THE Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5286, 21 September 1876, Page 2

THE Daily Southern Cr oss.

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THURSDA Y, SEPTEMBER 21, 1876

TjTV a/»Kool l>oa*<l ayoballl, lollg 111 VOglie in America, has, as with the Bntish Radical, takou the place of the household suffrage and vote by ballot. That by such a system it is almost impossible for a child to grow up ignorant has already been pretty well proved, but what the political results of this wide-spread system of education will be is still a matter of speculation. In the United States, although compulsory education has for ,i long time existed, the great influx, of immigrants has prevented the result of tint system bemg'fauly estimated. The qualifications necessary for the suffrage wore, through the eagerness of politicians to obtain votes, lowered to the most extreme point ; while, on the other hand, excessive facilities were offered to the immigrants to obtain the franchise. The result has been that the rote of the native-born and educated American has been always counter- : balanced by the ignorant and venal votes of the newly-arrived immigrants. This is the case even now, when emigration to America is rapidly decreasing, and the number of native - born Americans exceeds the aliens by six to one. In England nothing of this kind is to be expected. Ju tweiity-hve years time the Education liill will have caused the whole population to ha\e, at least, received the instruction provided by the common schools, and what will then be the political results ' The circulation and number of newspapers will ceitainly be much increased, and the teachings of these, whether inflammatory or the revci se, will in a great manner guide the masses. That the .British aristocracy will have to give up a great deal of the share it now holds in governing the country in favour of professional politicians may also be predicted. A great nunibei of well-educated young mon are not able intellectually to stand alone, and, with general education of the lower classes, their number will be greatly increased. That class which, in England, is now cither venal through ignorance, or leady to follow and obey any incendiary haiangue of a loudvoiced demagogue, will probably be as large twenty-five years hence through moral blindness or incapacity. The mobs that have boen guilty of the greatest outrages and excesses against society, were individually ignorant, no doubt ; but the leaders by whom they I were urged on to these excesses, possessed j at least that amount of education required for their teachers by the school boards. The socialistic and positivist schools on I the Continent, which provided most of the leaderB for the Pans Commune, correspond to the labourers' unions and libeiation societies of Great Britain. The advantages of popular education have as yet been tested by a negative pioce-is of induction i.ither than by actual excellence ; but by acting from an early age on the sensitive susceptibilities of the classcB it in intended to benefit, it will have its lesult. That innate brutality which so often crops out will he softened, and tho feelings somewhat refined. Although the ideas of the masses may, on occasions, be extreme and .is fallacious as those which caused the late Commune, they will not, through tho improving influence of education, bo guilty of fhose atrocities they would formeily have committed had the power rusted m cheu hands.

(Juiuousvordiota are occ.ision.illy returned by juries, nml especially by Coronets' juries, whoso I.nv and leg.ird tor thu principles of uviduice .110 ti-oijuontly {froatly at viiiKinou with the commonly rcccivcu doctrines which ymdo Liwyors and com ts of law. The vordict of tlie Coronor's

