WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10306, 13 March 1895, Page 6

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES,

(Faoii Ons Own Correspondent.)

Wellington, March 12,

SIR R. STOUT'S MEETINO,

Sir Robert Stout's meeting of last evening was, both as to attendance and approbation, a very marked expression of confidence in the leader who has come to ba looked upon as above nil things the opponent of the Promior. The speech containad nothing that was new, and that which was true hid no nalfc in it for the multitude, so that the meeting was devoid of excitement to the verge of tameness, yet before and after the knight was cheered to the echo, and the significance of these voices was not lost upon the local adherents of the West Coast

Tribune, who is beginning to announce that ho will head the poll for this city at the next general election. "Don't make any such mistake, my boy," said a man of the opposing aide to-d»y. Ho will bo studying the rule of K.C.H.G. in London long before tho time has come to face the music of the polls. Pondering this, and remembering! that in one of the latost public utterances of tho Colonial Treasurer he had announced with becoming pride that the Government nsually had something "up their sleeves," I came to speculate upon the possibility of a great aggressive tribune being transformed into a tame colonial courtier, and so furnish yet another illustration of the eoundnens of the popular belief that he always has " a bit up his sleeve." lv the jargon of the Ring, What price the Agent-generalship ?

THE MIDLAND KAILWAY. The magnates of the Midland railway are gathering for the tus-of-war to which they hava challenged the Government. The chairman of th» company, Mr Thomas Sa.lt, is just now at Napier, but is due here on Thursday. Mr. Kobert Wilson, general manager and engineer to the company, has been here for some days, and to-"day there arrived from London the arbitrator who is to represent the company. This gentleman if Sir Bruce LockharC Burnsidfi, v Privy Councillor and ex-Chief Justice of Ceylon. Ke is a man, I believe, of high legal attainments and otherwise oE much distinction, and the retention of his services by the company would seem to mean a strenuous attack. For counsel, I am told that Messrs H. D. Bell and Georgs Hatohisou (both members of the Opposition) have been retained for the Midland; while for the Government neither arbitrator lior counsel havo yet been appointed. This will no doubt be among tho first of the Cabinet business after the return of tho Premier, who, i with his family and many rich oiferiogs— tributes from grateful Went Coasters,—arrived this evening. By the terras of the agreement | the Government are required to appoint an i arbitrator before the 14-th of April, and so far j ray impression is t'aat nothing is yet determined i oitherasto arbitrator or counsel. Astotoclatfcer, lit may bs assumed, I think, that Sir Robert i Stout would nob accept any retainer on the | case, so that it may happen that the services of counsel beyond the colony may be songbt. There is, I find, one important and unusual feature of this Midland contract not generally known. It is this: That assuming the company obtain an award, it is not a question of the amount of that award being passed by Parliament, but the company may proceed to levy upon any aaseta of the colony until its claim is satisfied. The Midland railway question is not likely to furnish much cheerful entertainment for this Premier.

STEEET PREACHING. Tha Salvation Army and other open-air missions are becoming such a tax upon the patience of the city that the police heive been impelled to take action to suppress what is no doubt * frequent nuisance. A test case was tried to-day, when Sir Robert Stout, who appeared for the Army, contended that the information did not disclose any offence. He quoted the decision in a case in which officers of ths Salvation Army at Home were charged with obstructing a street by holding a meeting. Tho case was neard by the late Lord Chief Justice Coleridge and a jury, and the accused were acquitted. In Wellington there were no by-laws dealing with preaching at street corners, and the charge preferred against his client must on that account fall to the ground. Tha presiding magistrate, Mr Stanford, found that thera had not been any " technical obstruction " of traffic, and dismissed the information, j whereupon the other cases were withdrawn.

THE UNEMPLOYED. Local authorities are displaying anxiety at the prospect of an "unemployed difficulty" daring the coming winter months, and at a meeting of the Benevolent Trustees to-dry a proposition was mooted for the reclamation of a part of the foreshore of the harbour for building sites.