A JUDICIOUS CHANGE OF FRONT.

Evening Post, Volume XXVI, Issue 103, 29 October 1883, Page 2

A JUDICIOUS CHANGE OF FRONT.

Our morning contemporary, with its usual polished courtesy, accuses us of making "false" assertions and of publishing " disoreditable and wilful falsehoods," adding that the Post does this " habitually for its own dirty purposes." We decline to follow our contemporary's bad example, but could we bring ourselves to descend to such low and coarse abuse we might retort very cogently upon the New Zealand Times its aoousation of inveracity. It alleges the Post to have untruly attributed to the New Zealand Times a statement that "no injustice is inflicted by taking thia land "—" — i.e., that portion of the Wellington Harbour Board's endowment Beized by the Government under the provisions of the Harbours Act. Anybody who turns to our article will see at a glance that we said nothing of the kind, nor oould such an inferenoe legitimately be deduced from our words. What we did say was this : — " Our morning contemporary, in supporting the action of Ministers in thia matter, plainly tells the people of Welling, ton that, if they don't like having their harbour endowments seized, they should blame the law or those who passed it, sot those irho are merely acting on it." And that is what we gathered from our contemporary's own words, whioh it is good enough to reprint this morning. We are sjncerely grieved if we misunderstood and misunderstand its meaning; certainly it is not expressed in very luoid or felicitous language, but it seems to us that " no one but an idiot " (to quote again from our polite contemporary) could understand the words as having any other meaning than we attributed. With the sentence repeated above we finished with the New Zealand Times, and the remainder of our remarks were, as the context rendered abundantly manifest, directed against the general arguments of those who defended the spoliation of the Wellington ondowments. We aid not go on to say : — " It has also contonded that no injustice is inflioted," but " it has also been contended," and the context clearly points the application. -We should not have taken the trouble to correct this silly misrepresentation (or possibly misconception) on the part of our contemporary, but for the fact that it seeks to make this the base for a prudent, but very clumsy attempt at a change of front. The plain tenour of its artiole of Friday was that the framers of the Act were solely blameable, and not the Government for acting upon it. The wholo artiole was a laboured effort to show that the Government were in their legal right (which nobody ever doubted for an instant), and that their action was nocessary, and therefore justifiable. Not one syllable of disapproval is uttered as to the proceeding. On the contrary the Times says — and here we quote its ipsissima verba : —"There was a good deal of superfluous indignation expressed and strong language used at the meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday on acoount of the receipt of a letter from the Engineer in Chief 01 the North Island, stating that the Government was about to resume possession of 1 acre and 22 porches of land belonging to the Board, but not at present utilised, as a site for the proposed Government Printing Office," and after quoting tho Act it goes on to say—" In the face of this distinct clanse it is really astonishing that the Mayor and Mr. Krull. and others, should h>ye used such absurd terms as ' robbery,' &o. The clause places no limitation whatever on the public purposes for which the land may be required by the Government, and it is very certain that the building of a Government Printing Office is a public purpose" Note our contemporary's censure of the Board's " superfluous indignation" and " strong language ;" the artful gentleness with which the Government's action is described as " resuming possession" of land " not at present utilised — carefully ignoring that fact that it had been utilised so far that it had been treated as security for a loan, and had been actually put up for sale ; and the earnsstness with which the plea is urged on behalf of Ministers that the object of the seizure is a "publjo purpose," which also nqbody dreamt of questioning. The plain fact is that qur contemporary finds it has made a frightful mistake in supporting the high-handed action of Ministers, and so it is

trying to make a wholly uncalled-for attack npon us the pivot upon which to perform the familiar strategic movement known as " Right about face !" But we rejoice over its conversion even at the eleventh hour.

