NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XVI, Issue 2180, 13 April 1870, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Mr Gordon begs to acknowledge, through he Resident Magistrate, the sum of 10e for

the Orphan Asylum, from Mr Mount fort, witness in the eaae of Kegina v. Lawrence, assault. The anniversary tea meeting of Shirley Wesleyan Church will be held on Friday next, when addressee will be delivered by several gentlemen, aud the St. Albane choir will give several vocal performances. An adjourned meeting of creditor was to have been held yesterday, before the Registrar, in the estate of Edwin Woodford, but lapsed from non-attendance of creditors, aud the estate has consequently become vested in tie Provisional Trustee. Our obituary of yesterday contained a notice of thedeuthof Mr James Johnstone, builder, who died on Monday last, aged sixty-three years. Mr Johnstone was one of the old settlers in Canterbury. Wo understand that Mr Johnstone arrived in the barque Rebecca on 7th tlauuary, 1850, under an engagement. From our advertising columns it will appear that during an hour or two yesterday afternoon the strong and influential committee of electors, whose names appear in the published iiat, subscribed their names as membere of the committee for the purpose of ensuring Mr Rolleeton's return as Superintendent. Last evening the drama of " Rob Roy " was repeated at the Theatre Royal, followed by the farce of " Sarah's Toung Man." Tonight there will be a change of programme, when "A Day After the Wedding,"" "The Two Gregoriee," aud the burlesque of " Beautiful Haidee," will be presented. ! There was a good attendance at the Town Hall last evening, when the Christy Minstrels pave another of their pleasing entertainments. The principal features worthy of notice were the celebrated " Anvil Chorus " from Verdi's " II Trovatore," the diamond shoe dance by the Brothers Collins, and a descriptive song, " Will o' the Wisp," which was splendidly rendered by Mr J. If. Rainford. This eveuing there will be a change of programme. A tea meeting, at which about 300 persons were present, and which was provided by the ladies of the congregation, was held" last evening in the Baptist Tabernacle, Hereford street. After tea a public meeting was held, at which the financial statement was read, by which it appeared that the sum of £24 Os 8d waa due to the treasurer, and that in addition there was about £125 due for interest on the purchase of land, and sundry accounts still outstanding. The meeting was addressed by several gentlemen, and several pieoee of sacred music were performed by the choir, Mr J. Oram Shepperd presiding at the harmonium,

l'be secretary of the Benevolent Aid Society acknowledges to have received from \fr G. Goul-1 the sum of £20.

