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Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 95, 23 April 1889, Page 4

If any argument were needed to support our contention that the volunteers should have been brought back to town on Sunday evening, it is supplied by the circumstances connected .with their return this morning; The trains, being engaged ab the races, were not available for the volunteers till halfpast one o'clock, by which time the men had been two hours on the platform exposed to the occasional rain-squalls, and were numbed with cold. The trip down occupied eight hours, and the men reached Auckland too late for their day's work. It is obvious that these difficulties must have been known of before the men left Auckland, and very little reflection will show how much more sensible it would have been to .bring the volunteers down comfortably on Sunday afternoon and give them an opportunity to take part in the reception and enjoy the holiday yesterday. Want of consideration for the convenience of the men, such as has been shown in this case, is not likely to promote tho interests of the volunteer movement.

The Hon. E. Mitchelson, Minister of Public Works and Native Minister, arrived here yesterday by the s.s; Penguin. Mr Mitchelson intends to inspect tho Kaukapakapa section of the Helensville line, -which has been opened for traffic, and he will also go over the Waitete contract on the main trunk line. Mr Mitchelson may also go to the Thames to investigate certain matters in connection with the railway in course of formation there.

Mr Robert J. Creighton, who has been to Melbourne and Sydney striving to arrange for the continuance of the San Francisco mail service, arrived by bhe K.M.s. Mariposa from Sydney on Sunday. He only stays a couple of days here, and will leave for Wellington on Thursday. Arrived there, he will interview the Gbvernment respecting the mail service, a subject on which he has already had considerable correspondence with them. Mr Croighton will spend some little time in the colony, enjoying a holiday before returning to San Francisco. Respecbing his proposal for a fortnightly service between here and San Francisco, he has nothing further to say beyond what has already appeared in our columns. He says it is a mistake to say that arrangements have been made for the extension of the present service for another year ; nothing definibe has been done yet, bub the Postmaster-General was negotiating in the matter with the Uni°n S.S. Company as present contractors. Among the passengers on board the Orient, for Sydney, was Mrs Jamoa, a daughter of Sir John Millais. This lady, who is well known in London for her grace and beauby, is the original of many of Millaiss's mosb beautiful works. Mrs James accompanied the Earl and Countess of Kinbore to Adelaide for the benefit of her health, and returns to England by the R.M.e, Orient,

Mr Thos. Mackenzie, M.H.R. forClutf.., who is on a tour through the colony for _,_ purpose of making himself acquainted with its wants,- chiefly in the direction of rail.™, extension,, is at present in Auckland _f« nas been up the Manawatu line and on th_ Rangitikei, aud up the central route to th! Munmotu country. He intends to take in turn the Helensville line, the North Island trunk line extension, and the central route of the North Island trunk railway, makin „ himself thoroughly acquainted with the working and requirements of each.

At the Auckland Racing Club Meetin. yesterday, Lord and Lady Onslow entered thoroughly- into the spirit of the racing and previous to each event were in the paddock looking over the various competitors. They were accompanied by M. and Mrs Devore, and Mr and Mrs J £ Claric. Among others on the course wem Sir Frederick Whitaker and the Hon E Mitcheison. Lord and Lady Onslow' re* mained till after tho Steeplechase was run* and on their departure they were heartil v cheered, the band playing the National Anbhem. at

Mr R.Thompson, M.H.R. for Marsden. addressed his constituents ab Arapohue on the 17th insb. Mr Thompson gave an account of his trip North with two of the Ministers, and referred to the surprise they had expressed on becoming acquainted with the quality of the land in that tauchmaligned district. He found fault with the administration of the village settlement scheme, and complained of abuses permitted by the Government in connection with tha settlements. He stated that he was op. posed to a property tax, and ia favour of placing some check oa the Property Tax Commissioner, who at present had unlimited powers, and who, in conjunction with the Colonial Treasurer' could at any time refund the half or any portion of the valuation of a friend holding a thousand acres or so, and'no one would be any the wiser. Mr Thompson also answered a series of questious, and at the close he was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.

