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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4733, 7 October 1886, Page 2

The Hon. Mr Ballauce is expected at Waipawa to-morrow. The object of his visit is said to be to induce the natives to sell their land. It is little enough land the southern Hawke's Bay Maoris have now in their possession, but even that little is coveted, and the Native Minister does not think it beneath his position to act the part of a land purchase commissioner.

In reply to enquiries in reference to the police force, we may say that under the Police Force Act of last session, there does not appear to be any power vested in the Commissioner to disrate an officer. Section 10 says "that any Commissioner may suspend or dismiss, or any Inspector may suspend until the decision of a Commissioner is known." In the Army, we believe, a sergeant cannot be disrated without having been tried by Court Martial. In tho Police Force, the Commissioner's decision in respect of an officer's conduct may be an order to disrate him, and if he does not choose to accept lower rank, he has apparently the alternative of dismissal. We decline to publish any letters having reference to the internal working of a public department.

Mr J. R. Riley, who is not altogether unknown in Napier, he having resided here for some months, and it will be remembered scored well in the cricket match against Wellington last year, is the suggestor of the publicans giving a day's takings to the Hospital. The following is his letter to the Post: — " Sir, —Having learned of late how difficult it is in this the Empire City of Now Zealand to gather money for any charitable purposes, I would suggest that one day's gross takings be given by every publican in the district, and equally divided with the Hospital and Homo for tbe poor and aged needy. I think this would be a very simple way of gathering a good round sum every year for our sick and aged friends, and no publican would ever miss one day's takings out of 365." Ho includes Sundays, it will be seen, in his takings.

At the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday, F. W. Carroll, with several aliases, charged with larceny, was acquitted. Alfred Waters was convicted, of forgery, and remanded for sentence.

Tho following are to-day's mercury readings: — Russell 55, Auckland 61, Thames 60, Gisborne 49, Napior 49, Wanganui 55, Wellington 54, Nelson 51. Greymouth 43, Bealy 40, Christchurch 47, Dunedin 49, Invercargill 55, and Bluff 48.

Mr G. A. Preece, R.M., has received instructions to make a definite offer for the purchase of native lands south of the Porangahau river. It is tho old story of Naboth's vineyard over again. After all the crocodile tears that have been shed by the Stout Government over the reckless way in which the Maoris have parted with their heritage, it is amusing to see the efforts made to pick up the remaining acres at the instigation of a few wire pullers.

For many months the tanning industry in Victoria has been gradually declining from a variety of causes, which (says the Age) if not speedily checked, will cause it to come to a standstill. The principal grievance that has been felt in connection with the trade is that the demand for dressed leather has been met by heavy importations that can be placed upon the market at a very cheap rate, owing to the flagrant manner in which the tariff has until recently been evaded. Another reason assigned for the dulneßß of the industry has been the long continued depression in the boot trade, and lastly, the increasing exportation of hides during the last ten or twelve years. The Tanners' Union give the following reasons for the depression:—l. The scarcity of the raw material, such as the wattle bark, occasioned by the action of the Government in not making adequate provision for future requirements. 2. The adherence to the cruel practice of branding on the part of the pastoralist, that depreciates the value of the hide when dressed. 3. The small modicum of protection afforded the tanning trade, as compared with other trades. 4. The iniquitous application of tho Health Act of 1883, that designates the tanning trade " noxious," and hampers the trade by preventing an extension of the trade. A new industry for utilising nightsoil has been established at Dunedin. The nightsoil is deodorised, dried, ground into power, and then sold as manure. At the Supreme Court, Dunedin, yesterday, Thomas Medder and Thomas Reglick were found guilty of larceny, „nd Patrick Davis of passing counterfeit coin, sentence in each case being deferred. A word of praise is due to the gentlemen in charge of the telegraph at Hastings racecourse for their courtesy, as well as for the despatch used in forwarding the long messages wired by our representative, and as the messages were pretty numerous to the Press Association papers, the promptness with which they were forwarded was commendable.

The manager of the Auckland syndicate of tobacco growers has reported on Paora Torotoro's tobacco leaf grown at Pakowhai, as follows: — "1886. Quality, good seconds, value from 6d to 7d. 18S5. Quality bad, no value. Tho first is good leaf sound and with a body; larger leaf with more in proportion of unbroken second is perished, no -ody and substance gone, unripe, bottom leaf probably, no use in manufacturing." Tho manager has made a mistake in supposing that tho two samples were grown at different seasons. They were both grown this year, but were of different varieties of the plant. A chimney catching fire in Hastingsstreet last night resulted in a fire alarm. A telegram from Auckland to the Sydney Morning Herald says:—" Tt is reported that Major Atkinson is likely to retire temporarily from political life." An Auckland telegram says it is understood that Superintendent Thomson will despatch an officer to Sydney by the first steamer in regard to the Caffrey business. An extraordinary phenomenon was recently witnessed at Cupar Fife. About eight o'clock in the morning an immense shower of flies fell, completely covering the road near the railway station to the extent of some 600 yards. The flies were dead when they fell, and were larger than the ordinary house fly. A lady, writing to the Wellington Evening Press, makes some sensible remarks on the text of sparing the rod and spoiling the child. She says : —" Great complaints have recently been made through the Press about

