JUTTING from WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4469, 13 July 1893, Page 2

JUTTING from WELLINGTON.

(By Our Own Correspondent.)

WeiAingtok, Tuesday.

A Falling Star.-TktAmml of \theDonsl—A Distinguished Journalist.—Some Amusing Mistakes l—iSir Wm. Fox's Legacies,— Tht Steeplechase Swimming Sports.—The Totalisalor Suriivts!—A Jithuous Parliammt!- Crumbs from tht Table of tie House. ;

What a curious thing a celebrated reputation is I Once achieved and firmly established tarn it.. Anything even dross, is accepted as the only the article produced is Hall: marked .with the stamp of celebrity, Celebrities may do anything, say anything, everything is great, noble, and splendid, if established celebrity is the author of it. Celebrities nerer grow old, their powers never wano, they are always preferred to anybody else (though anybody else may be infinitely superior in a hundred.ways) who may. not; hayo. had,tlgjj>* to climb the ladder of fame.and be perched on the pinnacle of greatness. Youth, beauty, wit, wisdom, talents avail nothing against the celebrity. Celebrities. have charmed public lives, they nevor " have been;" they always "are." They never stalo.and > ' it would be rank heresy to say their powers are on the decline, for celebrities are popularly supposed to be always tho same, I am, howtver, deliheratoly going to commit rank heresy—and that too in cold blood, when I havo'even had time to think the matter.calmly over,. In other-words, I am going to put forward the plain unvarnished statement that,that great celebrity in the musical worldj who has recently paid us a visit—Madame Antoinette Stcrling, to wit—has most decidedly seen her best days, as far as her artistic career is concerned, and is, without doubt, vocally on the wane, Madame Sterling is now simply a drai»atio and-> descriptive vocalist of extraoi%afJ' w powers,:and having said that, one says all. Her voice has now no riohnesß of tone, little. musical quality, and is husky in its upper register. Her Btyleis ponderous and depressing in its effects, the tiwhre and freshness of her voice have entirely disappeared. As a vocalist she is not now to be compared with a dozen 1 could name, and yet she was once a glorious singer, My feling,.' npon hearing her sing,. was one of intense disappointment. Even in five years she heis fallen off terribly. lam not singular in my opinion, it is shared in by many people here, but few would care to give expression to their, thoughts, Madame Sterling was; admirably supported, and the soprano (Miss Webstei) charmed everybody by her fresh sweet voice, her dainti» • ness of style, and veracity of expreaaion. Yet, eveu now, Sterling is a name to conjure with in the musical firmiimoDt, so true it is that tho world is full of humbugs, who either can't or won't discriminate. By-the-way, I hear that the Wellington Orchestral Society did not behave very liberally ; in the matter of terms, demanding, - for their share of their support to the Company, a large percentage of the takings. This is not as it should be, and if local musical societies persist in this course, it will eventually bo the means of preventing artistes' of repute seeking local assistance at all. As a matter of fact, we could easily have dispensed with the services of the Society' Madame Sterling was t«pMjHSP by » really excellent Company. Tho Orchestral Society can be beard at any time, and therefore would not have been missed on this occasion.

The arrival in our harbour of the Spanish training corvette ' Nautilus' is a matter of interest in several wayß. First it is raw nowadays to see any vessel propelled oniirely by sails amongst the navies of the' world, it is a relic of a by-gone age. Secondly, seldom docs a sailing training ship undertake a voyage round the world for the purpose of instructing the naval cadets in the art of practical seamanship such as can only be properly acquired on board of a fully rigged sailing ship. Thirdly, it is, I believe, the only occasion upon whioh a ship belonging to the Beets of Spain bus been seen in New Zealand waters since perhaps the days of tbe Spanish explorers and filibusters. (The Nautilus is a fully rigged ship, and us originally an Aberdeen tea clipper. She has very graceful linos, and though an old ship, she can even now slip through the water. There are no less than 62 cadets on board undergoing a course of training,in addition j to the ordinary staff of officers. Commander, Senor don Villamil, is a grandee of Spain, rnHfr 1 Castiliaa of tbe most aristocratic lineage. AMr Hartley, an English gentleman, is accompanying the ' Nautilus' on her very pleasant trip round the world, as tho guesi of tlio captain, The officers have been entertained here a good deal during the last week, and have oharmed everyone by their agreeable manners and Spanish politeness. In appearance the officers are handsome and well set up and make quite a brave show walking about town in uniform, un« like British officers, who are only too glad to get into mufti when they get ashore, The men are a fino looking , lot, very orderly and well behaved. As usual, when a war ship is in port, it has rained nearly, since the'Nautilus'arrived',

