The Daily Southern Cross

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4522, 22 February 1872, Page 2

The Daily Southern Cross

LTJCEO, NON TJRO. If I have been extinguished, yet there rise A. thoutand beaconi from the ip&rlc I bore.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1872.

Tee meeting in connection with the Mechanics*' Institute to-night will be invested with considerable interest, from the effort that is about to be made to improve the efficiency of that institution. Even those who have been long taking a practical interest in the establishment admit that it has not received that amount of popular patronage which it deserves ; and have been accustomed to attribute the circumstance to public apathy. It must be owned that a certain amount of coldness does characterise the support awarded to our local institutions, but this is not sufficient to account for the great difference existing between the efficiency of our literary institute and that of other places in the colonies with half the population. It is to be feared that there must be some radical defect in the conduct of the Institution which prevents it from commending itself to popular favour; and, if so, it is the duty of all interested in the intellectual and moral improvement of the people to unite in removing that defect, and making the institution available to the whole body of the people. Such an institution should not be managed as a private proprietary institution, but on' the most liberal principles consistent with its existence, and should shed its benefits on the most humble, as well as the most exalted, Indeed, it is to the benefit of the former that its aims should chiefly be directed ; and not only should the charges for membership be reduced to a minimum, so as to be within the reach of the man of the very smallest means who desires mental improvement and recreation, but everything should be done to conciliate and win, and nothing to wound the feelings of or repel the class of mechanics and artisans, who may have some hesitancy in seeming to obtrude themselves where they are not made welcome, or do not feel at home. This Bhould unquestionably be one of the main objects of such an institution — to j elevate those whose neglect of education has made intellectual improvement most necessary, and whose limited time and scanty means tend to shut them .out from expensive and severe studies., i Nor is such an object incompatible with! affording the-.benefitSf of 'intellectual' improvement' 'and ifepfeataon'tOjtlipse^ of more cultivated tasteB. and higher socij4 pretensions. In fact, such an institiif •tion , should, .provide a commou plat-., ,;f^m;,roM t ;>;Hd^; W$fa#f* $WH» meet : toiftheir nmtuakomprovemepti^ The mere possession, of- an indiffereht^ educational $ii*$pt the 'raic|ianica1and as Auckland';. and iwo are glad'to leatn. chUnge ,in/tnV*Bystem' under^Wmc^the' r^8l^ix : :%herko (manage^; 'There; should be a i: effort tfto

model pur local instttutibn W the c AtKen«uia at Ditaetlin^with-jthis a4difcipo, thaV x tH©\ 'library' "flfit>uld^b^ converted into # IJVee Public" Library. By suoh a cputSB/the, present members, and eve^t£^Kpesb supporters of the 'Institute, "woTUgha've nSne Of their irighWourfc'a'iled/wfiite at <the same time suoh a movement Would, beyond a question, obtain the favourable consideration -of the Provincial Council, and induce jfcke-making of 'thatUibertj grant which the Council Ms sufficiently ' shown' ' its •willingness to give to a bon& fide Free | Public Library. In connection with .such library there would benothing to preclude the formation of classes, and ' the delivery of lectures, and the estab- , iishinentof every desirable educational agency. If the meeting of members \ of the Institute to - night would contemplate such a worthy object, the proceedings might result in incalculable benefit to the city. If, on the contrary, the members determine to confine the benefits of the Institute within the narrow sphere of its present limited membership, the establishment can scarcely be regarded as a public institution, and consequently has no right I to receive support from, the public revenue of the country. The meeting to-night should be, in the fullest sense, a public meeting, to which all in the city who feel an interest in the education of the people should be invited, and at whioh they should be encouraged to give the fullest expression of opinion. If the existing rules under which the Institute has been conducted are found incompatible with such liberal action, then should the rules, if found incapable of liberal interpretation, be destroyed, and new regulations of a more popular character be substituted; nor should laws, Jrhich are supposed to be for the welfare of the Institute, and to assist in its development, be allowed to retard its progress. Unless the purposes of such an institution are generously interpreted, in vain will it look for popular sympathy and support ', and, without such sympathy and support, the Mechanics' Institute must drop in the rear, where all around is progress and" advancement. Such, unhappily, has too much characterised its history in the past, but we hope better things of its future.

