Hawke's Bay Herald. SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1879. OUR LETTER HOME.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5272, 4 January 1879, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1879. OUR LETTER HOME.

Quietness still reigns in the political circles of this colony. The only episode during the past month has "been the Premier's address to his constituents at the Thames on the 21st ult. Sir George, its we mentioned in our last letter, had been rusticating at his Kawau retreat, whence he emerged for the purpose chiefly of turning the first sod on the Thames and "Waikato railway, and availed himself of that opportunity of discharging himself of a duty which custom is making more imperative evexy year — that of rendering to his constituents an account of his stewardship, as it is somewhat grandiloquently termed. There was a good deal of ceremony about the "first sod" business. Sir George wheeled a barrow to the spot where the sod was to • be cut, and having performed that operation, wheeled the barrow back again amidst the gleeful shouts of an admiring multitude. There were the usual complimentary speeches, and altogether they had quite a lively time of it at the Thames for some twelve hours or so. The more serious part of the day's programme came off in the Grahamstown theatre, where the Premier made a speech with which it would bo difficult to find fault so far as length is concerned, unless the lover of political speeches happened to bo very greedy that way ; but it was remarkably barren of information } as to what the Ministry intend proposing in the approaching session. This was of course very disappointing, as it is always held that when a Premier S])caks to his constituents he is addressing the whole colony, and it is generally expected that he will give some intimation of the Government policy. It is quite possible that Sir George was unable to do this for the simple and all-sufficient reason that there is no Government policy to be disclosed as yet ; but admitting that to bo the case, it would have been better if Sir George had delayed addressing his constituents until he had something to tell them worth listening to. But it. was not only in what the speech was deficient that it was disappointing to those who wish the Government well; it had also the objectionable features of exaggeration, and of presenting distorted views of matters generally, and more particularly of occurrences in Parliament during the late session. The speech has received the condemnation of nearly the whole of the Press of the colony, while those few who have not condemned have only been able to write in the way of apology for the Premier. It is to be hoped that the lesson will be serviceable to Sir George Grey; that it will convince him that the country will not be content with empty talk and vain promises, or with tirades against the Governor, the Legislative Council, the Judges of the Supreme Court, or that latest craze of the Premier — the title of '' Honorable " for life. The Supreme Court sittings for this district were opened on the 9th inst. The criminal cases were none of a heinous nature ; they comprised larceny, forgery, cattle stealing-, cutting and wounding, wounding with intent to do bodily harm, larceny of the contents of a letter wrongly delivered to the accused, and larceny of a cheque contained in a letter. In almost all the cases convictions were secured. The only case that presented circumstances of an unusual character was that of the person charged with the larceny of the contents of a letter. His name is Charles Stewart, and as he had at one time been employed as billiard-marker at the Criterion Hotel, the post-office people were misled into the belief that a letter ov packet was for him, Avhich was addressed to Charles Stuart, Criterion Hotel. The package was delivered to him and he appropriated the contents, consisting of some valuable jewellery. The indictment for the larceny of the jewellery failed through its being laid under a clause of the Post Office Act that did not fit the circumstances ; but on a second indictment, charging the prisoner with the misdemeanor of neglecting to deliver back the said packet, when the delivery was demanded from him by the post-office authorities, a conviction was obtained, and the prisoner was sentenced to two years' hard labor. Had he, however, been convicted on the first indictment the punishment would have boon much heavier. There was only one civil case, and it was not of an important nature. The ratepayers of Napier have consented, by a large majority, to the Corporation borrowing £70,000 for consolidating their present loans and carryingout a scheme of drainage for the town. The votes for the proposal of the Municipal Council numbered 315, and there were 121 against borrowing the money. The majority in favor of the proposals was therefore 194. It would have been much larger but for the fact that a part of the proposal was that all the ratepayers should pay 2s Gd in the pound for rates in future, whereas at present a number of residents on the hills only pay Is Gdin the pound because they are not within the water supply line, and therefore have been exempted, from the shilling in the pound rate for interest and sinking fund on the waterworks loan. Those deemed it somewhat oppressive that they should bo brought to pay the same as the others, and yet not hjtve the benefit of the water supply. It is, however, believed that if the Corporation manage things with judgment, there will be sufficient loft out of the loan for a good water supply to the hills. Of course, all depends upon the nature of the drainage scheme that may be adopted. The new Mayor, J. H. Vautier, Esq., was duly installed on the 18th instant, at the meeting of the Council, held by statute. The outgoing Mayor, llobert Stuart, Esq., was presented last Tuesday w'th a very handsome testimonial, consisting of a splendidly ornamented drawing-room clock hi ormolu and alabaster, bearing a

