PRINCE BISMARCK'S RUMOURED RESIGNATION.

Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 87, 14 April 1888, Page 2

PRINCE BISMARCK'S RUMOURED RESIGNATION.

The oables about Prince Bismarok's threatened resignation are only a trifle less conflicting and confusing than those we have become accustomed to about the Emperor Frederick's throat affeotion. It is impossible, from the statements made, to arrive at any clear comprehension of the true position of the case. All that is certain it that tho relations between the Chancellor and his Sovereigns are very strained. Prinoe Bismarck is no longer paramount, and the counsels of the State are evidently divided. One of the latest items to hand is that the betrothal episode is but a pretext used to cover more serious differences, whioh are the real cause of the Chancellor's desire to resipn. When the matter was first mentioned, we pointed out the extreme probability of -fchia, Th«»— Empni.nl. }io« j t-n onma axtflTltj taken the reins of government into his own hands, and pulls them rather according to the suggestion of his wife than in acpordanoo with the views of his Prime Minister. Naturally, tho latter does not like the change, and is disinclined to continue to bear responsibility when he really has not absolute power.

Vigilant's weekly budget of Turf Noteß and other sporting news will be found on our fourth p-ge to-day. To-day is the 76th anniversary of Sir Goo. Grey's birth. We heartily wish him many happy returns of the day. Some interesting and important ohanges in the organisation of the Government Insnranoe Department have, we are informed on authority, just been effeoted. The general management of tho department has beon transferred from the Commissioner to the Actuary, but Mr. Luokie will still retain the former position, and while subordinate to the Actuary, Mr. Frankland, in matters of departmental routine, will retain the statutory powers appertaining to the office, which he will eieroißO independently, and he will be held jointly responsible with the Actuary for the conduct of affairs. The Seoretary (Mr. Richardson) and Mr. Irvine, who is in future to be known as Inspeotor and Superintendent of Branches, are not to bo under the control of tho Commissioner, but are to exercise co-ordinate powers with him. We learn that while Mr Frankland, the Government Actuary, was in England ho drew np a case for the opinion of the depaitment's London consulting actuaries Messrs. A. H. Bailey, R. P. Hardy, and Gk King, respecting the future management of the department, and that his case for opinion, together with the report of the actuaries montioned, is now in the hands of the Government Printer, with a view to it bein<r laid before Parliament 09 aoon as the session opens. During the last three months of his stay in London Mr. Frankland mode it his business to investigate the systems of administration carried out in the various English life insurance officei. The resnlt of these investigations he is at present engaged in formulating, and if they are published they are likely to prove interesting. Mr. Campbell, Chairman of the Underwriters Association, has, we are pleased to learn, convened a meeting of that body for Monday nest, to consider in what manner the various insurance offices can best recognise the skill and energy shown by Detective Chrystal in bringing the inoendiaries Hind and Dunkin to justice. An awkward discovery was made in the Supreme Court last night at the conclusion of the trial of the Chinaman Fong Chong and his wife on the charge of ohild-mnrder, namely, that tho evidence had not been interpreted to the alien accused. An interpreter, provided by the defenoe, had been sworn at the commencement of the trial, in preference to one whom the Crown had employed, but after translating the indiotment and plea he remained all day iv front of the dock, expecting that his duty would come after ail the evidenoe hod been taken. His Honour the Chief Justice refrained from giving a dooieivp expression of opinion as to whether the absence of interpretation would invalidate the trial, but he endeavoured to point's.