Hawke's Bay Herald. SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1885. MALIGNING THE COLONY.

The other day we published an account of the proceedings of a " new chum " who, after spending exactly three weeks in New Zealand, and failing to find work to suit him within that time, shook the dust of the colony from his feet, and took passage for England, declaring that he would do all in his power to prevent people being induced to emigrate to New Zealand. Of a similar calibre must be the writer of a letter whioh recently appeared in the columns of The Miller, an English trade paper, for the re-produc-tion of which we are indebted to a Eangitikei contemporary. A miller writes to the paper enclosed to his trade organ a letter he had received from his son, whom he represents as "Aa steady and industrious and careful a man as you can find." Either the old miller certificate of " carefulness " was not intended to extend to his son's method of stating facts, or the old gentleman must have, been veritably deceived in the virtues he ascribed to his promising " chip of the old block." For instance, this industrious young man gravely asserts that out of every five shillings he earns he has to leave four with his employer, and continues, "I can only get enough to feed and clothe myself, aa I am obliged to be idle half my time j and, if I go to the Government i with the unemployed, I should get as some do, five or ten shillings a month, just enough for clothes, and, if I have any money, they won't take me at all. Then it is ten times worse than a workhouse. Just fancy sleeping under a tent with the snow on the ground, and to have to light a fire outside and cook one's food, and then work hard with a pick and shovel for twelve hours per day. If I could I would warn everyone in England not to come here, as they will have to suffer from cold, wet, and also from heat, for while many are frostbitten, many others get sunstroke." This is very fair, and if that young man praotises a little he will completely eclipse the historical Tom Pepper in that worthy's capacity for the ingenious relation of non-existent facts. He has mistaken his vocation. Instead of toiling in the floury mill he should have cultivated flowery language, and written novels of the thrillingly blood-curdling sort. He would have this advantage, that he is as disregardful of possibilities as of the truth, for in another part of his letter he says : — " There are hundreds of thousands here whom the Government have to keep out of taxes ; but where the rich have to pay £1 the working men have to pay £9 in I taxes." As some hundred of thousands '

would be, say, two thirds of our population, the strikingly paternal character of our Government is admirably shown in that extract. These two - thirds, we presume, include all but the working men who have to " shell out so very handsomely, £9 at a time, for the support of their wealthier but lazier neighbors. As these onethird have to keep two-thirds, and aB the third can only get " from five to ten shillings a month, while out of that they have to pay in taxes say— well, to be moderate, let us say the whole and a percentage over — then has New Zealand been indeed belied when enthusiastic colonists have called it "a working man's Paradise." We should like to know two more things, however. We Bhould like to know what sort of a character for industry, sobriety, and carefulness that youth's employers out here would give him. We should also like to know whether that pathetic letter to the dear old father at Home didn't conclude with a request for a few pounds to buy some stale bread and a few articles of cast-off clothing to enable him to keep body and soul together in a horrible country where one man gets all frost- bitten while his neighbor is sunstruck.

