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Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 40, 17 February 1893, Page 2

In our yesterday's issue wo publishod a London cable message stating that tho United States Government claimed virtu, ally exclusive rights in the harbour of Pagopa2o, on the Island of Tutuila, Samoa\Ve now learn that a contract has beon let) by the United States Government for the buildino of a wliavf at Pagopago Harbour, in tho "island of Tutuila. The Coronado Machine Company of San Diego (Gal.) are the successful tenderers, and tho contract price is 84,fi00dol (£16,900). lho wharf will be T shaped, and will have a length of 2.") C feet, and tho transverse span will be iron work of the same dimensions, lho iron work of the structure will bo done in the United States, and it is expected that in abouc eight months the structure will be completed for the use of American warshins A naval coaling station has already boon established by the United States at Pagopago. A special meeting of the Auckland City Council was called "for last night, to consider amended bylaws of the public cemetery ab Waikomiti; to consider a bylaw in reference to appointing stands tor licensed vehicles, and to consider the Engineer's report on tenders for Enginoor s atoros etc. Tho meeting, however, lapsed for want of a quorum. It required ton to make a quorum, and there were presenb ab jXrvolS Mr W. iJrowther and ton other councillors. Mk o'Reil opened to an immense audienceat Wanganui ton Tuesday night. He wM arrive to Auckland to-morrow night.

Tho prosperity of this colony 13 in no way more clearly evidenced than in its progress in the settlement of the land. It musb be very satisfactory to all who havo the interests of their country at heart to learn thab there has been a greater increase of hona fide land settlement in the colony during the pasb year than ever before, it is estimated. In all parts of tho colony lands are being taken up by settlers of the right stamp from tho Government, on the easy tcrirj3 which the present administration offers to those intending to settle on the soil, and besides thia numbers of land-ownera whoso properties have been lying comparatively idle have been improving them and extending their agricultural and pastoral pursuits, In the Auckland provincial district) a great deal of good land has been acquired outright or on loaso from the Government during the pasb year, notably on tho weab or unsettled bank of the Waikato River, in the Bay of Plenty district, in various parts of the Waikabo basin, and also in the North, in the vicinity of Whangarei and the Bay of Islands. In the Hawke's Bay and (.tisborne districts too, inland settlement is progressing rapidly, and a greab deal of bush-falling and clearing off has been done since the beginning of the twelve months just closed. In the Taranaki provincial district, however, ie is, we are informed, thab the rapid progress of land settlement has been most marked of late. Many thousands of acroa of fine bush-land have been cleared and aro being " burned off" by their energetic holders, while tho open and buah lands in the vicinity of the Mokau and Awakino Rivers, on the West Coast are being rapidly taken up. The tide of settlement is becoming so marked in tho direction of the mouths of tho Mokau and Awakino thab it is said a cattlo road or ab least a packtrack is now urgently needed from Te Kuiti, in the King Country, to the Mokau and Awakino in order to give these localities connection with tho Auckland districb?. A cablegram from Sydney to-day records tho loss of anothor of the fleets of smart Island trading vessels sailing out of Sydney and Auckland. The schooner Sandtly, formerly a gunboat in tho British navy, has boen completely wrecked in the Solomon Islands, the crew boing saved, No further particulars aro to hand. Tho Sandfly was well-known in tho porb of Auckland, and had a somowhab eventful career. Sho ab ono bimo occupied the dignified post of a gunboat in tho Imperial Navy, being ono of a (loot: of clipper echoonora attached to the British navy on the Australian Station for the purpose of surveying and patrol service amongst the South Sea Islande. This was aba time when tho Queensland Kanaka labour traffic was at its hoighb, and whon British ships of war were kept busy in repressing tho atrocities attendant on the trade. Sho was builb specially for Island cruising work, having boen launched at Sydney in 1872. Sho was a topaail schooner of 7G tons register. Amongst other vessels of tho same fleet in the lmporial navy woro tho schooners Beagle (of Melbourne lovanters fame), Harrier, Lark, and others, in October 1880 a tragic occurrence bofoll tbo Sandfly while cruising in the Solomon Islands. While ab Mandoliana, Floridas, in the Solomons, one of her boat's crows was cub oil on shore, Lieut.Commander Bower and four soainon being killed by the natives. Whon the Inland schooners wore aold oub of tho service the Saudfly was purchasod by tho Kov. S. W. Bukor, now ot' Auckland, on bshalf of tho Tongan Government, and was for some time employed as a Government vossel by the Friendly Islands authorities, paying froquenb visits to Auckland. Subsequently Messrs Donald and Edenborough, of Auckland, had hor under charter in tho Island trade for a time, Throo years ngo bhe iv,':'i sohl to Captain W. T. Fitzpaferick, of Sydney, and was tak9n across to Sydney from Auckland by Captain T. Fernandez, of this porb, boing placed in tho Island trade. A few months ago her master and owner, Captain Fitzpatrick, was murdered at the Solomon Islands by tho natives.