, Yesterday, in Chambers, before the Regwtrar, orders for final examinations on 26th * May, wore obtained by Mr Joynt in the > following cases: —Joseph Richards and Henj*min Wallis. In the case of Philip . Bourgeois, the debtor obtained an order of adjudication ; meeting of creditors on the 20th. The Kaiapoi Popular Entertainment Coui--1 niittee met on Tuesday last, Dγ Dudley being i in i he chair, and eleven member* were present. » Messrs A. Bell and Craig were added to the ( committee. A programmo for the opening entertainment of the series was finally adopted. It comprises a great amount of local talent, ' and we only fear the Institute may be inadequate to the members who will seek admission. Mr R. Parker, from Chrietchurch, has very kindly consented to accompany the solos and glees. The committee regret they are unable to accept all the assistance proffered to them, aud in having made a selection for this occasion they do not wish to be thought invidious, and in future ladies or gentlemen volunteering music or readings, will be accepted in the order in which their offers are made. After some routine business the meeting adjourned. The inhabitants of the Wanganui district are slowly moving in the direction of flax cultivation. Mr George Roberts, of Rangitikei, is going to commence immediately the planting of {orty acres of land with flax. Others will follow his example, and the industry promisee to go on in an increasing ratio. The " Wanganui Evening Herald " hae heard it rumoured that Aripata the senior native oilicer of the Ngatiporous, stationed at Waiha has received a telegram from Ropata, informing him that the Sturt would shortly be sent to Patea with 100 uf the Armed Constabulary to relieve them, aud that they would then be taken to the East Coast. We do not vouch for the correctness of this report. In a letter from the Honorable Mr Fox to the school teachers of Auckland, he eaya— "So long as provincial institutions exist, education seems to mo to bo precisely one oi the eubjects which ought to bo administered by them ; and that, peopled as this colony lias been and divided as it is, it would probably be altogether impossible to devise any scheme which would be universally acceptable, which could be administered better by the General Government than the educational instilutions aro now by the Provincial authorities, in teveral of the provinces." The Ohinemuri correspondent of the " Thames Advertiser," writing on March 28, says:—The runanga took place on the day I last reported, and my expectations have been verified. Very eerioua complications have ensued in coneequence of the injudicious publication of Tana te Waharoa'a letter. The decision arrived at appears to be that the leading natives of all eHes consider that they should have been consulted, and are extremely irate against a non-owner of land in Ohinemuri presuming to say he would open Ohinemuri. Tana te Waharoa still says ho had some consent from Te Hira, but at the came time ho never expected his letter to be published, and its publication has given him much pain. The natives say ha shall never open it. If it is to be opened, they, the owners of the land, will open it themeelves, and I understand the natives are communicating with D. McLean, Esq., on the subject, so everything is at a standstill again. We (" Wellington Independent ,: ) learn that the Defence authorities have determined on sending Colonel Harrington to Dunedin to superintend the General Government riile contest which is to take place there this month. A totally disinterested officer in command will prevent all jealousy on the part of the competitors, but at the same time it is perhaps hardly fair to the energetic and popular Adjutant of Otago (Captain Atkinson) to send a stranger to take the command. The whole of the real work will fall on this officer, and we should have been glad to have seen him get the credit of it, for there is no officer in the colony who has done so much to promote the volunteer oauee. The Otago Volunteers themselves admit that much of their efficiency is attributable to his exertions, as when ho arrived in Otago volunteering was by no means popular, and the force by no means over-efficient. He had effected a wonderful change, and while infusing a thorough volunteer spirit into the public generally, has managed to make himself exceedingly popular. We learn that the Otago men are making great preparations for the reception of their brothers-in-arms from the other provinces, and that there ie every probability of the event being marked by festivities of an agreeable and special character. In commenting upon the recent defeat of Te Kooti, the "Southern Cross" has the following remarks :—This would appear to be the most damaging blow struck against the rebels daring the war. It is no slight discouragement to Te Kooti, to find iiimself bo severely beaten by Ropata ; and the loss of Hakaraia cannot be supplied. Indeed, we regard defection of the Ureweras, which is reported in our brief account of the action, as highly significant. It is a tacit confession by them that the power of Te Kooti is broken ; and that the fastnesses of their country are bo longer a protection ngainst our allies. Ropata has marched through it, capturing two pas, and taking in all 350 prisoners. Major Kemp, another native chief, hae likewise I behaved well in this affair , and altogether we should not be surprised to find the fall of Maretai pa followed by a generul cessation of hostilities by the natives. The truth is, their power is completely broken. The Waikato and Tauranga districts are occupied by Europeans; aud settlement is progressing steadily in each. Opotiki, further south in the Bay of Plenty than Tauranga, is another outpost of the colonising race ; whilst the heart of the island, Taupo, is in the hands of a European force and native contingent. Poverty Bay is likewise filling up rapidly with settlers j and on the West Coast, where, in 1868, Titokowaru occupied the settled districts for months, destroying the industry of years, peace reigne. Settlement ie progressing. New industries are springing up ; and any attempt by Titokowaru to make head again, would soon be suppressed. Roada are being made from the East and West Coast to Taupo, and many of the natives employed were amongst those who fought under Titokowara on the

West Coast. Under theee circumstances, the only retreat open to the rebels was the tJrewera country. This last shelter, as we bare seen, hae failed them. Bopata and Kemp, with their natives, hare traversed that district, captured ite fortified pas, and swept away hundreds of it§ population prieonere.

The Supreme Court offices will be cloned from 2 pni, on Thursday (to-morrow), until 10 a.m. 011 the following Wedno»day.