The nominations for two auditors to the City Board were made yesterday. Three names were proposed, namely, John Batger, M. S. Leers, and A. W. Fleming. As only two auditors are required under the Municipal Ordinance, there will necessarily have to be a poll. In fact all the formulas of a contested eleotion will be required to be gone through unless one of the candidates can be induced to withdraw. The fee paid to each of the two auditors when they have performed their work is £5, whilst the expense of an election will be at the lowest estimate £30. Tt would be better, if it be legal, that the Mayor be empowered to make a bargain with one of the candidates, and buy off his opposition ; or, better still, as being quite . legal, that the three candidates have a shake in the hat or go Yankee grab to see who shall retire. There were no nominations for assessors, the cause being very simplethere is no fee or reward hanging to the i appointment. His Worship the Mayor is [ empowered under the Act to appoint assessors in the case where none have been nominated j but whether the influence of even a Mayor in Auokland will avail in obtaining *he services of two pcvsons who are willing to do something for nothing does not amount to a dead certainty. On the 5th instant a serious accident occurred at Kaiwaka, Mangawai, to one of the oldest settlers named Leslie. The particulars are as follow : — On the above day Mr, Leslie was ©DjSf*ged avb -work in tkebusli, and while cross-cutting a log of timber the saw became fixed in the cut. In order to free the saw Mr. Leslie had recourse to a lever. It would appear that somehow the log canted over and caused the lever to jerk up, hitting him on the side and lifting him off his feet, the blow caused by the lever hurting him severely. He was conveybd home as soon as he could be removed. In a few days his sufferings became so great that medical advice was deemed needful ; Dr. Dalton was summoned, and after a careful examination found that Mr. Leslie has sustained severe injuries, which will require time and skill to restore him to health. A deputation, consisting of Messrs. P . Hall, A. Wilson, and H. J. Hawkins, waited on the Provincial Government on Saturday for the purpose of presenting , a petition in favour of a steam ferry service to Stokes's Point. The deputation, who were • courteously received by H. H. Lusk, Esq., Provincial Secretary, stated that the whole of the signatures attached to the petition were those of bond fide settlers residing principally at Lucas's Creek, Dairy Flat, and the W*de ; that 100 more names could have been obtained to the petition had it | been conveyed to the more distant districts ; ] that the settlers were very desirous that a steamer should regularly ply between the Point and Auckland j that the more dis- I tant tho settlers the greater the anxiety displayed, as the route by Stokes's Point would be a saving of nearly 10 miles in a journey to and from Auckland ; and that not less than four trips a-day between the Point and Auckland would at all benefit the back j settlers. The deputation also gave it as ' their opinion that the more' frequent the I trips the sooner would Woodside and its vicinity beoome populated, and the ferry become self-supporting. The Provincial ; Secretary stated that the Government had already advertised for tenders for such a service ; but that nothing more could positively be said on the subject until tenders were received aud opened. After introducing other subjects of a more local character the deputation withdrew. A sad accident happened yesterday morning at the Thames to a tine young man named Mitchen, a caroenteV, and who was working at the new Sunday school-room of the Wesleyan Church. He was on the roof Bhingling, and by some means lost his hold and fell to the ground, thereby breaking his thigh, and it is feared injuring his spine. He was removed to the Hospital, and his j hurts attended to by Drs. Lethbridgo and Trousseau. ' The ordinary annual meeting of the Auek- ' land Chamber of Commerce will be held this afternoon at 3 o'clock. . . j Our Wharehine correspondent writes :— i "The trustees of Port Albert *nd Whare-. bine districts . met on Monday, the 12th instant!' It was stated that 1 Mr.' Judsonhaa allowed the proposed bridge, between the two districts, to come on to bis' land, which 'will 'make # a difference; of ft chain And- 40 liuka less. Ifc was carried tb,afc*{62Q0 should j be spent on the bridge, -which 1 'is 'to -be 12ft. j wjde. Five gentlemen, ' from, both Boards, , IbeHeveVik wfl^t jb.g^Hjerlfed J 6ni^aaXhear that 'there .«©? likely Ao3be? several tenders for'it"' ( - f -,-*}*•<'>**: W-'.f- »'' 1 * ' ' lir ' r - i v \ -foYifhe^uran&fc dfotrlctj'J there to <ipeft£?» r ! M* iSjfljcpflotfft tQ : l»e^jjpf |psw?oat,» wek *drtforthight/'anoVwiU tfravVrtoplefitimaa tot^ •'"tybfflft* >ft 2 TheI^^sl^^^^^Lf^xi^^ iSatkt&k^ »fld^lnWiW©'enjoyjJbftftn3MHl eujpnier

