ANOTHER BID FOR VICTORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1900, Page 4

ANOTHER BID FOR VICTORY.

It looks very ttsusli as if the movement that is either to make good or to disprove General Buller's remarks to the men of Warren's division on Monday of last week is now in progress. Further, there is every indication that it is :t;i effort into which the full strength of. the powerful British army in Xi'.,';>l is being hurled. On the other 'hand, the enemy are strengthening themselves with drafts of men presumably drawn from quarters where such a vital strug-gle as tha.t impending in Natal cannot be expected. Their plan almost certainly includes another .effort to capture Lndysniith, an effort in. which men will not be spared, amr*whieh, if repulsed., will end in such a staggering blow to the Boer army as it has not ; yt vt experienced. General Buller is in heliog-raphic communication with the besieged town, and is fully aware of the extent of the power of resistance of White's garrison, a matter on which absolutely no official statement has been comimiiueated to the public. \.i lis well.witlvin the bounds of possibility that White has communicated with his chief to the effect that ho is doubtful of the ability of his force to repulse such an attack as he has reason .to believe is impending and ißuller's renewed advance may be with a view of anticipating the assault upon the town, creating such a diversion as will weaken and render it ineffective. The mere fact that the news of the advance is not confirmed by the War Office in no way negatives the scant information \\ Jhich has filtered through other channels. It may be accepted ■with greater presumptive' correctness ns evidencing the opinion of the authorities that it would be injudicious to supply the public witli information at the present juncture. We may accept with comparative certainty of its correctness the statement that the advance has been resumed. Whether it has been recommenced without de-1

lay because of the plight of the. gamsun holding Ladysmith will perhaps not be known for some time to come. But the information in its relation to the ultimate aim, which is apparently that the present attempt at tne reket of the town shadl be crowned with immediate success is immaterial. Such is the object that appears to be kept ill view, and we may be sure that the checks already encountered will onlyact as a stimulant to the commander and the whole of the troops will feel it in lesser degree. Uy wnat route tne advance is being puslied forward we have yet to learnone correspondent speaks oi the route by (iro bier's ixiooz Jtuus and Oncierbrach, which, practically means the main road ironi Colenao to Ladysmith. Ihis line oi country, we were some time ago informed, is exceedingly well fortmeu, and unless the disposition of forces has been ciianged uurmg the past lew days the left flank or the enemy's main body rests on this route both at Onderbrach and Urobler & Kloof liilla. Another correspondent considers that the main part of the movement will be from where General Lvttelton still retains his position— on the north bank of the Tugela at Potgeiter's drift, twenty miles to the westward of Colenso. A third speaks of an advance by way of Acton Homes, still further to the west,'and extremely improbable,, because the route would 'almost necessarily be identical with that followed by Warren. V\e still retain the opinion that a powerful diversion will be made outside the present arena; but among- such meagre and conflicting reports speculation is profitless.

Whatever the route there is no question of the ability of the British to carry the project through successfully, despite increased Boer activity, but'the victory mig-ht be earned at such a cost as would entirely dim its brilliance.

The British commander may still he disinclined to pay a terrible toll for victory, but everything1 points to the battle'which is now possibly making the hills of Xatal echo with the thunder of its cannon being- of greater magnitude and more momentous than any previous engagement of the war.

Mr Brubant, S.3VL, will commence the investigation of old age pension mutters, new claims and renewal application at the law courts, high street, to-morrow morning, at halipa.st ten o'clock. The death is announced of Eruera te Paemoe, chief of the Ngatiwhakaue, which took place at Maketu last Stmd:iy after a short illness. He was a brufher-iu-law of Phillip Tapsell. a noted Pakeha-Maori in the early d«y_s, and also well known to the late Sir George Grey. During- the thunderstorm last week two large trees—tawa and hinati— within 20 yards of the Mountain Himu Co.'s sawmill at Minna k\i ware struck by liohtnin.s-. One was split open and the other was set fire to.

The annual meeting- of the Maori Parliament (Kotahitanga) will take place this year at Ohinemutu, opening the session about the middle of March. The principal chiefs of all the tribes, both North and. South Island, will be present, and possibly the Maori King Mahutu though he will not take any part in the proceeding's. The Rotoraa district has been specially chosen for this year's Assembly, so thai the carved house which has been erected by Mr C. Nelson at Whakarewarewa may be opened with due eclat: This house, which will be undoubtedly the finest in New Zealand, has been erected at great expense and with every attention to accuracy in detail. The best artificers have been engaged in its construction, and its presence here will serve to keep alive that which is fast becoming1 a "lost art," viz., Maori carving. About 500 Maoris are expected to be present during the sitting* of the Kotahitanga, and the consequent inaugural ceremony, and the natives in the North have been busily engaged ibr the last three months in collectingsuch delicacies as dried shark, toheroa, Immeras, and so on, while from Stewart's Island have come preserved titi, or mutton bird, and other appetising foods which tickle the aboriginal palate.

