WELLINGTON.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 456, 23 January 1869, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(FROM OUIt OWN CORRESPONDENT.) 18th January. The Empire eity is not able to support a theatre. Indeed it patronises so feebly any travelling companies who visit it en route that they scarcely ever seem to care to repeat their visits. The reason why this should be the case has often puzzled me, and the more I try to understand it, the more difficulty do" I find in arriving at any sensible conclusion. It cannot he that rhe residents of Wellington do not like serious domestic dramas, still less do they admire farces, or else why should they be content to sit idly by and watch the Provincial farce being kept up by the Provincial Government. Perhaps it is that Dr Eeatherstone and his clique supply amusement enough, and one would think, to spare, of farces in Wellington. With an empty exchequer, with no revenue, with heavy liabilities, with unpaid officials, (I mean the lesser clerks, police, and servants of their grade, for the higher ones do, I believe, contrive to receive their salaries), with no certain means of paying absolutely necessary current expenses, and with a staff of Superintendent, Executive, and officials, sufficient to carry on the business of a flourishmgprovince; with certain bankruptcy staring usin the face.no energetic stops'to meet the difficulties of the uitsc seem to be even thought of, while ail demands that the Council should be called together are utterly disregarded. All salaries are months ia arrears, and there seems to be a happy unconcern as to wheu they will be paid, or even if they ever will. A few days ago the Provincial Government received about £2OOO in payment for the site on which the General Government telegraph office ' is built, and this enabled them to pay a dividead on salaries over-due, but where any more is to come from nobody knows. This is the state to which the champion of provincialism has succeeded in reducing this Province, having had everything his own way, having had Executives who were in his hands mere dummies, and with all the favourable circumstances of the Seat of Government being here, and Welliugton being the port of call for the Panama steamers. But for these two last fortunate chances it is difficult to see what could have kept the Province afloat so long. A more complete argument in favor of the abolition of Provincialism could not be required than is furnished by Wellington now. With everything in its favor to enable it to prove the value of the system, it has given us a strong reason why that system requires at least much modification. It belonged to a time that is passed. It has undoubtedly done good work, but it should now bo remodelled to suit the wants of the altered conditions of the country. A few days ago a collection of birds, starlings, thrushes, pheasants, and others, imported by the Provincial Government, and brought out here very carefully, without charge, by Captain Bishop of the Wild Duck, were disposed of by auction. They realised good prices, and, there beimj no acclimatization society in Ibis Province, have doubtless been distributed in a way that will produce the most good. Those who have purchased them will take care of them, but still to benefit the country they should be let loose and not kept in cages. The General Government have been advertising for tenders for the supply and delivery of poles for the construction of a line of telegraph between the city of Wellington and Wanganui. These advertisements have, however, been withdrawn, and the prosecution of the work postponed for a short time owing to the opposition of some Maoris resident about Otaki and Rangitikei through whoso lan d the line must pass. This opposition is not likely to be serious, and in a few weeks the work may be exi pected to be commenced. The Panama Mail Service may now be considered to have totally ceased, and the Company even as regards its local trade must aoon, it is thought,

cease operations. The steamers Tararua, Eangitoto, and Claud Hamilton have been purchased by Messrs M'Meckan and Blackwood of Melbourne, and will be put on the New Zealand trade. The Phcebe will be seized, on her next arrival here, by Messrs Bethune and Hunter at the suit of the Eoyal Mail Coinpauy, and the New Zealand Company are in treaty for the purchase of the Eginont for £II,OOO. Under these circumstances it would appear that they will not possess steamers sufficient for the trade. One thing in connection with the stoppage of the Company "Wellington will have cause to regret, namely, tho departure from among us el* the Manager, Captain Benson. Since he has been here lie has been a most valuable citizen, always ready to assist generally in any undertaking, whether of charity or for public amusement, and by his courteous conduct on all occasions he rendered his many acts of kindness and assistance doubly gratifying. He leaves us in the Mataura, which calls here en route for England, and will take with him many hearty wishes for his future welfare. By the Omeo, which arrived here yesterday, the last detachment of volunteers for the Armed Constabulary which Captain Stack was authorised to raise in Melbourne, arrived. They will proceed almost directly to Wanganui, where they will be rapidly drilled into " efficients." There is no news to send you of a war-like nature. In Napier the fighting seems to have ceased, while on the AVanganui side we have not yet commenced our march of vengeance. I can only hope that when it is begun it will continue and end most thoroughly. A court martial held on Trooper Hughes, for having attempted to fire on his officer, ended by his being sentenced to three months' imprisonment; but a very influential memorial having been got up in his favor, and he being an uninformed man in military disci p. line, the sentence was remitted by Col. ' Lyon. Hughes thanked him very feel- ' ingly for his leniency, and assured the ' Colonel that he would endeavor by \ future good conduct to prove that the generosity was not misplaced. .. j