The "Grey Kiver Argus " states that tho Cattle Inspector has received notice of disease having made its appe mince some dairy stock in the Grey district. Some of the beaste have absolutely died of whit is supposed to be plewro-piu'uuionia, a:iri anxiety is felt leet tlu> contagion should spread to other parts of the county.

The "Standard" eaya that Sir Oiarlee Dilke'a views as to tho colonial question nro equally decided and equally valuable with his crude opinions on tho Alabama controversy. One perceives what it is a man gains by travel over the world at an early aye. The problem, which to other men is so is solved by Sir Charles Dilke in a few sentence*, of which, it ie difficult to know whether to admire more thoir profound wi«dom or their striking truthfulness. " The cessation of all Imperial expenditure on the colonies " —this is the counsel of tho member for Chelsea. Aβ to the vulgar notion that the waste lands of the colonies are available for emigration, Sir Charlea Dilke disposes of it simply by assuring ua that thia is a " vital miscake." There are no waste lands in the colonies. The lands are not given away, but are sold and the " money upplied to colonial purposes." England has no more hold over the waste lands of the colonies than over those of the United States, and the colonies aro " even positively mischievous from the emigration point of view."

Thorncliffe, near Sheffield, is tho eceno of a kind of civil war. Messrs Newton, Chambers, and Co., who rent tho collieries there, recently decided that they would employ no Unionist miners, their terms being too high, and after a month's notice they looked them all out. They offered work, however, to orery minor who would make a separate engagement, und gradually a considerable number of nonUnionists arrived. They were protected on the grounds by the police, but whenever they go off them, even to church, they aro hooted and assaulted, and they c:in buy nothing ercept under the escort of policemen, armed with cutlasses. Recently an attack was mado on the works themselves, the non-Uniouists drew revolvers, and a regular battle was only presented by the heavy body of police employed on the grounds. Clearly, in a case of tliia kind the magistrates are chiefly in tho wrong. They should ask for soldiers. Tho men have a right to combine and a right to abstain from working except at their own price, but they have no right to prevent others from doing aa they like too. That is a theft of labour, and should be prevented by law.

A well-informed writer, who describee the gold panic in New York for " Trader's Magazine," adds a little to our knowledge of that transaction. It appears that the Ring made money after all, the writer alleging that they kept their good bargains but repudiated their bad ones, but the greatest winner was "Commodore " Vanderbilt, whom they attacked. The old speculator owned three railways, and during the panic their stocks were sacrificed at almost any loss. He bought all that wore offered at low prices, and all the discredited eharee in three other railways besides. When the panic cleared away and reaction set in, Vanderbilt's stocks became " wildly buoyant," one in particular rising 14 per oent in a eingle night. The old man cleared an enormous fortune and acquired the inaetery of three other railways, now owning "six long, valuable, and prosperous lines of railroad." In other words he personally owns so many shares that lie can appoint tho directors of both lines, and dictate the policy without consulting any one.

The following is a report of tha eceno in the French Chambar, between M. Ollivier and M. Gambetta, lately :—M. Gambetta— I have done you no injustice in telling you that I would not accept you as v lit person to give au opiuion in matters of conscience. I have said, and I now repeat, that your conscience ie a very elastic oue, and thorn i* one thing you will never be able to explain, viz., that your opinions havo altered with your fortunes. M. Ollivier—l will not stoop to justify rayeelf. M. Gambetta — Your oonetitutents have stamped your conduct as disgraceful. M. Ollivier — Devotedneas to my country alone is the cause of my taking office. M. Gambetta — Through flunkeyism. M. Ollivier—Those who talk of fortune are the very men who make politics a stepping-stone to fortune. I have never had but one aim—liberty. M. Gam- j betta—You used to be a Republican. M. Ollivier—Ever since 1857 my constant object has been to preserve the country from the terrors of a new revolution. M. Jules Ferry —You were deceiving us then. [Order.] E. Emile Ollivier—Ever since 1857 I have kept in view the words of Cavaignac, protesting against mental reservations. " Liberty is the darling object of my life, and though I havo been a Republican, I support the empire because it gives us liberty." M. Gambetta (in the midst of great noise)— You havo listened to falsehood, listen to the voice of truth. The President—l call M. Gambetta to order. M. Gambetta—You had better call AI. Ollivier to honor.