Mr Wesloy Spragg. manager of tho Auckland Dairy Factory, has just been interviewed by a representative of a Taranaki journal, with a view of obtaining soino information from him relative to tho butter business. As our readers may know, tho results of tho butter trade in Taranaki have been anything but satisfactory, while those of Auckland have been very much the reverse The people of Taranaki with their magnificent pasturos that are green all tho year round aro aba loss to understand why Auckland that ha 3 neither a soil norclimate comparable with that of the garden of New Zealand in tho production of pasture, can achieve what she does. Mr Spragg has explained the mystery to them. Ib is all in the methods of manufacture he says. If a country is to turn out good butter ib must) of course have good milk, bub even with good milk it will not bo successful unless it adopts the most improved methods and devotes inC6ssanboare in their application. It is only by this means that tho Company which Mr Spragg represents, has succeeded in obtaining for Auckland buttor a foromosb place in tho London market. Their factory ab Pukekohe is constructed and managed on tho latosb models. All who have seen it, and many Fjnglish experts are among the number, speak of ib in the highest terms. Tho best proof of the superior quality of tlio article they turn out, is that the wholesale buyer ia said to bo giving more for it thai) for any other buttor in New Zealand. Mr Sprang considers thab Tarannki's future ia tho bubtor trade is assured if the farmers only combine to adopt tho moßt/ improved inochoda. Ia the meantime ib is highly aivi'ifying for Auckland to be able to point In such a flourishing industry ac that which has its centre ab Pukokoho. Tiio total imports of butter from Australia for tho pa«li three seasons have boon ns follows :-1889-1)0, 790,9441b ; 11390-91, 1.065,5001b ; 1891-92, 5,207,9441b. Tho amount expect.od to arrive in London from Australia during tho season 1892-93 is over 7,200,0001b. New Zealand made a much better start, her export of butter to London being 2,031,3761b in 1889-90, and •2,200,5101b in 1890-91. But in the following season Australia lefb New Zealand far behind, the latter colony then exporting 3,010,0721b. Still, tho value of all dairy product.-* exported from New Zealand ro3O from £1,033 in 1886 to £236,900 in 1891.

Singular tidal phenomena have been observed in Auckland harbour during the laat week, coming under tho cognisance of Captain Burgess, Chief Harbour-master. The movement of the tides on soveral days wore erratic, and on ono or two occasions it was noticod that the range of rise and fall was exceptionally small. On Friday evening last the riso of tho tide in the harbour whs only 4ft Gin, when in the ordinary course it should have risen 7ft or Bft. Since then tho irregularities have continued, and cannot be accounted for on astronomic wounds. Vessels lying at anchor in the harbour have swung twico on the same tido, showing thab there has been temporary obb, again followed by flow. It is supposed that seismic submarine disturbances may account for the phonomena. It is stated that, a few days a 2 o, largo nuantities of pumice, of volcanic origin, were passed near the Easb Cape by one of the coasting steamers of the Union S.b. Company.

New Zealanders run the ancient Babylonians very close in the matter of holiday making. Two more picnics are announced--the saddlers and members of the City of Auckland, No. 1, L.0.L.-both to ba hold to-morrow, the former ab Mobatupu, and the Orangemen at Takapuna. Both are favourite placea, and doubtloas they will be well patronised.