I wry called together to make inquisition into tho cause of the death of a female meant, the body of^ which was found in Parnell, under eitcuiustan.-cs of pecul' u suspicion, would seem 10 .some at tunl sight to be ono of the-u> peculiar and perverse ■' Ci owner's quest" vei diets, whieli now and then st.u tie the philosoph-uil o!)8evver. But a httlo consideration of the facts, and of the strictly prescribed duties of a Cm oner's jury will tend to show th.it, though peihaps peculiar, the action of the jury is not so perverse aftei all. The case is tliat of the dead child of which tho servant girl Fannv Dvma has ' onfessed that she is the mother It i~ needless lice to n.ur.ite the p.uticulai > of the case. They buefly are that the hody of a female infant m an ad v^ne^d stage of de imposition was found m ! i |.n in a cesspu 'i Parnell. The j'lrj were formally s'l.unoned to make tho requisite legal inqi isition into the mannei or cause of the death of this infant. The case is a peculiar one , and as it involves a v^ry nice distinction, and some points requiring both close and stnt ly logical reasoning, and <i strict application of the law which bind Coroners' juries it may be useful to examine the case as it relates to the powers and duties of Coroneis and Coroneis' juries. Such an examination seems all the more necessary, <is the Coroner and the jury were clearly at issue .is to the question of the limits within which, according to law, the inquisition must be conducted. The medical evidence of Dr. (jioi.n.suKO 1 , who made an examination of the body, is summed up in these words, " T do not believe the child was born .dive. Fiom the condition of the luugs I )ud (e it to have been stillborn." The finding <>i the |iuy, as given by the foreman, was tins — " After considering the evidence, we hud the child was sLill-bom." This did not satisfy the Cokonlr, who instructed the jury that they must find whether or not there was concealment of birth, and further that they must consider and " declare how the child came by its death." To this statement a juror made this pertinent reply "It never lived." On tins hangs the whole question, and on looking both <iv the law and the facts as they came before the jury, we think the verdict they letiuned was not only in strict accorda .co with law, but was the only one which they could have given. Judge JouNhTON very cleaily defines the jurisdiction of Coroneis and then juries. He says . — "Tho special subjects concerning which Coroneis in INow Zealand have, uuiler the Act, jmisdiction to inquire, and to which it would appear that their jmisdiction is conhned, aie as follows : — (1 ) The manner of the death of any pei sou («) who is slain or drowned, or who dies (A) suddenly, or (< ) m miaon, or [it) while detained in any lunatic asylum ; .ind whose body sluill be lymy »kad. ('2 ) The caube and ougiu ot any hie whereby any building, ship, or meich.uidiac, or auy stack ot corn, pulae or li.vy, oi any gi owing crop, sh.ill be destroyed oi damaged." Fiom this it is evident that at only one conclusion was it possible, according to law, for the jiuy to arine, and that is the conclusion which is contained in the words of the verdict as first given, and as we i have (Rioted it above. The duty of the jury was to inquire into the manncl£.of this infant's death. But as it had never lived, as, according to the evidence, it was still-boin, it could not have died. Had the medical evidence shown that the I child was born alive, that it had breathed, thon the jm-y's duty v>ould li ,ve been to have found and declined, if they could, from circuinst.mtia 1 evidence, by what means oi at whose hands the child came by its death. But it ni'vof Hruithod, and thpre co"M ko no death of that which never Had any separate existence. With the woman's confession to the police that she was the mother of the dead child, the jury had nothing to do m this particular case ; at least they could take no dnect action in the matter. The evidence no doubt produces a pmna facie case of concealment of birth ; bivt it is not for a Coroner's jury to establish a case of concealment of bnth where death has not followed, or to find a verdict for that offence, any more than for such a jury to liViumnu into a case of theft or burglary. We a entitle to say that had the juiy leturned a verdict charging Fanny Dvnls with concealment of birth, and the Couoni:k had issued a warrant committing the girl for trial for that crime, tho proceedings would have been quashed on the ground that the action taken was outside the jurisdiction of the Coiton ut\s court of inquiiy. Had tho child been pioved tohave lived and died the case would have been different. As it is tho verdict is a proper and well-considered finding ; and further proceedings against the pei son accused fall to be undertaken not by or through the Coroner or the jury but by tho jieace oflicers, who, in the piopei Court, will no doubt, in due time, lay a cliaige of concealment of birth Meantime, wo think the jury displayed a judicious and logical discrimination, which it would be satisfactory to witness more frequently among that niuchcnticised body, the Coroner's |ury.