The Mariners Welcome Lodge, 1.0. G.T., held their usual weekly session last evening in the Primitive Methodist Hall, Alexandra street. Bro. Brawn presided. There was a good attendance of members, including members from -other lodges. There were two new members initiated into the order. The following1 officers were elected for the new- quarter :—C.T.. Bro. G. Stephens : Y.T., Sis. Rachel Mincham : Sec, Bro. Brawn : F. Sec, Bro. Coombes ; Treasurer, Sis. Robuck : Chaplain, Bro. J. McKinley. The appointment of marshall and guard was allowed to stand over until next session. Bro. Le Roy was nominated for District Deputy, Bro. Coombos elected Lodge Deputy, and Bro. Stephens Electoral Deputy. After the election the remainder of the evening" was spent in harmony.

At the last meeting of the Kamo School Committee on January 30th. the following" resolution was agreed to: "That this Committee, having seen in repoi-ts of the Education Board meetings that application has been made to allow their inspectors to examine schools, other than those under their control, would respectfully urge the Board not to accede to the request as the Committee considers it would be interfering with our national system of education, besides increasingl its cost. —A Correspondent."

A special general meeting- of the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club was held last evening' to discuss the recommendations of the sub-com-mittee of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association re the government of cycling in New Zealand. After a long1 discussion it was decided to recommend to the Management Committee that the club be not affiliated to the League. Mr S. Thorne George (president) occupied the chair. Another Auckland industry has been started in the shape of a lager beeV brewery, and the whole is now complete. Great expense has been incurred in getting- everything xip to date, avid it is the first venture of the kind in this colony. On Thursday afternoon next a formal opening of the brewery will take place at Hancock and Co.'s. "Kyber Pass, when details will be explained to visitors. There is every reason to think that success is assured for this new industry.

The singing of "The Absent-minded Beggar" at the Gaiety performance in the City Hall on Saturday and Monday resulted lv £2 11/34 being- thrown on the stage towards the third contingent fund. The song will be repeated every night this week,

There was quite a large gathering at the Waikato Hospital on Friday evening last, when a farewell social Aras tendered to Nurse Moore, who is about .to leave the institution to oe married. After a pleasant time had been spent at cards and music, tne company adjourned to one of the lame wards/which had been nicely decorated and laid out as » supper room. During a pause Dr. Dourfaj on behalf of the staff, presented Mirse Moore with a very handsome stiver teapot. In doing so he referred tp the pleasant relations flurt had always existed between Miss Moore and the other members of the staff, and the Were* they all felt art. losing- so good a friend and such a competent nurse, and concluded by wishing her every happiness in her future TMe. The toast of Miss Moore's health was then drunk in bumpers with musical honours. The rest of the evening was thai devoted to d-a.ncing, _ and the fathering broke up..'about.nddniffbt. ° '-War1 Davys, one" of the original prospectors of. the Waihi mine, appears to hive struck it rich in Western Australia an in company with a mate named Mace he has (according to a West Australian exchange) applied for a 24-acre lease at a new find about nve miles west of the rock holes on the Siberia to Mount Higgins Rd. While out prospecting Davys napped an outcropping reef, and was almost at once rewarded by a sight of the precious metal showing- in the stone. He broke stone for about a chain and a half along the outcrop, and almost every piece broken showed rich gold. After leaving' this i-eef he tried another a. chain or two away, find succeeded in finding coarse gold in some of the pieoes°broken. He then returned to his camp at Mount Higgins, and got his mates to go out with him to examine the find, with the result that they were thoroughly satisfied of its value, and pegged out two leases on the line.

Unitarian readers will be interested in _tfte following paragraph from the Ipswich " Inquirer " of December 23rd last :—" On Sunday last farewell sermons were preached by the Key. William Jellie (previous to his-departure for Auckland, New Zealand) to good congregations, the evening service being- "especially well attended. On the following Tuesday evening a farewell tea was held, followed by a concert and public meeting, which was attended by members and friends During- the evening advantage was taken to present Mr Jellie with a silver mounted travelling writing case fitted complete, with an album tastefully designed and bound by Mr Scopes in morocco and silver, containing the names of the subscribers. Mr Xotcntt.in making the presentation on behalf of the congregation, spoke in the highest terms of the great service rendered by Mr Jellie during his three and a-half years ministry, and said the congregation could not let the work and help of Miss Jellie pass unrecognised but would ask her to accept as a : slight acknowledgment a lady's handbag fitted with purse, card case. etc.. and ventured to hope that they might from time to time see her at Ipswich, as she was not leaving the country with her brother. Messrs Brookes and Rose, in a few well chosen words, asked Mr Jellie to accept a silver pencil case as an inadequate rettirn for his sympathy and help. Mr Jellio in replying thanked one and all and expressed his deepest gratitude for the token from the congregation, which he should always prize and cherish in remembrance of his ministry in Ipswich." Mr Jellie is expected to" arrive in Auckland on the 17th or *25th instant. ■ •

