OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9347, 1 March 1881, Page 2

OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

[from otto own correspondent.] Wellington, Feb. 26. It is evident that Mr J. H. Shaw, the complainant, is sparing no pains to make the evidence as complete as he possibly can against the Asylum, officials. It t may be remembered that' Mr Shaw was formerly Assistant Crown Law Officer for this colony. A quarrel with the Government, however, led to his vacating that position, as well as his appointment as a member of the Commission for revising i the statutes. Since that time Mr Shaw has principally devoted himself to writing letters — very able ones, too — against the property-tax, the injustice of not levying a heavier tax upon land, &c. From the general tone of these letters an impression prevailed pretty widely that Mr Shaw would soon be coming forward as a candidate for Parliament in the Greyite interest. The immediate course of his taking action in the present instance arises from the fact of his having a brother in the Asylum whom he alleges to have been ill-treated. Mr Shaw, E.M., read a lecture to a Wellington tradesman named William Davidson this afternoon which the latter is not likely to forget in a hurry, and which will doubtless convey a salutary lesson to other persons imbued with the same perverted ideas. Mr Davidson is a general dealer, and some time ago supplied to a woman named Kate Howard a quantity of furniture with the view of enabling her to ply an improper trade. He now sued her before the E.M. to recover £27 3s 2d, balance of the account. His Worship said it had been held that people who gave credit to women of this class to enable them to carry on an immoral traffic could not come before a Court of law or equity to demand payment thereof. The Magistrate further added that he was astonished at the effrontery of any respectable man of business coming to that Court in support of such a claim. The plaintiff had lost his money, and he (the Magistrate) was very glad of it. He hoped it would be a deterrent to him and others, because so long as tradesmen furnished girls like the defendant with the means of carrying on prostitution, so long might such traffic flourish in this city. Plaintiff was then nonsuited, with costs, and left the Court looking exceedingly crestfallen. There is still considerable excitement over the Terawhiti gold discoveries, but a pretty widespread opinion prevails that there is great risk of the undertaking being mismanaged. This contingency is greatly to be regretted, because, should the first attempt at developing the field fail, it is very probable that legitimate enterprise would be prevented from taking up the work again, however bond fide the field and its discoveries might appear to be. Simonsen's Opera Troupe are at the Theatre Eoyal, enjoying fair success. Madame Simonsen, tlie prima, donna, sings and acts as well as ever. Two of her daughters who accompany her appear here for the first time, and Bhow considerable promise, although evidently requiring a great deal of training yet. Eiccardi, who is facile jrrinceps in the colonies as the First Lord in " Pinafore," is one of the company, and acquits himself very ably.