THE FEDERAL COUNCIL,

Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 110, 2 June 1885, Page 2

THE FEDERAL COUNCIL,

In reference to the oablegram whioh says that the Government of New Zealand had agreed to forego clause 31 in the Foderal Counoil Enabling Bill if Mr. Griffiths' proposal was acoepted, it should be explained that the moaning is as follows: — The representatives of the colonies at Home are fighting over clause 31, which provides that a colony may withdraw from the Federal Counoil whenever it pleases. The AgentsGeneral of New Zealand and New South Wales are favourable to its retention with an addition proposed by Lord Derby that on a colony retiring it Bhould cease to be bound by any past legislation of the Counoil. But the New Zealand Government have asked more than this, though it is an instalment in the direotion they seek. They have asked that no legislation of the Council Bhould be effective until afterwards adopted separately by the Legi-latureof eaoh colony. On their memorandum to this effect reaching the Premier of Queensland (Mr. Griffiths), that gentleman Buggeßted, subjeot to the approval of Victoria, that the bill might be so framed that colonies joining might elect, if they joined, on the condition of the Federal Counoil legislation being final, or subjeot, as far as the colony joining was oonoerned, to its Legislature tubsequently approving and adopting the separate Acts of the Council. The Government of New Zealand signified that that proposal would be acceptable to them. This is the meaning of the cablegram. It need scarcely be said that the decision of the New Zealand Parliament is not pledged, as the Federal Counoil Bill contains a provision that it is only to have power in any colony the Legislature of which adopts it. A letter from Mr. J. C. Crawford on the snbjeot of the proposed Wellington dock, and other correspondence, will be found on the fourth page. For the month of May, 18S5, the totil amount of Customs collected in the colony was £107,834. For the corresponding month last year it was .£107,356. The amounts colleoted at the principal ports are — Auokland, £24,232 ; Wellington, £20,474 ; Lytteltnn and Christohuroh, £13,609; Danedin, £29,730. The beer duty for May was £4185; for the corresponding month last year it was £4219. The amountß received at the principal towns last month were — Auokland, £947 ; WollinutoD, £391 ; Christohuroh, £869 ; Dunedin, £801. It is probable the Government steamer Hinemoa will leave here on Thursday for Ooehunga, to bring down the Northern members of Parliament for the opening of the session on the 11th instant.

"I he steamer Rotorua, with the SanFranT cisco mail, left Onehun?a at 10.80 this morning for New Plymouth and Wellington, and should arrive here between 3 and 4 o'clock to-morrow afternoon. Ihe Southern portion of the mail will be f ent on to-morrow by the Hawea, which vessel will be detained here for that purpose. The Auckland, Christchorch, and Dnnedin Chambers of Commerce have accepted the offer of Sir Julius Vogel as to sending a delegate to the islands in the Janet Nicoll. The Napier Chamber declined at first, but it ia thought will reconsider its decision. The Wellington Chamber which, we regret to say, is rather behindhand ia the matter, is to discuss the question at the meeting of the committee to be held on Thursday. The following were the telegrams between Mr. Stout and Mr. htuart whioh led to Colonel Haultain going to Sydney to represent New Zealand at the return of the Colonial Contingent :— From the Hon. Robert Btout, Premier of New Zealand, to the Hon. A. Stuart, Premier of New South Wales — " May 21.— 1t would gratify our Government if you could permit them in any way to show honour to your troops on their return. Will you, if the idea is agreeable to yon, suggest any plan by which it may be possible to show that this colony feels that the despatch of N.B.W. troops, and their conduct during tho campaign, have done honour to this colony as one of the Australian group." To this the following reply was immediately sent :— We are very much gratified at the touching expression of your sympathy, and shall feel it as a great compliment if, on the leturn of our contingent, your colony honours them and us by some representation of yonr feeling. Could we loot for the honour of a visit from yourself on the oooaskm?