WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 15, 27 January 1893, Page 31

WELLINGTON.

(From our own Correspondent.) January 21. Th« Rev Father Gfoggao, in the course of his remarks at 8t Mary of the Angels on Suoday morning last, stated that the proceeds of the Ipenny collection made at the doors of the churches in the city daring the last six months amounted to £100. He also pointed oat that, if this mode of raising money was perserered in daring the next eighteen months, sufficient lands would be raised to defray the expense of building the new schools at Newtown. It is evident, however, that the pence makt the pounds, and that this is one of the moet popular as well M the easiest methods cf raising money. According to information which I have received from a gentleman in the North, the Catholics residing in the Waitara, haviDg ■altered inconvenience for a long time for want of a ohurch in the district, are shortly about to erect one. Subscriptions to a large amount have, I understand, been promised not alone by the Catholic, bat by the non-Catholic residents. Among the arrivals here during the week ha 9 been the Very Rev Father Le Ifenant dea Cbesnais, the popular and highly-respected parish priest of Bt Mary's, Christchnrch, Father Le Menant, whom I have only teen at a distance, looks very well, and has come up to conduct the retreat of the clergy of the archdiocese. I hope that before be returns again to the City of the Plains he will preach in one of the churches here, for no one, I am sore, would but feel better after listening to one of bis learned, eloquent, and impressive discourses. The retreat commenced last Wednesday morning, afterwards the usual conference will be he.d, to be followed by the annual synod of the clergy of the archdiocese at the Cathedral. The Very Rev Dr Watters, who has been spending his holidays in the Nelson district, returned to Wellington on Tuesday last in time for the annual retreat. Mrs Captain Smart believes in putting into practical effect the injunction whereby we are invited to aid the fatherless and the orphan. According to her usual custom, she invited the inmates cf St Mary's Orphanage to her pretty residence on the Terrace, on the afternoon of Thursday, so that they may enjoy themselveß. It was indeed a pleasant sight, not unmixed with Badness, to see these little ones enjoying the outing with as much zest as if they were under the loving care of the beet and kindest parents. The pleasure which one felt at seeing so many waifs of society— or in some cases the victims of circumstances — so carefully looked after, and well brought up, from a Christian as well as a secular stand point, was somewhat marred by the knowledge that many of them wouid have been today living in a comfortable home bad not one or other, or perhaps both their parents, set at naught all Christian precepts, all paternal instincts, and baviDg given way to the vile promptings of their illgoverned passions, became outcasts of society, and left their little ones dependants on charity. The children enjoyed themselves at all kinds of games daring their stay, their other wants being supplied in a most liberal and generous manner. About eight o'clock a start wu made for borne, the children to the number of between 80 and 90 — and of all ages, from a little dot of three or four to twelve or thirteen years— marching two deep under the superintendance of two of the Sisters. Surely some of our wealthy citizens might take example by the action of this good lady — and instead of wasting dinners and luncheons on people who do not want them and who would be anything bat grateful afterwards, and invite those children some afternoon to their places and, thus make nearly a hundred little hearts happy. I am sure the donors would sleep more contented with themselves that night than if they were after dining a couple of dozen croBS-grained, dyspeptic, grumbling, aristocrats, whose forced civility at table was very often only a cloak for the ill-aatured things which they utteied about each other and their host and hostess on their departure. Already there is a Bpirit of briskness prevading all departments of our political arsenal?, which the knowing ones consider betokens anything but signs of peace. Indeed, the adopts tell us that before the end cf tie next bibbioh the disturbing roll of the political drum, summonsing men to do or die for tbeir party, will be heard. Already preparations are being made by either side for the conflict, in some cases the captains are chosen, and the men aie quietly and actively furbishing up tbeir weapons. The Conservatives will, it is Raid, put three men in the field, and the other side have at least a dozen aspirants for political martyrdom, who are prepared to do anything in reason pro tua patria cum £240 per annum. Since the return of Mr McLean last year, Wellington is c usidered a safe place for the Government, and hence the reason, I presume, that it is persistently reported that either one or two of the Ministers would like to try their c£»jpce here. It is said that already the Liberal Association have selected their champions in the persons of the present Liberal Member, Mr McLean ani his predecessor, Mr T. K. Macdonald. This arrangement has naturally riled the Trades and Labour Council

