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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2261, 5 August 1870, Page 2

Correspondence. The publication of Mr Stout’s reply to Mr Scrimgeour, with other letters, is unavoidably postponed. Mutual Improvement. —At a meeting of gentlemen las. evening, it was resolved to establish in the City a mutual improvement society for youth. The English Commissioners.— For the three months ended the 30th June last, the expenditure in connection with the mission is estimated at L 2,086 13s 4d.

Mayor’s Court. The only case heard in the Mayor’s Court this morning was that of Ameha Goby, charged with having no lawful visible means of support. She was discharged. North Island Roads. —In connection with this subject the Hon. Colonel Russell was to move in the L-gislative Council to day, that a minister or other officer should be appointed to originate such works, and to approve and control the expenditure thereupon. The Four Million Loan.—The Lyttelton Ti)nes says:- -“We hear that the agent of a large monetary establishment in New South Wales is already in the Colony, prepared to take up part of the loan proposed in the financial statement of the Colonial Treasurer.

Inquest.—The City Coroner, Mr T. M. Hocken, held an inquiry to day touching the death of Henry Moss, reported in last evening’s iscue. In accordance with the medical evidence, the jurj r returned a verdict that the deceased died while laboring under an epileptic fit.

Legal.— Mr F. H. M‘Coy, L.L.8., barrister of the Supremo Court of Victoria, was yesterday admitted by Mr Justice Chapman to practise in Otago. We believe it is Mr M‘Coy’s intention to settle in the

Tuapeka 'the Mayor took the oath as a Justice of the Peace before his Honor the Judge, and will preside in the Mayor’p Court to-morrow.

Medical Referees. —The following gentlemen are appointed medical referees under the Government Annuities Act: —It. Harding, Waikouaiti; J. S. Wait, Oamaru ; John-G. Smith, Balclutha; Ebenezer Halley, Lawrence ; John Drysdalc, Port Chalmers ; A. Ferguson, Tokomairiro. Appointments. —ln the New Zealand Gazette , of the 23rd instant, the following appointments of pastmasters in Otago are inserted :—James Dodd, Deary Flat; .fames Paterson, Port Molyneux ; Andrew Murray, Wyndham; Josiah Mitchison, Bendigo; James Campbell, Waimahaka; and John Robinson, Awaraoko. The Gold Robbery. —lt will be seen by the advertisement that the reward for the discovery and conviction of the thieves who stole the gold from the Lockup at Clyde is increased to L 1,500, should the treasure also be discovered. Posters announcing the robbery have been forwarded to the different Colonies. The numbers of the note? are also published, both in New Zealand and adj.ulent Colonies. The Financial Schesie,—ln compliance with a requisition, the Mayor of Lawrence has called a public meeting of the inhabitants for Monday evening next, to consider the proposals of the Government with regard to public works, especially water supply and the proposed railway to the gold fields, and to determine what steps should be taken to secure to the district and the go 1 dfields generally, the expenditure of a fair proportion of the proposed loan for public works.

A Dangerous Volunteer. A Timaru, a few days ago, a volmxteer named Hawley, was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment for threatening “to put a shot in one Smith’s body, in less than half an-hour,” and returning shortly afterwards with his rifle loaded and capped, with the attention of shooting Smith. The quarrell originated at a volunteer ball, where the prisoner got intoxicated and became offensive, and was in consequence ejected by Smith.

Sericulture. —In the House of Representatives on the 29th ult., the Colonial Treasurer explained that when Mr Giay was going to San Francisco, he was asked to procure hooks and periodicals that might be useful in New Zealand ; and he was more particularly requested, on the recomxxxendation of Dr Hector, to obtain information on the subjects of sericulture and mining operations in California. On arrivixxg at San Fraxxcisco, Mr Gray was obliged to proceed to New York, and, having been previously empo v. red to do so if he deemed it necestary, he appointed Crptaiu Baldwin to act for him. Captain Baldwin consequently held no official position as x-egarded tlxe Government. His report ojx sericulture and mining operati ms, under Mr Gray, showed, however, that his services had been exceedingly valuable.

Adulteration. The public will have cause to thank Mr Travers for his action in this matter, when they learn the amount of deleterious and poisonous substances they daily absorb, for to know of the evil is the first step towards finding a remedy. In the report of the Adulteration of Food Committee, brought before the House of Representatives, we learn that in one sample of English beer were found cocculus indiem and nur. vomica— the former being a drug largely used in the adulteration of ale. The fact is to be communicated to the firm whose label the beer bore, which it is thought may be a forgery. The coffee could not be said to be adulterated- it was a mixture of foreign substances slightly adulterated with coffee; and as for the liquids—wines and spirits—they were adulterated in every case.

