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Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 2925, 29 August 1879, Page 2

The forty-first annual report of the Union Bank of Australia shows that the operations of this institution have been eminently satisfactory. The dividend and bonus amounted to 16 per coot, exclusive of £25,131 added to reserve fund and carried forward. After strict scrutiny, and providing for all had and doubtful debts, the profit for the year was found to be £407,254, the largest ever made since the establishment of the institution. The paid-up capital amounts to £1 457,500, the reserve funds and undivided profits to £927,031, atid the total assets to nearly £12,000,000. The Bank has fifty-seven branches spread over the entire group of Australasian colonies, 25 being in' New Zealand, thus ensuring a ■wide field of operation and dispersion of transactions over an area not likely to simultaneously suffer from depression.

The limitation of Chinese immigration by the imposition of special taxation forms one of the points in the Liberal programme, and a bill dealing with the subject was introduced in the recent session, but was shelved by the dissolution. The subject is now being earnestly discussed at election meetings, and will doubtless take a prominent place in the legislation ot the coining Parliament, and therefore any new light that can be thrown on the matter will be acceptable at this juncture. It has been urged by Capt. Russell, and other members who are justly suspected of stroDg leanings to the employment of Coolie labour, that the extent of Chinese immigration into this Colony has been so small comparatively as in no way to disturb the labour market, but no arguments of any weight have been adduced against the expediency of adopting measures to prevent the extension to this Colony of those evils which have already been experienced from the influx of Chinese into the neighbouring colonies and America. Some idea of the extent of the evil in the latter country may be gathered from the following extract from a letter by Mr K. J. Creighton to Mr W. Swanson, read by the latter at the Newton meeting last evening. Mr Creightou says: " Referring to the Chinese question, I have simply to say that I examined it minutely anil dispassionately. 1 saw it illustrated; industrially, socially, morally, and intellectually—and I can conceive no greater curse to any Anglo-Saxon community than a swarm ot Chinese coolies. If is worse than a dry rot. You cannot conceive of anything so utterly destructive of our civilization, methods, and results. There are more adult male Chinese in Calffornia than there are American citizens on the great Register of the State, and theyarccomingat thcrate of 1,200 t02,000 a month, whilewhite immigration has stopped. That means a rapid absorption of the Coast by the Chinese, who preserve their own customs, observe their own laws, practice their own idolatrous rites, and have fifty per cent more felons in prison, in proportion to population, than any other race. This is not a pleasant state of things to contemplate. Keep it out of New Zealand." Mr CreMitou is well known in Auckland as a man°of great ability, of keen observation, and his opinions therefore carry very great weight. __^__^________

Tiiebe are some candidates for legislative honors who are apparently firm believers in the venerable adage that " Charity covereth a multitude of sius," and it is the habit of these gentlemen to make some sort of restitution for political iniquities by an annual pecuniary penance. They make a sacrifice of their honorariums by judiciously dividing them amongst ' various literary and charitable institutions, and, as a matter of course, the trumpet is duly sounded at the corners of the streets by way of neat eulogistic paragraphs in the newspapers. They are not of those who "Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame." En passant, it may also be observed that the genuineness of the sacrifice is sometimes opeu to doubt, as in such a case as that of giving away the "unearned increment" of last session. Or course there are instances where the disintributionof the honorarium is actuated by motives o£ principle, but they are_ by no means numerous, and where a candidate is suddenly seized with benevolent instincts in the midst of an election contest the sincerity of his motives are at least open to suspicion. The case of Mr Richmond, who is a can- < didate for Nelson suburbs, is one in point. A telegram puts it in th^y"l*.!—He had i

tributing half his honorarium among the public libraries of the district, but the cry of bribery being raised, lie referred the matter to bis solicitors, who are of opiuiou, that it would not come under the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, "but a question would turn on intention, and not one of fact or law, aud as tho tribunal to which it would be referred would decide on their own view of the fact, the solicitors thought it safe that he withdraw the announcement publicly and unconditionally." The inference drawn by the solicitors is very ingeniously aud artistically put, though devoid of involved legal phraseology. It is rather hard, however, that public scrutiny of a man's acts should blast his philanthropic impulses, and compel him to do violence to his newlyawakened conscience by pocketing public money to which he feels he has no right. Under these circumstances Mr Richmond is a subject for sympathy. It is consoling, however, to reflect that Mr Richmond can ease his overburdened conscience by secretly making donations to some deserving objects in such a manner that his right hand may not know what his left has dove. Perhaps the lawyers, who are not in the habit of refusing money, may discover a solution of the difficulty.