Articles entitled "A Trousseau that cost £75,000," and " Silver in " will be found in the fourth page. The concert by the Napier Musical Society, previously announced for Wednesday next, has been postponed till Wednesday, the 20th instant. The subject of the Rev. J. G. Pafcerson's sermon to-morrow morning will be " A glimpse behind the veil." The subject of the evening lecture will be " Too late," and will deal with the attempted rescue of the late General Gordon. The committee of tho Agricultural and Pastoral Society met yesterday at the society's rooms, Tennyson-street. The business done was of a routine character, but it was also decided that if the Waipawa County ploughing match were held this year, to give a prize of £10 10s for the best ploughman in the double-furrow class. The annual general meeting was arranged to be held on June sth. The tenders of the Hawke's Bay Hebald and Telegraph for advertising were accepted. A correspondent writes stating that he was violently assaulted at about a quartor to 12 o'clock on Thursday night, by four men, who set upon him in Carlylestreet, near the Exchange Hotel, and severely maltreated him. Our informant states that he received a severe wound on the left temple and eye, and had his right arm much hurt. He also lost his watch and chain, but these articles, broken, were afterwards found near where the attack took place. Our correspondent would do well to communuicate with the police, Mr Murray has suffered a loss owing to clever transit thieves. His last importation included a number of trunks of boots and shoes by the s.s. Coptic, and when these were being unpacked it was discovered that one of the trunks had been skilfully opened at the end, and ten pairs of boots abstracted. The thieves so neatly repaired the damage done in opening the trunk that it was next to impossible to discover the theft without unpacking the goods. It is suspected that the boots were stolen on the voyage between England and this colony. If so, practised cargo broachers did the job. At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr G. A. Preece, R.M., Robert Pettit was charged on the information of Constable Magill with drunkenness. Defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined 5s and costs, with 48 hours' hard labor as an alternative. The money was paid. — John Ross was charged upon the information of Detective Grace with stealing 17 ewes and 12 wethers, of the value of £9 1 6s, from the Mount Erin estate. At the request of the police accused was remanded till Friday next. On the application -of Mr Lascelles, who appeared for the defence, bail was granted, accused in £100, and two sureties in £50' each. The members of the Garrison Band held their first annualjdinner last evening, in the band-room, Emerson-street. The room was handsomely decorated with flags, flowers, shrubs, photographs, and trophies of arms and military accoutrements. Over 40 persons, including a number of visitors, sat down to an excellent repaßt furnished in the best style by Mr D. B. Watt. The seats of honor were filled by Captains Garner and Blythe and Bandmaster Tankard, supported by Lieutenants King, Duncan, and M'Oartney. Letters of apology for unavoidable absence were read from his Worship the Mayor of Na-pier, Captain de Lisle (Navals), Staff-Sergeant Nelson, Lieutenant Setter (Navals), the Rev. De Berdt Hovell, and Messrs. E. W. Knowles (band trustee), and W. Riddell (Spit fire inspector). After fuU justice had been done to the excellent viands provided, the tables were cleared for a social evening. The usual loyal and patriotic toasts were duly honored, and the speeches made in response to some of the toasts bore good testimony to the esprit de corps existing between the three Napier Volunteer companies. The proceedings were enlivened by vocal and instrumental selections contributed by various guests, and a most pleasant evening's enjoyment was brought to a close shortly after midnight. Our Waipawa correspondent writes as follows under yesterday's date :— " Contrary to my expectations the County Council had another scrimmage after my last letter was written. To make the matter clear I should explain a bit. When Mr Johnson was proprietor of the Waipawa M~ail some of his utterances were too outspoken for the creme de la ereme of the district. By a curious coincidence the Council suddenly discovered that there was no particular reason why the Mail should continue to have the Council's advertising, and it was resolved to call for tenders. This was done, but when the tenders were received it was somehow thought better not to accept the lowest one, and it was decided to accept the terms of the Mail for three months only. By another curious coincidence it then became known that some persons (including some then and now members of the Couooil) were in treaty with Mr Johnson for the purchase of the Mail. The purchase was completed, and, by a still more curious coincidence than any j yet referred to, when the three months' arrangement with the Mail for advertising was up, the Council seemed to hare forgotten all about the necessity of calling for tenders which had been so glaringly apparent when the Mail was owned