NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 6272, 19 May 1881, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

SUMMARY EOR THE MONTH. MAY. For Iransmia.non by the P.Rf.S. CV'* •-•••>. Australia, from Auckland, oh May via San i" ra./icuco to Europe. GENERAL SUMMARY. Since the terrible disaster that bofel H.M.S. Orpheus, in Eehruarj, 1863, on the Manukau bar, when Commodore Burnett and 190 British seamen perished, no more dreadful event has happened in New Zealand waters than the loss of the Union Company’s s.s. Tararua, with nearly every soul aboard, which took place on the 30th ultimo, off Waipapa Point on the southern coast of the South Island, in admittedly one of the most difficult places to navigate among the many coastal dangers of New Zealand shores. The disaster happened in the dead of the night, in the dark hours which precede the dawn, and the tale, as told by the-sur-vivors, while it speaks of bravery and fortitude beyond compare after the vessel had struck, discloses a want of good seamanship. Por this the surviving officers will be called to account. The commander of the vessel has expiated his share of the blame, whatever its degree, with his life, but with him have also perished a host of victims. Wo give full details of this terrible event, which is, indeed, the chief item of news for the month, all other matters being subservient to this dire calamity. Referring briefly to general topics it may bo mentioned that the members of the House of Assembly and Legislative Council have been summoned to meet on the 9th proximo for the despatch of business. Ministers are busy preparing the measures they intend submitting, there are signs of active preparation in the Government offices, getting returns and documentary work in train, an army of painters, house cleaners, and handicraftsmen are furbishing up the Houses of Parliament, and by the time we issue another summary for Home readers the Parliamentary session will be in full blast, It is the last of the present Assembly, and following hard upon'it will come the general elections, which will create a passing epidemic of feverish excitement from end to end of the colony, for though New Zealand colonists boast of their ballot system and their freedom from Old World electioneering corruptions, scarcely ever a candidate has yet gained election without vigorous canvassing for votes.; At times this is carried to excess, and generally in localities where the difficulty is to obtain good sterling representatives to come forward at all. It may be safely" asserted that the most commonplace members of the House are those over whose election the greatest fuss has been made. The Government, it is said, will bring in a new Representation Bill, based to some extent on one introduced last session,but withdrawn, and which proposed the division of the colony into electorates having one member each and no more ; the rule applying, with but one single exception, to both town and country. In preparation for the coming session and preparing the way also for the elections to follow, many members of the House have recently addressed their constituents, reviewing the past and presaging future events. In this latter respect their utterances have been decidedly oracular, for in truth none seem to know what particular coalition or antagonism of political parties will follow the expiration of the present Parliament. It is admitted generally that the present Ministry have done all that possibly could be done to restore the finances of the colony to a sounder position, and that with their general administration no reasonable fault can be found, but there are malcontents, and, though there virtually is no organised Opposition, there is hope among them that the elections will bring about something vigorously definite, though what they scarcely know. Till this eventuates the quietly inclined may possess their souls in

peace. The Colonial Treasurer has issued his annual statement of Receipts and Expenditure of the Public Account for the yearly financial period ending 31st March last. "We give a brief synopsis of it in another column. The figures are satisfactory so far as showing that expenditure has been less and receipts in excess of estimates, and that the current financial period has opeued under favoring auspices. A Judicature Commission, appointed some time since to consider the question of law reform—that is, the possibility of reducing the tediousness and expense of litigation—have made preliminary report. They suggest the abolition of District Courts —an intermediate tribunal between the ordinary Magistrate’s Court and the Supremo Court of the colony —and the simplification of rules of procedure, and a consequent diminishment of expenses in the two Courts which will still be maintained. The proposals are practical, and all the more praiseworthy, because coming from the representatives of an honorable fraternity to whom the intricate mazes of the law are as paths of pleasantness ahmg which they gather golden fruit.

I’hero is not much to record of particular note in social matters this month, ami pressure on our space will make such record necessarily brief. Business within and without the city seems improving in slow but yet steady degree. The winter season has commenced, but as yet rude Boreas has not much disturbed the longcontinuing fine weather which has prevailed hero —fora mere extended period even than the oldest inhabitant clearly remembers. Our Easter holidays passed off quietly. The majority of the young men of the city went a soldiering to Nelson, and those who wore left behind did their holiday spiriting gently. There is at present no particular local public amusementor sporting event on the tapis, except a champion sculling match between two New Zealand men, Hearn of this city and White of Hercury Bay, which will probably come off in July next. Town amusements are dull, although the citizens

have had their choice of the legitimate and sensational drama and also opera, Italian and juvenile—the latter a new feature in public entertainments, and not altogether free from objections. As we write *' R, VV. Cary’s Babies ” troupe of Wellington juveniles, ranging in age from six years to

fourteen are performing Chilperie and doing it well. Last week another juvenile company, Pollard’s Lilliputians, hailing from Tasmania, performed Pinafore, and have since sailed northward on a further professional cruise. Against these exhibitions of precocity sober-minded folks inveigh, but the generality patronise and are pleased, and the impressarios avow that their little men and women find huge delight, as well as monetary'profit, in their engagements. Next week the ’Wellington Industrial Exhibition will be opened at the Athenmum Buildings in this city by his Excellency the Governor, and will continue open for one week. The exhibition will comprise works of art, furniture and accessories, textile fabrics, raw and manufactured products, alimentary products, agricultural, horticultural, and floricultural products, machinery and metal manufactures, and exhibits of mining industry. There is a wide scope in such a programme, and though Wellington cannot claim to rate as a manufacturing city, yet there is every assurance that a goodly show will he made indicating the many budding industries springing up in our midst, and also some that are fully established. Another exhibition of a similar nature will be held in Dunedin during the coming month. Mention has been made in preceding summaries of the efforts to float the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, for the formation of a line which will bring into direct communication with this port and city the wide extent of valuable country margining the West Coast of this Island. The share list closes on the 31st instant, and we have every confidence in being able to state in our next letter Home that the requisite amount of shares have been taken up by local investors, and that the promoters will be thus enabled with good grace to float the scheme in the London market, the proposal being to borrow a certain amount of the necessary capital outside the colony.