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Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 212, 6 September 1892, Page 4

The position of Prime Minister 13 no doubt one of great honour, but it is a position involving great responsibility, much anxiety, and almost ceaseless work. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Hon. Mr Ballance is at present suffering from overwork, and, in a Parliamentary sense, this is associated with late hours, little sleep, and absence of that necessary amount of mental recuperation so needful to enable even the most robust to stand the constant strain. It is not only while Parliament is in session that Ministers are hard worked, departmental duties requiring their attention the whole year round. During the session Ministers are expected to be on view from ten in the morning until whatever hour the House may sit, any time from midnight to 4 a.m. The atmosphere of Parliament Buildings is not so healthy as could be desired at any time, and late in the night tha air is positively injurious. Private members may run away from it occasionally, but the Premier, more than anyone, is tied to his post. Mr Ballance has proved himself a good parliamentary general, he has great command over his party, and his presence in the House is considered to be of the greatest importance, especially in the very explosive state of a certain section of the members. He has now succeeded in getting the House fairly settled down to business, and there is a prospect of a great deal ot useful legislation being passed during the remainder of the ee?eion. Mr Ballance has well-earned a holiday, and ib is to bo hoped he will, acting upon the advice of his doctor, take that amount of rest which is needful to restore him to haalth. The Hon. Mr Seddon is an able chief officer, and he will in the meantime, no doubt, lead the House. It is probably too much to hope that those obstructive spirits who have already succeeded in extending the session to an unusual length will have some consideration for the Premier's health, and the probability is that for the remainder of the session late sittings will have to be resorted to in order to prevent excessive talk from crowding busineis out altogether.

The Star monthly summary for despatch by the homeward mail, via San Francisco, will be published with our Thursday's issue. It will contain a large and interesting budget of news, including, our Home letter, Parliamentary intelligence, and a resume of colonial events for the past month.

In our yesterday's issue mention was made of tho fact that the ship Oamaru, of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's fleet of Anglo-Mew Zealand traders, was overdue at London from Picton, and that 25 KuineiiH premium had been paid to reinsure her. The fears for her safety are now shown to be groundless. A cable message from London to-day states that the Oamaru arrived safely at London on Sunday last from Picton, laden with frozen meat, wool, andthe New Zealand produce, after a rather long passage of something

over 120 days.

A valuable addition has been made to our Clydesdale stock, Mr John Phillips, of Paeroa farm, having purchased the celebratod stallion Salisbury's Pride. The horse was brought from Dunedin in the B.s. Tarawera yesterday and -was on view at Hunter and Nolan's yard, where a number of experts looked over him and admired his msny splendid points. Salisbury's Pride was bred by Mr Robert Gawn, of Deer Park, Otago, and was foaled in 1887. If is sire is the famous Lord Salisbury, imported from Scotland at a cost of 1,500g5., and his dam Pride's Darling, imported from Victoria. Mr Phillips selected Salisbury's Pride after inspecting the leading Clydesdale studs in the colony, and paid a big price for the horse. The owner of Paeroa farm is to bo congratulated on his enterprise.

The question of forming that portion of the Great North P^oad on the Newton borough side has long been talked about, and stops are again about to be taken in the matter, ao that it i 3 to be hoped something will be arrived at among those concerned. Cr. Shackelford brought the question up at last night's meeting of the Newton Borough Council, and suggested that that body and the Arch Hill Board should meet and talk the matter over. The Mayor (Mr S. C. Brown) said it was" simply a question of funds. If the Arch Hill people could find their share of the money for the work, no doubt the Newton Borough would be able to raise their share. It was decided that the Town Clerk should communicate with the secretary of the Arch Hill Road Board, and arrange a conference to take place in a fortnight's time. The Newton Borough Council are to be commended for taking the matter up.

The usual meeting of the Auckland University College Council was held yesterday afternoon. Present: Colonel Haultain (in the chair), Bishop Cowie, Rev. W. Morley, Dr. Mackellar, MrS. Luke (Chairman of the Board of Education), and Mr Jas. Dilworth. The Chairman reported that the legal adviser of the Council had stated that they had no power to grant the passage money of Mr D. H. Jackson, M.A., to England It was agreed to request the following gentlemen to act as examiners at the next examination :—French: Mr De Montalk. History and Political Economy: MrJ. H. Turner, M.A. Mental Science: Dr. Giles. The appointment of an examiner in jurisprudence and constitutional history was referred to a Committee consisting of Bishop Cowie, Colonel Haultain and Dr. Mackellar. A letter was read from the Professorial Board in reference to the question of academic costumes and asking the College to meet the Board in conference to discuss tho question. It was resolved to confer with the Professorial Board at the next ordinary meeting of the College as requested. Accouncs to the amount of £331 Is 5d were passed for payment.