The city improvementa>ow being made by resolution* paited •tthe.Qity Council, »hd for which: tender* >have, been accepted,: amount tot £4, 746/ Tenders will also be called, in this c6ar.se of a day or two, for the formation of Jfelson-street; whilst plans aud specifications are being prepared for the drainage of Chapel-street. Other .improve^ raontaare contemplated, which will draw largely upon the financial. resourc93 of the City. Board— probably to an amount equal to , that "which has Veen already authoriied; " ~ jThe works now under/course by order of the City Harbour Board consist of a thorough 1 repair of the outer T of Queen-street Wharf, j The outer T means the terminus of the wharf where the is now moored. The whole of the Tasmanian piles, which have long been rottinflf away, aDd have left this portion of the wharf perilously insecure, are to be removed and replaoed by substantial' piles of totara timber. Tenders have also been called f8r the extension of the T where the 'Golden Crown* brings up. This part of the wharf is to be lengthened 33 feet, the extension being effected in a manner which will admit of it being further lengthened when circumstances call for it. We have had placed in our hands the Auckland price current Hat compiled by Mr. John Mason, and intended to be forwarded by the* outgoing 'Nevada.' Much care appears to have been taken in the preparation of the list, and strict accuracy is, the compiler informs us, the basis upon which he has made his compilation ; his information having been obtained not only from the most reliable sources, but prices and rates have been compared witb sales actually effected upon,] wholesale lines. The circular will be useful to merchants for enolosiug in their home and Australian letters, answering all the purposes of a private circular. Mr. Anderson, the City Surveyor, informs us that in using drain-pipes for the city it is his intention to lay down only those of local manufacture. He informs us he knows of none superior for the purpose to those manufactured by Mr. Carder, of Riverhead, or Mr. Boyd, of Newton. The quality of these pipes is equal to anything which can be imported, and they are very much oheaper. The glazing of the inside of the pipes is a preventive to the sediment from the drainage adhering, so that they require much less water to flush them. The annual meeting of the subscribers to the Auckland Mechanics' Institute will be held this evening in the large hall of the building. The business will be to receive the annual report and auditors\statement of accounts. After the reading and adoption of both reports, the election of a President, two Vice-Presidents, and twelve committeemen will take place, when those who have been nominated for the several offices will be balloted for, unless the nominations do not exceed in number the vacancies to be filled up. There is a very strong feeling abroad as. to the manner in which the Mechanics' Institute has been managed for a long time past, and this feeling is likely to find expression to-night. Indeed, if -all we hear be correct, there is likely to be quite a stormy meeting. The younger members of the Institution assert that new blood requires infusing into the management. The 'old members say that everything regarding its working is as it ought to be, and that no changes are requisite. It is upon these points the two bloods will join issue. To use two military terms, it is to be either ''As you were, "or " Form line for new manoeuvres. f; We are not aware whether the fish which until lately have been so plentiful in the market have deserted our waters, but it is certain that none are now being brought in. People have altogether to depend upon the butchers for their supplies of flesh food, and meat at this hot season of the year is neither so wholesome nor so palatable as' good fish if it be procurable. The fish stalls which have been erected on the wharf are frequently closed for days together. A special meeting of the congregation of Trinity Church, North Shore, was held on Tuesday evening, but owing to inclemency of the weather was thinly attended, only 17 persons being present. The object of tho meeting was the propriety of providing better accommodation for the Sunday-school, which is now, as regards the number of scholars and the efficiency of the teachers, in a very flourishing condition. The Rev. B.|Y. A.shwell presided, and opened the proceed, ingg with prayer. The Church Committee reported that the old school-room was no longer large enough for the number of scholars, and th« Day School Committee declined to allow their building to be used for a denominational school, so that either the Sunday school inuat be removed into the church or a suitable building erected on the church land. \fter some discussion, it was decided that the school should be removed to the church pending the erection of a new building. A subscription list was then opened, and the sum of £36 was subscribed for by those present — the chairman heading the list with £10. A Building Committee was appointed, who were authorised to apply to the Standing Committee of the diocese for a loan of £150, in furtherance of the object, this' sum to be repaid by halfyearly instalments A plan of the proposed new building, drawn by a local builder, was submitted to the meeting, and very generally approved. Should the Standing Committee comply