by Mr Johnson. Consequently the local thunderer, elevated into a joint stock concern, the shareholders of which had, by a fourth wonderful coincidence, a preponderating influence in many of the local bodies, went on from that time to publish nearly a whole sheet of Road Board and Council advertisements. This means that the Mail lived by the local bodies. Now comes the shindy. The Mail sent in an account for £30 odd, and Mr Smith pointed out that this expenditure had been incurred in spite of the previous decision re the three months. Further, he moved that the acoount be not paid, and protested against Messrs Mackersey and Hunter voting on the question on the ground that they were shareholders .and directors of the Mail company. Mr Hunter admitted the soft impeachment, but Mr Mackersey denied being interested. Mr Smith then retorted that if it were not Mr Mackersey who was a director it was Mr Mackersey's son and partner, and to this there was no response. The motion that the account be paid was then passed. Mr Smith then moved that tenders be called for f advertising. Mr Mackersey moved as an j : amendment that an arrangement be made '

with tho Mail. After some discussion Mr Smith's motion was carried. Quito right, say I, for it was surely never intended that; the Counties Act should be used as a means of compelling ratepayers to practically subsidise a paper, ■fcjT* though it should be owned by a compcßp the shareholders in which are extremely limited in number, but many of whom are elected to fill public positions." r A special Volunteer corps composed entirely of men born in New Zealand is suggested in Dunedin. It is quite as feasible as an Irish, or a Scotch, or a bankers, or a lawyers corps. The island of Mauritius has a popula- ' i tion of: 460,000, who raise a revenue of £750,000 per annum. The trade of the island is £6,000,000. The garrison numbers 400 men of all arms. 1 The first meeting; of the Eoyal Commission on loss of life at sea has been ; held at Spring Gardens, London, Lord Aberdeen presiding. Applications were made from numerous persons desirous of giving evidence. Petroleum deposits underlie no less than 14,000 square miles in Russia. The production of some of the wells is remarkable, one yielding at the rate of 1,125,000 gallons per twenty-four hours ; whenever opened. At Wesport " ghosts " have been very common lately, but are now played out. A Mr Gillespie saw one on his road home and gave chase ; the spirit fled, got into trouble in a drain, and left a tablecloth behind as a memento of the "spirit world." Mr Wai pole places the British Islands at the head of the fisheries of the world. He estimates that British fishermen catch at least £10,000,000 worth of fish, Tho fisheries of tho United States he puts second, with a take worth £8,600,000; and those of Russia third, with a produce 1 worth £5,250,000. Princess Beatrice, on the date of her forthcoming marriage, will be given a carved oak book-case containing a copy i of the works of the best English poets, • from Chaucer to Tennyson. The cost of i the present is to be met by a popular subi scription among women of Winchester 1 diocese only ; subscriptions to range from one penny to five shillings. "George," said the young wife, "I know what Santa Claus is going to bring me at Christmas." "Do you loveP What is it?" "An elegant sealskin sacqijfc" George." " You don't say so ? Well, I am glad to hear of it, for it will save me a good deal of money." And then she went out into the kitchen and stepped on the cat and gave the cook a week's notice. A gentleman in Auckland (says the N.Z. Htrald) possesses a map issued about fifty years ago by Wyld, of .London. - It is entitled " A Map of the Countries between England and India, showing tho relative positions of Russia to England and Hindostan." Curiously enough, the map shows Maruchak as being in Tartary, and northward of the boundary o£ Afghanistan. Says the Wellington Post: — A New Zealand-born lady is the first " sweet girl graduate " of the Sydney University, having recently taken her B.A. degree there, A oontemporaay states that the honor is enjoyed by Miss Brown,daughter of the Rev. Charles Brown, who entered the ministry in New Zealand, and whose wife was a daughter of Father Wallis, one of the early New Zealand missionaries. Miss Brown was educated at the Girls' High School, Auckland. Mr John Morley, M.P., a short time ago received a deputation at Glasgow regarding the Highland deer forests. He expressed the opinion that Parliament would not much longer tolerate the existing law. There had been during the last twenty years notorious and successful attempts to extend the game laws, and Englishmen sympathised with the Scotch, regarding the unsocial selfishness which excluded the toiling populations from the Highland and health-giving scenes. v^. # " Mercutio " in the N.Z. Herald says : — "The other day a young man, under the influence, attempted the confidence trick upon a cabman. He asked change for a pound, and getting 17s towards it, put the change and the pound in his pocket, and attempted to walk away. The cabman had been an old A.C., and his Irish blood being up he promptly ran the confidence man into