Wellington Notes.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2015, 10 January 1887, Page 2

Wellington Notes.

The Houom. Christmas anil New Year's Day ® oß * and gone, and now people hate Rattled down to the cares and duties of thia work-a«day world. Everyone will be the better ol the holiciy*. They give a salutary change and a pl-mant fi lip to existence and afford the great mass of the people keen enjoyment while they last, and the power of working with increased energy when the_ lime come* to resume their usual avocations. Borne people talk of dull times and money being scarce. Well, I don’t doubt there is some truth in those assertions, but, at the same time, it is very remarkable how freely money is spent during the holiday season on innocent pleasures and amusement*. During the holidays the street* of Wellington have been crowded with happy looking people, gailv dressed, and looking in every way prosperous and well to do. Theo every railway and steamer excursion haa beeu well patronised, while the theatre, the opera bouae and other places ol amusement have attracted crowds. Certainly, though the times may be dull, the Wellington folk* can still enjoy their cakes and ale and take their pleasure in a hearty and thorough fashion.

A Pbbipatbtic Monabch. i It seems that King Xawhiao and hi* followers have started from the North, and are going to “ eat their way " through the Native Settlements till they get to Wellington. The old mao did that once before, bnt stopped short at ,the Wairarapa. The King not only “ ate his way ” southwards but “ drank ” it as well. I came aero#* tha King and bis followers during the former journey, and found that “ gay and festive cuss ” chronically drunk. He bad been so daring the whole journey. In truth, the King divided his attention impartially between the rum bottle and the dusky beauties of his travelling harem. Xam told, however, that Xawhiao, aince Sir (Jeorge Clrey converted {him, has continued a staunch teetotaller. I hope this is ao, but I am just a little dubious on the point.

A Hot Plaob. The Governor has gone to Auckland. More fool he. It is hot enough in Welling* ton, bnt in Auckland- well, the place must be something awful in the way of caloric, Down here we mostly have breezes to temper the heat, bnt in Auckland there is often not a breath of wind, and people there just " stew in their own gravy.” Tb Wiuxi. Te Whiti, the Maori propuet, has been released from prison. and returned home tu his beloved Parihaka. I should fancy that his recent three months' imprisonment must have greatly lowered the prestige of Te Whiti amongst his followers. Te Whiti always boasted that he could cause the Pakehas to be driven into the sea, and that the whole country would then become the exclusive properly of the Maoris. As events have turned out. the Pakebaa have arrested, tried, and imprisoned Te Whiti juet like any ordinary criminal, so that his followers can hardly now any lunger believe in hie boasted supernatural powers. Beside* this, Te Whiti ought to have been taught a salutary lesson through bis imprisonment. His tobacco has bccu cut off, he has been in solitary cuutinemunt during a period of three months for 20 hours out of the 24, and he must have gut pretty well sick of bis punish* ment. Perhaps Te Whiti will now subside, and keep quiet in the future.

11 Oh Willie we have Missed Yon.” I notice that honest, kindly, good hearted Willie Ltuii. ex M H.R. for Thorndon, has come back again to Wei ington alter a trip to the Old Country. Kveryone will welcome him heartily on his return. As there will be a general election before long, I hope Mr Levin will pat up again for Thorndon. Should he do so, I will back him at long odds tu beat all comers aud secure a triumphant re-election to bis old seat A more honorable, consistent, and straightforward man than William Hurt Levin never sat within tha walls of our Colouial Parliament House.

The Customs Revenue daring the lait nine months shows ■ serious falling off t« compared with the same period during the pre. vioue year. The reaeon lor tbit it not far to seek. The times are more or lets dull, the mast of the people earn lets money than they did dating the palmy dayt, whan the big loans were being expended and so the amoaut of mouey which people have available to spend on dutiable goodt it less than it nisi te be. Betides tbit, tern* perance principles are spreading and people do not spend to much on brandy, whiskey, gin, and other alcoholic drinks as they did in days of yore. Of coarse, therefore, the revenue from the spirit duties has fallen off very much. The beer doty also shows a decrease. While the revenue is thus des creased, it te consolatory to reflect that the mate of the people are becoming temperate. P. E. Watty has got out of prison a year before his time. Nobody will regret this Hie offences in the way of forgery were ' oat [ tainly heinous, bat he baa undergone punishment, and it it to be hop'j 1 hit future career will form an ato®'- nt lor y,. put.

There is a Small IV x 4t preMnt . Kiat German vesa» > > w hioh came to Mel* boarne appears tq * j4ve been simply saturated with small par Anyway, over 40 of her passengers s' iß g owu wl th the disease at Melbourne j ( eat that the disease may spread j„ Victoria—despite quarantine prepa®'r one—and that it may be communicated ** New Zealand. That would be a great calamity and every possible precaution should be adopted to prevent it. It is very sad indeed to find a couple of " J.P.’e " down south taking to fisticuffs and punching each other's heads. The right place for those worthies is the duck instead o i the Bench,

It is stated that H wasn't " A. L. Levy," of the teetotallers of New Zealand who took a public house iu East Melbourne. It is said to lie another man ot the same name who took the "pub ” Well, 1 shall suspend my opiuiou on the matter till further evidence in to hand. A. L. Lew, the wife deserter, has quite enough to answer for already.

there is likely to be more trouble about met hristohuroh unemployed now that a lot of men haxe boon discharged from the relief xvoiks and can't git employment at anything el»c At less!, ttic loon say they can't get xx-'ik. IVi we should think that if they tra. ichsd in the agncuitural districts of Canterlv,;t i'ne\ nugl.i laid work to enable them to make a imng

Snnbeiti ««> * fraud, tint the Teetulpa ■ug k o\.* hv,' a k n ai (act Auyhuw they have .i \a .-.'.isi,finable amount of gold and MW' .muc, • h<ne Kan (nought by the mail, rim i* a »,,i ii of evidence that the digging* an* vt,\ui.-me.

\ U«\fi down S 'ut :i sud to a Witness un.ivi oioss examination •' that he wan the greatest lur m tlie country aide.” Witoeaa moiled " that lawyers took oat a special license authorising them to tell lie*.'' Such aie the amenities of the bar and the man in the witness box.

The bankruptcy of Mr W. R. Water* has created quite a sensation in Wellington. The liabilities for a man in a comparatively small way of busioees are pretty large, and there is not much prospect ol a satisfactory dividend. The worst feature in the case of Mr Waters will be the Northern Land and Loan Company, and certain defalcations which have arisen out of it. Mr Waters, under medical certificate, took a passage to Melbourne lor the benefit of bis health, hot the Official Assignee and the creditors get alarmed, so he was arrested at Dunedia on warrant and brought back to Wellington. I don't care to comment aipou the case in its present position. All (Tie (acts have not yet come out and proceedings have been taken against Mr Waters by the Official Assignee. The case is now in a certain sense, fub/udice. Cali lit.