— A. Stuart." Only one gentleman — Mr. Quiok— put in an appearance at the Military School of Instruction, which was opened yesterday, though it is expected several candidates will attend later on, from the South as well as from this oity. The Board, which consists of Lieutenant-Colonel Pearoe, M&jor Butts, and Captain Coleman, will hold an examination at the end of each month, but it is not absolutely necessary that ex officers shonld attend the course of instruction. All that is 'required is that they shall be able to pass the requieite examination within a period of three months. By direction of the officer commanding the distriot, Captain Loveday last evening held an enquiry into the charges preferred against Corporals Barry and O'Neill, of the Wellington Guards, for discharging firearms cut of a railway carriage on the 25th nit. The men pleaded guilty, and expressed a hope that they would be lightly dealt with, this being their first offence. Captain Loveday has made certain recommendations to the officer commanding the distriot with regard to the punishment of the offenders, but these cannot be made public until action is taken upon thonit The annual meeting of the Porirua Licensing Bench took place at noon yesterday, the following members being present:— Messrs. H. Tyer (Chairman), T. Smith, Darby, Jillett, and Murphy. The only application to which there was any objeotion was one made by Henry W. London for the transfer of the Pahautanni Hotel, Pahautanui to George Henry Taylor. Constable Duncan objeoted to the transfer on the ground that Taylor had been convicted of ilfioit distillation at Porirua about two years ago. The Benoh did not think the objection was an important one, and the application was granted. New lioenfes for old houses were granted to George H. Taylor, Pahautanui Hotel, Pahautanui; Charles Tilley, Paikakariki Hotel, Paikakariki ; and Alfred James Brady, Empire Hotel, Pahautanui. Rene wall of licenses were granted as follows : — John Muller, Porirua Hotel; William Clapham, Ngahauranga Inn, Ngahanranga; James Putter, White Horse Hotel, Ngahauranga; William Blaokey, Horokiwi Hotel, Horokiwi; and Thomas Bould, Parramatta Hotel, Parramatta. The desirableness of insuring one's life has been startlingly demonstrated in the oase of the late John Wilding, who expired in the Foxton coach between Ngahauranga and the city on Thursday last It will be recolleoted that a conditional receipt for £3 odd, given by an agent of the Government Insurance Department for a £200 polioy was found on Wilding's body. Yesterday' a Bon of the deceased instituted enquiries at the head offioe of the department and ascertained that the proposal had been accepted, and that the polioy, though not forwarded, was lying in the office. Consequently the money (£200) will be paid over to the heirs. The poll in connection with the annual eleotion of two city auditors was closed at 6 o'clock last evening, and at a quarter to 7 the Eeturning Offioer (Mr. James Ames) announced the voting to have been as follows : — H. M. Lyon, 291 ; William Widdop, inn., 263 ; William Bishop, 203; William Hester, 122. Messrs. Lyon and Widdop will be declared elected. The auditors last year were Messrs. Bishop and Hall. j To-day being the annivwWy of the death of the great Ifcilian liberator and patriot, General Garibaldi, the Italian flag was at half-mast on the Garibaldi Club's premises, Buokle street, as a token of Veapeot to his memory. A meeting of shareholders in the New Zealand Leather Manufacturing Company was held at the Foresters' Arms Hotel last evening, -Mr. Chandler being in the chair. The meeting was a private one, but from a gentleman who was present we learn that no business of importance was transacted. We are informed that Mr. Gully has formulated tho allegations in the aotion which is about to be brought against the directors who held office ia 1883, and that the writs will be issued in the course of the present week. A meeting of the members of the newlyformed Mounted Infantry Corps was held at the Te Aro Hotel last night, Mr. D. Clark presiding. Captain Shannon, of the City Bifles, was present, and administered the oath to a'l present, after which the meeting adjourned till Friday evening next, at 8.30 o'clock, when the question of uniforms will be decided, and the appointment of officers made. The Amateur Dramatic Club soored another success with their performance at the Theatre Boyal last evening. The affair went off as smoothly as possible, and the audience appeared to be thoroughly satisfied with the manner in whioh the members of the olub acquitted thamselves. The performance was well patronised, and a very good sum will be available for distribution amongst the widows and families of the men drowned in Evans' Bay a few days ago. The piice de rdmttance was Palgrave Simpson and Herman Merivale's three-act comedy drama " Alone." Mr. C. B. Bailey sustained the prinoipal character— that of Colonel Challioe — with considerable ability. Mr. Cecil Keyworth, as Dr. Micklethwaite, filled an important part, and his acting was muoh admired. The pourtrayal of the character of Stratton Stramles by Mr. W. D. Lyon was an excellent amatour effort. Mr. C. P. Luokie did fairly well as Bertie Cameron. The