THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 14, 18 January 1881, Page 2

THE PARIHAKA MEETING.

» . ¦¦ To-day's official telegrams from the Constabulary camp report that the Parihaka monthly meeting yesterday was attended by abont 1100 or 1200 natives, women and childrenincluded. Te Whiti's speech consisted of much the same material as usual. He declared that his word was unchanged, and that all he had said before still held good. He claimed that his words already were in course of fulfilment, and used some figurative language about mothers rejoicing over their newly-born children, which, judging from the context, apparently had reterence to the release (expressed as a " resurrection" or "new birth") of the native prisoners, several of whom were present. He still spoke with soreness about the land being surveyed and sold, bnt added that land always had been a source of trouble, and always would be. He reiterated his declaration that there should be no more fighting.butassertedthatamoralwarwasnow proceeding in which the Europeans, notwithstanding their superiority in numbers and strength, were being worsted by the patient endurance of the oppressed Maoris, whom they could net provoke to physical warfare. He positively ordered his followers to persevere in the course of patient endurance, promising that if they did so all should yet be well with them. Tohu followed in a similar strain, earnestly impressing on his hearers the necessity of preserving the strictest obedience to the injunctions of Te Whiti, who alone was able to save them.

Mr. Bryce finally relinquished the charge of the Native and Defence Departments last night, and the Hon. Mr. Rolleston assumed the charge of both offices to-day. A telegram from Sir William Fox announces that he has decided to commence work under his new commission by effecting a permanent settlement of the long-standing native grievances which exist soutn of the Waingongor o River. He is of opinion that the completion of this task and the issue of Crown grants to the native land-owners will do much to smooth his way when he goes north of the Waingongoro to dispose the other natives to bring their claims under his jurisdiction. Sir William Fox does not intend to return to Wellington before the coming' session of Parliament. The valuation list for general municipal purposes, and the special valuation list for water-rating purposes, for the year 1881-2, are now open to inspection at the Corporation offices. Objections must' be left at the R.M. Court on or before 15th February, and a copy of every such objection must ba left at the- Corporation offices not less than seven days before the next sitting of the Assessment Court. An advertisement on the subject appears in another column. Saturday next being Anniversary Day, the citizens are invited by the City Council to observe it as a public holiday. The Corporation buildings will be closed on the occasion. Private letters from Dunedin report that a caucus of Opposition members of the House of Representatives was held there recently, the leading numbers present being Messrs. Shrimski, fi.utchison, and J. C. Brown. The result Las not transpired. Mr. Shaw, R.M., intimated this morning that he would not give judgment in the charges against Messrs. Bennett and Walkley for alleged breaches of the licensing laws until he had an opportunity of occupying the Bench at the Court in the Provincial Buildings, where he wished to refer to several statutes and legal authorities which he had not before him to-day. Last evening an advertisement appeared in this journal, offering £5 reward for the recovery of a lost pocket-book containing two This morning the missing property- was brought to the office by two little boys, who found it on Lambton Quay, and to them the reward was duly paid. A meeting of the Regatta Committee is convened for 8 o'clock this evening, at the Pier Hotel. A man named Jesse Jackson, formerly a bricklayer residing in this city, is said to have fallen overboard and been drowned on the voyage to San Francisco of the ship Stirlingshire, in which he was working his passage. Deceased, it is reported, leaves a widow and three children in Wellington in straitened circumstances. We have on several occasions referred to the damage done to the shrubs in the Corporation reserves. It is satisfactory to note that the City Council have taken the matter in hand, and offer a reward of <£5 for the conviction of the offenders. A special meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon, and was attended by Messrs. W. H. Levin, M.H.R. (chairman), Lancaster, Jackson, Pearce, Coffey, and Williams, Captain Rose, and the secretary. The meeting was called in pursuance of a clause in the Harbour Boards Act, providing that a special meeting should be held on the third Monday in January each year for the passing of the audited accounts. Owing, however, to the prolonged absence of the Auditor-General in another part of the colony, the Board's account had not yet been audited. Another meeting will consequently require to be convened after this shall have been done. Mr. Jackson decided to postpone till next meeting the motion of which he had previously given notice with regard to the desirablenes3 of erecting a receiving shed, for the proper storing and examining of goods landed at the wharf; and several accounts having been passed for payment, the proceedings terminated. The valuation of the city for general and water rates has just been completed. The general rate valuation is .