“ Ye Publican and Ye Drama.”— Under this heading the Auckland papers report the case of a local Boniface who has been fined 50s and costs for tearing down a theatrical cartoon. The cartoon had been specially got up for the occasion of the representation of the drama, “The Bottle,” and delineated a drunkard under the effects of (li’lerhm tremem, “ blue devils.” One of these cartoons was placed opposite the publican’s door. Some of the evidence was very amusing :—John Copland (defendant) deposed that the picture was about eight feet square. It represented a man knocking do wn a woman with a bottle. There were three invisible spirits (laughter) and a Maori with a pipe in his mouth. There was a rat on his hind legs with’a pipe in his mouth, and a pig under the table. There were a great number of flourishes, which contained the id-as. (Laughter). I told the man before he put it up “that if be put it up opposite my private rooms I would pull it down again.” Mr Sheehan • How did you conic to see the “three invisible spirits?” Witness: They were under a cloud. (Loud laughter.) The picture was indecent; a man knocking down a woman with a bottle is an indecent act. A rat on his hind legs, with a pijje in his mouth, is not fit to ho seen in a public thoroughfare. (Loud laughter). Judgment was given against Mr Copland for L2 10s with costs.

Shipping Telegrams.— The House of Representatives acted very wisely in rejecting the proposal to resume the publication of shipping telegrams, as originally given. Such a course would have involved a loss to the revenue of between L 7009 and LB.OOO, unless the price of ordinary telegrams were -aised from Is to 2s as before. The information now gratuitously supplied is ample for public purposes, and individuals who are more inquisitive than the general public, and persons who desire to be more fully informed on matters connected with the shipping interest ought to pay for the information. In a memorandum to the Colonial Treasurer, the manager, of tele graphs (Mr Lemon) says:— “I iiud, in going through the private messages of the Wellington station, for the month of April, that out of 1,179, 112 were asking and answering questions relative to the arrivals and departures of shipping. .Should the shipping reports be again adopted, the whole of this revenue will bo lost; whilst the only people (or nearly so) who will derive any advantage from their publication, will be the shipping agents and a few of the merchants. I also and that in March 5,152 shipping telegrams were sent, and in April, under the new system, 1,408 ; the wires were, therefore, relieved +o the extent of 3,500 messages, which, of course, enabled the private work to bo so much more expeditiously despatched. By thi present system, the information that is wanted by the general public is afforded, and what

shipping agents are directly interested in is to be paid for. I noticed, when looking over the messages, that the most of the telegrams were sent by one person. Now that the rate is Is, I consider that the telegraph is within the reach of the poorest individual of the community, and any further concession, in the way of free telegrams, results in a fresh burden on the taxpayer. Only three and a half per cent, of the male population used the wires in April, and in that month 1,333 more people used it than in March.” It was stated during the debate on Mr BarfT’s motion, that had it been carried, one lirm alone, would have been henefitted by it to the extent of L4OO a year.

The Fenians in Canada. —The part taken by Prince Arthur in the affair with the Fenians at Trout River is shown by the following narrative from a Canadian journal: —“ About 8 o’clock it was discovered that a large body of Fenians had entrenched themselves near Holbrook’s Corner. A detachment of the Rifle Brigade, including Prince Arthur’s Company, with 250 volunteers and 150 of the Independent Corps, were immediately sent forward to dislodge them. The Fenians opened a brisk fusilade, wlxich was responded to by the Rifle Brigade in a terrible manner. The bullets literally rained down upon the barricade, and no human force could have lived for ten minutes. With a faint whoop the enemy vacated thenshelter, dodged in and out among bush-wood, ayd on reaching the clear ground ran with a velocity which none but Fenians could equal. Their flight was most ludicrous. Knapsacks, overcoats, rifles, and the Fenians’ constant companions,' whiskey flasks, were, thrown away in the steeplechase ; big Fenians fell over little Fenians, and little Fenians fell over big Fenians, officers jostled sergeants, and generals jostled privates, and away they rushed helter-skelter, without as much as one solitary ‘Erin-go-bragh.’ It was a miuature Bull Run. Fleetest among the fleet was an officer in bran new uniform, with a fierce-looking plume of green feathers in his shako. He must have been at Bull Run. He galloped antelope-like over fences, kangaroo-like over stumps, and on open ground he was equally unapproachable. Of him may it be truly said, in tlie words of Mark Twain, ‘ None ran that day with more v gor, yet there was much running and a great deal of vigor.' The scene after the skirmish was a strange one. It might have been thought, without any great stretch of Imagination, that the contents of every pawnbroker’s shop in Montreal had been sown broadcast on the held. Long-tailed blue coats, with United States army buttons powder hor s, tobacco boxes, and clothing of every description, were strewed wholesale over a two acre field. The enthusiasm when His Royal Highress Prince Arthur' appeared in front of his company was unbounded. Cheer after cheer rent the air, and when they died away strong lungs pealed forth that grand old anthem ‘ God Save the Queen.’ The Prince acknowledged the compliment in a graceful manner, and was appa ently much affected at the cii'cu instance. He looked remarkably well in his uniform, and was as anxious as his comrades for a fight. When the Fenians turned tail he joined with all his heart in the loud x-oars of ‘laughter and hurrahing which greeted their hurried departure.”

