Wellington.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 1, Issue 82, 4 November 1890, Page 2

Wellington.

Political. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Mr Fisher has unburdened his disappointed soul to the electors, and received a vote of thanks and confidence. After his very ignominous exit from the Ministry it was to be expected that his late colleagues would come in for a canstigation, but his remarks on that point fell flat. The position regarding the City electorate is at present a very open one. The latest disturbing influence is the advent of Mr Winter, one of the discharged railway servants at Christchurch, who has been .presented with-a petition sighed by 900 of the labour party, and he has consented to become a candidate* It is said that Mr Jellicoe has improved greatly in his chances, and that he will receive the .Catholic block vote. If that statement be correct he has certainly a say in forming one of the triumvirate. For the Hutt election, Dr Newman appears to be the favourite, although the labor candidate, Mr London, will push him hard. The EaH of Onslow. The Governor and Countess Onslow returned to Wellington on Saturday, after their somewhat extended tour in the South, where they obtained golden opinions from all sorts of people. His Excellency is not at all happy in Wellington society, although he discharges' his social-and official duties well, hu.t it is no secret that he finds much more' congenial cqmpanj and surroundings in the other three larger centres..Well, I suppose even a Governor has a right to choose his own company. '.'; Labour Demonstration. 'ThegEeat labour demonstration stakes place to-day, and the City is en fete in honour thereof. The weather, which, up to the last moment, was very threatening, cleared up beautifully, and is wortlry the occasion. The procession promises to;be a; very large one. ~A Pakeha'..Maori.

Mr Ebenezer Baker, the sheriff of the Supreme Court, and one of the oldest New Zealand-born Europeans in the colony, celebrated his sixtieth birthday' on, Saturday last. He' was born at the Kere Kere Mission Station, in the Bay of Islands, his father being the Eev. Charles Baker, who was.the third missionary to land in New ZeaZealand, having come out in 182J7Mr Baker has, indeed, had a experience, and few men are as well acquainted with the early history and events of the colony as be. When Sir Benjamin Franklyn visited the Bay of Islands after his explorations in'the Antartic Ocean in the Erebus and. Terror, he made his head-quarters - at the mission house, and Mr Baker and an elder brother as boyspilqtfd. ;h/lnr about the bays and - cr.e,6.ka in a oanoe. As a; b,qy qf ten Mr Baker was present at the signing of the celebrated Treaty j of Waitangi in 1840., and he was also present and heard the first proclama-' tion read. He has held various pqats, in'the civil service, among them .being that' of Resident; Magistrate" of the Wair,oa district, Hawke's Bay. Mr Baker is admitted to be one of the best Maori authorities in the colony. Gambling.

Wellington has long been known to possess several notorious which, despite the qf the always Reamed to, b.e. e,xlie^sivTe.ljf' patrpnisec|> particularly by the class. Some six months ago, thanks to the efforta'of Deteotive Kirby, asuqqessful raid was made on qne house that was suspected, and the nest completely broken up. The detectives then turned their, attention to, another rendezvous, with the result that on Saturday night Detectives Campbell and, fiercert /the latter, }t will be rejY}Qmhews, e 1 \i\ while the was jn fall' swing), gained adrnlttanoe * to tHe pyen^i'sGg'QrCharles Oress,in Willis-sli'.eet'-to all appearances a tobacconist shop, but in reality a gambling den. Unless -one is one who is''in. $$ ring" it is useless to |q entrance jjq |?ha. mpjcq, fqi in most cases twq fi sentries" tq he passed b,efqre the room itself is eDiterQc], and electric bells are .lja.n.dv ajj syery

' turn to warn the occupants of the room iib case anyone not in the swim should by : any means get in at the lower entrance. On Saturday night the two detectives by a piece of strategy fooled ; fche first sentry, and no sooner had he opened the outer door than lie'was pinioned by Herbert, while Campbell made for the staircase leading to the gambling, .room., Thereupon- a* man came rushing down, and touching an electric bell, gave the alarm in the room. ■ Instantly the place.was in utter darkness, and a'general-'rush was made for windows and ; staircase, and by these two. exits, all the occupants ■ managed to gain their freedom. The detectives then made an examination of the, room, which : was ; ;fpund to be fitted up f with '• all * the ' requisites of a gambling saloon. There was a long table covered over with baize,;; and" surrounded by forms which would accommodate about 40 persons., The dice box was thickly padded,, and to all appearances those present had been deeply engaged in, a game of "hazard" when they were rudely disturbed by the entrance of the deteptives. The money collared amounted* to about 18s, mostly. made up of sixpences and three-penny pieces.- The next scene will be laid in the R. M. Court.