whose opinions were not asked, bnt who, from their representative character, would be a very important faotor in a contest. In fact, I doubt very much if the latter body are not more united and more influential than the former. The latter have, however, postponed dealing with the matter nntil a public platform is pnt forward, and then I would not be a bit surprised, I feel confident, if there will not be two real labour representatives pnt up as candidates. The contest will not be without interest to the Catholic electors of this city. Notwithstanding the very cool weather prevailing— too cool for summer — onr hospital is filled to inconvenience. £ wonld not like to predict what would be the result if we experienced a hot, dry summer. There seems to be a great want of energy and spirit amongst oar pablio men bsre, perhaps it is (hat they are too much engrossed in their own affairs, and cannot devote as much attention to their public duties as is necessary. About this time last year the city got an unenviable reputation for its insanitary condition, which was caused by the rotten and dilapidated state of the sewers. Because our late Governor did not choose to live on the confines of a fever bed, he became extremely unpopular, and anyone who would publish anything derogatory to the health and cleanliners of the capital wonld be looked upon as a foe to in welfare. Nothing has been practically done since then to remedy the evil. It is true that the citizens have sanctioned a drainage loan, but g jodness only knows when it will be available for the carrying out of the work. In the meantime, nothing has been done to make provisions for any influx of illness, which would be naturally expected daring the summer with oar fearfully imperfect drainage system. The trustees say they cannot legally raise money for the exteosion of the building, and the Government are reluctant to assist, as they consider that such aid from the consolidated fund would be only the forerunner of countless appeals from tha various hospital boards of the Colony. But the question which has been partly solved by the promise of partial assistance by the Government, has been hung up for a long time, whilst the unfortunate sufferers are either dented admission to the institution altogether because of its being overcrowded, or are huddled promiscuously into apartments, irrespective of whethsr they suffer from infectious diseases or stand in need of an operation, witb a probable chance of an attack of erysipelas. The poor are the suffertrs, having to live in the most unhealthy part of the town, and having to use food occasionally which is infected witb the germs of disease. The contributing districts in the country object to give more than what they are justly expected to, according to the numbers in the institution from their localities. Any person who has studied the ecocomic system under which we livenow-a-days in this Colony knows that the main idea of the squatter class is : Keep the masses cooped up in the towns, and not to encourage the working-man in any way to settle in the country. Under these circumstances it is neither just nor fair that the greater purt of the burden of maintaining and extending of charitable institutions should be thrown on tbe town population. But still this does not relieve the Wellington Hospital Trustees of the onus of not having brought the question of insufficient accommodation more prominently before the public during the winter months. It is to be hoped in the oaase of the poor and suffering humanity now that they have got the funds the alterations will be carried out as quickly as possible. The Pott is exceedingly wrath because a gentleman of light and leadiog in this city, who had been lately in London, called into the office of tbe Agent-General for the purpose of seeing our evening paper, but found it not, its place being usurped by orgaai of the right colour— in fact, the whole of the papers were of one colour. Tbis was one of the most unlikely things that Mr Perceval would be gu.lty of, for he is one of the most unprejudiced men a person could meet in this respect. One would be almost inclined to believe this gentleman to be a myth, were it not that the Post returns to the charge and places infinite trust on the word of its informant. There was one part of the statement evidently incorrect, for the Otago Daily 'Ixmts is quite satisfied that copies of that journal have been regularly filed in the Agent-General's office. Whilst the Timit of this morning asserts that tha Government, in mailing papers to the Agent-General, the greater number of those sent are hostile to the Ministry. The Post can scarcely charge Mr Perceval with being such a violent partisan as to stoop to tbe very undignified action of suppressing what little information was sought concerning the Colony through tbe papers filed in his office. The Opposition papers are decidedly hard set to find a peg whereon to hang a charge against tbe Government.