The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The evening News, The Morning News, and The Echo. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1880.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3205, 29 October 1880, Page 2

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

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1880.

Fur the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong lliat needs resistance, Fur the future iv the distance, And tile good that we can do.

Wiiy has not somo learned authority on physiology, psychology, or any of tho other olojjies, devoted his attention to thut modern phuso of demoutiu which is so frequently observed amongst vegetarians and habitual cold water drinkers 'l Of treatises and fervid discourses on the awful evils of " tho demon alcohol," we have enough and to spare, and oven tho much-abused " modorato drinker " lias evor held up before his mind's eye tho frightful spectro of a ragged and ruined toper, who from tho mild enjoyment of a harmless glass has degenerated into " a shocking example." But of the causes by which a man, who begins by timidly and experimentally drinking cold water as a beverage, descends Wy fatal stages until ho becomes addicted to tho vice of hydropathical ascoticism, we havo no diagnosis. Wo see every day in our streets men "of vinegar aspect" hastening to a premature grave, or tho fate of" John Jones," tho highly respectable farmer in the song, through tho immoderate uso of a cold water beverage, and no hand is stretched forth to rescue them. Seriously speaking thero is an intemperanco in some so-called temperance, scarcely less socially objectionable and mischievous than its dread anti-type—drunkenness. Thero is an intolerance and narrowness of mind wnich often borders on fanaticism, and monomania, and a tendeacy to subordinate all other social questions and individual merits to tho criterion of tho cold-water-drinker. Of this class is Sir William Fox, who with the blindness of a zealot advocates wholesale confiscation of hotel interests, tho passing of tyrannical laws, and tho sacrifice of poraonal liberty on tho altar of teetotalism. There aro again some modern ascetics whose intellects have run all to seed, who are afflicted with chronic hypochondria, and pessimist views of everything in tho world. To this class belongs Mr Saunders, themember for Cheviot. Many yearsago he was a social being,hud a partiality for the good things of this world, and was not guilty of any remarkable eccentricities worse than a predilection for politics, an ambition to become an orator, and a weakness for snug sinecures, which aro venial sins in these days. But whether it was from a lore of good-living or somo hereditary transmission, Mr Saunders rapidly assumed an aldermanic stylo of physique, and in an evil hour he listened to tho voice of the charmer and resolved to become a follower of William Banting. Thereafter the flush forsook his cheeks, he-' became bilious, cold-blooded, calculating and misanthropical, and rapidly degenerated into an incurable hypochondriac. Unfortunately, tho symptoms were intensified by repeated political disappointments, and Mr Saunders retired from tho busy haunts of men into the reclusion of a sheep-run, and confined himself to a rigid diet of spring water and lottuces. The calls of patriotism, not unmixed with somo remote glimpses of another snug sinecure, brought him out of his retirement, as the the olect of Cheviot. Mr Saunder's views of the attractions of a squatter's life were liko those of Shakespeare's immortal Touchstone.

" Truly, shepherd, in respect to itself it is a good life; but in respect that it is a shepherd's life it is naught. In respect that it is solitary I like it very well; bnt in respect that it is private it is a very rile life. Now in respect that it is in the fields, it pleascth me well; but in respect it is not in the Court it is tedious. As it is a spare life, look you, it fits my humour well; but as there is no more plenty in it, it goes much against my stomach."

Mr Saunders was at first an enthusiastic Greyite, but when the political vane veered to the South lie became an equally devoted friend of the Hall Ministry. The enforced silence of his retirement and his dietary penance appeared to have produced bitterness of spirit and speech, and there was no more relentless enemy of the Grey Govern-'