remaining parts were filled by Mrs. Hart, who played Mrs. Thornton, and Miss Hart, who impersonated the character of Maud Trevor. The piece was well mounted. The performance conoluded with the produotion of a farce entitled "Mr. Joffin's Latch-key," the characters in which were sustained by Mrs. and Miss Hart and Messrs. A. H. Marshall and W. D. Lyon. The farce caused a deal of amusement. The overture at 8 o'clock was played by the Garrison Band, and during the evening the club's orchestra rendered some selections of musio in a satisfactory manner. Our readers are reminded of the service of Bong "Her Benny," which is to be given in the United Methodist Free Church, Courtenay Place, this evening. A final rehearsal took place last evening, and a successful conoert is anticipated. The concert will be condnoted by Mr. J. H. Hudson, leader of the choir. The Eesoue Lodge of Good Templars held their usual session lost evening at No. 9 room, Athentcum, when the W.C.T. ocoupied the chair. A lady and gentleman having presented themselves for initiation were duly admitted to fnll membership. Several addresses were delivered on the good of the Order, and a few melodies were *Ibo Bung, after which the proceedings terminated. The Booth Gospel Temperance Mission Choir, under the condnotorship of Mr. C. Mackintosh, held a second and highly satisfactory praotioe at the Beohabite Hall last evening, there being upwards of 100 vocalists present. In connection with the mission, which commences at the Theatre Boyal on Thursday evening next, a special prayer meeting waß held in Wesley Churoh Schoolroom last evening. This evening a second prayer meeting will be held in St. John's Sohoolroom, Willis-Btreet, and to-morrow a third devotional service will be held in the Congregational Church, Woodward-street. Mr. Keyworth desires to acknowledge receipt of £5 from Mr. C. J. Pharazyn, and 10s from Major Crowe, towards the fund for assisting the widows and orphans left by the boating disaster in Evans Bay, A running match at six distances, from 100 yds to 600 yds, has been arranged between Stonhouso and M'Louarhlin, two wellknown West Coast " pads," for £100 a side. It is to bo run on the Groymouth racecourse. Mr. Bobert Parker will deliver his lecture, entitled "The Life and Letters of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy," at the Athenteum Hall this evening, under the auspices of the Young Men's Christian Association. The lecture, which will be diversified by a number of musical selections rendered by several amateurs, is the initial one of a course of winter entertainments intended to be given by the Association. The ohair this evening will be ocoupied by his Excellenoy the Governor. The annual meeting of the Kaiwarra Licensing Bench was held at noon to-day. The following members were present:— Messrs. D. Cameron (Chairman), P. Mainwright, and J. H. Oyerend. The business consisted of the granting of applications by J. Shanaghan and J. Haggerty for the renewal of tho licenses of the Jiainbow alld Waterloo Hotels respectively.

The Minister of Publio Worka b»s appointed a Bailways Appeal Board for Otago. The members are Mr. Carew, Mr. W. H. Pearson (late Commissioner for Crows Lands, Southland), and Mr. James Bobin. Another of oar early settlers has gone to his last home. This time it ia Mr. William Andrews, of Tory-street, who died this morning at the age of 67 years. He came out to the colony in the ship Alma, which arrived here in May, 1857. For many years he was a well-known bnilder and contractor, and amongst other edifices which he ereoted is the Bank of New Zealand, on Lambton Quay. Mr. Andrews leaves a lanre family of grown-up eons and daughters. In a large circle of friends he was greatly respected. In reference to the " statement of affairs" issued by the Secretary of the Island Bay Park Company (Limited), we are informed that a proper balance-sheet has been prepared and duly audited. The directors intended that it should be printed and circulated, but this has not been done. Tho document which has been issued was intended merely as an addendum to the balance-sheet. The Publio Works Department have under consideration the revision of the railway oharges on native brown coal, and it is understood that the new tariff, which will embody considerable reductions, will be gazetted in a few days. It is a singular fact that two plaintiffs in aotions tried at the recent civil sittings of the Supreme Court here have sinoe died. We have already detailed the oircumstances attending the lamented decease of Mr. C. W. Cutten, and now we have to notice the death of Mrs. K idler, of Petone, who, it will be remembered, was a plaintiff in an action against the Hntt Park Eailway Company. Mrs Bidler died of puerperal fever, following her confinement. She was an