* moral, by impressing npon the Crown representatives the necessity shown by this unfortunate affair for the employment of a reliable and regular interpreter. Mr. W. P. Street, J.P., of Dnnedin, has been appointed an additional Honorary Com* misaioner for New Zealand at the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition. The other Honorary Commissioners are the Hon. the Minister of Justice, the Hon. W. J. M. Larnaoh, C.M.G., and Mr. Vincent Pyke.M.H.R. Forensio utterenoes which are primarily designed to influence the feeling of a jnry, and are therefore usually of an exaggerated nature, should not perhaps be dissected too oritically, but some of the remarks made by Mr. Jelliooo yesterday afternoon in defending the Chinaman Fon? Chong, seem to have infringed the limits of good taste too far to be allowed to go uwot&aed. In thiß city of 28,000 inhabitants, said thjo learned gentleman, crime existed all around. Codies were found on the sea-shore, and doubtless others, which had not yet been discovered, were still contained in the sea. He alindod to Wellington as a oity which was rot +cry far short of the Sodom and Gomorrah of tho past, and asked the jury whether thero was anything ftt all extraordinary in the fact of a dead body being fonnd in a oity of Buch vice and immorality. Mr. Jellicoe should not thus, even toe professional purposes, libel a community, of which he is a unit, and amongst whioh he has eleetod %9 set np his own household gods. We learn that Mr. A. D. B»U, of TVaihemo, who has consented to represent New Zealand at the intercolonial Rabbit Conference in Sydney, left Dunedin for the latter oity by the Tarawera on Thursday. Two cases still remain on the oriminal oalesdar for the present sessions of the Supremo Court, those of Patrick Farrelly, charged with indecent assault, and Hush Treanore, who is aooused of perjury. It was intimated to-d»v that bis Honour the Chief Justice will #oM » sitting of the Court on *8 2n4 May, fu prder to deal with the»« .eases. A jury pml will accordingly be summojned for that <Jtte, and the jury whioh w*s to havo been i# attendance on Monday ne*t will not be required, as notified by the Sheriff i» agother oolumn. The following are tha latest additions to tho Telephone Exchange :— Hallway Offices, Lambton-quay ; Mr. C. J. A. Hoaeldea, Undersecretary for Justice, Pirie-street. A first offender who admitted having been drunk on Lambton-qnay yesterday afternoon was fined 53, or in default six hours' imprisonment, by Mr. Robinson, R.M. (/ this morning.

In the conrFe of the child-murder trial yesterday, want of feeling for the unfortunate prisoners wag shown several times by the habitues of the Supreme Court through their general levity and disposition to laugh at any attempts of wit on the part of. counsel, or any discomfiture of witnesses. His Honour the Chief Justice at length rebnked those present for their improper behaviour, which he considered especially reprehensible when it applied to a caee which involved possibly the life or death of the accused persons. The New Zealand Commissioners of the Melbourne Exhibition held their 'usual weekly meeting yesterday afternoon, there being present His Excellency the Governor (in the chair), Sir James Hector, the Hon. G. M. Waterhouse, and-'Messrß. G. E. Tolhurst and W. Seed. The International Commission wrote under date 28th March that the Centennial Exhibition would be opened on Ist August. The eighth report of the Executive Commissioners stated that good progress was being made in all branches of the work relating to the Exhibition ; that a contract has been let to the Australia Electric Co. for lighting thebuilding with electricity ; that the following tenders for machinery have been aooepted :— Three pairs highpressure horizontal engines, £5500 ; 12 steel boilers, £7200; shafting, gearing, Ac, £56U4 ; that the space had been increased as follows :— New Zealand, from 10,000 ft to 20,00 ft; South Australia, from 20,000 ft to 25,000 ft; and laamania, from 3500 ft to 12,500 ft. It was mentioned that the New Zealand Railway Department intend forwarding a sheep truck and a cattle track of standard design, built at Addington, to the Exhibition. It was deoided to have a coal trophy erected in the New Zealand section, of the Exhibition, and it was stated that arrangements hid been made for collecting and forwarding some of the very be3t specimens of New Zealand ferns. Some sharp oomment was made yesterday by oounsel for the defence in the childmurder case upon the fact that the female prisoner had been induced, While in gaol, to do some needlework, which was afterwards used against her, by comparison of her stitches with tho&e of the garment found on the body of tho dead ohild. His Honor, the Chief Justice, declined to rule the evidence out as being improper, but subsequently, on an alluaion being made to the matter by Mr. Gully in the coarse of his address, His Honor interrupted, with the remark that as it was admitted that the arrangement was made for the purpose of getting