Telegraphic Communication . with England.— We have a printed copy of further correspondence between Mr J. Douglas, the Loudon agent of the Queensland Government, and the representatives of the sub-marine telegraph companies. Some of the correspondence seems to elucidate the complaint made the. other day in, the South Australian Parliament by the Hon. Mr Hart, viz., that the British Australian Telegraph Company had been simultaneously negotiating with the South Australian and Queensland Governments. The first letter is one from Mr Douglas, to the Colonial Secretary, Brisbane, forwarding the correspondence, and suggesting that if a good understanding could be established between the Queensland and South Australian Governments, it would be advantageous, in view of the great delay attending on the construction of the overland line to Spencer’s Gulf, to construct a land line from Fort Darwin to some point at the mouth of the Roper, connecting then by a light cable with Normanton, 'A letter from Captain Sherard Osborn on behalf of the Telegraph Construction Company, dated May sth, suggests to Mr Douglas that if Queensland and New South Wales decline to be dependent upon South Australia for their European communications, their best mode would be to connect the terminal station, Port Da’win, with Burketown by a cable. It would only be 930 miles long, and would cost L 279,000. It could be laid at the same time as the Australian cable in 1871. In reply, Mr Douglas says, “In the event certainly of the threatened postpone-, ment of the whole enterprise by the abandonment of the’overland line from Port Darwin* to Burketown, and the adoption of the proposed route across the continent to Ihe head of Spencer’s Gulf, I anticipate that propositions will be made for the purpose of laying a cable direct from Koepang to Normanton in Queensland. ” Mr Douglas then opened communications with Lord Monck, chairman of the British and Australian Telegraph Company, asking for a proposal from that company for the substitution of a cable to Normanton for a land line to Burketown. The managing director of the company, in reply, says:—“ The interest of this company will be best considered by an arrangement which leaves us free from the construction, working, and maintenance of land lines on the Australian continent, and that we .shall accept the most desirable oiler wo may receive (before the 7th August next) relieving us from that part of the undertaking. Should your Government think it to their interest to guarantee a sufficient subsidy to make ft worth our while to extend our cable to a point on the Queensland coast, or even offer such a guarantee as would relievo us from the expense of constructing and maintaining the Burketown land line, we shall he quite ready to receive their proposals.” The following telegraph message, sent from the Queensland Government to Mr Douglas, under date July 12th, concludes the correspondence : —“ In the event of the company not accepting the offer sent last n ontli, we will guarantee- to them, or any other good company, at same rate and on same terms for cable from Koepang to Normanton, irrespective of any arrangement company may have made with South Australia as to Port Darwin lino. You arc fully authorised to secure cable without delay. We will not under any circumstances connect with South Australia land line to Darwin. A. H. Palmer, Colonial Secretary.” Should tins arrangement be carried out, we may hope to be in telegraphic communication with £Eug-

land almost as soon ’astlie Australian cable is laid ; that is to say, before the expiration of 1871.

We notice that Mr J. T. ,Chaplin has consented to become a candidate for this Ward, in the place of Mr H. S. Fish, resigned.

A meeting of those ratepayers of South Ward favorable to the return of Mr E. B. Cargill, will be held at Maguire’s Imperial Hotel on Saturday evening, at 7.30.