LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3316, 11 October 1871, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Beetham Dispute. — In the House yesterday Mr Gisborne made a statement with reference to the charges volunteered by Mr Shepherd, member for the Dunstan, against the returning officer of the Wakatipu district, Mr Baethara. Those who were not in the House when the vote in the estimates for the salaries of returning officers were under consideration may not be aware of the circumstance over which so much acrimonious discussion has arisen. In referring to the salary of the returning officer for the Wakatipu district, Mr Shepherd, referring to the election for thatdistrict,humorously related the anecdote of the returning officer having proclaimed the hospital a polling booth for the purpose of enabling several inmates, whose maladies were at such a stage as to prevent their leaving the establishment, to vote for his opponent, Mr Haughton, and to this fact Mr Shepherd attributed the loss of the seat, for he was only beaten by five or six votes. The circumstances, as related by Mr Shepherd himself, were very amusing, and brought down roars of laughter from all sides of the House, but unfortunately for Mr Shepherd the integrity of a public official was at stake, so that the burden of his fun was really a charge against Mr Beotham of malversation of office in openly acting as a political partisan. It was thought by reasonable people that when the tale had lost its ludicrous novelty, and had become serious, as affecting Mr Beetham's fitness for the office he holds, Mr Shepherd would have accepted Mr Gisborne's suggestion that the offensive portion of his statement — that referring to Mr Beetham — should be withdrawn. But Mr Shepherd met the request with added malapertness, repeating the charge with fresh references to what ho called the " tactics" of Mr Haughton, mentioning as the special unfitnesa of that gentleman to occupy a seat in the House, that he had been elected through the influence of the squatter party of Otago, who paid his expenses by subcription. He recognised Mr Haughton's " hand" in all that had been written about him (Mr Shepherd) in the local press of Wellington ; he had been subjectod to so much of that kind of thing for the past five years that he knew Mr Haughton in print as well as out of it. To this Mr Haughton replied that he had not written about Mr Shepherd in the papers ; that with the particular article of which he complained, he (Mr Haughton) had nothing whatever to do ; and that his statement as to the squatters paying his expenses was entirely false. The whole " scene" ended without any amends having been made by Mr Shepherd, for all sense of the justice due to Mr Beetham was lost in another of those sallies of " flippant wit" for which Mr Shepherd has become notorious. On Mr Haughton's denial of any connection with the newspapers of Wellington, Mr Shepherd completely turned the tables, and induced an irrepressible attack of cachinnation on all sides by addressing the Speaker in the following words — " I beg . to say, Sir, that Mr Haughton's dog 'Bully' is frequently to be found lying at the door of the ' Advertiser' office." This ended the

proceedings in the matter, as far as the House is concerned. Mr Shepherd has declined an opportunity of withdrawing, with some show of grace, a charge which will very justly tell against him in matters political for a long time to come. Lieut- Genebal Gold. — Among the latest telegrams from England there is a notice of the death of Lieut- General Gold. Lieut-General Gold was well-known in Wellington, having resided here for a number of years while Colonel of the 65th Regiment, and his death will be regretted by many who then enjoyed his friendship. Consul. — The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr James Roes George as Consul in New Zealand for his Majesty the King of Portugal and the Algarves. Lectuiie on Life Assurance. — Mr W. A. Thomson, lecturer for the Austra lian Mutual Provident Society, gave his lecture on life assurance at the Lower Hutt on Monday evening last, the 9fch October — A. Ludlam, Esq, J.P., in the chair. The attendance was very good, and the subject, although generally considered dry, was rendered amusing by diagrams showing the progress of the society from its commencement. Mr Thomeon advocated the mutual system, and showed that the society had declared bonuses to the extent of £485,000, and also explained the several ways in which these bonuses could be applied for the benefit of the assurer. The invested capital of the society was stated to be £831,789, and Mr Thomson read extracts from assurance journals in England, complimenting the society on its success. The moral of assurance was fully commented on by the lecturer. A gentleman, whose name did net transpire, asked Mr Thomson several questions respecting the liability of the shareholders, which were answered. The same gentleman commented on the time allowed after a lapsed policy could be reinstated. Mr Thomson referred him to the prospectus, wherein it stated that six months was givon to the assured ; during that period the directors had power to reinstate a lapsed policy. These answers did not seem to satisfy the applicant, and the audience, beliering he was connected with the Government scheme, and therefore prejudiced, showed a disinclination to hear more argument. The Chairman ruled that Mr Thomson's reply was good and sufficient. A vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman and the lecturer, which terminated the meeting. To Parties Furnishing.