The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3112, 18 June 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 1881.

In consequence of the heavy per centage of wool which aunually reaches the London market in a damaged condition, a set of rules has been drawn up by the Marine Underwriters' Association of Wellington for the purpose of defining the responsibilities ot insurers and insured. The excessive claims made in London upon the underwriters of wool coming from the port of Wellington have caused enquiry into the exceptional treatment it receives. It appears from the information obtained that in many instances the precautions taken to preserve wool from damage are quite inadequate, and the inference is that better care is not taken because it is trusted that depreciation will be made good by the underwriters. Producers of wool are, therefore, reminded that insurance companies are not bound to make good any damage that can be anticipated ; all exigencies of both route and weather must be provided for, so that at the outset it shall appear fully warranted to expect the safe arrival in an undamaged condition. The cover is only against accident in its strict sense, after all means have been adopted to ensure safety, and sufficient to surmount the ordinary and known perils which the goods can meet. It is such a casualty as is usually spoken of as an " Act of God" in distinction to that which might have been anticipated by an ordinary intelligence, and avoided by care. To apply this rule shearing must be done under cover and when the wool is dry, or it must be subsequently dried. While in shed all reasonable precaution must be taken against fire. Men must not sleep within the shed on inflammable material such as hay or straw, or any other practice be allowed that a prudent and uninsured oivner would not permit. The storage of inflammable material is not allowed in wool sheds. In carriage from shed the wool must be thoroughly protected from weather by tarpaulins. The conveyance chosen must be the best available, and no license can be taken in this respect to adopt other means whereby additional risk is incurred. Wool waiting shipment on the coast must be stored or in some way secured against wet and other damage. Shipping wool on the coast must be done according to the circumstances as they present themselves, in such a manner as to promise its safe carriage to the vessel, and no risk outside this which is taken to expedite business can become a burden upon the companies. Damage occurring will be evidence that proper precautions have not been taken unless the accidental nature of the cause be shown. Stowage on board must be under hatches with dunnage sufficient to avoid damage. Decks must be tight and calculated to keep cargo dry in all weathers, when discharged on the wharf or waiting shipment into homeward vessel care must be taken to protect the interest from weather. Damaged wool must be the immediate and active care of the owner both to rescue from danger and recondition as effectually as poseible. The insurance contract strictly implies this, and makes the cost of the operations a charge against the insuring company recoverable in the game manner as depreciation in value. Statement of damage and full particulars of the manner in which it occurred must be made in every instance where the company is claimed upon. No vague statement as " a few bales more or less damaged," " a few bales received wet," or any such-like description will be accepted to support a specific claim for damage. Marks and numbers must be given in full with a statement of circumstances connected with the casualty. In all cases in which wool is delivered in bad order and without such particulars, as above, it will be treated as primafacie evidence that the persons delivering are responsible for the loss. Abandonment can only be made when the damage is of such a nature as under a fair estimate the cost to make marketable and of transportation to original destination appears greater than the whole value when there. Carriers to avoid undue responsibility for damage should both give and take receipts for goods, and particularly note the condition. It is trusted that the foregoing will have the effect of obtaining better treatment in the conveyance of this important export. It is one of the most valuable commodities handled, and suffers from exposure to an equal degree with the most sensitive

In would appear from what was said by Mr Bryce ia the House last night that His Excellency, in a despatch to the Imperial Government, misrepresented the reasons that led to the retirement of the late Native Minister from tbe Cabinet. Mr Bryce said he had made it a point of honor not to make to anyone a statement of his reasons for retiring, and this was in fulfilment of a pledge given to his colleagues. We have therefore not had tbe true reason for his retirement, and Mr Bryce's own statement concerning disagreement with his colleagues in respect to his desire to march on Parihaka and arrest Te Whiti, if need be, may be consequently now accepted as containing but half the truth. We stated it as our belief at the time that Mr Bryce's resignation was due to Gubernatorial influence, and we are now led to think that our surmise was correct. Mr Bryce requested the Government should give the same publicity to his real reasons for retiring as had been given in the erroneous statement contained in His Excellency's despatch. The Premier, in reply, said that Ministers had known nothing of the despatch till long after it had been sent. They would, however, endeavor to comply with Mr Bryce's request. The tone of the Premier's reply, as conveyed in its telegraphic report, is very unsatisfactory. If the Governor, in his despatches home, can, without reference to his responsible advisers, put a false coloring to public events, a most undesirable state of affairs will speedily arise. It is to be hoped tbe House will take the matter up warmly.

