Evening Post. SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1879.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 311, 4 January 1879, Page 2

Evening Post. SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1879.

What a lesson is read by tbe case of John Allen Hackib, who was yesterday committed for trial on a charge of feloniously forging a cheque and embezzling j£l3lO of tbe moneys of the Bank of New Zealand, of which institution he was an agent ! It is a lesson with at least a d^bie application. Strongly as it points to md warns men in a position of trust like the v afortunate man himself, it not less pointedly applies to those who filled the office of his masters, that is to the Bank itself. We do not seek, by tbe remarks we are about to make, to prcjudico the case of the unhappy prisoner, who ij already undergoing tbe retribution of his recklessness; a retribution which the mere passing of any possible sentence cannot much increase as resptcts his own feelings. Did we imagine that any comment of ours would in the least prejudge the man, I such commeuta would be left unwdtten. But they cannot injure him, whilo they will point a moral and perhaps enable otheis, high in financial position, to adorn the story of their existence by a wiser ecouomy than the present parsimony displays. Mackib, it appears, had ! been in a dragoon regiment, and bad seen some of the fast living and expensive habita which it is said officers are more apt to follow and contract in cavalry regiments than in infantry. Not that that necessarily unfits him for baing banker. Wo have known cavalry men of eduation and taste lay by the sword for the cassock, acd not unworthily fulfil the duties of an earnest soldier ot the Church. There are examples of this kind in New Z3aland. We have heard of an ex-officer of tbe Blues making an admirable life insurance agent, but then he j makes money at the sarce time. On the general principle, therefore, we sco nothing to prevent an ex-military man from.being a bank agent; neither do we see anything which excuses the breach of honor and honesty committed by this agent, who began and carried ou for a couple of years a gystca of embezzlement in order that ho might spend his employers' money, which he held in sacred trust, in debauchery and riotous living, and in expenditure altogether boyond his means. The first fals* step, the first dishonest interference with the funds that are another's, and in nine case* oat of ten the feelings become hardened, and repetition of the offence follows. Then the descent is easy. But, in some certain shape— not the least painful of which is the mental torture, aud the everpresent fear of detection — the inevitable Nemesis overtakes the culprit, and swift and sudden punishment, loss of position, reputai tion, liberty, a felon's gaol, lifo-long and vain regrets tell the story of how dearly purchased are those guiltily-obtained pleasures. There is in the moral world a punishment more sure than that of the outraged law. Long before the latter discovers the offence, the moral officers have delivered their sentence. The very crime itself at its commission contains the germ of its own punishment. This unhappy man's began in his own breast when his first act of embezzlement was performed. Since then he has, through his own conscience and the fear of the law, suffered, in his keen mental experiences, two years' penal servitude. Drink could not drown the spectre, nor the bright eyes of meretricious damsels intercept that stern and threatening gaze of black care that stood menacingly behind. Then' comes detection, exposure, disgrace on the culprit and his friends, and a life is changed from the ranks of social freedom to the limits of a prisoner's cell. But what ot the Bank ? The munificent salary of £150 per annum is given to an official trusted with the manipulation and administration of thousands. A man who had a position to maintain, to keep up appearances, to dress well, to b&, in short, a representative banker, mixing in expensive society, the leading banking institution in the colony pays with less than 10s a day, less than carpenter's or mason's wages. The result of the offender's innate recklessness, combined with bad pay and that perpetual temptation which low remuneration magnifies, is now patent in the robbery of £1810, more than eight years' salary It is said that the Guarantee Association is liable for £1000. It becomes a question for such societies to consider whether or not they should take risks of the kind in cases where the payment of the guaranteed person is so utterly incommensurate with his responsibilities and* his opportunities. If £150 a year is fitting pay for a bank agent, then we advise parents to make blacksmiths of