Evening Post. SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1878.

Evening Post, Volume XVI, 20 April 1878, Page 2

Evening Post. SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1878.

The Registrar-General's vital statistics for March, 1878, are as follows : —

Thorc were more deaths at the towns of Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Hokitika in March than in February. At Auckland the deaths fell trom 19 in February to 13 last month. The published tables show the mortality for the two months at each town from six principal zymotic diseases, chiefly to have been of the miasmatic order, and also the deaths from certain inflammatory diseases of the lungs. These causes of death have been distinguished from the others of the classes to which they belong, as beiDg the most important special diseases which give rise to Hidden increases in the death-rates of towns, and the prevalence of which is closely connected with sanitary condition and climatic influence of the season on health. The accidental deaths in March numbered 10. A death occurred from a fall on to a billiard table, a child was killed by burns after her clothes catching fire, 6 persons were accidentally drowned, a warehouseman was killed by injury to his spine, a child was suffocated in bed.

The Inspector of Nuisances, Mr. A. G. Johnson, in the report which he presented to the City Council on Thursday, draws forcible attention to the serious extent to which the watercourses running through this town are being polluted with pestilent filth of every imaginable description. He says: — "On Wednesday I examined a good portion of the Te Aro stream, and would earnestly draw the attention of the Council to its condition, as also to the bye-law on cesspools, privies, &c, as applied to a case which has come under my notice in this locality. An occupier in Cubastreet has a closet so constructed that all the filth immediately discharges from it into the stream. The bye-law sets out that twenty-one days' notice of abatement shall be given in such a case for the alteration needed, and in the meantime the fouling can be continued. I have given the notice. A day or so ago the block of filthy rubbish became so great opposite the back part of a residence, a little lower down the stream than the case I have mentioned, that one of the occupiers attempted to remove the obstruction. He has been laid by with typhoid fever ever since, and is now in a dangerous condition. Another in the same locality is also sickening with, it is believed, the same complaint. The fact of a great portion of this stream being uncovered offers unusual facilities to a number of persons to dispose of filth other than in the legitimate manner." This report shows a detestable amount of filthiness to be prevalent, and to be followed by usual consequence— zymotic disease. The provision in the bye-law requiring twenty-one days' notice to be given for abatement of the nuisance is a most absurd and dangerous one. In some cases it might be reasonable enough, but to require that three weeks' notice shall be given to persons to cease discharging the r filth into a public watercourse, before they can be compelled to desist, is preposterous. We hope that the Inspector of Nuisances will use every means in his power to bring these offenders against the public health and safety to an early and a heavy reckoning.

The Customs revenue for the quarter just expired amounts to £359,023, as compared with £298,039 for the corresponding quarter of 1877, showing an increase of £60,984, or more than 20 per. cent. Of the four principal ports, Dnnedin bad a Customs revenue of £101,789 for Ui« quarter, as compared with £84,600 in the same quarter of 1877 j Lytte}. ton £68,846, as compared with £49,579;

Auckland £00,098, as compared with £49,119; and Wellington £&2,7~A, as compared with £44380. There is a steady increase at all the smaller ports, excepting only Hokitika and Westport, where there i 3 a slight decrease. On tbe whole the returns show rapid, steady, and healthy progress.

The " trouble" at Transvaal is the subject of frequent mention in the telegrams of the day, and is likely to require something more than passing notice at the hands of the English Government. Already there have come to hand records of heavy fighting, in which the British troops and their allies have not had it all their own way. A late telegram, in fact, informs us that one regiment is entirely " missing," but we are rather inclined to believe that it is the correct explanation of the occurrence which is missing. The following brief reference to the character of the disputants and the description of the country, &c, supplied by a contemporary will be of interest to the general newspaper reader. Those who would " drink deep" will find in the magazines and papers by the last mail full explanations of the occasion of the disturbance : — " The Transvaal is a large tract of country, north of the Orange River Free State, and lies between lat. 22deg. lomin. 28deg. 40min. S., and long. 29deg. 32min. E., extending from the Vaal River as far as the Crocodile River. It has an area of 114,300 square miles, and contains a white population of about 30,000. Against these there is a warlike native population of about 270,000, a large proportion of which is well armed. The white population consists principally of Dutch Boers, who seceded from Cape Col<ny in 1840, and formed a Republic, but in 1877, being threatened with annihilation by the natives, sought and obtained re-annexation to the British Colony. The Transvaal is mountainous and difficult of access, affording numerous strongholds for the natives. At latest advices, the British forces at the Cape consisted of six regiments and two batteries of artillery, but these troops were considered insufficient, and there was a cry for reinforcements.

