WELLINGTON NOTES.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 9, Issue 77, 27 September 1898, Page 2

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(From Gib Own Correspondent.)

Certain Members of that strange collection of political scraps claiming the dignified title of Her-Majesty’s Opposition, assisted by a few ambitious politicians who " have at election time been respectfully declined by the people, made an. effort last week to teach Parliament; a lesson,; and walk over its head in ' connection with the recent report of the Police Commission. The modus operahdi was a public meeting held in the Theatre Royal, addressed by particles of the temperance body, but their language and general conduct was by no means of the temperance order. Prohibition _ was their foundation, and as all agitators excel in exciting war cries, they struck was “the flight against Tammany.” When the names of Messrs Police Prosecutor Taylor and converted Pirani, M’s.H.B., and the defeated Atkinson, one of the most violent declaimers in the prohibition ranks, are mentioned;, t*s the speakers at the meeting. ;£t may be guessed what the like. Abuse of the was the chief item. Tfad employer of paid spies was as xeckless aa ! ]e,vfer in his assertions, but arguments ; ; he* fully avoids. The rejected candidate, a relative of the late* head of the defunct continuous Ministry, < shook hands with himself and the Police prosecutor, and patted little Palmerston North on the head. . This interesting aspirant/cheered up the Left Wing v by remarking that he was “ shoulder to shoulder ” with it; but seeing that his mixed wing and shoulder—what kind of goslings have shoulders, anyhow ?—-buainess doesn’t hold a position to enable them to co-operate much (the jmetaphor man not being in Parliament as' he deserves) it is not absolutely clear how the Wing and the worthy Atkinson are going to shoulder it. That old aphorism It pleases them, anl it doesn’t hurt; anybody-” applies to this select teetotal trio most aptly. Their meeting, of both sexes,, the major portion being, of the cold-water brigade, sat and 1 - listened ’ with their customary stoicism to the denunciation of the Government,.- and as no one took the trouble .to; shy; any thing contrary to. the statements ’ made, a resolution to the effect thalr the meeting deplored the rapid advance made under the present' administration towards Tammany corruption, was carried. The country is now safe and the three tailors ;qf Tooley Street are regaling themselves with glances of admiration at one'another*'

The Estimates ..are still on hand, . and the time of the country .is being systematically wasted by the Opposition and “ Left Wing ” taking hopeless objection to every possible item. Late sittings and inferior work are likely to be the record of the session, through the pursuance of such tactics, Every vote is. passed, so it is siruply idle to defend—as a few Opposition papers do—such reprehensible'tactics^ The. Wellington Racing Club has come, to a,most,sensible decision in licensinghoofa>tnaJtere. .Of course . many loot at everything, in the way of except the collection plate—that is a pure gamble—and church'' lotteries, will throw up their eyes and bands in pious horror (eve.n without shallowing them) at the thought of people being allowed to do openly what they now do covertly, in defiance of, the law. Under the present system much harm has been done by pavement-and shop “ tote ” betting, and many young persons, male and female, have been led into bad habits by it, , Office hoys, servant girls, and other yoan| person's have been induced by this ihsidudus system to indulge in “ five shillioga’ worth at “ tote ” odds. Many persona (young principally) who had never dreamt of gambling on horse races, have been lured into tho by those small “ tote ’’ fry. Active operations on the Canvastown Flat, Marlborough (between Nelson and Blenheim, at the junction of the Wakamarina and JBeldrus rivers) is arousing considerable interest. The Wakamarina gold-field was one of tk(S richest in the world, tbc wash-dirt yielding thirty ounces to the dish, and, as it is certain that tbe Wakamrriha river ran for centuries through the Canvastown Flat, the block of landnow being worked has always been regarded with favour by gold-miners. . The boring operations, recently commenced, reveal a vast bed of auriferous cement, in some places thirty-five feet thick, which, it is estimated,, will yialsf five ounces to the ton. Gold has jCeen obtained, all th* way down—torn

to bedrock, 110 ft. Another result of boring shows that water will be no difficulty. The outlook of this undertaking is most promising. During two of the early years of the field over £400,000 worth of gold was recovered from the Wakamarina river, and its main “tributaries—Dead Horse, Deep, and Mountain Camp creeks, and the ground of the Canvastown Plat—although tested, remains practically nnworked.