Evening Post. FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 1876.

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 48, 25 August 1876, Page 2

Evening Post. FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 1876.

The announcement which we made the other day, that what is practically a change of Ministry, was impending, has been received with much satisfaction in many parts of the Colony. Though no official statement has yet been made on the subject, yet it is perfectly understood that the whole arrangement is nearly cut and dried — that Sir Julius Vogel goes home to fill the office of Agent-General, that Mr. Stafford succeeds him as Premier, and that the other changes in the personnel of the Ministry, already indicated, will be made. It is not surprising that the Government hesitate and delay in making any definite statement to the House relative to the Agent-Generalship. There is that ugly transaction relating to the personal expenditure of Sir Julius Vogel still to be dealt with, and till it lias been settled whether he is to refund the public money which he improperly and illegally spent, or the affair is to be condoned altogether, it may be thought premature to announce that he is to be appointed the nejv Agent-General. Whether he receives the appointment or not we earnestly trust that this scandalous transaction will not be lost sight of, b t will be made the subject of a direct and special expression of opiaion on the part of the House. We are not inclined to regard the proposed appointment of Sir Julius vogel to the office in question with any degree of satisfaction. We should think the Colony could do I perfectly well without any Agent-General at i all, and that the whole costly department now existing in London might be abolished. The Crown Agents for the Colonies could deal with our loans, and other matters— such as immigration — could be looked after by a single agent in London, at a very moderate charge to the Colony. In the present financial condition of the Colony to continue to spend some £18,000 a year upon the Agent-General's department is an act of extravagance and folly. Apart from this, we do not think, if the Colony is to possess an Agent-General, that Sir Julius Vogel is the best man for the position. Experience has shown that when last in London he quarrelled with almost everyone with whom he was brought into contact in business negotiations. He wrangled with the Crown Agents, and the late Dr. Feartierston, and fairly fell into the black books of the brokers on the Stock Exchange. Certainly if he is sent to London again, he will never be able to occupy the same high position in social, business, and official circles as was held by Mr. Fitzherbert and the late Dr. Featherston. We suppose, however, that the proposed appointment is the price which the Colony is to pay to get rid of Sir Julius Vogel, and enable a reconstruction of the Ministry to be effected. In the nature of that proposed reconstruction there is much cause for satisfaction. There is no man in the Colony who, for statesmanlike ability and high administrative powers, surpasses Mr. Stafford. With him at the head of the Ministry, there vould be some prospect of retrenchment being effected, and economy in administration practised. This is no mere opinion. Mr. Stafford, ten years ago, when the Colony was in serious financial difficulties, addressed himself to the work of retrenchment in the most earnest manner, and we believe he would do so again if the opportunity were afforded to him. A change in the administration of native affairs has long been urgently necessary. So long as Sir Donald M'Lean is Native Minister, it is hopeless to expect that any reduction will be effected in the enormous expenditure of his department. He certainly has kept the natives quiet by a wholesale system of bribing and petting them, but the cost of this plan has been outrageously extravagant, and the Colony will expect that Mr. Onnond will be able to bring about a similar result by a somewhat different process, and with materially less outlay. We do not know that the proposed substitution of Mr. Donald Reid for Mr. Richardson as Minister for Public Works will be any change iov the better. It is admitted on all sides that Mr. Richardson has worked indefatigabl > and ably. Mr. Reid, however, is undoubtedly a gentleman possessed of much practical ability, and besides commands the general respect of the House. There is no doubt whatever that his appointment to a seat in the Cabinet would be very acceptable to Otago. In some quarters the name of Mr. Stevens has been suggested as Treasurer, but we do not know if there any probability of this being given effect to, or that Major Atkinson intends retiring. Mr. Stevens is one of the clearest-headed thinkers and ablest speakers in the House. He has shown great aptitude for finance, and both inside and outside of Parliament he has delivered utterances on the state of public affairs which have commanded the attention and respect of thoughtful men throughout the Colony. Mr. Stevens is rightly regarded as a rising man, and it would be well for the Colony that he should have a seat in the Cabinet. Mr. Whitaker, the proposed political Attorney-General, possesses no superior in his own line. A veteran statesman, and possessed of large experience, he would add largely to the strength of any Government. Looking at the proposed new Ministry as a whole, we are inclined to regard the impending change as being one which will confer great ultimate benefit upon the Colony.

