WELLINGTON.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 397, 7 November 1868, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

(pbom otjb own correspondent.) 28 October, 1868

Parliament is over, the members have dispersed, ministers are enjoying a little hard-earned ease, and even the papers seem to have tided over for a little their great press of matter. The prorogation speech has been delivered and of course it told us nothing that we did not know. Everyone is settliug down into the quiet routine here, and comfortably making up their minds to have nothing more important todiscuss for the next few months than the approaching declaration of bankruptcy by the Provincial Government of Wellington, and the possibility of the Panama Mail Company running their steamers at a loss and paying a handsome dividend out of it. It is pleasant to feel that I have done with excitement for a short time, that for a few weeks I may think; read, and write at something less than express-train speed, that I shall have

leisure to chronicle matters less important, though perhaps infinitely more interesting than the howls of an opposition or the victory of a Ministry. The news from Patea, on tho West Coast is disheartening; not because it is dreadfully bad, or because any horrible reverses have happened to Us, but simply because it is impossible to make out tho truth. Tho Wayganui Times says:—"During the early part of yesterday 25 of Captain Hirtzells men laid down their arms and refused to serve any longer." This the Wellington Advertiser whose intelligence is semi-official flatly contradicts and charges the Times with circulating falsehoods. Then again, the Times says that Colonel Whit more has abandoned the Weraroa redoudt, that the tract of country between Kai Iwe and Patea is in the hands of the disaffected natives ; that Tito Kowara has given the Patea settlers 7 days to clear out, after which time he threatens to attack and exterminate them. The whole of this is point-blank denied by the Advertiser which states that, so far from Colonel Whitmore having abandoned Wereroa redoubt, he has advanced beyond it into the Patea, leaving 100 men behind him in the redoubt, to garrison it.

AVhat are people away from the scene to make out from this ? Who is the more likely to he right ? It is difficult to understand what object either could have in stating falshoods and yet they are certainly giving two diametrically opposed stories. Colonel M'DoDuell who resigned his commission a short time ago (some people said in disgust) has been induced by the G-overnment to "withdraw his resignation, and has obtained three months leave of absence — on dit that this resignation came about as follows —Colonel Haultain who was in the Patea district at th time of the last disasterous attack on Te Ngutio-o-te-Marue, gave Colonel M'Donnell orders to make the attack: M'Donnell objected saying that the attack could do no good and that the men must bo simply slaughtered if it wore made. Colonel Haultain (then Defence Minister) insisted upon which M'Donnell replied. " Well if you insist I shall do it, as you shall not be able to say that I was afraid, but I toll you beforehand what will be the result, and also if I come out of it I will throw up my commission." The attack was made, the men —poor fellows —were slaughtered, M'Donnell escaped unhurt, and his commission was resigned.

The latest excitement here is over the appointment, within the past few days, of Mr 0. E. Haughton, member for Hampden, and Government whip, to the office of Under (Secretary to the Defence Department. It is notorious that this gentleman has rendered most valuable assistance to the ministers during the past two years, and it was to be expected that he would be remembered in the distribution of any loaves and fishes; but that an office which the House was told was abolished as an useless expense, should have been re-constilutcd for the benefit, not of the public business, or of a public benefactor, but of a ministerial drudge is looked upon as somewhat bare-faced. There may posibly be reasons, both weighty and publie, for the appointment which most people don't know. Mr Stafford may have discovered peculiar ability for the office in Mr Haughton which a less acute mind would fail to notice, certain it is that the opinion is pretty general that the Colony would gain if Mr Haughton were simply pensioned and the resurrection of the Defence office left undone. The Government organ the "Wellington Advertiser says the appointment is merely temporary and rendered necessary by the increased business thrown on the office by reason of the late disturbances ; but there are persons who smile at this and say that a mere temporary billet need not be gazetted, and will permit this gentleman to hold his seats in " the Otago Provincial Council and the House of Representatives that he can in fact attend to all three and draw the emoluments therefrom, and that the Defence office will comfortably ride him over the recesses occuring between the sessions of the other two.

