THE TIME O' DAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5027, 16 May 1895, Page 3

THE TIME O' DAY.

[by THK SENTim,.] , Wkuikgtox, Tuesday. H MW JOURNALISTIC ENTERPRISE, I hear that a new daily newspaper, to be run upon entirely novel and original lines, will shortly be started iu Wellington. The now journal, it is stated, is not to be in any way ■ a party organ, but is intended to act as a reflex of public opinion only. The circulation of the paper will not be confined to Wellington and district alone, but it is intended to make the publication a thoroughly Colonial journal, and an entirely new departure in New Zealand journalism will be attempted, in order to achieve tho end in view. I am told that plenty of capital will bo forthcoming, and that the now paper will probably be floated as a company with a '\. strong share list. It is also further stated that the youngest and brightest of New Zealand journalists will be j^attracted (o contribute to its columns Why liberal iudueeuienjs. The business management will be in encget'o and competent bauds, and it is anticipated that a great financial, as well as literary, success will be the outcome of the new venture. No doubt, at present much of this is mora mooiishiiio and ' higli-ftilutin,' but I give you these rumours for what they are worth, believing there is some truth at the bottom of this woll of tall talk. There is not the faintest doubt a grand opportunity exists for the publication of a third newspaper in Wellington—whellierj morning or evening—hut on the! other hand, any new journalistic j venture must be possessed of plenty of capital to back it np. Speaking about journalistic enter.' prise, reminds me that 1 hear your, powerful contemporary The Emii;<ij\ J&pnsf, intends very shortly to build j premises upon a very extensive' scale, and that it is proposed to con-1 siderably enlarge the already ample I proportions of the only Wellington evening paper to about double its present size. I hope sincerely that this may turn out to be true, for although no matter how gladdening it may be to the proprietors' souls to see well-filled columns of advertisements, yet the general reader yearns forsorcethingmore mentally refresh-1 ing, from a literary and news point of view, than skilfully decocted notices of Empire Tea, Life Buoy Soap, or the latest fashions at Kirkaldie and Stains.

TUE I'IiOJECJ'EI) LOI'TEKY SCHEME. Some time ago 1 plainly stated in these columns, with some reservations, that a gigantic lottery was contemplated in connection with the disposal of the properties in the hands of the Globo Assets Company, and that Parliament would be asked to sanction a measure to give effect to the proposals. I notice now that Alie Evening l'osl refers to the matter ™i confident terms, and as thatinfluential journal does not often make a mistake, I have no doubt that my previous information was fairy well authenticated. Personally, I am well assured thatsuch a scheme for getting rid of the surplus assets has been seriously discussed by the Directors, ami that-the Government, although not willing to take charge of the enabling Bill, are not at all averse to the proposal. The recent failure of the Bank of Van Dieman's Land Lottery may, however, seriously hamper such a procedure in this Colony, should the matter go so far as to submitted to Parliament for its sanction. There can be little doubt that the proposal to dispose of the surplus assets by a gigantic lottery has much to commend it from many points of view, for if a success it would release the Company of a profitless burden upon the Colony of toperties valued at three-quarters a million, which, as mnttors are at present, are absolutely unsaleable, aud no doubt are still a drain upon the mother institution—the Bank of New Zealand—whose credit the Colony guarantees. Whether our legislators will look upon the proposed lottery in this light is another matter. They might do worse than consent to the Enabling Act.

Sroll-S 10 THE VICTORS AGAIN. The announcement that Mr J. W. Poynton, a solicitor with a moderate practice in Wellington, has been appointed Stipendiary Magistrate at Invevcargill is another exemplification of " the spoils to the ■victors" policy which has characterised the present Government' above all others, ever since it has been in power. Mr Poynton is, no doubt a very excellent legal practitioner in every respect, but I ■jjj\ to see what his special qualificaXMS are for an appointment to the magisterial bench, except on account of his unswerving fidelity to the Government at all times and seasons. Mr j°oynton's political fidelity has met with its reward, but it is very much op'e" to doubt whether thi.; alone is a recommendation for his appointment. It seems nothing less than shameful that with so many really excellent Mm already in the service, clerks of courts and others, many of them duJy qualified solicitors, that they shorn'd be deliberately passed over in favour of an _ outsider whoso sole claims to consideration consist of political flunkeyism. .Setting aside the injustice inflicted on old officers in the service by these political appointments they are also a serious menace to the independence of the Magisterial Bench,

wi i'Ebe's imnkbuitcy. It seems probable after all, that there will be one vacancy at least, in the House very shortly. I refer ft* the application which has just Win made to the Supreme Court in Auckland, to declare Mr Wi Peie, 31..H.K, for the Eastern Maori District, :t bankrupt, which if successful, will result in this really capable Maori Member resigning Ms seat. It has been known for a long time past, that Wi Pere lias been somewhat deeply involved financially, mainly brought about, people say, by his prediction fovj .horse-racing. .Wi Pere, I am told, is really the mvnev of Mahaki-the liorso which won the last Wellington! Cup—although nominally lie is run under lli'O namG °- a relative of the Maori Member. ror SHOTS AT POLITICS.