meat in the House than | tho member for. Oheyiot. Ho had liis" reward in a, holiday-tour at the public expense, as a member of a roving Railway Commission, with many teuiptationsjto relapse into habits of luxury, which ho successsfully resisted. But tho report of the Commission did not find favour with Parliament; it was denounced on all sides; tho Government did not champion it, and Mr Sauudors' hypochondriac symptoms returnod with renewed virulence, taking tho form of a morbid view of the condition of tho colony. After the session, he fell back into his former reclusion away from tho hated alcoholic and culinary atmosphero of Bellamy's, aud he has only onco since cmergod to givo utterance to his dismal and dyspeptic views of things in tho little Peddliugtonof Kaikoura, with its scoro or two of squatters and shepherds. Tho telegraphic report of his spoech tolls us that " ho took an exceedingly gloomy viow of tho financial position of the colony. Though ho did not wish to appear an alarmist, ho foared thoy might havo to repudiate their debts, tho country ho brought into disgrace, and colonists ho afraid to show their faces amongst honest inon." Mr Saundors may havo had soino personal oxporienco in thoso mattors, but in tho name of all that's decent wo protest against liia presumption in professing to speak the mind of tho colonists whon ho gives utterance to his dolorous forobodings. Lot him speak on his own behalf, and that of the little rotten constituency of Cheviot, if ho chooses, but ho must notdaro to ho misrepresent tho colonists as a whole, who have novor entertained oven tho ghost of an idea of repudiating their just dobts and obligations to tho bondholders. JTi.s presumption is littlo short of traitorous disloyalty, not only to Iho tow benighted and credulous Conns whom ho represents, but to tho wholo body of tho colonists whom ho has so outrageously libelled, Wo need not bo surprised that English newspapers, trusting to outsido information for thoir facts, should find a text for frosh attacks on our credit, whon thoro are such birds of ill-onion as tho member for Cnovoit to croak in dismal notos and foul their own nests. Tho libel is all tho moro scandalous and unpardonablo in a man who has every access to official information, and vho must at that moment havo had in his possession Iho last Gazette roturns shewing tho largo increase of revenue, produced by burdons grievous to bo borno, but patiently submitted to. We may coneludo in tho words of tho same humourous Touchstono quoted above :

" If thou nover sawest good manners, then thy manners must bo wicked ; and wickedness is sin, and sin is damnation. Thou art in a parlour state, shepherd. Godhelp thoc, shallow man ! Godmako an incision in theo ! Thou art raw."

We publish in another column a huinblo apology from MrT. W. Maunder, of Unniiltou, for inserting a bogus marriage notice in our columns. Very likely tho affair was intended as a joke; but it is well for those who are sportively inclined, at tho expense of other people, to remember thut such jokes aro daugcrous.

The Pnrncll Tennis Club will commence for the season to-morrow afternoon, should the weather permit. Mr Impey's band will attend with their instruments and perform selections of music.

A private telegram received from Coroniciudoi to-duy says that a rich discovery of jjold has beoa make in the claim at the Tiki.

Tho tender of Mr James Keirl which was accepted yesterday by tho Waste Lands Board for tlio right of digging gum upon tho Muniwhemi block was £75, aud nut £175 as erroneously printed in our last issuo.

We are requested to remind our readers that the grand match at baud ball, for £5 a-sido, will take place to-morrow at the Court attached to Gl«jeso»'s hotel, foot ot llobsou-street, at 4 p.m. sharp.

The Lime-light entertainment in connection with the High-street Baud of Hope 13 postponed till Friday next.

The Auckland United Crisket Club will play tho Otahuhu Cricket Club to-morrow at Otahuhu. The following team will leave town by tho 12 o'clock train :— Mumford, Tostro, Ivenß, McCormick (2), Lankham (2), Dufaur, Cromwell, George, and Whitaker.

Mr Joseph Friar Clarke will bo a candidate for Mayor at ucxt Parnell election.

Mr R, Keyte, a lay prnachcr, walked from Wliangarci to Parua Bay and back on a recent Sunday, a distance of 23 miles, to preach.

This afternoon a horse' attached to a spring-cart bolted up Queen-street, anil ran into the hindermost rab on tho oat-stand. The result of the collision was that the spring-cart turned over, and tho upper wl'eel spun round at the rate of 200 revolutions per minute. After tho usual amount of excitement, and rushing to and fro of spectators, the struggling horse emerged frco of all harness encumbrance, having sustained no injury.

The Wasto Lands Board has granted Mr Cruickshank permission to erect a landing place at Matakana, and decided to give Mr C. Mollera month's protection for his coal prospecting in the Mongaroa district, while the cane of Mr Uos-i, of Katikati, has been referred to tho Crown Lands Hanger for his report. The term of Mr Freer's depasturing license over land ut Mongonui having expired it was determined to re-otl'er it. An application from Pokeno for leave to carry a road through au abandoned section was granted.