It has been decided to hold the next show in. connection with the Waikato Fruitgrowers Association on Thursday, February 15. The shows are held* alternately at Te Awamaitu, Cambridge, and Hamilton, and this year it "will take place in Hamilton. The committee ar"e working hard to make the affair a success, and there Is every prospect of their labours being rewarded. Entries close with the secretary, Mr E. L. Hope, not later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, Bth Feb. ■

At the Police Cou.rt, Te Awamutu, on Friday, a young man named Edwin Follis was charged before Messrs J. G. Ehnslev and Greemslacle, Justices, with stealing- £5 out of a. tent.at the co-operative works at Te-rau-a-moa" on the 6th of January last. A good deal of evidence was taken for the prosecution by the informants, Hoffman. Ingster, Bathursit, and Detective Mcllvene. who- arrested the accused at Papakura Valley. The accused pleatled not guilty, stating that the. £ 5 was given to him by the boss of the £>-ana:"in m;vstake for a one pound note^ awl that he was too dishonest to refund the bailance. At- \he time he left the camp there was pay due to him for eight days work, which he hail not claimed. The accused was further charged with obtaining money by means of false pretences from a Te-rau-a-moa settler. The accused, who pleaded guilty to this charge, was sentenced to twelve months' hard labour. Am oi-der was made that the amount of wages due to him should be paid to the, informant, together with a sovereign which was found on him at the time of his arrest.

The Waiuku Athletic Sports, held on the Ist hist., were a.great success, all events coming- off well. The ten mile yacht race was won by L. Hartmann*. The principal winners in the athletic events were: Meßae, • winner of Maiden and i-Mile ; B. Egan, Wainku Cup ; F. Webster, J-Mile ; and H. Short, who won the high, jump at sft. 1 Jin., and the hop, step and jump at 40ft. • The Maori brass band Was present at the sports, and, played.a large number of good selections to the spectators, between three and four hundred of whom were present. In the evening1 a concert: was. held, the proceeds- going- towards the Patriotic Fund, about £8 being taken.. A, meeting- is to be held next Saturday at 7.30 p.m., to form a troop of mounted infantry, there having been no volunteer corps in Wniuku for several years, since the Waiuku Cavalry, one of the oldest and best corps in New Zealand disbanded for want of a good captain. —(Own Correspondent.) The Agricultural Hall was w rell filled last evening. The Vaudeville Com-

puny gave a change of programme, Luella and Perrott contributing- a burlesque trapeze act. Mr Kindly, with his funny folks, was warmly applauded, as was Miss Robinson for. her items. The farce, "The Photographer," concluded the programme. There will be a baby show to-morrow evening. To-morrow Messrs Baker Bros, hold a property auction sale, when properties in Nelson-street, Wood-street, Cobden-street, Victoria Avenue, Eden Terrace and Kuakaka will be offered. Messrs Gabriel Lewis and Co. sell on Thursday next, at eleven o'clock, fifteen superior fire-proof safes just landed ex Pakeha. The safes are now on view.

i ]N~ew by-laws -with regard to the ! conduct of the cycle traffic came -into operation in Christciiurch yesterday. Cyclists took-umbrage at the provi. sion with regard to the ringing of bells when approaching a street cor« ncr or passing, pedestrians or vehicles, and the principal streets were a ; paa« demonium with incessant ringing, of all sorts of bells, from large handbells !to ordinary cycle alarms by indignant wheelmen.

An interesting ceremony was performed at Cambridge on Sunday afternoon, when the members of the Ply. mouth Brethren assembled on .the banks of the Waikato River for the purpose of witnessing the baptism of five young adherents. The ceremony was performed by Mr Ward, who also .delivered an instructive address to.the candidates. :

The competitions held by the Akaraiia Rifle Club on Saturday afternoon for Mr Thornes' .and Mr Pickford'S trophies were won by Mr A. Hender* son and Mr J.J.Buchanan respectively. The conditions were: "A" Class (Mr Thome's trophy), 300 yds, 600 yds and 700 yds, trophy to be won three times before becoming- the property of a, winner; "B" Class (Mr Pickford's), 300 yds and 500 yds, trophy to be won twice. The chief scores were: —"A" class: A. Henderson 66, R. G. Cox 65, E. Buchanan 62, W. E. Jackson 59, J. G. Buchanan 57. H. Doughty 52. "B'* Class: J. J. Buchanan (1 point hdcp.) 56. W. Phillips (4 points) 56, .E.Pol lard (ser.) 54, E. T. Buchanan-(scr.) 54, Penholtz (5 points) 54, and Maughan (7 points) 46.

The entries for the Premier Picnic sports close this Wednesday evening. The picnic promises to be a huge affair. The committee have chartered twelve steamers, thereby taking all the risk, and they are giving all the profits to the Patriotic Fund. ;.

The Ohinemutu natives gave an entertainment in Tama-te-Kapua lass week in aid of the War Belief Fund. Over £5 was realised. Several natives have expressed their intention of sending horses. ' .

The Ferry Company notify excursions to-morrow to Lake Takapuna, St. Helier's Bay, also by the Admiral to the fisting grounds.