A cable has been received announcing the death of Mr A. Durlaeh, of the firm of Messrs P. Bet*, and Co., the Sydney agents of the North-German Lloyd line of boats • Mr Durlaeh left last month by the R.M.s. Alameda for San Francisco, and is! reported to have fallen overboard on the voyage. Deceased was making the trip to1 America on business connected with the: North-German Lloyd, and on his returnwas to have had charge of the Melbourne branch of Messrs Betz and Co. Mr Durlaeh was until lately woolbroker for Messrs Dalgety and Co.", of Melbourne.

There are no oysters to be gob in Whangarei Harbour, and yet, says our correspondent, when the season comes round for gathering, there will be people scraping about. Whangarei should be included in the prohibited area, to allow the oysters to make a start again. Dr. Giles, R.M., presided at the Police Court this morning, when Mary Martin was fined 10s and costs, or in default 24 hourshard labour, for having been drunk. Catherine Reilly, for a similar offence, was; fined 20s and costs or _S hours in default.

The remains of Patrick Miligan, who died from injuries received by a fall of a stack of timber ab Waitekauri, were conveyed to Paeroa this morning for interment.

People who have had reason to complain of the quality of their gas during the last few weeks would do well to inspect a curio now on \i&\v at this office,'and they will ho longer wonder at the dimness of their gas lamps. This curio is a section of a common gas-pipe, taken from a house in the city. In it is plainly shown a deposit of naphthaline, a coal tar product, which has completely blocked up the pipe, and proved effective enough to prevent the passage pf any gas.

• The fund for the relief of the man Skelton MH. M.s. Lizard, raised by Dr. Wilkins, has been further augmented by a donation of £5 from the Underwriters' Association, which the doctor requests us to acknowledge with his thanks.

Roads and road making in the Whangarei district are well advanced, according to our correspondent. The season has been very favourable. Travellers from tha North and South report that the roads are becoming fairly practicable, and that Whangarei county has made better use of what they had ab their disposal than the adjoining counties. On this head the Dargavidians complain that they have been overlooked. However, Whangarei will require more money to put their main road in any sort of condition, as there are over twenty miles of country where very-little has been done as yet.

The annual demonstration of the Thames Friendly Societies was held yesterday, and proved a great sudftess, as in addition to the local people there were some 200 excursionists from Coromandel and half that number from Auckland. The following are the results of the principal races at the sports :—Demonstration handicap, three heats—44o, 150, and 300 yards : Wolff, 1; Brady and Hall .tied for second honours. Half-mile : Koefoed, 1 ; McLeod, 2 ; McCormick, 3. Handicap Hurdles : Hall, 1 } Wolff, 2. Friendly Societies' Members Race : O'Hare, 1; McDermotb, 2 ; Willctts, 3. Mile Handicap : Bailey, 1; McColick, 2 ; McEnteer, 3. Time, 4min 52sec. The concert of the Hauraki Bowing Club in the Academy of Music in the evening was very successful.

Orange culture is attracting a great deal of attention at Whangarei. Mr Dobbie. orchard is said to be one of the best. The first trees were planted in May, 1882, 500 in all, chiefly SSb. Michaels, Paramatta, Silebta and Navel, a moderate number of, Poor Man, and Seville ; also, about 50 Lisbon and Mammoth Lemons, and two each of every kind obtainable. These were from Mr Mason's nursery, Parnell. He has now about 1,300 orange trees and 400 lemons planted on about 21 acres of land. The whole surface of the ground is kept clean, and he finds after a year or two the expense of keeping it so is not so much as anyone would suppose, and does nob cost more than keeping a circle round each tree hoed and the grass between cut. He has had the usual pests—scale, aphis, caterpillars, black smut, and last'and worst of all the "icerya" or black scalo, and has got rid of them in turn, which is not very difficult if taken in time. A good scrubbing'brush with some soapy water is better than all the patent washes, etc. Last year (the fifth) he gathered about 200, lemons, and thiPyear (the sixth) he has already gathered 1,500 oranges and the same number of lemons, and there are as many more on the trees.