In our supplement this evening we are enabled to publish, through the courtesy of his worship the Mayor, a full and accurate report of the speech recently delivered by Mr. Clark, C.E., at the dinner given to him at the Wellington Club. The Acting Manager of the Bank of New Zealand informs us that no application was made at that bank on Thursday last for the ledger-keeper's presence in Court until 11.30 a.m., and that he went over to the Court in less than ten minutes from the time he was first asked for. Two of the messengers arrived almost simultaneously, one being just upon the other's heels, and the ledger-keeper crossed the third one as he was on his way to the Court, which he reached just in time to hear that it had been adjourned. We are assured that there was no reluctance or unnecessary delay on the part of the ledger-keeper in attending at the Court when requested to do so. The following " tips" have been forwarded to us for the Athletic Club's Sports on Easter Monday :—For the open 100 yds., Webb or Freeman. Championship— looyds., Webb 1, Major 2: 200 yds., Webb 1, Davy 2; 300 yds., Major 1, Davy 2 ; 600 yds., Major 1, Cooper 2. For the championship of the club Major is indicated as the probable scorer of most points. Hurdle Race— Campbell 1, with Davy and Major very close. Steeplechase, half mile — Berry 1, Major 2. Collegians' half mile— Cooper 1. Two mile walk — Berry 1, Moran 2. Tradesman's quarter mile — a gift to Woods. Mile open — Judd 1, Berry 2. The Hon. J. Macandrew left Wellington for Dunedin yesterday, by the Rotorua. We are requested to draw attention to the sale of Crown Lands by Mr. J. G. Holdsworth, on Tuesday next. A total of 606 sections will be offered, the land being variously situated in the Pahautanui, Manawatu, Featherston, Hutt, Ohoriu, Mauriceville, and Wanganui districts. This will be an excellent opportunity fo}- those seeking small farm sections near towns.' In addition to the country sections, the township of Carnarvon, at the Lower Ferry, Rangitikei, will also be offered. Lithographed plans, with full information as to the upset price, can be seen at the land offices at Wellington, Palmerston, Patea, and Wanganui, as well as at the reading-rooms in the various centres of the I population. Volunteer scrip may be exercised in the purchase of any land included in the sales. A ball will be held on Easter Monday evening at the Princess Theatre, Tory-street, under the auspices of the newly-formed Tradesmen's Athletic Club. A large number of tickets have already been sold, and as excellent arrangements have been made, we anticipate a most enjoyable evening's amusement. The Royal Italian Opera Concert Company will give their first r.nd only concert in Wellington on Monday evening next, when a splendid programme of choice musical selections will be performed. The other engagements of this talented company render it impossible for them to stay more than one night in Wellington, an announcement which will be read with very great regret by all lovers of good music. Yesterday being Good Friday, there was divine service at the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in this city. Captain Maling, private secretary to his Excellency, who, it will be remembered, recently received orders to proceed home, will leave in May. Mr. Le Patourel will assume Captain Maling's present position. We are requested to call the attention of the members of the Hibernian Society and Band to an advertisement elsewhere, which requests them to meet at tiie school, Boulcott-street, not later than 8.45 a.m. on Monday. They are to form in procession and march to the railway in