JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4889, 29 November 1894, Page 3

JOTTINGS from WELLINGTON

(By Our Own Correspondent)

■ Tuesday. ThcflrainageDispHte.—AQmslionable Appointment,—What Constitutes on Engineer 7— Mr Ikctes' Mission The Prohibition Orders Farce. How a Wellington Publican was Sold!-An IntercstingMusicalEvent.-Pmcrbial Weather.—The Reunion Graze.— Yachting in Tort Nicholson,—Theatrical Matters.-llacing at the Unit.

A great deal of fuss is being mado about tho proposed sowago outfall into Lycll's Bay depreciating the valnoof property in the vicinity, and generally convortiug what is now a healthy and picturesque resort, into an evil smelling and unhoalthy locality, Tho objections, of course, come from property owners in the neighbourhood of the proposed outfall, who appear to havo suddenly discovered that the value of their properties is likely to be depreciated by tho drainage into the Bay, It is Btrajjb how frequently we see people seiziirg overy excuse to impede the van of progress, no matter upon what flimsy supports their objection may rest. Now an objection was raised a year ago that the discharge of sewage into Lycll's Bay would damage the cable, and forthwith a special Act was hurriedly pushed through Parliament to proviilo against that contingency, even though it was shown that it would tako at least twenty years for tho cable to be covered with a deposit an inch thick. This was proved by export and scientific evidence, and tho Telegraph Department after making provision in caso any damage should arise, rested content and allowed tho sewage works to proceed without further objection. Lycll's Bay, as most of your readers know, faces tho ocean. It can hardly bo called a bay in the true sense of tho word, for it is a mere indentation in the coast line and not land locked. Tho discharging sewers aro to run some distance out into tho sea, and with the tremendous pressure which must result from tho great fall it is proposed to give tho sowers, tho sewage matter will he rushed out into the ocean churned up into a liquid state. The prevailing winds in Wellington aro northerly, and rather than a current setting into tho bay, thero is a strong current out to sea. Even supposing tho sewage matter was deposited on tho coast, which in any quantity is a practical impossibility, it would bo completely deodorised and entirely inocuous. Tho City Council having heard the objectors and considered the objections raised, havo very properly decided not to interfere with the present proposals for the disposal of the city's sewage, it is not believed, howover, that any trouble will result one way or tho other as tho objectors will find they have raised a bugbear, which time will show has noexistoncosavo in their own imaginations. It would have been unreasonable for a few, a very few people to have marred the utility of what is tho most important municipal undertaking ever projected in this City. The greatest good to the greatest number must prevail on these occasions and if necessary tho few must suffer. However, as has been shown, tho fow ; 'have really no cause for alarm. \

As one who knew on undoubted authority who the competent and reliable engineer was tho Government liare sent np to adjust the grievances of the co-operative labourers, engaged in the construction of tho 51akohine viaduct on the North Island Main Trunk Line, I was vastly amused at the speculation concerning his identity, As a matter of fact there is no impropriety in statin? " now that tho fat is iu the fire" what is an open secret to every other man in town, The "engineer" is really no professional man at all, bat is nothing' more nor less than a very worthy ex-publican, of Wellington, Granted ho is a man of considerable i aenmen, yet the knowledge acquired in successfully running a" pub" is hardly sufficient recommendation for an appointment of this nature. A knowlcdgo of men ho may havo acquired by a long experience in hotelkoeping, but his knowledge of practical engineering must be nil seeing that tho nearest approach to the subject is only to be gained in the trade by manipulating the handles of a beer ongine! This is another of thoso appointments which make one stand aghast, and it would really appear that tho selection of the unfittest is tho principal which guides the powers that be in these matters.

I am informed that the Hon. W. P. Reeves' mission to Australia does not meet with the unqualified approval of his colleagues, and that as a matter of fact they did not seethe necessity for his pilgrimage at all, Tho Minister, however, felt quite „ auro that there was something to bo ■- learnt fromtheneighbouringcolonies ' in the matter of labour legislation, " and as also he, no doubt, required a holiday after the fatigues of the session, ho was determined to go, and gone hehas. One would havothought) though that rather than learning ' anything from Australiaaboutlabour legislation, we would havo been far moro able to teach, It may be assumed from, this visit that next will see a fresh avalanche of ftfour Bills.