The Hawke's Bay County Council sits on Monday next, and the Education Board on Tuesday. The Supreme Court on Monday will be occupied with the case of Sutton versus Todd The case of Evans versus the JBank of New South Wales is Eet down for Tuesday, and on Wednesday Rees versus Barker. The members of the Working Men's Clab will meet in their assembly room this evening for the of discussing the provisions of the Licensing Bill now before Parliament in their relation:-, to the licensing and control of clubs in/general.

Tho Auckland City Council bave re* ceived official intimation that the visit of the Royal Squadron with the English Princes is quite uncertain.

It will be ssen by our telegrams that the throo Hawke's Bay members voted lasfc nignt in favor of raising the Chinese pole tax to £50. The Government supported the £10 tax, and carried it by a majority of -• one. Sir George Grey, who his so repeatedly expressed himself in favor of preserving , tho Caucasian race in this colony pure and undefiled, absented himself froiu tho House on tiiis occasion.

I;.i Chambers to-day His Honor Judge Gillies, upon tho application of Mr Brassey as counsel for Mr R. Cooper, granted a rule nisi, returnable at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, or as soon thereafter as counsel could be heard calling upon H. Eyre Kenny, Esq., 8..M., and Mr W. L. Rees, to show cause why a i writ of prohibition should not issue against the R.H\ Court from further proceeding in the case of Kees versus Cooper for using insulting language for the purpose of annoyance and provocation, and it was also ordered that in the meantime all proceedings be stayed. The case will be argued in Chambers on Tuesday.

Herr Bandmann repeated laefc night hie representation of Bhakespear's grand tragedy of "Hamlet," and we were glad to see so large a house to witness a performance that was marked by such ability - and intelligence. We need not refer more particularly to the play, as it was cast the same as when Herr Bandmann presented it here before, with the slight exception - that Miss Jessie Raymond was appointed the character of the " Play"' Queen and Osric. To-night " Macbeth " will be produced as a farewell performance, and will conclude a dramatic season that will long be remembered in Napier as being of most exceptional excellence.

At the regular convocation of the Victoria Chapter, held last evening, after the usual Royal Arch business had been disposed of, the following Comuanione were respectively elected to the undermentioned offices! —Most Excellent Companions H.A.O. Wundram as M.E.Z., W. t>. McLeod as M.E.H., Principal Sojourner Companion H. A. Cornford as M.E.J., Excellent Companion E. M. Miller as S.E., Companions J. W. Upchuroh as S.N., M. R. Miller as Treasurer, W. Beilby as Principal Sojourner, Gk Baillie as Janitor, after which the Companions eat down to the usual repast, and separated at a comparatively early hour.

The Wellington correspondent of the Nelson Colonist writes:—" His Excellenoy tho Governor appears to be very fond of music Both he and Lady Gordon usually stay to hear the whole of the voluntary which Mr Parknr, the able organist of St, Paul's Church, plays at the conclusion .of the services. Two results have followed upon their adoption of this practice. One is that Mr Parker plays longer and more ambitious pieces of music than he ever attempted before, and the other is that the church remains, after the service is closed, half-filled with people, who never exhibited any interest in the musio before, however fine it may be, but always scuttled home with tho greatest celerity immediately the benediction was pronounced. I was always afraid there was a good deal of snobbery in Wellington, but I don't like to see it carried into church."

A singular' case of mental disease is reported by the Auckland Herald—that of a female patient in the Lunatic Asylum. She was admitted shortly before Ohristmaa from the country, her reason having given way through domestic infelioity, and under circumstances of a peculiarly trying character. Dnring the whole of the above period she has never spoken a single word, and the only movement of the body as she lies on her pallet is the ceaseless tossing day and night of her head on the pillow. If left to her own devices she would die of voluntary inanition, and she is kept alive by small quantities of milk being forced through the clenched teeth. As time roll*, on the restless tossing of the head is becoming more feeble in its manifestations, and the poor woman must ultimately sucoumb to exhaustion. The case has completely baffled medical skill, and is one rarely met with in medical experience.