Some objections havo been taken to the assumption by a mining company at Waitokauri of a name so closely resembling tlian of an already existing company, that it is alleged an actual infringement of the law m the mattei has occurred. There is already a well-known company lon« celebrated called the "Caledonian," which has for many years been registered under the Mining Companies Acts ; and now a new " Caledonia " has proclaimed itself by name. For the information of those who are concerned in starting mining companies, of which apparently a plentiful crjp is about to appear, and to prevent complications that may arise from mistakes in nomenclature, we quote the following clauses relating to the subject from the Mining Companies Act of 1872.— 1.%. No company shall be registered 'under .1 name identical with that by which a subsisting comii.uiy is already n.-;.'istercd or ho ni'dili/ rrHemblmq the name at to br cuhuUitftl to mislead ; and if any company through ni ulveiteucc oi otheiwiso is lugistcml by a n anc identical with that by which a subsisting company is registcied, oi so neaily lescmblmg the .same as to bo calculated to mislc.nl suuli firit-muntioued company shall, .it ihc ) equi.it ot tho Kcijistrar with whom thi. im'inoramlnm of application has been deposited or hi" successor in office, change its name, and upon such change being mado the said Registrar shall give nofcico at tho expense of the company of the change so m ule, by inserting .i notice thereof in the Gazette, or in one newspaper published in or near tho district in which bucIi company can ids on busmoss ; but no such alteration of name shvll affect any rights or obligations of the company, oi render defective any Ieg»l proceedings instituted or to be institute 1 by or against the company, and any lc^il pioeeedmgs may be continued or commenced against the company under its new name that might have been continued or eo'innenced against the company by iN fonnor name. \\M. II any company shall bi> lequired to change its name as aforesaid, and ahall mike default loi ten days to do so afUr bung so mpiired, such company shall incur a penalty not exceeding hvo pounds for

evciv Jay during which such default con 'iunes after the expnation of the said ten days.

Tin; fjijttrllon Tunis gives us an account of the last general meeting of the Lyttclton \.icht('lub, held in that city. It appear fiom tlic leport that there was but a ino.igic ivttendance of membcis, and that tho Lyttil ton Yacht Club generally does not excite much enthusiasm The receipts foi the past year only amounted to t70, winch sum was ■Aaetly balanced by the expenditure. It 1^ i pity that aquatic sports do not meet with moio success in New Zealand. .Sydney alone, out of all the Colonies, seems to go i foi yachting and rowing with a will, and has on more than one occasion signally distinguished heiself, even when in competition with home yachts and home rowers. Still there is ■something artificial about all modern yachting and i owing matches that might well be altered, so as to give these tiials of seamanship and strength something more of a practical nature. Yachts being now built solely with a view to their attaining an exaggerated rate of speed, ate generally fine weather vessels, and totally unable to cope with a winter sea or winter weather, such as a mere fishing smack would think nothing of. The absurd height ot their masts and enormous spread of sails which they carry, render them unsafe even m a port, as the recent capsi/iug in New York harbour of the ' Mohawk,' the largest yacht afloat, goes far to prove. More exaggerated models still are coming in vogue ; a elassof sailing outrigger yachts has recently been built on the Delaware, in which, when abrce/e or "wooly" 19 seen comiag across the smooth surface of the water, "hyke out ' is the cry, and the crew scramble out on the outrigger, more or less far according to the strength of the puff. And in yachts without outriggers the men are now some times pi ovided with a bag of ballast each, with which they b dance the vessel by alwiys keeping themselves and their bags on tho weather side. This is something after the style of the Ceylon catamaran men, who gauge the wind accoi ding to the number of men required on the outi ggcr to pi event a capsi/c, and call it a twonian (>i fournian bm>/e, according to its stiength And a South Sea «utngger canoe, with its rude mat sail will ho closer* to tho wind, and id smooth water sail licttei than iiny yacht afloat. A return shonlil be made towards the most ancient and seaworthy btyle of yachts, such as the ' America,' of New York, which first crossed the Atlantic lor the Quean's pn/e many yeais ago The model of the fast sailing yacht was formerly derived from the shape of a fast swimming fish, but SfERlts, who built the 'America,' was the first to obseive that as lish switn entirely under water, the body of an aquatic bird would suggest the lines of a better model. Thfi architecture and sea going qualities of his vessels have never been surpassed, and they weie fit to encounter the roughest assaults of ] wind and sea. Yachting in such vessels is a j far nioi e manly and far more practical sport than is ofteml l>y the modern class of overspan ed and over sharp yachts. And what can be said m favour of tho absurd outrigger boat-, in use in lowing matches, when a trial of stiength and skill could just as well be made in a fast whale boat, and with a result of practical usefulness ' Evidently these spotts were better understood 20 years ago than they are novr

