JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 1769, 3 May 1894, Page 2

JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON.

(By Our Own Correspondent). Tuesday, The Hon, Vincent Tyke, M.H.K. his illness and contemplated resigna- : tion; It's mmm,-£k<s Colonial ■ Treasurer wamtyfltW Legislative OouuilakenttesandwmjqMntvmts, —Ghean sales and dull times/or the small thopkepers.-An absentee tax. ' —The secret service system.—lhe ' Masonic gathering.—An amusing tpisode.—The unemployed trouble. Destitution in tenon,—DwmiiUand, danger.—A happy mgijeslmfrom the Wairarapa,or mhjor the unemployed.

I am informed that Mr Vincent Pyke, M.H.R, for Tuapeka, is very seriously ill, and that it is quite un< likely he will be able to take his seat in Parliament this session, In fact, from what I can learn, very grave fears are entertained regarding Mr Pyke's is to be sincerely hoped that will prove groundless, for I dFnot supttjtijMl is a more popu)aymJaJM(jblony than the geniallegislator and litterateur. The keenest regret and disap. pointment will be felt if the Hon, Mr Pyke, for lie is now entitled to term himself" Honourable" on account of of former services as a member of a Victorian Ministry in bygone days, does not take his seat in the House this session, for. his causlic wit and brilliant repartees iu former years continually kept tlie members in a 1 roar of merriment, and this added to ; his keen intelligence did much to en» J liven the usually dull proceedings of i Parliament, Oue-and all, no matter ■ what sides in politics they belong to, J will wish the veteran a speedy return .to health. In the event of Mr VMS' cent Pyke being obliged to resign his ! seat it is more than likely that Mr 1 Scobio Mackenzie will be asked to contest the constituency. If he aoes t do so Mr Mackenzie will have a ■ " romp over," as no serious oppoa» tion is to be expected. r| The Hon. Mr Ward is re (Jl have fired off a very good jpßeatthb' I' expense ot the latejpftei; for Mt, l' Ida, Mr Scobie Sfißenzie, at the bmquet recently given down South to the Minister for Lands. It will be remembered that Mr Scobie Mackenzie's late constituents presented him with a type writing maohine, as a L proof of tbeir appreciation of his political services, and "Scobie," in returning thunks for the gift, said that he would value the machine very j much, as he had got into tho habit of usiniptto write all his correspond

ience with j in fact, Lis friend, the Post master-General, with his uau»l uourteey, bad very kindly during last session of Parliament, placed a typ& writer at his disposal. Mr Ward, in speaking at the banquet, noticed this remaik. and said that Mr Scobio Mackenzie had only told half the story of the loan of the type writer, • The true facts were that he (Mr Mackenzie) had returned the maohine with many thanks, with the remark that it was not perfect, as it did not contain a sufficient number of capital "I'a" to enable him to do justice to himself in his correspondencOi Mr Ward, continuing, said that he had. heard the machine now in of his friend, of the indispensable-letter, and! if he was sure Mi: MackHe would hugely appreciate the though tfulness of his constituents in thus providing him with the moans of adequately bringing bia> personality before bia This was ratber neat for tbe Colonial! Treasurer and Poßtmaster General who does not usually pose as a wit, but is more at home in dealing with facts and figures than indulging in smart repartee.

There are at least three members of the Upper House who will nui take their Beats tbis session, and it is likely' that some more Legislate Councillors will also be mißsing from, their places. The Hon, B, Hart has; become so old and unfirm that ha is: unlikely ever to take Lib Beat agaiD). the Hon, Mi Shepherd is still serii* ouflly ill, and the Hon. O.J. Johnston is absent from the Colony, All threß Hon. gentlemen are opponents of tho Government, and as tbere may also be one or two more of the same politics absent, it would therefore appear that tliero is no urgent necessity for the Government to make any fresh appointments,the Council with the idea of carrying their measures through the Upper House for that course will he obviated by tha loss of the Opposition votes. It fact, with these absentees the Government will hold the balance of power.

