WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 37, 1 July 1892, Page 27

WELLINGTON.

(From our own Correspondent.) Jane 25, 1892. Thebe is a great peal of excitement here amongst the Prohibitionist party in consequence oE the action of ths Government in withdrawing its veto on tha sale of drink in the King Country. It appears that years ago the Government of the day issued a proclamation, at the express wish of Wakanui and otber prominent chiefs, that no sale of intoxicating drinks should be permitted within the King CountryIt is a well-known fact that at Rotorua and other places where hotels abound the Native race become regular slaves to drink, and bring ruio and degradation on themselves and their families. Now, the petition against the sale of drink some yaars ago, oa which the proclamation of the Government was basad, was signed by 1400 persons. Lately, however, a petition, sigoed by all the chiefs who signed the former one, and about 30 other persons, was presented to the Native Minister, requesting that the veto might be taken off an acre of land at Otoranga, on which is situated an accommodation house, which the petitioners pray may be licensed. They contend that this is necessary for the convenience of tourists and others, who will be induced to visit the district if sufficient accommodation is provided, The Government accorded to the request of the chiefs, and gave the required permission. Hine illce laoryma. A deputation waited on the Premier during the week in order to urge the Government against granting them permission, aad although the deputationists had reason and logic on their side, I very much fear that although the Premier was exceedingly courteous, the granting of a license and opening of a hotel in the district will be a fait accompli in a short time. It was pointed out at the time that the leading chief* are anxious to bring about the change because it will lead to increase the value of the land, and also that the majority of the people were opposed to the establishment of a hotel in the place. Still the chiefs weilded so much power that the plebs dare not disobey, and the Government, in order to secure the support of the former, sacrifice their conscience on the altar of expediency. There is a little bitch between the Ministry and the Governor. Tha trouble is about the number of members to be called to the Upper Chamber. The Government want a goodly number, and the Governor will not budge. Although I do not believe much in the custom of swamping any House of nominees of the Government of the day, yet I think that it will not tend to make us any more loyal in this colony to find that the wishes of the people may be set at nought by the action of a gentleman whose acquaintance with the ways of popular legislation is of the flimsiest nature. Lord Glasgow ha 9 had little or no experience in politics at Homa ; he has been an officer in the Navy some twenty years ago, when tha lives and liberty of every individual, save the officers on board a man-o'-war, was in the hands of tbe commander. Bad training that for a democratic colony. Perhaps the Government are only too glad of the objection, as it relieves tbem from the unpleasant position of having to ignore the claims of their mo9t devoted, although somewhat indiscreet, friendß amongst the working classes. Of course, if the " Lord's " reject the Bills sent up— especially those of a vital character — and the Governor still persists in his objection to increasing the members of tbe Ccuncil, then the Government will have no option but to appeal to the country. I would not be at all surprised from present appearances that we have a general election before the winter is over. Parliament opened on T bursday; The day is rarely propitious bat it turned out a very nice afternoon and, consequently the fashion and deletante of Wellington turned out in their hundreds to witnes 8 the ceremony. Long before the h0ur (2.30 p.m.) the narrow galleries of the Legislative Chamber were packed like sardines in a tin with the fair sex of this city. A public function such as this has a very democratic effect on the community, for all sense of superior position in society is lost in the race for preference, and it only resolves itself into a contest of tha survival of the fittest. Dainty ladies, buxom maids, aristocratic dames, tradesmen's wives, ministers' better halves> and sioners' partners elbowed and scrambled for position in a promiscuous and motley crowd. About a dozen old, and some of them very sleeping-looking, bald beaded old gentlemen occupy the high, backed seats. These, my info.mant in the Press gallery tells me, are the councillors. I look with awe on those venerable props of the constitution. Conservative they are in most cases, did you say; Yes. What else could you expect? Why, the very air of the Chamber is enough to Influence the most outlandish Radical in a couple of years and turn him into a Tory of the old school. Lady Glasgow comes in leaning on the arm of bir Harry Atkinson, the Speaker ; not the Har/y Atkinßon that I knew years ago aa Premier of the Colony, the fighting leader of the Opposition, or the defier of an organised, howling mob at an election meeting. A bell rings, guns are fired, all is expectation and curiosity when a fierce-looking soldier stalks in and in a stentorian voice, which frightens the ladies out of a year's growth, says, " Make way for His Excellency the Governor, 1 ' and immediately after there enters the central personage in the drama 1