— An excellent opportunity will be afforded to parties furnishing by attending Messrs Vennell, Mills & Co's sale this day, Wednesday. A large collection of furniture and furnishing ware of the newest description will be offered. The Colors of the GBrH.— ln the House of Commons on July 31, Lord G. Hamilton asked whether it was true that the colors of the 68th Regiment, recently ordered by the War Office to be sent from Ireland to London to be inscribed with a record of the New Zealand campaign, had been lost. Sir H. Storks replied that the colors had been transmitted per carrier Jo have the record of the New Zealand campaign inscribed upon them, but that they were lost on the way. Heartless Hoax.— A great hoax was perpetrated in Adelaide by a person, name unknown, who, soon after the arrival of the branch mail steamer, wrote the follow, ing on the Government notice board outside the Telegraph station :— " Great European war. Queen on death-bed. Ministry resigned." This announcement caused great excitement, and the news soon Bpread. Several clergymen in Adelaide offered up prayers during the morning service, in accordance with the sad news. Accident. — On Monday evening as Bamford's trap was standing outside a house on the Terrace, Howard's bus, wliieb was passing, ran up against fcbe horse. The animal, frightened, bolted down the Terrace till it came to the bridge, against the brickwork of which the trap was completely smashed. Fortunately no one was in it at the time of the accident. Me Walter Montgomery. — A Victorian paper, in noticing the reported suicide of Mr Walter Montgomery, says he was in the habit of taking doses of hydrocyanic acid on certain occasions when his nerves were unstrung. If such be true, an over-dose of this most powerful poiaon, taken at an unguarded moment, may account for what is presumed to have been suicide. The Dismembebment op Westland. — Telegrams were received from Hokitika yesterday stating that the following resolutions had been unanimously carried at a crowded meeting held at Goldsborough, Waimea, on Monday evening : — " That this meeting earnestly protests against the dismemberment of the County of West land, and orders that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to each member of the Government, to the County Chairman, and to John White, Esq., the representative of the district. — J. Clarke, Chairman." Mb Douglas, the inventor of the improved apparatus for disengaging ships' boats, which was lately exhibited in Wellington, has applied for a patent in Vie toria. Meat Preserving. — A new meat proserving process is noticed in the Home papers. The novelty in the process is the employment of powerful pressure as a means of making the drying possible. In six hours the bullock which walks into the slaughter house may be put on board ship in the shape of highly dried pressed beef and dessicated beef juice. Colonial Conference. — There has been a three days' conference on colonial subjects at the Westmiuster Palace Hotel. Mr Edward Jenkins opened the proceedings with an inaugural address. Papers were then read on the following questions : — " Colonies and Colonial Governments," " Simple Methods of Land Transfer," " Imperial and Colonial Federalism," " Emigration," " Facilities for Emigration," " Colored Labor in British Colonies," " The Satisfactory Settlement of the Colonial Waste Land Question in 1865, and its Effects on Imperial Dominion," " The Colonies as Food Stores for Great Britain," " Emigration as seen j in Canada," and "The Colonial Office: its Constitution." The sittings were but poorly attended. Dr Feathehston in England.— The " Anglo- Australian in London,'' in the "European Mail," writes with reference to the arrival of Dr Featherston : — Amongst the most interesting events of the month to colonial circles here may be chronicled the arrival of Dr Featherston, the AgentGeneral for New Zealand. He has taken up his quarters for the present at Charing Cross Hotel, but doubtless will Boon look about him for permanent offices. Everybody is delighted at his advent; for his great abilities and high character are universally recognised, while to them he joins that high courtesy, or as Macaulay expressed it, speaking of the Merry Monarch, ' that exquisite affability' so useful in smoothing diplomatic labours. It must bo remembered that the Agent-

General of a great colony is constantly brought into association with high officials and courtly circles, and has frequently to negotiate very delicate matters. It is more than likely that Dr Featherston's qualifications in this particular had almost as much to do in making the entertainment of the guarantee of last year's New Zealand loan acceptable to the Colonial Office as his great business talents. He is looking stouter than when he was last here, and seems in excellent health. It is to be hoped he will be able to bear our rigorous winter, which must be very trying to those who have spent the greater part of their lives in New Zealand. A paragraph in the gossip column of a Liverpool newspaper (the port where 'Dr Featherston landed) says he is accompanied by a relative who would " make one of the best emigration agents any colony ever possessed, if the object were simply to make people in love with New Zealand and everything belonging to it." Of this I do not know anything, and if I did, should certainly, contrary to the writer in question, say nothing.