evidenoe, it was undoubtedly highly improper. It practically amounted to asking the woman to give evidenoe against herself, and it was like requesting a prisoner who was charged with forgery to write something for comparison with the document alleged to have been forged. Mr. Gully said it happened that there were no specimens of the prisoner's sewing available for comparison. His Honour said that if the prisoner had been told before her arrest that if her sewing did not correspond with that found on the child the oase would probably not be gone with, and there was truth in the statement, then there might be some good reason for the act ? There could be no doubt that the sewing was obtained from the woman without her knowledge of the object, and for the purpose of making evidenco against her. So far as he understood, the English Courts had not yet come to that. He had seen in other parts of the colony what seemed to him startling attempts on the part of the police to extract statements from prisoners. He had not had occasion to say much about it in Welling ion, but he believed that there was rather a bad tendenoy even in this district in the same way. A few days ago we mentioned that a bronze modal had been awarded to Mr. Charles Stewart, of Wellington, for rescuing a ohild named Elizabeth Collins, in. the Wellington harbour on the 19th September, 1887. We now learn that Mr. Franois Sooringe, of Timaru, has written to the Royal Humane Sooiety of Australasia, asking for an acknowledgment of the servioes he rendered in connection with the accident in question. The Timaru Mail, referring to the matter, Bays :— ' ' Scoringe, on observing the accident, speedily rowed out, at much personal risk, to the rescue, and suooeeded in resouing Collins and his wife, the 1 attar not a moment too soon, as prompt and skilful measures had to be taken by Scoringe to rostore animation during the journey to tho shore, where the exhausted man and his wife were taken by Scoringe to the nearest hotel. Mr. Scoringe informs us that he himself was in an exhausted and fainting condition on reaohing the shore, consequent upon his exertions. We trust, as we know will be the case, the Sooiety will make further enquiries into the matter, and reward Mr: Scoringe for his bravery, as well as the deserving recipient of their favours who has been already honoured." Tho ruthless hand of death has swept away yet another of Wellington's early settlers, in the person of Mrs. Jane Elizabeth Allen, wife of Councillor George Allen, who died at her residenoe, Thorndon-quay, late last evening. The deceased lady, who had reached her 75th year, had bren ailing for several months, and some seven weekß since was forced to take to her bed, from which she never again rose. She was afflicted with no special disease, her health suffering a gradual decay, until the heart ceased to beat. Mrs. Allen was ope of the earliest settlers on our shores, arriving here with her husband on the 9th of June, 1841, nearly 47 years ago. As an early settler she 'Cheerfully bore all the troubles and discomforts incidental to the life of the early settlers, and by the kindliness of her disposition and readiness to help the needy had endeared herselftcia-lajgo-oi»nla..of friends. Mis. "Allenleavcs a large family" of sons" ana daughters, who all reside in this province, and who were present at the bedside daring her last moments With numerous grandohildren, the family circle number 40, who defeply mourn the loss of their esteemed relative, and we feel. sure we are echoing public sentiment when we express our heartfelt sympathy with Mr. Allen and his family for the logs they have sustained. According to a statement made at the meeting of the New Zealand Commissioners of the Melbourne Centennial Exhibition yesterday afternoon! the Mosgiel and Oamaru Companies will be the Only woollen mills in the colony that will be represented at the Exhibition. The Commissioners have been doing their beat to induce all the woollen companies to exhibit, bat an objection has been taken by most of them to the fact that the Viotorian, manufacturers are agitating for an increase of duty in order to snut out New Zealand competition, and for that reason they will not bo represented at the Exhibition. The fallowing memo, was submitted to the Commissioners by Mr. Seed, who reeeniy returned from Victoria: — "The object on taken by the woollen mills that, owin • to the high duty now being agitated for by the Victorian woollen manufacturers, it is* useless to exhibit New Zealand woollens with the objeot of opening up a trade