Lord Glasgow, grey-bearded, tall, erect, dignified, dressed in the uniform of a c»ptain in H.M. Na»y, bedecked and bejewelled, bowing in a most courtly fashion to the right and left in the most approved style as if he had spent a lifetime at the profession of Governor, After him come half a dozen consuls, some la uniform, some wearing* medals, then some ladies and gentlemen of the vice-regal household who are accommodated with seats near tbe Speaker's chair. After ft Bhort delay the •' faithful Commons " are summoned and immediately troop in like a flock cf sheep following their leader, the leader being in this case tbe Speaker of tbe House of Representatives. Ihe Speaker bows and takes a aeat in the centre of tbe Chamber, the sergeant of the House stands on his left with the mace— an unwieldly - looking, club-like affair — on his shoulders. The Ministers and Members of tha House stand whilst the address is being real. Lord Glasgow reads ir a clear, distinct, and matter-of-fact style, which can be heard all over the Chamber. The addreea is long, but contains nothing very original or alarmingly revolutionary. The reading is finished , some of the Members of the Legislative Council who have been dozing suddenly wake up, the Members on the floor of the House make a lane, and as His Excellency passes through he bands the Speaker the address, and the function is over. The M.H.B'g, troop off to their Chamber, so do the Press men and the general public, or at least as many of them as can get in. The Speaker takes the chair, and after some preliminary batmen be reads communications which he has viewed during tbe recess, among others being a reply from the Ba3sian Government to an address presented from the Houb3 of Representatives last year, anent the persecution of the Jews. The reply is in French ;itis as brief M Buch a document could be ; it is offensive, it is brntal in its curtoess. " We do not permit strangers, sir, to meddle in the affairs of Central Russia." Such is it ia a nutshell. Then compliments are interchanged, the dead are regretted, the reports of returning officers from electoral districts where elections have taken place during the recess, are considered. Messrs McLean, Sandford and Lane take the oaths, shake hands with the speaker and go back to their seats. Then petitions and notices of motion come like fal'ing leaves in autumn time. The first man in tbe House is the erstwhile Member for Sydenham. His white locks and white hat and black band are land marks, which the House would; sadly misa. His hat is before him ; it is full of papers. He is nearly the first to catch the speaker's eye. " Taylor, 1 ' says the Major, " I have a petition, sir, from Mrs ■ a widow." He wants to present another, but the Speaker will have only one at a time. Then comes anoth petition from another widow, and after a while another, and Btill another, until the House becomes amused at the rile of patron of th widow and orphan which Mr R. M. Taylor assumes. But before he gets to the end of the little list of petition, he gives notice of motion. Then he will ask the Government to appoint some competent persons to examine the pupils attending Roman Catholic schools so tbat they may be placed on the same equality with the boys attending the Government institutions when applying for positions ia the Civil Service. Then question and petition and notice of motion follow each other in quick succession until the adjournment hour comes, when the members retire to prepare for the banquet to the Colonial Secretary. The banquet to the Colonial Secretary, Sir Patrick Buckley, on Thursday evening was one of the most successful of its kind held here for some time. There were pretty close on 200 persons present— men differing in creed, nationality and political feeling, either testified by speech or by their presence to the great respect in which the genial leader of the Government in the Upper House is held by all kinds and conditions of men. In consequence of the death of Lady Bell, the Mayor was unavoidably absent, his placa being filled by Mr McCarthy, chairman of the llanawatu Railway Company, the vicechairs being filled by Cap'ain Baldwin and Mr M. Kennedy. The speeches were limited ia number by arrangement, and were principally devoted to recounting the many