The New' Caledonian papers by the lasb mail report that a steam sloop engaged m the timber trade in the Isle of Pines has been seized by five escaped French convict?, who put out to sea in her and gob clear off. She had been lefb in the charge of a kanaka, whom the marauders stupefied with drink and deposited in a drunken slumber on tho beach. The vessel contained an ample sup; ply of provisions, as she had eight days rations on board for two of the camps. As M. Houefcte, the inspector of works in tho South Bay, where the sloop was lying, » considered to have displayed great laxity of conduct in the matter, the penal authorities have ordered him to pay £280, bemg^ the estimated value of tho vessel.

All deferred payment settlers who are m arrears are to be sued at once for the amounts to which they are indebted to tne Government. Full amounts under oia valuations will bo sued for, bub as the new valuations are almost complete, lb 1S *"': tended to exact only sums which would w payable under the new and reduced valuations. The balance will be held in abeyance until Parliament considers the matt. .

To-day being St. George s Day, dedicated to the patron saint of England, the various baukins establishmenbs in town were closed for bhe holiday. All other business, however, wenb on as usual, although no doubt the interprovincial football match this afternoon at Epsom should attract a large number of spectators from Auckland.

The ironfounders' strike at Ballarat still continues. Last Sunday week a meeting of the directors ot tne _* licemx Foundry was held when ib was decided to close the works on the following day. This will throw 600 men out of employment, the company having paid away about £900 weekly, fb is also rumoured that the Union Foundry will be closed. The Phc_nix had plenty of W ork on hand to employ the full number of men

Fireman Brannigan,^ who sustained serious injuries aba Karangahape Road fire about two months ago, is still" confined to the Hospital. His ease is more serious than was anticipated, and has been the subject of several consultations amongst tho medical staff. The meet obstinate of the injuries is a burn on the top of the head, which so far has resisted all efforts to brinsr about a healing, and as a last resource bhe doctors have decided to remove portions of flesh from the patient's arm to be grafted on to the wound on the head During tor Branmgan'e long stay in the Hospital he has been■ -visited by many friend 3 and members of the lure Brigade, and on two occasions Admiral Fairfax called upon him and made kindly inquiries as to the progress he was making. A painful accident befel Mr Elias, a wellknown settler of the Wade,^ near that township a few days ago. Mr Elias was adjusting a load on a cart, when his horse shied, and one of the cart wheals getting into a rut tho vehicle capsized, throwing Mr Elias violently to the ground. Ho fell heavily on his head, and remained insensible for some time. Meanwhile ho had been carried to the Wade Hotel, where he received careful attention, and on the following morning he was able to ride home. The schooner John Hunt, which arrived at Sydney a few days ago, at one time engaged in the South Seas mission work, but now an Island trader, had seme very tryin"- experiences about the time when the disastrous hurricane occurred at Samoa. The captain reported at Sydney that after clearing the Fiji group strong winds and heavy 'seas were met with, and those on board the schooner sighted wreckage, apparently the quarter deck and house of a vessel of from 600 to 700 tons, bub they could not discover any distinguishing mark. On arriving at Wallis Island they found that the island had been swept by a severe hurricane, which . bad wrought greab destruction amongst the coeoanuts and fruit trees. The mission property had been damaged to the extent of aboub.£l,3oo, and two villages destroyed during the gale. Three days after leaving the island the schooner experienced what is believed to ha-\e been a heavy earthquake shock, the vessel suddenly shaking and tumbling visibly in smooch water. Later on, fronAhe 4th to bhe 7th ulb., she encountered a series of furious squalls, with heavy seas running. The decks were constantly swept, and considerable damage was done to the schooner's bulwarks and the boats were smashed.

