NEWSPAPER ENERGY AND GOVERNMENT APATHY.

Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 31, 8 February 1886, Page 2

NEWSPAPER ENERGY AND GOVERNMENT APATHY.

The enterprise of tho Auckland newspaper proprietors contrasts strongly with the apathy of the Governmont in regard to the supposed dereliot seen near Capo Maria van Diemon. It was undoubtedly the duty of the Government to have taken immediate notice of the report made by Captain Savory, and to have sent out a steamer to ascertain definitely what it was he saw. If it really was a large ship on her beam ends, there waß, of course, a possibility that Borne of the vessel's orew or passengers might still have been on board alive. Even if the vessel had been abandoned, it was a most dangerous object to leave floating about in the way of other vessels, aB it might easily have oaused further wreoks through vessels running into it at night time. The Government should not have lost a moment in Bending a Bteamer in search, but aB they showed no disooßition to move, Mr. Brett, of the Auckland Star, with characteristic enorgy and enterprise, chartered a Binall Bteamer at his own expense, and sent it out in search of the supposed wreck. The proprietors of the New Zealand Herald, Meßsrs. Wilsons and Horton, not to bo outdouo, followed Mr. Brett's good example, and also chartered a special steamer. The result of these expeditions will bo anxiously looked for by the public.

The s.s. Rotorua, whioh has tho Southern portion of the San Franoisoo mail on board, crossed the Manukau bar at 12.30 to-day, so that she should airive here to-morrow evening. His Excellenoy the Governor, acoompaniod by Major Jeryoiß, returned from the West Coast laßt nicht in the Hinemoa. Tho Governor paid a visit to Westport en route from Greymouth, and was welcomed by the Mayor (Mr. Eugene O'Conor, MH.R) and the Harbourmaster, who went aoross the bar to meet him and oonvey him to the town in the steam tug. On arrival, tho volunteers fired a salute, and addresses of welcome were presented by the Borough and County Counoils and Friendly Societies. Later on his Exoellenoy was shown over the coal mines, and in tho evening he was entertained at a banquet, at whioh some 40 or 50 leading townspeople were present. The Governor then returned to the Hinemoa, whioh sailed about midnight on Saturday, and reached here last night about half-past 9 o'olook. The Earl and Countess of Dalhonsie, who are paying a flying visit to New Zealand, arrived from Auckland yesterday by the b.s. Tongariro. They purpose returning to England by the s s. Kaikoura, which leaves here on Thursday next. One respect in which the arrangements at the Hutt racoß exhibited great improvement on previous occasions was the catering. In the grand stand luncheon room and bar Mr. R. Freeman, of the Royal Hotel, attended to the public requirements mjst aesiduously, and the lnnoh provided waß the host for some years. Tho attendance was also muoh better than ÜBual. Mr. Chandler, of the Foresters' Arms, who had the outside luncheon, and Mr. Guilford, of the Commercial, who had tho two outeido refreshment booths, are olbo to be congratulated on the Buooesa of their efforts to give satisfaction. The following are tho amounts won at che W.R.C. Summer Meeting, and paid over by the stewards to-day :— Major George. iJ475 j T. H. Hill, .£323; J. Martin, JJI37 15s; Stook and Conroy, i>l33; W. Douglas, .£llß 15s; Hon. W. Reeves, .£lO4 10s ; J. Higgins, £104 10s ; R. Bay, .£BS 10s ; P. Butler, .£BO 15s ; J. Leopold, £76 ; R. H. Vallance, £47 10s; W. Y. Dennett, £19; A. Goodwin, £19; A. Winfred, £19; "A. M'Coll, £14 ss ; Trooper Dwan, £10 j W. Ruddiok, £9 10s; E. F. Yuile, £4 15s. Total, £1781 155. An attempt to lannoh the b.b. Moa from the ship-building yardß of her owner, Capt. Williams, at Te Aro, was made about 7 o'olook this morning but, unfortunately, proved to be abortive. The Bteamer was started, but after going for a distance of about her own length she stuok, and still remains in the plaoe where she hung. Owing to the beaoh being exceedingly fiat, the ways were compelled to be pitched at a very slight incline, and this accounted for her sticking. Advantage had been taken of the spring tides to endeavour to launch the Moa this morning, but, unfortunately, the water at the point where the steamer should have left the ways was this morning only sft 3in, whereas it had been calonlated that there would have been 6ft Gin. The s.s. Hinemoa steamed over about 7 o'clook with the intention of hauling the Moa off after she had been started on the ways, but she did not get her tow line on to the Moa till after that vessel had come