time for 9.30 a.m. train. Inspector Atchison left for Wanganui this morning, to attend the sittings of the Supreme Court there. The Wesley ans of the Lower Hutt held a soiree yesterday, and the gathering was very successful in every respect. To give Wellington friends an opportunity of being present, tea was provided at an early hour, and the evening meeting was over in time for the last train to town. A man named Hugh Rogers, in the employ of Mr. M'Donald, baker* of Mannersistreet, on Thursday evening mounted a spirited horse without a saddle. The horse bolted, and Rogers was violently thrown in Herbert-street, his collar-bone being broken in several places. A meeting of the Waste Lands Boaj-d was held on Thursday. The business was merely of a routine character, and no land sales were reported. The United and Thorndon Cricket Club 3 played a match in the Basin Reserve yesterday, the Thorndon men winning by three wickets. The United scores were 40 and -54, the Thorndon club making 39 in the first innings and £6 in the second. ' In the list published of estates of deceased persons placed under the charge of the Public Trustee for management during the month of March, 1878, r-nly one name appears from the Wellington District, that of John Johnson, of this city, who died on 12th December, 1877, and the value of whose personal estate is estimated at " under £2500." The examiners appointed by the Senate of the New Zealand University have reported that thp essay sent iv under the motto " Rule Britannia," written by John Innes, of the Canterbury College, Christchurch, is entitled to receive the Bowen Prize for 1877, and the Senate have awarded the prize accordingly to John Innes. - Mr. H. S. MnKellar has been appointed Receiver of Land Revenue for the Land District of Wellington, vice Mr. W. Holmes, who has resigned. Messrs. E. C. Hullet, W. S. Short, and S. C. Willson, who hitherto have been on the staff of extra clerks in the Public Works Department, have been appointed permanent clerks. The following are the teams selected to play in the cricket match between Nelson and Wellington College, which takes place on Tuesday, on the Basin Reserve : — Nelson — Barnicoat, Firth, Greenfield, Rout, Sharp, Seymour, Vickerman, Bddington (2), Fleming, and Harvey. Wellington— Martin, Morrah (2), Leckie, Cooper, Taylor, Snow, Luxfork, Barnett, Dransfield, Jackson; scorer, 11 . B. Kirk. On Thursday evening the Rev. T. Harrington delivered his lecture " Why am I a Christian 1" in tbe Polytechnic Hall, before a good audience; Mr. J. G. Holdsworth was in the chair. The lecture was one of a series which Mr. Harrington intends to give in reply to the free-thought lectures of Mr. Charles Bright. Thursday's lecture was of a preliminary character, and consisted chiefly of a comparison of the vari us "religions" of Persia, Egypt, India, China, &c, with Christianity, and Mr. Harrington treated his subject in an ab!e and exhaustive manner. Of course, a portion of the address was specially directed at freethought, and the lecturer quoted from freethought writers to show that free-thought was but another name for infidelity, and then devoted his attention to confuting these arguments. That there might be an opportunity for a full and free discussion, the lecture was pnrposely brief,' lasting only forty minutes. Mr. Griffiths first accepted the challenge, and for twenty minutes argued on the side of free-thought, attempting to show that tbe parables and precepts of the New Testament were simply transcripts of old Hindoo traditions, and repetitions of the maxims of Confucius. Another gentleman then took up the cudgel on

