The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED "The Evening News," "The Morning News," and "The Echo." THUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1876

Auckland Star, Volume VII, Issue 2046, 31 August 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED "The Evening News," "The Morning News," and "The Echo."

THUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1876

tt«r«he ciott that lacks isslitanco, For the wrong that needs resistance For the future, in the distance. And the c'ocd that we e»n do.

Confusion worse confounded has followed the appearance of the Premier in the capacity of billet-hunter. The Ministry either mis-calculated the influence of the step on the House, or felt that their former position was daily becoming untenable, rendering it imperative that re-construction should come in some form. Probably, the first feeling was that two or three influential members could be induced to join the jCabinet, bringing an accession ; of- strength that would carry through the Agent-Generalship and the Government measures in a modified form, All efforts in this direction have utterly failed. Then followed the proposal to work through the session with the stump of the old Cabinet; but the whips and other Ministerial feelers who test the political atmosphere by buzzing round, button-holing honorable members whose support is absolutely necesBary, have reported the weather unfavourable The only alternative is absolute and uncon^ ditional resignation, and Major Atkinson upon whose shoulders the task of Cabinet making has been thrown, will probably, our correspondent telegraphs, adopt that course, —recommending that Mr Whitaker be sent for by His Excellency. By insisting upon this step, Mr Whitaker has consulted his own dignity and that of the House, which has been treated very cavalierly in the periodical shuffling of portfolios from hand to hand*

ffhe acceptance of tbe Premiership as a gift from Major Atkinson would not tend to improve Mr Whitaker's political reputation*

and jis?a very different matter from being called upon by the Governor in a Constitutional manner to" form a Cabinet. The feeling in Auckland towards the now Ministry will depend wholly upon their policy. Our grievances are of a character that cannot be removed merely by a change of men. Wo 'require measures of reform that will permanently remove the heavy disabilities under which this part of New Zealand 1 aboui-s. And the only shape in which this reform can prove acceptable must be onenot involving the prostration of the people in forma pauperis before Parliament. We ask not for bribes, but for simple and permanent justice, and any measure capable of accomplishing that end will, we doubt not, receive fair consideration. The personnel of the new Cabinet is now quite uncertain, and if Mr Whitaker undertakes the task of getting 'together the new team, he will probably ask for a further adjournment when the question comes tip in the Assembly tonight. The unexpected turn which events have taken must have excited a strong feeling in the breast of Sir Julius that the time of Dr Featherston's demise was ill chosen, the adjustment of such little arrangements as the one iD contemplation being capable of so very much more peaceable settlement during the recess than when the House is in session. Hl3 position in relation to the coveted office, if the Ministry which proposed the appointment resigns, is not very clearly defined, but probably some understanding will be arrived at, securing the influence of the new Government for the ratification of the appointment.

TriE Opposition have, we learn by telegram in another column, a new scheme under consideration for the preservation of local self-Government. The proposal is to make Abolition permissive. At first sight, we are not preposessed with the principle of the proposal, the tendency of which seems in the direction of perpetuating, if not increasing the inequalities under which we now labour. But very much would depend upon the terms ofFered this province—its means and responsibilities. The statement that an adjustment of the debt would be made on the same basis as that proposed in the Separation resolutions, is vague. Unles3 the powers of the provinces are vary largely increased, and a system of complete Financial Separation established Sin every province that asks for it, a clashing of authority must, we fear, ensue. Without more definite details, however, no intelligent opinion of the merits of the proposal can be formed.