their sons rather than submit them to the pangs of such a poverty-stricken gentility, such a pretentious position, such wretched pay, and such permanent temptations. Some ten or twelve years ago, when the Marlborough goldfield was in its earlier prune, a case was tried in the Supreme Court at Nelson, in which the prisoner, a bauk agent in Picton and Havelock, was charged with stealing some £3750 of New Zealand Bank notes. Ha was acquitted through, what the jury deemed some flaw in the evidence. After his release those notes -got into circulation, and the man for a lime made a certain display of wealthy which, however, like ill-gotten riches, by-and-by disappeared, as he has himself done since. The prisoner in thin case had but a small salary, considering the responsibilities and trust necessary on goldfields; but ij was less niggardly than that of the late Hutt bank ogont. But 'there was a youag gentleman, the accountant in the same bank, who was a witness in the case, and who, as the evidence showed, had charge of the money under his immediate superior, and who was in a goldfield district paid for his work and bis trust by the petty salary of £75 per annum ! There was no suspicion against this man's integrity, but the Judge on the Bench and the Press of the day severely criticised the parsimony which was then exposed. This Hutt case is an example of the same kind. Of, course we do not blame tbe Bank for the dishonesty of any man's nature, but we do say that pay and responsibility should go largely together. Offices of trust where large amounts of money aro concerned, and a certain special education and capacity are inferred, ought surely to be paid more liberally than mere material or ordinary skilled hibor, which is not coupled with any large pecuniary trust. Public sentiment will in no wise excuse such breaches of trust, such wicked appropriation and wasteful expenditure of other people's money, but j neither will it bold the Bank blameless for its ' paltry payment of such services. It is no palliation to say that scores of more or less educated youths or men are ready to enter the service ot a bank, that the supply is greater than the demand, and that, as a consequence, the pay is low. We deny the logic. There is something more than supply and demand. Fitness is a necessary factor in the sum, and if fitness is to be remunerated on such a scale as that of the Hutfc agent, then it is entirely in the wrong place, and should seek a better and a nobler, because juster, servitude.

A happy and peaceful conclusion has been arrived at in the strike of the seamen of the Australian Steam Navigation Company. Wo were enabled, through our special correspondent, to print yesterday (and the Post was the only journal which did so) the fact of the termination of the strike, and the details of the mutual arrangements which had been completed between the contending parties. This shows what steadfast action and fair demands fairly urged can attain. The sympathy of the people at large in all the colonies, nowhere more earnestly and .promptly than in this city, was freely given to the seamen, partly on their account and partly as a question of self-preserva-tion afFectiiig European workmen in the first place, and, subordinataly, but no less vitally in the end, affecting also the employers of labor in the colonies, just as these latter have been affected in San Francisco and in Honululu. So far the work has been well done, with one exception, and , that was the tumultuous exhibition which occurred in Sydney when some riotous demonstrations were made, and the premises of employers of Chinese were threatened, and Chinamen's property injured. The same censure is deserved on the improper action ot a foolish set of people here, on New Year's Eve, in hunting a couple of Chinamen. This is not manly behaviour. It is not the work of men who stand on the dignity of principle, and seek to secure by lawful action and combination the justice which, as results show, can be obtained peaceably, and by the force of fair argument, without resort to violence or breaches of the law. We do not require to tell men ot common sense and .peaceful lives that little is to be gained by violence, and that much can be achieved by peaceful earnestness both in the way of actual benefit and popular sympathy in a just cause. That sensible men already know, and to them we appeal to do their best to quell any examples of unruly conduct which, in nineteen cases out of twenty, do injury to, and impede the progress of, a good cause. The settlement just arrauged in Sydney proves what we say. So much then has baen accomplished; the law and the Legislature must be looked to as the source of future advancement to check what was undoubtedly a growing evil.