Tut ' Thundeier ' boilur cxplosiou has shown that the most inexcusable negligence sometimes occurs even on board a double turreted ironclad, and with the Chief Inspector of Machinery in charge of the engines. It appeal s that the steel wedges which fastened down the safety-valve and other escape-valves, during the hydraulic test of the boiler, had not been removed. As the safety- valves were supposed to be loaded to Mow off at liOlb , it is strange that the rapid ascent of t lie steam-gauge did not warn thoso whose duty it was to watch it, — that after the 30lb. pressure had been attained and passed, non* of th« ralves wei<> lifting. Tho loss of life was terrible, and besides the many who were blown to pieces, the men in the after stoke-holo were described as having been actually boiled to death. Had such an acci dent happened in action, the consequences might have been far moro disastrous, and yet it might in an engagement become necessaiy I to put on more steam than is usually deemed prudent 01 necessary, and some measures ot pi coalition m case of an explosion would then have to be decided upon. There are many other difficult points and dangers connected with the huge floating citadels which have taken the place of tho old wooden fleet, and doubtless we shall have to wait for the lint grc.it naval battle to teach ua by experience how these difficulties are to be met.

A man named William Hydo was arrested yesterday, drunk and staggering beneath the weight ot a cheese which he was endeavouring to hide under his coat. He was relieved of his Imult'tv l»y Constable Abrams, who took him to the Police station. A short time after he arrived theie, it was found that the cheese had been stolen, and Hyde will theiefoiebe charged with the larceny this morning, when it will be his duty to explain satisfactorily how he became possessed of the cheese. There was a laige attendance at St, Matthew's Church last night when the childien of the Sabbath -school performed an ot.itouo entitled "The life of our Lord." The oratorio consisted of various hymns, selected horn a book in use among the childien initiative of the chief events in the life of Christ. Between each hymn an appioptiate passage of JScnptuie was read by the Rev. K. S. Hasiaid. The organ was played by Mr. Joseph Brown. 'Hie whole perfoiniauuc was about the most successful I service of song which has yet been given in the city. The tluldien sang the various pieces sweetly and with admirable precision To day boing St. Matthew's day a children's /lowei show and exhibition will be held in the school-room The show will be open from half past two in the afternoon to half-past six in the evening. To mark the opening night of tho dramatic season, tho Tluatre Koyal was yesteiday evening made atti active to those who weie traversing Queen street by the exhibition of a bnlh.infc lirue light. This was shown from the root of the building, and, in addition to the usual star ot gas, caused the neighbourhood of the theatre to be as light as day. The Acting-Chairman of the City Council, Mr. F. L. Prime, has called a meeting ot the burgesses to-night, to be held in the Mechanics' Institute. Tho meeting is called at the mjuest ot a number of ratepayers who dean e to heai tho views of the two candidates for civic honours. The meeting takes place at half-past seven o'clock. An entertainment is to be held in the Pittstreet tichool room to-monow evening in aid of the organ hind of the Wesleyau Church. The piogramme, aspubhshe i in our advutis- j mg coIuhilw, is ot a varied and attractive chaiacter. To monow evening tiie Rev. Mr. Tomlinhou will dchvei his lecture on " Venice" in tho hall ot the Young Men's Christian Association, it will be illustrated by some beautiful dissolving views ot thia tine old city by Mr. Crook, aud with selections of mubic. A pleasant evening's amusement may be anticipated. Tho Engineer Volunteers turned out in full toice last night, and inarched round the town, preceded by then band, which perfoimed several lively selections of music. The company was dismissed at nine o'clock, at the coiner of Wellcsley .street. Five drunkards weie puuished at the Police Court yesterday moiuing. Henry Swam WtVj comiuitcudto the Lunatic Asylum | o i the testimony ot Uis Uoldsbro' and Ellis, \> ito wuc both 01 opinion that the man was a kle t itoiuani ie William Lloyd was lined tor furious <liiving,and nairowly eucaped b>.uig punished lor contumpt of Court. Messrs. A Beetham and G. P. Donne were the uicuhUu^ J uuticed, |