to a standstill, and consequently her services proved useless. It is intended to make another effort to launch the Moa this evening. A full description of the alterations to the steamer has already appeared in our oolumnß, and consequently it is unnecessary to again refer to them. Four men, whose names are Henry Page, Benjamin Stevens, Harry Smith, and Joseph Allan Cookburn ware arrested on the Hutt Raceoourse on Saturday afternoon by Detectives M'Grath and Walker, on a charge of contravening the provisions of the Gaming and Lotteries Aot. At the time they were taken into custody they were engaged in playing what is known as three card Monte. On being searched at the polioe station, Smith and Page were each found to be possessed of £28 ; Stevens' pookets contained £2 10s ; Cookbnrn was found to be penniless. At the request of the prisoners, they were remanded until Tuesday, and each was admitted to bail — himself in £25, and a tuisty in a like amount. Page, Stevens, and Smith, the latter of whom is better known by the euphonious sonbriquet of " Tiddlewink," hail from Sydney. Cockburn, it will be recollected, was brought before the Magistrate's Court last week on a charge of vagranoy, and was discharged with a caution. One of the fruit importers present at the meeting at Messrs. Laery and Campbell's auction rooms to-day mentioned that he had on Saturday last been shown a duster of apples infected with the oodlifi moth, whioh had been taken from a tree in Tinakori-road. A lecture was delivered at the Lyoeum last evening by Mr. Isaac Selby, the Freethought lecturer.

The announcement that Bishop Barry, the Primate of Australia, would preach at St. Paul's Church last evening had the effect of attracting a large congregation. The Hot. J. Still officiated at the service, which was a fall choral one. The Bishop selected his tett from Isaiah 54, 2—" Saith the Lord, enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtain of their habitations ; Bpare not to lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes." The growth and expansion of the Church of Christ was likened by the Bishop to the pitching of a tent in ancient days. The question for Christians to consider in the present day, and more particularly in a young country, was how the roots of the Church of Christ could be expanded — how ohnroh buildings oould be erected, and new ministers provided in order that the religious requirements of new and growing communities might be met. The work of the Churoh in the colonies partook largely of a missionary charaoter, though it was a work entirely different from the missionary labours performed in India, China, Africa, and several other parts of the globe. The preacher remarkod that the Church of Christ must grapple with intemperance, whioh was the oau«e of most of the distress, and the origin of at least three- fourths of tho crime of the present day, and it was the duty of the Churoh to enter upon a crusade against this great evil, and stamp out this great moral imparity whioh was sapping the moral life of the community. The Bishop, referring to State education, remarked that it behoved them to see that their ohildren received a sound moral as well as a secular education. They should alfic strive to attain to that perfect Christianity whioh was not content with Sunday devotions, but they Bhould see that their Christianity permeated their every day lives. They wanted the Christianity whioh would be ever present with them, and whioh prompted them to lead good and noble lives. In conclusion, the preaoher remarked that the grace of God and that alone could lead to a solution of tho problems whioh agitated modern society. The discourse, whioh was a very impressive one, was listened to by the large congregation moat attentively. In another column will be found the apology from the Napier Evenini? News Company (Limited) to Mr. Grubb, late Postmaster at Napier, which it was agreed on should be published as one of the conditions of settlement of the late libel case, in whioh Mr. Grubb waß plaintiff and the News Proprietary the defendants. A wrestling matoh oamo off in the Prillshed ou Saturday evening botween Roach, of Wellington, and Soott, of Blenheim, and resulted in tho defeat of the latter. The conditions were that the wrestling should be after the Cumberland style, and that the competitor who scoured three out of five falls should be declared the victor. The Wellington ohampion won the two first falls, and Scott the tiro following. Tho men thus oommenoed the final round on equal terms. Roach suooecded in obtaining a splendid grip, and in about a minute he succeeded in bringing down his