£217,689, as against 5248,171 last year; and the water rate valuation, £197,359, as against Although a practice captain has not yet been elected, in view of the approaching cricket match between the Australian team and the Wellington cricketers, the members who have been chosen to do battle with the visitors are in daily practice, under the supervision of the Match Committee (Messrs. Blacklook, Kennedy and W. J. Salmon), As previously stated, the contest will extend over three days, viz., the sth, 7th, and Bth prox. Some larrikins on Saturday night last, near midnight, entered the garden of a resident in May-street, and in a search after "forbidden fruit" broke down nearly the whole of the limbs of two peach trees, trod down a bed of young cabbages, and damaged sundry currant bushes. The servant girl, whose bedroom window is near the peach trees, heard one lad say to the other, " Look out Jack, or you'll break your neck," and the other added, " We'd better come back to-morrow, as they'll be in bed early on Sunday night." As they were going off, No. 1 boy remarked that he had "had a go in at Walter Johnston's apples, and meant to have another dig at them." The girl was too frightened to give the alarm, and so these young blackguards got off scot-free. The gardens in. the vicinity of May-street and the immediate neighborhood are pestered with juvenile thieves, and a constable in plain clothes if placed on beat about the locality would probably do the residents and the thieves good service. Mr. Edwards presided over the meeting of Mr. Sherwood Eaine's creditors at the Supreme Court Buildings yesterday afternoon, the particulars of whose estate we have already reported. The debtor explained that hia insolvency had been caused owing to the dissolution of partnership in the firm of Messrs. Moss, Raine and Co., and to his failure to procure a new partner possessing capital. In the short discussion which followed this statement, the creditors present expressed their satisfaction that Mr. Raine had done his best in the matter, and Mr. C. A. Baker was then elected creditors' trustee, to be assisted in fulfilling this office by the chairman. The question of continu7 ing the publication of " The New Zealand Pastoral and Agricultural News," appearing as an asset, was left to the decision of the trustee. At St. Mary's Church, Karori, on Sunday evening, the Rev. W. Ballachey referred to the article which appeared in the Evening Post a short time aeo, in which it was stated that marriages before the Registrar were on the increase in the colony. The reverend gentleman expressed a strong hope that the increase had not taken place among Churchmen, and dwelt at some length on the duty of having so solemn a ceremony as marriage sanctified by the rites of the chnrch. He feared that if the thin edge of the wedge were allowed to. be introduced by those who sought to secularise all our instir tutions, the ultimate result might be that, from regarding marriage as simply a civil contract, it would be finally bo treated as a contract, which could be terminated by either party for a very trifling cause. Our readers are reminded of the dramatic entertainment to be given, at the Theatre Royal this evening, by the Wellington Amateur Dramatic Club, in aid of the Wellington Cricketers' Association. The Guards' Sand will be in attendance throughout trie evening-i Mr. D. Cameron, saddler, has removed his premises next door to Messrs. Barber's, bnti chers, Willis-street.

Last night the general entries for the Wellington Summer Meeting were received at the Empire Hotel, and, all things considered, must be deemed very satisfactory. The final payments for the Cup, which were made at the same time, exceed by_ two or three the number anticipated, which was about a dozen. As it is, they approach within two the seventeen of last year, only four of the first acceptors having struck out their candidates, these being Foul Play, Satellite, Betrayer, and Grand Duchess. As the first-named had incurred a 71bs' penalty by winning the Auckland Cup, and it was known that he was entered for the Poverty Bay meeting, his withdrawal was not unexpected. Betrayer was, of course, scratched some days ago. The Maiden Plate has eight entries this year, against only five last year. The wisdom of doing away with the Empire Plate, and substituting the Hutt Park Stakes has been demonstrated most conclusively. Last year there were only two entries for the Plate, while the new race has secured no less than sixteen nominations. The Flying Stakes has fifteen entries, the same number as last year. The other races show a falling off. The weight-for-age Hurdle Race has attracted only four against six last year, the Hurdle Handicap eight against ten, the Racing Clnb Handicap twelve against eighteen, and the Ladies' Purse three against nine. It will be seen that the greatest failures are the weight-for-age Hurdle Race and the Ladies' Purse. The total number of nominations and acceptances is 81 against 82 hist year. One or two curious features are noticeable in the lists. In the first place, Natator is not entered for any other race than the Cup. This is rather significant of a doubt as to his putting in an appearance. Then Lone Hand is entered for the Hurdle Handicap, and not for the weight-for-age race, the reverse being what might have been expected. It will be observed with pleasure that his late Excellency's mare Lady Emma has been