An interesting shooting match, between | members of the Newton Rifles, will -take j place ab the Mount Eden Riflo Range on , Saturday afternoon, commencing; at two o'clock. Teams hare been picked by Sergeant Rose and Volunteer Cox, and a very . close competition is expected. The following ara the teams ;—Sergeant Hose : Lieutenanb Watson, Sergeant Boon, Ser- i goanb Potter, Bugler Robertson, Volun- ; toers Payne, Emrnerson, Read, Parkinson, i and Carnahan. Volunteer Cox : Captain : Robertson, Corporal Hardy, Bugler . Wright, Volunteers Purcell, J. Robertson, i Young, H. Robertson, St. (Jlaiiy and : Dickinson. Ammunition will be served : out to the shootisbs ab the Urill-shed to- ; nighb at 8 o'clock. Tho Maori chief, Wiromu Kingi te Mata- \ katea, whoso doath near Opunake, in the ■ taranaki district, we announced very [ recently, was one of tho chief actors in a notable, historical episode which occurred ] in Taranaki over thirty years ago. Wirernu ' Kingi waa o man of high rank who was ' much respected by Europeans as well as natives. On the Ist of Septomber, 1862, ! the fine royal mail steamer Lord Worsley, 600 tons, bound from Nehon to Auckland ' via New Plymouth, with mails, passengers ( and cargo, was totally wrecked on the rocks at Te Namu Bay, near Cape Egtnont, ] 45 miles south of New Plymouth. Amongst •• the passengers were Captain Vine Hall 1 and Mr Robert Graham, and her I freighting included a large amounb of • gold for the Bank of New Zealand. In those days the Maori troubles were ab i their hoighb, and the passenger? and crew when they landed, were virtually prisoners ( in the hands of tho Ngatiawa and Ngatirua- . nui natives. The principal native chiefs ab , To Namu were, Wi Kingi to Matakatea and ', Arama Karaka (Adam Clark). Wi Kingi at f once took tho part of the shipwreckod : pooplo. Be came down to tho people on ( the beach from Te Namu, bold then? nob bo ( bo frightened, and told them to make use of the wharca in his kainga, assuring them . that they were amongst friends, lie told ( them, however, that there were between . To Namu and New Plymouth numbers of , King Motnbaera's (Potatau's) subjects, and ', that it would bo r-eeossary to get tliem per- j mission before they could pasH through the ( hostile's territory After a great deal of , trouble and much danger, the whale of tho , party managed to reach Now Plymouth Bafoly, five days aftor they were wrecked. ' Ib was afterwards said that tho passengers atid crow wero indebted in ameaauro to Wi i Kingi and Arama Kuraka for thoir lives. Our Thames correspondent wires that a lad named Bertie Dunlop, son of Mr Dunlop, manager of the Alburnia mine, was thrown from his horse yesterday, and sustained several nasty cuts and bruises. Ho wns for a time unconscious, but is now considered out of danger. The Auckknrl anniversary regatta of 1893 was not a fin. ncial success, whatever it may have been from an acquatic point of view. Tho Regabba Committee have a big deficib to face as the result of their season's work, and lust night they adopted tho course of " cutting down " the prize monoy allotted for tho various sailing and rowing races held last month. At a meeting of the Committee- held in tho Waitemata Hotel, ib was decided to reduce tho prize money by 30 per cent., all prizes being reduced pro ralu. Tho Committee wero forced to adopt this stop owing to bhero being insufficient funds in hand to pay all the priz.es in full, bub ib is a question whether they could not have made the Rogatta a financial success by starting operations earlier in tho season than they did, and by infusing a little moro energy into their work. The prizo-monoy originally allotted to the various race* totalled somo £280. Besides this the Committee had about £120 expauses of various kinds to I meet, bringing tho total debit up to about : £400. Their receipts in all only amounted ito £300, so -that tho Cominitfcae are tho j sum of £100 to tho bad. The cutting- I down of prii!33 has a mosb discouraging effect on boating-men and owners of yachts and failing boat?, and ib is bo bo hoped that this year's? experience will not seriously prejudice tho prospects of tho next Anui- j veraary Regatta. ]