Oar usual Saturday's supplement to-day contains a letter on "The Bailiff in the House," " Sporting Notes/ and a variety of selected matter. • /%~ C~ The Press Agency yesterday duly forniuSS us -with an account received by cable of the settlement of the Anti-Chinese strike in Sydney, but, as we had already obtained and put in type the particulars sect by our own special correspondent, we did not, under pressure for space, deem it necessary to publish a second narrative. Our special Sydney correspondent's telegram of yesterday, announcing the settlement of the A.S.N. Co.'a sailors' strike, waspromply followed by a telegram from Mr. Poole, secretary of the Seamen's Uuion, to his Worship, the Mayor, asking him to stay further subscriptious, and thanking the working men for their ready assistance. A suggestion is made by a correspondent that the Te Aro landholders should "get the right in some way to carry on the Ta Aro

reclamation themselves, and form a company to do »." To "getthe right" is just what the ratepayers haw been endeavoring todothrough their elected representatives for some years past, atd hitherto in vain. The only way in which they could "get the right" would be by Act of Parliament, and that Act, unluckily. Parliament won't pass. A correspondent writes suggesting that the Te Aro Post Office should be placed on the present site of the Pound; between Maonewstreet and Taranaki Place. The following is the complete list of prisoners committed for trial at the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court, which commence on Monday :— Kate Dawes, attempted suicide; Charles' Schmidt, stealing from a dwelling-house; James Murphy, indecent assault; Philip J. Murtogb, assault and wounfins; William Watsou, alias Button, stealing from a dwelling-house; Arthur Falloon, assault and wounding; Edward Henry M'llwain, arson ; George Webb, alias Smith, forgery; Jame| Mien Mackie, forgery and stealing; Arthur L. Sweet, forgery. The list of civil actions for hearing at the circuit sittings of the Supreme Court is a light one, including only four cases :— Grollop v. Atchison (special jury), O'Neill v. Brown (special jury). M'Lean v. Nicholson (common jury), and Bishop v. M 'Donald (common jury)There will shortly be a change in the constitution of the well-known iirm of Messrs. Hart and Buckley, solicitors. Mr. Hart intends to retire from the active practice ot the profession, and Mr. E. Stafford, iurmerly a member of the firm of Moorhouse and Stafford, and at present Assistant Law Officer to the Crown, will join Mr. Bucklry. It is also probable tliat Mr. Fitzherbert will join the new firm. We understand the Criterion Hotel has changed hands to-day from F. Valentine to J. R. Brown for the sum of £1700. Messrs. Wa(ty and Ames negotiated the sale. Yesterday the creditors of Mr. W. J. Pallant, bootroaklrpioet to assent to a deed of assignment, by which be assigned his estate for the benefit of' his creditors. It was, however, found that previous to the drawing up of the deed", Pallant had made over stock to the value of about £1000 to one of his workmen for £5 cash, and bills extending ovar a period of five years. The man could not even write his own name, and had to sign with a cross. The creditors, for certain obvious reasons, refused to become parties to such a sale, and decided to liquidate the estate in the Bankruptcy Court. Pallant's liabilities are returned at £2900, and the estate is expected to realise about 103 in the £1. The little girl who was so seriously injured by a kick from a horso a few days ago, sustaining a fracture of the skull, is still living, and hopes even are entertained that she possibly may survive the injury. At present her condition remains almost unchanged, but Dr. Watts is in constant attendance, and has not by any means relinquished the hope that he yet may succeed in bringing her round. In consequence of the large extension of the Union Steamship's business, the directors have come to the determination to establish a separate agency inJ^ellington, and Mr. James Mills, the Head Manager, is expected to arrive in Wellington within the next few days, for the purpose of making the necessary arrauge'ments for transferring the agency from Messrs. Levin and Co., by whom hitherto it has been most efficiently and satisfactorily conducted, to the new local manager, who, it is understood, will bs Mr. David Mills. The rumor which has found currency to the effect that it was the intention of the company to remove their head-quarters to this port, is entirely without foundation. ¦ . An accident occurred' at the corner of Austin-street and Pirie-street shortly before noon to-day. One of Mr. J. Gear's meat carts was rounding the course at a