behalf of Christianity, and he was followed by a second speaker ou the free-thought side, who openly avowed himself an infidel. Mr. Harrington then replied to the points raised by his opponents, and votes of thanks to the chairman and lecturer concluded the proceedings. To-morrow being Ea=ter Day, the offertories at all the Anglican churches in this diocese will be pre«ented to the respective incumbents as Easter offerings. Rumor with its proverbial thousand tongues was not at all idle about the doings, past, present, and future, of the Soldene Company during their stay in this city, and immediately after their departure for Adelaide, where they opened the new theatre on the 25th ult. First we had the recorded marriage of a member of the ballet to a wealthy squatter, which has not yet taken place, and then we bad the announced determination of Mr. Chizzola to come back and open " the Imperial Opera House." In fact, "know alls" had settled dates, terms, and pieces, Sec, The rumor bore absurdity on the face of it, but has, nevertheless, had many believers. The fact is the company, after playing in Adelaide, will break up there, unless terms can be made for another season in Melbourne, which, according to latest communications, is not likely to result. Miss Soldene will go to England, as also will Mr. Campbell and Mr. Marshal], but the probabilities are that Mr. Wallace, the stage manager, atid the majority of the minor artistes, will find a more congenial clime and better pay for their services in Australia. As the " Soldene Company " New Zealand will not see them again, though individual members will probably find their way here from time to time as members of other companies. The traffic returns on the following New Zealand railways for the four weeks ended 9th ultimo, were as follow* : — Wellington section, 1878— Passengers (8088), £878 lls 7d ; goods, £563 lls 2d ; total, £1442 2s 9d. 1877—Passengers (7091), £729 18s sd ; goods, £225 9s 3d ; total, £955 7s Bd. Foxton section, 1878— Passengers (1139), £210 2s 2d ; goods, £389 lls 5d j total, £599 19s 7d. 1877—Passengers (1219), £254 4s 9d ; goods, £336 7s 6d ; total, £590 12* 3d. Wanganui section, 1878— - Passengers (1981), £457 12s 4d ; goods, £194 5s 4d ; total, £651 17s Bd. The third of a series of carbine matches will | take place on Monday morning next between the Nelson and Wellington Cadets, each team firing on its own range. The following are the team that will represent Wellington .City :— Cadet N. Gooder, Sergt. J.Gooder, Sergt. W. Randell, Sergt. W. Bladeley, Corp. W. Chitty, Cadet J. Croucher. Artillery Cadets : Lieutenant J. Taylor, Sergeant W. Asher, Cadet J. Parker, Cadet S. Brown. Te Aro School Cadets : Corporal A. Ballinger, and Cadet A. Rowlands. Firing will commence at 8 o'clock sharp. We understand that Mr. Duncan has received instructions from G. E. Barton, Esq., to offer for sale the balance of the Petone township within the next few weeks. It is, however, at present not decided whether the sections will be sold in the same way as they were two years ago, or whether they will be leased at a rental equal to interest, with a right of purchase at any time during the period of the lease. If the latter mode is adopted, it will take a little time to value the lots for the purpose of a purchasing clause of each allotment. To-morrow the anniversary services in cob - nection with the Manners-street Wesleyan Sunday School will be held, when the Rev. A. Reid will preach in the morning, and the Rev. J. W. Williams in the afternoon and evening. Mr. Williams succeeds the Rev. H. Dewsbury in this circuit, and he will preach his first sermons on Sunday next. On Tuesday evening the annual tea and public meeting will be held. At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, Henry Parker was fined os for, drunkenness, and James Craig, for a similar offence, was ordered to pay 10.3. William Curnow was charged with an assault upon George Josef, at the Rimutaka. As the police wished to secure another man who was concerned in the assault, the prisoner was remanded until Friday next, no evidence being offered. The Right Reverend Bishop Redwood will consecrate the Roman Catholic Chpel, newly erected at Pahautanui, on Sunday week, the 2Sth instant, at 11 a.m., when mass will be celebrated and confirmation administered. The Theatre Royal will be re-opened this evening with the sensational drama of " Forsaken." Entirely new scenery has been provided, and as the company have had a week in which to study their pnrts, the performance should be one of exceptional merit. ' ' Forsaken" run for 300 nights in London, upon its first production at the Adelphi, and it was afterwards repeated at the Standard and Surrey theatres. The plot is of the true sensational school. A banker's daughter marries a poor man, and when the father finds it out, he turns the girl and her child into the street. Amid snow and sleet she makes her way to the Foundling Hospital, and just places her