It is very much to be regretted that Mr. Bryce's bill for dealing with certain lands at Wanganui, originally granted to the Bishop of New Zealand, for the purpose of founding an industrial school, should have been rejected on its second reading. The purposes of the trust have never been adequately fulfilled, and the Bishop of Wellington does not appear inclined to allow any outside interference whatsoever in the matter. Mr. Bryce's bUI would have caused the utilisation of a valuable estate in the town of Wanganui, and the foundation of a first-class school, open to scholars of all denominations throughout the Colony, the whole arrangements being under the control of a new board consisting of the Mayor of Wanganui, the Chairman of the County Council, three elective members, and four members appointed by the Bishop of Wellington. For the present the project has fallen through, and the outcome will probably be an expensive lawsuit, in which an endeavor will be made to have the original grant set aside.

It was recently telegraphed, through the medium of the Press Agency, that Messrs. Daniel and M'Gillivray had contradicted Mr. Stout's statement, as reported in Hansard, regarding the Riverton Harbor Board. To this we notice that Mr. Stout has replied in the columns of the Western Star, and having published the telegram, we indicate the nature oi Mr. Stout's answer. He refers to Mr. Daniel's letter, in which it was stated that he was in error in using the words "support the Government " in what he stated in the House, namely, that Mr. Reynolds told Mr. M'Gillivray, " If you come up, and support the Government, you will get a Harbor Board and 20,000 acres." He regrets that he should have misunderstood Mr. Daniel, but the impression on his mind was that, if Mr. M'Gillivray was a supporter ot the Government, the Riverton harbor endowment would be secured. He also quotes from the Star of the 11th December what he considers amply bears out what he stated, namely, a passage in the report of Mr. M'Gillivray 's speech. It is too long for us to extract, but it is to this effect :— Mr. M'Gillivray had, after expressions as to the cordiality of the Government in any dealings he had with them, said that Mr. Reynolds while in Riverton told him that Government fully expected him up again, and if so, he (Mr. Reynolds) would get his Harbor Bill passed, and his harbor endowment. Mr. Stout also quotes from the Star of Bth January something similar, and concludes by asking whether the Rivertonian impression was not the same as his, as expressed in the House.

The intention to hold another meeting of the Otago members for the purpose of considering the subject of county boundaries, was interfered with by the arrival and departure of the mail steamer. It is probable that another meeting for private discussion will be held tomorrow. A meeting: of Westland and Nelson members is contemplated, but meantime they await to ascertain the general character of the suggestions of the representatives of Otago.

The land fund of Otago is the subject of one more proposal, embodied in a motion of which Mr. De Lautour has given notice, to this eftect : — " That, in the opinion of this House, an area of waste lands of the Crown should be set aside in the province of Otago, the proceeds of which, under the waste land laws in force or to be put in force, should be placed to a special fund as a guarantee for the payment of any moneys hereafter to be raised for the purpose of opening up the interior of the province of Otago by main central railways."