rapid pace, when the horse suddenly became restive, and, after a brief struggle with the driver, managed to capsize the cart, sowing plump legs of mutton, prime sirloins of beef, and other attractive joints, broadcast over the road. The driver was thrown from his seat into the midst of the meaty scene, but fortunately escaped with a few bruises, and with great promptitude and presence of mind disentangled the horse from its harness. One offthe horse's legs was grazed, but otherwise it was not injured. We briefly noticed yesterday the release from prison of the now notorious Samuel John Hill. The application was made by Mr. Cowan in the Supreme Court yesterday, a petition being presented from Hill, in which he apologised and expressed contrition for' molesting his wife. He had made application to "numerous friends " in Wellington to become sjureties for his future good behaviour, but they had all declined to enter into any bond on his behalf. He was therefore unable to ao more than enter into a personal bond not to molest or disturb his wifd in any way in the future, if released. Mr. Brandon, Jan., who appeared on behalf of Mrs. Hill, offered no opposition. The Chief Justice, in granting the order tor Hill's release, said itnrould be well if Mr. Cowan would represent to him that if he offended again the consequences would be more serious. Some- samples of the, newly - discovered Mokau coal have been analysed at the Colonial Laboratory, the result giving 87*1 per cent, of combustible matter, and 2 5 per cent, of ashThe evaporative power is such that lib of coal will convert into steam 71b of water. His Excellency the Governor was present at the Imperial Opera House, when " Henry Y. " was repeated to a large and enthusiastic audience* The piece is to be withdrawn next Wednesday, ia favor of "Amos Clarke, or, The- par Sinister," written by Watts Phillips, for Mr. Rignold. This is stated to be its first presentation in the Australasian colonies. The tender of Mr. J. G. Primrose, for labor for the erection of the new" Presbyterian Church at the Hutt, has been accepted. The amount is £95. At a meeting of the committee of the New Zealand Rifle Association, held last evening*, it was resolved that the secretary should at once proceed to Nelson to make the necessary arrangements tor the meeting next month. The Commission of Higher Education vpill commence it? sittings on the 15th February. The Rev. J. W. Habens, Inspector-General of Schools, and a member of the Commission, has been appointed Secretary, and Mr. W. Drake, 1 of the Hansard staff, shorthand writer to the Commission. ' •> , A meetfftg of the Anti-Chinese Sub-Com-mittee-ros held at the Atn'ebwum last night, Dr. Nfcvman presiding, when it was resolved that i Mr. Capper should call on all persons holdiaj} subscription lists, and receive all money* collected on behalf of the committee. $he combined Wairarapa team will play a match with the Wellington Club at the beginning of next week. The Land Tax Valuers have commenced theifr duties in this city. A number of sections, varying 'from 86 to 385 acres, in the Wairoa Survey District, Wellington, are gazetted as open tor selection under the deferred-payment clause of the Land Act, 1877. The Hon. G. M. Waterhouse, ML C , Mr. W. T. L. Travers, F L.S , and Mr. T. Mason are gazetted as Governors of the New Zealand Institute. The three gentlemen named retired in their proper rotation, and have baen reappointea. The Hutt District is, in this week's Gazette, proclaimed a district under the Wellington RiverfGenservation Act; 1876. The,' numerous friends whom Mdlle. Alice ChasMonet, the gifted pianiste, has made in this ctty intend to give her a grand complimentary concert prior to her final departure from Wellington. Great efforts are being made to arrange a programme full of interesting' items^-both vocal and instrumental. Mdlle. Charbonnet will play some of her finest pianoforte solos, assisted by Miss Neville, an orchestral band, and some of our best amateurs. We "have no doubt that under proper management thejboncert, which is^to take place on Monday week, will be a great success. , Tenders are invited by advertisement for surveying and sub-dividinginto buil4ing allotments Mr. Hunter's farm, the- purchase of which by Messrs. Jacob Joseph, P. Moeller. A. Toung, and J. Saunders was recently notified. The price stated to have been paid for the 5800 acres is £35,000 cash, which is considered as representing £100 an acre for about 180 acres of leVel land, £30 an acre for 200 acres hilly, an&^E2 au acre for the remainder, which is very rough land. As already mentioned, it is proposed to call the new township Brighton.. Probably only alternate "sections will be sold in" the first