His Excellency the Governor ia expected to return to Wellington from Taranaki on Wednesday or Thursday next. Judges Macdonold and Puokey, of the Native Lands Conrt, were passengers to Wellington by the Wairarapa yesterday. Mr. Baird, the City Engineer, proceeded to Wainui-o-mata this morning to attend to the repairing of ft watormain which, it ia reported, has burst in that neighbourhood. The damage, we understand, is not of a Berious nature. The usual weekly sitting of the Bankruptcy Court did not take place to-day, in oonsequence of there being no business to transact. We understand that his Honour Mr. Justice Richmond will deliver judgment at the Supreme Court, at 10 a.m. to-morrow, in the case of Jones v. Albion Goldmining Company (Limited). The Wellington Sharebrokers' Association report the following Reefton crushings for the week ending the 27th instant : — Keep-it-Dark, 6170z amalgam from 198 tons ; Fiery Cross, GOloz amalgam from 100 tons ; Globe, 2050z amalgam from 180 tons (top plates only). Quite an array of "drunks" graced the dock of the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning with their presence, no fewer than nine persons being charged with the offence of intoxication. With the exception of Jessie Gane, who was fined ss, and Elizabeth Morriß, who was sentenced to a fortnight's imprisonment, all the offenders were new hands. Mr. Hardcastle has recovered from his indisposition, and was able to resume hiß magisterial duties this morning. I A comical inoident ocenrred at Island Bay on Saturday afternoon. Whilst the members of the Bicycle Club were returning to town a sportive bull espied the wheelmen travelling down one of the inclines at a rapid rate, ana endeavoured to arrest the progress of Mr. W. P. James, who was leading the procession. A race down the hill ensued between that gentleman and the beast, and after a keen struggle the captain proved victorious, much to his relief. The spurt was witnessed by about a score of persons, who thoroughly enjoyed the scene. On Saturday afternoon a party of gentlemen interested in the development of the quartz lodes at Makara visited the Queen of Beauty and Robinson's Freehold claims. A trial of the blue reef in the Queen of Beauty was first made, and a fair prospect waa obtained. The new tunnel is now in a distance of 30ft, and the country through whioh it is passing is very promising-look-ing. The party next visited the Freehold claim, which is situated a short distance from the Queen of Beauty, and a dish of stuff taken from a reef exposed by a landslip showed a nice streak of gold at the bottom of the pan. Operations were commenced in this mine to-day, and, we are informed, will be vigorously prosecuted. The Hon. Colonel Brett has been seriously ill, but it is reported that a change for the better has now taken place. The risk which people run in enoroaohing on the ground set apart for the purposes of a cricket match, was very forcibly shown on Saturday afternoon. During the progress of the senior and junior cup matches a young man was struok in the groin by a. ball, and had to be carried off the field, whilst a little later on another of the spectators was hit bohind the ear in a similar manner, a painful wound being infliotod. Mr. D. R. Hay, of Dunedin— the referee in the recent chess match between Christohurch and Wellington — has decided as follows with regard to the three games whioh were submitted to him : — No. 1, between Mr. Hookham (Christohurch) and Mr. Benbow (Wellington), drawn game ; No. 3, betweon Mr. Moore (Christchurch) and Mr. Whittem (Wellington), drawn game ; No. 8, between Mr. Smith (Christchurch) and Mr. Searle (Wellington), won by Mr. Searle. The final score of the game, therefore, shows Wellington to have won by two games. The members of the Bicycle and Tricycle Club opened the season on Saturday afternoon by a run to Island Bay and back. The start was made from Martin's Fountain at 3 o'clock, six wheelmen assembling at that hour. The muster was a very poor one, owing doubtless to counter attractions. The procession was led by Mr. W. P. James, captain of the club, and very fair progress was made out to the bay, the roads being in pretty good oondition. The return trip was accomplished in less than half-an-hour. Messrs. Hicks and Isen, directors of the Queen of Beauty Company, who proceeded to the Thames about a fortnight ago in oharge of the trial crushing, returned to Wellington by the Wairarapa yesterday, bringing with them the cake of gold obtained from the parcel of stuff treated. Mr. J. W. Walker, a well-known mining expert from the Thames, was also a passenger by the same vessel. The following are the three highest tenders for the stook in the estate of W. A. M'Dowoll, draper, &o. : — James M'Dowell, 9s 7id in the £, j£1520 11s 3d (accepted) j James Smith, 8s 7ia, £1362 10s 6d; C. Smith, 7s 7d, £1200. The Lyttelton Times states that the Hon. E. Richardson and Mr. T. H. Potts, two of the Visitin? Justices to the Lyttelton Gaol, have resigned. They hod asked for an enquiry into some Berious charges brought against some of the principal officers of the Lyttelton Gaol, who held office there before certain ohangos were made in the management. Their request was refused, and they resigned. On Saturday night Hegarty's Court Minstrelß were greeted with another large audience. With the exception