The R.M.S. Zealandia arrived at the Queen's Whail" tliis morning at 8 o'clock. Captain Ferries brought her alongside in most masterlystyle, layins: her by the wharf in one sweep, without 'any of the "backing and filling" which is generally seen when even small boats are brought alongside. Captain Ferries, however (who had not the assistance of aay pilot, both being on board sailing vessels outside the Heads), took one wide circle round the bay, and calculated his course and speed so exactly that, notwithstanding the Zealandia's unwielding length, and consequent difficulty to steer, he brought herstraight to the spot where she was intended to be moored. The Zealandia was visited by some thousands of persons during the day, including a number of members of both Houses of Parliament. Her immense length and the extent and convenience of her internal accommodation, fittings, and appliances, excited great astonishment and admiration. With reference to her entrance without a pilot, it is only right to mention that the pilots say they were on the look-out for the Zealandia some hours before she appeared, but that she came right in without even slackening speed, merely keeping the pilot signal flag flying until she reached the wharf. It is a fresh testimony to the excellence and convenience of this port that such a steamer as the Zealandia should be brought right up to the wharf, without the assistance of a pilot, by a captain who had been here only once before. Rather different this from Port Chalmers ! The Zealandia took her departure for Napier, Auckland, Kandavu, Honolulu, and San Francisco this afternoon. The s.s. RingaTooma, with the Suez mail, is expected to arrive in Wellington early on Sunday morning. It is understood that Mr. Bridges has resigned his seat as one of the directors of National Bank, by the wish of his brother directors, who disapproved of the course of action he pursued last session, in making certain charges against Sir Julius Vogel which he afterwards was unable to substantiate. We have received from Mr. Dutton a copy of " a burlesque poem, entitled Jewlius Rex and Men of his Time," which is intended to be a sort of satire on " the great Julius " and his followers. The conception is not a bad one, but the poet, who is some lunatic in Poverty Bay, has failed miserably io itsjexecution. The poetry is vile doggrel, unrelieved by any flashes of wit or humour. The poem closes by describing a free-fight in the House, in which while Rees is knocking down Vogel, and M 'Lean is demolishing Grey, a terrific earthquake occurs, and New Zealand is submerged under the waves of the Pacific, drowning the whole lot of senators, save Vogel, who escaped in a boat, and is ultimately rescued by the deities, who carry him beyond the skies. After a time, New Zealand again comes to the surface as a brand new country, cleared of all its twenty millions of debt. This is a plot with a vengeance ! Is there no lunatic asylum at Poverty Bay where its author could be taken care of? The brochure is printed at Poverty Bay. The provisional directors of the Empire Gas Consumers' Company met last evening, when the secretary reported that a sufficient number of shares had been taken up to justify the immediate registration of the company. After some discussion, it was agreed to suspend any action in the matter for a tew days, by which [ time the decision of the City Council in refer- [ ence to the proposed purchase of the Weli lington Gas Company's plant and business would be arrived at, and made public. The directors resolved to watch the action of the Council very carefully, and if thought necessary, a public meeting will be called. As a matter of justice to the choir of St. Peter's, Te Aro, it is only fair to state that the concert which is to take place on Tuesday next, in aid of the St. Mark's funds, will be given by the St. Peter's choir as their contribution to the funds ot the neighboring parish, and not by the St. Mark's choir, as incorrectly stated in this morning's Times. At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, George Wilson, who had been drunk, disorderly, and destructive, by demolishing a tureen in the Central Hotel, had the choice of giving 10s or taking 48 hours' imprisonment. Charles M'Cartby, who had been contumacious to a constable, to the extent of even interfering with the arrest of a prisoner, but who expressed his contrition to the Court, was fined, and paid, 20s. William Wilbrandt entered the Court, -and left it, talking loudly about a dog named '¦ Schneider," for whose ferocity he had to pay 5s and costs. " Schneider " was a dog which, according to Sergeant Monaghan's description, was so dangerous that he ought not to be at large. He had warned Wilbrandt, and so had Detective Farrell, but the dog was still at liberty, and on the previous day had sprung at Mr. Grey, of Manawatu, and tore his trousers. Wilbrandt was most voluble, but incomprehensible, in his description and defence of "Schneider," which "vas de best dog in de town," but whose "own broder, anoder dog," was in the habit of coming down from the country and seducing poor " Schneider" into the streets and into the ways of evil. The Magistrate gave a caution, and an order for the payment of os. There was another information of lunacy, and the patient, on the evidence of two medical men, was committed to the Asylum, the Magistrate remarking that there had lately been a remarkable number of lunacy cases before the Court. The Hon. Sir John Richardson, Speaker of the Legislative Council, returned to Wellington by the Zealandia to-day. Mr. MurrayAynsley, M.H.R., also returned by the same steamer. The Dunedin papers still teem with correspondence relative to the fire brigade squabble — Dunedin v. Wellington — in reference to the late Ballarat competition. In the Daily Times appears an immensely long letter, occupying a column of small print, from " Hugh Falconer, Lieut. D.V.F.8.," in reply to Superintendent Whiteford's two letters published in that paper. Lieut. Falconer enters at great length into the circumstances under which the amalgamation of the two teams first was proposed and ultimately was arranged, but is totally and conveniently silent as to the charge that the Dunedin men after agreeing to an arrangement which, had they won the toss, would have given them the advantage of several Wellington men's assistance, refused, on the toss going against them, to carry out that agreement and help the Wellington men, as the latter would have helped them. This is the real gravamen of the charge, and the Dunedin men, by not attempting to answer that point, have allowed judgment to go against them by default. At the Theatre Royal last night " Caste " was repeated, and went even better than on the previous evening. Mr. Bates was admirable in the part of Eecles, his drunken entrance and sudden collapse, with table, bottle and all, at the end of the first act, was capitally done, and won him a vociferous call. Mrs. Bates as Polly, and Miss Morgan as Esther, acted with much skill and judgement. Mr. Sam Howard was irresistibly droll as Sam Gerridge, especially in the quarrel scene, which fairly brought down the house. Messrs. Stoneham and Metcalfe, as Hautree and D'Alroy, filled their parts with great credit, and the minor characters received due justice. An especially'praiseworthy feature was the smoothness with which everything passed off, the performers all being thoroughly up in their parts, and consequently acting with ease and spirit. The highly comical farce " A Phenomenon in a Smock Frock " was given as an afterpiece, Mr. Sara Howard taking the principal part, and keeping the audience in convulsions of laughter from first to last. To-night Bqucicault's great play, •• The Octoroon " will be produced. The period for receiving applications for the head-mastership of the Nelson College (rendered vacant by the death of the Rev. Frank Simmonds) will close on the 31st inst. Mr. Tuckey, second master of the Wellington College, who is one of the candidates, is generally believed to stand an excellent chance, his application being supported by the highest possible testimonials lrom some of the leading men in New Zealand, both educationally and otherwise. Mr Tuckey has won such high esteem during his tenure of office in the Wellington College, that the news of his success in obtaining the more important post would be received with general satisfaction. By our advertising columns it will be seen that the choir of St. John's Presbyterian Church intend giving another of their popular entertainments on Monday evening next. This is the first of three, the proceeds of which go towards procuring a new musical instrument for the Church. A carefully selected programme has been arranged by Mr. Raymond, and under his able conductorship we have no doubt this effort of the choir to afford a pleasant evening's entertainment will be as successful as on former occasions. The Choral Society's second rehearsal, which took place last night, was even more successful than the first, the grand choruses of Handel and Haydn going with immense spirit and precision. The combiaed vocal and instrumental strength numbered between 60 and