A very good proposition has been made by a gcutlemau in connection with the cookery lessons now being given by Miss Fidler in the Mechanics' Institute. Looking at the great want of culinary knowledge among servants, he thought it would be a good opportunity to obtain for them the instruction they require. With that object he waited upon Miss Fidler to ascertain upon what tcniM she would admit domestics. The reply was that if not less than 40 were guaranteed she would set specially apart in the hall,at the evening lesson,room enough to accommodate this class of pupils, distinct from the pupils who have paid tho usual subscription, and would admit the girls under the following special arrangement :—There arc nine more lessons in the course, and these the most important, embracing nearly everything ill the sorics. The guarantee required is a very moderate one. The mover in the matter informs us that he will contribute two guineas of the required amount, and hopes that others will send in subscriptions to this ollice, and their servants to tho lecture - room next Monday. The more money subscribed the more girls will be able to attend the lessons, and we hope that subscriptions will lie forwarded at once, so that it can be ascertained how many girls can receive the required free tuition. All girls must take a note from their employers to show that they are really in service, and mistresses who are desirous of encouraging such a movement are requested to send their domestics to next Mouday's lecture, at a quarter to seven o'clock, when for girls in excess of the number guaranteed very easy terms will be arranged. We have much pleasure in soliciting subscriptions towards this object, which will be duly acknowledged in our issue to-morrow uight.

The meeting of tho Caledonian Gold Mining Company, which was to have taken place this day at noon, has been unavoidably postponed owing to tliero being an insufficient number to form a quorum.

A number of young girls in Jerney City were struck down by a strange malady which ballled the medical profession. It is supposed that the germs of yellow fever had got iuto the tobacco in New Orleans aud was liberated dining the process of manufacture.

The very protracted chess tournament between the representative players of Purnell and Ponsonby is now a thing of the past, the result being in favov of the eastern suburb by two games. It will be remembered that at the last time we recorded the position of the match, Parnell was one game ahead, and that only two more remained to be played—these two being betweeu Mr Heather of Parnell and Mr Kobinson of Pousonby. Mr Heather won the iirat of the two games, aud the other one was drawn, although the chances were in favor of the Parne'.l representative.

A meeting of the Mount Eden Domain Board was held at tbe City Council Chambers for the purpose of receiving tenders for the fencing of Mount Edcu. Messrs Thompson, Beetham, and f'aton were present. Mr Beetham proposed that the tcuders of Messrs Haydon, Smith, aud White be accepted. A letter was read from Messrs Hesketn and Richmond to the eftcct that owners of the adjoiuiug ground to the reserve are clearly liable for any encroachment or damages their excavations may cause, as the Board am determined to resist any such further encroachment on the reserve. This was all the business.

Intelligence of the death of Sir Kowland Hill, X.C.8., F.R.S., and D.C.L., has reached us. Sir Kowland Hill was Hie son of a Birmingham schoolmaster, born in 17!>5, so that he had readied his eighty-fourth year. Sir Rowland Hill deserves the thanks of the world's community for tho penny postal system which has proved such a boon to maukind. His plans, after a fair trial, were discovered by the Treasury to be eminently successful, aud he was rewarded with his full salary, viz., £2,000 a year for life. On his retirement from the postotlice, through ill-health, the Government voted to him a grant of i' 20,000.

