JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4740, 7 June 1894, Page 2

JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON.

• (% Oui' Own Correspondent).„ -" pi. ' Tuesday. ■_< •• Smartening the eventful —r/uj Alcoholic Liquor Act petition, -An-anti-Prohibition league,—Who is pulling the strings?— Mor e" sirables " fjm theS' other side.''—The 'frjj Gmmuemrflmiig oj/ice —Caught in tk gale~A new kind o/ l fuel—The Tuapek'a'scat and twohhly ■ -'-si mdiiites;~Who will win i-The m- J J employed again,—The Governor, Secretary, of Hate, the Premier, and the.; Counc'l appointments Will there an: .Opposition. / Party l-Tlmlml ~)s| memoranda. ■ Most of the hotels about town are being smartened up, by the addition of a coat of paint to their exteriors 4 A and by a general overhauling of tho internal fittings and furniture. TlnY- " setting of houses in order " is, of ■■ in anticipation of Wednesday . I next upon which day the newlyelected licensing city of Wellington wilUUl^^^HHß ne'wals much talk'tiboutthe is generally believed licenses will be. refused, just of warning to several , others, but I with-this exception it is not thought ' that tho Committee, strongly tinged ! though it is with prohibitionist pro- , I clivities, will interfere with tho ox- LI istingstato of affairs. Tho Com. mittee, lam informed, firmly intend V;- ut to put down Sunday trading and X selling after hours and also to ab- : . solutely insist upon something more I than more bar accommodation, ■■ - I _ A petition, to be presented to Par- I liamont, is being largely signed about • town urging the Houso not to the provisions of the Alcoholic Liquors Sales Control 'Act of last session, until sufficient time has been allowed to elapso to test whether tho ;> 'M Act can be successfully worked or | not. The petition sets forth that 5 | tho Act as atprcsont framed, is sat- ; isfactory to tho great, bulk of tho 1 electors and therefore it is only right that a fair trial should bo fl given to it, enough sim- rfl ulfaneouslyWiWpotition abovo M alluded to, a requisition for the forniation of an anti-prohibitionist leaguo is also being taken round for > H signature. .This latter is also being : H largely signed by" all sorts and con- H ditions of men." It strikes one aS "- being rather a singular co-incidence though, that tho petition and the fl anti-prohibition requisition should • have made then-appearance together, I mentioned recently that sonio ■ very undesirable characters lmd been •;? imported into Wellington from Aus- ' ,3 tralia and that sneak robberies and occasional mild burglaries' were of nightly occurrence. Latterly, how 'Vi| over, an even more objectionable stato 'i of affairs lias existed in some parts ■ : of the city. What' I allude to is that many complaints liavo been - j made that women who happen to be ,:j out by themselves of a night have been followed ami accosted by men , who refuse to bo shaken off, Tho ovidontrespectability of the women thus followed is no hindrance to these cowardly ruffians and in several in-'' 1 stances women liavo been obhJSft to seek refuge house, in unpleasant attentions of these blackguards. A respectable girl hurrying home tho other evening was accosted by a man on one of the most crowded thoroughfares in town, and although he was utterly ignored by the frightened girl ho persistently forced his escort on her, until, at last in desperation she appealed to a policeman for protection, Even then this blackguard refused to leave, persisting that tho girl was bis sister and that J ho was escorting her homo. 1 'lt was if only on the constable tlireatening to j - run the fellow in to the police station, that ho sheered off, In fact, so great . is tho terror felt tlmtin certain parts . of the city, servant girls absolutely \ decline to take their " nights out, It is known that these men are not Wellingtoiiians, and the police liavo been instructed to kqop a sharp look out for these cowardly blackguards, Some of tho numorous' unemployed' are rough enough, goodness knows, but. thoy aro chivalrous gentlemen compared to these women molesters,

