WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9513, 8 September 1891, Page 5

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.! WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. THE OPPOSITION. I understand that Mr Eolleston is to be the leader of the Opposition. It is very amusing to note the reticence and secrecy on the part of the leading members of the party in reference to the Bryce banquet. One or two local pressmen, in chase of the chiefs, were met by obliviousness. Mr Bryce’s memory quite failed him. He did not remember a word. The others were similarly oblivious, and the solitary reporter (sworn to profound secrecy) is silent as a sphinx. The proceedings are to be published in the form of a pamphlet. All seem conspiring to make the affair more ridiculous than ever at each stage. THE LIBRARY. I hear that the Library Committee today resolved to allow the Hansard and gallery men to use the Parliamentary Library during the session. The Sergeant-at-Arms is appointed Librarian. OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP. _ There is a good deal of winking and blinking about the leadership of the Opposition. The nearer the close of business comes, the less valuable does the reversion of the office appear. Mr Eolleston has not yet been trotted out, but be “ looms large in the distance. In the meantime another man is spotted in the lobbies. I mean Dr Newman; I believe if the * fit little doctor were to come forward he would be decorated, and we in the gallery would not say a word against the choice. In finance he is declared to be a past master; in calculating he reveals the “lightning” performer; about frozen meat be is exceedingly well informed; his oratory is rapid and stirring, and his voice is melodious. THE UNEMPLOYED. I have two or three times called the attention of your readers to the excellent work being done by the Labour Bureau under Mr Tregear, and have reoontly beeiv

making inquiries from other sources as to the usefulness of the institution. . Thf official statements made to me nave been amply corroborated by outside testimony, and I am convinced that no more valuable or timely boon was ever given to the working men of this Colony. An acquaintance who knows the real state of affairs better, perhaps, than_ any man in the community, and who is probably better trusted by the workers, informs metbat.it is his deliberate opinion that of the wharf men, carters, Harbour Board hands, &c. f who were out on strike, half, are; unemployed, and the other half are up-country working for their ‘'tucker. Mr Tregear informs me that an average of one hundred men per weak are being utilised through his bureau, and that the?# is still a great demand for genuine hush* men. Pick and shovel men are only tod plentiful. The Salvation Bureau here hae not been long established, bat it is doing good work; The officer in charge of informs me that he has already placed in private employment here fifty-three n»en«' ; His testimony is the same as that of Mr Tregear as to the difficulty of getting;. bushmen. The servants’ registry office in connection with the Salvation Bureau hae only just been started. I understand there is already a great demand for girls. Wages are poor, and girls are in demand* This appears to be a different state of things from that prevailing in your city , and the south generally. THE FUNERAL BANQUET. Mr Bryce's banquet seems to hare been* as the New Zealand Times calls it, ft “ tangi,” and the mourners are a good deaf cast down at the apathy of the public. Tim exclusion of the Press seems to have been a mistake, bat the reporters were mightily relieved at not being called upon to do duty on Saturday evening. JOINT HOUSE COMMITTEE. The Committee to-day resolved that Mr Speaker was entitled to quarters in the Parliamentary Buildings, and that Sit G. Grey, on account of his age and distinguished services, should still occupy hi* room, he having furnished it at his own expense. The Committee decided, how-. ever, that Mr Saunders should be given notice to quit the quarters occupied by him. THE DIRECT MAILS. A deputation, consisting of Messrs Richardson, J. W. Kelly and Mackintosh, waited to-day on the Hon J. G. Ward, Postmaster-General, with regard to the landing of the direct mails at the Bluff* The deputation pressed tbe matter on the hon gentleman, who, in reply, said he w*| entirely in sympathy with them, but pointed out that he was unable to interfere. The question was for the Companies conveying the mails to decide. Even if the Government demanded that the mails be landed there, the contractors Would require a much higher subsidy. The Minister added that he had already conveyed this information to the local bodies in Auckland. THE BBYCB BANQUET. The Opposition organ comes out this evening with five columns of dinner speeches. A reporter bad been hired for the occasion, and the speakers corrected their proofs, so that tbe whole affair is a sort of unofficial Hansard. This proceeding seems to have added the final touch towards making the affair ridiculous, and it is certainly quite out of harmony with the ! Opposition boast made the other day, that the country would rise en masse to avenge the late leader’s political suicide. If the members of the party, thought this they should have courted publicity, one would think. The speeches read very well B» literary efforts, but beyond that they are dreary. Bellamy’s. I was, the other day, conducted over Bellamy’s, and had an opportunity of; inspecting the manage under the new dispensation. Economy is the order'of the day, but while the staff’s efficiency is in nowise impaired, the number of members who board hero is very much reduced, but the bar trade is, I understand, moderately good. THE OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP. A meeting of the Opposition is called for half-past ten to-morrow to formally elect a leader. Mr Rolleston is certain of • the post. NEW ZEALAND FORCES. The report of the Minister for Defence was tabled to-day. The condition of the permanent artillery is highly spoken of. Daring the year twenty-four gunners have been transferred to the police, and ten to the Prison Department; two non-com-missioned officers to the volunteer force as instructors. The torpedo corps shows a satisfactory state of efficiency. The recruits to the artillery and torpedo corps are mostly New Zealand born. The strength of the volunteer force ia 6700. with mounted corps and field batteries. Medical officers complain that there are no facilities for teaching ambulance work. The Easter camps cost the colony .£1719 7s sd. The report considers that the results are not commensurate with the expenditure. THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE. A return of all correspondence between Mr Hamerton and the Government, relating to assistance required by that officer, was tabled by the Premier to-day. On Dec. 23,1884, Mr Hamerton sent a memo., asking that a deputy and assistant trustee be appointed. This was followed by the appointment of Mr F. J. Wilson, as solicitor, on Oct. 1, 1886. On July 9, 1885, the Public'Trustee again wrote, asking for further assistance to overtake arrears caused by the prolonged absence of Mr de Castro. In response, Mr H. Oswiii was appointed as a cadet. On July U, 1890, Mr Hamerton asked that a radical change might be made in the constitution of the office. RAILWAY SLEEPERS. Mr Seddon tabled a paper from the Railway Commissioners, justifying their im j portation of foreign timber for sleepers. The burden of tbe justification is that, in certain cases, tbe New Zealand woods are toq soft for sleepers, AN EXCELLENT SPEECH. The Hon J. G. Ward, in moving the second reading of the Post Office Amendment Bill, made one of the best speeches, of the session. Sir George Grey _ subsequently referring to it, pronounced it the most statesmanlike utterance yet delivered, and the House testified to its thorough appreciation of a just tribute. MR SAUNTERS. A statement in reference to Mr Saunders occupying quarters in the House having appeared this evening, I interviewed the Minister for Public Works on the subject, and his statement of the case ia as follows t —Mr Saunders suffers from bronchial affection and sciatica, and, on this being represented to tbe Minister cn behalf of the hon member, he (the Minister) allowed Viim the use of one of the rooms on condition that, like Sir George Grey, he furnished it at his own expense. This Mr Saunders did. As he and Sir George Grey were the oldest members of the House, and as both paid for their board in the usual way, the Minister saw no objection to granting them this concession.