FEDERATION.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 57, 4 September 1885, Page 2

FEDERATION.

If to-morrow is fixed for the discussion of the Federation question, there is, we think, a strong probability that if the weather is fine there will be considerable difficulty found in making a House. It will be mnch more pleasant to spend the afternoon at Inland Bay than in the Chamber listening to Messrs. Maoandrow and Beetham ventilating somewhat visionary theories, or Mr. Stoat endeavouring to convince the House as to the necessity of doing what it has already folly made up its mind to do. If Mr. Maoandrow and Mr. Beetham have got up great speeches whioh they are anxious to get off, we would suggest that these might be taken as spoken, and handed direct to Hansard. There is nothing praotioal in either of their proposals, and both are really more fitted for the consideration of a young men's debating sooiety than for grave discussion at a tpeoial Parliamentary Bitting. As for Mr. Stout's resolution, that, it is inadvisable for this oolony to join the Federal Council under the present Aot, it must be admitted that it is necessary for Parliament to express some opinion upon the point ; but really no more emphatio opinion could be given than by a count out on the day specially devoted to consideration of the subjeot. Without the direot aotion of Parliament, this colony oannot join the Federal Council. The count out would therefore practically affirm Mr. Stout's motion. If any members have speeohes ready for the oooasion, it would be better to have them printed as a supplementary Hansard, and save the time whioh would be taken up in their delivery.

The Minister of Public Works yesterday alluded to a telegram which had appeared in print stating that Mr. Vaile, of Anokland, had discovered an error in the Pnblio Works Statement. Mr. Eiohardaon admitted the error! The earnings for the year ended 31st March, 1881, he had stated to be £3 Os 3d per cent, for the year ended 31stMarchlast,against £2 93 lid per cant, for the previous year ; whereas it ought to have bean JB2 15s Id for that year, bo that the improvement was only 5s 2d,| instead of 10s id, as stated by him. The error arese from the total ooat of railways being the baaiß in one case, and the oost of lines open for traffic only being taken in the other. Henry JJauobo, of Tinakori-road, has again presented a petition to Parliament. He states that during the present session he petitioned the House demanding a s@ttlement of his long standing olaim to ha r.ejnp|fcated in the protection of the law by removing ibo Chief Justice and Justices Johnston ana Richmond from the Bench, to enable him to prosecute his claim in the Supreme Court, or that his olaim should be settled by the House. The Committee to which the petition was referred, it is now alleged, " set up a subterfuge to avoid to do either of what they wore called upon to do," and mads a false report that " the petitioner has no claim upon the colony." Being now " Bhnffled about some 20 years, and seeing that no settlement can he effected exoept by law " the petitioner demands to be reinstated in the protection of law by the removal of the Judges named to enable him to prove hifl olaim (.£300) against the Government, and prays the House to institute an investigation info the oharges made against the Judges, such Jnyestigation to be open to the public The Pnblio Petitions Committee report that they have no recommendation to make in the case of M. M'MJihon, who injured himself while in the Armed Constabulary and petitioned Parliament for rehef. The Minister of Education yesterday laid upon the table of the House further papers relating to secondary education. There is nothing very new in them, the reports being dated as far back as December, 1884. The examiners «f the Wellington College state that it gives thep. much pleasure to report that in the majority of cases the pupils in all the forms did their work with great neatness, and, with the exception' of a few whose writing and spelling need amendment, the general style of the work was unesoepti,onable. With regard to the discipline of school, it seemed to the examiners to be all that could be desired, and was maintained without apparent effort. They state that the College is educationally and otherwise in a thoroughly sound and healthy condition. In conclusion, the examiners say: — "We are very sensible of tb* honour you have done us in appointing no year after year examiners of suoh an institution as V/elliiiߣon College. We have endeavoured to discharge oar duties to the best of our ability, find are quite prepared to stand by the estimate we! formed and expressed of the work of the school j yet, upon the whole, we venture to Busrgest that, m our judgment, it might be well and wise for you, in the interests cf this institution and for the farther satisfaction of the general public, to have an occasional ohange of examiners, and on the next occaeionto ask one or.fc woof i^e prpf aaaor s of one of the oolleges affiliated to the University of New Zealand to examine and report on $he work of the College."

