LATEST WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 4000, 17 June 1870, Page 3

LATEST WELLINGTON GOSSIP.

Whatever may be said of this port-of-call question, it cannot be denied that it has I been a very fine subject for canards. Perhaps no public question has come up of late that has been more useful to people of , virid imagination. Indeed it would almost seem that whenever it has been regarded from certain points of view it has inevitably' given rise to a species of hallucination so alluring in its nature that no arguments can influence it. Thu3, for instance, Otago people have told us that there would be a clear saving of 'time by selecting a port of call not further north, than Wellington, though the contrary has been demonstrated over and over again ; while Wellington people have said that Cook's Straits is a most delightful place in all weathers, and that Wellington is the very alpha and omega of commercial greatness. Mr. Collie, under the influence "of the same 1 hallucination, has promised to make two or three places the port of call, and has informed the Melbournepeople that the headsof the Government in New Zealand are favourable to his project (whatever it may be), and are extremely anxious to have the honour of contributing £30,000 a year to his line ; all of which statements may be taken with considerable grains of allowance. But the ball is kept rolling ; and, for want of something better to satisfy the cravings of Wellington hotel-keepera and grocers, whose hearts are bent on making that delectable place the port of call, bogus telegrama and the like are dished up to meet current requirements. The latest specimen of this sort of thing is to be found in the following telegram sent from the Empire City to Whanganui, and published in the Chronicle und^r startling headings :: — >l Private telegrams by the 'Airedale' state that the American Government has offered a subsidy of £100,000 for the Pacific Service. By private letters which have been received from San Francisco, we learn that Hall sold his contract to a large company which is expected to amalgamate with Webb. "