The following balance sheet shows tho result of the entertainment for the benefit of Mrs Williamson :—Kent of hall, £1 5s ; music, £2 Gs ; printing and advertising^ £3 ; piano and cartage, 15s ; sundries, 83. Total expenditure, £7 S3. By money taken at doors, £5 93 Gd ; tickets sold by friends, £12 10s Od. Total, £18. Balance to Mrs Williamson, £10 12s.—E. W. Ward, manager. To-niglifc is the last night on which the City Hall will be open as a skating rink, the lease having expired, and skaters will do well to take advantage of the opportunity, aB they may nob have another for some time. Mr R. C. Greenwood held a very successful sale at Mason Brothers nursery, Parnell, yesterday. Several thousand's of trees and shrubs were disposed of at good prices. As an indication of the extent to which horticultural pursuits are attracting attention in the vicinity of the city, the sale was most satisfactory. A Provincial Government land sale in Ocago a fortnight ago realised £42,000. A most extraordinary attempt at suicide was perpetrated at Waipori, Otago, last week by a miner named Maxwell. Maxwell, who had been suffering from the effects of drink, becoming seriously ill, was removed to the hut of one W. Cleaver, a neighbour. A man named EIHb proceeded on the 9fch instant to the township to prooare some brandy, and the assistance of the police. On returning to the hut, Maxwell was found in a bunk oovered with blood, and when questioned by the constable repli-d, " I was ordered to kill myself with a tomahawk." An axe was found outside the hut, close to the chopping block, covered with blood, and with this it was apparent the injuries had been done. On examination Maxwell was found to be frightfully injured, and the constable therefore ordered his irn mediate removal to the hospital, where ho arrived in an unconscious state on Thursday night. Dr Stewart was in immediate attendance, and found a large circular wound on the crown of the head, and the skull literally smashed, several pieces of throne having to be removed in the dressing, leaving the brain visible. The injuries fmust have been inflicted with the greatest determination, as the severity of them plainly shows. When Maxwell was questioned, he gave hia mate and the constable to understand that he had given himself repeated blows before succeeding in his object, which is very apparent, as the part injured is completely battered. The unfortunate man's life is despaired of.

Loomb's Hotel, Panmure, has been fixed upon as the meeting place of the Pakuranga hounds, at eleven o'clock, on Saturday next.

A soiree will be held this evening, in the Otahuhu Public Hall, the proceeds to bo devoted to the repairing fund of the parsonage. A female refuge for the rescue of unfortunate girls has been opened in Christchurch. Its objects are : To provide a temporary home in several departments : 1, For fallen women, not yet hardened to vice, and desirous to retrieve their position. 2. For those who have become hardened in vice, but profess themselves anxious for an opportunity of reform. The Napier people are comforted by the Government organ in that placef the Herald, with the assurance that it "does not put much faith in the grant-in-aid which the boroughs and counties are promiaed in the new state of things from the General Govern-

mentr The regular monthly meeting of the Prince of Wales Lodge will be held this evening at the Star Hotel, Albert-street, at the usual hour. To-morrow evening at St. Sepulchre's will be held the second of the anniversary services, consisting of Metrical Litany and a sermon by Yen. Archdeacon Pritt. Mr Crook exhibited his beautiful lime-light views of the more remarkable places in the cities of London and Westminster, in Ponsonby Hall, last evening, for the benefit of the Sabbath schools in that district. The views included poet's corner, Henry the Vll'a ohapel and tomb, the heroes and philanthropists of the past, St Pauls, and scenes in the Regent's Park Gardens. The views were much applauded. The entertainment was pleasantly diversified by songs, Mr Eowe presiding at the piano. Mr John Eyan sang the "Village Blacksmith," Miss Hurst, "Leaf by leaf the roses fade," Mr Forder, "Nil Desperandum," and Miss Hammond, '' Rock me to sleep, mother." The Ponsonby people were pleased with the treat, and expressed their gratitude to Mr Crook, the pianist, and the vocalists. The following are the approximate arrivals and departures for the next three weeks of steamers running between India and the Straits : Arrivals—August 31st, Septemb r Bth, 9th, 10th, 15th, 18ch, and 22ud. Departures—August So6b, September Ist, sth^ 6th, 9th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th, and 21st. We have to acknowledge £1 from Dr Kenderdine for Mrs Hanna.