The following rather startling adventure by flood and field is narrated in an Australian contemporary as occurring during the recent flood at a place called the Six-mile Gate, leading to a certain station. It appears that a man and his wife passed through, and reached the above locality on the day the rain commenced. He had hig wife and goods in a spring- cart, and crossed a bend of the river to be near water. The rain poured down. Hβ oould not find hig horses. He was caught between the armg "of the creek. On the [next night the oart began to sway about in the water, and finally began to float. He thought it time then to shift. First he carried his wife, swimming about twenty yarda and wading the rest, and deposited her on high ground on the top of a ience. Next he swam with the child. Then he carried ofi some clothing and provisions, and at last lashed the dray to a tree. He and his family lived on the fence until the third day, when the water subsided.

A Wellington correspondent furnishes ua (Wairarapa Star) with the following , , which, we are assured, is genuine in every particular:—A few days ago the manager of one of the Wellington banks was requested by His Excellency to call on him re Government matters, and forthwith proceeded to Government House. The banker in question being no small beer in his own estimation, stood not upon formalities, but having , delivered his card, walked in without waiting to be announced. His Excellency was at the moment bnsily writing in Ma studio, and as he paid not the slightest attention to his visitor, the banker coughed several times. At last His Excellency looked up, and sternly surveying the intruder, said—" Why were you not introduced ?" " Oh," said the banker, " I gave my card." " But you were not introduced," retorted His Excellency.. The Banker wiped bis spectacles, and in a vexed tone rejoined, " For the future, your Excellency, any banking business had better be conduoted at the bank." His Excellency did not care to continue the dialogue, and the interview is said to have terminated somewhat abruptly.

The perambulator is not considered a. convenient vehicle upon the . pavement in England, but in America it ia looked upon with a vast amount of horror and disgust. The editor of a Detroit paper feele very strongly in this matter, or he would not indulge in language like the following : — " The baby carriage made its appearance yesterday for the season of 1881. It was occupied" by the usual baby, and it was propelled by the woman who looks into all the store windows as she goes along. A reporter, who followed the carriage for an hour, found that it collided with five women, ten men, six kerb blocks, four boxes, and a street car, and every collision only made the woman more determined to oocupy twothirds of the sidewalk, if it took all summer. She succeeded. They all succeed. A woman pushiug a baby carriage in front of her on the sidewalk is as dangerous as seven roller skaters and four velocipede riders combined. She can't kill a fullgrown man quite as promptly as a runaway team, but &he can knock his shins to pieces, tumble him over, upset all his good resolutions, and leave him flint-hearted and evil-minded. You can't dodge a baby cab."

In the Deseret News of the 20th of April is an article entitled " The Last of the Three Witnesses." It is a declaration by David Whitmer, sen., one of three who claim to be the original witnesses to tb« authenticity of the Book of MormonOliver ©oudery and Martin Harris being the other two. Mr Whitmer eeoeded from the Mormons owing to his objection to the doctrine of polygamy, and he left for Missouri, where he has> settled. It appears that a Mr John Murphy, of Polo, Caldwell County, Missouri has represented that Mr Whitmer in conversation with him denied hia former testimony as one of the three witnesses to the " Book of Mormon." Mr

whitmer, hearing of this, has written to the Richmond Conservator (Missouri), of date March 25, in which he etates: " Standing , , as it were, in the very sunset of life (75 years old), and in the fear of God, I desire oace for all to make this public statement, that I have never at any time denied that testimony, or any part thereof, whioh has so long since been published with that Book, as one of the three witnesses. Those who know me beat well know that I have always adhered to that testimony. My sincere desire is that the world may be benefitted by this plain and simple statement of the truth." At the bottom of this statement is published a long list of the names of public men, merchants, and Government officials, citizens of Richmond, Rug , County, Missouri, where Mr Whitmer has resided since 1838, who certify that " they have been long and intimately acquainted with him, and know him to be a man of undoubted truth and veracity."

Herr Bandmann and company in " Macbeth " to-night at 8. Meeting of the Working Men's Club this evening at 8. The Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society's ploughing match dinner will be held at Mr Beecroft's hotel on Tuesday evening next. Tenders invited for the erection of a timber jetty at the H.B. boiling-down. Messrs Monteith and Co. will sell on Thursday next 70 acres in the Seventy-mile Bush. Messrs Miller and Potts will sell at Kaikora on Friday next 50,000 feefc of timber. Messrs Price and Innes will commence their stock-taking sale on Monday next. The New Zealand Clothing Factory announce novelties in the clothing line. New goods and job lines are to be obtained at Eobinson's cheap drapery shop. A number of new advertisements will be found in our " Wanted" column.