The business at the Resident Magistrate's Court was longer than usual yesterday. The claims of several seamen, Cullatt, Nelson, and Patteson, against Captain Lowrie, for wrongful dismissal, [occupied much time and argument, and created much interest, among the spectators watching the proceedings closely was Garrard, the stump orator. His Worship held that the evidence shewed a mutual rescission of the contract,"and as tho act did not prevent the partios determining the agreement, it waa clear to his mind that plaintiffs had acquiesced in the discharge, consequently thoy wero non»3aited. Several other cases were adjourned.

The following ollicers havo oeen elected for the Cambridge branch of tho New Zealand Alliance for suppression of liquor traffic :—Rev Bull, President, T. N. W. Morris, Secretary; R. D. Stewart, Treasurer; and a committee of Rev Evans, Messrs R. Wright, J. It. Wright, J. Keeley, and Carnachan, and Hen son. At a meeting held thero was a unanimous opiuion that the most strenuous efforts should be made to oppose the granting of the license to the proposed hotel at Cambridge West.

Work on the Whatawhata bridge is progressing fairly. The contractors, Messrs McLean have driven in four tiers of piles, and the whole of the timber will shortly be on the ground. Some of the timber for tho Te Roro bridge is on its way thither.— " Waikato Times."

A subscription is being raised for the relief of widow Barton, whose husband died on October 25th. She has been left in a helpless condition with a family of young children, and it is proposed to pay off the balance of mortgage due on her house with the money collected. We shall be happy to receive and forward the subscriptions of the charitably disposed.

Mr William Payne, owner of the fishing smacks Hcrtha and New Parliament, sustained a painful accident yesterday at his own hands. It appears tl>at he was fashioning a mast for one ofjhis boats with a draw knife, when the tool slipped and struck him on the knee-cap, inflicting an ugly gash. Blood flowed freely, but it waa staunched with a rag until he was conveyed in a cab to the Hospital, where Mr T. Aitken, tho dispenser, sewed tho wound up. Owing to tho accident, the sufferer will not be able to resume work for some time.

A very handsome and skilfully-executed picture, representing Charles the First bidding farewell to his childreu. is exhibited in Mr Shakespeare's window, Queen-street, [t h;is been worked by tho wife of the Rev. Mr Law, for the Otahuhu Wesleyaii Church bazaar, which is) to ho held in the Public Hall, Otalmhu, on the 11th. 12th, and 13th proximo. The picture is ISJ inches by 20? inches, aud is worked in Berlin wool and Bilk. It is one of the most beautiful works of the kind we have seen for some time.

Tho Scripture liift Association notifies to tho boys aud girls in No. 1 and No. 2 City schools, aud those of tho High Schools, if they desire to writo tho scripture exercises, |they are to writo verses from the Kevelations, in which tho Lord Jesus Christ is mentioned as "The Lamb."

Settlement is progressing rapidly in the Fiako, says the " Waikato Mail.'1 tivorything is looking very favourably there. The late showory weather has had a wonderful effect upon grass, &c, and tho quality of the cattle is very good ; they will soou be lit for killing.

Tho railway trallic returns for tho four weeks ending Oct. 18th || show that the total receipts for North Island railways amounted to £11,910 4s 6d, tho proportion of working expenses to receipts being 80 per cent. The receipts on the Auckland and Waikato line was very nearly equal to those from Napier, Wellington, aud New Plymouth together, and tho working expenses were only 72-6S per cent. The total receipts on the Middle Islands lines wore £48,537 18s 2d, and the proportion of expenses (M-GG per cent. Tho Amberloy-Kingston lino yielded £4G,332 of the amount. The following percentages of working expenses on some of tho lilies show unmistakably that the sooner they nro closed tho bettor:—Eyrcton Branch, 125; Mount Somers, 335 ; Wuimato, 113 ; Shag Point, 258 ; Walton Park, 112 ; Laurence Branch, 12G ; Outnini Branch, 218 ; Riverton, 121— an average loss of 76 per cent, ou each of the eight lines.

A moetiug of the Auckland Justices of the Peace will bo held at noon to-morrow in tho High-street Court for tho purpose of Bolcutiut; two justices to curry out tho provisions of the Slaughter-houses Act, 1877.