opponent. The match was witnessed by about 100 spectators. Messrs. Gill and Shadrioh acted as referee. The stakes were £25 aside At the close of tho final struggle Soott admitted that he had, been defeated on his merits. During the evening jVHnifio's brass band played a number of seleotions. We are informed that on Saturday lost a man was arrested at Fahautanui on a charge of using obsoene language. There boing no look-up in the locality, he was handcuffed and fastened by a chain to the manger of a vaoant stable. Shortly after smoke was observed to be issuing from the premises, and when tho building was entered, some of the straw was found to be on fire. Ihe flames were speedily extinguished, and the man removed. How the fire originated, is not known. The prisoner was to bo brought before tho local Justices to-day. A young man named Harry Alpe, employed about the grounds of Sir William Fitzher. Bert, at the Lower Hutt, nearly mot hie death yesterday afternoon. He was in the act of driving a young bull belonging to hie mastor when he injudiciously struck the brute rather smartly with a whip The animal immediately turned round and poked one of its horns through the man's ohaek, Alpe was knooked down and as he lay on the ground he was gored by the bull. The proooeding was witnessed by Messrs. W. A. Fitzherbort and H. S. Fitzherbert from the drawingroom window of Sir William's residence, and after some difficulty they succeeded in beating the animal away. Dr. Wilford was sont for, end on examining the man he found that, in addition to the wound in tho cheek, one of the collarbones was broken and several of tho ribs bruised. Shortly after midnight of Saturday last a fire ooourred in the boiler room of Mr. G. H. Thornton's oonfeotionary works, Mannersstreet, situated at the rear of his retail shop. The proprietor, who was in the front shop at the time, saw a flame, and immediately brought his small hose to bear on the fire, whioh waH fortunately extinguished within a few minutes, and beforo any great damage was occasioned,, or before the services of tho Fire Brigade could be brought into requisition. The engine room and its contents were not insurod, bnt the stock in the retail establishment was insured for £150 in tho South British Office, and the front shop, and also tho adjoining shop, were insured in the South British Offioe for .£BOO. Mr. Thornton's furnituro was covered by insurance in the Royal Office. Mr. Thornton visited the spot where the fire originated about midnight, and at that time he states everything was safe. It is surmised that a spark from the boiler must have communicated with bag of shavings whioh was lying in oloße proximity to tho furnace. Tha damage oocasioned is estimated at abont .£2O. The monthly meeting of the Karori-Makara Road Board was held on Saturday at the Old School House, Karori. Present : Moatra. F. Dowsetfc (in the ohair), P. Trottor, H. Cook, and P. Monaghan. Three months leave of absenoe was granted to Mr. James M'Mouamon, who was proceeding to the Hot Lake district for the benefit of his health. Mr. Monaghan drew the Board's attention to the nuisanoe caused by persons permitting their horses and cattle to stray on tho roads, and thought that the Board ought to oall for tenders from persons desirous of taking charge of a pound, whioh had now beoome a necessity. After some conversation, it was decided to postpone the consideration of the matter until next meeting. Mr. Alfred Monk wrote asking permission to remove a gate at the boundary of his property at Makara. The Clerk was instructed to inform him that as the Board had already given Mr. Hawkins permission to erect the gate in question they could take no further action in the matter. Accounts amounting to .£57 9s 3d were passed for payment, and the meeting adjourned. Messrs. Deacon & Co. report the following Beafton returns for week ending the 6th instant :— United Alpine, 6940z retorted gold from 705 tons; Keep-it-Dark, 2200z amalgam. The United Alpine have declared a dividend of Is per 32,000 th share, and the Kf op-it-Dark a dividend (the 72nd) of Is per 20,000 th share. The Hospital Steward acknowledges with thanks the reoeipt of a floral offering from the Sydnoy-strect Sunday Sohool, also books, periodicals, old linen, &c, from the following :-Mra. Tonks, Miss Hawkins, Delta, Mrs. George Thomas, Mrs. Dr. K«mp, and general gifts of useful books from Mr. Plimmer, Tramway Hotel. Tho Emerson Minstrels had a capital house at the Theatre Eoyal on Saturday, and the bill provided evoked roara of laughter and frequent demands for a repetition of the various itema. Tho same programme will be repeated this