WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 12, 12 July 1889, Page 15

WELLINGTON.

CFrom our own Correspondent.) The Government have not allowed the grass to grow under their f et this session. Iv three days they got through Parliament an amount of work which it would not be unreasonable to expi_ct might have occupied as many weeks, viz., the opeamg of Parliament, the Addrest-in-Reply, and the presuming to Parliament and to the world at large that important piece of documentary cvi ience in favour of the renewed prosperity of New Zealand, the Financial Statement. The House of .Representatives must be a very pleasant place of Bojourn, and I do not wonder at members wishing to retain ihose beautiful'y-cushioned seats, where tha occupants can sit or he at tneir ease as occasion requires. The Chamber is'quite Irish in its ensemble ; the hangings which conceal the walls and doors are of univeisal dart green ; it is lit by about 100 electric incandescent lamps, in ovalehaped globes, which give a brilliant aud luxurious light. As I entered one of the gallerirs a night or two ago, the musical, rerioed tones of the veteran, Sir Gaor^e Grey, came pleasant y to my cars. Hon. Members were listening giavely and respectfully to the hero of a hundred fights in that araua of debate.

The usual monthly social meeting of the Wellington Biauch of the Insh National League was held in ihe Mar'st Brothers' achuo'buildings, Boulcott street, on Monday, July 1. Long before procetdings commenced the commodious hall was filled to oveifijwing by a most respectable audience. On this occasion the officers of the Branch had the stnge thrown open, and the ladies and gentlemen who took part in the programme expressed themselves highly pleased at the altered state of affairs. In ihe temporary absence of Mr. Devine, Mr. Fleming, Vice-Pres.dent. occupied the chair. &\ a later stage in the proceedings Mr, Devine arrived and officiated as Chairman for the remainder of the evening. After the usual preliminarks were gone through, the secretary read the letter of Mr. Devine to the president of the I.N.L. in Sydney, inviting the delegates to Wellington, and asking when they could be here. The reply Btate i that the delegates were out on tour lecturing, but would return to Sydney about the middle of July. It was almost certain that Mr. Dillcn would come to New Zealand, first visiting Wellington, but it was unlikely that Sir Tbomas Esmond or Mr: Deasy would come. The reading of these