Mr "W. E. Forster, the well-known Liberal member for Bradford, who has in charge the educational measures of the Gladstone Minis-

try, expresses himself on the colonial question in the following manner:—" It is too late now—it would require an evening of itself— to descant upon ihat question, to mc more

important than almost anj otnor, the colonial question ; but I cannot sit down without just stating that, although I disagree with very much that haa been said by represent ativee of the colonies lately, yet I rejoice that the question haa been brought forward as it is. I rejoice that it has been received ac it is, because it makes it clear to mc that neither in England or in the colonies do we intend that

the English empire shall be broken up. It may be a dream, but 1 etiJl believo in its fulfilti:.<-nt. I believe that the time will come when, by some means or another, statesmen will be able to weld a bond together which will unite the English-speaking people in our colonies at present —unite them with the mother country in one great confederation. 1 believe also in

he fulfilment of this other dream, that, what-

ever may be the passing disagreement, the time will come, and come quickly, when there will be no discord between ue and our kinemen in the United States. I may not live to see it, but there are many here who will live to

see it — euch firm and lasting friendship amongst all Englieh'speaking people, that that firm bond of friendship will bring such blessings of peace to those peoples—that it will be such a lesson of the advantages of concord to the rest of the world, that the other nations of civilisation will, for very •hame'i cake, learn w*r no longer."

. Among the discoveries *- •'-Morv product, of the l\,l a ' * mt^\ T l,,at l^;»«i"'»»"p? r r i,,h i " ,!1,, r " ,11M,, "- , »«fMr \V| IVIn * r,nc, "n«e. Plant- i:,di,«, lVi;o U n S7 m n ! n "y-flr c "C.-K-.MI are r:u,v (1 p ( ,..,,,., I* —oaut for th« wonder by Z "°. Cnde «or to 1.-.nulro.U of lliousnnda of' v -, ir 7"J ßUlba «k when tl.o earth, by a do.UtSJ 5 printed ,ts now Arctic and Anta axij . to the dinvt action of the rave o fiT The T.m-or subway, '.. „ >"*'" a-«n S of Mr P. w/iaZ W U e 1 °" th < opened for traffic. Tho permln en \ ■b * l.iul. and, according to reoeut exnerin *** « journ..v of the carnage from will not exceed one minute W V Bllaft twelve hours a day, tho'hne, it i 3 .utef 8 able to convey with faciiirv 2 0000 m ' be per uiuiuin. With record" "to the •'• P f raons and City Subway," fc r boon given, v appears that tho oS f T ° promotors ie to construct a doubL T ° capable of conveying eight n«Ui one J O, " 1 eengore annually, at furo* fixed ilt a h ',f P"' for eocond-claM and a penny for fi winch it id estimated eliouldnavfMVi-' , .20 per cent, on the proposed I^ 1 , 0 ' 0 j £100,01)0. Tho lino wifi c P oZ on S UI « I George. Church in tho ?- WStunder tho centre of the Borouch Hi. MCg under Uibornia Wharf to avoid T Brid fi e, and terminating in Arthur e trS n Cannon street, City. oiree Uear Lord Houghton wont to Egypt to ba* at tho opening of the Suez Cana' !?? cnpacitj of "envoy" of tho Royal'ftl pineal Society. Uo had noir society an account of his visit, and of ft, ■ forencca ho has druwn. Ho thinks tlu , ' a ' (limy effect of tho canal will bo to el a direct trade between Trieste, Italy tho Levant, and India ; but ho does nit bS' that it will, "at once," commerce of England and Franco. Mr Jam Blow, marine superintendent of the North China Steamship Company, eoems toantieioat! from it vpry substantial adranUg es Tl benefit to England, he eaje, in a lS tflr (othl '•Bombay Gazette," i. that kin it Btoomere alone will be used to narwote tho cauul, and England now builde theee for »|| the world. But this is by no means the only poseiblo advantage. Aa an esperienced jailor he world •• guarantee to carry » troooe from England to Bombay in twenty.fi ve d^y g M( j at a cost of 50 per cent, loss than the average cost per head during tho Indian mutiny.