" Lloyd's Weekly," of January 3rd, cjives in its lists of lony-losb relatives tlio follow-ing:-—Edwin Goldsmith, of Southland, New Zealand, inquires through a friend in Brent-ford for his mother Mrs Thomas Goldsmith and brother Thomas. He last heard from his mother when a widow, living at Lindridtre farm, Staplohurst, Kent, and his brother's last uddreaa, 15 years sinco, was Cross and Hand, Sfcaplehurst. Robert Gunn, shipmaster, was drowned in or near Christchnrch, New Zealand, about 18S4. Particulars of his family are asked for. James Jones, painter, was last hoard of 25 years aj;o when with Mr Tuhoys, Auckland, New Zealand. Brother Edward seeks him. Ann Lane inquires for her brother Samuel Jones and sister Matha Simpson. LSamusl left England 44 years apo, and was last known to be living in William-street, Melbourne, Australia. Martha went to Now Zealand about 35 years since, and lasb wrote homo from Cox-street, Auckland.

The Indian game of polo is becoming: the fashionable amusement in Sydney and Melbourne. It is somewhat more risky than gteeplechasing. So far, in Sydney, the main casunltiea have been an aide-de-camp lamed probably for life, a lawyer severely hurt in tho oyo, and a newspaper owner's forehead laid open. In Melbourne, one man pot his noso knocked absolutely flat with his face, and a spectator got his leg broken through merely looking on at a match. A team of Indian ollieers proposes to come out und fchow " tho colonials " all about this wild amusement. In Ipdia, they kill two or three men a year at it. In N.S.W., tho Monaro men have formed a dub at Oooma, and onca they got fairly £oin<2;, tho "men from Snowy River " will inako the Indians rido for their lives. There aro no bottor ponies in the world than the mountain-bred ponies of Monaro, a iid no better riders than tho Monaro men.

Tho following wae tho tendering for tho Putaruru-Rotorua railway contract: —M. Fallon, Auckland (accepted), £3,286 7s; C'oatss and Motcalfe, Auckland, £3,649 ; J. McLean and Son, Auckland, £3,783 4s ; J. Murphy, Hamilton, £3,936 18a Id. Tho contract timo fixed for completion expires on the 13th June next.

Tho children of the Parnell Orphan Homo to tbo number of 67, in charge of tho matron, have returned from the island of Motutapu whero they had bean camping out for five weeks past. During their long visit they were tho recipients of tho well known kindness and generosity of the Messrs Reid Bros. Wo are desired to express the thanks of the Board of 'Management of tho Parnell Orphan Home to Messrs Reid for granting permission to tho children to camp nt Motutapu ; to the Devonport Forry Company for conveying the childron by their steamers to and from Motutapu ; to Mr Martin of Parnell for tho use of brakes without charge, and to all others who assisted anyway in promoting the goneral success and enjoyment of the camping out.

Concerning the new steamer Clyde', which Mr Holmes, of the North Shore, id building for the Fiji Government, tho Fiji " Time 3 " says :—" The engines of tho old boat, which aro in perfect ordor, will bo placed in her and sho is to have a pretty even keel so as to admit of her going up rivers. If she but do the State half tho service yielded by the sturdy little steamor she replaces, she will nob owe tho colony anything. She is to be called the Clyde in memory of hor predecessor."

The Rev. J. Hughes Jones, formerly pastor of the Ponsonby Baptinb Church, was a passenger in thos.s. Waihora from Sydney yesterday. Mr Jones baa been nearly "three years in the Wimmora district, Victoria, and is in very f«5,?.M0 health ab present.