The Italian Government is evidently not disposed to be forgotten in the settlement of the Eastern question, in which, as a Mediterranean Power, it is directly interested, according to a semi-official article in the Dirilto, Italy has 340,000 men, drilled from ono to five years, in her first Army lme, 300 000 of whom would be ready at a week a notice to take the field, all provided with breech-loading rifles. Her field artillery is completely provided with breach-loading field pieces, and the cavalry has been "newly mralrjtpri " She has, more over, six ironclads in the Mediterranean, and eight inedockjnine wooden frigates, and a large number of wooden vesopls All this means that Italy could now, if she felt the necesity, send out an army of 50.000 men, completely equipped, without any serious strain, except upon her finances- a force quite sufficient to make the aid of Italy most important to any power able to Hupply her with funds for the beginning of a campaign.— Spectator. The next of the winter series of lectures in connection with the Young Men's Christian Association, will be given to-morrow evening in the large room, by the Eev. Wm. Tinsley, of Edwardes-street Church. The subject will be of an admonitory nature entitled " Young Men, their Dangers and Duties." The intricate cross-cases between the Kenealy and Byers families of Remuera. occupied the p,ttention«and time of the Bench yesterday about five hours. The cases involved a number of assaults and returns, including face-scratohings, throwing stones, biting fingers, rescuing sheep, and trying to break their legs, destroying cauliflower, treading down oats, making wry faces, and a number of other silly tricks, which came out in evidence, but which were unnoticed by the yawning reporters. A number of witticisms were also exchanged by the legal eentl^men and the Bench. For instance, Mr Hesketh asked a witness what grounds he had for believing that the Byers took their do«s into Kenealy'a for the Impose °f rescuing sheep? The answer was, My fathers paddock." In fact, the fun ran so high that ono of the solicitors got as far as Pinderism, as the following effusion shews— In case Kenealy afr*inst Byers, Pno nr other may be " liars ; Aril in Bvors v. Knnnaly, Both cinnot be truthful, really. The bench, after a patient hearing give judgment as follows, remarking upon the trumpery nature of the cases, and hoped for the peace of Remnera that they would endeavour to live in harmony Jin the future. Ist case, assault, withdrawn ; 2nd case, W. D Knncaly, fined 2s Gd and costs ; 3rd case, William and S vrah Jane Byers, fined 2* fid and costs, and in the 4th case. Sarah Jane was fined 2s Gd and costs ; and there ended for the present the rows of Remuera. Lieutenant Cameron, R.N., C.8., who has recently returned from a most successful exploration of Central Africa, urged, in a recent lecture before the Colonial Institute, the coramenccmentlof a colonization scheme, after the manner pursued by the East India Company. He said that a large portion of the counbry round Lake Tanganyika was very fertile, and produced large crops of cotton. The climate was salubrious, and the place was well fitted for a sanitarium. The inhabitants were, however, uncivilised ; and the surplus population was kept down by cannibalism Through the country which he travelled he came across mines of various sorts, such asto render the land ono of the richest countries ■ producing metal in the world. There were gold mines, silver mines, iron mines, and last, but not least, coal mine 3. The whole of the country westwards of Tanganyika was a marvellously fertile and well-watered country, and after leaving Tanganyika he had only five or six attacks of fever. But it must be said that he never gave the climate a fair chance, for he had no' got proper things to eat or sufficient shelter. The climate in many parts was somewhat similar t.o that in British India ; and anyone who could live in the South of Furope could live in the parts where he had been. At present the whole of Africa was one vast slave-field ; the slave trade was increasing, and whole districts bad been rendered desolate by this inhuman traffic. By placing steamers in the river Congo they would have connection with the whole of the African rivers, and would be able to open up trade with the ivory merchants from Egypt As regarded the traders on the West Coast, they were cruel men, and guilty of every species of barbarity ; and the ivory brought from there was stained by the blood of thousands of poor creaturos who had been slaughtered. While admitting that a great deal of good had been done in Africa by missionaries, ho was of opinion that many men who, having failed as cobblers and hairdressers, and who suddenly fancied that they were moved b\ the spirit to do good to the poor negro, did more harm than good An Afiican knew a gentleman as well as anyone, and he was of opinion that African missionaries should be gentlemen both by birth and evlncation. The Hindoo girls are graceful and exquisitely formed. From their earliest childhood they are accustomed to carry burden*on their heads. The water for family HS->

