WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 691, 12 February 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(FBOM OUB OV/N CORRESPONDENT.) Racing and cricketing have been the main objects of attention in Wellington since my last communication was despatched, If anything were needed to illustrate how times have changed during tlio last twelve months, it wa3 afforded by tho changed aspect of affairs at those places of resort where the " horsey " men moat do congregate for a week or two prior to the "convincing day," The hotels, which in former years were the scenes of intense excitement and speculation, on this occasion wore so quiet an appearance that a strangor would scarcely have suspected that;anything out of the common was on :tho tapis. Calcutta sweeps seemed to liave lost their attractiveness, the betting rooms were deserted, .and the metallicians,found their occupation gone. But, strange to say, the Wellington Racing Club had failed • to note tho signs of the times, and instead of reducing their charges to suit the depleted: condition of : the citizen's purses, kbso ; lutely increased-; .their demands to ■ the vflrirfl nf pyfnrtinn Thna P«nh individual

had to spend Gs before he could get on to the iotirse, and 20a more to gam access to the Grand stand and paddocks. Under the circumstances it is not a matter lor surprise that ihe attendance on the course was miserably small, and that the mee - ing consequently passed off tamely and unsatisfactorily. Of the results of tnfl various events you.have already been ap; priieWy;telei?ram, Md Lneed'..only."# 1 iii a genefal way that-thesport wasinnoway exciting) lindthdtafew such niGGtinjrs would give the Wellington Racing Club its quietus.', -" , 3 ' Tlie Australian crioketers,-as was .anticipated, have come, have seen, and have conquered. Not that the Wellington mon have very much to be ashamed .of as cricketing goes here. Their batting certainly was weak but in the field they shewed better form than they, usually, do in local matches, while the bowling (for New Zealand cricket again) was very ; fair throughout, a fact of which proof is to be found in the circumstance that five or six wickets fell for as many runs. The play of the visitiiig team was deservedly greatly admired, The fielding was excels* , : lent, notwithstanding the'drawback of a very rough ground, while the bowling, Dominie Sampson would have remarked, was "prodigious." It appeared to me that there was remarkably: small choice between that of the" Demon' 1 and that of Palmer. The latter has far the best style, and is a perfect adept in tempting young players out of their crease to their doom. He had the best analysis but it - should be stated that fear of injuring the batsmen owing to the'bumpy nature of' the ground restrained Spofforth from putting forth his strength.' That Murdoch—hero of a huudred Gelds, the scorer of 153 not out against the best bowling in the world, should be dismissed (for the first time during the tour some say) in Wellington for the ignominious " duck's-egg" is a striking instance of the uncertainty, of cricket. It would have been a treat to see his finished batting for an hour or so, but Slight's pretty innings was in some degree compensation. Turning to politics, nothing _ very striking has to be recorded.. It is expected that the Premier will proceed to Canterbury shortly to address his constituents, but in the meantime a new Minister will probably' be appointed. Rumor is still busy with the names of candidates, Messrs Walter. Johnston .and... Levin occupying good places in the running. I am inclined to think there is small chance of the choice falling upon the latter gentleman. He is understood to have no desire for office, and, moreover, people have an idea that a fairly long apprenticeship in the flouße is a desirable qualification for office, and this is not poa-. sessed by Mr Lovin. A sudden climb to, an eminence is apt to produce dizziness, and the elevation of comparatively young members to office during the past few years has not been'attended with'such-, satisfactory results as to prove that the. rule does not hold good in politics. 1 'Mr Johnston has had good experience iirtha ; House, and, indeed, when the Ministry was formed his claims were regarded as secondary only to the desirableness of securing Mr Bryce. Depend upon it, there will be" wigs on the green" if he is passed over this time. But what about the Education question ] Mr Johnston has affected to be the' mouthpiece of the Catholics. . ' . '

The papers here have been discussing' the duties and emoluments of the Crown Prosecutor, one making the rather absurd suggestion that, to secure economy, the office should be abolished, and the duties performed by the Crown Law Officers,' including the Attorney-General, I presume, becoming peripatetic.'' That would certainly be a penny wise and pound, foolish polioy, It is whispered, thouglj, that there is something at the bottom of the discussion, that evidence taken by the Civil Service Commission last year showed that some of the Crown Prosecutors or Crown Solicitors have been making a very good thing out of the colony, These gentlemen, whose official duties simply have reference to criminal charges brought before the District Court or Supreme Court, as the csbb may be,, have not only claimed a monopoly by-.vir-tue of their office of work in their respective districts, but havo preferred a claim to work which misht easily be done in the Crown Law Office at Wellington. In some cases it is said that their demands havo been acceded to, with the result-that hundreds of pounds have been paid for work which should have been done by salaried officers of the Government. I£ there be truth in the story it is not undeserving of attention. The post of Parliamentary Librarian, vacated by the death of Mr McColl, is still unfilled, and if report be correct, the Speakers of the two Houses, with whom the appointment rests, are worried almost out of their life with applications. Were it not that the smallness of the salary attached to tho office curbs their action, it might be imagined that they had decided to take their time, and select someone capable of guiding the reading of Hon Members, and being a literary authority, But £3OO a year will not command .tho services of a man of that calibre, and the contest is said to be between a fashionable gentleman in the Colonial Secretary's' office, and the present assistant librarian, You will have learnt by telegram of the dreadful occurrence of Saturday night, wheroby three children were burnt to death, One does not like to add to the bitterness of tho parents' grief by imputing blame to tnern, but the disaster should be a warning to. fathers and mothers who thoughtlessly leave children sleeping in unprotected homes, subject to the risk of fire, The Whittingtoiis have suflerad sevorely, and it is pleasing to note that an appeal to the charitable to afford the poor people the means of securing a new home is being yell and readily responded to. Among the things not generally known to the public, may be the fact "that the Honorable George McLean owns and runs the horses carrying Sir Hercules Robinson's colors just now. Some sensation Iwb been caused by a. report that a man had died of starvation in this city, but happily.for the credit of Wellington, and indeed of New Zealand, the statement has been shown to be without foundation, need I say that our mayor started the agitation.