It has long been felt that tho practice of issuing prohibition orders is a porfect farce, and in no place in the Colony is the utter futility of tho system raoro plainly seen than in Wellington. Dozens upon dozens of orders aro hungup in the bars of tho hotels, and the unhappy landlordis supposed to hare by heart the descriptions of the" prohibited " persons. He has not even the doubtful aid of a photograph of Unprohibited ono, and it is only by a lucky guess or by the possession of an intuitive faculty he is able to refuse to supply liquor to a person whom he suspects is prohibited. Now Wellington is a fairly large town, and it is a sheer impossibility for any-one landlord to know by sipfht even a very small porcoutago of prohibited people, and yet should he perchance supply liquor to such people, the ncavy hand of tho law is down on him in a twinkling. Landlords come and landlords go pretty frequently in Wellington, yetyto ho a stranger or bo ho an old identity, tho law knows no distinction should a mistake be made.' A highly respectable publican confided his woes to mo tho other day anont this much vexed question. It appears lie had been particularly warned against supplying liquor to a certain person, and was cautious accordingly. Now ' Uonjfaco is a perfect stranger to ' Wellington, and his intentions were of tho best. One line day lie obsorved a Bcedyrlookiiig individual. in the jjanvbo appeared 'tp tally with the

description of the prohibited porson. Assuming therefore his most severo air ho politely told the would-bo customer ho was unablo ,to supply him. Tho customer was naturally indignant, and desired to know the I'onson why, Ho was promptly told. Result, a fresh outburst of indignation, and tho landlord was threatened that tho matter would be reported to the authorities should ho persist in his refusal to servo iiquor. Tho landlord was linn believing this to be more bounce, and ordered the irato suspect off the premises. Fortunately at this stage someone olso came in, who identilied tho irato one as a perfectly respectable citizen, and satisfied miuo host that this was so. Of course, the landlord was profuse in hisnpologies, but it was somo time before tho insulted customer would consent to bo pacified. This, as the landlord remarked, is what tho unfortunate publican, who is too conscientious runs the risk of doing ever day. This anccdoto will serve to illnstrato the inutility of a prohibition order. If country publicans find it difficult to idcilify prohibited people, the difficulties are incronscd ten-fold in the large towns, The trouble of courso is lo suggest something better, but that is not my function at tho present moment.

An interesting musical function takes place on Friday and Saturday next in tho shape of tho Public; Schools Choral Union Concerts at the Opera House. Mr Rohort Parker who is well-known to be possessed with the capacity for taking infinite pains, has trained from amongst the school children of tho city a choir of over 600 voices, and they aro now about to make their first appcarnnco in public on the concert stage. The items on tho programmo consist almost entirely of concerted pieces, and 1 am told that tho fresh young voices of tho children render the choruses with a surprising and most pleasing effect. It is no easy matter to knock into musical shape such a large body of voices even amongst adults, audit is doubly difficult of courso with children. As a musical event it is well worth recording and Ido so with that intent. It is also worthy of note that this is the largest choir uf voices which has ever been got together and trained in Wellington.

It has long passed into a provorb hero that when a man-of-war comes into port, or a circus announces its arrival the rude blustering breezes which have bestowed upon Wellington its uuenviablo reputation for wind, arc generally seen at their worst. The present is no exception to the rule. H. 51, S, "Royalist" is in portnnd Fitzgerald's circus arrives in a day or two. Since tho Royalist has been here and the circus bills have gone up a living gale has been blowing, first from one q'larter and then from another. For the Messrs Fitzgerald's sake I trust the gale has been a bit " too previous " on this occasion, and that their fine spread of canvas will not be reduced to the ragged stato which a visit to Wellington usuallycntails. As to tho men-of-war, long experience has taught them that the snuggest and safest place is alongside tho wharf, and tho Royalist was very quick in hauling in accordingly. It is not dignified to lie alongside a wharf like any ordinary merchantman, but it is certainly more comfortable, and the officers can get ashore with dry coats.