of the dress oirole, every part of the Theatre Royal was filled, and the new programme presented appeared to be highly appreciated. Owing to the sudden illness of Miss Vesta Amor, that lady's character in the oomedy was assumed by Miss Belle Sutherland, who filled it very satisfactorily. Miss Sutherland also Bang " Killarney," and was rewarded with a round of applause. The songs and dances of Miss Winette and Messrs. Buckley, Cowan, and Shaw Cross, were encored, and the introduction of some new instrumental music was much appreciated. The company will appear again this evening. The remains of William Henry Meek, one of the victims of the recent boat accident at Napier, were brought down from that place by the Southern Cross on Saturday afternoon, in oharge of the father and mother of tho deceased, who wont up for that purpose on Monday last. The body was removed to the residence of the bereaved parents, and at 2.30 o'clock yesterday the funeral took place. The deceased having been a member of the Wellington Naval Artillery until he left for Napier, the remains were interred with semi-military honours, the coffin, which was mounted on a gun carriage, draped with the Union Jack, being followed to the grave by members of the Wellington and Petone corps. The former were under the command of Lieuts. Hislop and Wallace, whilst Lieut. Jackson was in oharge of the country company. The burial place was in the Churoh of England cemetery, and the service was oonduoted by the Yen. Archdeaoon Stock, chaplain of the Wellington Navals, who took occasion, at the evening service at St. Peter's, to allude to the heroism displayed by the deceased in remaining on the boat for the purpose of rendering assistance to hiß comrades. Between. C and 7 o'clock ou Friday night last some person or persons at present unknown set fire to the gorse on Mrs. Lissington's property adjoining the Creswick Estate and the Karori-road near the Devil's Bridge. The fire spread to tho shed and outbuildings, which werecompletely destroyed. The honse occupied by the Lissington's, who wero absent at the time, narrowly oscaped destruction, and was only saved by the exertions of Mr. Gawith and the son of Mr. S. Waters. Mr. Lessington, who was uninsured, estimates his loss at about .£2O. Enquiries are on foot with a view to discover the person who set the gorse on fire. The Tainui Canoe Club opened their season on Saturday afternoon with the first of a series of three handicap sailing contests. Mr. Quick acted as starter and judge. There were four competitors, viz., the Oenono, Geroit More, Beeswing, and Seagull. The Seagull received four minutes' start and the others competed at scratch. The course lay from the Queen's Wharf round the northernmoat buoy off Waterloo-quay, thence round the outermost buoy at tho head of the bay, and back to the wharf. The handicap in favour of the Seagull proved all too little, and she did not finish the course. The remaining boats sailed well, and the Geroit More came in the winner, followed by Oenone and Beeswing half a minute and two minutes later respectively. The Geroit More therefore scores 5 points, the Oenone 3, and Beeswing 1 point. The race waa watched by a good number of spectators. At the civil sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day judgments for the plaintiffs were given in the following cases : — T. Beadenall v. Win. Clark, £7 103 6d; J. Gunther v. H. T. Hooper, £2 2s ; Wellington Biscuit and Confectionery Company v. H. Graff, £13 18s Bd. The suit of Lyon & Blair v. Chinohin, £20 4s 6d, was adjourned. In the judgment summons case of J. C. Cooper v. C. Webb, in which the olaim amounted to £11 Is 6d, his Worship made an order for the liquidation of the liability by weekly instalments.

A gratifying compliment has been paid to our well-known local astronomer, the Yen. Archdeacon Stock. Mr. Stone, the Director of the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, has written by last mail to the Archdeacon requesting him to forward to that observatory the whole of his observations and work in connection with the bite transit of Venus. A case of " sticlring-up " has been reported to the police. According to the information in our possession, a clerk in the Government service was returning home about 12 o'clock on Saturday night when he was accosted by a man who was standing near the pound in Buckle-street. Some conversation ensued, and the two walked on for about a hundred yards when they were joined by a third perBon, who assisted the other stranger to belabour the Civil servant and endeavour to gain possession of his watch and chain. A struggle ensued, and the clerk succeeded in eluding his assailants by taking to hiß heels. He was pursued for some distance, but was not overtaken, and eventually he gained his home. While on duty on Lambton-quay about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, Constable Farrell observed smoke issuing from the window of a three-roomed cottage in Wood-ward-Btreet belonging to Messrs. Woods, Crosbie & Co., butchers, and occupied aB a dwelling-house and workshop by some of the men employed by Mr. A. Lindsay, bootmaker. The fire was extinguished before any damage was done. It seems that one of the three young men who lived in the cottage threw into a cupboard near the fireplace a towel which he had been using to remove something