WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 709, 5 March 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(FROM OUR.OWN,CORRESPONDENT,) . : • March 3rd, AiTHOUOH' the Lunatio Asylum Inquiry stands adjourned—haying been postponed in order to allow, of .the' defence being prepared—it (las by no means 'ceased to form a topic pf, pfihlip ppri It has now.reached limits jyhiph'cpuld never have been anticipated ; ip tho first instance. At first only the Superintendent was upon his triftl j'then of -Lunfttic the itkemselvos, 'apd finally the' Department of . the Civil ; Service has j)e-

position of a co-defendant. If tjie scope of the Inquiry goes on widening at this rate there is no telling where the matter will stop, and we' may eventually find the whole official staff of the Colony in one way or another pand ; the business may- finally end by the majority of the unfortunate, persons impeached claiming. a haven of refuge 'Mm the walla of the Asylum." The Audit Department "comes into the galley" in a very -simple manner, owing, to the fact that it.'has transpired in evidence that WHitelaw was in. the. habit of receiving the salary of his mother, who was matron of the Asylum, without handing it-over to her; and that the Audit Department, on no fewer than 32 - occasions, passed vouchers which Whitelaw had signed, in his mother's name! The Department, has been strongly taken to task by the Evening Post, which points' out that the Colony will probably have to pay the whole of the money (some £180) over again, as it never reached its rightful owner. It certainly seems to me if such transactions as that referred to are allowed to take place unchecked by the Audit Department the, latter cannot be fulfilling its proper, functions. It' is a very expensive branch of-the Service, and the least that can be expected ot it is tbat.it shall be efficient.' ' "

Apropos of the Inquiry, |I hear that most strenuous efforts aro being made in? the eetting-up of evidence for the defence, and that some very strong testimony will be brought to contradict the statements made against the maiia»ometit of the institution. Mr Shaw, the complainant, will then produce rebutting evidence in reply, after which, it is understood, the Commissioners will take time to consider their decision, which will be embodied in a formal report to the Colonial Secretary. The Government will then determine what action, if any, shall be taken in the matter!

The City Council and the Harbor Board are engaged just now in ngotiations respecting the transfer of the Queen's wharf from the Qpnncil to the Harbor Board. After a good dual of difficulty the Council were induced to name a price—£7o,ooo. This includes the Queen's. Bond and the weighbridge, as well as the wharf. The original cost of the structure was £40,000, theremaining £30,000 being asked for the goodwill, The Harbor Board are now considering the proposal, but the Council will havo to come down in their price a good deal, I fancy, before their term 3 areaccepted. It is generally felt now. that the sooner the whole of the Board is under the control of one body the better. It is also generally conceded that the Harbor Board as at present constituted is admirably qualified to promote, the best intereats of the port. It is well-known that the aim of the able Chairman, Mr Levin, M.H.R., and the majority of his colleagues is to make Wellington a free port —believing, as they do, that the best way of promoting the prosperity of the City is to foster its commerce by every available moans. .

The charge of embezzlement against a Government clerk now being investigated at Hawera, has caused considerable interest in this. city, where the-accused young man was well-known, he having been formerly employed in the Government Buildings. Spine comment has been caused by th« fact that the prisoner, who is a married man, had only a salary 0f£135 a year, while thousands of pounds of Government money were constantly passing through his hands, The temptation was, no doubt, a great one, and numbers of other Government clerks are placed in a similar position.: With (ill increases stopped, and with an actual deduction of ten per cent from their pay, the condition of a number of married men in the Buildings with slender salaries has become not altogether a "bed of roses." It does not so much matter, of course, to the singlo young fellows, since in theircase it only means knocking off billiards and.whiskey, and if the reduction has the effect of doing this, it will not,to them be an unmixed blessing. There is a vory general-impression among those likely to be woll informed that the ten per cent will not bo deducted again next year, when joy will, of course, once more return fo the lengthened visages of overworked and underpaid officials. You will probably havo heard ere this that tho post of librarian to the General Assembly—whioh is worth £3OO a yearhas been conferred on Mr Angus McGregor, formerly master of the High School at Invorcargill. There were no fewer than 23 applications for the office, and great influence was brought to bear by the friends of the various conilidates. Tho Library committee got rid of a somewhat awkward responsibility by delegating the appointment to tho Speakers of the two Houses, From what I hear, I believe their choice is a very good one, as Mr McGregor, if [ am correctly informed, is not only a gentleman of scholarly attainments, but lias had previons experience of (he kind of work required—which is more than can be said of tho majority of his rivals, who comprised quite an extraordinary assortment of individuals,'most of them relying more upon their supposed political influence than any particular fitness for the post, '