An account of a frightful catastrophelui reached ue from Smyrna. Tho towtt of Oali in the district of Mentecbe, a dependency of Aidin, hoe disappeared—entirely swallowed up in the oarth after three eucceseivo shocks of earthquake. Providence eeenis to have had pity on the inhabitants, as on Wedaetdar last, at six pm, they were warned of »k was to ooour by dull rumbling and alsraing Bounds, which were soon followed by«flnt shook that made them fly terrified to the neighboring hills. With , the exception of three men, whose cupidity probably detained them, all the inhabitants escaped with their lives, but it was, it is said, a pitiable eight to see men, women, and children—some on thoir knoes, and others lying flat oa the groundcontemplating the destruction of their homes, and all they possessed engulphed bj the cruel earth before their eyes. Manoaritza and Moula, in the same district, have also suffered severely. The governor ad interim has, how* evor, sent provisions, tents, and money to these unfortunate people, who are thus left without a roof or even the common necee* aurit's of life.

The success of the Suez Canal seems to have fresh impetus to engineering enterprise in America. The Isthmus of Parian has always offered n favorable site for tho projectors of such a scheme, and tho advantages which it will confer are too palpable to be overlooked. The scheme of a ship canal which shall unite the two great oceans haj lately been resuscitated, and no lcea than nineteen routes heve been surveyed. One of theeo is tho Tehuantopoc routs, one the Honduras, four are across *he Isthmus of Panama, and five are called the Darien lethmue routes; three others follow the San Juan river to Lako Managna, five follow it to Lako Nicaragua Some of the routos have been condemned ac impracticable on account of their length and the ontlay which they demand, but aoveral others are under con , sideration. No new line, it is thought, cau bo discovered, the country having been thoroughly explored. Another ship canal of a much lees formidable character is being talked of in the North American Continent, and being beset with do such difficulties &> «* in the way at Darien, will be shortly coomen ced. A canal through the narrow strip of land eeparating Buzzard's Bay from Cape Cod Bay in Massachusetts, will render inmecej eary the long voyage round Cape Cod, end enable vessels from Long Island Sonnd to proceed north without facing stormy eeas nnd passing rocky coasts. The water way of tow canal is to be 300 feet wide and 24 feet deep at low water.

The following letter from Mr Buskm appear' n the " Telegraph "—Aβ, thirty yoars ego, * publicly expressed a etrong opinion on t« e eubjact of field eporto, and as, with mors accurate knowledge, I hold the eamo opinion still and more etrongly, will you permit mc to place the controversy between your correapondenta, in which I haro no time to »W part, on somewhat clearer grounds. Beprobation of fox hunting on the ground of cruelfj to tho foj. is entirely futile. More pe«n IS caused to the draught horsee of London w» hour, by aTariciouely overloading them, tnsn to ail the foxes in England by (he hunt9( V year ; and the rending o( body and liesrt a human death, caused by neglect, in oar country cot tagee, in any one winter, could not equalled by tho death pange of anyqOMK'V of foxes. Tho real evils of foi hunting «• thai it wastes the time, misapplies the enwgfi exhausts the wealth, narrows the ca Pjf [' debases the uate, and abatea the honor upper classes of this country ; and keeping, as one of your correspondent* s y poeee "thousands from the worknouKJ, sends thousands of the poor both there w into the grate. The athletic training $w» ? foxhunting is excellent; end snob Titally necessary to the upper it ought always to be in real Mrrwe »» country ; in personal agricultural labor a bead of their tenantry; and in «* ee °rJ English life and dominion in waite wg» against the adverse powers oi nature, them become Captains of Emigration i«» down too foxee that apoil the Vm«M« « World 5 and keep their eyee oa the ie»»»9 houacU, in Packe of Men.