with Viotoria, may really not turn out to, pq deserving of so muoh importance as appears to be attached to it, as it is not at all improbable that the question of intercolonial! reciprooity may come up for consideration by several of tho Australian Governments during tho currency of the Exhibition. The object of this reciprooity would be to allow colonial products' to be interchanged duty free, or at lower than the ordinary rates. Any weakness in the representation of New Zealand's woollen industry might therefore have a very prcjudioal influence on the, future prospeots'or that industry." i , ¦ Some burglariously inclined individual entered the premises of Mr. Samuel Srown, coal-merchant, of Johnston-street, between the dark hours of last evening and this morning. The intending burglar appears to have first made his way to the rear of the premises, where, with the aid of a^adder, he sneoeeded in reaohing the npper story of the building, and there endeavoured to break in a door with a coal-hammer, also obtained from the yard. Not succeeding in forcing the lock, he apparently next turned <h3f attention to the front of the premises, facing Johnston-street, when by smashing one ¦of the window panes, he was enabled to draw back the sash bolt,' and thus offect an entrance. He carried the coal hammer with him, evidently with the intention of converting it to further use,' for it was found lyinj near the safe this morning when the office was opened, but as neither the safe nor anything else in the office was disturbed, it is to be presumed that the intruder was startled in his operations, and made a hasty flight. Several drawers containing papers of value, left unlocked by Mr. Brown's clerk, failed to attraot attention. In getting in or out of the window, several bottles of ink whioh stood on a desk were upset, and prints of a large-sized boot are plainly to be distinguished, outlined in ink and dust. Mr. Brown is at present away at Greymouth. , The matter is being investigated by the detectives. An action in whioh the Public Trustee (B. C. Hammerton) figured as the defendant waß heard before Mr. Robinson, R.M., yesterday afternoon. The case was brought by Chas. Tringham, architect, to recover £31 4s, being rent in respect of an allotment leased by the plaintiff to Henry Meech, deceased. The Public Trustee being executor in the_ estate, the claim was accordingly made against him, Mr. Kirk appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Fiteherbert- defended. The case oooupied the attention r of the Court for a considerable portion of the afternoon, his Worship ultimately reserving his decision to consider a point of law raised by Mr. Fitzherbert. An employe 1 of Mr. Whitehead, coal merchant, named William Wise, had an unpleasant experience yesterday afternoon. He was engaged in carrying a Back of coal into tho house of a resident in Ghuzneestreot, when a large brown retriever dog, whioh was chained up fit the rear of the building, broke away from the chain and attacked him. The ultimate result of the scuffle was that Wise came off second best, retiring with a severe wound in his leg, which necessitated Dr. Collins' services beiDg obtained to attend to the injuries,! The dog is owned by John (jfampbcll, and it is understood he 'will shortly have to answer a charge of having kept a dangerous dog upon his premises. The multiplicity of Bmall circuits in the northern part of the South Island has been repeatedly condemned by Mr. Justice Richmond, without, however, producing any apparent effect upon the arrangements of the Justice Department. His Honour returned to the subject this morning in disqussing the difl}oulty ftrisiogfrom the occurrence of the Wellington, Wanganui, and Nelson Criminal Sittings about the same time, and said that the number of circuits was suoh that the judges really oonld not get throngs tho work. The number had been increased in opposition to the jadges' advice and apparently on the representation of gentlemen representing the localities, which was an unsatisfactory state of affairs. The girl Annie Haywood, who 'wa» reminded early in the week, having pleaded gniliy £o two charges of laroeny, in order that the Probation Officer might make.' a report pn the matter was brough^iefore Mr. H. W. Robinson, R.M., this morning. The Probation .Officer intimated that "He had not had sufficient time to njake a full enquiry into the previous character hejd by tuo girl, and therefore oonld make no rfieommenda.tion." His Worship said he woflld farther adjourn the case for seven dajifto alloVof < enquiry being nude.

