Evening Post. TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1876.

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 45, 22 August 1876, Page 2

Evening Post. TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1876.

The resignation of the leadership of the Opposition by Sir George Grey is an act which has been practically forced upon him. For a long time past, it has been evident that Sir George . Grey did not possess the requisite qualities to be a good head of a political party. He is eloquent, a fearless speaker, and possesses a wonderful amount of energy in assailing abuses and denouncing. blunders in administration ; but he is at the same time rash and inconsiderate, so that no particular good ever coma? of his action. Naturally enough, the Auckland members have been getting tired of supporting a leader who achieved nothing. The defeat of the Separation resolutions showed them plainly that there was no hope of securing the objects they had in view in that direction. Nor in the meantime is there any prospect of the land fund being made Colonial revenue, so that no other course was open to them save that of trying to get the Government measures so modified as to confer upon their province the greatest practicable measure of benefit. Some of the Auckland members are shrewd sensible men, and do not see any use in fighting merely for opposition's sake. The motto ot Sir George is that he will go on resisting " Ake, Ake, Ake " for ever, for ever, for ever. Clearly there was nothing to be gained by supporting a leader of that sort. It was all very well while the separation resolutions were pending, for some oi the Auckland members and the Auckland people to declare that they would never abandon the struggle until their supposed rights had been obtained ; but now that jhese resolutions have been rejected, it is time to give over all this highfalutin nonsense, and look the position fairly in the face, with the view of trying to make the best of it. It was not bad tactics to hold mass meetiugs, pass strong resolutions, and even utter dire threats about armed resistance, so long as the Separation question was unsettled. Such a display of feeling was likely to make a majority ot their representatives vote staunchly for separation, and to a certain extent it afforded support to the cause. That stage of the business is now past, and any further exhibition of the old tactics will be childish and absurd. The Auckland people are somewhat foolish and unreasoning, but even they, we think, can scarcely expect their members to persevere in a resistance by which nothing can be gained. Doubtless on the first receipt of the news that the party is broken up, and that Sir George Grey is no longer its leader, there will be a great display of indignation. The Herald will bs irate, and the Star go into convulsions of fury, but they will cool down after a bit, and the end probably will be that the representatives of Auckland will be asked by their constituents to do the best they can for the Province, and to get as much as possible out of the General Government for it. We think this will be the outcome of the whole business. The bulk of the Auckland members will look to the main chance, while Sir George Grey, freed from the cares and anxieties ot leading a party, will still delight the He use and the country with charming orations concerning Magna Charta, Runnymede, the rights of man, and the welfare of the whole human race.

The East Coast Election Committee, who have now concluded then- inquiry, and are to-day to report the result to the House, had to consider the petition of one of the candidates —Captain Morris— against the return of Captain Reid, the candidate who was declared elected. The ground of petition was bribery. The counsel employed were Mr. J. H. Shaw for the petitioner, and Mr. G. E. Barton for the respondent. A great deal of evidence was. taken, and the proceeding^ are likely to prove costly to both sides. Fairfax Johnson, to whom M ajor Pitt had given £-20, for which he was convicted and fined, was one of the witnesses examined ; and the object of the petitioner was to piove the connection of Captain Read with Major Pitt. It appeared that a man named Henshaw was first appointed Captain Read's agent at Gisborne, but he \ras recalled, and Mnjor Pitt appointed in his place. On behalf of therespondent^Mr. Wilson, chairman of his committee, was called to prove that Pitt's appointment was by the committee, but in cross-examination he admitted that Captain Read had left himself in the hands of the committee, and did not interfere with the appointment beyond complaining of the expense. • 'ounter charges of bribery were brought against the petitioner, Captain Morris, the allegations being that he had offered £1 to a man for his vote, and £1 for every other vote he might procure, but Captain Morris distinctly denied having even seen the man by whom the statements were made, and especially denied having resorted to bribery.