place, the enhanced value of the intermediate sections enabling the owners to fix a lower upset price for^the land first offered. The Rev. J. Ward, of Dunedin, will preach to-morrow in the Sydney-street Methodist Church. In response to the invitation of the Evangelical Alliance of Great Britain, addressed to 'Christiana throughout the world, next week will Be observed in Wellington as a week of united prayer. The churches at which the meetings will be held are named in our advertising oolpmiw. > After we went to press yesterday the four sailors who had been charged in the 1 earlier part of the day with broaching cargo on board the Hermione were brought up on a further charge of endangering the ship by taking a naked" light into the hold. Prisoners were each -sentenced to eight weeks' hard labor, to commence at the expiration of the previous term to which they had been sentenced. A despatch from the Secretary of State to the different colonial Governments calls attention to the fact that all British colonies are deemed foreign countries, so far as relates to the importation of stock into England. Under the provisions of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act any country may apply to be exempted from toe operation of the Act. Wo are requested to remind our readers of the service* at the Imperial Opsra House tomorrow, when Mr. Varley will deliver his farewell addrvsMe.

The ship Fernglen which arrived at Nelson from Plymouth, with immigrants, on Thursday morning, and was ordered to proceed to Wellington, left at 10 p.m. same day. As the wind has not been favorable for her, it will probably be to-morrow before she makes our harbor. Mr. B irton informs us that the statement published this morning to the effect that he purposes going to Auckland to practise his profession as a barrister, is entirely without foundation. Mr. Barton, so Soon as he settles bis dispute with the' Judges, will resume his practice in Wellington. ■ The Port Darwin line is interrupted north of Taments' Creek. The prizes in connection with the late meeting of the Caledonian Society will be paid over at the New Zealaader Hotel on Tuesday evening, at 8 p.m. The new arrangements with reference to the Union Steamship Company's boats are as [follows:— The Melbourne and New Zealand service will bs performed by the Ringarooma, Arawata, Albion, Claud Hamilton, Rotorua, j and Tararua, the last two running alternately in the Sydney service with the Wakatipu, but going by way of Auckland, instead of direct from Wellington as the Wakatipu wi'l continue to run. The main Esst Coast service will be carried on by the Hawea, Taupo, and Wanaka, and that to and from Picton, Nelson, Taranaki, and Manukau by the Wellington and Taiaroa alternately. The Maori will continue to conduct the service round the South Island, the Waitaki that between Dunedin and Oamaru, and the Beautiful Star that to Timaru. The Claud Hamilton is the only steamer which will run to and from Melbourne via Hokitika. The p.B. Manawatu, which left here last night for Wanganui, took nine immigrants ex the ship Hermione. As the dry season appears at length to have set in, and the usual necessary restrictions are placed on the waste or undue use of the city water supply, it is generally remarked that the supply of water to the shipping on the wharf ought to be by meter, as at present an impression exists that waste to no inconsiderable extent takes place. Mr. H.C. Williamson, clerk to Mr. Hutchison, barrister, of this city, accidentally broke his leg at Carterton, this morning, by a fall. Ho was returning from a ball at the time. About that dead horse. Mr. Jo'-mson, the Inspector of Nuisances, informs us that he has received no communication whatever on the subject, but that he went of his owu accord yesterday to see if his instructions as to the interment ofcthe defunct steed bad been obeyed. He found that the equine corpse had been placed only 21t below the surface of the ground, but 4ft of earth had been filled in over it. Mr. Johnson, however, had the remains of the departed charger exhumed, re-interred, covered first with a thick layer of quicklime, then with alternate strata of earth and furze, to impede the efforts of resurrectionist dogs. Under these circumstances it is to be hoped that dead horse will rest in peace. Mr. Gordon Allan, solicitor, yesterday complained to the Resident Magistrate that he had defended some sailors and had received an order for his fee on the captain who held large sums of money for the men, but he refused to pay the amount, stating that the mosey was not due till the voyage was completed. Mr. Mansford said that nothing could be claimed until the voyage for which the men had shipped was ended, but