Parliament opens as usual, at the latest date it « possible to postpone it to, namely the 21st June. It is an absolute now, that Mr Ward cannot rawh tho Colony much before the middle of July, and therefore tho Financial Statement (no doubt in the misantimoit will be prepared by the permanent head of f" i Treasury) cannot be delivered til the session is w.sll advanced, is will be the first instance on record, in which a Colonial Treasurer las been absent from the Colony upon the opening of Parliament, There is no doubt that Mr Ward's absence will very seriously hamper tho progress of public business,

I and will cause much adverse eoni' inont in tho House.

The main policy Bills of the Government will, I am credibly informed, be the reform of the Tariff, the ameudmeut of the present Local Government Acts, tho further consolidation of tho present Native Land Acts, more Bank of Now Zealand legislation, and possibly proposals for a new loan for Public Works purposes. Tho Government will undoubtedly have a stronger following in the House, at tho beginning of the session, than ever, although I fully believe that subsequent developments will result in the secession of several supporters who havo more thau once shown signs of wavering allegiance, Mr George Hutchison, having practically been received into tho fold of the so-called Opposition, will considerably strengthen the hands of the occupants of the benches who sit arrayed against tho Government, Sir Patrick Buckley is still very ill with sciatica, at ltolorua, I hear, and it is quite on the cards, that the leadership of the Upper House, may for a time at least in the earlier part of tho session, fall on Mr Montgomery. Not a. very bright outlook for tho Government, if th'S courso unfortunately becomes necessary, for Mr Montgomery is neither very tactful nor popular in that august body—the Legislative Council. 1 am informed by a gentleman who is a personal friend of Sir Geo. Grey and his family, that it is quite unlikely the Great pro-Consul will ■ take his scat in the House this session, for he finds himself far too I comfortable where he is to wish to leave Englandjustyet.The Auckland people might well growl at the continued absence of any other epreseutative but Sir George from nis Parliamentary duties but tlieyj ;now full well (and no doubt the| ex-Knight of Kawuti knows it also) j that his is a enscinwhiuha little more than ordinary latitude may well be allowed. Sir George has mighty claims upon Hie gratitude of the city of the North, which it would be hard to set aside. No doubt further leave of absence will be asked for Sir George Grey at tho beginning of the session, which of course, the House will teadily grant.

The Tariff Commission has now finished their tour, and they are here in Wellington, wo are informed, digesting the mass of evidence they have collected, in order to draw up a report. Let us hope that the process of deglutition they are engaged in may not have any ill effects upon their digestive organs. Jf (he Commissioners can comfortably digest the vast mass of useless information they have gathered together daring their two months tour of the Colony, and bring up a coherent report by the end of the mouth, they will, to say the least of it, bo perfect boa-constrictors in the art of assimilation. I expect, however, that the report will last the Commissioners comfortably up to the beginning of the session, thereby providing light, pleasant and profit--1 able employment for these faithful followers who cannot hereafter say they have not participated in the pickings of patronage which are so liberally showered around nowadays. As a matter of faufc, a report on the Tariff, drawn up the Tariff Committee last session, has been in the hands of the Government ever since it was presented. That report was quite sufficient for all practical purposes. The second report which is now being brought forth with so much labour, will, I doubt, not be anything more than amm rkliadus after all

There seems now to be "no possible shadow of doubt," us they say in the " Gondoliers," that tlio real reason of Mr Ward's mission to England, was to obtain, plainly put, financial assistance for the "J. (x Ward Co., Ltd.," of Southland. It w as long ago asserted in these columns, I that Mr Valentine, the ex-Agricul-tural and Pastoral Expert to the New Zealand Government, had gone Home, simply and solely to float a huge syndicate, with the help of Messrs Nelson Bros,, into which the business of the J, G. Ward Co., Ltd., would be merged. Everyone knows now, that this scheme fizzled out, and so there was nothing for it, but

for Mr Ward to go to I'ingland and fake the matter in hand personally. That he is succeeding beyond expectations, recent cablegrams show, and future developments will he awaited with interest,