good works with which Sir Patrick was connected during his residence of many years in Wellington. Apologies for absence were received from several persons, and a telegram, from Mr H. J Finn, of Gisborne, asking to be permitted on behalf of the Franco- Belgians to join in doing honour to Sir Patrick, late of the famous Irish Brigade. Sir Patrick fought at Castlefidardo and Ancona, and was the first of his company at the latter place to mount its ramparts. Amongst those present were His Grace the Archbishop, Captain Bourke (Ringarooma) and Major Seaward. The Very Rev Father Davoy was sworn in at St Mary's Cathedral on Sunday last as Vicar-General of the diocese. A mission for children was commenced in the Buckle street church on last Sunday, and will conclude to-morrow. Addresses were delivered every evening during the week, and the attendance wag very good. His Grace the Archbishop will preach at the closing services to-morrow. A preliminary meeting was held during the week for the pnrpoße of making arrangements for a general diocesan meeting on 6th July, to take into consideration the best means of procuring sufficient funds for enlarging the cathedral, and making it more worthy of such a large and important archdiocese as Wellington. It is intended to

have sufficient money bands before tbe work is undertaken, so that it will be completed free of debt. Tbe Very Re* Father Devoy paid a visit to tbe Marist Brothers' Bcbool, Boulcott street, on Friday afternoon, and was presented with an address as follows :— " To the Very Reverend Father Devoy, 8.M., Vicar-General of the archdiocese of Wellington. Very Reverend and Dear Father. —We greet you with a heartfelt welcome in our midst to-day, the first official visit to our school since your elevation to the exalted and responsible position of Vicar-General of the archdiocese of Wellington. Though our simple expressions of filial attachment and love but very inadequately convey what our young hearts feel towards you, dear father, still we deem this « most opportune moment to congratulate you oa the high dignity to which you have been raised, and to say to yon how delighted we are that Holy Church, in i ha person of its bead in this archdiocese, our beloved Archbishop, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, has discerned your worth and recognised your ability, as the agent in God's hands capable of discharging the onerous duties attached to the high office in which Providence has placed her. It would in a meaure De a work of supererogation on our part to refer in detail to what you have done ia the cause ot religion and education since your arrival in New Zealand. The archives of St Patrick's College bear testimony, and shall chronicle in the distant future what your zeal has done in securing for that establishment the success it has attainad. It wonld, however, be unkind on our part and unjust to you, did we omit referring to what you have done for ourselves bince your immediate connection with our school. We must needs thank you for your frequent visits, counselling and exhorting us to be good, and, even in the words of Goldsmith's touching simile, ' By each endearment trying to elevate ua to a senee of duty, honour and respect.' Finally, your interest in our regard ends not in tbe advancement of our moral and intellectual training. You hare further endeavoured, at no small personal trouble and expense, to provide means for developing our musical talentß, by the establishment of a juvenile band, and securing the services of. a master to instruct us. And, now, dear reverend Father Devoy, let us assure you that we shall try and make you the only return at our disposal, which we feel confident shall be more acceptable to you than anything we could tffer — viv., a sincere promise of endeavouring to be good children and profiling by the lessonj we have received. — We b»g to rem-un, Very Reverend Father Devoy, your mo9t loving children tbe Pupils of the Marist Brothers." The address was rea i by Master Albert Casey, and the VicarGeneral suitably replied. A short musical programme, prepared for the occasion, was gone through, af ier which Brother Mark, Director, rjad a statement of the working of tbe schcol during the first half year, which shows tbe enrolment for tbe quarter ending March to have been 318, with an average daily attendance of 276-8, while the current quarter has on its register 310, with an average of 262-25. Prizes were then presented aa follows -.—Standard 7: JMadden. Standard 6: A. Casey. Standard 5: C. Collins. Standard i : A. Maboney : Second Division : P. Fleming. Standard 3 : J Murphy, Second Division :W. Gosling. Standard 2: H. O'Sullivan ; Second Division .R. Madden. Standard 1 :D. O'Sullivan ; Second Division : R. Ness. The Vicar-General comp itnenied Brother Mark and staff on tbe efficiency of the school, and tbe boy a were dismissed for tbe midwinter holidays.