be pitied and illused section of the com" munity—the Public Servants. A feature ol this session has been the lareo number of select committees that Lave been set up, and also tbo vast amount of business that; has been brought before them, moro particularly as regards petitions. The Public Petitions Committee "A lo L" is still investigating the Chemispetition, and though tho matter has now bcon under consideration for the past month they arc no nearor a decision than they were at the outset of the investigation. The convict Ohemis is to be brought before the Oora- « mitteo in person sometime during this week, What will bo the net gain to Mrs Ohomis, the petitioner, oven supposing a favourable recommendation is arrived at, it is hard to say. The Committee cannot of courEe, interferesith the sentence of tho Court, Tbtß there is the famous Midland Railway Company's petitionbefore the Publio Accounts Committee, over which, at greatexpeose to the country, a vast amount of evidence has been taken, The Special Committeo set up to inveßtigato tho rival claims of the Central and Stratford Routes has now

almost completed its labours, after hearing an onoimous masß of evi<k dence on both sides of the question. I am told that the Committee will most probably make a recommendation that the Makohine Yiaduot

should bo comploted, and that that portion of tlio Central lino nccoaaary to open up for settlement the splendid Awarun Block, should bo proceeded with. This is, however, more conjecture, for the Committe have not yot proceeded to consider their report,

Tho Legislative Council having decided that women shall bo admitted to the franchise, it will be rather interesting to obscrvo how the ainendrafiita made by tho Council in die Electoral Bill will be received by tin! Lower House wlion re-transmitted to tliPiu for concurrence therein. Tho general opinion amongst those who ought to know, is that (ho lower House will make tho Council's somewhat ridiculous amendments an excuse for hanging the Bill up for this session. But homj venona.

A neat little yarn is going the rounds here apropos of a well-known burly member of the Ministry who has becomo somewhat lofty in bis social ideas since his elevation to the Government benches. Tho Minister in question, accompanied by bis dniighloi, had the furtuno to moet Lady Glasgow, who was accompanied by her daughters, at somo social function. Seizing tho opportunity, his daughter not being acquaiutainted with the Ladies Boyle, ho promptly took upon himself lo introduce bis daughter in tho following terms:—"Oh You don't know these young ladies, let me introduce you to the Misses Glasgow I" Tho rapture of tho bystanders ut this touching scone be* came hysterical, Kosmob.