According to the Estimates for 1876-77, the amount proposed to be expended on the Armed Constabulary is £30,000, as against £40,500 in the previous' year. This would appear to indicate that extensive reductions will be made. We find from the last annual report of the Commissioner of Armed Constabulary that the present number of this body consists of 676 of all ranks. These men are stationed in small bodies at. various places throughout the North Island, their main function being to act as a safe - guard in the event of native disturbances. Whether it is still worth while to keep up this expensive force is open to question. Any further native outbreaks are extremely unlikely of occurrence, and were proper encouragement given to the volunteer system throughout the North Island, we think the protection of the country from internal danger might be safely left to them. The armed constable in New Zealand has, on the whole, a very easy life indeed. He occasionally does some road-mak-ing, and over one third of the force has been so employed during the past year ; but as a rule bis duties are confined to attending parades and drills, carrying mails, doing escort and guard duty, and building houses, stable?, &c, as additions to his own quarters. It is a life of light work, comfortable quarters, abundant food, and moderate pay. Speaking from some personal knowledge of the force in several of the outlying districts, we think the assertions made by Lient.-Colonel Moule, as to its high degree of efficiency and discipline, are quite justified by tacts. In Auckland the Armed Constabulary are transformed into policemen, and perform the duties in a very satisfactory manner. Taken as a whole, we regard this small standing army as an expensive luxury, which the Colony can but ill afford. It hiay be that the time has not yet come when it would be altogether prudent to disband the force altogether, but it cannot be very far distant. Meantime, prudence indicates that a necessity exists for large reductions being made in this so-called defence expenditure.

The Dunedin firemen still are sorely exercised over the late Ballarat competition, and two letters from Superintendent Whiteford— one of which already has appeared in our columns, and another of much greater length addressed to the Daily Times — simultaneously published in that paper, have • 'greatly incensed" (to quote the telegram) " the Dunedin men." This is not very surprising, as Superintendent Whiteford clearly convicts the Dunedin representatives of shuffling, meanness, and falsehood. The Dunedin men contend that their agreement —to decide by lot which team should contest for the cup, the team so chosen to be assisted . by the other — gives them an equal right in the cup won by the chosen team, but conveniently ignore the damning fact that the Dunedin men, on losing the toss, declined to carry out that agreement, and left the Wellington men to contest with a smaller team. They now seek to share the spoils of victory, after sneaking out of their share in the contest — a contest undertaken on the faith of their promised aid, and carried to a victorious issue in spite of their breach of faith. Surely the force of meanness can no fanner go! We hope the Wellington men will decline any further negotiations or correspondence with their unworthy Dunedin brethren.

Copies of the resolutions passed at the Wakefield indignation meeting on Friday night were forwarded yesterday to the hon. member for Geraldine. Gordon, the passenger who lost his life during the last trip of the Alhambra between Wellington and Lyttelton, was seen by several old friends as he passed through Wellington, and some fears were entertained that he might be ! tempted to some rash act. Be had fur a long time resided in Hokitika, in the employment of Dr. Dermott, as dispenser. The following further particulars of the occurrence, so far as they are known, aw given by the Canterbury Press '• — " Gordon turned • in at -11 p*". on Saturday, aud\at_l.'46 aan. yesterday morning

a fellow passenger named W. Thompson, who slept in'the next bunk, woke up and found he was missing. He reported the matter to the mate, who had the ship thoroughly searched, but no trace ot the missing man could Be found. ' In his clothes wßite'-founa'jgll 7s 6£d in cash, a silver watch with" steel 'chain, four pocket books, and a purse; there was also 'a lot of luggage belonging to him on board. There is little doubt that the unfortunate man either fell or jumped overboard during the night or early morning. The ordinary weekly meeting of the Wellington Benevolent Institution will be held this afternoon. Among the donations received during the week is a handsome one of £25 from the parish of St. Peter's, Te Aro, which has deemed this the best