It is rumoured in the lobbies that the Government will probabiy, in Committee of Supply, accept the voices as to the vote of .£150,000 for the East and West Coast and Nelson Bailway, bnt that on the supplementary estimates they will bring down separate votes of J850.000 eaoh for extension of the lines from Springfield, from Bronnerton, and from Foxhill. The two leading members of the_ Cabinet are, however, reported to be desirous of making tlie original vote a£ Ministerial qneatdon.

Our Supplement to-morrow will contain an extensive variety of interesting reading matter. The gale at the beginning of the week, as we Btated at the time, resulted in the breakage of aome of the telegraph wires in the South Island. Yesterday evening the Telegraph authorities received the following message, whioh explains the reason of oommunication not having been yet restored :—: — " Bepairing party returned to Cheviot without being able to effect repairs. Several attempts were made to oross tbe Waiau (where break occurred) which, however, was too high, and the men were washed baok. Another attempt is to be made to-morrow morning, but the river is stall rising." An application £or a new trial in the oase of Farrelly y. Evahson and Porntu, heard last week, was made at » acting of the Supreme Court in Banco yesterday py«Mr. Barton, on behalf of tho plaintiff. Mr. Jellicoe opposed. After hearing argument on either side, the Chief Justice reserved his decision. The police require an owner for a varied assortment of carpenter's tools, which have been pledged by a very old thief named James, otherwise Jones, and whioh are believod to have been stolen.

