JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4438, 8 June 1893, Page 2

JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON

(By Our Own Correspondent,)

WELLINGTON-TUESDAY.

Clerical Jealousy!—Royd Titties and Extravagance / Licensed '-/ or " License."—"Modest" Qcorge Fisher, MMMJ—A CivillieroksEmmacel — Social Doings and Sayings!—Pre{■paring for Parliament I

The Synod hasdecided in its wisdom to send to England for our newßishop. There would be nothing to be said against this course if it were prompted simply and solely by the consideration that the only desire was toobiain the very best'man procurable, and that it was the honest belief that in England alone, s.uob a man could be found. But it was not so unfotlunately, for the wholo ptooeediugs wereoondticted with a'bitterness which wasliumiliatinginthe extreme, and displayed a 'dog in the uianger 'like jealousy on the part of the clergy towards one another whioh was anything but ; be-' ooming to those -who are usually, supposed to set an example in the christian virtues. ; Apparently tho animating feeling was'that as none of the clergy present were eligible for election to' the vaoant see, they, weie determined that no other colonial cleric should be selected, hence the decision to obtain a Bishop from Home by delegation. It is said that. brie . reyerebd '. 'gentleman, whose I name is, pretty fatmliar.to your readers, and who '«,, noted for bis outspoken intolerance, had a preconceived notion that the" dignity should be conferred upon him, and finding that was not likely, he worked too'h and nail to prevent any, other colonial oleiio f 10m filling the Episeo• pal chairs,' Many people are of opinion that the precedent set .by the Synod of the Diocese of Nelson, in electing Archdeacon Mules io succeed Bishop Suter, should hare been followed in the present.-instance by ohoosing Archdeacon Fancourt as Bishop Hadfield's successor, The Arohdeacon was, however, completely overlooked ; although I am told the Primate' was anxious be should be selected. The whole proceedings will noti tend to strengthen the influence of the Church in- this Diocese, nor is it any wonder that for years past it has been languishing, wbon we now learn that the men who have been set over us as our spiritual pastors and masters, are themselves incapable of aotiner «p to the principles which they are daily inculcating. • •

We hear on all sides a great deal about the slackness of trade ami the scaicity of money, and jet it is astonishing how readily money oan be found lo gratify the pleasure and luxuries of our people. For instance, I hear that FilhY Circus took over £2,000 away from Wellington,,the Gaiety Company mußt also, have reaped a golden harvest, and a'wellknown firm of. drapers inlthis6Uy; who - have just; com tn enoed, as they term ifi*;:". a:■ mbiister- clearing sale," sold nearly;' £SOO worth of goods in one day' last week. No, matter how' hard the limes may be, the people will have, whether they can afford them or not, amusement and dress, This desire is not confined to the fairly-well-to-do classes, bat even to those actually in receipt of charitable aid, An instance came under my notice the other!day,, of.a:woman whose husband had been for. months but of work, and who, with her family, were literally starving, until some berevolcnt-minded ladies, connected with one.'of the numerous relief sociefifs which exist .here, prooured her some charing and washing in |rder to keep the wolf from the door. Well, this (lady, they ate all Indies nowadays, in this democratic age,) was heard ioremarkthatehe and her husband were going to see the, Gaiety Company, as they so liked a good laugh and couldn't possibly miss the opportunity of seeing suoh a clever company. This too from a wo* man, who only a few weeks before had buried her baby who had died, the doctor Bf'd, from insufficient nourishment! To use a stereotyped expression, comment is needless.