method of fulfilling the Church's recognised duty to assist the distressed. We hope to see the good example thus set by St. Peter's followed by the other Churches in this city. Arrangements were finally completed yesterday afternoon between the Provincial Government and the Education Board on the one hand, and the Bank of New Zealand on the other, the effect of which will be to place the Board in funds to meet all its ordinary expenditure up to the period when the new system about to be initiated by the General Government comes into operation. Cheques were issued to-day for the salaries of the Board's staff, payment of which has been unavoidably delayed since the first of the month, owing to the lack of any funds wherewith to pay them. We hope the Board has finally emerged from its financial difficulties. The next meeting will be held to-morrow week, the 30th instant. The business will be merely the ordinary routine work. A young man named Rodolph Laurent, about eighteen years of age, was charged at the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day with having committed a criminal assault on Kate Morgan Meech, a girl only seven years of age. The prisoner, who was described as having been working at Coffey and Dixon's slip, Clyde Quay, had, according to the evidence of "the little girl, taken her underneath a boat in that neighborhood, and, having threatened to kill her if she told, injured her so that a day or two afterwards she was ill On the discovery of the cause by her mother and a neighbor, she was taken to Dr. Diver, and he gave evidence as to the nature of the injuries, which distinctly indicated that an assault had been committed. The prisoner, who had nothing to say in his defence, was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court. The other cases before the Court were five charges of drunkenness. Each delinquent admitted the offence, and was fined according to the amount of disorder he was described as having ' created. In one case, it was stated that the defendant had, by passing himself off as a detective, rendered himself liable to the charge I of personating a police officer, but no information of that kind had been laid against him. | The costs connected with the hearing of the j East Coast election petition were assessed this morning by the committee at £150, payable by the respondent, Capt. Read. The following is the fifth half-yearly report | of the Standard Fire and Marine Insurance Company of New Zealand, to be submitted to a general meeting of shareholders, to be held on the 4th September : — " Your directors beg to submit herewith the annexed statement of accounts and balance sheet lor the half-year ending 30th June last.' The dividend declared ! at la*-t half-yearly meeting, amonnting to j £-2500, having been carried to capital account, there now remains a gross balance to credit of profit and loss account of £24,385 19s 4d, of which £14,858 will require to be set apart to provide for re-insurance s of current risks, and for payment of unadjusted losses, which will leave a net balance of £9550, and which your directors recommend should be applied as follows, viz. — That a dividend of 6d per share for the half-year be declared and carried to credit of capital account, which would make shares then stand at 1% Gd paid up. Forty per cent, of surplus to be carried to credit of reserve fund ; 30 per cent, to be paid to policy-holders in the company whose accounts show a credit balance for the preceding twelve months ; and the remaining 30 percent, to be also carried to reserve fund. The capital would then stand at £31,250, and the reserve fund at £5810. The business of the company is in a very satisfac- " tory state, and your directors are much pleased -to be in a position to recommend the distribution of a bonus among the insurers ; and they consider that this course of capitalising dividends will recommend itself to the shareholders as being most conducive to the well-being of the company." The premiums received during the halt-year amounted to £26,046 11s, and the losses to £15,379 4s. Dr. Hector is expected to return hither by the mail steamer due here on the 14th proximo. He will inspect the Nevada silver mines en route, and arrange for a shipment of salmon from San Francisco to New Zealand. It is reported by the Taranaki Budget that one of the tenderers for the state prison has had his guarantee cheque returned. As the Auckland tender is said to have been somewhere about £20,000, there would be no need for keeping tenderers at a higher figure in suspense — hence probably the reason for returning the cheques. Mr. Black, the well-known coach-builder of this city, and one of the New Zealand Commissioners at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, is