WELLINGTON NOTES.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14349, 8 May 1912, Page 12

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(sruciAL to "lnK tokbs.'') WELLINGTON, May 7. Tho formation of tho Musicians' Union and their demands arc causing $omo uneasiness here. Tho demand' of £1 a night for performing, and considerable foes for rehearsals, aro considered extortionate, and will bo strongly resisted. On those lines such a society as the few va go Clu!> would have to pay at the rate of about £2o a night for a couple of orchestral items. The demands aro such that in many cases their legislation would mean tho sul>stitution of tho piano for the orchestra. The municipal orchestral performances would have to cease altogether. Tho present Cabinet has been called a "stop gap" Ministry, and other names; apparently it may also bo called a "golfing" Ministry. While tho Hon. Mr Myers was winning tho first monthly competition for tho silver cleek on tho Wellington Club's links, tho Hon. To Kangihiroa was engaged in a close contest for similar honours on tho Hutt Club's links, and succeeded in tying with another player. He was, however, beaten in tho play-off. The -Hon. Mr Hiixton is also a golfer, and during the session, may frequently be seen on tho Wellington links. Mr Houre, a London journalist, on the staff of tho "Daily Telegraph,'-' who is on a six months' holiday, is at present in Wellington. He leaves on a trip to tho South Sea Islands next week, and will return via San Francisco and Colon to England. The police uro very often blamed, nnd blamed unjustly, for their efforts in endeavouring to sccuro convictions in such cases as sly grog selling and gambling that aro difficult to detect , and prove. Mr Justice Chapman, in some remarks from the bench to-day, put tho question in its proper light. "A long timo back,"-hit* Honour continued, "in our history, such things did occasionally occur, and there was a certain amount of scandal over it. The police employed any men they could pick up to try to induce a sale. The man might go to the house of an innocent woman and by means of a story about a sick wifo or child, induce the salo of brandy or whisky or other liquor. That was scandalous. For more than twenty .wars that method, had been entirely discredited, discouraged, and disused. It was a perfectly legitimate thing, however, for the police to send one of their number to see if a suspected person wero willing to commit this particular offence. Indeed, it was the duty of tho police, if the sergeant or officer in charge suspected that a person was carrying on a sly grog selling establishment. It was not correct to call it 'creating a crimo' to see if a man woro willing to repeat a, crime ho was suspected of having committed before. So long as a perfectly respectable agent was employed, or a momber of the force of known respectability, there was no clanger to the community."