Trade matters aro still extremely,• dull in town, Tho small shopkeepers! in particular are feeling tho pinchi pretty severely, owing partly to badl time, but mostly on saccount of tho' large number of cheap sales, whichi are being held by firms who are in » position to buy laigely and at low prices, huge bankrupt and aßSignedi estate stocks. To these slaughtering: cheap sales the bargain-bunting public, of course, naturally Hook in great, numbers, ahd the smaller people are left severely alone. Thoß who do remain faithful are the clas * of people who run up long bills and, expect long credit. Cheap sales beiag l conduoied on a cash basis only, it thus follows tbat all the ready money goes into the handiuhi, select few only. The smaller not only ha; to give long cred/tburifa "loses what» ever cash cusktd ho has been inthfc habit of receiving into the bargain,. Theirs is a case, as it has been some" what profanely put, of bifiog between: the" devil and the deep 60b," For ■devil" read " bargain sales," and: 'for" deep sea" read " longand xotteffl credit,"

A rather interesting case was de. tided in the Supreme Court the, other day. The Bank of Australasia claimed exemption from tha licom# Tax on that part of its New Zealand income which was paid as interest on deposits to cußtomera in London, The J udge,after hearinglwgthy arguments from counsel Of both sides, decided that under the Amending Act of • last session the Bank was not- entitled to deduct the amount bo paid in interest from its New Zealand income, ana it nnißt therefore pay the tax on. the gross income. It trill perhapa be. remembered that the case oame before' tho_ oourts last year, but m not', [decided, and in the .meantime thei i Government passed Unnecessary amending legislation easea.. Other corporations and com* panies doing business in. the Colony ' and paying interest or dividends jm London will thus be affected by this decision, which practically means nothing more nor less than an absen» tee tax on persons ;re«iding outoo r yet drawing their income from shares* j and deposits in Colonial - Institutions;. : |mNH A discreditable feature oftlia in* H

qutry Into toe chnrgea brought by Mt Charlton, late veterinary surgeon to tho Government, agaiuat (he Chief of the Stook Department and other InBpootora, was that an attempt was made to make use of a conversation which had taken place in a private house as evidence in substantiation of C 6 Itiadillicultfii'Bt of how anyone could be so devoid of the ordinary instincts of honour and gentlemanly feeling ns lo think for a njomen(i.of malting use o! bqcli conversation, and, secondly, it is extraordinary that the commission should have considered eriduncu of this nature admissible at all. If ; this sort of thing ia to be carried to a legitimate conclusion it will be well for the Government to detail some of its officers off to Russia, whare nflininl

jib uwcera ou 10 auwir, wnere ouicmi espionage and tale*bo#ring are brought to the perfection of a lino art, ami . when they come back fully posted up 1 - in their profession, people can then 1 set a eoal upon their tongues, as they know what they have to expect from incautious speaking. .It seems detestable Upt such a system should 5 have orcflftjinto'the Public Service of | Y M Co Ony, and it augurs that mat- t • - CTsmufiyytrn come to a pretty low ebb when such proceedings are coun- j tenanced for a moment.

The Masonic gathering li-ld here lust Wednesday was one of the most brilliant functions it has ken my lot to witness for many ypars past. The ceremonial was most impressive, and the duty of installing the M.W. Grand Master elect, Bro. H. D. Hell, was performed by the retiring AI.W. Grand Master, Bra, M. Nicol, with much state and dignity. No expense hat been spared by the Grand Lodge of N.Z. in tastefully fitting up and decorating the Opera House for the occasion, and the stately pageant of tbo Grand Lodge officers, the impresBiva rites and ceremonies of the installation, the excellently selected incidental music and the presence ofsuch a large body of Masons, some G6O in number, all tended to consuounate tho

success wliioh attendrd this unique gathoring of brethren of llio mystic craft. notion lias been taken of the refnark made by tho M.AV, Grand Mastpr,Bro. 11. D. Bell, at the banquet held afterwards, that as an instance of the brotherhood of masonry, he had seated on his left the Premier of the Colony with 'shorn, on tbo present occasion, ho was in perfect accord, but also with whom he intended very shortly, in hi; seatiu the Bouse, to oppose in politics, in even more remarkable instance occurred during the evening, for tho Premier waa seated throughout tho ceremony next to Bro, E, T, Gillon, of tho Evening Post, and what is more the largo audionce was delighted to observe them chatting and laughing together the whole evening. After what has occurred recently this may seem inexplicable, but it was a fact, nevertheless, and illustrates in b striking degree the truth of the M.W. GrandMaster's remarks as to the fraternity of the members of tho craft,

