THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 381, 29 March 1879, Page 2

THE NATIVE DIFFICULTY.

The latest telegrams received by the Government prove that the Native Minister was c >rrect in his first surmise— that the removal of the surveyors was the action of a small section of the natives acting under Te Whiti's orders, and that the majority, including nearly all their influential men, were averse to any opposition beine offered to tho survey of tbe Ploius. Te Woiti has lost much of tbe prestige he possessed among the natives but a Btr>rt time ago, and a few turbulent spirits are bis only followers. Finding that their action bas not been supported by the others, but, on the contrary, that it is condemned, those who took the initiative in removing tbe Europeans now express their regret, and no further opposition ou their part is anticipated. Major Sueebao and Major Browa leave for the scene of the disturbance to-morrow.

Our usual weekly Supplement is published with the present issue of tha Eve sting Post. UU Excellency ths Administrator of the Government (Sir Hercules Rubinsou) will hold a levee at Government House on Thursday, the 3rd of April, at 3 o'clock p.m Gentlemen attending the levee will wear uniform or evening dress, and are requested to provide themselves with two '-anls with their names thereon, one card to be left on tbe table at the entrancedoor, and the other to be given to the Aide-de-camp. The outward English mail via San Francisco will not close until 9 o'clock to-morrow miming, the ss. Wellington starting for Manukau at 10 with the mail. The money order office closes at 5 o'clock this evening. Tbe Governor's Reception Committee have decided to invite his Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson to a public ball, to be given in bis honor by the citizens of Wellington. We understand that hi* Excellency has accepted the invitation, and that the ball will take place shortly after Easter. Mr. J. B. Redward. Immigration Officer at this port, ha* received 205 immigrant nominations fur transmission by to-morrow's outward San Francisco mail. We understand that tbe Wairarapa deputation, which, as we mentioned in our last issue, waited on the Minister for Public Works yesterday to seek additional aid to tbe Waiobine River Board, were entirely successful in their application, receiving a promise of all tbe assistance which it was in the powar of the Government to afford. From the official meteorological return for February, 1879, it appears that the mem temperature of the air wis greatly below the average at a I stations, the respective deficiencies beiog 4 9 degrees in Nelson, 8 o degrees in Aucklaud, 33 degrees in Wellington, 3 0 degrees in fiokjtiki, 2 G degrees in Dunedin, and 3*4 degrees in Christchurcb. The' only

place where the maximum temperature exceeded 80 degrees in the shade was Ghrfotchurch, where a temperature of 82 2 degrees was recorded, the lowest temperature of the Colony during the month — 34-2 degrees— also being registered at the same place, which consequently had the largest range— 4B degs. The rainfall was considerably below the average at all stations excepting Hokitika, where there was an enormous excess, the fall being 16 85 inches, or more than double the average precipitation, and Danedin, where tne excess was very slight The rara'all was only 068 inch at Chnstchurch, 1 13 at Auckland, 1 35 at Nelson, and 1 81 at Wellington, the averages for those places being 2 20, 417, 396, and 5 78 inches. The Hon. Henry Stuart Littleton is gazetted Private Secretary to the Goveronr, and Captain Edward B aucharap St. John, 35th Regiment, is gazetted as his Excellency's Aide-de-Camp. The Standing Orders of the Legislative Council relative to Local Bills are published in this week's Gazette for general information. The fallowing apoointments in the SurveyorGeneral's Department are gazetted :— Mr. John William Allmnn Merchant to be Chief Surveyor nf the Wellington District; Mr. Charles William Adams to be first Geodesical Surveyor in the General Survey Department; and Mr. George Watkin William to be Inspecting Surveyor for the Wellington District. Lieutenant-Colonel H. E. Reader Is gazetted as Uader-Secretary lor Defence. The services of the Wellington Naval Brigade have been formally accepted by his Excellency the Governor, the date of acceptance being the 24th instant. The following appointments in the Colonial Treasury are gazetted :— John Holmes, clerk ; Joseph Stuart Allan, cadet; Robert Knox De Castro, cadet. Mr. Henry Samuel Fitzberbert has been appointed by Mr. Justice Richmond Revising Officer for the Electoral Districts of Wellington < ity, Wellington Country, Hutt, Wairarapa, Rangitikei, MaDawatu, and Wanganui. The following Registrars of Dogs, under the Wellington Dog Nuisance Act, have been appointed for ridings in the Hutt County :— Francis Greer, Porirua; David Everest, Epuni; George Wyetb, Mungaroa; Edward Bolton, senior, Horokiwi. When the City By-laws come into force the Inspector of Nuisances will be empowered to seize all unregistered dog*, and retain them until the owner pays the sum of 10s. The owner will then be Ifable to a fine of £l by the Resident Magistrate, and when he has paid that will have to take out a ss. license. "Honesty is the best policy." The unclaimed mongrels and miscellaneous curs will be destroyed if not claimed within 24 hours alter they fall into Mr. Johnson's clutches. The captain of the Herraione has forwarded the following :— «• The Hermione bent down to Worser Bay this morning, and anchored to wait a fair wind. «»ne of the two seamen (Tinken) forced on board was taken very ill this moraine, so it is probable that he will succumb to it ere long. Since writing this he has been seen by two medical men, and is worse.