letters was received with applause. Thn following resoluti >n, proposed by Mr. Denneby and seconded by Mr. Dealy, was then carried"That the members of the Wellington branch I.N.L. place full confidence in their worthy president, *Ir. Devine." Mr. Oarngan proposed, and Mr. Bohan seconied : " That the secretary be directed to communicate with the Auckland, Sydney, Christchurch, and Dunedin organisations to the effect that the branch had leceived the opinions of Sir George Grey and Mr. George Hutchison, M.U.R., that the delegates Bhould visit Wellington duriog the session as their fiist field of action in New Zealand. This was carried. The following programme was then performed with great success, each item being evidently much enjoyed by the large audience: — Recitation, " Duel between Fitzjames and Rhoderick Dhu," Mr. W Scanlon ; song, " I'll lovp old Ireland still," Miss Huett ; song, "Anchored,' Mr. K. D. Dunne; song, 'Alas, those chimes," Miss Ross (encore, " No, sir ") ; address, " The Union," Mr. T. A. Flood ; Bong, " Happy Homes," Miss MacDonahl ; song, " The Harp and tbe Shamrock," Mr. Fleming (triple tncorp) ; reading, " Correspondence between Thomas F. Meagher and C. G. Duffy," Mr. Brennan ; song, "Tapping at the Garden Gate," Miss McCarthy; Borg, » Bigger fools in the Army," Mr. A. Aydon. Mr. T. A. Flood prefaced his address on " Tte Union " by thanking those who had invited him to speak and asking the kind consideration and indulgence of the audience towards his shortcomings, for which the best apology he could offer was the cause dear to all ot them—" the cause ot motherland, ' " our martyrland "—the cause with which his illustrious relative was so prominently connected. Men had served this cause who made the prison cell a shrine of glory and the scaffold a plane of honour. Ha then gave a rapid bketch of Irish and contemporary English history from 1779, in which year Ireland's Parliament, though nominally independent, was yet governed by England, for by Poyning's law no measure passed by the Irish Parliament could become law unless first sanctioned by the British Privy Council. He passed in review the great American War of Independence ; the en. rolmeut of the Irish Volunteers ; he detailed how Grattan seised the golden opportunity of England's difficulty, and had bis famous measure passed through the Irish Parliament, which gave Ireland once more free government. His sketch of Ireland's prosperity under her native-made laws was faithful and eloquent, and created great enthusiasm. He told his hearers in a few terse and graphic sentences how the Union was brought about ; how sixteen millions of money were spent by the British Government on military operations in Ireland from 1797 to 1802 ; and how other millions were speqf in bribery and corruption, which left Ireland bleeding and bound at the feet of England. He concluded with a fine peroration, in the course of which he reminded the audience that now Ireland was really a powerful country on account ot the number and influence of her sons all over the world, and tbe warm sympathy for Ireland of all lovers of justice aud fair-play in every country under the sun. Grei-t applause greeted the conclusion of this most interes'ing aad able address.— At the conclusion of the programme, the audience retired, evidently well pleased with the ladies and gentlemen who had helped to make the tuoe pass so pleasantly and profitably. A specially summaned meeting of ihe Branch was held on the 2nd lust. (Mr Devme. president, in the chair), to consider the a Ivisability of holding a public meeting, at which plans Lr the reception of the delegate or delegates could be elaborated. Mr. ODea stated that he had been in communicaiion with Mr. Hutchism, M.H.R., and produced a letter from that gentleman in which he (Mr. Hutchison; stated that he had conferred with S r Ueorge Grey on the subject cf Mr Dillon's mission to Wellington, and ihat the conclusion they had come to was th.n every i& >it shou d be concentrated mono great demonstration when Mr." Dillon would arrive in Wrlliugton. The letter went on to say that Sir Ge rge Grey h -d been appealed to by the Auckland organt=ati m to nay whether Mr Dillon should begin in Wellington or Auckland aid that he c insHered that Mr. Dilloa should begin m Wellington ; he (Sir Gcoige) suggested that the League m Wellington saould communicate wi'h ihe Auckland organ,satioa t> thi above effect, or, if nee ss iry, he would do sj himself. On tbe motion nf Mr. ODea, i-ccon led by Mr. Fleming, it was resolved that the League wntetoMr. Hutchison, thanking him for the assistance he had given, and asking him to cjuv.y to Sir George Grey the thanks of the League for his va uab c advice, at the same time informing Sir George that bis cuggeslious would be acted upon. Mr. ODea proposed and Mr. Ilk-kson secondel, that the president and secretary frame a circular to be forwarded to each branch of the League ia Wellington Provincial du»;nct ; and in places where the L'a^'ue doss not exist ciiculais to be forw.irded ( o tue parish priests and prominent sympathisers in the cause, a-king for co-operation ia the recept'on of the delegate or delega'es. Tais concluded tbe business, find tho meeting broke up.

I notice that Mr. O Dda, aichi ecr, is, at the order of Mr. Devine, president of Wellington branch I.N.L , ertcung a very handsome residence of 12 or 14 rooms in a prominent position in the city. Ihis residence, which is near completion, will be qui'e an addition to city residences and a credit to the archi tct. lll.1 1. ODea is an enthusiastic Irishman, an. l a clever architec, a_id I am pleaded to see his business is increasing steadily.

For several weeks the storm fiend has reigned supreme in Wellington, a succession of gales trom all points ot the cjmpasa having set in, accompanied by exceptionally tieavy rai'i.

I am pleased to notice ihat the electric lighting of the city ia an accomplished f »ct, and the change is appreciated, especially duriug the daik nights of our stormy, if short, winter. The lighting, too, will be m> re brilliant when the company hive completed all their ariangementa.

Everything points to a very short srssin of Parliament. Hon. Members are already speaking of returning to their homes very soon.

The Simonsen Opera Company open a three week's engagement in the Opera House to-night. In Balte's tuneful opera, " Satanel'a," ilr. Simonsm is sure to do good business during his Wellington seasoD, the "House " being in session, and no rival combination ia town.