THE Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5239, 27 July 1876, Page 2

THE Daily Southern Cross.

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1876.

" Bar bad, and tlio ' Oily of Now Yoik ' cannot at present leave Port Chalmers." Such in effect is the suhstunco of a telegram ti.msmitted by the .Press Agency yesteulay afternoon. Taken in connection with the agitation which has prevailed on the subject of tho coastal trips of tho largo Trans- Pacific Mail steamers, thin announcement adds another moic or less potent reason to thoso already existing, and winch have been pointed towards the discontinuance of this costly and unnecessaiy biauch of the service, as well as tho abandonment of that portion of the contract which makes Fiji a port of c.il, 1 for the steamers. Them is a .strong deHiro on the pait of tho .Pacific Mail Company, a desuo in which, as our readers aro awnro, wo cordially concur, that the foi-k Horvico to Kand.ivu and the New Zealand coastal service should he abandoned. Until theso costly blots on the wrvu'o aio wiped out, success will bu diflicult to 9, Jiicvc. Wo havo shown, oftener than once, that tho coastal sorvico, while a groat loss of time to tho contracting company, is also a most unnecessary iutoiforcnce with, tho tiaflic of our local steam fleet, nowsooflicientand numerous, to say nothing of tho dolaya and, sometimes, dangers to which tho groat mail boats aro subjected by running down a long lino of coaat and entering many harbouis, all tho trado demands of which our own lino coasting stoamors can sufficiently supply. So with tho Fiji sorvice. Great delay, some danger, and the necessity of i>xtr<». boats, and for what I Really, so far as ono of the two if not both the contracting Colonies aro concerned, the reply to the question is in ono word — Nothing. When Sir Jm.ius Voniif, tho other week, moved for a Select Committee, to consider what alterations or modifications it may bo desirablo to mako in tho con-

