WELLINGTON NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 8987, 21 January 1891, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

The weather during the last few weeks in this city, has surpassed itself in fierce brutalism. Blow, blow, blow, day after day, night after night. " Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top," that far-away lullaby of infancy, well expresses the nightly movement of the couch of repose (?) in this veritable cave of the winds, while all day long a furious north-wester, with scorching sun, varied by occasional southerly ' busters ' and heavy rain-storms, has been blustering and raving: such have been the climatic delights of the Empire City daring theae holidays. The Rotcrua, which on Thursday last conveyed the Premier on an errand of supreme importance to his sempiternal ly-ftbsent-from-seat -of - Government Excel lency the Governor, did not arrive at Lyttelton till half-pant five on the Friday (January 16th) evening following, after a passage of twenty-nine hours 1 That the cause of Sir Harry Atkinson's sudden departure South, so soon after his arrival from the North, was of an urgent nature may be judged, when it is stated that almost immediately after the termination of Tiis fearfully rough passage he sought an interview with the Governor, at present enjoying a lettered leisure at Christchurch amid the savants of the Australasian Association there assembled for tho promotion of science. The result of that interview will doubtless be made known in a very few days. Meanwhile it is, I believe, an open secet, that thanks, in do small mea*ar«, to that precious "fad," on* wan pot ret*! fo tfjnwMjr wwkfd , wo k ww,

by the Premier's own Committee for Egmont at the late election, the Government, though supported by a decisive majority of tho voters in the colony at large, are in an equally decisive minority of supporters in the new Parliament. Public opinion generally, at any rate in this city and neighbourhood, does not view with much favour tho composition of tho House of Representatives to assemble, for the first time, on Friday next. " Worse than ever, wore that possible 1" is tho verdict heard. Trade, for various reasonsj the vile weather and strikes among them, has been duller during these holidays than for some years past. Amusements, theatric, operatic, and other, have been hardly less poor ; in fact, there have been few or none. The chief diversion has been afforded by the visit of the warship Dubourdieu, with the flag of the French Admiral of the South Pacific squadron. Here, again, the tempestuous weather has greatly hindered the fi-ee exchange of hospitalities- between the citizens and that most courteous naval commander Admiral de Presmenil with his officers. Last evening these gentlemen were entertained at a ball by the Hon. Captain Rusbell and his wife. In the afternoon the fine band of the Dubourdieu performed in the Garrison Hall in the presence of a- large and highly gratified assemblage of the public. As I write these words, the grand looking wooden battleship, albeit, of the most antiquated type", is weighing her anchor preparatory to her long voyage over the Pacific to Valparaiso, where her arrival may be none too soon to protect tho citizens of the French Republic from the possible violence of the latest revolution on that distracted Continent of South America. Your older readers may be interested in hearing of the health and prosperity of a fellow passenger who landed, in Taranaki in '46 with more than one well-known and respected resident in Xew Plymouth I refer to a Mr Wright, to whose hospitable family, at his fine house in " The Happy Valley," near Wellington, I "was recently introduced. Mr Wright, who, with his brother, now also living in' Wellington, was for a short time at New Plymouth during the above year, very kindly showed me over his establishment. This comprised a large and lofty slaughterhouse, -with concrete floor, provided with an everflowing stream of water; cattle pens; sheep pens opening in to one another in orderly succession, as well as on to a concreted dipping trough seven feet deep and some yards in length; a capacious shearing. shed; boiling down shed fitted with steam engine, cooling tank, etc.; woolsheds; pigstyes, all with concretedfloorandyard; pig paddock, wherein were displayed numerous huge sows with their offspring; large poultry yard; stables; cottages for the men employed, -etc. Tho exquisite order and cleanliness of the whole were not the least striking features. The owner of this fine and flourishing business possesses ten thousand acres of freehold sheep run on tbe hills around, at present pastured by eight thousand sheep. I was told afterwards that the wool alone brings in an annual income of three thousand pounds. Mr Wright and his brother — the latter served in the Royal Navy throughout the Russian war — made several inquiries after old identities at New Piymoutb, most of whom, alas ! I had to tell them, were now gone.

Egmont.