About 1,000 head of cattle have left northern ports daring the past week, most of them being shipped from Hokjanga for Taranaki. Owing to the roughness of the route and the bar harbour of Hokianga, over 60 head were lost out of one cargo of about 250 in transit the other day ; yet, notwithstanding this heavy loss, it is considered in the end, the cheapest mode of exportation. One thing is certain, the county roads are not so much injured.

Mr McKinnon, county clerk, who is now busily engaged in making- up the Whangarei county rate books for the current year, reports that no less thac 4,132 acres of Crown lands have been taken up wifchin the county during the last five months.

A certificate of merit has been awarded by the Royal Humane Society to Constable Mackay, of the Water Police, for saving a woman named Eliza Rice from being drowned in this harbour on the 19th of October, 1891. The certificate has been forwarded to His Worship the Mayor, who will present it at one of the meetings of tho City Council,

One of the Mormon teachers engaged ia mission work among the Maoris in lower VYaikato, died at the Maori settlement opposite Huutly on Wednesday last, and as he had not been attended by a medical man it was deemed necessary to hold an inquest, which took place at the Huntly Hotel before Mr J, H. Graham, actingcoroner, and a jury of six, Mr'F. Still being foreman. Mr Stanford, a fellow Mormon who attended the deceased (Mr Otto Chipman), statod that the deceased got a webting when crossing the river about • fortnight ago, which brought on a sever* cold. As he grew worse, at times being delirious, Mr Stanford came over on Tuesday to procure the services of a medicfil man, but found that Dr. Keir, who hwl made his usual visit on that day, had letl for Hamilton. Dr. Keir, who had examined the body, gave evidence to the effect th*S death resulted from inflammation of tha lungs, and a verdict in accordance with this testimony was returned. Mr Chipman, who was only 22 years of age, was • married man, his wife being in America* where his body will be sent by the out* going 'Frisco mail boat.—{Huntly corres* pondenb.)

11 We are pleased to notice," says tha "Northern Luminary," "that there are over 4,000 acres applied for in the Rama* rama Valley alone, and that Mr Bedlington, Governraento Surveyor, is now engaged carrying on the survey lines to connect tha Upper Ramarama Valley With the settlement of Jordan. But the great want of the settlers out there is a road to connect with Kawakawa. A public meeting of the settlers has recently been held for the purpose of urging our member to get a vote placed on the Estimates to open the thousands of acres of first-class lands lying between Hukerenui North and South, and we have no doubt a successful issue will be the result."

Captain Peter Hughes, whose accidental death at Perth (W.A.) on board his vessel, the barque Laira, we chronicled in our last issuo, was well known in shipping circles in this port, having traded to Auckland for many years in the barques Bella Mary and Loongana as chief officer. He left the latter vessel to go as master of the locallyowned brigantine Darcy Pratt, of Auckland, hie first command. He was also ia Messrs Stone Bros.' barques Cabarfeidh and Laira. When the Laira passed into the Hands of a Dunedin firm he retained her command, and sailed in her till the day of his death. Captain John Fisher, now deputy harbour-master and wharfinger of the port of Auckland, was master of the. barques Bella Mary and Loongana for a long time with Hughes as his mate. A telegram from Dunedin to-day states that Captain Gordon McEinnon, of Port Chalmers, has been appointed to the command of the Laira, vice the late Captain! Hughes, and leaves for Fremantle (W.A.) on Thursday.

A woman named Annie Robertson pleaded guilty at the Police Court this morning to being an habitual drunkard. She stated that she had only been let out of gaol yesterday. Dr. Giles, R.M., sent her back again for one month's hard labour.

The Auckland Sailors' Home continues very popular amongst the seafaring portion of the community frequenting this port. The master of the Home, Mr R, Little, has been very busy of late in shipping aeameo by virtue of his Government license as shipping maßter, and as a consequence sailors are very seldom long without a vessel, being sometimes only a day or two in the Home after being paid off before shipping into another craft. One A.B. left) the Home the other day after being only a day in it, having got another ship. Mr Little says that more men have shipped from the Home during the last few weeks than for over a year past. Last month 25 men left the Home to join new ships. There are at present lodging in the institu* tion in Quay-street about 15 men, including two or three masters and mates.

There was a good attendance at the usual meeting of the Auckland Liberal Association at the rooms, High-street, lasb evening. Mr A, Kelly presided. The notice of motion, " That this Association regrets that under the proposed Land Bill in the system of leasing for 999 years, no provision is made for re-valuation at stated periods, and that consequently the unearned increment will be almost wholly lost to the nation," was brought up and discussed for nearly two hours. It was then put to the meeting and carried. This was all the business of the evening.

