JOTTINGS FROM WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4341, 10 February 1893, Page 2

JOTTINGS FROM WELLINGTON.

(By Our Own Correspondent.)

It is nlniost a certainty now that the Opposition candidates in Wellington at the next general election will be Messrs H, D. Bell, Duthie, and possibly Mr J. Smith, The only doubtful man is Mr Smith, the well know ironfounder of Manners street. Mr Smith has occupied a seat in the City Council for some years past and has therefore a good idea of how public business is conducted. He is a forcible and fluent though rugged speaker and is a man of much character and ability. Personally lie is extremely popular with the working man and the fact of his being himself a genuine representative of the sons of toil will find muoh favour with tbo powerful labour section of the city, Mr Smith frequently takes the civic chair, as senior councillor, in the absence of the Mayor. If Mr Smith consents to stand hia ohances should be extremely good. Mr Bell's position has much improved since his mayoral victory and at this, the third time of askingi he should be one of the elect of Wellington. As for Mr Duthie he still retains a firm hold of the popular approbation and may be reckoned on as a certainty to go in with flying colours. The Government candidates will be Messrs McLean and Konnedy Mucdbnald with another" dark horse" in future. Time aud the ballot box will of course ■ decide, but Messrs Duthie and Bell aro training very promisingly for the great event. Mr' George Fisher will on this ocoasiou play a " lone hand," and may as before furnish a groat Burpriso to the knowing ones, who assert he has no chance and that his popularity is on the wane, His strong individuality and unrivalled canvassing powers are deadly weapons to overcome.

Our new coromandaat'a report on the Volunteer force of the Colony is being waited for with much interest. Rumour hath it that Colonel Fox will recommend some radioal and sweeping reforms and changes in the Volunteer service, 60 radicnl indeed, that Ministers fearing for their popularity will have considerable hesitation in giving effect to bis recommendations. Col, Webb, of Dunedin, has been assisting and advising the Conimandent in the preparation of the Report for the last month, and it is anticipated that it will be completed and in the hands of Ministers by the end of this week,

I regret to have to record that Sir Win, Fox, who is at present in Wellington as the guest ot Mr W. R. E. Brown, late Regictrar-General, is in a very feeble state of health, and is quite unable to leave the house. The veteran politician and total abstainer is suffering from a complication of disorders, chief amongst which is disease of the lungs. The sympathies of many will be with the aged lender in his hour of sickness. Sir William has now attained a great age, eightytwo, I believe, and is the last survivor of that mighty triumvirate well remembered by old Wellingtonians as the" three F's" Fox, Foatherßton, and Fitzherbert.

A rumour that has been steadily gaining ground lately, is to the effeot that Sir Jtobert Stout will stand for Parliament at the next General Election, and in tho event of his being returned will at once assume chargo of the Government. This report is, I am credibly assured, absolutely without foundation. Sir Robert Stout has no intention of re-entering politics whatever, even with the tempting prospect of once moro succeeding to the Premiership, Sir Robert much prefers to remain the power behind the throne, without acceptiug the cares and responsibilities of office His largo and remunerative legal practice is also an insuperable barrier to Jiib entering the political arena again, The game would not he worth the candle.

Daepite tbo fact that tho Welling, ton papers hive stated the Premier is rapidly improving under a courso of magnetic healing, I have every confidence in the truth of the information already conveyed to you. that there is unfortunately no appreciable improvement in his health, The statement that he intends to visit Wanganui for a fortnight may possibly be correct, but by many it is regarded as a virtual abandonment of his position as Premier, for if lie does go it will be to enjoy that prolonged rest which bis extremely precarious stato of health has at last rendered absolutely necessary, A prolonged rest at his Wanganui home means a totaUbsteneion from public business, and it may therefore bo regarded as a certainly that Mr Ballance will not be able to carry out the functions of Premier next session. Why the publio aro being misled in this manner is a profound myttery,

Tho Mayor, Mr H. D. Bell, has I been confined to his room for the last week, suffering from a severe cold. He was in consequence prevented from opening the Grand Bazaarat the skating rink on Monday night in aid of the building fund of the new Oatholio schools at Newtown. A busy man indeed is our Mayor. Nearly every day or night he has some function to attend, either in the capacity of the Chief Magistrate or as President of thia or member of that society, club, association or committee, as the case may be, The Mayor of a town like Wellington has, indeed, many calls upon his time and his pocket.

The aforesaid Bazaar is truly a brilliant affair, and should prove to be one of the most successful functions of its kind ever held in Wellington. The Bcenoj vieived from tho end of the large hall of an evening is quite dazzling the gajly dressed stalls, the moro gaily dressed ladies, the Maypole danceis, the throng of visitors, and the alternate flashes of many coloured lights which are cast over the scene by a powerful lime-light lantern at the otlior end of the building.

Wellington will be quite en fete on Saturday next on the occasion of the first N.Z. Amateur Athletio Association Championship Meeting that has been held in this town. Judging from the numbers and from the previous performances of those athletes engaged at tbo. meeting, some extremely interesting runii!!)? «nd jumping should eventuate. Tho° Garrison Band will be in attendance and discourse sweet music during the (jay. The arrangements for the public and for {he competitors are excellent, and reflect much credit upon the energetic seoretary to the meeting (Mr J. B, Tringham). The ladies will entertain the competitors and their friends at afternoon tea during the (ty. and it 'maybe takpn for granted that a largG'anH representative gathering of the fair : fex will be present. Given fine Veattajji most successful meeting itf ejerjrtffy. should result. ~!' . •"•■