expected back by next steamer. The anniversary tea meeting of the Wesleyan Church, Adelaide Road, takes place this evening at 6 o'clock. The police arrested two men respectively named Bloom and Campbell, at Palmerston, yesterday, on a charge of committing a robbery at Masterton. At the Theatre Royal last night " The King of the Peacocks" was repeated with the success which has attended this piece from its first production. It was precedtd by the amusing farce " Poor Pillicoddy," which wont oft with great spirit, and was loudly applauded. This evening Lord Lytton'sgreatplay," Richelieu," will be produced, Mr. Bates impersonating the celebrated Cardinal, and Mrs. Bates taking the part of Julie. " Richelieu" always draws good bouses, and it is not probable that to-night will be an exception to that rule. To-morrow, I and on Thursday, Mr. F. W. Robertson's famous comedy, " Caste," will be played, Mr. and Mrs. Bates respectively appearing as Eccles and Polly. Another success may be anticipated in this favorite drama. A 'novel importation to Christchurch has been made by Mr. Hawkes, from Tasmania. It consisted of a number of dogs of good pedigree. The dogs, with the exception of an Irish setter, did not fetch remarkably good prices; for the setter Mr. Hawkes «ot £18. The retriever spaniel pups brought £4 10s each, and a field spaniel £4. For the greyhounds an average of £4 was realised for the dogs, and £1 12s 6d for the pups. The presentation made a few days ago in Dunedin to the Hon. W. H. Reynolds, was an elaborately prepared service weighing 2820z of solid silver. It is in six pieces, the urn being 18in high, the salver 2fiin by 18in, the coffee pot 13in, the tea pot 10£ in. sugar jar Bin, and the cjeam jar Bin. The salver bears the following iuscription :— " Presented to the Hon. Wm. Hunter Reynolds, M.H.R., M.P.C., by the citizens of Dunedin, as a small mark of then* appreciation of his services as their representative in the General Assembly and Provincial Council for twenty-two years." The service cost about £250. The fancy-dress extra " bread-and-butter" ball given last night, in the Provincial Hall, under similar auspices to the ordinary " bread-and-butters," passed off very successfully. A drunken sailor belonging to the Dun•britton last night, while trying to get on board, fell into the water, but was rescued by the night watchman with no worse result than a good ducking. Captain Campbell Walker writes to the Editor of the Otago Daily Times that he is not the author of "The Correct Card" or of any work on whist, and that his qualifications as a whist player had nothing to do with his appointment as Conservator of Forests. We have received the monthly report of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners for June, 1876. The Wellington branch of the society is recorded as possessing 50 members, of whom none are in receipt of allowances from the fund either as sick, unemployed, or superannuated, while the state of the trade in Wellington is recorded as " promising," while at Christchurch and Dunedin it is described as " moderate." The total number of members now amounts to 15,1,60, of whom 87 are receiving relief as unemployed, 261 from the sick fund, and 8 as superannuated. Some due has been obtained to the cause of property being so frequently missed during its conveyance to consignees at Wanganui. Some books shipped by Mr. Dutton were missed, and they were discovered in the possession *f a man named j John Casey, in the employment of the store agent with whom the goods had

been stored. Other goods were found in his jjSpgession, supposed to be abstracted from shipments made by Nathan & Co. and Turnbull & Co., and steps are now being taken to identify the goods. The police are informed that a man named Amos Burr, whose offence has not been stated, is being brought down by the coach from Foxton this evening. Signor Fortunato Bonaccorti, teacher of the pianoforte and harmonium, announces in our advertising columns that he is prepared to give lessons on those musical instruments. His terms can be learned from Mr. Ceminoj at the Central Hotel. A performance will be given at the Odd Fellow's Hall on Friday evening next, for the benefit of the widow of the late Henry Webb, who was killed by the fall of a scaffold, at the Lower Hutt. The performance will be under the patronage of Captain Suttie and the officers of H.M.S* Nymphe, also of Captain P,earce and the Wellington Artillery Corps. "The Cuban Slave " will be played, and a farce, and songs, and dances given. Mr. Wiltshire will commence his great ieat of walking 1000 miles in 1000 hours on Saturday afternoon next at a quarter to 4 o'clock. I Previous to his starting, a handicap half-mile race will be run, the prize being a handsome plated cup; The