LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS. The Opening of Parliament. [PER TELEGRAPH.]

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1540, 18 May 1882, Page 2

LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS. The Opening of Parliament. [PER TELEGRAPH.]

Wellington, Last Night. Parliament will be opened to-morrow afternoon by a commission consisting of the Speaker of the Upper House (Sir Win. Fitzherberfc), the hon. F. Whitaker, and Major Richmond, of Nelson. Should the latter not arrive in time, another gentleman will be appointed. The Governor's speech will not be delivered till Friday. Nothing is yet settled about the Chairmanship of Committees. After the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Government will submit Idemnity and Peace Protection bills, having reference to the recent West Coast affair. A Deputation of the Chamber of Commerce and private citizens waited on the Golonial Secretary to protest against the erection of the central prison on Mount Cook, Wellington. The arguments used were that the principle of erecting penal gaols in iarge centres was a bad one, and was not followed elsewhere, and also that it would tend to depreciate the value of property in the neighbourhood, and that the site was too valuable for the purpose. Mr Dick replied that a vote was passed last session for the erection of a penal establishment at Mount Cook, and he had spoken to the editors of the papers, and told them that they might write and ascertain the public feeling, but no action has been taken on the part of the public. The people of Wellington had woke up in the matter several months to late. Having gone so far, the Governwere compelled to go on with the work.

Later. The inquiry into the Ladybird and Waketu collision, was concluded this evening. The courb held that the captain was responsible for the accident, for not stopping the engines sooner, and ordered him to pay costs, £10. The engiueer was held blameless. Various representatives are arriving here by each steamer. Mr Pilhet, has arrived here, intending to take his seat to-morrow for Stanmore, the ordinary notice having been sent him to attend Parliament. His passage to Wellington was provided in due course, and a return furnished him by the Clerk of Writs, He will probably be sworn in without objection, but it is understood Sir Erskine May has been cabled to for advice under the circumstances.