had, he pointed out thai the sum <f U 10,000, as Now Zealand's contiibution (which was the amount demanded by the House List year tliat such contribution should bo limited lo) was tlio sum agreed to Homo yoais ago on tho motion of Mr. ]\Iacam>hkw. Ho next sh<>\ -'d that oven now with tho £45,000 wh -h we pay at picsent, tho actual Hum p.nd, less di.iwb.uki, is loss than tho £40,000, inasnuuh as tlioio is now vocoived from tho Impen.il (Jovernmont about £12,000 a-year, w h leh is collected upon postages, and which amount was not formerly locoivod. This, thon, would rcduco tho amount conside] ably under £40,000. He furthor. staled th.it, taking into account tho payments for the Suez mail, the cost of tho C.ihfornian conti.ict exceeds that which tho Suez sei \ ice would entail by only about £15,000. What wo argue, howovor, is, that by abuidoniiuc tho coastal trips, this balance in o\coss ini^ht bo lcdwuod by about onohalf, or, at least, one-third, of course, subject to Homo additional cost for the conveyance of the mails to tho New Zealand ports from tho place of arrival. But that would bo paid to our own local companies—an arrangement which would bo mutually advantageous to them and to the Pacific Mail Company, which wishes to 1)0 relieved of this part of the Borvice. Tho Imperial Government, however, according to Lord Carnarvon's dispatch, appears to mako tho payment of this £12,000 conditional on the stoamors calling it Fiji. Wo believe, howovor, that, with tho porsistonco which has characterised our postal department in making fair claims for New Zealand, tho right to this £12,000 could bo established, and tho claim conceded by the Colonial Offtco at Home. Tho Pacific Mail Company's agents in Sydney havo written to the two Governments of New South Wales and Now X.» tl nitl, i^-ojxjuiiijj to omit Llio Fiji .uul coast.il sorviccs, and to substituto tho loute by Honolulu and Bay of Islands. Regarding this appeal, Sir Julius Vooel, on tho i5id July, telegraphed to tho Posrm aster-General of New South Wales as follows : — " The < government will bo much indebted if tr> day or to-morrow you will lot them know your views about changes O.ilifoinian sci vice. H.ivc no reply to repeated lequcsta of same kind. Tho captains say service will not be continued as at present, and that contractors will throw up. If you wish such 10siilt lot us know. People lieie would not miuh regret, they aro so tired of irregularities. If you wish it to proceed, surely better st.ite your views. Wo propose to move for Select Committee to report upon changes, if any desirable. If we know your views, shall soon be able to say if we are willing or not to meet them. At present, service is continued source of annoyance. - Juui's Vtxiri,." ( )n tho 8th July, after the appointment of tho Select Committee of tho House, ho again telegraphed thus : — " Wo havo appointed .Select Committee to inquiic wli;it alterations or modifications, if any, it is desirable should bo m.ido in Califoiu.au contract. Suggest that similar coinmittco y<mr House might/ enable us to come to imdcrst.induu;.— Jumi/S Vocii'.L." Tho Sydney Govornmont appear disinclined to consent to tho alteration proposed, although we observe that the Si/ihui/ Miunituj Herald pointedly advocates tho acceptance byNowZoaland of the Hay of Islands as the port of call, and tho omission of tho coastal service, while it supports tho maintonanco of tho Fiji .service. To make tho Hay a port of call would simply bo to keep tho port of Auckland and its attractions a sealed book to tho strangors who aro passing through, and causing this Colony, to a certain extent, to provido Now South Wales with tho oyster while wo only had little more than tho shell. Tho captains of tho various Pacific boats say that tho coastal servico hero is a "groat mistake," .mtl idvocitothooiiiiasionof -Kiji; andonoof them, Captain Fekhiek, of the 'Zoalandia,' wntes, "lam decidedly of opinion that sooner or lator the forked sorvico must bo abandoned, and that it would be much to the general interest were tho Bay of Islands made tho dopot for rocoiving tho Now Zealand mails, passongers, and freight." Wo agroo with all this oxcopt the selection of tho Bay of Islands, which would not bo for tho gonoral intei ests of Auckland. Tho ro-shiprnonta of mails, passongers, and freight to Bay of Islands, and vicr versa, wquld bo an intolerable inconvenionco, and causo great cost and lioublo, considerable uncertainty, and frequent delay. Tho truo mode is to ihiow ovoiboaid tho coastal Borvico, and, if necessary for tho success of the contract, that for Fiji also, and mako Auckland the port of call. Fiji c'HuniuniiatiouH could bo maintained by oilier means ; our own boats could con\ey the the mails and passongers to other New Zealand ports, and, by-and-by, wo shall not fail to see tho resumption of a loc.il steamer plying between Auckland and Iicvuka. From what we can gather, the t ontinu.ince of the Trans-Pacific contrad, depend* on tho alterations ofl'octod. The chopping and changing which havo so long marked the contract is, as the Postmaster says, a " source of continual annoyance."

Tin 1 Union Bench mine, at Coroinjuulol, in, at piescnb, one of the most promising mines jn the wliolo Auckland Goldlields, and of late it has been moro than promising. When it is remembered that within three months it has paid to its shareholders dividends amounting to closo ou £15,000, it will bo admitted that its performances aro of no small value, and that it is a property the interests of which ought not to bo sacrificed or lHjuied by reason of any differences of opinion among shareholders or directors. Tho extraordinary meeting held yesterday, and which stand i adjourned till today, was rather a lively sample of mining meetings. U»ually when a concern of the kind pays good dividends, the meetings arc smooth ami agrooablo. Yesterday's meeting was a marked exception to the rule, and it is to bo regretted th.it causes of any kind should exist to produce such a result. Tho strong feelings which were displayed aro to bo deplored; but we presume all shareholders, however much they may differ on certain points of management, are animated by ono dosiro— tho good of thu shaieholders and tho honest and payin > wot king of tho mine. Tho capacity of the propel ty itself is shown by tho dividi nds which arc usually doomed tho best U--.1 of management. But thoro is a strong fe< ling abroad that rich apeoimens hayohecn sloli n, and that in consequence tho dividends, good .is they have boon, would have boon inndi bellor had such nofarions proceedings been prevented. The fact mentioned at the meeting, tint tho manager discovered 501b. weight of rich spocimonu hidden behind tho timber, proves what i« possiblo in this system of peculation, of which so many mining comnnnica have had to complain, and to chuck which a special enactment was, a few years ago, passed by Parliament. But why should not tho directors introduce an infloxiblo system of search? Why not follow tho example of all tho great iniiiot iti Victoria and othor partB of Australia, where every man who descends the mine is, in accordance with a rigid rulo, obliged to submit to a process of search ? A tiustworthy man, to bo well paid, should be appomlod as soarchcr, and it should bo made an unexceptional rulo that no person, miner, visitor, or shareholder who enters the mine, should bo permitted to leave it without conforming to that rulo. Many a good mine has been ruined by speci-men-stu>ileis. J aigo rewards have ueen olb'red for their detection, generally without success. .But here is a practico of search which is established in Australia, and which,