events will come off at Kaiwarra, and entrances for the handicap will be received by Mr. Edwards, at the Waterloo Hotel, up to 8 o'clot'k on Friday evening. Full particulars will' be found in our advertising columns. Mr. H. R. Hollis, grocer, of Tory-street, states by advertisement, in another column, that he is offering goods for sale at unprecedentedly low prices for cash. Mr. G. H. Vennell will to-morrow hold an important sale of town and country proper- I ties. The sale will take place at 2 o'clock. The well-known frephold and run belonging to Messrs. Fitzroy and Acland, in Canterbury, known as Heslerton, has been sold for £6,900. The property comprises 440 acres of freehold and 13,000 of run, with sheep, improvements, &c. A supposed case of poisoning lately occurred at Kaiapoi. Mr. Hudson, who had entered on a lease of the Pier Hotel, expired under peculiar circumstances. Subsequent to taking a hearty supper and some herb medicine on Thursday, he was seized with violent fits, the cause of which seems to be entirely unexplained. The jury returned a verdict that deceased died from congestion of the brain, but there was no evidence to show how produced. The Pptea Mail says the tender of Messrs. Holtham and Warren has been accepted for the erection of the new Wesleyan Church at Hawera. During a recent trip of the s.s. Durham from Auckland to the Thames, Mr. George Schmidt, the engineer, unfortunately had his arm caught by the machinery and broken between the wrist and the elbow. A large whale was lately washed ashore ou Harriett Beach, Taranaki. It was visited by large numbers of persons till the stench prevented it being approached. Captain W. R. Kennedy, R.N., has just published his Sporting Adventures in the Pacific, and in this book occurs the following recipe, which it is stated was found upon the person of the proprietor of a Californian drinking saloon :— " For whiskey— Ten gallons of kerosene, three lb. of potash, one ouuee of strychnine, mixed with soft water. If gin is required, add quantum sufficit of oil of juniper." The "great unpaid," 3ays a writer in the Melbourne Leader, seems to be pretty much the same all over the empire. A remarkable instance of justice's justice occurred just over the Border the other day. A man stole a dog and sold^it for 10s. __ The owner discovered it, claimed it from the 'purchaser, and then gave the thief in charge. He was brought before a J.P., and although the man who bought the dog, and actually held the receipt, and a witness to the tiansactiou were in court, his wor» ship's decision was that a fine of ten shillings would meet the case. The, fine went to the Crown, and consequently the only person punished was the dog buyer, the dog stealer merely having to pay away the amouut he,had received. This struck me as being a thoroughly original way of dispensing "justice." It is satisfactory to notice that the manufacture of kitchen ranges of the most improved kind has become a local industry in Wellington. Mr. W. Thompson, ot the Victoria Foundry, Willis-street, yesterday afforded us the opportunity of inspecting several of these ranges, the manufacture of which he has just finished. One ol these was the most complete article of the kind which we have ever seen in the colony. It is modelled after the pattern of "The Leamington Range," but some improvements are added, fhe range has a frontage of 4 feet 6 inches, and measures from the iron plates covering the fireplace to the floor 2 feet 7 inches. It contains two large ovens and a boiler ingeniously placed at the back of the fire, iv such a way that heating power can be applied to it. The "patent dampers" for regulating the fire are admirably devised, and will evidently work efficiently. Above the range is a metal shelf on which plates, dishes, &c, can be placed which it is desired to keep warm. This shelf can be folded back when required. The range is intended for the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel. Mr Thompson was somewhat reticent on the question of price, but we understood him to say that the articles manufactured here, though costing somewhat more than those imported, are of a much stronger and more durable nature. The large range alluded to was an instauce of this, as the metal plates were twice as thick as those of the imported ranges. A fair sized family range would cost about £9. We trust that Mr. Thompson may find sufficient inducement to continue the manufacture of those articles. Mairi P. Kawiti is modest in his demands. He prays that his pension of £40 a year, may be increased to 4&50, and that it may contiuue to his children after him, on the grounds that he has, by selling land, building, &c, so benefited the white race as to warrant his petitioning in the above manner. The Natives