MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1895.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 47, 25 February 1895, Page 2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1895.

THE resbless energy with whiob fche Old Country and her colonies are striving to find outlets for their surplus products, reminds one Bomewhat of those great movements of bhe barbarian hordes in ancient European history. Through, the dim mists of antiquity one discerns those Oauls ( Teutons and Goths making their way across bhe continent, " seeking new abodes," as Caesar says. And to-day in much the Bame way we see Great Britain and her sons in Australia, New Zealand, Africa and America, impelled by the same law of selfamelioration—or, perhaps, more correctly, Betf-pteservatiqn—seeking new 'markets. A similar movement} is certainjy 'going on among other-nationsr-but $,a yeb ib- represents only a small stream beside the great Anglo-Saxon tide which flows into the uttermost parts of bhe earth. ,

Bub these are daya of swifb and mighty changes, and the position of world's providers which our fathers enjoyed, and which we looked to inherit, is not to be monopolised so easily as of old. Every day new competitors are heard of in eaoh branch of commerce and industry, and there are fresh evidences that the old competitors are redoubling their efforts. The world-wide commercial afcruegio is becoming acuter day by day, and in the signs of the times we can read no prospect of its abating in intensity. As showing the condition of affairs in England, it is only necessary to refer to recent cablegrams. In the House of Lords last week Lord Salisbury declared that the enormous growth of protection in France, Germany and America, had everywhere choked British commerce, and he urged the opening up of new territory for British products. He pointed out that owing to the energies of other .Powers, Great Britain was in danger of losing markets. The action of the three Powers mentioned in closing their doors against the Old Country, ab the same time that they strain every nerve to compete with her abroad, has been adopted by them in pure self-defence. Whether their policy of protection will ultimately prove bhe wisest, time alone will show, but they have been led to pursue it in the hope that it will help them in the struggle which they feel aB keenly as their freetrade rival.

Ib fe only within the laat few, woeks or so that we in the colonies hare seen the first of a similar attitude on their part towards ourselves, and ws greatly fear that ib is not the last. We hoped to supply the population of the Continent with cheap mutton and beef, but the chance of such a reasonable anticipation being realised, has become ' greatly diminished palely. The other day a cablegram; informed us that the German Government haS officially prohibited the importation of. Australian meat into the Fatherland, and a little later we learned tha,b the French Government had cancelled an order for foreign tenders for the supplying of the army and navy with tinned meats, the objecb being to confine the trade to French firniß. The plea that Germany, who had previously closad her ports to American meat, shut out the Australian because she was nob satisfied about its sound nets, may*. have eomething in. Ib, bu,b the general opinjon is that the order is duo to protectionist motivee. France raised the fame objection to foreign frozen and chilled meat, bub it was felt to be a mere excuse, and now her action with regard to the capped goods shows pretty clearly that she is also simply bent upon protection pf her qwn prodqcers. It seems that in spite of all pur efforts we colonials &vo to be driven back into the narrow field of the British market where we not only add to the troubles of the British farmer, bub are; forced to fight among ourselves and with , foreign produqe.rs for supremacy.

~ Ar> example of this jnternecine war i 8 seen in the' butter trade. In the butte r exporb trade the colonies came, and saw, and, if they did not exactly conquer, they at least made it clear to the Danish dairyman thab a dangerous rival was in the field. In the market we meb the Canadians, who alap had hopes of establishing a position as butter exporters. Competition raged and prices fellwith a great fall to their present level. Still the competition continued, and the Danes vowed bhey would crush us. Poor Canada began to feel the effects of the low rates, bub her Government came to her aid and arranged to advance her dairymen lOd per lb—an enormous concession. Yet in spite of all this bolstering we learn that the Dominion sis nob able to compete with Australia and New Zealand, and so will in all probability drop oub and leave the field clearer. Canada's exit will be bub: an incident in ,the struggle; The survivors will continue, the fierce contest without a glance, of„ pity for ber-^-thei

are fighting for their own lives,as ib were, [b is wibh 1 more than the academici interest thab we in New Zealand watch the conflict for we are battling in it.'•

The half-holiday on Saturday was well observed in Queeh-streeb and throughout the different suburbs. Mr Ferguson had a walk round, and found thab a few small places who claimed exemption under the exemption clauses, were open. These shops, who were run by a man and his wife, had nob been open on the two.previous Saturdays, bub determined to open in consequence of reading the ■ decision given by Mr Martin, S.M., at Wellington. :

Among Captain Allman's recommendations, based on the lesson.of the Woirarapa disaster are thab lifeboats and liferafts should be attached by painters bo the ship, so that, if washed overboard, they may nob breakaway entirely, bub float alongside; also, tbab a system be devised of sounding an alarm whoa'the lives of those on board are in danger, and thab orders to launch the boats, 6tc, be given by signal, instead of by voice.