Nomination!) for tho Auckland Cup, Racing Club Handicap, and Steeplechase, must be made to tho secretary, Mr Pcrcival, this evening beforo eight o clock,

Tho Newmarket Good Templars will in a few days give an unusually attractive concert, and some " live and dead prizes " to lucky ticket holders. A big programme is being arranged, particulars of which will .shortly appear.

The Auckland Bowling Club season commences to-morrow afternoon at 3 o'clock, if tho weather is lino. Any genticrncu dchirous of joining thin old established institution, will havo an opportunity of doing so to-morrow, at the Grafton Road ground, uh the secretary will be in attendance for the purposo of receiving names.

Mr S. W. Baker's lecture on "Tongaand tho TongaUß " this evening in tho lecture hall of the Young Men's Christian Aesociation in likely to bo of much interest, not only in an historical und geographical point of view, but in its commercial aspects in relation to New Zealand. Mr King will «ing two solos with pianoforte accompaniMientß, nnrl a native of Tonga will Bing two nativo compositions. Tho lecture will be commenced at 7.30, and as this is tho last ot the winter series there will no doubt be a lur^e attendance.

Tho Government has decided to defer for tho consideration of Parliament the question of guaranteeing tho interest on a loan for tho Wellington-Foxton Hallway, as well as contributing a portion of the receipts from the salo of luud of the dine. Tho Government will, however, givo tho proposed company the works on the Wadestown section, together with material and rolling stock ordered and iv hand, the land acquired for private owners, and other facilities, lree of cost.

A complaint from Mr Clias. Hell, of Waikiito, concerning the impassable state of the road from Churchill to the adjoiuing lands, has been referred by the Waste Lands Board to the Chief Surveyor.

Messrs J. P. King and Sou, chemists, etc., aunouneo a new shipment, per Fornglen, of the celebrated Touic-sol-fu jubjubea. The testimonials from public speakers, clergymen, singers, aud others, as to their eilica«y in curing the throat and chest from hoarseness are numerous. They are, in fact, invaluable as a remedy for influenza, etc. Messrs King are the sole ageuts.

A caso of peculiar hardship has come to our knowledge in connection with the discontinuance of free immigration. A family in England, who had been nominated for frco passages, made every preparation to leavo for Now Zealand, selling off their lease of a farm, which was hold on the peculiarly favourable terms of half-a-crown an aero during life, wh *i they were informed by the AfjenMi noral that the Domination system had censed. The notice from Mr Kcnnaway suites that "the demand for labour in tho colony is at present fully satisfied, and it is therefore very undesirable for men without capital to go there just now." Meantime tho unfortunato family have broken up their home, sacrificed their means of livelihood, and are practically ruined. The case appears to be one of an exceptional character, and would uo doubt Bccure tho sympathy of the Government were proper representations made through Mr Swansou, or somo other member of Parliament to tho AttorneyGeneral.

Tho people of Coromandel are preparing for a Conversazione to be held on November sth, in aid of the Tonic Sol-Fa Juvenile singing class. Among tho attraction will be some po.verfnl microscopes snd views, a graphoscope and views of Paris, Italy, and England, a kaleidoscope, and several forms of telephones and microphones, stereoscopes electric and chemical apparatus and experiments, galvanic batteries, &c, Ac. The local exhibits promise to be numerous and varied, among which might be mentioned tho silk-worm iv all its stages ; als", a Unicomb hive with living bees and Queen*, tho cottage Woodbury hivo with artificial comb foundation, the natural comb with Queen and drone cells, and also some Ligurian bees, lately imported. The musical programme is romarkably attractive and includes part songs, duetts, glees, and pianoforto solos. An abundant supply of refreshments will be provided, and several instrumental selections will also be given during the interval.

A great deal is being said iv tho present day about wages being too high : this, ot course, la only a cry raised by and oa behalf of the capitalist and tho employer of labour ; it is very easily said, though not at all capable of proof, except from their 10 por cent, stand-point. Wo want mutual concessions, and, a» far as we can, ■wo shad Btrlvo to havo thorn, for wo aredotorminod that while wo moot with sufllcient public Bupport tho Price of Provisions shall bo kopt as Low as tho current r»te of wages. Therefore, working men, bo your own frionda. Call and get yonr supplies to-morrow from A. Bettany, Managing Dirootor of tho Auckland Provision and Dairy I'roduoo Company, Contral Stall, City Markpt. __