The Auckland Sailors' Home is being largely taken advantage of by the numerous seamen visiting this port, and the master ot the institution, Mr E. Little, is kept pretty busy with the work of superintending tho Home and shipping seamen for vessels. There are ab present 28 seameu in the Homo, but their stay there is generally of short duration, as ships are usually plentiful, and if they aro not, the seafaring man generally has little hesitation in taking to j the gumfields. We aro informed that i Auckland is coming more into favour as a shipping porb for seamen and mates in tho intercolonial trade, as they can command 1 a pound a month better wages by shipping ab Auckland instead of Sydney or Newcastle. The usual rate of wago3 now ruling is ££ 10a per month for sailors on intercolonial vessels and £5 5s for "deepsea," sailing vessels bound to London or New York. The gumh'elds in the North have a greab attraction for seamen. They are their own " bosses " and can make oxcollent wages, bub they are gonerallyoff to sea again' after a year or two digging gum. There is one Mold on the Northern Wairoa known as the " Melbourne lease," v/hero there are, ib is estimated, between 700 and 800 men, all sailors, digging gum. The camps, as may be imagined, are often pretty lively onea. Berths for able seamen aro plentiful in this port and in the Kaipara, bub mates and ships' cooks generally find considerable difficulty in getting ships, and usually stay longer in the Sailors Homo thau plain A.B.s or ordinary seamen. The Trades Council of Wellington have adopted, subject to modification by the Trades Council Conference, the roporb of a special committee advising thab a permanent electoral committee be set up to settlo differences, if required, between members or sections of the labour party ; to ascertain the names of acceptable candidates, and obtain information about all j candidates for Parliament; to raise a fund for the election expenses of labour candidates, and to watch the electoral rolls. _ A platform has also been drawn up, including amongst other things the establishment of a State bank, abolition of the property qualifications in all elections, the closing of public houses on election days, elective Governors, exemption of all improvements under the land tax, and the increase of the graduated tax. 1 In an article doscriptivo of her trip to Samoa, which appeared in the January numbor of tlio " Nineteenth Century, 'Lady Jersey says :—" Withoub venturing , far on tho thorny path of Samoan politics, ib may bo said that of the two rivals Matnafa is generally considered the stronger, both individually and as regards his following. Ib i 3 asserted that, were tho control of the consuls withdrawn, he would 'sweep Maliotoa into the sea.' On the other hand, Malietoa has the better hereditary right, and, by the direction of tho tlireo Powers he does receive consular support. Should this fail him and he be ' swept into the sea,' several districts would still oppose Mataafa,' and confusion probably become worso confounded. Personally both aro honourable and well intentioncd men, doserving of respect, and, under the circumstances, of sympathy, Ib is to be regretted thab they were ever allowed to drift asunder, and to be wished i thab a reconciliation might yet be effected between them." The commander of the London Missionary Society's barque John Williams, which is now on her way back to Sydney from the Islands, after a 10 month's cruise, ha 3 written to Sydney stating thab the hoisting of tho British flag over the islands visited, viz., those in the Tokelau, Ellice, and Gilbsrb Groups, seems to have given creat satisfaction, and the visit of Captain Davis, of H.M.B. Royalist, and of Captain Gibson, of H.M.s. Curaeoa were everywhere kindly spoken of. Tho people of these j islands want sadly to be free from the Mexi- | can and Chilian coinage, and complain that when vossels call they aro unable to buy as they desire, since the only cash they can at psasenb obtain for their produce is nob accepted in general trade. A buyer who would offer them a good coinage in payment for their copra would certainly command the markets.

Tlio Tide Surveyors' Department of Her Majesty's Customs at Sydney lately niado a haul of 25,000 cigars, besides 20,000 gathered on board tho steamer Taiyuan. On board tho same vessel a quantity of emufrtrled opium was confiscated, the duty value of the latter being £30. The duty on the cigars would not fall short of £150. so that the two seizures represent a considerable sum in duty value alone.

The German corvette Sperber, in command of Captain Fischer, arrived at Sydney a tow days ago from a cruise to the islands. She ia to remain at Sydney for five or six wesks, and will shortly be joined in that port by the Bussard, trom Auckland. Tho Sporber visited the Marshall Archipelago, making Jaluit headquarters. All was quiet in tho Marshalls, and the Sperber went on to New Britain, Matupi being headquarters. Action was taken there with regard to tho murder of Captain Stalio (of the schooner Three Cheers), formerly in Mi-a Forsaith's employ. Afterwards tho German corvotte cruised to the Fead Islands, tho Admiraltys, and to Finechhaven, Now Guinea,