old Eettlor, and highly esteemed amongst a large circle of friends and acqnaintcnances. The case of Plimmer, Beeves and Co. against the Harbour Board, in which the former eeek to recover compensation on the ground of damages alleged to have been sustained by being deprived of their wharf by the Harbour Board for the purposes of reclamation, was resumed to-day at the Compensation Court, consisting of his Honour Mr. Justioe Richmond and Messrs. T. K. Maodonald, J. E. George, and J. Lockie, assessors. A number of witnesses, whose evidence was all of a technical character, were examined in support of the plaintiff firm, and the case ior Messrs. Plimmer, Beeves and Co. closed at 10 o'clock. Ihe defence was proceeded with this afternoon, and was conduoted by Mr. E. Shaw and Mr. Gully. A very rensible pieoe of advice was tendered by Mr. Wardell in the Magistrate's Court this morning. It transpired during the hearing of a oase in which a dressmaker wan charged with having employed one of her girla after 2 p m. on Saturday week that the principal part of the latter's duty was to attend to the shop. The evidenoe, however, showed that when the Inspector visited the premises she was engaged on a garment winoh her employer had initruoted her to finish. The defendant asked his Worship whether it was against the Aot far a girl who was paid to mind the shop to fill in her time on a Saturday afternoon by working on an artiole of wearing apparel. Mr. Wardell replied in the affirmative, but advised the defendant in future to keep the girl employed on dresses, &0., until 2 o'olook, and employ her in the front shop after that hour. For the benefit of those who are not acquainted with the provisions of the Aot, it may be mentioned that there is nothing in the law to prevent females from being employed as saleswomen until any hour on a Saturday. The usual weekly parade of the City Rifles was held last evening. There was a oapital muster of the company, Lieut. Collins being in command. Serpt -Major Bell was present, and pnt the company through the manual and firing exercise, after which Lieut. Collins marohed the men ont in the adjoining square and exercised them in company movements. The Medical Society of Canterbury, on the 27th May, passed a resolution to the offdot that the society expressed its sympathy with Dr. Stewart under the irritation which he must suffer from the terrible and scandalous artiole which appeared in a Wellington paper of 21st May. The man Emmanuel Inez, who sustained severe internal ininries, and also injuries to the bones of the chest, on Saturday hut, on the railway works at Pnkurua, by a fall of earth, was reported by the Hospital authorities to be slightly better this afternoon, thongh his condition is still critical. Mr. S. Brown, the oontraotor for the construction of tfieseoifoiion which the accident ncourred, left for Paikattneika this morning for the purpose of enquiring into the affair. A conoert, "under the direction of Mr. E. Parker, in aid of the Orchestral Association, is announced for Tuesday, the 9th instant. On this occasion, we understand, the Harmonio Club will sing the cantata " Hero and Leander," which was recently given at their private concert and was so muoh appreciated that a general desire was expressed that it should be repeated. In addition to the usual excellent music rendered by the orohestra, a work of such rare merit as the one referred to will make the concert a more than usually attractive one. There will be a full rehearsal of the "Creation" this evening at St. George's Hall. The secretary of Mr. Booth's temperance mission requests us to Btate that he has received a telegram informing him of Mr. and Mrs. Booth's intention to leave Lyttelton for Wellington by the steamer Pengnin this evening. During their stay in this city they will be entertained by Mr. W. Clark, Woolcombe-street. A meeting of oreditors of Arohibald Aydon, bootmaker, was convened at the Snpreme Court Buildings for 11 o'olook thiß morning, but, as only one creditor was present. lapsed. The liabilities were scheduled at £54 19s, and assets £15. It will be seen from our advertising oolumns that the meeting of the Union Debating Sooietv convened for Wednesday next has been adjourned for a week. Messrs. T. Kennedy Maodonald and Co. will sell to-morrow, at 2 o'olook, at their rooms, Panama-street, a shipment of English furniture, also a quantity of new and secondhand household requisites, carpenter's bench, surveyor's level, &c, particulars of whioh appear in another column. Messrs. Sidey A Co. will sell to-morrow, furniture, groceries, Ac Messrs. Laery A Campbell will hold their usual market sale to-morrow. Messrs. Hasell & Co. will hold their usual market sole at the Hutt to-morrow. George Thomas ft Co. will Bell to morrow, fruit, produce, &o.