Petition Committee recommend that the petition be referred to the Government, to take such action thereon as they may think meet. An evidently well informed correspondent writes from Great Britain to the Otago Daily Times, with respect to the Agent-Generalship. He remarks :— " If it is thought desirable that the colony should be represented by a gentleman capable of moving in good society, of lecturing to educated audiences on the advantages it holds out to the capitalist as well as to the working man, and expatiating on the attractions it offers to the traveller, the artist, and the man of science, and capable also of defending the lair fame of the colony when assailed by slanderers in the public Press, then an Agent-General will require to be appointed. But it it is thought sufficient to do as Canada has done, viz., to have merely an Emigration Office, presided over by an experienced clerk, of course no appointment will be required, for the routine work of the office can continue to be conducted by Mr. Kenuaway, who has succeeded in establishing order and method where formerly all was coufusi>>n and aimless effort. I confess to being in favor of the appointment of an Agent-General possessing such qualifications as those indicated above, believing, as I do, that a suitable man would prove in the long run a paying investment to the colony. At the same time due precaution would require to to be taken that the occupant of the office did not degenerate into a mere ornamental billet holder." Commenting upon the case of Todd, who recently was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for thrashing his own daughter in the most brutal manner, the Lyttelton Times remarks: — "One thing seems strange about this revolting case. Cruelty to the brute creation may be punished by imprisonment for two years. 11l usage of a child has been visited by a sentence of six months. It is true that in the one ca«e Ihe punishment must be awarded by the Supreme Court, and in the other it wa3 decreed by a Resident Magistrate. The question arises, why was not Todd left to be dealt with by the bupreme Court?" The Hon. Messrs. Reynolds and Wigley, who have been absent on leave, returned to Wellington by the 83. Wellington this morning. The Lyttelton Times says:— "The Rev. Charies Clark is now on his way to America, accompanied by Mrs. Clark and that model of professional agents, Mr. Smythe. He has added to his store of lectures since he was here, and we have no doubt that before long his name and Iris fame will become well known throughout the length and breadth of the United States.~Davies, the ventriloquist, and the Manfish are playing in the country towns of New South Wales, and the Duvallis, who gained little reputation here, are at Rockbampton, a small town in Queensland."

A number of workmen were engaged ¦"to-dajh-removing the old boiler of the s.s: -Napier at the breastwork. Mr. Gannawayig the con~tractor. The new boiler is all ready for shipment at Mr. Mills' Lion Foundry. It will increase the Napier's' horse-power v to SO nominal, and is expected to improve 1 her speed considerably. Those whose business compels them to travel between Wellington and Foxton will learn with much regret that Captain Butt, the popular skipper of Messrs. W. and G. Turnbull and Co.'s s.s. Napier, has resigned the command of that vessel. Captain Butt intends to spend a month or two on shore before resuming his " life on the ocean wave." This is a specimen of the sort of "small scandal" that amuses the Auckland people. The Auckland Star says :— A little social scandal was introduced in the separation debate by Mr. Rees, recalling to mind the fatal influence of Cleopatra. He said that the claims of the senior judge to the Chief Justiceship were over-ruled through the influence of the wife of a Cabinet Minister. A little explanation of this rather dark reference, which has found ii f s way into the grave deliberations of the legislature is, perhaps, necessary. The story alluded to by Mr. Rees, but for the veracity of which we are not in a position to vouch, runs thus: Lady Vogel, then not linked with the fortunes of New Zealand's dictator, was systematically overlooked by the invitations issued by the wife of Mr. Justice Johnston, the leader at that time of the ban ton of Wellington society. In course of time the tables turned, and Lady Vogel was not slow to retaliate on the dethroned queen of fashion. Mrs. Johnston was excluded from 'the Premier's assemblages. Wider and wider grew the breach until, so the story runs, the quarrels) of the ladies involved the diguity of their lords, and when the chance presented itself, Mr. Justice Johnston did not obtain the position which his seniority and acknowledged profound legal knowledge entitled him to.