The official enquiry into the wreck of tho Weathersfield is now definitely fixed for Wednesday next, before Mr. Robinson, R.M., and two Nautical Assessors. It is, we are glad to learn, intended to make the enquiry as exhaustive as possible in regard to the oaußcs whioh have led to bo many wrecks in the same locality. Mr. Hart, of the Customs, has already, in his preliminary enquiry, taken the evidence of Captain Wheeler, of the Wakatipu (who was in the Strait the night the Pleione went ashore), and of various other shipmasters who are accustomed to the navigation of Cook Strait. The steamer Bellinger, which only came off the Slip on Thursday, will have to go ou again on Monday, as a small leak in her after tank has been discovered. Captain Bendall and' six workmen went up by the early train this morning, to tho ship Pleione, for the purpose of laying out one of her anchors so as to prevent, if possible, her driving further up the beach. We hear that the Pleione rolled a good bit yesterday, and ope of the wire ropes on which Mr. Saunders is running out the cargo parted, An open meeting of tho Rescue Lodge of Good Templars will be held on Monday evening in the Bethel, Herbert-street, when the chair will be taken by the Rev. F. Cecil. The Medical Superintendant of the Mount View Asylum acknowledges with thanks the receipt of a parcel of periodicals from the Wellington Club. Another large hotel is, it is stated, likely to be built in Napier if the local option poll, about to be taken, permits of an increase in the nnmber of liconses in the borough. A new feature in terms is offered by Messrs. T. Kennedy Mocdonald & Co., in referenoe to the Bale by auotion of a valuable building site on Friday, 20th inst. — the whole purchase-money being allowed to lie for a term of years at low interest, on oondition that only one house ia ereoted npon the ground. It would be well if owners of property were a little firmer in regulating the olasß and character of the buildings to be erected on the land sold, by them. It would tend to enhanoe the' architectural beauty of the city, and improve its sanitary conditions. There is considerable interest taken in the performance of the Amateur Dramatic Club at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday. As our readers are aware, the prooeeds of the entertainment are to be devoted to the furnish'ng of the children's ward at the Hospital. We are requested to remind country visitors that the Hutt train will bo delayed on that night until 11 o'clock. We notioe in our advertising columns that Mrs. Fletcher, lately in business on the West Coast, has purchased the well-known business lately carried on by M. Dumas at the " Restaurant Francais," on Lambtonquay. The new proprietress notifies that the establishment will be conducted in a first-olass style. The notorious Sydney Jookey Turf Club's swindling consultation ciroulars keep ooming to hand. Our readers need scaroely be caution'd against this trap for the unwary. The persons connected with the oironlar —whioh is siprnod " James Wallaoe, box 784, G.P.O. Sydney" —have been so often exposed by the press that it is surprising they still find persons simple enough to fall into their clutches. ¦ The usual weekly session of St. John's Lodge, No. 23,1.0. G.T., held last evening in the Good Templar Hall, Manners-street, was well attended. Bro. N. Middlemiss, W.C.T., oooupied the chair. Two members were added to the roll by initiation and one by olearanoe card. Several new candidates were proposed. A communication was received stating that Bro. A. Thompson has .been eleoted District Deputy for the Wellington district. An invitation to pay a fraternal viait to the Pioneer Lodge on Monday evening, 10th April, it was deoided to accept. Fraternal greetings were received from Bro. G. Newland, of Melbourne, who wished to be remembered to all member*.' After some harmony had been indulged in the lodge was olosed. Quite a crowd of intending visitors to Karori gathered this afternoon at the offioes' ot Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald & Co. at 2 o'otock, when some 17 conveyances left, carrying upwards of 250 passengers to inspect the land for sale on Tuesday next. The special attraction was the frre promenade concert on the land this afternoon by Gray's band. Omnibusß'B will run tomorrow, leaving Manners-street at 2 o'clock and 3.39. The offiors of Messrs T. Kennedy Macdonald and