Talk of the Week.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 360, 4 January 1879, Page 15

Talk of the Week.

The Caledonian Sports, the Porirua Eaces, all the various Christmas excursions, both by land and sea, picnics, theatres, and pantomimes, have absorbed the conversation about town to the exclusion of more serious subjects. Politically considered, little or nothing ha 3 been stirring. The remarkable attention lately paid by Mr. Sheehan to all the minor wants and requirements of the people up at Taranaki and Patea has caused some comment, and the suggestion has been made that perhaps our Native Minister may have some idea of contesting the next general election in that district with the present holder, Major Atkinson. For the want of some better explanation of his recent action, which has of course been specially acceptable to the Taranaki folk, the above shrewd guess has been noted. As for the~Premier's speech, it has been so generally condemned on all sides that Wellington folks have

voted the subject stale, the latest on dit being that the Premier, with all his fiery eloquence, is certainly not likely to succeed in setting the Thames on fire. About a week ago a most extraordinary rumor got abroad to the effect that a man named Moffat was likely to dispute the title to some six or seven acres of land in this city at Pipitea-point. The claimant to it it is said, declares that the purchase was made by his father from the natives of the land at Pipitea. The boundaries were marked at the time by " trypots," such as the whalers use, and one of these old landmarks is supposed to have been discovered by Moffat lately. He declares that he holds grants of the land from the N. rf. W. and New Zealand Governments.in Avhich case it is quite possible that the claim may come before the law courts ere long. It is a most remarkable and inexplicable fact that Moffatt should have allowed his claim to remain so long in abeyance ; as he has lately finished a sentence in gaol for illegally manufacturing gun-powder for the natives some little doubt of the value of his statements may be forgiven. The matter is said to be in the hands of the lawyers, who will doubtless investigate it thoroughly. The latest news is that Moffatt has enlarged the nature of his claims, and alleges that he hold a title to 23 acres on this side of Kaiwarra. It is scarcely necessary to add that the property claimed is of great value. The Chinese question has been talked about in Wellington until the minds of some of the more ignorant of the working-classes have become possessed of the notion that their livelihood may be endangered by the competition of Mongolians. In the same spirit that prompted the burning down of the mills when machinery was first introduced to replace hand-labor, two inoffensive Chinamen were mobbed and maltreated by a number of Europeans in a disgraceful manner on New Year's Eve. The Chinamen who had been thus attacked took refuge in the Pier" Hotel, and having waited a reasonable time started once more on their way home, they were again immediately besot by the roughs, who were in hiding. With difficulty the Chinamen reached the Empire Hotel, where they obtained the refuge they sought. Opinions may differ on the advisability or otherwise of permitting free trade in labor but ruffians who thus in defiance of law and justice, by violent measures, seek to scare away unoffending citizens deserve no mercy. It is to be hoped that the police authorities will exercise every possible vigilance in the endeavor to bring the offenders to justice, and that our magistrates, if they have the chance, will put down with a firm hand any such unlawful attempts to exclude or expel the Chinaman by cowardly acts of violence. With the New Year a new Press Association for the supply of telegraphic intelligence has started. The general public who study the papers will probably be the gainers in the variety of the news published. Owing to the introduction of the use of a special wire for the Press at this date also, telegraphic intelligence from all parts of the colony will in future be given in a more extended form than has been the case during the recess. News in Wellington, coming through different sources to the several papers is sixre to differ in detail. Into the question whether the New Zealand Press can support a double agency we do not propose to outer. It has been stated that the reports transmitted through the old agency were not quite free from bias. But although in isolated cases individual agents may have betrayed their political feeling, the orders and instructions of the Press Agency were well-known to te given in a distinctly and thoroughly impartial spirit, all reports being required to be given by their telegraphic reporters without any color of partizanship. Only those who are aware of the difficulty of procuring trustworthy reporters of any description in some of the smaller townships in the colony can understand how constantly any telegraph agency must either be content to put up with the best reporter it can get, or else must cut off the supply from certain quarters altogether. The opposition has now started, and the general public seems content to let the rival agencies de battle for supremacy. Ntws from the Rangitoto silver miue tends to show that its importance has been somewhat overrated. A number of samples have recently been analysed, and these show that there is as much gold as silver contained in many of the specimens. Mr George Rignold's representation of Shakspere's historical play, " Henry V.," has drawn good houses ; and indeed the style in which the piece is put upon the boards alone deserves that the play should be well patronised. But in addition to this the acting of Mr. Rignold leaves very little to be desired. His fine presence, good voice, and the careful study he has made of the part, give him a wonderful command over the character ; and altogether he may be said to be most successful in his representation of a right royal part. The pantomime has also been a success, and has been specially attractive to the juvenile part of the community. The Caledonian games were well patronised, as usual ; a laughable incident in connection with them being the number of entries of those who desired to display their powers of giving a good Irish jig, all of whom were anxious, to dance at one and the same time. The judges were compelled to limit the numbers, and even then had great difficulty in deciding who danced best. The result of the deputation re the railway site on the Thorndon reclamation ha 3 just come to hand. As we predicted on September 21st, the Government have had to give way in the matter, and the Minister of Public Works has promised that there shall be a site granted for a passenger station near to Mills' foundry. .