— D. L. Roberts." The official "earthquake report" for November is as follows :— •« Earthquakes reported at Queenstown on Bth at 3.20 a m., on 14,h at 12.8 p.m., smart, and on the 27th at 6.40 a.m." The firrt meeting of a new society, to be called the " St. Mark's Young Men's Society," will be held on Tuesday evening next. We are informed that the main object of the society is tne promotion of Biblical study and sound churchmanship, while at the same time it is hoped that the society will be the means of furthering the general improvement of its members. In these days, when there is so much laxity of opinion respecting things spiritual, societies of this character are calculated to do much goad, by forming a powerful auxiliary in the repression of vice, and also by so educating young men that they may be able to " give a reason for the faith that is in them." We wish this new society all success. Mr. A. G. Johnson has at last caught a cabman carrying a dead body In his vehicle, and the delinquent, whose name is Clancy, will appear at the Rasident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday to answer for his offence. It is said that several cabmen on the rank refused the job. and warned Clancy that he was rendering himself liable to prosecution. Those who endeavor to make cabmen act in deflmce of the city by-laws should also be made amenable to the law. The result of carrying the body of an infant who had died from a dangerously infectious disease in a vehicle used by the living might result in widespread infection, and those who offend against tbe salutary regulations passed to prevent this danger hould be severely punished. For those who cannot well afford the cost of a hearse there are unlicensed vehicles—cabs to which licenses have been refused—available, and there is no excuse for the hiring of licensed carriages. The two lowest tenderers 'for tbe HokitikaGreymouth railway, Greymouth contract, having declined to take up the contract, it has been thought advisable by the Government to cnll for fresh tenders, as per advertisement which will be found in another column. It will be seen by advertisement elsewhere, »hat the services on Sunday evenings at the Princess Theatre, Tory-street, will, till further notice, be commenced at 7 p.m. Tbe Theatre Royal will be re-opened thfs evening wit'i a dramatic company under the direction of Mr. Thornton " The Mariner's Compass " is the piece announced. It will be seen in our advertising columns that the Ray. J. Dumbell, who has for some time ministered to tbe Primitive Methodists in Wellington and is about to remove to Canterbury, will preach farewell sormoos tomorrow at Webb-street and Sydney-street. A peculiar defence was set up in a rasa in the Resident Magistrate's Court, New Plymouth, where a d- fondant was cbarg.d with allowing a cow to wander at large He pleaded not guilty on the ground that the c>w was not wandering, but knew perfectly well where it was going. This ingenious pleading, however, parried no wight with the Banch, win inflicted the usual penalty. A new branch of local industry, in the shape of the manufacture of fine white bricks, has been started by Mr. Neidergesaess at Newtown. By the aid of machinery Mr. Niedergesaess is prepared also to turn out any quantity of the ordinary bricks, and now that a movement ba9 set in for substituting brick buildings for tli9 wooden structures which have earned for Wellington the nickname of the "city of packing-cases," there should bi a good opening tor this particular line of industry. The prices will be found in our advertising columns. Mr. Liub re, of Manners-street, has been summoned to appear at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, for selling unwhniesome fruit. There was no business to be dealt with in the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning. We (Marlborough Exp-ess) were shown thi3 week a specimen of " slick" or •? slag" which bas been found at Shakespeare Bay, Bear Pic ton. It is a black shining substance not unlike coal, and is regarded as a strong indication of the presence close at hand of that useful mineral. The bed or reef is five feet thick. We sincerely hope these anticipations will be realised, as not only Picton, but all this district, will share in the beneficial results. -Those who have to pass the corner where Sydney-street joins Lambton-quay have lately made loud and just complaint at the horrible fttonch emitted trom a pool of stagaant water, the sewerage of the surrounding bouses, which is situated on the reclamation, at t*io Bide of the road. The*e sufferers will be glad to hear that the Inspector of Nuisances has made arrangements to have the water carried into the adjacent drain, and proper connections made. The work will be commenced on Mouday. A notification appears in another column, to the effect tuat the plumbers' licenses for tbe current ye-ir expire on the 31st instant, and must be renewed on the following day. The cutter "Try-for-it" will ply between the Queen's Wharf and the men-of-war in harbor to-morrow afternoon, to give the public an opportunity of visiting and inspecting the ships. Mr. J. B. Steele, the favorite and talented actor, arrived from Auckland thi* morning by the Taiaroa on his way to Christchurcu, whence be proceeds to Sydney on a professional tour. Mr. Steele will always be heartily welcomed back to .Yew Zealand, and we hope his absence will not ba a lengthened one The report of the Immigration Commissioners upon the ship Bjyne, lately arrived at Lyttelton, is published in last night's Gazette. The Cimmifsi mers state that they are unable to report favorably on the ship ; the light and ventilation were imperfect; tbe dead-lights leaked badly, and consequently the decks were continually wet. Tbe discipline on board the ship was very imperfect ; this was partly owing to the bad conduct of several of the single men and single women, and partly to the fact that a number ol the crew, and also the baker of the .