_ Information has been reoeived from Hokiika that with the exception of a trifling flmporary ailment WaringTaylor has enjoyed ixoellent health since his removal there. His nrisonoonduotis reported as being exemplary. During the month of Augnst the estates of !7 deoeaaed persons were placed tinder the nanagement of the Pnblio Trustee. The raloe of the estates ranged from under £1 to inder .£2OOO. Third-olasß Inspector Pardy, of the A.C. brce (police branch), is promoted to be Second-olasa Inspector. Mr. C. H. Pierard ia appointed draughtsnan to the Geological and Meteorological Department, vice Mr. John Buchanan, religned. The Inangahua Eiflea have been accepted is an honorary corps. The tender of Messrs. Waterlow & Sons, London, for the snpply of four million telejraph envelopes at £369, free on board in London, has been accepted. The tendir of the Government Printer for 16 million tolegraph forms at .£1252, delivered here, has ilao been accepted, as also the tender of Messrs. Cowan & 06., for miscellaneous stationery at i>713 15s lid. The following new patents have been applied for :— An invention for street- watering and fire-extinguishing purposes, by David Thomas, auctioneer, Charles Braddell, Town Clerk, and Charles Bay, engineer, all of Ashburton ; an invention for "Nurses' Friend," by John Howard Dalton, of Auokland, tailor ; an improved sub-aqueous excavator, by Chas. Walkden, of Christohuroh, civil engineer ; a patent medioine, to be called "Coughkiller," by Arthur Joseph Williamson, of Dillmanstown ; an invention for building purposes, to bo known as " Fawkeß's Patent Volcanic Trass," by William Fawkes, of Auckland, builder. The quarterly meeting of the Te Aro Licensing Bonoh was held at the City Council Chambers at noon to-day. There were present—Messrs. Greenfield (Chairman), Fraser, Kerby, and M'Donald. The police submitted a report relative to the character of Alexander Williamson, to whom it wsa proposed to transfer the lioense of the Panama Hotel. Mr. Devine submitted that as the application had been withdrawn the Bench oould not take any oognizance of the report. The Benoh took this view, and granted an application made by James Thomas for a temporary transfer of the licenoe to Patrick O'Shea. Mr. Devine appeared for the latter. Applications for permanent transfers were granted as follows : —The Albert Hotel, from James Madden to Henry Knight ; the White Swan Hotel, from Donald M'Kay to Henry Beaumont; and the Masonio Hotel, from Charles PreßS to James Beattie. Mr. Devine appeared for Mr. Beattie. Bep lying to the Chairman, Inspeotor Goodall stated that he had heard no oomplaints regarding the dosing of the hotels in Te Aro Ward at 11 p.m. This conoluded the business. An inquest was held at the Terraco Gaol to-day, before Mr. H. S. Wardell, on the body of the late William Garrett, a prisoner. A verdiofcof death from acute bronchitis was returned in accordance with the medical evidence. The fnneral took place at 2 o'elook to-day at the Churoh of England Cemetery, and attracted considerable attention from the curious composition of the band of monrners. These comprised Mr. Garvey, the Governor of the Gaol, the ohief warder, and six conviots, who had expressed a wish to see the last of their old oompanion in trouble. It was, indeed, a funeral in strange harmony with the life of the departed bushranger. It is a singular faot that Mr. George Leslie, foreman of the jury at the inqneßt on Garrett this morning, was one of the viotims that Garrett stuok up at Maungatua. Some days before he was stuck up he gave Garrett and his mates a lift in a provision waggon he was driving. It was on his return from the diggings that he was stuok up, and he and a man with him had then 4900 worth of gold on them. When Garrett recognised him aB the man who a few days before had given him a lift in Mb dray he released him with a present of a conple of stioks of tobacco. He remarked to Garrett that he was paying him a nioe compliment after having given him a lift in his dray, and Garrett at once let him go without searohing him, and therefore was unaware that he was. in possession of the .£9OO worth of gold. Garrett's mate at this time was a man only about sft high (Garrett being about 6ft 3in), and he was for murdering everybody; but Garrett, who always boasted of never having ehed blood, prevented him from carrying out his purposes. Judgments for plaintiffs was given in the Magistrate's Court to-day by Mr. Wardell, B.M., in the following oases : — Casey and M'Donald v. Carl Friokhoffer, £7 Os-lOd; Bobert Kilpatriok v. B. Butoher, £1 11s 7d ; Soott Bros. v. J. Carey, .£2O 9a 8d ; George Wills v. Cornelius Bresney, i 51 0; Bate Collector v. W. Gray, £4 0s 3d ; same v. G. O. Sage, 10s ; New Zealand Cordial and Aerated Water Company v. Bees, £29 12b, order for payment by instalments ( of 80s per month or 14 imprisonment; Kate Collector v. E. B." Hanghton, .£lO 16s Gd, amount of judgment summons; ordei for £2 in seven days, balance in three weeks, or 14 days' imprisonment; tame v. same, .£5 Is Gd, order for amount of judgment summons within seven days, or 14 days' imprisonment ; G. F. Waters v. George Harris, £7 12s Gd, order for amount of judgment summons payable by monthly instalments, or 14 days' imprisonment ; S. Boxall v. G. Shaw, £V 7 3s 7d, amount of judgment summons ; order for amount, £5 per month, oi 14 dayß* imprisonment. The private recidenoeof Mr. E. C, Bamerton, Austin-street, has been oonneoted witt the Telephone Exohange. Last evening an ordinary meeting of the Taranaki-street Mutual Improvement Class took place, when several junior members brought forward essays on various subjects, The essays, which had evidently been pr& pared with great care, were well received by thoße present. Neit Thursday a debate, open to the public, will take place betweei Mr. W- £. Tustin and the Eev. Mr. leitt, the former advocating moderate drinking as* c higher platform tljap total abstinence. It is notified by advertisement that to< morrow, after 11 a.m., all loaded (ram oars will proooed to Newtown via Courtenaj Place, and that the terminus will bs th< South-road. At the Magistrate's Court this morning before Mr. Wardell, 8.M., a first offendei and Bobert Patterson, an habitu<s, wen each fined, the former 5s and the latter 10s for Jhavjng bean drunk yesterday. Charlei James, alias Jon^e, a middle-aged person, against whom there were ten oonviotions foi larceny, was oharged with stealing a coai and pooketbook, the property of Edward J, Jones. The prosecutor and the aooused wen fellow lodgers in Thomas' boardinghouse, and yesterday morning the prosecutor, missing his property, gave information to Deteotiv* Campbell, who traced the coat to the pawnshop of Morris Cohen, with whom h< plodded the artiole for 3a. The prisonei was .committed for trial. The first annual meeting of the Uppei Hutt Institnte was held oh Wednesday evening. The Bey. J. E. BlaoVburae presided, and there was a good attendance of members. The Chairman read the report and balanoc sheet, whioh, considering the youth of the institution, showed very good reßulti. Tht number of members was 23, and some valuable contributions of books had been receded from friends both at the Hutt and in Wellington. The election of offioers resulted at follows :— President, Rev. J. E. Blaokburne i Yide-Presidenjfc, Mr. B. Eawson ; Secretary. Mr. J. T. WilJrins; ' CJopimittae. Mesßra. C. Bobinson, J. Barton. Jr.** "Hurley, and J. Unswerth. • Satisfaction was expressed to the Chairman and others at the prospects <m the institution, and the proceedings closed in the usual manner. A meeting of the provisional oommi'tee of the Caledonian Society will be held this evening at the Athentenm. Some^RMimjßns of outlery, whioh, judging from their site, must have been manufactured to the order of ayerftablo son of Anak, are exhibited in the shop window of Mr. W. Higginbottom, outler, Willis-sireet. Tie articles referred to consist 'of a huge pooket knife, 4ft Gin in length, and a carving knife and fork 2ft long. These show goods are exquisitely got up and finished, and proceed from the factory of Mr. John Blyde. a Sheffield cutler, in whose employ Mr. Higginboltftm, himself a practical outler, formerly was. At » meeting of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, held yesterday, Mrs. Kobert Hunter was appointed president, Mrs. C. Baker, treasure?, and Miss Taylor, secretary. Another meeting of the Union will be held at the Bethel, Herbert-street, on Wednesday next. Messrs. Lucas & Co. have acquired possession of a Bpeoimen of one of the most extraordinary freaks of nature ever beheld in this or auy other country. It consists of a live and healthy lamb with two bodjes, eight legs, two tails, the trunks of the bedy being joined at the neok, from which Bprings a perfect head. Ihe monstrosity, which, it is asserted, was born on Mr. M'Kenzie's station near Mount Gambier, South Australia, last year, is to be exhibited opposite the Athenaeum to-morrow. The friends and members of the Seoular Society passed » very pleasant evening together last night. A varied programme, concluding with a dance, was very BuocessEully got through. During a sitting of the House of Commons last month, Mr. Healy, one of the Irish members, gave a capital example of that ready wit for whioh natives of the Emerald Isle are famous. Mr. M'Farlane pointed out that, the area of the House of Commons being insufficient to aooommodate the members, he would move that it be enlarged. Before the tan. gentleman resumed his seat, Mr. Healy rose to announce that when the motion came >n he would move,' as an amendment, " That the boit way to provide" su^cient aooommodation in the present House would be, to 58tabliBh an Irish Parliament on College Sreen." Loud and continuous was thfl meering of the Irishparty at this repartee, md that night Mr. Healy was overwhelmed with oomplimentß on his ready wit.