Party politics have been running high since my last letter Did I tell you that Mr Henry Anderson, commonly called Jack, Editor of the Wellington Independent, and with some reputation in the P. R. has been figuring rather unpleasantly in the Magistrate's Court? Lately there has appeared in the Advertiser some witty and cutting sketches on Provincial Covernmcnt affairs, in one of which Anderson was alluded to with reference I believe to the absorption of sherry in the Superintendent's office. Most people merely laughed at the sketch and then forgot it but Mr Anderson chose to fancy it was

hard hitting. Perhaps it -was, he knows best; but ho also chose to fancy that the sketch was written by Mr C. E. Haughton, and one evening he cngoged a trap, drove to an hotel where lie thought Mr Haughton lived, and on enquiring for th it gentleman was told ho did not stay there. He replied by shaking a servant' girl and insisting on her shewing him to Mr Haughtons room, and further by calling one of the proprietors of the Hotel a b -y liar. As might be expec* ted he was requested to leave the house (one of the quietest and best iu this city) which request he answered by a left bander, delivered at Mr Cattell the aforesaid proprietor, straight between the eyes. Unfortunately for Mr Anderson, Mr Cattell possesses a partner Mr Diamond, who a is remarkably good hand at the gloves, and the consequence was, that Mr Anderson, after receiving as nice a dressing down as a man can want, was pitched out into the gutter, where he lay for a few moments senseless. The whole affair—a most respectable one for a man who should hold the position of a gentleman—culminated iu the Magistrate's Court, where Mr Henry Anderson was fined £5 and bound over to keep the peace for six months.

The Grey Miver Argus reports that-: —" Mining news from the up-river diggings still continues very encouraging, and great expectations are formed for the comiug summer. The population is increasing on most of the diggings, and the prospects of the miners are generally considered excellent. At Nelson Creek, the claims at the Lower Township are still giving good returns. The new lead, two miles fnrther up, is turning out remarkably well, and the new arrivals are all making their way iu that direction. The sinking is shallow as yet, but it is believed to extend a great distance, aud to ruu into deep ground. There is much business activity displayed, and new stores, public-houses, and billiard-rooms are being erected. At Baimicoat's, a few miles above Noble's, some forty men are making good wages, notwithstanding the high prices the miners have to pay for provisions. At Noble's, some new ground recently opened, is turning out well, and there has lately been a very apparent increase in the population; the majority of the newcomers finding profitable employment. In this locality, great hopes are entertained of the success of a large water-race, which is now being surveyed, and. which will allow miles of of country now lying idle to be taken up aud worked with good returns. The great want in this locality is Water, and should this race be carried out successfully, the permanency of the diggings here will be insured for the. next twenty years. At Orwell's Creek, up the Ahaura, there are at present about 250 men doing pretty well. A new rush has been reported in this neighborhood, but the exact locality has not been made known. A few parties are at work at Barry's—the latest Ahaura Bush—some of whom are making from £9 to £l2 per week per man. The ground is very patchy ; but something good is expected to be struck in this locality soon. At No-town the water race companies are reported to be doing well; and throughout tbe other diggings the miners generally, are receiving satisfactory returns for their labor. The time exhibited by the clock "in the Telegraph office is now that of New Zealand Mean Time. This is in accordance with a resolution lately passed in the House of Representatives determining by statute the legalised time of the colony, which is now to be observed in all public offices. A contemporary writes : —" Of the utility of a ' mean time ' for the colony, now that the different parts of it are broughtinto close relationship withjeach other therere can be no doubt. The ouly quostion to be decided was what time should be used—whether the average meridian of New Zealand, the meridian which has an equal area lying to the east and to the west of it, or the average meridian of the few principal ports, should be taken. It was at length decided that the meridian of 172 deg. 30 m. east should be taken, because it is a close approximation to the average longitude of the colony, and also because it is lib.. -30 m. east of Greenwich, and being an even number is most suitable for calculations. The difference between -New Zealand mean time and Wellington true time —or, in other words, the difference between average meridian adopted, and the time meridian of Wellington—will be 9m. 11. 55.; thus, after the Ist November -next, to find Wellington true time (which however will, we trust, fall generally into disuse) it will be necessary to add 9m. 11.5 sec. to the time used in the G-ov-'ernment offices aud the office."