the disgraceful conduct of street larrikins. Larrikinism arises from the imperfect training of youths in the colony; or, in other words, because mothers will not adopt the birch on their dearly beloved sons' bare backs. There was a time in the days of our grandmothers when this useful domestic article was in daily use; and in the old days in England boys were birched by their mothers up to 16 or 17, and were none the worse for being trundled across the knees of those stalwart matrons. Mothers of the present day think it is degrading or humiliating to their sons, and they neglect that time honored institution, the birch, and the result is street larrikinism. It would be a great benefit to the community if ladies would make the birch fashionable once again and revive the old custom ; for tlie birch, to be useful and effective, must be used by mothers or female teachers and not by men, for the simple reason that growing youths are all the more ashamed of themselves when chastised by ladies— especially when placed across the knee. At a college in Hertford, England, not many years ago, tho custom was for a waggon load of birches to be delivered at the scnool as required, and that they were kept busy is a good proof when they took a waggon load at a time. Perhaps the ladies can inform us through your columns what means they adopt to chastise their growing sons, and why they have allowed the birch (which used to be sold in every grocer's shop in the country districts of England) to go out of fashion."

Manawatu Standard calls the sixth standard girls' party a ■' hen party ■! " Why not chicks ?

The North Ocago Times complains of the reduction made in the rate of freight on frozen meat from Oamaru to Dunedin, which it considers an attempt on the part of the Government to injure the port and prevent large steamors going there.

The new college degree is to he B. J.— Bachelor of Journalism. The Bachelor of Journalism generally begins his career by washing- rollers and acquainting himself with the editorial policy of the fireman.

At the Supreme Court, Christchurch, yesterday, Frederick Percy Hunt as convicted of indecent assault upon a jrirl eight years of age. Sentence was deferred, Charles Brown, for unlawfully wounding, was sentenced to six months' hard labor. He had stabbed a young man with a pocket knife. James Castle, for violent assault, was sentenced to 12 months' hard labor.

The new Prince's bridge which is being built over the Yurra river; at Melbourne, is estimated to cost one hundred and fifty thousand pounds.

A very elaborate and beautiful car for Mrs Langtry's exclusive use while travelling through the States is being constructed. It will be christened The Langtry, and contains every conceivable appliance to meet the wants and provide for the comfort of its occupant. Hotelkeepers throughout the country (says an English paper) are not overjoyed to learn that Mrs Langtry intends living in the car altogether during this trip, aud that they will not be permitted to cater for her pleasure or present her with any tidy little bills for their hospitalities. A chef will be among the features of the Lily'B magnificent residence on wheels.

Several fragments of the dead body of a woman wrapped in cloth and paper were picked up in the streets of Montrouge, a suburb of Paris, at the beginning of August. Toward midnij-ht two mcii on their wav home found lying in a corner of tho Avenue d'Orleans a parcel covered with a piece of waxcloth, which, ou being opened, was found to contain parts of the legs and arms of a woman. After these fragments had been examined at the police-office, a search was mado in tho streets for tho other parts of the body. In the Rue d'Alesia a second fragment was found by the police at 3 o'clock "in the morning in another part of the street. The third packet was found at 4 o'clocW, rolled up in grey paper, noar the Montrouge railway ".tatioii. It was lying

in the grass, where no attempt hsd been made to conceal it. It contained the chest of the same woman, with the right breast cut off. The search was continued very actively in the hope that the head and tha other parts would also be found, but at midday nothing more had been discovered. An examination of the remains has been ; made in presence of the authorities, from i which it appears that death must have been recent, that the body had been cut up and ' then torn into parts with a narrow knife, nnd by someone who had had no experience in such operations. The hands are small, and are those of a woman quite unaccustomed to manual labor. It is curious that a few days previously a similar discovery was made of the dead body of a girl 4 or 5 years «f age, rolled up in a sheet of green serge. The packet was found on the staircase of a house in the Rue Saint Martin. The corners of the cloth were tied in knots, and tha openings were carefully stitched together so as to conceal what was inside. The child was well fed, and had regular features, blue eyes and light hair. Shu had been dead about eighteen hours before the discovery of the body. Various indications lead to the supposition that she belonged to a better class than that indicated by tha dress she wore.