70, the band mustering in strong force, and playing admirably. A special meeting of the City Council is to be held at 4 o'clock this afternoon to consider the last offer made by the Directors of the Wellington Gas Company to the special committee of the Council, relative to the purchase by the Corporation of the Gasworks. We hope the Council's decision will be adverse to the proposed purchase. At the Odd Fellows' Hall this evening, Miss Leake and Mr. Hoyle, assisted by a number of local amateurs, will give a special performance in aid of the widow of the late Henry Webb, who lost his life in the scaffolding accident at the Hutt. A very attractive programme is announced, and this, as well as the eminently deserving nature of the purpose to which the proceeds will lie applied, should command a crowded house. The Christchurch football team arrived this afternoon by the Hawea, en route for Auckland. They will play Taranaki and Nelson o.i their wa> back, and are expected to play here during the first week in September. A clever device is adopted on board the Zealandia for shipping the sheep required on the voyage, and avoiding the usual difficulty in driving them on board. An old tame sheep, which has made many trips in this boat, is kept to act as a decoy. The decoy-sheep is driven on to the wharf among those waiting to be shipped and at onc3 leads the way calmly on bo°rd. The others follow with entire but misplaced^confidejce, and are promptly immured in the pens froiu which they emerge only to be slain The Public Works Department are blamed for another mistake in connection with the Brunnerton railway. All the iron-work sent down from Wellington for slinging the coal trucks is said " not to fit," and a fresh lot will have to be manufactured. Hegarty' Globe Combination Troupe arrived from the South by the Hawea this afternoon, and will open at the Theatre Royal to-morrow evening. They come with a very high reputation from other places in New Zealand. The Canterbury papers describe their performances in terms of great praise. Mr. Hart's comic songs, Miss Russell's songs and dances, the duets sung and double dances footed by the pair, Mr. Moran's Irish representations, Miss Harrison's songs, and Professor Hennechi's magic, and his suspended lady, all are pronounced most excellent, and should attract a crowded house to-morrow night. The vacant seat for the Rakaia in the Provincial Council of Canterbury has been filled by the election of the Hon. J. Hall. Papers relating to the Jackson's Bay settlement have, on the motion of the Hon. J. Bonar, been printed, and circulated among the members of the Legislative Council. The Canterbury Government are only yet in treaty for the use of the steam tug Titan which Messrs. Cameron and Co. purchased, and which a Wellington company endeavoured to procure, Mr. Wakefield, the member for Geraldine, lias been absent from the House for some days, said to be invalided by rheumatic fever. A family of seven persons have nearly lost their lives at Bell Block, Taranaki, by poison, through eating pickled cabbage that had been preserved in an earthenware pot which had originally been used for keeping sheep dip in. After being severely sick for ten hours they recovered. Litigation sometimes becomes an absurdity. The other day in the Dmedin Police Court a man charged his neighbor with feloniously stealing a wooden box (which had done duty a 9 a door-step), a rusty manure fork with a broken handle, and an old iron pot, the value of which property he modestly set down at 10s. To sustain this prosecution the whole machinery of the law was set in motion — a warrant, signed by a J.P., being issued and duly executed by a police constable. In court it engaged the individual attention of two Justices, one Inspector of Police, two lawyers professionally employed, and one looking on, four representatives of the Press, a clerk, a sergeant-major, six of the dark blue brotherhood, and about thirty interested spectators. The Bench, without waiting for any defence, dismissed the complaint. A barber in Dunedin, named Balance, recently endeavored to commit suicide, a la the late Sultan of Turkey, by cutting one of the main arteries in his arm. He succeeded^ by means of a table knife, in severing a vein in his right arm, after which he called for assistance. Balance is expected to recover. " Atticus " says : — The newest thing in the way of swindles was told to me this week. A man placed the sum of £100 for a year as a fixed deposit in a Melbourne bank in which he had likewise a runniug account. After a little while he received permission to overdraw his account of £80, which be at once proceeded to avail himself of. He next went to a money lender, and on the deposit receipt succeeded in raising the loan of another £80, making a clear gain oi £60 by the transaction, with which he cleared out of Melbourne. The money lendei is the victim in the matter, as bankers have a ejeneral lien over the moneys and securities of their customers in their hands. My informani was emphatic in condemnation of the swindle. It was ingenious, he acknowledged, but mean. A man with such an idea as that ought to have made a fortune out of it. Starting with £I,OOC in one bank, he could speedily have turned ii into £1,600, which he could have deposited in another, and so on till he had exhausted all the banks in Melbourne, increasing his capital at each operation. And the worst of is, he says, that through the thing becoming known nc man with more exaited views will now be able tc work it. A regret in which the money lenders will hardly share. With reference to the depression of trade in Great Britain, a correspondent of the Otagc Daily Times writes: — Instead of improving, things seem to be daily setting worse in respect of nearly all the leading industries of the country. The cotton mills of Lancashire, and the linen mills of the east of Scotland are running short time, and in some cases diminishing the number of hands employed by them as well. The manager of the London and North- Western Railway Company has informed the 7000 mem employed in the company's great engine shops at Crewe that short time has become necessary there too, though such a thing has never been known before ever since the works were opened in 1851. Messrs. Ransomes, Sims, and Head, the celebrated agricultural implement makers of Ipswich, now close their works entirely on the Friday and Saturday every week, the 1200 men employed therein thus having only four days' work per week. The proprietors of the Cunard line oi steamers have sent three of their splendid boats to the Gareloch to lie up, and the Liverpool Courier asserts that "the number of magnificent steamships now lying idle in the Liverpool and Birkenhead docks is without parallel in the history of commerce." This, too, is in spite of the amelioration in the American passenger trade caused by the Philadelphia Exhibition. The state of the iron and coal industries is probably the worst of all. The papers are daily chronicling reductions of wages, actual and impending of the men engaged in these industries, and not a few of them have migrated back to their old homes in the south of England to resume their old occupation as agricultural laborers, which they say is now more remurative than coal getting. "A stormy scene has taken place in the Italian Parliament," according to the Examiner, "in consequence of a 'Black Book' having been found in the secret Ministerial archives, which contains a detailed and generally libellous account of the private lives of members, especially of those of the Opposition. This clandestine spying upon the representatives of the people was done under the previous 1 Consorteria' Cabinets for a great manyiyeare. The new Liberal Minister, Nicotera, having himself been the object of these prying practices of Cabinet detectives, endeavoured to avoid a discussion which might have led to the contents of the ' Black Book ' being divulged. The ex- Minister Lanza sought to excuse himl self, but did so very lamely, and ended with the unblushing avowal that the procedures in. question were correct, as being in the interest of Government ! Finally, the House dropped the unpleasant subject by almost universal | consent."