JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4765, 5 July 1894, Page 3

JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON.

(By Our Own Correspondent), Tuesday. A pleasant Excursion, The late Mr Peterson's last Organ Eedlal—Tk vcw Speaker.-Rejlec-Horn,—Post Office tram-cars,—The man of many experiments,—That umbrella—The advertising drop scene at the Opera House and the creditors: Will they spare us I—Ooal at Mirimar: Can it be tml—The great ■ sensation.—A few superfluous renrnks. -Current rumms for what they are worth.

Several of our leading residents, including Mr and Mrs Jolm Duncan, Mrs and Miss Izard and others, left Wellington on Friday to join tlio "Taviuni "nt Auckland en rwilc for the South Seas, where tlicy will cnioy the soft breezes and blue skies cf tfieso Fortunnto Isles for some six weeks or two months, returning to New Zealand again when tlio back of our unusually udulcnsant winter has been broken. The " Tnviiini" has a very full complement of passengers from all parts of the colony, and as the Managing Director, Mr James Mills, forms 0110 of the excursionists, everything should bo managed in first-class style. I envy these lucky people their trip to " Summer Isles of Eden," shimmering in the bright sunlight, whilst we further South nro shivering in the icy blasts of winter, The Governor's trip to llaratonga has made this excursion quite fashionable, so I have no doubt that steamers will be put on regularly every year, as is done for the Sounds excursions. Tlio "Taviuni" calls at liaratonga, Tahiti, Samoa aud Fiji. ■

On the evening of this day week I had the pleasure of listening to the late Mr Magnus Peterson's organ recital at St. John's Church, Little did the largo audicnccdrcamtliatthe talented organist would have been hurried into eternity in such fearful hasto ere a few days had llown. To be choked while peacefully eating his dinner in his home, and so horribly suddenly too,scenisdrcadful, The utter helplessness of the frantic wife who was trying to relieve the agony of !ier suffocating husband, is pitiable to contemplate. Cut off in the heyday of his health, strength, and manhood with bis brilliant prospects before him, seldom have I heard I think of a sadder ease. The reason why I went to the organ recitnl in question, when Mr Peterson played in public for the last time, was because I saw it advertised that the choir would singMcndelssohn's Anthem "He watching over Israel slumbers not nor sleeps." 1 thought of ''The Heavenly Twins" at oneo as theso lines arc the burden of the book. I perused "The Heavenly Twins" with much interest, and I therefore thought I would like to hear this solemn chant which the Cathedral Bells make so much of in Sarah Grand's book. I was not disappointed. The music was stately and solemn just as the words are. Sarah Grand's lex} v was lofty; woidd the eontext had been So altogether.

Sir Maurice O'llorkc does not appear to be his old self at all. Formerly ho was firm and unyielding mid most tenacious and jealous of the rights and privileges of the Speaker. This year, I am told, lie is quite altered. The Government do as they like and the Speaker says never n word. I nm not alluding, of course, to Sir Maurice's behaviour in the chair, there lie is firm enough, but it is behind the scenes and off the stage that this yielding to Scddonian nrcssuro is evident. The statement that lie (Sir Maurice) has no objection to Colonel Frascr as Sergeant-at-Arms, is proof positive that pressure is being brought *■> bear. Perhaps this ready compliar with the Ministerial Will is in paym.nt for the Speakership. 'lf so, Sir Ma 'rice has paid dearly for his election to the high office of Speaker. It is reported that Sir Maurice O'liorke intends to retire finally from politics at the close of the present Parliament and that he was therefore on this account all the more anxious to have the eclat of being speaker once more, ns a lilting eonelusion to Jiis long and distinguished Parliamentary career. I think Sir llobert >t might very well have let the jlcad past bury its dead" in reference (o Colonel Eraser's former career, and so l think also a lr |luig evening paper might have done, it would have been more generous, more charitable and more

dignified fo have foughttho Government with other weapons. Colonel Fraseris now tTj'ing to live down the past and to atone for liis former lapses by living a beli' 1 ' 'ile now. It was eruej to keep up bli Jijmorics of the past, more especColonel Eraser has paid, and will pay to the end of his days, the heaviest pcnnlty which society can j inflict on a man for an offence against its code of honour. Without in any way trying to excuse the Government's conduct in making such an appointment, I think, in the kindness of their hearts the Government critics should have shown a little more forcbearance. As things arc now a fooling of sympathy with Colonel Eraser has sprung up which may tend to cloud the main point at issue, namely, the illegality of the appointment,

The Post Office tram cars arc now running, aud arcdistinguishcd from the ordinary cars by tho fact tkt each bears . a small tin bauner paintcdrcd, •" is inscribed the device' Poster The letter box is at the euifofthe car ; where the conductor stands. Ido not bclicvo that this experiment will prove a success, nor do I think that the public will bi!particularly convcnienced tlio> by, This letter box car notion is, m doubt, all very well in large cities, but in a tovn of the size of Wellington, the adoption of tho system seems to be rather mpcrfhious, more especially as pillars and lamp-post letterboxes are to bo found at every corner. This is another fnd of that very prolific,gcuius the Hon J. G. Wird, Colonial Treasurer aud Postmastc.'-Genernl. It is a ve/y happy idea that presentation of an unbrclla to Captain Edwin. Perhaps tho Captain will take the hint and turn us on something better in tho shape of wcatlnr than the sort of thing we have been treated to so liberally lately, If the Bowling Club by their appropriate gift, does not succeed in bringing Captain Edwin toamorc lively sense of his responsibilities, he must possess a conscience like uuto the nether millstone. Perhaps on the other hand 1 Captain Edwin's new possession may make him callous to the discomforts of his less fortunate and umbrella-less fellow colonists.