-hip, were only engaged for the run out at Is per month. Frequent quarrels among the immigrants, and also amoug the ship's crew, are reported in tbe surgeon's journal ; on* great cause, however, hiving been the sale of spirits, which bas formed the subject of a special inquiry. The Commissioners regret that they cannot report favorably of several of the single women by this ship; their conduct during the passage gave a considerable amount of trouble, and on arrival four of them immediately left their situations, and are about tbe town with the sailors of tbe ship. The Commissioners recommend to the Government that the captain's gratuity of £25 be withheld, and that a similar amount be deducted from that payable to the surgeon, whom they cannot recommend for further em loyment. Appended to a report are minutes of an inquiry iuto the sale of spirits hy the captain to the emigrants. The captain stated that he had the lermUsion of the surgeon. The latter stated that he did, after several times being pressed, consent to the sale, provided the apiritaf wett

drunk at the cabin door, and that not more than one wineglau should be allowed to each man. He superintended this himself, in the presence, of ttie third mate; but the demand for spirits becoming to large he foresaw the injurious consequences tnat would arise, and I therefore withdrew bis consent. Charges were ¦ also brought by the captain against the doctor, that when his services were urgently required —in one case a woman being in labor —he was found in a stupefied condition, and it was impossible to arouse him. In reply, the doctor stated that be had diarrhoea nearly the whole voyage, and he took regularly every night an opium pill. William Alfred Fordham, clerk, has filed a declaration of insolvency. The City Band give a promenade concert in the Arcade this evening. A most peculiar accident, which narrowly escaped being attended with fatal consequence.*, occurred last Light at Kaiwarra to a child of Mr. A. Philips. A bucket of water was standing in the porch, and the child—a baby who can just crawl—was play ing around Mrs. Philips went into the front room to speak to her husband, but tbe cries of an elder daughter soon recalled her. It was then found that tbe baby had managed to crawl up the side of the bucket and bad fallen in head downwards. The little thing was inseusible, but prompt measures restored life The sister was returning from an errand, when she saw the child in the bucket, and to this circumstance the saving of the child's life may be attributed. Tbe Hisses Stewart took their benefit at the Imperial Opera House last night. There was a well-filled house, and the reception accorded to the fair artistes was of a very flattering nature. Mr. Charles Bright will lecture upon " The Bible and its use in Education " at the Opera House to-morrow night. We have received the Monthly Price Current, edited by Mr. Carroll, for the outgoing mall. A petition is in course of signature praying the Government to set apart a portion of the J Thorndon reclamation for a gymnasium. Some ! time ago it was authoritatively stated thit the Government had reserved four acres immediately at the rear of the Government Buildings ibr a public recreation ground, and the reserve was shown on the maps issued when a portion of the reclamation was sold. Could not part of this four acres be utilised for the gymnasium ? A special meeting of the Wellington Gas Company was held yesterday afternoon, when the resolutions passed at the annual meeting, authorising an increase of capital, fee, were confirmed. Mr, J. C. Crawford left by the Rotorua last night, en route for England. Thorndon ratepayers are requested to meet at tbe Princess Hotel on Monday evening, to discuss the £100,000 loan. Subscribers to Bmnington's Art Union are desired by advertisement over the leader to attend a meetiug on Tuesday next, to make arrangements for the drawing. The members of the A.C. Force stationed at Waihi have subscribed and forwarded, through their commanding officer, Captain Marshall, a sum of £513 a towards the Kaltangata Relief Fund. A meeting of the City Council was held last night to consider the by-lays. The alterations made were not of great importance, and chiefly concern the drivers of puulic vehicles. During the course of discussion Councillor Allen askud whether cahmea could legally charge double fare on holidays? The Town Clerk replied thit they were not obliged to ply for biro on holidays, and, though the charge was illegal, they could refuse to carry aay fare fur less. Although the amounts of the various tenders for the construction of the railway wharf have not yet been allowed to transpire, those of the Wellington tenderers are pretty well known generally among the contractors, and we understand that