There appears to be a perfect craze just now for provincial reunions, Anyone would thing that the ex-residents of the other provincial districts who happen to be located in Wellington had been doomed to a perpetual and cruel exile in some benighted foreign shore, instead of being amongsttheir own kith and kin in a not very terrible part of the land of their birth or adoption, Ex-Otago and Canterbury residents meet together and bewail their unhappy fate in being ,'cast upon the inhospitable shores of Port Nicholson, quite unmindful of the fact that thoy in most instances left their dearly beloved provinces to bettor their positions in much abused Wellington. They aro somewhat ridiculous, theso " fore-gatherings," and 1 should almost advise counter-demonstrations on the part of ox-Wellingtonians who may be unfortunate enough to find themselves stranded in Otngo and Canterbury. Of courso tho wholo thing is a relic of the petty provincialism which used to prevail, and which, by tho way, Mr Scddon seems anxious to revive, There is some sense and reason in Germans, Frenchmen, Scandinavians, and others forming themsolves into Associations by means of which they can meet together occasionally and revive memories of the father land, but we colonists are Now Zealanders first, and Otagans, Canterburyites, and Auoklandors afterwards. This reunion business is dreadfully overdone, but it shrewdly strikes rao that perhaps after all these provincial gatherings arc mooted moro for I the convenient purpose of allowing | a few choice spirits to havo a good | time of it iu a while, than for anyj thing else.

The yachting seasonjis now in full swing hero and an extremely pretty sight it is to seo these dainty craft on cruising days spread their" white wings" to tho favoring brec/.0. Yachting is a pnstimo which is most admirably adapted for an expanse of water liko Port Nicholson. Upon niuc days out of ten there is far too much wind and sea for rowing, while our yachtsmen now possess crafts which can venture out in any kind of weather from a gentle southerly breeze to a howling " nor-woster." A considerable amount of capital is yearly expended here upon tho upkeep of the yachts, and tho utmost pride is exhibited in keeping the boats in ship-shape fashion. About half the young men in Wellington go yachting on Saturday afternoons and many spend very pleasant, profitablcandbcalthy Sundays cruising around tho various bayß, or venturing for a short spin into tho straits,

It is a» manly and invigorating , pursuit, and I know of no outdoor occupation in which a young man an more profitably cugage. Yachting in Wellington harbour is not a kid glove pursuit, and as a natural consequence our yachtsmen are not of| the fine weather and smooth water kind. There is generally more than a capful of wind about,.and in a clipper yacht on the waters of Port] Nicholson, the yachtsman who is afraid of a" ducking "or a wet jacket had much bettor stay at home. The keonest intorcst is taken by a large section of tho public in the periodic yacht races, and generally this fine .pastime was nevermore prosperous in Wellington than it iB at tbo present iubraont. /

[' In mattors theatrical thero has boon a deadly dulncss for a long timo I past hero.' This gloom is to be removed first of all by the visit of the big circus (if ono may inoludo it under tho term theatrical) which has lately scored such a success up your way, The circus commotion being safely passed the celebrated BroughBouoicault Company are to open at the Opera Housoon the 10th proximo, a series of now plays. To tho Broutflis' reappearance wo worshippers ofThespis, look forward with much pleasure, carrying our thoughts back as wo do, to tho onjoyablo season which this talented Company, played here some months ago. The Brough-Boucicault Company will play hero for about a fortnight, and then the running will bo taken up by Pollard's Liliputian Opera Company who aro booked to produce a gorgeous pantomimo at tho Opera Houso during the Christmas holidays and thereafter as long as it will draw, Early in the New Ycnr Williamson's Opera Company promises ns a visit, so although lately there has boon a dearth of theatrical amusements, wo have a plethora of good things to look forward to.

I hear tbatßovcrol largo sums were won at the recent spring meeting of the Wellington Racing Club at the Hutt, while on the other hand not so much is said about the amounts lost. A certain woll-known Wairarapa racing man had an excellent run of good luek, winning, I am told, in stakes and bets a trillo over £SOO, Tho races wero very poorly attended the number of people on either of the days not oxceeding 800. As usual, the meeting was conducted on strictly teetotal lines, and this perhaps had something to do with the poor attendance, although on the other hand the absence of the drinking booths resulted in a very orderly and well-behaved crowd, and consequently added considerably to tho comfort and enjoyment of those who went out purely to see the raoing,