child in safety when she dies. The boy is in the second act apprenticed to a steam saw-miller, and the banker's nephew, afraid that the old man may relent and leave his money to his grandchild, bribes an engineer to set the machinery in motion at a time when the boy is standing on the engine in such a position that he must be thrown among the wheels and saws, if no one stretches out a helping hand. This foul plot, however, is frustrated at the very moment of its apparent fulfilment, and the play ends by all parties receiving their deserts. A service of song will be held in the Primitive Methodist Church, Webb-street, on Tuesday evening. An advertisement in another column announces that an Art Union, the profits of which are to go towards furnishing the new Club premises, will be held at an early date. Among the prizes are three valuable sections of land in the township of Kensington, the gift of W. Finnlmore, Esq., £100 worth of land, a valuable piano, tec, &c. The committee of the Club announce also in the same advertisement that it is proposed to hold a Fine Arfif and Industrial Exhibition on the opening of the new club premises, and they give notice to intending exhibitors that early application for space is necessary. The Club has a great claim upon the public for its sympathy and support, which, we trust, will be tendered in n-> stinted form. Something should result from the number of telegrams and counter-telegrams which appear in print as having passed on the subject of the sculling championship. Trickett, says the Sydney evening papers, has received from Courtney the following message, dated Auburn, New York, 3lst March :—": — " Race accepted by me tor £1000 a-side. Trickett allowed £300 expenses. Water on which the race shall be rowed to be left to me. Charles E. Courtney, Champion of America." Trickett, however,declares himself satisfied to rest on his laurels unless Mr. Courtney is willing; to accept similar terms from him. The excavations for the new extension to the Gasworks, which have been carried below the sea level, indeed no less than 14ft below high water mark, have brought to light some very curious features in the geological formation of the Te Aro Flat. Of course before the great earthquake of 1855, when that part of the shore was raised by several feet, the spot in question was far below the sea, and the stratification now is found to present some striking peculiarities. Dr. Hector went down on Thursday to examine the strata thus exposed, and found it so interesting that he has sent down an assistant to obtain a collection of specimens for the Colonial Museum. Mr. J. M. Perrier, better known as the "Intelligent Vagrant," has, according to the Manawatu Times, " taken possession of a capital site at Ekatahuna, half way between Woodvilleand Mnsterton,on which he intends erecting a commodious hotel." At Sandon a corner section was the other day sold for £250, or at the rate of £1000 an acre. Facetiously this may be said to be two hundred and fifty out of a thousand evidences of the increase in the value of country property near Wellington. New discovery of gold, a discovery which promises to eclipse and outdo all other discoveries, is that which has lately been made in the great restorer of sick people to sound health. Ghollah's Great Indian Curbs is beyond all questioning the most marvellous discovery ; for health is more than gold, and by the use of these meritorious medicines not only can health be maintained, but persons laid aside by sickne s of many years' duration are restored to health, and snatched from the jaws of death.— [Ad tt.]Under the Weather. — When a man feels languid, depressed, debilitated, and indisposed to exertion, mental or bodily, he tells us he is "out of sorts," or " under the weather." Persons in this condition need cheering and strengthening. Exhausted nature signifies by these symptoms that she needs aid and succor. Then is the time to resort to Udolpho Wolfe'sSchibdam AkomaticSchsapvc. The effect produces by this wonderful stimulant and tonic in such cases is almost electric. Strength, energy, and cheerfulness return and remain, for there is no reaction. — [Advt.J The Fancy Goods business having such a great assortment of different lines, Mr. Jacobs, of the Athenaeum Bazaar, finds it a matter of impossibility to enumerate each line by means of advertisement, but if the public will favor him with an inspection of his immnsee stock they will find that he has the largest and best selection of Fancy Goods and Jewellery in Wellington. Parties requiring to purchase Presents or Birthday Gifts will find it to their own advantage to visit his establishment, where they ore bound to suit themselves and their pockets at the game time. — Adtt.

Borough. Total Births. Total Deaths. Proportion of Deaths to the 1000 of Population. Auckland ... Thames Wellington ... Nelson Christchurcu Dunedin Hokitika ...i 38 18 93 22 55 63 8 13 3 29 20 18 28 o •93 •55 1-53 303 1-34 1-24 1-54 Total 297 116