WELLINGTON.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 736, 12 November 1870, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(from OU3 OWJT CORRESPONDENT.)

November 3.

The only political news I have to send you is the establishment of a Keform Association here. It, as yet, is not a public affair, though at least 300 electors have pledged themselves to unite and work for and return candidates for Wellington who will " go in " for radical reform. This new band have agreed upon three cardinal points, and will endeavor to obtain direct taxation, the abolitiou of provincialism, and the abolition of the Native Department. Besides these three principal articles of belief, they hold others including a wide extension—not a lowering—of the franchise, which will include educated men totally, irrespective of whether they rent a house or live in lodgings. I have faith in their tenets and have joined their ranks, and I believe that we shall carry our men in with honors. I may not yet say who our candidates are, but you may depend they are not from the old clique, whose ouly claim to election has been for a long time that they are " old identities " and believers in Dr Featherston. A public meeting will be held in a few days,and you shall be duly " posted up " as to results by wire.

Sericulture is the topic of conversation now in "Wellington. Unless a person can talk learnedly of cocoons and eggs, of different kinds of mulberry trees, of planting, picking and breeding, he is no good. The papers " do " sericulture, people talk sericulture—aud neither one nor the other understands it, but that is immaterial. Mr Batchelor has come over from Nelson, and is making definite arrangements with the Government (in accordance with a resolution passed in the House last session), respecting continuing his experiments in sericulture, and giving assistance to tho various acclimatization societies throughout tho colony,

for which he is to receive a small bonuß by instalments. I have had a long talk with him, and think he is fully alive to his own interests, but if he can benefit the colony, at the same time that he improves his own circumstances, all the better. He hopes to be able to establish, in Nelson, a school for girls, for whom ho thinks the work of sericulture highly suitable, who, when trained, will be able to obtain good situatioQs throughout the colony. My opinion is that sundry persons and societies will imagine that the pursuit is so easy, that they will be rushing headlong into sericulture, and will vei'y soon stick fast aud have to apply to Mr Batchelor.

The first show, by the lately revived Horticultural Society, is to be held on the 17th inst. A success is anticipated, and, if the long list of prizes to be given is any criterion, it should be a certainty. But 1 have a faint idea just now about counting chickens, &c. The fire in Lyttelton has made a stir here, and it has, of course, been discovered that, although we have two fire-brigades with sundry engines, and fathoms of hose, we are absolutely unprotected against fire. There is some truth in this. We are not as well provided as we should be. A steam fire-engine is being agitated for, andwilleventuallybeprocured. Apropos of this subject, a water supply for this city is being talked of. The expense is not to be much—a mere bagatelle of £25,000; which, in the flourishing condition of the Province and city, need scarcely be thought about. A rate of one shilling in the pound levied in the city will realise about £ISOO, so that of course we have ample funds in hand.

Before leaving the fire subject I may mention that sundry performances have already taken place here tor the benefit of the sufferers by the Lytteltou fire, and another is announced for Monday next—to be given by the amateurs of our volunteer companies. As people always go to peformances given for charitable purposes, and as amateur theatricals are always so good you know, a crammed house is certain. An interesting action for libel is talked of here, to be brought by an auctioneer, of the name of Smith, against a very clever gentleman of the name of Cleland. The former was plaintiff and the Littler defendant in a case tried in the Magistrates' Court here a few days ago, and Smith was the conqueror lteport says that the defendant was annoyed thereat, and politely called his opponent a swindler. The public generally are quite agreed that one, at least, does deserve the title.

The annual class-firing of the volunteer compauioa Ims commoncod very successfully. An attempt is being made here to induce men to go in for this class firing, by announcing that only those that have passed are eligible as candidates for the colonial and district prize firing. This is a mistake. The regulations already published make no mention of any necessity for competitors having passed the class firing.

A meeting will be held to night for the purpose of forming a regatta club, and of drawing up a regular code of rules and regulations to be adhered to at future rowing and sailing matches here. The necessity for this step has been long recognised by the various boating clubs, and also by the owners of the sailing yachts in the harbor. Every regatta that I have seen here has resulted in disputes and ill-feeling between the clubs and crews, owing to there being no established code of rules to be followed in the races.

You probably heard some time ago of the destruction by fire of Mr Hirst's tannery at Kaiwarra. The rebuilding of the works was commenced without delay, and their completion was celebrated ou Saturday last by a picnic and dinner given by Mr Hirst to his employes.