Co. w HI be open this evening, for the distribution of tiokets and plans. The New York Calendar for 1888, issned by the New York 'lAte Insurance Company, is certainly a very handsome and unique production. It consists of a collection of small sheets, eaoh giving the calendar for a month, and pome interesting faots oonneoted with the oompanyj'with, on the baok of eaoh, a fine ohromo-lithograph of some interesting scene or important building in New York. The sheets are united by silk cord. We have to thank the local manager for a oopy. Intending exhibitors in the forthcoming Chrysanthemum Show are reminded by advertisement that schedules of prizes and entry forms can be obtained from a number of gentlemen who are specified in the notification which appears in another oolumn. The Rev. J. Dumbell will conduct service in Webb-street Church to-morrow morning, and a temperance sermon will be preached in the evening. It will be seen from tho preliminary notioe in-ont.fld.VjarJUflillg-aolnmno that ihogrand orchestral conceit,' whioh was given by Mr. MoGlashan's orohestra on Thursday evening last, is to be repeated, by special request, in aid of the obildren'B ward in the Wellington hospital, on the evening of Friday, the 20th dnsUnt. The Auckland Hospital is in troubled waterß. The .Bell publishes a long letter signed " JuStitia," the headings to whioh are sufficiently indicative of the oontenta., They are—"A Serious Change 1 —Death at the Hospital from Typhoid —The Authorities Charged with.-Manslaughter (on aooount of preventable negligence causing the death of onr follow-citizens) and likened unto Cain — The City Pestilential." A Captain Corbett is also bringing an aotion against the hospital authorities for alleged surgical maltieatment! '¦ The Canterbury Presß of Wednesday says —Owing to the supposed grounding of the R.M.S. Ruapehu on the Farewell Spit, the New Zealand Shipping Company deemed it advisable to, employ a diver to thoroughly examine the ship's bottom. Mr. S. Derbridge, the Harbour Board's diver, accordingly went down yesterday morning a little after 9 o'olock, and did not come to the surface until 11.30 o'clock, having made a thorongh and minute survey of tho ship's bottom, during which he was unable to detect any indentation or even soraping of paint. An official report to that effect has been forwarded to the company's offices. Howovor, so that there should not be any doubt left as to the state of the vessel, the company have decided to dock her. It will be seen from our advertising columns that Messrs. J. H. Bethune and Co. will tell by auotion, without reserve, on Wednesday and Thursday, 25th and 26th April, at the, Ministerial residence, Tinakoriroad, by instructions from the Hon. the Minister for Public Works, the whole of the magnificent furniture, ' comprising every household requisite. The same firm will also submit at an early date Mrs. Maxwell's valuable property at Wadestown, known as Fernhill, within easy walking distance of the oity, subdivided into first-olass building allotments. The Bey. T. J. Weiliß, who wag appointed by the Uet Wedeyan' Conference to the Wellington Circuit, with the view of giving extra ministerial attention to Wealeyan interests at Thorndon, is expected to arrive by the Te Anau to-morrow, and will conduct the service at Moleiworth-street in the roorn'iu; and Newtown in the evening. We understand that * recrption tea ia bora* arranged for Tuesday, the 24th uist. Mr. David Hall, city missionary, invites his seafaring friends .to attend the aervices of the Bethel in connection with the Seamen's Misiton. at the Athenteum, at 11 o'clock to-mor.ow morning, »nd again at 3 o'clock in th« afternoon. The u«ual services \rill he conducted to-morrow at the Vivian-street Baptist Church by the Rev. H. H. Driver. In the moraine: he will continue his exposition of the Epiitle to Philemon, and the rob - ject in the evening will be," A simple antidote for a deadly poison." The services will be conducted at the Courtenarplace Congregational Church to-morrow by the pastor, the subjects bein<; —in the morning, " The Deluee;" in theerenlng, "EarnettoonTlotionleads to bold testimony for Christ." At the Christians' Chapel, Dixon-streeb, tomorrow evening, Mr. Edward Lewis will pretch upon the subject, "And Saul laid waste the Church." The services at the Terrace Congregational Church will be conducted to-morrow morning and evening bytheE«v. Dr. west: