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Evening Star, Issue 7340, 12 October 1887, Page 2

That the credit of the Colony is at the lowest ebb is evidenced by the fact that in order to secure the payment of £500,000 due in London next November, the late Ministry have had to agree to pay a certain bank £12,000 for interest and commission. Truly it is time that more vigorous hands grasped the helm of the State vessel. We have not only been going to leeward, but been drifting on to the rocks of destruction. The position is almost that of absolute shipwreck, from which it is expected that new pilots will deliver us. They must not disappoint the expectations of the country. All side issues must be avoided, however important they may seem to be in the estimation of the amiable fanatics who view them as looming largely in tho political horizon. A telegram from Wellington on Monday told us that the Government propose a revision of the Tariff; but although the proclivities of Major Atkinson, Mr George Fisiiek, and others may perhaps lie in this direction, it is to be hoped that common sense and the instinct of self-preservation will prevent them from repeating a political catastrophs. They have been selected to do a certain work—namely, to effect economy of expenditure. Everything hangs upon that. There is nothing else that the people will recognise as the immediate business of the Government, and to this end and purpose they must bend all their individual and concentrated energies. At. present there is no sufficient cause to imagine that they will not do so ; but they must be supported by public opinion and honest patriotism. The addition of Sir Frederick Wihtaker and the Hon. Mr Stevens to the Ministry is matter for congratulation. In the former especially there is the concentrated essence of a life almost entirely expended in the public service ; and Mr Stevens is a man of fair political repute.

At this morning's meeting of the Land Board leave of absence was granted to Mr M'Kenzie during tho session of Parliament. A cottage at Ngaruawhia, owned and occupied by Mr T. M'Keown, was burnt down yesterday. The premises were insured for LIOO in the New Zealand office.

General Boulanger's daughter is about to become a nun, and his enemies say that it is a shrewd device of his to curry favor with the clerical party. A display of the system of electric mines arranged for the defence of Wellington will shortly be made, so as to enable members of the Legislature to judge of the effectiveness of the system.

A team of the Port Chalmers' Naval Artillery and L Battery fired at the range, Goat Island, this forenoon with the Rem-ington-Lee rifle, the result being considered very satisfactory. M. Depretis, ths late Italian Premier, died poor, although for many years he enjoyed the most ample opportunities for enriching himself. King Humbert has settled L4OO a-year on Madame Depretis, and is to undertake the charge of the education of her son, and will otherwise provide for him. The total subscriptions raised in Christchurch for the Women's Queen's Jubilee fund amounts to L 547. The Ladies' Committee decided to have the sum invested, and to apply the interest for the first year to the relief of distressed widows and single women of good character not receiving charitable aid. In a recent number of the ' Medical Record ' there is an instructive article by Dr Samuel Sexton on boxing the ears. Dr Sexton enumerates no less than fifty-one cases of injury from this cause which have come within his own experience, and the injuries range through all degrees of gravity up to brain disease and death. Of course the majority of the cases arose out of assaults, but several of them were due to castigation by parents and school teachers. One—the saddest warning of all—was tho case of a young man who bad had his ears boxed by his sweetheart, At the Central Police Court, Sydney, the other day, a young man was charged with having been guilty of riotous conduct. Constable Brooks, the arresting officer, gave evidence whl'.-h was denied by the accused. Mr Daniel Holland, J.P., of Windsor, stated that on the previous evening, whilst returning from a Freetrade meeting, he noticed Brooks in the act of following the prisoner. He (the constable) ordered him to go home, and the reply was : " I can go when I choose;" whereupon Brooks struck him behind the ear and knocked him down—an operation which he shortly afterwards repeated. The witness informed the constable that he was a Magistrate of the territory, and remonstrated with him. He also asked twice for his number, but could obtain no reply. In answer to Mr Abbott, S.M., the constable stated that his reason for not giving his number, which is 101, was that "he had not time." Mr Abbott reminded him that it was the duty of every policeman to state his number when called upon to do so by any civilian, not to say by a Magistrate. He dismissed the case.

Steady rain set in at Wellington on Sunday afternoon, and continued without intermission until noon yesterday. The rainfall during thirty-three hours was 3£in. In the city no damage is reported. The Hutt River rose rapidly, and the whole of the land adjacent to the bank was submerged, and probably a large area of pasture land will be ruined. A slip occurred on tho Wellington-Masterton Railway, which delayed communication for a few hours. At Palmerston North forty-eight hours' steady rain has fallen, and the rivers and creeks are flooded. The Manawatu River is very high, and the town is a good deal under water. At Woodville continuous heavy i rains have fallen for forty-eight houris. The Manawatu and its tributaries are overflowing their banks and flooding the adjoining land for a considerable extent.', Heavy slips are reported in the Gorge and on the Woodville-Masterton road, stopping the coach trafic. The water is washing across the railway at Maitawa, causing a subsidence of tho line. A telegram from Marton states that traffic on the WanganuiPalmerston line is completely stopped, the bridge over the Maklno River having collapsed and the approaches to the oylinder bridge near Karaki been washed away. '

In addition to the money granted by the Government to the widow of Constable Porter, the members of the force have subscribed LlO3 3s.

The remains 6f Edward Loft were buried this afternoon at the Northern Cemetery. The Rev. B. M. King, incumbent of St. Martin's Anglican Church, conducted the burial service.

It was at first proposed to endeavor to upset Mr Carroll's election for the Eastern Maori district, but it was found that the other candidates were pretty much in the same position, and so the project was dropped. Two lads were this morning charged at the Police Court with having sot fire to the scrub on the Town Belt. Sergeant-major Bevin said that although he did not wish to be severe with the lads, this being their first offence, iljhe police were determined to put a stop to this dangorous pastime during the coming summer. It should be borne in mind that offenders are liable to be fined L 5.

The sacred cantata "Daniel" will be given in the Mornington Presbyterian Church tomorrow evening.

Tho annual general meeting of the Otago Rowing Club will be held in Philp's Terminus Hotel tomorrow evening.

The Port Chalmers Gairison Band hold a grand vocal and instrumental concert in the Forestera' Hall on Friday next. Officers and members of Lodge St. Andrew No. 432, S.C., are requested to meet at Freemasons' Hall to-morrow evening.

A special general meeting of the Otago Cricketers' Association will be held in Wain's Hotel on Saturday evening, at 8.15. A special general meeting of the Dunedin Financial Reform Association Will be held in the secretary's rooms to-morrow evening. The regular monthly meeting of Lodge Otago Kilwinning, No. 417, 5.0., will be held in the Masonic Hall, Moray place, to-morrow evening at 7.30 o'clock. A lf-cture was delivered in the Primitive Methodist Church, Kew, laßt night by Rev. J. Beokenham, on "Uncle Tom's Story of His Life." The Rev. W. Harris presided. Mr Beckenham spoke for an hour and a-half, and was frequently applauded. A collection was taken on behalf of the station fund. The steamer Mararoa, which left Melbourne to-day for Port Chalmers direct, and due here on Sunday or early on Monday, brings Mr Bland Holt and his "Run of Luck" dramatic company, who are definitely announced to make their first appearance at the Princess's Theatre on Thursday, 20th inst., in the spectacular drama "Alone in London,"which has been pronounced to be one of the best of the modern sensational plays. The Dunedin Ohoral Society's rehearsals for tho second conoert of the season, under the conductoiship of Mr A. J. Barth, have been well attended. The works to be performed, though not new to tho public, are worthy of repetition, consisting of—Sterndalo Bennett s " May Queen, ,; Mendelssohn's motet " Hear my Prayer" (for soprano solo and chorus), ana Raff's "Morning Song" (for chorus.) The chorus, which has been considerably strengthened since the last concert (especially in altos and basses), now numbers over eighty voices. The orchestra will be under the leadership of Mr James Coombs. The concert takes place at the Lyceum Hall on October 19. The fifth annual meeting of the Union Cricket Club was held last evening at Mornington. Messrs Fottrel and M'Farlane received trophies presented by Mr J. E. Denniston and the Club for the best batting and bowling averages respectively. The following officers were elected :—President, Mr J. E. Denniston; vice-presidents, Mr J. i 3. Callan and Mr Alexander Kyle; captain, Mr H. M'Farlane; deputy-captain, Mr G. Dunn; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr G. B. Matheson; general committee Messrs M'Farlane, Matheson, Paterson, Swanson, and Fottrel; match committee—Messrs Matheson, M'Farlane, and Paterson; delegate to Cricket Association, Mr G. B. Matheson.