from the oven, and shortly afterward a smell of burning was perceived by the inmateß, who were upstairs. The smell came from the towel in the cupboard, which was just beginning to kindle into a blaze. Mr. Lindsay had a considerable quantity of stook in the cottage, but was uninsured. We are informed that at the conference of delegates from all the Australasian Colonies in connection with the Irish National League, to be held in Melbourne next month, Mr. J. R. Browne, C.E., will represent Weilington. Mr. Browne left Wellington for Melbourne to-day. A notification of interest to the Petone Naval Artillery, regarding parades, will be found in our advertising columns. One of the persona who were pnniehed at the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day for drunkenness oan boast that, at one sitting, he was fined twice for being in an intoxicated state. On Saturday afternoon he was apprehended for drunkenness in Cubastreet, but was bailed out on the following morning. Two or three hours subsequently he was again taken into oustody on a similar oharge. The accused, a respeotable-looking fellow, was fined 5s for tho first offence and 10s for the seoond. Ou Saturday evening a vagrant named Margaret Shiels was apprehended by Sergt. Anderson on a charge of importuning men for the purposes of prostitution. She was charged with the offenoe at this morning's sitting of the Conrt, and was mulcted in a penalty of 10s — to be imprisoned for 43 hours in default of payment of the fine. The accused admitted her guilt, but denied that she was a common prostitute. Mr. Peter Laing informs us of an interesting event which has just occurred at his place at the Lower Hutt. Eight cygnets, tho offspring of a pair of English swans, in Mr. Loing's possession, have just been hatched from au equal number of eggs. The reßult of tho recent crushing of quartz from the Queen of Beauty claim, Makara, may now be seen in tho window of Mr. W. H. Ingram, jeweller, near the Empire Hotel. The cake of melted gold weighs 15ozs 14dwts. The prizes won at the late butchers' picnio aro to be distributed on Wednesday evening next, at the Masonic Hotel, Cuba-street. A subscription has been opened by tho Druids in aid of the widow and family of the Lite Mr. W. M'Namara, a member of the order. Mr. Howden, the secretary of the committee, vouches for the oase as a most deserving one, and requests us to receive subscriptions, which we shall be happy to do. A list is lying at our office for that purpose. The building in Taranaki-street formerly known as the Apollo Hall is now being converted into "barracks" for the Salvation Army. The building has been dismantled with a view to raising the whole of the roofing a height of 5 feet, and so reconstructing the roof as to join into one the two roofs whioh previously existed. There will thus be a large spaoo in the centre measuring about 80ft by 40ft, and this improvement ought to render the building more suitable for the purposes of delivering addresses and so forth than hitherto. A large platform is to be erected, proper seats provided, and the whole building strengthened and otherwise improved. Ample means of egress in the event of fire or panio will also be provided. It is expected the work will bo finished by the ond of November. Mr. Chatfield, architect, designed tho alterations, and Mr. Jacobson, who is making substantial progress with the work, is the contractor. Miss Anna Arkwright, 62, "of Mark Hall, near Marlow, Kssex, a lady much respected in the district, has died from the sting of a wasp whioh had got into her pocket. She received the injury on her little finger, and died from the pain in half an hour afterwards. A train in Kentucky ran into the last car of another train at a orossing. The collision causing the explosion of 400 kegs of giant powder, the station was wrecked and the engine blown to atoms. Several persons were killed or injured. London Truth is responsible for the following : — Some months ago Queen Margherita asked a little girl to knit her a pair of silk stocking as a birthday gift, and gave her twenty lire to buy the material. The_ Queen forgot tho ciroumstance till her birthday came, when she was reminded of it by the arrival of a pair of well-knit stockings, and the maker's best wishes. Not to be outdono, Queen Margherita sent a pair to her young friend as a return gift, one stocking being full of lire pieces and tho other of bonbons. They were accompanied by a little note— " Tell me, my dear, whioh you like best." A reply reached tho Palace next day — " Dearest Queon — Both tho stockings have made me shed many bitter tears. Papa took the one with the money, and my brother the other." Attention is directed to Messrs. Tatum and Munro's fresh list of properties advertised. A large and well-assorted consignment of workß of art has just been opened up by Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald and Co., who announce an auction sale to-morrow, at 2 o'clock. Many of the oleographs are of a superior class, and will repay a visit. Detailed catalogues have been issued, and may be had on application. The same firm will also sell a superior fowling-piece. Messrs. Francis Sidey & Co. will sell tomorrow, at Plimmer's Wharf, produce, &o. Messrs. Dwan & Co. will sell to-morrow, at T. G. Osborne & Co.'s promises, Willisstreet, stock-in-trade, loose, Ac.