with the request of the meeting, we understand, tenders will at once be called for. The proceedings were closed by the chairman pronouncing the benediction. The • Taranaki Herald says:— "The Co- ( ahead, after discharging cargo, will proceed to Wellington to ship the cylinders from London for tjie Waitara Bridge. The Luna has amongst her passengers Captain Peters, of the barque Malay, the first English vessel trading direct with Whanganui ; and if Captain Peters's visit to Waitara should result in his doing for Taranaki what he has achieved for Whanganui, his name will ever be intimately associated with the advance of the Taranaki province." During the night of Sunday, and throughout the whole of Monday and Tuesday, Coromandel was visited with one of the aeverestfhurricanes that have been experienced for some length of time. The storm, which was accompanied with heavy falls of rain, raged with unabated fury for two days and nights, and not without results of a somewhat disastrous character. Windows, doors, and shutters were blown away from various buildings in the district, and th'a houses ill many instances were more or less stripped of their roofing. Tho water both in the Kapanga aud Karaka creeks rose to a considerable height, and although at one time fears were entertained that serious results would follow, yet up to the time of going to press we had not heard of any damage being done. As an instance of the force of tho storm, a young lady who happened to be on the wharf would have been blown into the , water but for her timely rescue by one of the sterner sex. — Mail. Mr., James Lowrie is gazetted harbourmaster for the port of Kaipara, vice Mr. Gr. P. Chapman, resigned. Yesterday at noon a meeting of the creditors of John Beaton, bookmaker, was held at the office of the Provisional Trustee in Bankruptcy. A considerable number of the creditors were present, but Borne of the heaviest of them .were not in attendance. Mr. William Kirliy.was voted to the chair. Mr. BevoridgB'ippeared on behalf of Messrs. Lyell Brother^' who' are concerned in the case, and Mr. ' (J. Ar' Brassey on behalf of JMtr, BmokSeld.rwho has charge of the bankrupt's case. The bankrupt's liabilities were set clown /as £1;288 5s., , and his assets at "£60(J;;"';On the motion jOfbMr; Gallagher, kecondea by "Mr."" L^ioh,:Mifr, Thomas Macffarlane was appointed trustee of the estate, * and/ Messrs. '^Jobli Henderson and! Mx.\ .William J^WinjJerv^orB. Mr. Beveridge; ',thj»n,i;ftt jbh^Vgtielrtuctf several creditors, mad© an explanatory •tatement'of how the J|4e>swLy««^ererconi»<jtediri,th th* estate, and how their- endorsement of bankrnpfa bf^ H hi^lWtoiM : i\it^^VL^gr He also rdM^/fe/«fr^MM^;jbar. -fcioiilfM v of jm%i£he. eonnderofl »» piecoof • rather- iharp < practice i by t.'ft-profoasional in

T Tha remarks appended bolbw, token from •UmJj -dujfratoauro, have been.;fcu|gested to' tur-ta^ applying with , eqtt»l /force' to t Auckl0hd, where the sacceswon been '" bo long allowed to remain intaot. The Browns, Joneses, ana v Bobinsons who oomprise the blood of old-identityism refuse to amalgamate with the new blood of fcfcrSmiths,~thYWaIkers; lad thTGreens, ' becauie these men have new and advanced ideas which would stand in the way of those who are so well posted up iu the ways of how not to do it — or rather how everything should be done that may advance the individual interest of Messrs. Brown, Jones,-, -and Robinson, and oust the Walkers from the field of enterprise. Do we not see the old blood flowing sluggishly through the veins of the Mechanics' Institute management, at our Board meetings, in our public undertakings, and among our established companies? J Let Brown propose something which is oldfangled, when Jones and RobinI son' will pull with him in the same heary I lumbering boat. But if Smith, who is troubled with new-world notions, proposes something which promises a pro bono publico advantage, Brown does not see it j nor does Jones, nor Robinson. The thing may be very good indeed. It tuay be f uli of the bone, and sinew, and muscle of .enterprise and go-aheadism. It may have sue-" ceeded elsewhere, but then the idea has not emanated from their firm, and they will not only have none of it themselves, but they will do their best |to smother it with their i wet blankets.' The following is the extract w ; e refer to, and was, no doubt, written for' a purpose : — " You are quite right, Mr. Pergusson. You have a mission, and if you persist you will make an impression. Ho thing .conduoes so much to the formation of mischievous cliques in publio institutions as the prevention of fresh blood being periodically introduced. In city councils, at banking and other companies' boards, there is the stereotyped notice that Messrs. Smith and Jones retire, • but aro eligible for re-eleotion, ' Brown comes forward to fill one of the vacancies, but the rest of the board — especially if there be something they don't want the public to know — back up the late directors. Brown fights a losing battle, and things go on in the old well-worn groove. The remedy is that a portion of the retiring office-holders should be absolutely ineligible