lam very glad to notice about again our vivacious and versatile friend "Scrutator," who conducts with much ability the Editorship of your Mail," and wnreJWth a thoso excellent " Echoes of J 'ie Week," which we all look forward to with much pleasurable anticipation and which we missed so much whou the talented author was laid upon a btd of sickness. " Scrutator" lies helped to make the "Mail" what it has now become, one of the most popular weeklies in this Island, and not a small share of the popularity attaches to this admirable journalist himself. It has been stated that the back of the unemployed difficulty has been broken by the steps taken by tho Labour Bureau and the City Corporation to provide for tho most urgent cases. In reality however, I am credible informed this is far from being the caso for there are still ut large number of men out of employment walking about the streets looking for work, and hanging about the wbarveß on tho chance of picking up odd jobs. Most of these men are married and therefore not anxious to leave their wives and go up country bußh-felling or road making. I am aftaid also that a very largo proportion are of the kind who go about looking for work and praying they may not Ml it, that is so long as their wives can go to tbo wash tub and keep the wolf from the door by their exertions, while their lords and masters hang about, pipe in mouth, with an occasional adjournment for a modest" three penn'orth " all from the hardly won earnings of the wife and mother. Tbes9 kind of men will never leave town whilo there is a chance of an easy corporation job or a little, occasional lumping on the wharf. " Unemployed" of this nature there must and always will be.

There are beyond doubt, however, many real cases of distress, where the man is anxious for work and cannot get it, and the wife is 100 sickly to attend to more than her household duties. There is somo excuse for the husbands with sickly wives not wishing to leave town if it can possibly be avoided, but none for the others. Tho private distribute of charity by the many relief societies, which exist in Wellingtoivreveala the fact that there is a lafgeAount of destitution which is neveftAQiight into prominence, and much of (lift exists amongst the better class of people, who are unac customed to manual labour, euch as clerkß, jjiopmen, etc. In tbe avenuc3 and plantations around Wellington men may be seen deeping out every night. Possibly some of them are mere vagrants, but I know for a fact that many 0! them are respectable men, who are without the means to pay for even the commonest roof to shelter them from the chilly night air. Tbe large floating population, which must necessarily becoming and going in a port like Wellington, demands that a night shelter, conducted under police supervision, should be established.

The popular concert season lias commenced again. During the wntor we are to have regular Wednesday sight cODCerta at the Skating Kink, conducted by an enterprising Australian, who, finding matters dull in this direction on the other side, has decided to try the field here, Judging by.ihe programme of tho first canceli-ft Wednesday next, which Las bera'published, these fixtuici should be much appreciated by the people who are fond of good music, but cannot afford to pay high prices co hear it. An opposition series of concerts aro also heing conducted by Mr R. P. Johnson, and they, if Saturday's performance may be taken as a criterion, are also remarkably good, and ehould not fail to draw daring the winter. ■ :l

It is ruther startling to learn that we are in imminent danger of being blown to atoms. Yet euoh in the case, for fit Point Jeiuingliairi, close to Oriental Bay, is a holo in the cliff, where tons of dynamito are stowed awaiting removal as required, Should an acoidont ocour iu the handling of the dynamite,an explosion of a gigantic nature would result, which must wreck all the houses in the vicinity of tho magazine, and possibly cause great dama°o to the shipping at the wharves and 10 the buildings faoing the haibour. It ia true that by road tho magazine is a mile or so from town, but as the crow flies it is not anything like that distance, and more especially so in a direct lintaeross the harbour to tho wharves. Tbo Harbour Board have done well

to move in the matter, for we littli thought tlmt such h terrible possibil ity ol danger existed almost in on midst, The suggestion made by the Wairwapa Observer that the unemployed should be set to work killing rabbits in your district is ao exceedingly happy one. As the Observer truly remarks, Wellington can supply tho unci), and upon application to Mr Inspector Oovlo athislost dogs' refuge on Clyde Quay, dogs can he had in any quantity for tho mere asking, It is a happy solution ofthe unemployed difficulty, as each district can do its share. Wellington can supply the rabbitera and the dogs, and you for your part can supply the rabbits liberally. Rabbiting is rather a pleasant occupation too. Tho idea ought to be taken up at once.