The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1888.

Evening Star, Issue 7505, 25 April 1888, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1888.

The local option poll at Mornington resulted against any increase of licenses. At Hokitika few votes were recorded, but there were small majorities in favor of increases all round.

The second election ot a licensing committee for Waipu (Auckland) district took place yesterday, and resulted in the return of all Prohibition candidates by a larger majority than before. Summonses have been issued by various ex-patients here against the Canadian doctor for the recoveries of moneys paid. The Dufiots are now doing a large busk ess in Christchureh.

A meeting of tradesmen and others interested in the Early Closing Bill was held at Auckland last evening, when a resolution was passed endorsing the principle of that measure, and hoping that it would speedily become law. A vote of thanks was given to Messrs Joyce and Goldio and other members of the General Assembly who had assisted the movement.

Within abjut one week lately tho township of Clyde was visited by no fewer than seven different inspectors of different orders. There was tho Inspector of Telegraphs, the Inspector of Post Offices, then the Chief Rabbit Inspector, and after him the Inspector of Mines; then came the Inspector of Schools, the Inspector of Coal Mines, and lastly the Inspector of Hospitals. A contemporary says that if America is the recognised home of colonels, New Zealand may fairly lay claim to be the home of inspectors. A conference of local bodies in the Christ church drainage district was held yesterday afternoon to consider the financial position of the Drainage Board, which owes L(i,875 of Binking fund on loans. No provision has been made for the sinking fund for five years, and the Board wished to obtain the consent of the local bodies to their asking Parliament for power to impose an additional rate of }d in the pound. The conference refused to sanction the application for further rating powers, and suggested thai the Board should endeavour to make arrangements for dispensing with the sinking fund.

Among Wellington residents the name of the Rev. H. Van Staveren, Hebrew minister, is a household word, lie is chairman of the Benevolent Trustees, and is generally foremost in inquiring into and alleviating distress. The writer of a series of articles in the ' New Zealand Times' on the Wellington pulpits says of him i—- " A skilful student of men and manners, with the quick discernment of the Semitic race, a heart as tender as a woman's, full of the deepest sympathy, a mind bound by no narrow notions of class or creed, the Rev. Mr Van Stavcrcn stands upon a broad platform as a man amongst men—a humanitarian of the highest type. Wherccver in this city is found sin and shame, want and suffering, pain and misery, his well-kuown form is seen as a minister, not of a creed, but of a sacred duty. Wherever the bitter cry of one in sore distress is heard, the name of Van Staveren comes as a light in darkness—as a draught of water in a thirsty land. It is to break through hia official life and penetrate into his daily work that one has to admire and revere this almoner of the poor." Mr Van Staveren takes broad and enlightened views of humanity ; and in his sermons there is an absence of the dogmatic in his tones. He is argumentative, persuasive, and above all, deeply sympathetic. An exchange says that Mr H. Watt, M.P., recently delivered a lecture in Exeter Hall, London, on the northern territory of South Australia. Mr Watt said he believed the Australian Continent was destined to become sooner or later one of Her Majesty's richest, and most populous, and most flourishing colonics. The northern territory contained an area of 531,402 square miles, or 340,097,280 acres, of which more than half — namely, 267,345 square miles—had already been taken up by pastoral lessees by October, 18S7. It might interest the farming classes in this country if he stated that the total rent payable for this enormous tract of country exceeded only by a small amount the sum of L 20.000. The country was rich in gold, copper, and tin ; while the soil was very favorable to the cultivation of tobacco. As a Briton he should much prefer that every colony under the sway of Her Majesty should be peopled by our own race ; but, at the same time, as an apostle of progress, he could not see his way to place any impediment in the way of an influx of population from any country, and he thought, in view of the fact that there were large portions of this immense continent unsuited, owing to climatic reasons, to constitute a home for Itritish colonists, that it was surely desirable that these places should be populated by coolies from India, the industrious Chinaman, and, in fact, by any of those races who, accustomed to a tropical climate, were not therefore subjected to the insidious attacks of fever and other ailments which assailed the dwellers in more temperate zones. It will be interesting to the early residents of Dunedin to know that a railway is at present being made through the centreof this but partially settled country by Mesßrs C. anrl E. Millar, sons of the lato John Millar, F.S.A., town surveyor for the old Town Board. The firm referred to made their maiden effort at some small contracts in King street north, and nothing now is too large for them to execute. Their undertakings in Western Australia arc of a large character. The railway through the country above referred to commences at Palmcrston, in Port Darwin, runu south towardu Adc-l-Mde' 160 milcb, and will join that city

Isaac Charlcsworth, who has been committed for trial for shooting Bernard O'Neill at Roxburgh, was brought to Dunedin yesterday in charge of Constable Matheson. The prisoner intends securing the services of Sir R. Stout for his defence. The inquest lasted till 10 p.m., and the jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder" •against Charles worth. The first meeting of the Natural History and Microscopical Society was held in the Museum last evening, and was well attended. Professor Parker occupied the chair. The following new members were elected :—Messrs A. Bathgate, F. Deans, \V. Davidson, J. E. Denniston, G. Eliot Kliott, P. Fulton, H. Fulton, 11. Gibbs, J. Harvey, E. Hogg, T. Lamb, G. 11. Marsden, A. S. Patcrson, J. Rattray, G. Turton, and A. Wilson, Dis Ilocken and Roberts. Interesting exhibits were shown by Professor Parker, Messrs C. Chilton, W. Graham, and G. M. Thomson. It was also decided to have an out-door excursion on 24th May.