i The Government Printer, Mr' I E Costall, had mi unpleasant expcK" ! loncfl the other day, bat the thief in ! this instance proved to bo nothing • more than a precocious young urchin , of some cloven summers, It appears 1 that Mr Costall, having occasion to i leave his office for a few moments, i found on his return that his cash i box, containing about £l7 and the i keys of tlio safe and oilier parts of the building had been taken from his office table during his absence, llio police were atonco communicated with, and a search was niado high and low for the missing cash hox, hut without result. Some (lavs afterwards the casli box was found stowed away under some papers 111 the waiting room, with £2 10s of the money missing, Enquiries clicitcd the fact that a messenger boy hadbfieurather ilusli of money lately, so Hush in fact that he had. hired a i horse and trap to go for a drivo. -1 Upon being questioned 110 admitted tho soft impeachment, unreservedly owning up to the theft. The Magistrato dealt with the case sensibly and summarily by ordering tho )rascal to bo birched, confined ' in the lock-up foMour hours, and then handed ov", to his mother, lvlm would, no doubt, repeat and amplify the birching operation in tho sanctity' of helv«ome. It was at ni'st thought tliairSie robbery of tho cash hox was the work of some of tho "fancy,". An enterprising individual, however, did manage to get oil an impu- , • (lent theft in the samo building not long afterwards. A man walked into tho Government' Printing office and asked for the Government PrinIcr, and was told ; that gentleman ! was not in. He said lie would await Jus (the Government Printer's) return, and was shown into tho wait* ing 100 m accordingly, Sometime afterwards, when tho stranger was ;' ' sought for, it was found ho had departed, and so had also tho wait- - j ing room clock. This enterprising clock-maker" is still being sought .;vj J Tho" Omapere's" experience in ••■; ;■ the gale of last week when'she ranshort of cflal oilfng to the protracted - ■ voyage' from to Welling. :J■ ton, reminds . one, somewhat of tho - ■ expedients resorted to. in the good ' ■ old days by this reckless skippein of I Mississipi 'wheii: tlioy ■ wanted to keep up a full head of ' ■ steam _in order' to race boats of tho B W'«J,lines trading on tlio' liver. In H iho; h'eightof the gale tho' Omapere's' H nijiply of coal ran short, but the gal- - fl

the cargo ami for a considerable tiniQ stoam was, kept up by tlio fiinmces king boxes of paraHin, bags of elinMlMifus and bacons, and any otlior littlijFsundries which happened along, 13_ythc.se substitutes tlio furnaces voro kept red'hot and a full pressure of steam maintained, and tlio steamer enabled to makosonio slight headway against tho gale, until it) -moderated. The firomen considerably scorchod by tlio'flames which the furious blasts, rushing down tho ilunnol, forced out through the furJincobnrs,

_ I have heard it suggested several times recontly that tho up-train for Mastcrton should leavo town at 4 p.m. instead of at <1.30 p.m. as at present. If this alteration in the tiiuo tablo was made, Wairarapa peoplo havingbusincssiiitowiiwould find it a great convenience as they would be enabled to como down by tho morning train arriving in Wellington at 11.45, have some lunch, ■ transact their business,and catch the return train in comfort at 4 p.m. extra half hour would make all lo people who are should also in order to afford the same convenience toWellingtonbusiness men. " Tlioso concessions would bo hugely appreciated, and the time could be easily made up on tho way. 1 hopothatthcauthorities will see their way to made this proposed alteration, as I am sure it would be a great convenience to the travelling public. Another proof that Wellington is quickly becoming recognised as tho most suitablu lowu in tho colony for the head quari tors of banking and insurance institutions,- mercantile and shipping firms, is shown by the fact that the directors of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia in Sydney, havo just removed the chief ollico for New Zealand from Auckland to Wellington, Mi" Alfred Gilbert, Into .Resident Secretary for the South Island, lias como up to Wellington from Christchurch to tako charge as principal ollicer for Now Zealand. Mr J, C. Owen succeeds Mr Gilbert in the managc-me;U^|fHw(Mft-clmichollico. The Associatßßxlices in I'calhcrston and Brandon Streets are receiving a coiupletojovorhaul, andarobeingconsidcrably enlarged and nicely lilted np to accommodaletlieslalf of clerks, which tho transfer of the Hoiul Office from Auckland to Wellington renders it necessary should bo employed here. Mr Gilbert's many Wellington friends will welcome liis appearance once moreamongst I hem, and will wish hispopular Association an even greater measure of success than it lias enjoyed under his predecessor.

Tn political circles, I am told, it is talked about as being pretty well n certainty that Mr Scobio Mackenzie will contest tlio Tuapcka scat rendered vacant by the much regretted death of the gonial Vincent l'ykc. A Mr Eraser, a brother-in-law of the Hon. John McKcnzie, will, it is said, also contest the seat, of course in the Government interest, Mr Eraser lias • been in training for the scat for \ some time past, ns it was anticipated U that Mr Fyke would be compelled to onijtount of ilMicalth before ' and Governwill, however, deplore the fact tlmt the vacancy has been caused by the death of one whose kindly and generous nature, endeared him to political friend and foe alike. Mr Scobio Mackenzie's chances are reckoned upon as being excellent. Mr Eraser is a poor speaker, and as the advantages of an early education have been denied to him, it is highly probable his platform performances will not avail him much against the brilliant and caustic "Scobio." Of course the Government will be at Mr Eraser's back, and he will receive their moral support, but as the House will be in session it is not likely' Hint any member of the Government will bo able to lend him a band at speechmaking. I believe it is thought by both parties that the return of Mr Scobie Mackenzie to politics would be advantageous to the House, and so, should ho bo successful, his reappearance on the scene \villbe hailed with universal satisfaction.