it (.uiioil oul v. ith unyitldm;; umfui iml\ , would uuLe tlic atc.ilui^ <>f spcumi us 5<> il.MKjht Ultll ilistlllt J)l(lH|ICct <)f ill tOl'll'ill tliat Uic four of con'JL'i|!iiMicoH would tompel in^ui'H to 1)0 honest. It H ii I'lty to nee .1 \ ilu.iblo nniio, tin 1 l>usi tost o! tlio \.iliii' of which «uo tlio huge dividends it yi«'l<K liinnin^ the lisk .of di-jneciatKiii in tin m.uliot hy disunion among its dirottoiH ami .sliuii'liolilurH, and much of the afiiiiion\ which now c\ists might bo ronio\od 1>\ muLiiiil concossions, and tlio adoption and steadfast obsoivanco of tlio stnet leyu lation wo liavo n^ojitioned. Wcro tliis doiu>, other mines would follow the example thus «et, and a a;, Htcm of stiiot management ami honest woiking would, in many mines, picvent tho system of peculation of which of late bo much has been hoaid.

Messrs. Boetliam and Donno were the prpsuling magistrates at tho Police C<nut yesterday morning. Drunkards .and ofieudei s against the Dog Nuisance Act were tin* onlj offences brought forward. Ono of tin drunkards, Annie Swift, appeared foi her 33rd time. She was sent to gaol for 12 mouths to reflect upon her past career. Tho new theatre is rapidly approaching completion, a considerable number of hands now being employed on the decorative work. Much remains to accomplish, but from the energy visible in eacli department thore can l)e httlo doubt that all will bo in readiness for the Simonsen Opera Company, announced for Monday fortnight. Mr. T. Murphy, of Rcmucra, called .it the Cross Office yesterday, and stated th.it the name given to him — " Colonel Murphy"- in tho report of the proceedings of the highway mooting, was undeserved, and that giving him such distinction only tended to place him in a false position amongst his fellowsettlers. Two individuals, a drunkard and a vagrant, were m the Police cells last night. To-morrow evening the Californian Diamond will appear m Auckland for the lirst time. The play selected for tho "HtaiV debut is "No Name," and no doubt the Prince of Wales Theatre will lie well filled on tho occasion. Tho box-plan is at Messrs. Upton's, whore tickets may bo obtained and seats secured. Mr. Oakos, tho railway contractor at Wellington, is gotting batches of Chinese navvies. Tho other day a fourth lot of nine ai lived there from Otago, and wore at twee went to tho works. Tho Groat Pacific Kailway was mado principally by means of Chinese cheap labour, and contractors in this colony aro beginning to perceive the advantagcb ofloied by tho industrious Celestials. In a dispatch recently laid before Parliament addi essed by the Earl of Carnarvon to his Excellency tho Governor on tho subject of tho Pacific Mail Service, tho following paragraphs occur: "(I.) That as tho New Zealand and New South Wales Governments h.id undertaken tho service on tho uudorstuidiug that the Imperial Governments would earry all mail matter free of charge to San J'Yanciseo, the additional charges imposed by tho United States Government for the transit of the mails across the American continent, amounting to some tl 2,000 per annum, would be bovno by tho Imperial Government during tho period of five yens for which tho arrang"inont had been mado in 1873 ; after which tho colouios must be prepared for somo modification in order to relievo her Majesty's Government; of somo portion of this heavy oost. (2. ) That iu return for this concession tho mail steamers should continue to call at Fiji as heretofore." Mr. Mahon desires us to make a slight correction iu the report of the Karauaghapo Highway meeting of ratepayers held on Monday evening, and stating that he accused Mr. Duke of only seeking improvements on or near his own proporty, and not Mr. Cherry as stated in tko report of the mooting. Tho disputes among the members of tho Karangahapo Highway Board are, wo understand, likely to result in legal proceedings, as a summons has boon issued at tho instance of ono of tho members against tho chairman for