Mr Justice Eichmond's strictures on the • manner in which licensed houses are conducted in Wellington were not by anymeans top strong. As 1 a matter of fact many, of tho hotels | are; practically open all night, and ' carousing and gambling goes on unheeded and unchecked, in defiance of the licensing laws.... The. lights are all turned out and the doors locked in the front part' of the hotels, while the revelry goes on behind, consequently nothing but a house lo house visitst;' in would reveal, the offenders. ' The police, however,appear to be strangely supine in the matter, and no attempt fs made to check this disgraceful date of affairs. I have heard rumours of one zealous policeman breaking in upon the midnight revellers in a we'l-kqown hostelry in town, taking do yn the names of all present and informing mine host that he would report him.- Nothing further came of the affair, however, and the jealous bobby was very hurriedly and unaccountably transferred to another district, where ho will perhaps -have an opportunity for reflecting that he has allowed his Z3al to outran his discretion. Possibly the publican! was oftbe •'right'color" ana as such, not amenable to the law of the land, .unlike hisjess fortunate brother of a different tone. Anyhow tt'e; faot" reitiainß'' that eome of the hotels' in Wellington drive, a roaring trade far .into, the " .wee L sma';honrs," and the proceedings areoharaoterised by a license which would disgrace a bouse,ofi!l»fame,yfj; :; •;;.;;-.;;?. s . ' Modest: Mr, George Fisher,:betook - himself < with, oh&racteristio humility and self abnegation to.,the .wilds..of Newtown,- where he poured 'forth a fireyjdenunuiation;of the .Government to an audience hot by vany inieatas iu sympathy with his holy anger.v' The ihte;rr\ipti)ris"wei;e;; painful, freljuent : and, free," they wanted to know what George hi done, not whatth'e'Gov- : ern'ment had not done. The erstwhile ' idQl of the people held 6a his! I»*3j'

;"' ■ ; ,-■ ■. ]fo -fy, f k oareor, howqyer,'; with worrying through ito the bitter pid, sndeyintuailyjjpiiiid up by reoeiying'a ijoje bf th'aiik's fofjiis impaflfiioned address lind his Rlorloua efforts in 'theVuse of liberty, -iThere are more people than the electors of Newtown who want to know what good Mr Fisher has done or is likely to do in his present capacity of a politioal pendulum,' 'swinging to one side or to the other. They reasonably, enough want someone to, represent them in Parliament; tbey don't want Mr 'George fisher to represent himself and no one.Use; ft little more is expected for £240 per. annum., 'He is neither with ,tbej£ftsj nor the 'outs' iit pre'senti' a : tfd obbupies a_ position, like Mahomet's coffin, whioH '■■ renders his functions as '. a representative, almost a complete nullity.; There■ are many; who; say Mr Gejorge .jPiaherr-has bolt, and if : - T- did hot' koowhis'peouiiar faculty for "bobbing up serenely" when' least.expected, I. should Bay that, judging Jroinliis meeting at' Newtown the other night, hitherto his almost, influence was rou the' Fisher is, however, very strongly supported by the Good Templars, in whose ranks" he ha/recently enrolled ' himself, and their assistance, fill be valuablo'noxt Deoern'bor. /It will be wanted,

A great'outory has been made.by a: , certain section of the press in ■ regard, •' to the alleged undue- employment ■of ■• ■'< extra oterksinthe.bigbuiidings.by.tho,. , present Government. Tho base has however,, been ruiioh magnified.for as amatleroffset,there arenot 1 many more3xtiaclerks engaged'just now\ than usual; cerUinly not more .than , '■'. has been ihe oase. undei previous 'Got>,: ■'., ernments. Owing lo.the'change inthe incidence"of taxation a great ";■ many extra clerks' were of necessity' employed by the Land and Incoraa Tax Department Some t ' m %Stftt% there nie still a good ing workthatcouldnot possibly-, he >'.-' grappled with by the permanent staff, who hayeitheir regular duties to at« tend to! The Education, Survey and Registrar General's Departments have.. a few extra men employed,.-but "it is ;;;', certainly not correct to say the Build-' ings are swamped - with them, Previously under other Governments extra clerks weie appoiuted by (he Heads of Departments in most instances, now the Minister himself ' appoints or Approves of the appointments, and this has no doubt given rise to the report that the Buildings were being swamped wbh Ministerial proteges.. The system is no. mom abused now than ever it was, At all times the extra clerk question has been a source of discontent to the permanent employes, as in nine oases out of ten the man employed has been a failure in everything else, but if he has sufficient influence lie is considered quite good enough to be taken on temporarily in. the Government service at rates of pay often, muoh belter than that being received by the regular official,'who performs duties of a much more, losponsible nature, These" temporary "■ men very often. remain in employment for years; and this is whei« the injustice; to the permanefttorncial arises, as promotion is barred in oonsequenoe. The tern" porary clprks ate recruited, walks of life. I colonel in the army and^el?po^Wjj«frtain in the navy, adootor, aiharrieter, '•■ a ne'er»'do«well scion of ■ an" an-' '" oient titled bouse, a clergyman, an ex-Bank Manager, and a man who was ones' tho'possessor of a large fortune and a fine property in this island all working amicably together in the same room, and recalling with' '' melancholy satis'aolion reniinisoenoes : of their former greatness. The'' l ten bob a day man" is quite a feature in this towu,the>e are always number ot them'hanging about wailing for employment, and their jobs completed they hang about waiting for another, living goodneea knows how in the interyal.' Buoh is the fascination for the work that I have even known men throw up; permanent employment; in .-.• order to lake ftnextiaolerkshipbecause the rate of pay fo: the' lime being was higher than that being received in the'permanent billet, These extra clerks aro'a curious set of they are very jealous of any outsider's appearance.in their ranks and hence,. , filled with a supposed grievance that they were being overlooked in favor of men of the right colour, they may have given utleranoe to the views recently taken up by the piraio the effect that the ing the Department porters. Year after year the same men present themselves for employ-' ; me'nt aud they have consequently be» . come possessed of the the impression - - that they, and they alone baveany-' right to consideration, "'""'