At about 10.30 p.m. on Saturday night, a fire broke oub in a grocery store, owned by. Miss Tiplady, situated on ,bhe Mounb Eden Eoad, near bhq bop of Valley Road, and resulted in the total destruction of the building. The origin of the fire is unknown, Mr Tiplady having lefb the shop a shorb bime previous to the oubbreak, all being apparenbly safe. The Mounb Eden Volunteer Fire Brigade demonstrated their usefulness in confining the tire to the building ib originated in, thereby_saving the two adjoining houses, one owned by Miss Tiplady and the other by Mr Fordyce, there being little or no damage done bo these two buildings. After the tire, Mr Charles Phillips very generously treated the Brigade to refreshments ab his residence in Valley Road. The building was insured for £80 io the Phoanix, and the stock for £200 in the New Zealand.

The Auckland Medical Association are urging the Government to appoint an inspector for Auckland under the Dairy Indußbry Acb. Dr." Walker telegraphed to Mr.J. G.Anderson, chief clerk of the Executive Council under the Act, as follows ; — •• Kindly inform me why the Dairies Act is not being enforced «n Auckland districb as typhoid is increasing rapidly. Please reply early, as a special meeting has been called to consider it." The following reply was received :— " Kindly submib in writing subjecb matter of your telegram to me re enforcement Dairy Industry Acb in Auckland to the Hon; the Minister uf Agriculture, who adniinigtera bhe Acb in question. —J. G. Anderson, Wellington."

An improvement has, been effected ab Potter's Paddock which will prove a great convenience to the public, and be the means of preventing accident when laree crowds are. being conveyed to football matches and other gatherings which take place on the ground. The house adjoining the stables has. been removed some distance along the Epaom Road, and the epob where ib sbood and surrounding ground has been converted intoja terminus where passengers on tho trams are landed. Rails have been laid down, and the whole fenqed in. Instead of the trams landing passengers on the Epsom road as formerly, bhey are now put down in this enclosure close to the grand stand. Thia desirable alterabion was carried oub under Mr J. S. Kidd, manager of the tramways, and reflects credit upon him.

An accidenb happened bo Dr. Dalziel's djujgbter on Wednesday lasb. She waß' ruling down the hill from her father's residence aba rabber rapid rate when bhe horse fell, breaking bhe girl's leg just above bhe ankle. Dr. Dalziel was absenb from home at the time, bub on his return attended to the injury.

Inspector Hicksoa received a communicafcion to-day from the Commissioner of police at) VVelliijgtou notifying the following transfers in the police'force to take place forthwith: — Sergeant Kelly,'Devonport to Wellington ; Constable Howies to have charge sit Devonport, and a junior constable from Auckland to Devonport vice Constable Rowles ; Sergeant Black, Dargaville to' Auckland ; Constable Brown, Ponsonby to Dargaville ; Sergeant Bernard, Newton to Wellington ; Constable Russell to take charge of Newton, a junior constable from Auckland to Newton vice Constable Russell ; Constable Kelly, Auckland to Wellington.

Mr Ferguson, of the labour Bureau, has instructions to employ three carpenters to do certain work at the magazine-keeper'-house, Mt. Eden, and at the caretaker's house, S.M. Court, Mr Ferguson invites carpenters already on the bureau list to make application before 12 noon to-morrow, and also a plasterer.

A fire broke out in Lower Symonds-strees abpub a quarter past seven o'clock last evenb ing in Mrs Craig's " Bellgrave " boardinghouse. The fire was caused through the wind blowing a curtain on to the flame of a candle in a room occupied by Miss Walker. The fire was extinguished after clothing and underclothing had been destroyed to the value of £7 10g. No damage was done to the house or furniture.... The property destroyed was uninsured. The Fire Brigade and Salvage Corps were in attendance ab the fire.

MrG. Mueller, Commissioner of Crown Lands, and Mr J. R. Vaile, of the Government Survey Department, lefton Thursday on a tour of inspection of the Manukau oyster beds, which ib is proposed to lay off in five-acre sections. They drove via Weymouth, Drury and Waiuku, as the Tam-o'-Shanter, which had been chartered, was stranded on a sandbank. After inspecting the beds in question, they returned por s.s. Weka. Mr Vaile shortly proceeds to lay off the bods.

On Saturday afternoon a race took place in the harbour between the yachts Bonita and Mohican, with the reault that the Mohioan oame in first), notwithstanding having carried awny one of the jaws of the gaff. This book place before rounding the bl^ck buoy off Rangitoto Reef, and crippled the main- sail for the beat back. Mr J. H. Klabar gob bhe boats away to a good start at 2.55 p.m. on a course from the Railway Wharf, around the Viking's moorings, thence around the black buoy off the Reof, back around the Viking's moorings and the s.s. Arawata, and past the mark boat off the Railway Wharf. The time was 2hr lOmin.