Though among his own constituents, and pressed for grants for the usual indispensable works, Mr Fergus did not allow himself to be betrayed into fits of generosity during his recent visit to the Lakes district. Indeed, he was unusually firm when among his old friends and supporters. On being pressed for some grants, lie said he wished to be very distinct on the question. The colony had arrived at a point when it must discontinue borrowing from the Home Country. He thought it had got to the end of its tether; but, whether or not, the borrowing of money must cease. There had been great extravagance in the past. The loan to be floated had already been hypothecated, and any other money required would have to be provided out of surplus local revenue. Present revenue was utterly inadequate to meet immediate demands. The following is the text of the Washington Territory law granting suffrage to women:—Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Washington : Section I—That all citizens of the United States, male and female, above the age of twenty-one years, who shall have resided six months in the territory, sixty days in the county, and thirty days in the precinct, and none other, shall be entitled to vote at any election io this territory ; provided that no officer, soldier, seaman, marine, or other person in the army or navy, or attached to troops in the service of the United States, shall bo allowed to vote at any election in this territory by reason of being in service therein, unless said territory is and has been for the period of six months his domicile ; and provided further, that nothing in this Act shall be so construed as to make it lawful for women to serve as jurors. Section 2—That all Acts and parts of Act in conilict herewith be and the same are hereby repealed. Section 3—This Act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passige and approval by the Governor.

Euterpe Club will not meet to-morrow even ing.

The thirty-ninth annual meeting of the Australian Mutual Provident Society will he hold at Sydney on May IC. The public meeting called by the Mayor in response to a requisition will te held in the Princess's Theatre this evening. Members of Dunedin branch Am»lj,'Amateu Society of Caroenters and Joiners arc requested to meet at Waverley Hotel to-morrow evening to consider the Lien Bill.

What the doctors my : Don't use cocoa which thickens and makes an indigestible foup» but try Cadbury's cocoa essence, absolutely pura. Wholesalo off. Mickcms and Hazlott and R. Wilson and Co".—[Anvr.] Mr J. L. Gillies, who ha:; worked in Ross and Gleiifliniiig's factory for the past five yeirs, was to-day the recipent of a gold scarf-pin, on the occasion of his leaving Mr W. J. Davie, in a few suitable words, made the presentation.

In our report of the annual meeting of the Macandiew road School Committee elections an error lias crept in. Mr Edwin Dowland's name, with 2'i votes, was omitted from the list of members of Committee elected. Mr 8. Gillies was not elected. Mr Henderson's* Christian names are " Henry Madden " instead of "William " as printed. There is on view in the window of Mr John Hislop's jeweller's shop a communication from Balmoral thanking Mr Hislop, on behalf of the Queen, for his presentation of a scent-bottle and paper-knife that formed pait of the exhibit sent to the recent Exhibition by Mr Hislop. The articles in question were of greenstone, handsomely mounted in gold, and of colonial manufacture. The acknowledgment is elaborately mounted in a brass fiame surmounted by the royal arms. At the ordinary meeting of the Linden Lodge, No. 165. U.A.0.D., held last night, Arch Druid Bard Bro. Thomas Wright was presented with a member's collar, given by P. A. Bro. Matheson to tho brother who would introduce most new members during the past year. P. A. Bro v Gillic.J, in making the presentation, referrrd to the services rendered to the lodge by Bro. Wright* and to his 2eal in the cause of Drui'Ham in general, and expressed a hope that lie would be long Hparcd to wear it. Bro. Wright replied in a very neat speech, thanking the lodge for their handsome present. The following new patents have been applied for:—Ludovico Martini, of Kumara, mine manager, for the wedging in position of bars of Iron, railway-rails in hydraulic sluicing claims, tail-boxes, and sluices, and to be styled "The Railway Iron Wedgci■"; Pamuel Gordon and Joseph Robinson, of Auckland, railway contractors, for a ballast plough J William John Blake, of Wanganui, commission agent, for an improvement in filters, to be called " Blake's Household Filter" ; Robert Stone, of London, engineer, for improvements in the construction of barrels or casks; Marie Charles Alfred Ruffin, of Paris, chemist, for a process and apparatus for purifying crude spirit and regenerating the purifying agent j Frank Proctor, of venage, EnglanH, engineer, for improvements in machinery for cultivating land; Alexander Parkcs, of Surrey, gentleman, for improvements in the extraction of gold and silver from ores or compounds containing the same, and in solvents for such metals ; George Fraser, of Auck' land, engineer, for improvements in a gold and silver amalgamating-pan, formerly known as "M'Kay's Roller-pan," in converting it into a continuous grinder, "to be known as "Frascr's Improved Grinding and Amalgamat-ing-pan"; Thomas William Coulthard, of Auckland, flaxdresser, for the more perfect dressing of New Zealand flax or any other fibrous plant, to be called "Coulthard's Flaxdressing Machine " ; Robert Cockerell, of Invercargill, agricultural implement maker, for an improved drop-trap gold-saving table; Andrew C'urtin Giddings, of Christchurch, for a folding ironingtable ; Kdwin Henry Burbidge, of Christchurch, railway-carriage builder, for saving cinders from coal or other fuel, to be known as "The Avalanche Automatic Cinder-saving Machine"; William Edward Chapman, of Maiton, painter, for an improved paint; Thomas Maquire, of Wellington, engineer, for a feed water-heater and.fuel cconomiser for special use in connection with refrigerating and other air-compress-ing machinery ; John Dick, of Sefton, farmer, for an improved grain-dividing roller f>.r attaching to threshing machines, styled "Dick's Improved Grain-dividing Roller for Attaching to Thrc.hing Machines."