always brought by the girls in earthuu jars, carefully poised in this way. This exercise is said to strengthen the muscles of the back, while the chest is thown forward. No crooked backs are seen in Hindostan. Dr Henry Spry, one of the company's medical officers, says that " thiß exercise of carrying small vessels of water on the head might be advantageously introduced into our boarding schools and private families, and that it might entirely superrsede the present machinery of dumbbells, backboards, skipping-ropes, &c. The young lady ought to be taught to carry the jar as these Hindoo women do, without ever touching it with her hands." The same practice of carrying water leads to precisely the same results in the south of Spain and in the south of Italy as in India. A Neapolitan female peasant will carry on her head a vessel full of water to the very brim over a rough road and not spill a drop of it; and the acquisition of this art or knack gives her the same erect and elastic gait, and the same expanded chest and well-formed back and shoulders.

Last night a disgraceful attempt was made by some larrikins in the Giafton Road, to destroy the Assessment List ef the Grafton Road Highway Board, which was hanging at the door of Mr Sawkins, Grocer. The latter gentlemam observed the boys tear off a portion of the list and run away. He followed, and fortunately overtook them, and secured . several pages of writing, whicb^had cost the careful secretary a great deal of time and labour to prepare, and which are of great value, as being the original Assessment List. One of the Hihgway Boards had great difficulty in compelling payment of a large sum due to the Board some years ago, through the destruction of the original list at one of the fires. The mail for "Rangoon closes at Penang at seven p.m. on Friday. Telegrams for England should be wired to catch it. To the Editor : Sir,— I have read with great interest tyour leader of yesterday and the report of Messrs Waymonbh and Wright. The ratepayers have much to thank you for exposing many disgraceful matters in this city which would, but for the "Evening Star," have been hushed up. The state of City Accounts, if correctly described in these reports is a lasting disgrace to the city ; and but for your fearless action, the present confusion and incorrectness would no doubt have gone on unremedied. That the City records should be kept in a manner that woald disgrace the smallest tradesman is a subject affecting evey ratepayer, and I for one thank you for coming forward to introduce a new order of things.— Yours, &c, Ratepayer. From a telegram in another column, it appears that the office of Sherriff will be appended to some other office, saving £500 a year. The position will, no doubt, as stated yesterday, be given t© Major Green, who, as Deputy Sherriff is unquestionably entitled to it.

At the meeting of the Caledonian G.M.C. yesterday afternoon, the director's annual report was read. It was not a cheerful document for the shareholders, as it stated that it had been found necessary to suspend operations till the shareholders had decided upon a course of providing ftmdi for futnre action. It stated also that the Directors had had in serious contemplation, the advisability of amalgamating with neighbouring mines. The balance sheet shewed that there was an overdraft at the Bank of New Zealand £1037 13* and that the gold taken from the mine during the year had reached 1180oz Stfwts, value £3266 3b 6d. The report and balance sheet were adopted. Mr Lennox was elected a director in the place of Mr Thos Russell, and Mr Wardrop was re-elected Auditor. _ A murmer was raised at the Directors taking the £250 honorarium in the present state of the mine, but the chairman pointed out that it would be unreasonable to expect people to work for nothing, and the vote was passed. An expression of opinion was elicited that travelling expenses should be allowed to Directors charged to visit and report upon the mine. The meeting generally deprecated any attempt to amalgamate with other companies till after the lower levels had been tested. The meeting then terminated.