The bankruptcy of Haggctt ami Percy, the proprietors of the hideous advertising drop scene in the Opera House, gives a chance for the abomination to be swept away. Unfortunately, however, the drop scone yields the very handsome nett profit of f'iJCO a year for a rental of £9O, anil it therefore forms ft very considcrableitcm in the firms'list of assets, so it is unlikely that the creditors will be magnanimous or self-abnegating enough to agree to the contract being coucellcd with the Opera Houso Company, The Opera House Directors are perfectly willing to cancel the contract and the playgoers in Wcllingion, who nightly have to endurejtho spoiling of the most effective stage tableaux by the descent of this monstrosity, will anxiously await the decision of Messrs Haggctt and Percy's creditors regarding the matter. If the creditors agree to the contract being cancelled they will earn the gratitude of all the playgoers in Wellington, j but in these times of storm and stress, it j is hardly,likely they will part with £3OO a year so easily earned.

There was recently a rumour floating about town that coal had been discoveicd on the Messrs Crawford's property, at Mirimar, only a few miles from Wellington. This rumour docs not appear to havo been substantiated, so I am fain to believe that tlio reported discovery is all moonsliine. I sincerely trust, however, that such is not [lie case, for ij fjood coal'mine in such close pwjtuty ty tOffll g'Te au p<.

mcnsc impetus to do more to advance this amount of loan money Public Works,

I cannot conclude my without passing a few the great sensation—tlio Zealand Share Guarantee your renders have ken up to date in all that has oJßjJt'lNovcr liave I seen such the Honso as on Friday night.. Lonjtyofore tlio doors opened there was a ; )thing crowd struggling for admissio to the galleries, for everyone seemed ,I! know what was on the tapis, and h Ci ' thoy knew was wonderful as tho real !>to of affairs was only known by f very few at 6 o'clock. It was simply! iWcllous how rapidly the news ife\ jound tlio City.. Many people were 1 rd to declare that the vrholo affair wasK crely ame of the Government's to ens o the establishment of their pot sch" ie,_ a State Dank, and to secure withou joiug openly on tlio London mnrkot, a mof a million. However, before the (I onial Treasurer had finished his speech was plainly to bo seen from the irapr isivo earnestness of his style that 111 Iters were j'enlly in extremis with thcUank and that nothing but the passing if this Bill before the morning, would avert disaster. The rest is well know), how tlio House passed the Bill llirou|h all its stages, and then referred it o the Legislative Council-for their saiction aud then tlio weary hours wlii'c the Lords hagglcdovcr t]iemcasnre,re['rrcil it to a select committee to report and finally sent it back to tlio waiting -onimons for the finishing touches, I was an exciting time and one ofikeinost stirring events I should think vhich has ever happened in the histoi y of New Zealand politics. Let us only hope tjiat enough has been done, and llaiitmny not be necessary in our time 11 attoupt such sensational legislation ng tin.

_ Matters lmvo quietened down i «• sidcrably now, and our on Ims resinned (lie oven tenor of its ivay, but there is still a goodi'al of talking going ou about the I 11. Speculation is rife as to the ifnstitution of the now Board of Diicctors in Wellington, and as to whom the Government will appoint to the positions of President and Auditor. Already rumour is busy with tin nann'of n well-known Wellington business xuin who formerly held a seat in the : ilonso, and is known to Be favored of'the Government. This gentleman is variously mentioned as likely to bo appoiuntjl either President or Awlitor,butof courfl it is impossible that the Government cal havo considered the matter yet., Otluß people say that the Mjjl to be a prominent Civil) lias shown considerable bit] and financial ability since. mcnt to the charge of a. meiit. If this is so this gen']of courso have to resign hi/ bo entirely unconnected wi Service in any shape or foi as I have before mentioned solutcly no credence to be of these vague rumours, give them to you for v worth—possibly notlung atj{ ' Se^^| g 1' HTSMEN UN.j'fj A CHORUS OF APPStaI —— |f. When sportsmen in all able globe show unanimity tlio marvellous cures effected by a ucditi mcnt must, indeed, possess most villuig properties, Tbe virtues ot St Jacoo's] havo elicited from "Bports" of ovcry oh in Australia, America, and Great Bntai, chorus of approval. The speed and effio , with which St Jacob's oil cures and subdue pains and bruises of all kinds aro aekootf tallied by leading cricketers, footballers, pedestrians, cyclists, scullers. yachtsmcQ, swimmers, shootors, and •' turfites'' in both hemispheres. The following representative sportsmen, among man; others, havo from personal experience, spoken to tlio nieritsol St. Jacob's oil:

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