WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIV, Issue 44, 25 February 1887, Page 17

WELLINGTON.

(From our own Correspondent.) February 21, 1887; SiNOE my last letter, the secular priests in this district have nearly all been to Christchurch to attend the annual retreat there, and have returned again . Jli3 Lordship Dr. Redwood S.M., is now in Wellington, and is likely to remain for some time. The only diocesan news of special interest at the present time, ia, that the Key. Father Binsfield of Rangiora, is about to visit Europe on six mouths leave of absence, and that thd Rev. Father O'Connor of Lyttelton will succeed Father Bmsfifild, while the Rev. Father Kickham of Napier will assume charge of the Lyttelton parish. These changes are expected to take place in about five or six weeks time. During the last fortnight the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church have held there session hjre. The daily papsrs reported the proceedings very fully, and judging by those reports, it appeared to me, that beyond discussing certain abstract questions, no decision was arrived at on any important matter, but the further consideration was postponed until tho next session. Possibly my opinion may be wrong and that a large amount.of business was done, but I do not think so. The time is drawing near for the judges to assemble at Christchurch to hear arguments on the paint reserved by Mr. Justice Williams, in^the Cain murder case. Mr. H. D, Bell, the senior partner in the firm of Bell, Gully and Izard, of this c ty has been specially retained as senior counsel to argue the case on behalf of the prisoner. Mr. Bell's long experience as Crown Prosecutor in this district makes him specially qualified to argue an important point bearing on Criminal law; Before agreeing to accept the retainer, Mr. Bell consulted with the Attorney General as to the etiquette of a Crown Counsel argaing a prisoner'e case, but Sir Robert Stout saw no objection to such a course being persued, where tbe Crown had not availed themselves of the services of such Counsel aad especially where the case was tried in another district. As regards the condemned man Hall, many reports have been circulated regarding his actions before his arrest, and since. Many of these are stated to be absolutely untrue— with reference to the story, that on his entering the Lyttelton prison, he was met by a prisoner, serving a life sentence for having killed his wife owing to Hall's relations with her, who saluted Hall with the words " Ah, you wretch, 1 knew you would be here sooner or later," lam in a position to state, from information I have received from the Prisons Department that the story is absolutely nntrue, as there has never been any prisoner in the Lyttelton prison on such a charge. The currency of these stories cannot in any way effect the condemned man, as he is dead to society, and according to high legal opinions, will soon forfeit his life to the law, he never hears anything that is said about him, and even if he did it would matter little to him, but there are many innocent ones living who are entitled to consideration, whose sorrow and trouble is greatly increased by the repetition of such reports. In fairness to these I mention the matter. Mr. C. J. Johnston, M.H.R., is about to visit England, and it is stated that before his departure, which will be in a fortnight's time, he will resign his seat in Parliament. Acting on this supposition, one candidate, Mr. L. H. Fraser, bookseller of Manners street, has already announced himself. The annual licensing elections for the city are just over, and generally resulted in a defeat for the temperance party. The Evening Post of Saturday night, in an article fully explains the caus,e of this defeat, as will be seen from the following extract :— " The complete and decisive defeat of the extreme temperance party in the late licensing elections is not a matter for either regret or surprise. It is undoubtedly attributable to the unjust action of the Cook Committee last year. Entrusted with large powers, that committee abused their position to inflict great loss on, and do great injury to certain respectable citizens, practically confiscating their property, and depriving them of the means of earning a respectable livelihood for themselves and families. We doubt whether any public body in New Zealand ever did a more cruelly unjust act than was done in the cancellation of the licenses of the Prince of Wales and Clydequay Hotels, aud although it reduced two previously well-to-do citizens to poverty, we are pretty certain that no public benefit, even from the committee's own point of view, resulted. There has not been a single nobbier the less sold in the city during the year, because there were three licensed houses fewer than before. The arbitrary action of the Cook Committee caused a great revulsion of feeling in the public mind, and was unequivocally condemned by even the more moderate section of the temperance party. It was generally felt that the enormous and almost irresponsible powers of a Licensing Committee could not safely be entrusted to the hands of men prepared, in indulgence of fanatical feeling, to use these powers in the inequitable manner they were used by this committee last year. The result was shown in the elections which took place in Te Aro and Cook jester .lay aad the day before.