The Hawke's Bay papers complain very much of the way the exhibits from that district are treated in the Exhibition, the places assigned them being quite unfit for their proper display. Mrs. Dudley, the wonld-be atsassin of O'Donovan Eobbb (says a New York correspondent) is now confined in the intermediate ward at Middletown Asylum. Her apartment ia lofty, well ventilated, and affords a delightful view of farms, groves ot trees, hills, and towns for 30 miles. Itcontairs two beds, and Mrs. Dudley's companion is a girl who imagines herself to be the only daughter of Queen Victoria and the supreme commander of the crack regiment of New York, the Seventh. Mrs. Dndley will be speedily transferred to the convalescent ward, and her Release is spoken of as a matter of weeks rather than of months. A trivial accident occurred to the tram taking her to Middletown, and it was remarked that she was the most self-possessed woman in the car. Messrs. George Thomas and Co. will sell to-morrow, frait, produoe, &c. Mr. M. J. Mulligan will sell to-morrow, jewellery, clothing, picturos, &o. Messrs. Laery & Campbell will hold their usual market and horse sales to-morrow. Messrs. Stevens & Gorton will se'J tomorrow, at the rooms of Messrs. Halcombe and Sherwill, Feilding, the property known as part of the Kawa Kawa Native Reserve, Township of Sandon.