evening. Thompson's Diorama has strnok the popular taste. On Saturday afternoon there was a large attendance, and in the evening the Athentcum Hall was crowded. The prinoipal presents fell to the following poreons :— Gold watoh, Mr. E. Holmes, Ngahauranga ; silver watch, Master T. Campbell, Alma-lane; tea and coffee service, Mr. George Jones, Abel Smith-street. The Wairarapa papers complain that the through goods traffic between Wellington and Masterton was suspended on Friday and Saturday owing to the Hutt races. This certainly docs not reflect creditably on the management or equipment of the line. It is utterly absurd that the goods traffic along 69 milea of line should be interrupted for two days because the department was called upon to run a few excursion trains on those days along the first five milea of the line. At the annual festival of the Gills' Friendly Society, held at the Botanical Gardens on Saturday, there were about 100 girls present, and 25 lady associates of the Society. Lady Jervois wrote apologising for her absenoe. After tea Mrs. W. Pharazyn. the late secretary, who shortly leaves on a visit to England , delivered a farewell address. The proceedings were of a very pleasant character. An advertisement in another oolumn announoeß the establishment by Mr. Albert Barnes and Messrs. Hogan & Co. of periodical sales of wool, hides, <to ,at Wanganui. The first of the series is to take plaoe on Friday next. Sales of this kind have proved most successful in other parts of the colony, and we have no doubt that Wanganui producers will find them of much value. The Wellington City Rifles will give a ball at the DriUshed this evening, the proceeds of which will be devoted to defraying the oxpenees of sending some of tbe beet shots of the corps to the apDroaohing meeting of the New Zealand Eifle Association. The objeot sought to bo attained ia a worthy one, and will no doubt attract a large number of visitors. Dunedin is threatened with a water famine On Friday la*t there waß only abont 13 days' supply of water in the two resorvoirs, and if the dry wea.ther continues the water used in connection with hydraulic lifts will have to to be tnrned off. The Leith water will not be taken except as a last resource. That wonderful plaoa, Wanganui, now aotually boasts of a visitor in the person of a sister of the Sight Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, the English Radical. A Law Society ia to formed in Napier.

The Government steamer Hinemoa will sail for the Manukau at 5 thiß eveninir for the purpose of bringing down the outward English mail for the Kaikonra, leaving here on Thursday. An aocidont ooonrred on Saturday; at the Hutt Races, to Mr. D. Porter, a member of the Heretaunsa Light Horse Troop and a olerk in the Colonial Bank. This gentleman waß riding a horse named Boobeloff in the Cavalry Haoe, and when traversing that portion of the oourse under the hill, oame intj collision with one of the posts whioh mark out the track. He was heavily thrown, and received some injuries to his right log and generally a Bovore shakiDg. We understand that no bones are broken, and that Mr. Porter is now progressing favourably. This accident and that which happened to Leon and Mr. Pilbrow should show the stewards of the Racing Club th« nrgont necessity of having their oourso fenced, aa almoßt evory decent course in the oolony is. The Christchuroh fruit growers appear to be takimr advantage of the oodlin moth agitation (which, by the way, they have been mainly instrumental in raising) to endeavour to eeoure for themselves absolute protect on— not against the moth but against ail outside competition. Duung the past week Mr. Tole, who htu tymporary charge of the Customs Department in the absence of Sir Jnlius Vogel, has roceivrd numerous reports from Canterbury members and representatives of the fruit hr.usiry to prohibit altogether the introduction of apples or pears into Canterbury from any other part of the colony, as well as from outßido countries. The Minister has declined to accede to these requests. All that will bo done will bo to strictly enforce the provisions of the Codlin Moth Aot. We- are requested to oall attention to an advertisement by which tenders are called for tho sale or lease of Carter's Hall, Potone. and offices nsad therewith. The land and promises being en the main street in the rapidly rising township ot Petone, thiß offerß a first rats chance to an enterprising man. Mr. M. J. Mulligan will Bell tc-morrow, jewellery, clothing, &o. Mersrs. Sidey & Co. will sell to-morrow, ooachbuilderß* material, buggy, cab, &o. Mesers. Hasell & Co. will Bell to-morrow, tea, jam, candles.