Tiff: I'HEM'EI! HAS AX EYE TO IIEAUTY. Judging from reports in the dailypress, the Premier is stated to have asserted that ho has a keen eye to the beauties of nature. I suppose it was the Premier's love of nature which induced him to lay waste the grounds in front of the Parliamentary buildings, and turn them into a howling wilderness of depressinglooking lawns, on which the grass won't grow, and to plant in lieu of the graceful frees, which used to make the edifice picturesque, a few stunted shrubs and sickly flowers, which even the hideous manuka wind-shelters are unable to coax into decent growth, i also presume it was the Premier's eye to beauty, which led to that fearful and wonderful collection of ferns and palms, dolefully stuck into green tubs, and bravely struggling for existence, which graces tho main entrance lobby of the Government buildings. "The Bowery," or "Hennah's Delight," in graceful allusion to the Chief Messenger, the Premier's brother-in-law, as the clerks in the buildings facetiously term the umbragoous collection. Visitors from tho country should not fail to inspect this unique conservatory. They will be impressed.

I'lilClilESS TIiKASUItI'S OK ART. What qncor things one does see sometimes when you take your walks abroad without your—cheque-book. Strolling down Cuba Street the other day with a friend we languidly looked into the window of a secondhand dealer's shop and amongst tho articles of" bigotry and virtue " as Mrs Malaprop would say, wo espied two ancient looking violins tho inscriptions upon which immediately galvanised ns into a state of breathless excitement, One violin was boldly marked "Real old * Strad' only £3," the otter instrument bore the legend " Violin 100 years old, only£2." Fancy buying a "real Strad "for £3! Shades of Pagannini what an opportunity for a virtuoso ! Being impecunious as well as sceptical we resisted tho temptation to purchase the Stradivarius and so it is there now. But what if tho" Strad" were genuine, tho secondhand dealer says it is, and bo may be right, he certainly ought to know. There is a small fortuno in a real " Strad " for a speculative young man—from tho country—with £3, for it might be worth anything under £2,000. Later on in the week at another dealer's establishment. I had another opportunity of making a fortune, but I resisted the tempta-

tion. Peering into the filiop I saw a small cracked canvas in a dilapidated gilt frame proudly inscribed " genuine Vimdyko, price 155," A Vandyke for 15s! It was a strong temptation, but as I say, 1 fled from it. The " Vandyke " also awaits a purchaser. There may be—l say advisedly, may ho—a fortune in this old canvas also, who knows ?

GOOD Clittl'R FOR THIi CHILDREN. It is a kindly and a happy conception this projected treat to tho poor children of Wellington on the Queen's Birthday. His Worship the Mayor is, 1 believe, the originator of the idea. All the poor children of Wellington, gathered together from the records of the Benevolent Instituteaud other charitable organisations in the City, are to be feted on tho Basin Itcserve. They are to bo supplied with a good hearty dinner and refreshments ml lib during the day, and a long programme of sports and games got up for their amusement. Many a poor child who has little fun or amusement during the year, and very often knows what it is to go hungry to bed, will remember the 24th of May, 1895, as a red-letter day in its existence. I hear that subscriptions are coming in readily, and the only thing necessary now to make the JiVi; a success will be real " Queen's weather."

ax ixtwiXAxr ei.fflc, One would be inclined to think that intolerance on the part of tho clergy was happily a thingof t he past. Occasionally, however, you happen to drop across a lino old crusted cleric, whose ideas are a hundred years or so behind the times. Such an one was to be met with at a suburban concert the other night, , who signally distinguished himself by his conduct. The concert had been organised by the eurate,a wellmoaning though somewhat callow youth of the mothcr's-ineetingtype, in aid of the building fund of ut new I Church-room they were opening. The incumbent of the Parish, as in duty bound, graced the proceedings with his presence and with the wife of his bosom, sui'lcd benignly through his spectacles on the pcrfoi malice from the front seal. All went smoothly until a well-known local reciter got upon the platform in his turn, and commenced to recite a piece which was a harmless satire upon life in an oldfashioned English village. First of all the squire was satirised—that was well and good—and then the reciter commenced on the parson. This was too much for the incumbent. He bounced upon his feel, and in a voice of thunder, exclaimed, "This is disgraceful, a nice sort, of entertainment

to bring me to," and forthwith llounced out of the hull with his cluliiul spouse in close convoy. Naturally the audience and performers wore alike startled, and as for (he poor curate, it is doubtful whether he will ever recover from the shock to his system.