for re-elec-tion. The proposition is not new, but the practice has improperly fallen into disuse. In the Bank of Victoria — one of our most successful institutions — one of the retiring directors is not eligible for office for a year at least ; and this is as it should be." We have always said, and particularly of late, that Victoria is the mistress of the colonies, and a pattern for the colonies, in enterprise, progress, social and legislative, including commercial reform. Lately, as we are informed on good authority, a company hag been organised in Melbourne who have determined on seeking a field for their operations and enterprise in New Zealand. They purpose to purchase or to lease from the Maoris of this island an extensive tract or tracts of land for the cultivation of flax, and on which to erect mills and machinery for the manufacture of that material. In Auckland they intend fixing their head-quarters, and also offices at which to buy whatever flax others may bring to them. If this enter t prise prove successful, and we hope that it will, then Victoria will have given no small impetus to the development of New Zealand resources ; and we doubt not that such success will stimulate the dormant energies of the people of tbia colony to rise and work, and cease to sit and complain. One thing at any rate is certain, that it will tend to develop one of our vast resources and introduce more capital into our midst. Professor Haselmayer has been astonishing the Maoris, The trick is not altogether original, but, to the untutored Maori mind, it must have been beset with a wonder scarcely to be imagined. The Professor walked on to the jjwharf yesterday, and, seeing some kits of peaches, he placed his hands on one, and said, '• How much ? " " Sik-a-penny " was the reply. " What !" asked Haselmayer, " all this for sixpence ! Good. I will take one. They are cheap." The Professor opeuB , % peach, and, to the surprise of the Maori- ' woman, takes out a shilling from the inside of it ; opens another and a larger one, and takes out half-a-crown. Maori woman's eyes become as big as saucers with surprise Professor splits another peach, and a sovereign drops into his left-hand. Maori woman calls every Maori about her within hail. There la a crowd directly. White nien. mix in. Pro- I fessor <*sks woman what she will take for the whole lot of her peaches. Maori woman heaps them all up, and sits in front of them smoking her pipe. Sho won't sell. " Good, ' says the Professor. " You are wise and prudent. Don't sell by any means. Take home your peaches, and shell them. Plenty of shillings and half-crowns inside." Maori woman is not all a fool. She does not know exactly what to make of the affair. But, ■when the Professor had walked off, and the crowd bad dispersed, she is seen to open about a dozen of the peaches, and, strange to say, finds nothing but the kernels. She swears or is supposed to swear in Maori, and begins to smell the joke, although Btill soi-ely puzzled. Yesterday water melons were being offered for sale on Queen-street Wharf by the Maoris ib large quantities. A well-grown moderatesised melon was to be obtained for Id. Peaches, grapes, and apples were also being offered at extremoly moderate rates. The Maoris have a mode of doing business which in some things might with advantage be imitated by their more civilised brethren. In the first 1 place your Maori always asks what he means | to take for what bo sells, and he never takes anything short of what he asks. Again, one always sees what he is to got for his money. i It is not so much a pound, or a pint, or a dozen, but so much for the lot, and the lot is before the purchaser, and open for his inspection. Then again, what one buys can alwaj's be conveniently carried away. • he Maori plaits a small basket or kit of flax leaves, having a handle, which contains comfortably the exact quantity sold. A street-coster-monger or barrow-seller would tell you to hold out your hands, or your handkerchief, or perhaps your hat. Mr. Charles Featherstone Mitchell, M. P. C. , of Ohinemuri, taking umbrage at something which has appeared in the Thames Advertiser, obtained a summons, charging the proprietor of that journal with printing a " wicked, false, malicious, and defamatory libel. " The summons sets forth that " You, William Wilkinson, proprietor of the Thames Adveri User newspaper, at Graharastown, on the 13th and 14th February, 1872, did unlawfully and maliciously write, print, and publish, and cause and procure to be written, a certain false, scandalous, and malicious and defamatory libel of and concerning one Charles i Featherstone Mitchell; that is to say, as follows : That he did procure and cause to be stopped her Majesty's post-office mail through Ohinemuri, being a district in the colony of New Zealand." The case was to have been heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Thames, on Tuesday j but at the time appointed the complainant did not put in an appearance, and the charge therefore lapsed, A farewell ball to the captain and officers of H.M.s. 'Blanche' is to hjLgiven in* the Parnell Hall on Friday evening, at half-past eight o'clock.