Tho little band of youths and maidens who give our University College its local habitation and its name, as well as those who contemplate augmenting their modest number, will welcome the Auckland University College Almanac for 1893. With no little interest will those who have already crossed the threshold of University life take up that familiar blue book. Between its ci'isp pages that, fresh from the publisher's press, stick close together, is contained all that thoy at present are most bent oi knowing. There, set forth with deceitful brevity, are the subjects they must traverse) before the noxt exam.-the periods of history they must struggle through, the English, Latin, or Greek authors whose acquaintance they must make, or further cultivate if "thoy have already made, Che mathematical heights they must scale, the legal depths they must sound, the chemical labyrinths they must tread, the ologies they must investigate with explicit guidance on any and all other subjects that come within the scope of a University career are all beforo them clearly set forth in black and white. The neophytes, too, who have not yet advanced further up the slopo of Parnassus than the grammar of high school will find plenty to study in this familiar publication. To a certainty they will analyse the structure of previous examination papers. Eagerly will thoy seek out what devices tho astute examiner has invented to bring the unwary to noughc; what pitfalls he has dug, or what thorns he hm planted in the already arduous road to learning ; and from the knowledge thus dorived they will look forward with confidence to meet tho inquisitor in their day of trial. The publication as usual is a model of neatness, and wo may trust tho compilers for its boing correct to an iota.

Tlio St. George's Rowing Club will hold another of their At Homo Carnivals tomorrow afternoon, when the members row for a set of trophies presented by one of their vice-presidents, Mr W. \V. Philson. The members have been divided into two classes, the seniors, making five crews, will row in tho pair oar events, while the rest of the Club have been picked into fours, for giirs, making eight crcwa. All the crews have been in hard training for the past three weeks, and close finishes are anticipated. In all there will be thirteen races, the iirst starting at 2.30 o'clock.

An advertisement elsewhere notifies that tha various saddlery establishments in the city will be closed to-morrow in order to enable employees to attend the saddlers' nic.uiCj

A large audience assembled lasb evening in the Foresters' Hall, Karangahapa Road for the purpose o£ listening to Dr. A. H* Burton's lecburo on "The Aposta'cy' and Doom of Christendom." The lecturer referred to the present condition of Christendom a3 being anything bub what ib ought to be. Be contended that Christianity had broughb light into the midst of darkness. He denounced the infidelity of the present dsy, and urged upon the audience the fact thab the coming of the Lord was at hand. Dr. Burton represents a body known a' " Christians Gathered to the Lord'a name. 8

.Some splendid peaches were on view ta« day at) Mr Hesketh's shop, Queen-street. Tho variety was imported by Mr B. T. Hawkins from America, and is named American Sea Eagle. The fruit have afina appearance, and weigh 11J ounces each.

The members of tho Montague-Turner Opera Company, are ab present in Auckland, having arrived here from the Sonthby the B.s. Waibora yesterday.

The railroad dining cars in America earn more money than the sleeping and baggagu cars together.

Exceptional valne ! Gladstone bags, from 14s 6d ; portmanteaux, 8s 9d ; and soft felt hats, from lOd each, ab Fowlds' compulsory sale.—-I Advb.)

Another grand job line of over 3,600 hats and bonnets to be sold ab 3d, 6d, 9d, Is; less than a quarter of warehouse prices. Flowers, ribbon, and sunshades ab giving away prices. All our stock re-marked for special sale. David Garriock, Karangahape Koad.—(Advb.)

Boys' tweed K.B. suits, from 3s lid; boys' trouser suitß, from 10s 6d; boys' and youths' overcoats ab less than wholesale prices, at Fowlds' great sale.—(Advb.) Smith and Caughey's greab clearance Bale of surplus summer stock, prior to extensive alterations to the premises; is now on.— (Advbl. Gents' long black satbeen dusb coats, 7s 6d worth 12s 6d ; washing vesta at 4s lid, Clearing prices ab Fowlda' genuine sale.— (Advb,)

The favourite of the day, Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay. Another favourite, if you please, Arthur Nathan s Reliable 1 eas.—(Advt.) 94

To Core Skin Diseases—Sulpholino Lotto* quickly drives away Eruptions, Pimples. Blotches, Kedness, Kczema, Acne. Dijflguronients, Koughness and Scurf, &c. leaving a clear, spotless Skin and beautiful Complexion, gulpnoline is a n9C3S3ity for the Skin, e3pacially in hot climates: Jlladeitt London. Sold urery* whore.— (Advtj