WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 222, 21 September 1867, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[from our own correspondent.]

September 17.

I have to record a death and a birth of some importance that have occurred within the last few days. On Wednesday last the New Zealand Advertiser breathed its last, aud yesterday moruing the New Zealand Times saw the light; the plant and goodwill of the old paper having been purchased by Mr Parsons, a gentleman who until lately held a situatiou iu the Stamp-oihce, but has now thrown up a certainty for the more precarious business of newspaper proprietorship.

Of course you heard of the accident which bef'el the wharf on Sunday evening last, through the collision of the Otago. The question now is, who is to pay for the damage done, which is estimated at about £3000? The Company I hear refuse to do so on the grounds that the wharf was not sufficiently lighted; but as the Provincial Government will hardly, I should think, accept this excuse, there is little doubt that the question will have to be decided by a judge and jury. The Otago herself has apparently sustained no injury whatever, with the exception of some threepenny worth of paint being rubbed off her bows; but the tremendous smash of the wood aud iron of which the wharf is constructed gives one some faint notion of the enormous destructive power that must be possessed by the new steam rams. I could not help hopiug most devoutly, wheu I saw the splintering of timbers and twisting of iron, that if ever I should be unfortunate enough to be present at a collision at sea, it might be my. fate tb be in the striker aud not the strikee.

It is a sign of the times that the Houses of Parliament have commenced sitting on Mondays; this indicates the beginning of the end of the session, and a desire on the part of the members to get back to their homes, but I fancy another three weeks will still fiud them sitting.

The House was much disgusted on Friday night by a freak of Mr Moorhouse _ on the question of the Timaru and Gladstone Local Government. Bill, introduced by Messrs Cox and Jollie. This bill, which is said by those who are knowing in such matters, to strike a deadly blow at Provincialism, passed through the second reading after considerable opposition from the Superintendent of Canterbury, but although a large majority pronounced in favor of it, this gentleman was not satisfied, and* on its going into committee announced his intention of dividing on every clause. One of the rules of the House is that no division can take place in committee, except the clause has been under d'scussion for a quarter of an hour, so Mr Moorhouse had to speak against time, which he did to perfection for five hours. At half-past 11 the House adjourned for refreshment, after which Mr Moorhouse came back with a beaming smile on his countenance evidently much refreshed and more at peace with the world generally, and much to the satisfaction of all concerned, stated that he had made up his mind to offer no further factious opposition. However, as he last night did all in his power to get the bill thrown out we must come to the conclusion either that he wanted his supper again, or thafc the term * factious opposition,' is somewhat difficult of definition. The Estimates have not been discussed since last Friday week, so that there is a vast amount of business to be got over yet, and I suspect that many of the Bills now before the House will go through with a tremendous rush at last. The Nelson Crown Lands Leasing Bill, and the Nelson, Cobden, and Westport Railway Bill have passed through the Lower House; but I hear that the latter is likely to meet with opposition in the 'Lords' on the grounds that a uniform gauge should be adopted throughout the whole island.

Major Morse has been requested by tho Colonial Secretary to place at the disposal of the Government, who will pay all their expenses, the services of fifty of the Nelson Cadets to act as a guard of honor to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh on bis visit to Wellington. With reference to Volunteers, I see that you have got hold of a paragraph from the Wellington Independent stating thafc the Artillery Company here is to be armed with breechloading carbines, and that the Government will provide them with three 12-pounder Armstrongs, and that you naturally feel hurt at what appears to be a slight on Nelson. I know that the Commanding Officer of your district has used every exertion in his power to obtain the breechloaders for Nelson, but that the

Government have only a limited number at their disposal, and will not allow them to go out of the North Island, where they are more likely to be required. As to tha Government providing the Wellington Artillery Company with the 12-pounder Armstrong guns, that is simply not a fact.

I have just been favored with the sight of a monster petition from Westland for separation from Canterbury. The petition itself occupies a roll of paper about 12 feet long by 18 inches wide, and to this document are appended 2600 signatures. As I did not feel equal to the task of wadiug through 18 square feet of small writing, I am not in a position to inform you of tha grouuds ou which they base their prayer ;. but this I will say, thafc if the matter is equal to the manuer in which it is got up, it is well worthy the attention of the House, for a better specimen of engrossing and illumiuating I have seldom seen.