the closeness of the tendering was something hitherto quite unprecedented. Formerly it used to be quite a common thing for the highest tender to be twice or thrice the amount ot the lowest, but the present tightness iv the money market has changed all that, and tenderers now are obliged to make their calculations very carefully, and be able to show a fair chance of profit, if, as is usually the case, they require some assistance from tbeir bankers in carrying out their contracts. It is rumored that several of these wharf tenders did not differ by more than a few hundreds between tbe highest and lowest. In another column will be found an official notification directing the attention of hackney carriage owners to the fact that they are required to parade fur inspection on Wednesday morning next, opposite the Corporation offices, Brandon-street, iv order that they receive taeir licenses for tbe ensuing year, beginning Ist April. In our description of the address presented by the Corporation to the late Governor, the name of Mr. W. B. Gibfa, who so skilfully executed the photographs witb which it was embellished, was inadvertently omitted. There was a terrifi ? sea on in the Strait last night. The captain of the Taiaroa remarked thit the waves at the Wellington Head* wera quite as largo as any he has ever seen on the Manukau bir, which is famed all over New Zealand for its big seas. The success of the great land sale held at Feilding on Wednesday last, on behalf of the Emigrant and <k>louist Aid Corporation, says the Manawatu Herald, mast have been very gratifying to the promoters. Buyers assembled at Feil'ling from all parts of the Manawatu, Rangitikei, and Wanganui districts; there were also present several purchasers from other parts of the colony, notably from Wairarapa. A great feature of tbe sale was that comparatively speaking none ot the land offered was purchased by speculators. The high upset pri-e, aud the biuding conditions as to improvements, effectually prevented anything like speculative bids beiug given; in fact, it could be seen from the appearance of tbe men, as each buyer passed up to the clerk's table to give his name to pay tbe deposit, that the land was bought by "horny-handed sons of toil" to make homes out of their purchase for themselves and families. Tbe result of the sale bas shown that a great demand exists for agricultural land, and that good land sold on favorable terms will command a high price. Some of the rural land in the Manchester Bock was sold at nearly double the upset price, which will show the high value sat upon it. An indicating tlie bona fid* character of the sale, and its probable effect in promoting settlement within the district, we may remark there was an evident disinclination on the part of buyers to invest in town lands Only three sections in the township of Ashurst were disposed of, and one in Cheltenham, no offer whatever being received fur any sections in Stanway. Comiag at sucb a period of depression, the success of the sale k the more remarkable, and clearly shows how valuable land in this district will become. . At Messrs. Halcombe and Sherwell's great land sale at Fuilding, we learn from the Rangitikei Advocate, a considerable number of the unsold town sections ware deposed of at tbe upset price Suburban sections in Halcombe district sold welt, at from 25 to 35 per cent, above the upset price. The sale is estimated to have realised from £45,000 to £50,000. The Marlborough Express has been getting into trouble. Som9 time ago an anonymous letter appeared in that journal, headed *' Our Civil Servants," and signed " One who know* them," containing some rather libellous references to the telegraphists at Blenheim, charging them with living' beyond their means. The telegraphists combined together, and instructed a firm of solicitors to write to the proprietor of-the paper, tbe result being that the latter gavo up the nam? of the correspondent and apologised for the insertion of the letter. Referring to tbe school examination papers distributed tn Wanganui, the Rangitikei Adfoeate says;—ln the piper on "Domestic Economy," we find Bu>:h questions as, " HjW do you cook puddings?" We should say it would greatly depend upon the ingredients of which they were made. Another question is, " How should the foot be cared for ?" Many would answer, "By a professional ehiropo- " dist." Again, " Why should all young per- " sons try to look as nice and pretty as they "can?" We might ask in return, "Why " should young persons only try to do so?" <»r, " Wby do people observe ordinary cleanliness ? ' On the whole, adds our contemporary, tbe questions on domestic economy do not, to our mind, «eem well chosen, or such as to develop the thinking powers of the pupils. A new species of "narrow escape," is reported by tbe Nelson Colonist. Shortly before midnight a man was found lying at full length in the roadway, and tba discoverers in endeavoring to satisfy themselves as to whether the man was really dead drunk or whether be bad fallen in a fit consumed ail the matches they possessed, throwing them as they were expiring upon the ground. B.ing satisfied that tue man was drunk, the services of tbe police were called in aid, and with tbe light obtained it was fnund that the man was surrounded by packages of powder and shot, which apparently he had dropped. Had oce of those matches touched tbe powder, not only would the Samiritaus, bat the^man likewise would have gui-ted that spot eren more rapidly than the latter was " run in."