The Auckland Ministers' Association held their half-yearly meeting in the Tabernacle Schoolroom yesterday. The President, Key. J. D. Gilmore, was in the chair. A deputation from the Salvation Army,representing the Rescue Home and the Prison Brigade Home, waited on the meeting with a view to interesting the ministers of tha Association in the work of the two institutions. Ensign Gunnion pleaded the cause of the Rescue Home, and Captain Foster that of the Prison Gate Brigade, and they urged their claims upon all Christian denominations. The clergymen present while heartily sympathising with ths work ot tha Salvation Army Rescue Homes, gave no definite promise of support on the part of their churches. Mr Marshall, who has been appointed to a Presbyterian charge near Wanganui, bade farewell to his brother ministers prior to his departure. He leaves the city with the best wishes of all. The following were the officers elected for the next term:—President, Rev. J. Berry ; secretary, Rev. T. F. Robertson; treasurer, Rev. G. B. Monro. A voto of thanks waa accorded to the outgoing officers. Notice" was given that at the next meeting the president-elect would bring forward a motion for the establishment of an antigambling league. The secretary will also mov9 that the meetings of the Association be held in the various churches of the city in succession.

North Shore in without doubt one, if nob the most charming of all our suburbs, and it is pleasant therefore to find that pictures of that fresh and breezy locality form a prominent feature of the special mail number of the New Zealand " Graphic," prepared for the 'Frisco steamer . nexfc Saturday. These special mail numbers have now become a regular institution, and the issue w now enormously large; nevertheless, each mail week both agents and office are quickly cleared out. The proprietors certainly spare no expense to make the paper worthy of sending Home. This week's issue is in many respects the finest we have seen. There are views of New Zealand bush, illustrating an admirably-written article on carving out a home in New Zealand, an article calculated to open the eyes of thosa at Home to the real state of farming in New Zealand, which though profitable is not all pleasure just at first. The pictures of Auckland and Parnell are also beyond re* proach.

To the Editor: Sir,—l quite agree with " Critic " in Saturday's issue re the coming Birkenhead municipal elections. I think with him that it is just about time we had a change, and an infusion of new blood into our Borough Council. I don't think that it is generally known that all of our present! Council (with the exception of one or two) have held office for ten years, ever since the Borough has been formed. Now, in the face of that fact, I think a change is moab desirable. With regard totheexpenditureof Hie ratepayers' money, I think it is like the Council itself—"a one-sided affair ;" all tho money is spent on the main roads, not on tho roads themselves where it ii mosti needed, but on the side walks in the form of sheila, where the Sugar Company's ashes would-do just as weir and much cheaper; and as for the outlying districts, why, they are neglected altogether. The brick culverb ab Hellyer's Creek is, and will be, a standing disgrace,—l am, etc,, Crmcw

\T7lißhipmenb of Eaßb Coaßt) mai/'e Home to London recently by the ship "Vinba was a success, notwithstanding C f!rfc that the passage to London of that H«" , 8 a long one. Further shipments "to L°ndon mark6b fr°m Auckland are dieted next seuson. if a special meeting of the Greymoubh /hour Board yesterday, a resolution was ed unanimously that the Government urged to have necessary legislation * jj n order to take control and managef, o f t |, B Greymoutli railway out of the *en. o f the Railway Commissioners, and '"teii >n the Harbour Board ' as tne prert\ managoment of the Commissioners is • rious to the trade of the port. Several '"stances were cited justifiying the mo.lulion. :. On Thursday evening next the third nestral concert of the soaßon, under the "'; jj 6 , of the Auckland Choral Society, 'to take place in the Choral Hall. An 11 ep tionally excellent programme of intmmental and vocal music has been ! ranged. Songß are to be given by Mr C otubbs and Misa Bleazard, the latter U' singing "Love is a Dream," d orchestral accompaniment, durw the evening. Miss Yates, and J gsr9 Kent and Beale, are to ike part in an instrumental trio, and Mr f A Paque will play a 'cello solo during L overture to the second part. . A 'cello Lrtette will be given by Messrs Paque nd Beale, Miss Chew and Mr Coney, and d addition a number of excellent classical |D d other selections will be played by the drcbeabra.

| Qpr readers are reminded of the action long entertainment in the City Hall toufchfc. The young people had an excellent I foal rehearsal last evening, and there is no I j ou st they will sustain their reputation for I the performance of these pretty popular Action longs. Several novel movements I lava been introduced, and the performance ibould bo very successful.

The anniversary services in connection rith the Sunday-school of the VVesleyan Church of Onehunga were well .attended on Sunday, when the Rev. H. Bull and Rev. 0, Hi Laws preached to the children upon the duty and pleasure of a Christian life. The church choir, combined with the jbildren, gave a grand rendering of song iod anthem, and greab credit is due to Mr I H. McAlpine, the conductor, for his perseverance and ability. A tea and social in connection with the above takes place to Wednesday.

The kcture recently delivered by Profeisor Thomas at the University College iaildings, on "Animal Life in the Auck|»od Harbour," illustrated by limelight, ras repeated last evening by the Professor la St. Luke's Church, Remu6ra. The Rev. 5, B. Alonro presided.