To the Editor: Sir, —After reading the report iv your Wednesday evening's issue relative to the Wynyard pier I was really astonished that the engineer could send in such a statement to the. Harbour Hoard. For my own satisfaction, and several of the petitioners, I took the depths this morning with the following result, which are perfectly true: At dead low water there was two feet three inches of water at the end of the pier; and two hundred feet bcyoud the end, where it is proposed to carry it, there was three feet four inches. Now this is sufficient water to allow ferry steamers to come alongside, aud will answer for all the purposes required. The engiueer also reports that to carry the pier out two hundred feet it would cost £600. The tender tho Government have I believe just excepted for the re-building of the old pier, which is one hundred aud thirty live feet long, is £204, and I suppose the contractor would only be too glad to extend it the extra, two hundred feet at the above rate, which would only cost £300, just half what the engineer reports. Hoping that the Board will reconsider tho matter, yours, etc., Resident.

The Ponsonby aud Grafton Football Clubs meet for the fourth time on Saturday afternoon, each having as yet won a match and the third being a draw. A veryinteresting game is anticipated. The following are the teams : —Pousonby : T. Macky (captain), H, Cookc, Arniel, Martin, Forder, Cotter, Davy, Bravowatcr, Epiha, Dunnefc, Braund, J. Webster, E. Colcman, H.uma (2), and Wbitesides. Grafton : Broadhurst, Burgess (A.), Gilbert, Graves, Hutton, Joughin, McKay, Mears, Orchard (captain), Ryan, Sims, Sibbin (2), Yon Sturmcr, Whewell, and White.

Mr J. 0. Firth's steamer " lvotuku 'returned yesterday Avith a cargo of wheat from Pakopako, the landing at Matomata, what we may now call the head of the navigation of the river Thames. The snagging of the river is not yet completed, but iv the course of a month, or as soon as the river clears and falls to its summer level, we understand Mr Firth proposes to resume operations. Already over £3000 has been expended by Mr Firth on clearing the tirer of rocks, snags, aud other obstructions. It is expected that by the end of the coming summer the remaining obstructions will be removed. This work, undertaken singlehanded by Mr Firth, will of course greatly enhance the value of his estate at Matamata, but it will also render the Aroha and other lands held by Government on the river Thames very easy of access. We congratulate the colony qu the successful opening of this beautiful river, aud we hope the Waste Lands Board, or the Government, will push on the work of opening the land for settlement.

An American legislator suggests that in order to protect workmen from fraudulent employers the United States Government should in future insert a clause iv all its contracts, reserving the right to retain a portion of the contract mouey for the payment of the employees.

The members of the Oddfellows' Lodge of Pamell will hold their twenty-first anniversary ball this evening, in tlio Lome-street Hall. Dancing tocominence at nine o'clock. .At Mr P. Dorau's new entertainment to-morrow eveniug there will appear, among other novelties, Mr Paul Pry with his gingham under his arm, who will deliver his "sentiments on the present political crisis of the colony. Professor Praser delivered his interesting and instructive lecture ou " Objections to Phrenology Considered" iv the Albertstreet Temperance Hall. The discourse was lively and pleasant, and at the close there was an animated discussion on the immediate subject of the lecture, The original of the following letter may be seen at the Gas Oilice ou application :— Dear sir,—l have now given the gas stoves a fair trial for more than three mouths, and I find by the account for gas rendered that the cost for the last three months has averaged tenpence per day for cooking stove, parlour st;ove (gas fire), and four lignts. This is more than our ordinary consumption, as we have had sickly household part of the time. I may remark we are late sitters-up, which of course means more consumption, of light and fire, -~ To Mr Parsons, (j as ailinp l

At a meeting of the creditors of' George Hinde Leaning, carpenter and builder of Ponsonby, held to-day at the Supreme Court, Mr Macllnrlane was elected trustee. The liabilities were set down at £173 6s, and the assets et £15.

The next Choral concert comes off on Tuesday eveniug next, in the hall, Symouds-street. There will be a rehearsal iv the same place on Moudaj evening. Special attention is drawn to this practice, as through a misunderstanding it has been announced that Mr Clark will address the electors of City East there on that night.