For many years past the usefulness of Mr. Buckland's annual shepp fair has been abundantly proved. Farmers who have sheep to sell bring them forward from ill jnrts of the province, and from all parts of Auckland, and oven from the adjoining piovmces, purchasers come to the innual sheep fair. The benefit which the shoup fair haibeon fouud to confer upon the owners of sheep has been envied by the nuiu'iq and purchasers of cattle. Ah the Hpring advance the grass begins to grow, and many farmers come ■ low n to the weekly market at Remuera and Ellershe to purchase store and other stock to take back with, them Much iBtending purchasers have not unfrequently found th&t they had to wait several weeks before they could pick up the number and kinds of cattle they wanted. This delay was eminently disagreeable, and many have asked why could there not be an annual cattle fair &« well as a sheep fair. The want evidently existed, and Mr. Buckland has endeavoured to supply that want. The first cattle fail is to be held on the 27th inst., at Remuera, when it is expected over 1.000 head of cattle will be exhibited and offered for sale. Already over 800 have been catalogued, brought from many parts of the province A number of the entries appear m our advertising columns, for which it will be seen that along with other ordinary run of store stock, a considerable number of well - bred animals will be offered for sale. Such a gathering of young and store stock will oe of great advantage to intending purchasers, and will be sure to draw a largo number of those who desire to stock their pastures now that iammcr is approaching. Once established, and its usefulness proved, the annual cattle fair will no doubt be lookod forward to both by intending buyers and sellers with as much interest as is the annual sheep fair. A painful accident occurred on Tuesday (says the Thame-t Advertiser) on board the ' Enterprise ' steamer, then lying alongside the Shorthand Wharf, to Mr. J. Lenfcon, cai ter. The steamer was being unloaded at the tune, and Mr. Lenton went down the hold to look after some goods which he had to deliver. He was climbing out of the hold when he accidentally placed his hand on the steam winch which was raising the cargo, 'lwoof his fingers got caught in the cogwheels, and the first joints of both fingers were instantly cut off and dropped into the hold Mr. Lenton at once went and had the wounded fingers dressed and bandaged, but although the injury must have been very painful, he returned to his business. The fifteenth annu al meeting of the Auck land United Cricket Club is advertised to b« held in the Thames Hotel on the 22nd instant, at half-past seven o'clock. The assessment list in the Mount Eden Highway District has been prepared ; and on the 24th instant, at the Eden Vine Hotel, objections against the rate will be heard by the trustees. Not a bad instance of " Scotch wit " occurred in Dunedin last week, and is worth detailing. An " Old Identity," hailing from the " Land o' cakes," whose residence in the T.iien plain has somewhat sharpened his native wit, if not filled his pockets, paid the city a viait foi the purpose of disposing of his produce His business over, Sawme was having a look round before returning home (Junosity led him into one of those veil Unown "Loan and Discount" houses where the lirst object that met his eye was " The man of business," with '• spectacles on, and tair round belly with fat capon lined," seated behind the counter engaged in elaboiate calculation over his profits and returns. Curiosity again got the better of our hero, and he asked, " Hae, mon, what dae sell in this shop?" Our local Shylock, not smel ing a customer, and wishing to shut up the inquiBitivc Scot, replied shortly, and in no gentle tone, " Blockheads, sir!" "Ae, mon," retorted the other, " what a good sale ye maun hae had, for I see only aue left," and depal ted, feeling himself for once master of th» Mitu.ition. The Russian natural^ M. N. de Mtklucho Maclay, has returned to his old field of scientific lesearch in Astrolabe Bay, ou the north-east coast of New Guinea. He wishes that shipowners and ship masteis trading in \the neighbourhood of the b ly would occasionally visit him, so as t> afford assistance if required, and to con\ev intelligence of his movements to the colonies. Tree I'l-.uhii',' : Last year th" Nt Paul i'/t'^i (U S ) <ilF ,• I a, vi'u's auiHuuption as a premium to the man m each count/ who should pi int tlie largest number of trees and cuttm?-?, not less than l.ODli in number, during the season. Twenty-two counties out "t th- sixty odd in the State competed for the piuimuui, making a total of 297, 6G3 t 1 -cs planted in one year, Martin county alone planting 42,000. The Consumption of Tobacco : Cons umers of the "fragrant weed" maybe interested to know that no less a sum than £7,393,611 was paid as duty in the United Kingdom upon importations of unmanufactured tobacco in the yen- IS/."), as against £7,204,546 in 1874, ,uid £7,030,790 in 1873. Upon manufactuied tobicco and suuff, tho duty amount*, for the thr^e years commencing with 1873, were — £300.356, £317.061, and £'327,, r >47. It appears horn this that tho consumption of tobacco is steadily increasing. A lady correspondent writes from London : — It ia the bnet time of garden parties, and of tho toilettes raw'vsan'M which are specially invented too do honour to those pleasant and picturesque assemblages Among the latter I have observed several specimens of headattire which must have been suggested by a whisper from Flora on one sulo and from Pomona on the other, each urgmg her respective cl urns ou the attention of the artists who devised them, so profuse are their ilowei aiul fnut decorations. The hat or bonnet is> merely a foundation on which the supustiucture is built of daisies, roses, hmiLys.ui.kle, jesjamine, cherries, black and whiLe eui rants, red and green grapes, and even the mote autumnal ears of corn, and Imnch'es of bl ickborries Lace and feathers have been supplanted by these rich and glowing adornments, and the effect produced dy aqioupof girls ou a grassplut, in the desultory attitudes of a garden party, is very like that of a bevy of market maidens in .i continental market place, with their fiat platteia of fruit and flowers on their heads. Twisted garlands of real flowers worn a* sashes on the clinging skirts, which are still in vogue, arc justly regarded as the moat elegant of appendages to the costume, bat they wither rapidly. , Tho World gives the following as the last new notion in ladies' dresses :— " The Paris papers announce that it is considered that silk, velvet, and so forth, cannot be made to h't close enough to the female form divine, aud that wone shortly to be gratified by the siglit of unra^ots <n peau de cJ/evreau, or in other words, bodies fitting vsry literally " like a kid glove," as thoy are to b» made ot th it nutui lal, as if kid gloves were not dear enough already. Ladies, I suppose, will be heard at Ascot betting so maav • cun .isses ' to oue a^amst KLsher or Petrarch for thu Ledger." Cut Feed for Horses : An accurate farmer furnishes us with a statement of his experinuMit of famishing cut food to hia horses, accompanied with weighing and measuring. He cuts oats and btr.vw about an inch long with a raw hide cylinder machine, and this chopped straw is then treated with cornnical and bran mixed in about equal quantities as to weight, so that each horte hat about a bushel of cut feed and three quarts of the meal and bran twice in each day. Sometimes hay is cut instead of oat-straw, or both mixed It is found thnt 2001 bs. per wei-k of tln-> mixture ot coru-meal and bran, added to the cut feed, will keep a pair of working horsos m the best condition. This, he is satisfied from rxpjriraent, is less than two thirds tlie cost of keeping thuiu on uncut flrv and whole giain. The corn rueul alone is not uo go<>il for hordes as when mixed with bran. An excellent meal is made of ground oats Tho fodder is cut bv horse power, on stormy or spare days, and stored in larg* bins bo as to furnish always a surplus mi hand. — Country Gentleman.