M,S:-"Orlando" is mpedtd here from Sydney,, in a day or two, with the new Admirer on board, and later onthe whole squadron will most probably.rendezvous in Wellington. The hearts of the fair sex have been in a state of flutter ever since the announcement was • made that the squadron was coming, and more especially bo when it beoame known that the members of tho Wellington Clnbintend entertaining ournaval visitors at agiand ball in their Club House, which, is now being entirely refitted and renovated throughout and lighted by electrioity. Cards are out now for a dance at Government House on Monday neut, and on Tuesday, the. 18th, tome ladies and gentlenuk. woll-known in eooial oircles, will'give a rendering of the comedy," A. Lesson in Love," at. the Theatre Royal, ia aid of St. Ma'ry's Orphanage! -The. sessional gaiety having thus commenced early this year, we may look forward to a very''Big'time during the ooming winter, whereat the hearts of the tradespeople, drapers and milliners espeoially, will wax exoeeding glad, The .engagement of Captain Hunter-Biair'; brother to the Countess ■ of Glasgow and A.D.O, to His Excellenpy the Governbr/to Miss-Rhodes, of ObristohurQb, has been announced,. Miss Rhodes', eldest sister married Mr! E. D, P'lWke, son of.the ex-Speaker, quite 'recently, Capt. .Huhter-Blair : fs an exceptionally lucky man, for not, #nly is Miss Bhodeß wealthy, but she is an and agreeable ypuDg ladyCid a universal favourite; Xam sorry to learn Mrs Hugh Bcetham, of your distnbt, is < undergoing, treatment, in Wellington!; for a very trying illness. The many friends of Mr and : Mrs Hughßeetham , will wish her .speedy restoration I ,to- : complete health, I: '' ' '• ' ; ' :,; - ; ' i The Parliament Buildings ually being put into readiness for the,! oonJingri session; ■: Everything,. 'however,- is at ''presenta'mass of dust and - ; dirt K ;carpetS;; rollsd..lip/.' chairEi aiid.lounges!.swathed. in brown st&tionery' , 'o^B r i\n i ap^!i9;'broivn'' 4 : ! : pa^eri.^ellftjrljfSi arid, carpentets.'ha'torliering'and saw7. ; i ing.eya^r^rt/-tir^g.tolr^^7 i ventilation'/ '.'The'portly!persons 4j;■"., the

, oil Clinmbeiß have not breii forgotten, . fcrbiiirid new'andcdmfortable lounges iVrith the softest 'of leather uDverings abd the easiest of' Bpiinga have been : MSnufaikured ?op their special behoof. The Labor Lords will .'positively revel in'luxurious repose, and, if. the Ooun- '-.■.' oil; softened by the soothing influence of: their'new couches does not pass '•■''■ thb Women's Franchise Bill, ihey are inmates of the first water.-