Special harvest festival services were held in several of the city and suburban churches yesterday. The Epiphany Church (Anglican),. Newton, was very handsomely decorated for the occasion with fruit, grain, and foliage.' Appropriate harvest sermons were preached by the incumbent, the Rev. Mr. Lush.. , There was a-full choir, the anthem in the morning being, ''0 Lord How Manifold," and in the evening "Ye Shall/Dwell in the Land." The services of the day at the Newton,,CongregatiQnal Church were in the form of a harvest festival, and also In connection yjith the Christian Endeavour Society. The church was artistically decorated with fruib and foliage, and at the^ back of the rostrum the church was adorned with banners and bannerettes. The Rev. F. Warner preached suitable sermons and the choir sang appropriate hymns. Harvest festival services were also held at All Saints' (Ponsonby) and St. John the Baptist's Church (Northcpte) during the day.

The garden party ab the Towers, Remnera, was a great success on Saturday afternoon, Mr and Mrs Clark, having kindly granted the ladies of the j congregation of Sb. Mark's Church permission to use the grounds in order to raise money toaugment the parsqnago repairs fund. An outdoor concert! was given by ;Mias Hardtng'a orchestra, Vpd afternoon.. tea >vas provided for' the vieitorsi '' * *'-

Sergeants Kelly and Bernard, of Auckland, are to be moved to Wellington, and Sergeant GUberd, of to Dunedin. These transfers are in consequence of' a decision to pay house allowance to police sergeants, ib having been decided bo move them from smaller stations to centres where their services are more in request.

A meeting of gentlemen interested in the treatment of the sick and insane was held on Friday evening at the V.M.C, A. Rooms, for the purpose of hearing the opinion of Baron ;de Berg, a - special ist in brain surgery, who has had; charge of a large hospital in Sb. Petersburg, on ••Hospital and Asylum Administration." There were' present: Drs. Campbell, Girdler, -Purchas, Dawson, Scobb and Moir, and Mr F. G. Ewington, one of the official visitors to the Avondale Asylum. The medical- superintendent, Baron de Berg said, both of hospitals and: asylums, should have sole and supreme command, and his word should be received and obeyed as though he were a military commandant. An asylum as large as 6he Avondale would, in Russia, hav6 bhree or four doctors for every 80 patients ; instead of one as they have here. The object of asylums in Russia was nob merely to take care of the patients bub to study wibh ' a view ■to affecting cures. When a man was first taken to the asylum he was placed by himself, and kepb under observation, and then having been classified was transferred to some particular department moat suitable for the patient. The points he had noticed in connection with the local institution were, want of proper classification, wan b of a system, and the wan b of proper medical treatmenb to suib each particular case; He considered ib was a bad system to have the medical man so occupied with other duties that he could nob give bis personal attention to the pationts. Mr Ewington explained that here a medical superintendent bad to do every: thing. The Baron Baid thab the medical men should be free to give their entire attention to the medical treatmenb of the patients, otherwise it was impossible for the latter to geb the treatment bhey required. Tkree more cases of phylloxera have been discovered in the Bendigo (Victoria) districb. " * There is quite an activity in the building brade ab present through the erection of email cottages. These cottages are nob being pub up in any one Darb of the city, bub in the different outskirts. Probably the reduced rates of interest are inducing people to invest some of their capital with a view of getting a higher rate of inberesb, St. Mary's Sunday-school, Parnell, held bheir annual picnic ab Birkenbead,. on Saturday afternoon. The Rev. G. MacMnrray was ainone those who took an active part in promoting the success of the outing. ' The rev. gentleman also had the services of the teachers and a number of parents. Various Jimusements 'were indulged in, and altogether a thoroughly enjoyable time was spent. Mr'Alf. Diamond's series of popular entertainments was continued in the City Hall on Saturday night, there being a large attendance. An excellent variety programme was gone through; several new songs and specialties being given inpsc successfully. Miss. D,i Levy sang ihe latest success " Sweeb Marie. and other songs, while Alf, Diamond sang "The Difference between-East and West." George Raynor, American hoop conborbioniab, igave a clever- exhibition of his skill. Mr Chas. Moore acted as stage director. . " By advertisement elsewhere, members of Courb Nil Deßperandum are summoned bo attend ab the Courtroom to-morrow evening at eight o'clock sharp. As business of importance bp every member is to be transacted, ib is imperative every member should attend. ; I; i ' To-day, Messrs Smith and' Caughey opened" theirs new drapery and millinery premises in the building formerly occupied by Messrs W. McArbhur and Co. in Quoenstreet, both those premises and their old shop next bhe United Service Hotel being thronged with visitors and customers all day. The firm's business space now extends from the hotel right through -the whole of Me Arthur's basement) premises, and the very large show windows in the new shop give a handsome appearance to the place, besides affording a splendid area for bhe exhibition of goods.