Absorption of Silica by Growing Plants : Tlio curioui discovery, s.iys the Scientific American, is announced by Professor P. B. Wilson, of Washington University, Baltimore, that minutely pulverised silica is take* up in a free state by plauts from the soil, and that such silica is assimilated without c'icmical or other change. The experiment consisted In fertilising a field of wheat with the infusorial earth found near Richmond, Ya. This earth, it is well known, consist* of the ab«Uk of microscopic marine 'nsocta, known as diatom*, which under strong magnifying ptwers reveal many beautiful forms that hare been resolved,- classified and named. After the wheat was grown Professor Wilson treated the straw with nitrio acid, subjected the remains to microscopic test, and found therein the same kinda of shells or diatoms that aro present in the Richmo»d earth, except that the larger sized shells were absent, showing that only silica particles below a certain degree of fineness can ascend the Hap pores of tho plant. This discovery opens up a new line of research in agricultural investigation, from which important results and much additional knowledge may accrue.

Au extraordinary meeting of the shareholders in the Thames Gas Co. is advertised to be held in the company's office en the 2nd October, at soon, to coniider the queation of a reduction in the price of g*s. A meeting of the trustee! in the Graf ton Road Highway District is to be held thii evening in tho school-room, to hear objections (if any) against the rate for the present 7«» r -