The press gallery of the House of Bepresentatives has received quite a distinguished addition to its ranks this year in the person of Mr Lukin, who is a member of the Legislativo Assembly of Queensland. Mr Lukin has "been out of health for some tirns and was advised to try the colderclimate of New Zealand for a seasom and has already derived considerable! benefit from our bracirlg air. Mr* Lukin.who is a leading press-man and journalist of many years standin&baa been conneoted with some of the foremost papers on the other side,both in editorial and managerial is now acting here as special parliament, ary and general correspondent for those giants amongst Australasian journalism, the Melbourne Atgui and the Sydnoy Morning Herald. I understand that Mr Lukin was lately conneoted with the Brisbane Courier (one of the best in Australasia from a' UteraVy point of view) and the not often that one sees a member of the Legislature of one Colony acting as press representative at tbe Parliament of another.. The whole .idea of our Payment's doingafaeing speoially imported for the other Colonies should serve as an excellont advertisement. New Zealand politics are, however, interesting .to record, being engaged as wo generally are in experimental legislation of the most novel kind. Fortunately, Mr Lokmoan. do uoth-, ( ing efeo hut record that our legislators' carry out

and in this they will, no doubt, striko: him as being a contrast to his honorable friends across tho wator. Au amusing instance of tho mis* takes soma vory worthy peoplo fall into,panly due to defective education, which is not perhaps their own fault, and partly due to an intense dosire to make use of high sounding words, phrases and quotations, tho full meanings and corveot rendering of which theydonotpropeilytmderstand, came under my notice the other day, A well-known and ardent local poli-

tician, one who has acquired some slake in'tho Country HHPfngb long yosra of hard and in- "~~~~ duakious toil, and who is in conscqueuce anxious to enard liis hard earned possessions from the spoiler, in the shape ol the Liberal Tarty, and is therefore a very hot and fiery oppositionist, was heard to remaik, apropos of Mr Ward's "budgot" proposals, that through "languishing in tho conJ-s/iw/s of opposition" his party would never submit to be firound down. Of course, the worthy OJPneunt ho was languishing in the co/tf shah of opposition, which after all is a somewhat neater way of; putting it, although there is something refreshingly forcible about the coaUkds rendering of tno quotation. The foregoing is only eclipsui by the. statement mado by a Wanganui gentleman some yearsogo, and iheieforo perhaps a "chestnut" to your readers, to the following effect :- He was a member of tho Education Board. The Boaid wanted to ecll some land for a cemetery, which the gentleman in question did not think suitable. He therefore suggested that the cemetery trustees should hang out a little longer with their old section and then they illicit have another piece of land h longing to the Board, the lease of which, hetahl, would " expire by effluviums of time ' in a few months I

Considerable comment is made on fc- f«ct tlmt Kir William Fox bus *"""« very little to Now Zealand chanties or institutions with the exception of a bequest to the N.Z. Allianco and one or two minor bequests. The great bulk of his legacies have been made to' English charities, extremely worthy no doubt in their way, hit still ono would have thought that an old colonißt like Sir W. Fox was, would have remembered that charily begins at home, and left a little more to the institutions in the land of his adoption. Sir William was for many years a Wellington resident, and it might have been reasonably supposed he would not have forgotten altogether the pkc thai. witnessed Uhe days when he was a power in the . laud, However, I suppose it is a case of At morbus nil nisi lonuin, SO I will say no more.

The weather during the past week has been simply atrocious here, and I notice that you have had your fair share in Masterton, so we need not grumble at being treated exceptionally in this matter. 'Wo did, however, grumble loud and strong when we found that Saturday morning broke fine, and eventually turned out a glorious day, and the cause of our discontent was that the Steeplechase meeting had been postponed till Monday, owing to the unpromising outlook on Friday, when the rain was coming down in torrents, Tho banks and other public offices had a holiday for tho racea which did not eventuate. Mondaywas fairly fine in the morning * drizzling rain set in at mid- ' HPpTnd continued till evening. So matters were rather depressing on the course. Tho racing was, howover, good but the attendance very poor owing to the fact of it not being a holiday. There was very little necessity for the stewards to provide waior jumps at the Hutt as tho whole course was more or less amply provided in this respect by nature and gome of the wator jumps proper were almost lagoons. 1 beard it suggested that as this meeting is generally held * during the session it would be a very good idea to institute a point to point Parliamentary Steeplechase. Tho riders to be bona fide members of Parliament, The House of Commons annual steeplechase is a great success at Home, why not institute a similar race here 1 It would be an imnienso draw and I have much pleasure in commending the idea to the consideration of the stewards of the Wellington Racing Club.

The totalisator abolition question it Bbelved lor the present, Mr W. 0. Smith's motion being " talked out" by the merest chance. The wily Smith is, however, fully determined to force the House to a decision, and has "plated biß intention to "intercept [ Jpply," anil so bring the mattor to a v 'bead. The little band of totalisator adherents havo stated their intention of thwarting the virtuous Smith by watching him night and day in order to prevent a surprise and thus putting the matter olf for this session at aoyrate. It n well known that the' Government are not anxious for Mr Smith's measure to pass, and will theroloro not give liirn many more ohanceß than they can help. Even if Mr Smith does spring his little mine the Government will be almost sure now to find some excuso not to bring in a Bill abolishing the totalisator.