trespass. Porhaps tho collision of opposing oloments, previous to the adjourned meeting of ratepayers, fixed for Monday evening noxfc, may havo tho cfl'cct of clearing tho atmosphoro and rendering tho transaction of some business pobsible thereat. Tho Wollingto'i Evening Post says : —" A correspondent writing in reference to tho grant to tho family of tho late Dr. Foather stun, calls our attention to tho following paragraph extracted from tho Home Nru<^ of 1st Juno : — ' At a special mooting of tho shareholders of tho Oriental Bank held recently, for the purpose of considering the proprioty of recognising tho services of Mil Chailcs J. Fife-Stuart, tho late general manager, by voting a sum of £5,000 to be oxpeuded for tho benefit of his widow and children, tho resolution was moved by Mr. B. B. Greene, and seconded by Mr. Robinson ; after a short discussion, the resolution confirming the grant was carried unanimously.' Commenting upon this, our correspondent justly observes : — ' Thoabovo, I think, shows us that if tho Oriental Bank can voto £5,000 for the family of their lute manager, we should at least do as much for the family of ono so devoted to tho colony as Dr. Fcatnerston was.' Wo entirely agree," continues tho Post, " with this viow of tho case, and foel sura that if tho Ministry would bring down an increased voto for tho purpose indicated, tho Parliament, tho Press, and tho people of New Zealand would sanction and approvo their action." Tho voto has not boon favourably viowed by sundry meetings which have recently boon hold in Auckland province. Yesterday afternoon, at No. 27, Insurance Buddings, wo had the pleasure of inspecting a new branch of industry in this city — tho making of orn6 silk fabrics ; tho name and address of tho intended wearer being worked thereon. In looking over a number of oi ne silk braces, wo observed tho names of some of our local architects, engineers, solicitors, members of tho Ifouso of Representatives, &c. Sovoral of the pieces oxamined aro intended for presents from parties iu Auckland to friends in America, Scotland, London and elsowhora ; tho names of tho intended recipients, as well as tho donors, being worked thereon. No doubt, these presents will bo highly appreciated for being uuiquo, usolul, and beautiful. Tho finished bracos shown havo a concealed spring, so that in stooping' there is neither slipping over tho shoulders nor tearing off of buttons, as tho spring expands at the small of tho back, and recovers itself as soon as an up right posture is rosumed. This orne silk manufactory is tho only one of its kind, either in or out of tho colony, and as inducements aro givon, other branches aro to bo addod from timo to time. Having witnessed the products of this new industry, wo would heartily recommend our readers to cill upon Mr. Groenshields, who will obligingly show them tho mystery of tho weaving process, and alao exhibit many article" of beuity and usefulness which iu all probability will tempt them to become patrons of bin oniu mlk fabrics.

Moasra. Carpenter and Uyron havo started the fellmoiigery busineaH at Ngaruawahia, with a reasonable prospect of buccuhh. Lioenios to depasture cattlo in tho Mount Albert Highway diatrict havo to be taken out boforo tho 1st August. Tho social meeting in connection with St. Matthew's Congregation takes pl.ico tlun ovening in tho Lome stroofc Hall. Mr. Edward Mahonoy invites tcndein until noon on Saturday, tho 6th August, for tho oroctiou of a church and school for tho Sheridan-street Primitive Methodist Congregation. Plans, &a, may bo seen at his oiQco, Queon-street. AH accounts against tho ' Carnatic ' havo to bo rendored to Mr. Uatgor on or boforo tho 28th instant, at 10 o'clock, or thoy will not bo rocogniscd. Tho annual meeting of tho Dovonport Highway Beard in to bo held this ovoning in tho Dovonport Hull, at half-pait seven o'clock.

l.LX'KO, NO.. I' 110 U I have been cxtni^uiulieil, > a Umi a rmo A. UiuuwmU bcftcuiu [jciui tlt« Hpwk 1 bur*.