entered for no less thap four races, and it is reported she is a certain starter for the Cup. All the principal stables in the colony will be represented, and the meeting looks like being a success. Up to the present we hear of no large commissions having been executed with regard to any of the candidates, and the prices quoted in the betting are merely nominal. Natator, Libeller, and Hailstorm, are perhaps as much in favor as anything else for the Cup. The eight persons summoned at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning for wasting the Corporation water included several well-known Civil Servants and others occupying good positions. Among them were the Public Trustee and Commissioner of Stamps, the Registrar-General, and the Commissioner of the Land Claims Department. As will be seen from a report in another column, one of the informations was dismissed, a second was adjourned for a week, and the remaining defendants were fined 10s each and costs. It transpired in evidence that some of the defendants had "wasted" the water by allowing their windows to be washed by a hose, some by watering their croquet lawns or gardens, one by washing the front of an hotel, and another by cleaning the face of a cliff. Of course, the usual plea that the defendants were ignorant of any breach of the Municipal By-laws was urged by some, while others pleaded that to use water simply for the purpose of washing windows was surely not wasting " the water. Mr. Johnson, the Water Inspector, did not think any objection would be raised if people washed their windows by means of a bucket of water ; it was the use of hoses (except in connection with a meter) to which the City Council objected. No technical objections were raised by any of the defendants, and the present prosecution is likely to have a very salutary effect upon all householders. Messrs. F. H. Wood and Co. sold by auction on Saturday last, with the following result, the privileges in connection with the Friendly Societies' fete to be held shortly at Greytown : — Gates, ; publican's booth, JB11 ; refreshment booth, £1 10s ; and fancy goods stall, 10s. At Messrs. Laery & Campbell's land sale yesterday afternoon there was a good attendance. The 370 acres in the, Manchester Block were disposed of at .£250; the premises in Lambton Quay, formerly occupied by Mr. Hall, plumber, for JJ800 ; and four sections in the township of Halcombe, £7 each. Mr. Siegfried Franeks, the proprietor of the patent totalisator, must begin .to be rather dreaded by stewards of race meetings. For the last year he has been threatening them with sundry pains and penalties if they did not make terms with him and use his instrument at their meetings. We have not yet heard of any Jockey or Racing .Club acceding to his demands, nor have we heard of any vengeance falling on their heads for not doing so. Still Mr. Francks keeps at them. He is at present in Wellington, and last night appeared .at the fag-end of the committee meeting of the Wellington Racing Club and repeated his application, threatening to take out an injunction in case of any other totalisator being permitted at the coming Hutt meeting. Some of the members looked rather alarmed, others were inclined to pooh-pooh the whole thing. The interview ended in a strictly official manner, by Mr. Francks being requested to put his request in writing, after which it would be considered at a future meeting. . . Dramatic performances take place at the Feilding Town Hall under difficulties. The drop-curtain is 18 inches too short, so that the audience can see the preparations going on between the acts ; there is no scenery to speak of, and the acoustic properties of the hall are so bad that unless the performers stand well up to the footlights their voices are inaudible, except to a few of the audience who secure seats in the first three rows. The Rev. Mr. Stewart, the clergyman of the Presbyterian Church in Marton, met with a nasty accident on Tuesday last, says the Rangitikei Advocate, while on his way to visit Mrs. Kriiger, the widow of the unfortunate man who .was recently killed by the fall of a tree in the Paraekaretu. While in the neighborhood of Leedstown, Mr. Stewart's horse stepped into a ditch and threw his rider, rolling upon him as he fell. Mr. Stewart, who was rendered insensible, was afterwards enabled to get upon his feet, and was met by one of the settlers, who took him to his house, where he rested for some time prior to returning to Marton. He sustained some severe bruises, in addition to the shock to his system. The following mysterious paragraph appears in the Dunedin Star : — " Considerable unpleasantness having been occasioned at the Queen's Theatre last evening by the too free use of sulphur, Herr Bandmann very thoughtfully had refreshments provided for the comfort of the ladies in the dress circle and stalls." It is proposed to form a Gaelic Society in Otago. Writing on the subject a correspondent of the Dunedin Herald says, he does not think it will float. He adds :—": — " There are so many Highlanders in the Province who, knowing Gaelic better than they know English, disclaim all acquaintance with it. Such lovers of their native tongue are not likely to help a movement of this kind. They usually no sooner manage to get a little money or to secure some social position than they feel in duty bound to deny all knowledge of their native tongue. What a disgrace it seems to be to know more than one British language ! "