Surely this is the most aggressively virtuous session in the history of any of the N.Z, Parliaments, ThoTemseems to be the strong point, for no less than five Bills have been introduced to regulate the supply and sale of intoxicating liquors, There is Sir Robert Stout's «' Direct Veto Bill," Mr Fisher's two little Bills "The Intoxicating Liquors Supply to. Children Bill" (what a mouthful), and "Thu Holding of Public Houses by Brcwetß Probibitio Bill," MrEarnsliawlHHtho" Alcoholic Liquor Bill," and Mr McGuire "Tho Importation or Manufacture of IntoxicatingLiquorsProbibitionßill," This latter Bill is very sweeping in its provisions, if passed there would he no necessity for the Rev. L, M. Isitt, Prohibition, Direct Veto, Total Absfflilers, or anything else, simply brcauso no intoxicating liquor could be either imported or manufactured at all I What a run there would be on "medical comforts," and would not the good old trade of smuggling havo a healthy revival if Mr McGuire to tojuccessfully pass that little Bill of his/2>niost extraordinary production is Mr Shera's" The Restraint of Monopolies Biil." The Bill seeks to prevent under pain of heavy lino and imprisonment any form of monopoly whatever, whether in trade or business of any kind. It is also specially enacted against "trusts," "corners," "rings" or syndicates formed to monopolise the trade of any particular commodity. The Bill will no doubt receivo the innocent's coup de pace at the end of the session, but it certainly takes rank with Mr Jackson Palmer'B ''Deceased Husband's Brother's Marriage Bill" as a curiosity pf Rttetopted. legwUtion. , _

The North Island Main Trunk Railway Question is to be raised again this session by the indefatigable Mr Shera, and it will behove Dr Newman to be on the look out in the interests of tlm Central Route, Intense excitement was caused in the House this afternoon (Tuesday) by the some what dramatic resignation by Mr Oadtuan of his seat, followed by his challenge 10 Mr Rees to resign also, mid contest either the Auckland or tho Thames seat with him. This, Mr Rees was not slow to accept, and his resignation was oven more theatri» cal timn Mr (Jaduiati's. itisgenorally expressed hero that Mr Rees bus taken the only course open to him, and that in doing so he has shown considerable coinage, Mr Uadraan is, liovcver. not one whit behind liini in the matter of courage, for Mr Rees is exceedingly popular in his oleotoraio, and Imp, moreover, tho iminenso advantage of' Sir George Orcy'a influence aud friendship to assist him. This contest may be regarded as the most unique on record in. the annnk of this Colony, and will be watched with breathless interest The House is completely disorganised, and little or no work is likely to be perforated to-night or to morrow until the excitement censed by the incident calms down.

Extract from advertised announcement of People's Popular Collect at Clirisichurch:—"Special engagement iii tnnrm'ms expense of Captain Fred Thorna*" * * * Item from a Wi'iln.gHn paper;-" I'lw eminent taint iv, Mr Pyi:-J.ick-:on, will also iiiiiku bis fust appearance at the Sixpenny Concert io-itKiirow evening." * f * And you have had lutli of, those tal'Mikd gentlemen in your midst at Masterton and knew it not, When jovial Fied Thomas spun his funny yams, wherein Sunday School reminiscences did not abound, to the jMhlv.cs of tho "Club" smokingroom in your country town, little did either of you dreaui what fame and fortune awaitedhira : when genial Mr Jackson mo lestly warbled in your Theatre Royal the inspiring melody "On the Ball "who could be expected lo know that he was destined tobecomo " eminent "-who, indeed I Truly has a Prophet no honour in his own country, and your great and good men despised and neglected by an undiscerning labble, one by one desert you, Thus has talent and intellect to suffer,

It is pleasant to hear of the occasional recognition of Colonial literary iiitriirmicuiß by those' ayont the seas,' and to do ono must it give greater satisfaction than to the earnest and apt writer who succeeds in attracting notice at Home. Get an article accpted by a leading London magazine, and one can indeed leel that he has something which may be called a literary reputation. In sympathy with this 1 havo just heard that a friend, Mr Malcolm Ross, of Dunedin, who is well-known in journalistic circles, has been asked lo contribute an illustrated article to " Black and White "on Alpine exploration in New Zealand, Mr Kobb has previously had writings in most of the lending Colonial publications, and also in the London A.rt Journal, if I remember rightly, and these, with the contribution of some artisiio effects in photography havo always been very acceptable. The present article, when it duly appears, will probably he no less so.

Breathe it not abroad, but our wondrous and much-heralded Froo Public Library has so far been a wbitcd sepulchre. Its accommodation is wretchedly inadequate, and except ta the outward sign ol something which should be inwardly good, for its external architecture is admittedly imposing, it is a notorious and hideous failure. The interior possesses neither space nor comfort, and some of the smaller apartments—the magazine room, for instance—are said to lack adequate ventilation; but possibly this is due to their cramped dimensions and the consequent / overcrowding which ensues. It is questionable whether with all the glory of the new building a person can enjoy as pleasant a read as he could in the old Athenseuro Building, whatever minor drawbacks the latter might have possessed. The patronage the Wellington Free Library is likely to get will justify twice the interior accommodation it at present possesses,