WELLINGTON.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 565, 9 October 1869, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(feom ouk own correspondent.) September 18. Wellington is as quiet as it is possible for a city to be. It is so dull that the staffs of the newspapers have caught the infection, and do not seem ableeven to concoct the monster cabbage paragraphs which generally come in so handily in slack times. To be sure, there was a meeting at the New Zealand Institute on Saturday last, and there is in prospective a Choral Society's concert to-night, and an annual meeting of the Philosophical Society afterwards, but still things are dull; even the gold fever is abating, and purchasers of scrip are becoming fewer, while the ranks of the sellers are swelling.

Among the rumors of approaching changes which are not likely to affect us, is one to the effect that his Excellency will probably, within the next few days, start for Auckland, and visit Wanganui and Taranaki e?j route. The most ardent admirer of Sir George Bowen could hardly expect anyone to believe his presence here makes the slightest difference either to the business or the gaiety of the place. Lady Bowen carefully eschews the capital, and, while she resides in, Auckland, His Excellency keeps a kind of bachelor's hall here. Any unmarried gentleman of moderate means who resides here now influences the place as much as His Excellency does, so that you Southerners need not feel at all jealous on account of Wellington being supposed to possess a vice-regal residence. Speaking of vice-regal residences reminds me of a little tale which was carefully hushed up during the session, but which has come out lately. During the Premiership of Mr Stafford it became necessary (in consequence of Government House being pulled down to allow of the new house being built) to rent a house as a residence for His Excellency. Accordingly one belonging to Sir Charles Clifford, and under the care of Mr Levin, was taken on lease. Mr Levin objecting to the lease being made out to the Crown, it was desirable to substitute the name of some gentleman well-known in "Wellington. Mr Domett, Mr Gisborne, aud some others were applied to ia vain, for permission to use ther names in the lease, and at length, that of Mr Stafford, the then Colonial Secretary, was inserted. Well, time went on; the Stafford Ministry went out; and the estimates were parsed, including £l5O for rent of Sir Charles Clifford's house. Mr Stafford, although no longer Premier, still continued to occupy the Premier's house, and at length Mr Fox, having given him a reasonable time to evacuate premises co which he had lost the right, wrote civilly and asked when it would suit him to give up the Premier's house. The reply was to the effect that when the Government chose to give him up possession of Sir Charles Clifford's house, he would quit the Premier's. His reply astounded all who saw and heard of it; hut Mr Stafford did more He showed a portion only of the papers referring the matter to Mr Travors who, after asking if he had seen all the papers, and being told " yes," gave his opinion that Mr Stafford had a le<ral right to the House. This opinion Mr Travers subsequently stated to Mr Fox, was wrong and would not have been given had he seen all the papers. However, Mr Stafford boasted that he had obtained an opinion and that he would stick to the house. Eventually his friends induced him to abandon his claim to the one house, and he has within the past few days evacuated the official residence.

I suppose you remember some months ago, when the Himalaya visited Wellington, and when, in consequence of the expressed wish of the people" of this Island at least, and the then Ministry, Commodore Sir Kowley Lambert ordered her away without taking the ISth Royal Irish with her. There wore very few people here who did not thank the Commodore for accepting the responsibility of acting a3 he did. Indeed his whole conduct since he has been on this station has shown a hind and generous desire to assist us in our difficulties with the Natives, a desire which both the men and officers under his command have alwaj's shown an anxiety to give effect to. "Well, at the time when the Colony was wishing our gallant naval countrymen every kind and pleasant wish, His Excellency, while seemingly agreeing with all that was done, quietly wrote to the Home Government, stating that the Commodore sent away the Himalaya solely on his own authority, without having mentioned it to the Governor, the Ministers, or any one else, and insinuating broadly that he in so doing was not acting in accordance with the wishes of Ministers or people. The result has been that th» Commodore has beon reprimanded by the Home Government. The intense feeling of dislike to His Excellency which the knowledge of this conduct

has given rise to will, I . fully expect, result in a public meeting sympathising with the Commodore and condemning the Governor. How differently has Sir George Bowen acted, to the way Sir George Grey did! The one has just done what he calls, perhaps, a stroke of diplomacy. He induced —or caused others to induce— Commodore Lambert to order the Himalaya away without the troops, and thus gains the immediate object required, while he fawns on the Home Government, writing to them and saying that he had nothing to do with the Commodore's disobedience to orders. Sept. 20. Since writing the above the Sturt has been got ready to take His Excellency to Wanganui. She is to leave this afternoon. Among the passengers inwards by the Omeo was Mr George Moore—an old settler—and his wife, who have returned from a lengthened visit Home.