he always recommended the masters to pay the counsel's fees in such cases out of wages in hand, and he generally found that masters, as a matter of fairness, followed that advice. Captain Roberts, who had been referred to by Mr. Allan, said that he was quite willing to pay over anything that was let after he had paid his own counsel's fees and expenses out of the money he had in hand. He was bound to take that course, because the owners of the ship would not pay the expenses ; but he thought there would be very little left after these expenses had b:en paid. The matter then dropped. We are requested to inform our readers that, on account ot Mr. Varley's service, the usual meeting at the Princess Theatre will not be held to-morrow evening. Mr. R. Macallister has been appointed auditor of accounts of the County of VVairarapa East. The appointment of Mr. John Sperrey, of Wellington, as a Justice of the Peace is gazetted. Messrs. A. P. Manton and T. C. L. Syraonds have been appointed draughtsmen in the Surveyor-General's Department. Complaints are made of insufficient clerical assistance to carry on the business of the District Court^the next sitting of which is .fixed for the 17th inst. Judge Mansford, oil' the matter being brought to his notice by Mr. Edwards yesterday, said that no doubt the profession had to put up with a good deal of loss of time in consequence of the smallness of the staff and want of accommodation, and he would be glad if they would represent tbe matter in such a form that he could send tho representation to the proper quarter. He believed the whole of the business of the Court was to be removed to the old Provincial Buildings, but now some new difficulty had arisen, and he did not know when the Court would be transferred. A meeting of the committees of all clubs connected with the Wellington Cricketers' Assuciati >n (except Wellington and Star) will be held this evening at the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, at 7.30 p.m., to arrange a match with the Wairarapa Eleven on Tuesday iiexi. The result of a most disgraceful, fracas, which took place on Sunday afternoon on the River Bank, between Sergeant Donnelly and Constable Buchanan is the immediate transfer of the latter to Wellington, it being apparently the opinion of the authorities that he is alone to blame. We (Wanganui Herald) presume that there are good grounds for this decision, but It appears to us that a formal, if private, investigation of the matter would have been more in accordance with the dictates of justice. We do not feel inclined to enter particularly into the facts of the affray, as the private affairs of the parties concerned are involved in a manner that would render publicity very painful, but we must express a decideH opinion against tbe course which has been adopted in hushing the matter up and allowing one of the offenders, at any rate, to go unpunished. That a fight— a positive pitched battle— should take place on a Sunday, in a public, place between two of those officers who are intended to preserve order, and that the bare result of this most reprehensible breach of the peace which in civilians would have been most severely punished, should be the transfer of one of the offenders, is very unsatisfactory indeed. Taking time by the forelock is evidently the motto of some prompt-acting* Hawke's Bay people, who lately started a uew racing club. The moment the project was mooted the enterprising individuals telegraphed to Sir Hercules Robinson, asking him to become patron. The reply came soon:— "His Excellency, is much gratified by your congratulations and offer of presidency, and begs the matter may be allowed to stand over till his arrival id Wellington." Perhay? a judicious delay would have done the Napier people no harm in the eyes of his Excellency. However, they will have the honor at least of the " first refusal." J The Wairarapa Daily says : — " It has been roughly estimated that some 3000 acres of wheat and oats have to be harvested this' season in the Masterton district. Every year shows a marked increase in tbe are* laid under crop, and the introduction of the best laborsaving machinery which is gradually taking place will probably in future multiply to an almost indefinite extent the land to be ploughed." This is written apropos of the introduction by Mr. T. H. Murray, of Te Ore Ore, of one of Osborne's harvesters, the first in the district. The machine worked admirably. Fisher's sweep on the Wellington Cup is to be drawn early this month, four hundred tickets have been disposed of, leaving only one hundred. Those who have not yet tickets can obtain them by applying at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Grey-street.