WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 12, 13 July 1888, Page 13

WELLINGTON.

(From our own Correspondent.) Saturday, July 7, MeMBBBB are still hammering away at the Cußtoms and Excise Dutie Bill. Mr. Fish, in speaking in the debate on the third reading of the Bill on Thursday afternoon, after taking exception to the manuer in which some of the members had spoken of several manufactures, said that as the Government had, in a measure, given effect to the principles of Protection, he would give them his support for the remainder of the session. Mr. W. P. Reeves said he was sorry Mr. Fish had taken the standing he had, as he had now given himself away for the rest of the session. — The Bill passed through its final stages on Thursday night, the Government having a majority of 45 to 22. From a discussion which took place in the House on Thursday evening it would appear that the wave of retrenchment which has been sweeping over the country will even reach the Hansard Btaff. The Premier, in moving the adjournment of the House, said it had been generally thought that the reports this session were far from accurate, and nothing would be done by the abolishment of Hansard. He himself had been so badly reported that he could not recognise his own speeches. In continuing, the Premier said that did members not correct their speeches they would be so disgusted with the reports that the general desire would be to do away with this department. As an instance of the incorrectness of the reports, Mr. Levestatn said that in the course of a debate he had said " One grain of strychnine would kill a man but a larger quantity would not," but in the report he was credited with saying " one grain of opium would kill one man but it would not kill another." The Premier also said that he did not hold himself responsible for anything in Hansard. Mr. Fish explained that they could expect nothing else ; the salaries were so low that really good men would not stop. The question was considered by the Reporting Debates Committee yesterday morning, when it was found that the errors had occurred through the illness of one of the members of the staff, who has since resigned. The Hawea inquiry, which had been proceeding here on and eff for the past fortnight, is concluded at last. The Court, on Thursday, finding that as the harbour-master had informed Captain Hansby that

the harbour was safe, and as he had taken all necessary precaution* he was not to blame for the accident, and returned his certificate. The evidence went to Bhow that the vessel did not overrun her anchor, nor did she strike on a rock and aB the harbour has a sandy bottom in the vicinity of the wreck, the origin of the wreck is still a mystery. The vessel broke up too rapidly to admit of an examination. There has been a great row in the Wellington municipal teapot. At a public meeting called at the instance of Councillor T. E. MacDenald, a leading auctioneer here, and an old councillor, a resolution was carried to the effect that a Bill, the Leasehold Bill, which the council bad given in charge of one of the city members to lay before Parliament, was not desirable and the council be requested to withdraw it. The council took this as a vote of censure, and at an informal meeting held last Monday the majority of the council determined to resign, and a specialimeeting of the council was held on Thursday evening to dispose of the resolutions. In the meantime, the local Press had advised the council not to resign, »nd a nnmber of influential ratepayers bad privately waited on councillors asking them to reconsider their resignations, the result being that at Thursday's meeting an amendment was carried to the effect that councillors retain their seatß as the general elections will take place iv September. Or. Petherick, a defeated candidate for the mayoraty at the last election, waxed very wroth, taunted councillors with cowardice, and eaid the affairs of the council had been in a worse muddle since the present Mayor (Mr. Samnel Brown) had beendn office than they even were before. This was denied by the other councillors, who said that it was ungenerous on a councillor's part to attack the Mayor in his absence, (he being at present in Greymouto in connection with a railway contract), and for some time disorder reigned supreme. It has, however, been determined to withdraw the Bill. The war scare which has been raging in Victoria and New South Wales bince breaking of the cables has evidently reached New Zealand, if we are to judge by a question to be asked by Mr. Valentine, M.H.R; He has given notice to ask the Minister of Defence whether, in view of the interruption of communication by cable with Europe, and the possibility of war being declared, he intends taking steps to ascertain whether or not the Colony is prepared to meet a sudden attack made upon New Zealand by a foreign Power, and whether it is intended to arm permanent and volunteer forces with better arms than those at present in use. The Minister replied to the question last evening, when an animated debate followed, Mr. Hutchison severely censuring Government for not keeping the force in the state of efficiency recommended by Major-General Schaw. Replying, the Minister stated that the defence in the principal ports could be manned at an hour's notice. The man, John. Pameroy, who was sentenced to two years for forgery in Dunedin, and whose term only expired on the 9th of May last, was again found guilty at the sitting of the Supreme Court here, on Wednesday, on three charges of forgery, and sentencad to four years' penal servitude. In sentencing him, Mr Justice Richmond said he seemed determined to prey on the public, as although he only got out of gaol on the lOtli of May, yet on the 22nd of the Bame month he had forged a cheque for £4 10s. The prisoner had aothing to say in defence. It is proposed by the Government to effect further retrenchment to the extent of £100,000, and it is stated that even the salaries of those receiving £150 and under will Buffer. This has caused a great outcry here, as it is said that the Government not only increase, through the tariff, the present burden of taxation borne by the poorer ratepayers, but now they are going to cut down the small salaries with which the increased taxation has got to be met, and set the example to private employers to do the same. The Government do not seem likely to get any rest regarding the visit of Mr Oliver as delegate to the Chinese Conference. Mr. R. Reeves has given notice of asking why Mr. Oliver was granted a special train from Dunedin to the Bluff to catch the steamer for Melbourne, when the ordinary train arrived at the Bluff two hours before the steamer left ; and at what cost the special train was sent. Some excitement has been caused here by a reported valuable find in the Ravenscliff quartz-mine at Jackson's Head, which has been leased to the New Zealand Antimony Company. The other day some tons of stuff were sent Home by the Doric to be tested, but in the meantime the manager, Mr. Warne, while pushing operations, is said to have struck something good, and a piece of quartz forwarded by the manager to Mr. W. Keid, one of the directors, was, the other day, laid before the Legislative Council by Sir Frederick Whittaker. It is needlses to say that the report from Homu is anxiously waited for. About 1,500 ounces have been got out of the mine in question, For some years it has been lj ing idle. The Rev. Father Gmnaty passed through this city on Wednesday last, en route for Chrisujhurch, his trip North collecting funds for the Magdalen fund having been very successful. Laßt Sunday being the Feast of the Precious Blood, a special Mass was given in tft. Mary's of the Angels, when a great number of the children of that parish made their first Communion. The Rev. Father Kerrigan in the evening preached a very able sermon on the feast of the day. St. Patrick's College and the Marist Brother's School re-open on Monday after the midwinter holidays. The Te Aro Convent School re-opened last Monday, when an unusually laige number of scholars put in an appearance. The drawing of prizes in the grand Catholic Art Union took place on Tuesday, at the Marist Brothers' Bchool in the presence of the Rev. Father Kerrigan, and Messrs. M'Donald, Putnah, and Meehan, when Mr. T. Hodgins, proprieter of the Shamrock Hotel, Molesworth street, drew the first prize, a carriage and pair valued at £100. The object of the art union is to swell the dioceian fund. A meeting of the Catholic Institute was held on June 28, when a very interesting paper was read by Mr. D. Warn, of the telegraph department, on the incidents of his trip to Boston and back via San Francisco, for which he received a hearty vote of thanks. The Rev. Father Lane, of the Lower Hutt, was, on the 25th June, presented with a very handsome marble clock by the scholars of

the Hutt Catholic school. The presentation was made by Miss Dunne, the mistress, on behalf of the children, who, in a few choice words, commented on the good the rev. gentleman had done in the district, particularly in regard to the school. The re?, gentleman, who was visibly affected, snitably replied.