Conversing a day or two ago with a gentleman from the South, I was informed that although trade was in a very state in all parts of the Island, and this gentleman had recently travelled nil over most pnrls of the country, yet strange to say the unemployed difficulty was not the authorities nearly as as in the North Island. As a matter of fact my friend remarked that although business is much brisker in the North, yet the unemployed trouble is much more accentuated. I innocently remarked " this seems strange, how do you account ■ ■ for it?" " Oh," my Southern friend remarked, "its explanation is exceedingly simple,- the Government lias shipped most of our unemployed North, and there are really very few, comparatively speaking, left to agi- ■ tiite." Fiuther enquiry elicited the . fact that Chrislcliurch is the only town where the unemployed are at all in evidence. I t would, therefore, appear that there is considerable reason to snppose tlmt the North Island iir general, and Wellington in particular, has been used as a dumping ground for the southern imemploral. Tho'Harbour Board has given notice to tlio Benevolent Trustees that their shed, now used as a night refngptor the unemployed will not be available for that purpose after thp end of the mouth. How these homeless and shelterless men will then bo disposed of, is a matter for speculation, Despite the fact that many men have been sent away, and taking into consideration the relief works which will shortly bo opened on the Queen's Drive, the authorities, •will still have many more men on hand than they can provide work for, Fresh arrivals are crowding into; town daily, and the congestion, instead of becoming relieved, shows every prospect of becoming more and more aggravated. It is a bad lookout for the winter. Men out of work in the country should be specially warned against coming to town,as by doing so they are simply jumping out of the frying pan into the fire,

.Dame Rumour hath it that the Govern' submitted Mv Soddons rccpifßnir more appointment,) to the Legislative Council to Lord Ripon, and that'the Secretary of State for the Colonies replied that if Mr Seddon wished to make any fresh appointments, lie must appeal to the country on the subject, Needless to flay, the Premier is hardly disposed to go to the country just now, so if tliq report is true, tlio aspirants for ''scats in tli6'Council must "bido a fee,"' Amongst ttoe whoso nnmo|

tvro reported to bo included in " tho little list" tiro Mrll, Brott,proprietor of : tlio "Evening Stui'" and " New Zealand Graphic," Auckland, Mr \V. C. Smith, late M.11.R, for AVnipnwn, and Mr Traslc, of Nelson, the latter being a personal friend of tho Premier's.

It has bccn assertod'thatthcrewill be no regular Opposition Party this session. From what I can learn this is partly correct and partly incorrect It is quito truo there will be no regularly appointed leader, but the remainder of tlio old opposition, with those elected recently will sit together directly facing the Government benches. If the fact of a compact little party sitting opposite tho Government benches and speaking and acting in concert does not form an opposition, I should like to know what does. The following members will sit on the front of tho opposition benches:—Mr Mitcliclson in Mr liollcston's seat, then Captain llusscl (in Sir John Hall's) next to him Dr Newman and Mkbvs J. G, Wilson, J. McKen;:ic, and Dalhio. Tho back row will be occupied by Messrs I'Yaser, Bell, Button, Jas. Allen, Buchanan, Green, Masse}', Lang ami others. Altogether, though not numerical ly strong, this little parly will form a fairly, solid phalanx and they are especially pluming themselves on the fact that they can do much to harry the Government forces by their attacks. Willi the assistance of tho redoubtable Scobie Mackenzie, should ho be elected, their attacking powers will be very much strengthened.

I Some little while hack wcwcre fold I hat in consequence of the depression in Australia, theatrical and musical combinations innumerable were going lo descend upon New Zealand as a fair lield for their talented attractions, but so far one cannot truthfully say that anticipations have at all been realized, Several companies certainly have recently favoured Wellington with ut visit, but as an opinion of llieir merils cannot be expressed without hurl ing someone's feelings perhaps the less said about the artistic attainments of most of these public entertainers, the better, The winter is now at hand, and at present " Charley's Aunt," the latest London comedy, which is on its way up from (lie South, is the only bright spot at present visible oil the horizon of coming amusements. It is (rue wo shall have Williamson's Opera Company round again about the New Year, but that is a longtime to wait for something really good. Another popular and enjoyable Company also due at the end of the year is Pollard's LilipntianOpcra Company, now in Queensland on its way to Singapore, With its return to New Zealand we shall renc.v our acquaintance with that charming and talented vocalist, MissCissicSamuel, who, on the operatic stage, has more than justified the expectations which her exceptionally successful amateur performances in Wellington some little time back justified one in forming, Miss Samuel (who is now known as "Miss Cissy Sandford") seems to have earned the good opinion of many of the principal Australian critics, and newspapers just to hand speak most highly of her compelcnt rendering of the leading parts in Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operas. It is needless to say thai Pollard's clever little Company, with Miss Samuel and tliatotherWclliiigloniun success, Miss Marion Mitchell, will receive a warm welcome when they return to this side.