his cab, and secured him, getting another man to mount the box and drive off to the police Btation. On the road to the station the quasi-prisoner smashed the cab window, but realising his position be£mU£ arrival, at the lock-up, he returned t.,.e change, paid for the broken window, also his cab fare to the station, and was released. He now considers that he has been the victim of misplaced confidence." The sale of the State railways is advocated by a French Ministerial organ upon the ground that the Government cannot go on borrowing for the purpose of retaining them. It thinks that these railways might be sold for £37,500,000 plus a guaranty of interest at 2 per cent, to the purchasers. This amount in hard cash would go a long way towards filling up the deficit in the French budget ; but there is so much valuable patronage connected with these railways that it may be doubted whether the Government . would give them up at the present moment. Of course, if the great railway companies purchased the State railways, it would be an object to work them on economical principles, which means the discharge of an army of supernumerary employes. Under the present management, it is said, there are many instances of station-masters without stations, so that in a number of cases the office of station-master is a mere sinecure. A very interesting clock has been fixed * opposite the National Provincial Bank in Bishopsgate-street, London. It is on the twenty-four hour principle, and is remarkable as possessing probably the simplest method which has yet been introduced for indicating time upon the new enumeration. The new clock has only one hand, the long minute hand, and the figures around are placed as heretofore ; instead, however, of indicating the hours, they indicate the minutes only, which are marked from five to sixty. The hours are shown on a sunk dial revolving under the upper dial, a space being left in the upper dial in which the next hour figure comes forward instantaneously upon the minute hand completing its circuit in sixty minutes. In short, the solitary hand marks the minutes and the sunk space shows the hour. How vast an improvement this new face is over others recently introduced, in which all the twenty-four houra are jumbled together upon the dial, will at once be appreciated. Miss GordoD, the sister of the late~ General Gordon, has received the following letter from the Khedive : — " Abdin Palace, Cairo, 24th February, 1885. Madam, — Although I do not wish to intrude upon the great sorrow which has ' befallen you in the death of your distinguished brother, the late General Gordon Pasha, yet, as Egypt and myself havo so much reason to doplore his loss, I desire to convey to you my heartfelt sympathy in the terrible bereavement it has been God's will you should suffer. I cannot find words to express to you tb'ixy' respect and admiration with which your '. brother's simple faith and heroic courage ' have inspired mo. The whole world resounds with the name of the Englishman whose chivalrous nature afforded it for many yeara its brightest aud most powerful example— an example which, I believe, will influence thousands of persons for good through all tine. To a man of . General Gordon's character the disap- ** pointtnent of hop^s he deemed so '^' near fruition, and the sudden manner^, of hia death, were of little importance/ ''

In his own words, he left " Weariness for perfect peace.' Our mourning for him is very true and real, as is our loss; but we have a sure hope that a life and faith such as Gordon's are not extinguishable by what we call death. I 'P beg to Tenew to you, Madam, the assurance of my sincere sympathy and respectful condolence. — Mkhemet Tewfik." k An application was made in London on March 17 to Mr Justice Chitty to commit to prison Mr Charles Arthur Eichard JBoare, banker, for having, as alleged, held communication with Miss Beatrice H. Sumner, in defiance of an order of the Court. The proceeding was taken by an unole of Miss Sumner, and counsel for the young lady protested against the motion being heard. It was admitted that after Miss Sumner came of age she lived with Mr Hoare and that a child was born ; but conflicting evidence wa3 given as to whether, after the injunction of the Court, and prior to the lady attaining her majority, Mr Hoare had communicated with her. Lady Chulmondeley stated that whilst Miss Sumner was staying with her she sent letters in lithographed envelopes to Mr Hoare, and her ladyship saw letters from Hoare in Miss Sumner's possession. Mr Hoare denied that he ever saw Miss Sumner from the date of the injunction until she came of age, and said that he did not, directly or indirectly, answer the letters she sent him. Miss Sumner also swore taat she never communicated with Mr Hoare during tbe period referred to, except by writing two letters to him, and she denied using the lithographed envelopes. Mr Justice Chitty came to the conclusion that though he could make an order to commit Mr Hoare, yet, having regard to the whole of the circumstances, it would be too harsh a proceeding to make an order for committal. Sufficient justice would be clone if he simply ordered him to pay the costs.