. Hugo's Buffalo Minstrels had a crowded house^lasb evening, and a firsb-class programme was presented. The second programme indeed is in many respects better than the first. The minstrel selections were remarkably good, and each item was encored, while the finale, "_ The Huckleberry Picnic, "provoked uproarious-laughter. Miss Connie Devereux and Die!-: Devereux gave a very clever vocal sketch entitled «- The French Pupil," and Miss Priscilla Verne sang several very fetching seriocomic songs, including "Never Take No for an Answer," and " Spooning." The musical couple, Devere and Oakes, again astonished the audience in a musical act entitled "Mixtures," in which a very welltrained dog was introduced.. Charles Hujjo convulsed theaudiencewifch bhestoryof "His Brown Pants," Miss Lillie Warren sang the beautiful nautical song, "Harbour Lights," in a highly creditable manner, and Priscilla Verne and Connie Devereux contributed an attractive nautical medley, " Her Lover's Return." Several other good items made up a lengthy programme, the concluding absurdity b.iog Hugo's farce, " The Senator," which was received with coutinuous laughter.

To the Editor : Sir,—Kindly allow me to contradict the statement so repeatedly made in this controversy. I did nob call the Committee of the Grocers' Association thieves and robbers, and challenge Mr Hew in to publish the letter in full. I shall trouble you no further.—l am,' etc., J. Chadwick.

Our Whangarei correspondent writes saying there is some risk in allowing the gumdiggers into the Puhipuhi, as the season has been so dry. The issue of permits should be delayed till after bhe first greab fall of rain, as ib will burn at present. A fortnight or so will no doubt bring the rain down in quanbiby. Notwithstanding all bhab Mr R. Hobbs lias bo say bo the contrary, if the forest is lighted ib will burn all winter. There should be severe penalties for anyone lighting fires, and the digger • should not be allowed to live in the foiest.

The proprietor of the Columbia Rink has secured the services of Miss Mabel Syl /ester, America's champion trick and fancy skater, who is on a tour of the world, and announces that bhia clever performer on the rollers will give a p.ublic exhibition ab the Columbia to-morrow evening. Miss Sylvester holds the championship of America for trick and fancy skating, and issues a standing challenge of £1,000 against allcomers.

Miss Yon Finkelstein, who since she was in Auckland has revisited the Holy Land, is now on her way back to Australia, and will commence her second lecturing tour in Brisbane. The places she visited included Jerusalem and'its environs, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea and Jericho, and in her travels the lady made many additions to her collection of Oriental costumes and ornaments with the view of more fully illustrating her lectures on Eastern and Biblical life. Miss Yon Finkelstein will arrive in Sydney in about live weeks. .

"All About the Money " is the title of a carefully-prepared pamphlet giving financial statement and notes of explanation concerning the Salvation Army of Australasia during 1888. The number of corps and camps is 283 and outposts 358. There are. eight rescued sisters' home., and five prison-gate brigade homes, one training depot and one training home. The total number of officers is 789. The number of cadets who entered thetraininghomeinMelbourne last year was 108. It ia mentioned that the Victorian Governments.illcontinue. its grant of £1.000 towards the prison-o-ate and rescue work. The value of Army freehold properties in the colony is stated to be over £96,000. For the general spiritual account bhe amount received during the year was £3,600 ; bhe transactions of the property fund amounted to nearly £26,0Q0 ; the contributions to the rescue work reached nearly £5,000 ; and there was a profit in the trade and printing department of over £3,000.

Yesterday the children attending St. Thomas's Anglican Sunday-school, after assisting era masse at the reception of Lord Onslow, proceeded in charge of bhe Pvcv. W. M. Dv Rieu to Shoal Bay, Northcote, in'the p.s. Tongariro, where their ' annual picnic was held. The afternoon was spent in games and pastimes of all sorbs, and after a very pleasant day's outing the party left for homo shortly before sunset.

Gas and coke consumers are reminded thab Thursday nexb is the last day upon which full disgounb can be allowed on. their Recounts,