suitable inscription. Tho presentation was made by the now Mayor on behalf of himself, the Councillors, and ox-Coun-cillors, and the officers of tho borough. Mr Stuart, in well-chosen and, feeling terms, expressed his gratification at receiving a token of tho esteem and regard of the Councillors and officers of the Corporation, and of their appreciation of his services for four consecutive years. It is now definitely settled that there is to bo a District Judge in this district Ho will bo appointed in a few days, and then Mr Stuart will vacate tho position of Resident Magistrate, which ho has hold for some months now. Grave doubts are entertained whether a District Court is suitable for this place. It has been tried three times already, and each time it has proved a failure. Tho festival of St. John the Evangelist was duly observed hero by tho Masonic body. At tho Scindo Lodge, Irish Constitution, tho officers of the Bedford Lodge, Waipukurau, wore installed together with those of the Scinde, the two lodges banqueting together in the evening. Bro. C. B. Hoadloy was installed W.M. of tho Scindo Lodge. At tho Victoria Lodge, English Constitution," there was a grand ceremony — that of dedicating and consecrating two new lodges, .the Aborcorn (Waipawa) and the Heretaunga (Hastings). Tho lodge was opened with Grand Lodge regalia, the ceremony being conducted by a Distrtct Grand Lodge officer, Bro. N. Marchant, D.G.S.W. The officers wore afterwards installed, and in tho evening tho three lodges, and a number of visiting brethren, banqueted together. Bro. F. J. doLislo was installed W.M. of tho Victoria Lodge. Christmas and New Year holidays were observed hero in tho usual way. As no doubt is well known at home by this time, avo are groat out in these colonies at holiday making. Wo keep those that are ordained with rigid strictness, and we never fail to embrace every opportunity that offers for making other holidays that the law does not prescribe. The days of annual races, tho anniversary of when this district became a province and ceased to be a province (for, curiously enough, both occurred on tho Ist of November), the anniversary of the Working Men's Club, a cricket match with the Australian Eleven, — in short, no event is too large or too small to escape being seized as the pretext for a general holiday. We therefore got well trained to it, and go at it with a will, but, for the most part, taking our holiday enjoyment rationally, and without injury to our physical or moral well-being. Until just recently we have been quite without theatrical amusements. On tho 23rd ultimo, Mr Hoskins' Dramatic Company opened a season at tho Theatre Royal. The Company includes some very good' actors, both male and female, but Mr Hoskins himself has not yet appeared. He is at present fulfilling an engagement in Auckland, and will be in Napier in a few days, when wo may expect to sec large houses.

Yesterday the Herald office was placed in direct communication with the Napier telegraph-office by means of a wire stretched on tho poles between the two offices, and attached to an electric bell placed in the editor's room at tho office of the Herald. By this arrangement wo shall be informed when there are any messages for us at the telegraph- office during those hours in the night and early morning when the telegraph messengers are not on duty. The annual session of tho Grand Lodge of New Zealand North, 1.0. G.T., will be held in the Protestant Hall, Napier. The session will- commence on Monday next, and is expected to last about 4 days. The Hon. Wm. Fox, G.W.C.T., will preside. Tho performance at the Theatre Royal last night consisted of the comedy of " Charles II.," and the burlesque of "II Trovatoro," both of which were satisfacrtorily played. To-night the " Bushranger of Victoria" will be produced j followed by the well-known farce " Box and Cox." The Bay of Plenty Times, referring to a native sent to tho Auckland Lunatic Asylum, says : — "It is strange that more cases of lunacy among natives are reported from tho Rotorua district than from any other part of New Zealand. Tho residents argue that tho waters of the lake or the vapours rising from the hot springs in some way account for this, but how is not stated." The Rev. D. Sidey will lecture on Sabbath evening, in St. Paul's Church, on ' ' Is it possible for God to reveal himself to man as at Sinai." Tho Rev. Joseph White will (d.v.) preach in tho Free Methodist!" 11 Church, Emerson- street, to-morrow (Sunday) morning and evening. A writer in tho Christchurch Press seriously moots a proposal to modify the dry climate of the plains by fitting up a railway carriage with 10 or 12 sixfoundor guns to be fired at various points. He states — and tho statement is confirmed by another correspondent — that in his recollection the reviews at the Phoenix Park, Dublin, wore for a series of years followed by rainy, broken weather, and that it was generally attributed to the artillery practice. Tho Timaru- Herald says: — "It is with great regret that we learn that several farmers in this district have turned their sheep on their young crops, the latter, owing to tho continued dry weather, being completely ruined. We sincerely hope that rain will come in time to save the larger portion of the crops." The silver cradle lately presented to the late Mayor of Dunedin was about the size of Cinderella's famous slipper, and bore the following inscription: "Presented by tho citizens to R. H. Loary, Esq., Mayor of Dunedin, 1877-78, in commemoration of the birth of a son during his Mayoralty." In making the presentation Councillor Walter (Mayorelect) said he believed that tho ceremony of presenting the Mayor with a silver cradle to commemorate such an auspicious event as an addition to the mayoral family, took its rise in tho commercial city of Liverpool. About eight years ago a similar ceremony took place in Dunedin. One of the most common subjects for paragraphs in colonial journals, says tho Neio Zealand Herald, is the " servantgalism" of the period, and in these the topic is invariably tho cool insolence of servants. We have hoard of one instance, however, wherein an Auckland tradesman mado a servant girl ' ' too tho mark," and no mistake, in a manner which few could have done. Tho girl was engaged to como home on tho Thursday, which she did, bringing her clothes with her. Immediately aftor, however, she loft, and did not return till tho Saturday, when sho said that she had been called away by telegram to attend to her uncle, who resided at Panniure, and who had boon taken ill. Tho tradesman happened to find out that tho excuse was falso, and ho said, " If I had not been prepared to take you when you came to me after being engaged, you could have demanded a week's wages, and therefore I will not give up your things unless you pay me a week's Avages." The girl was astounded, and refused, but after some time, no doubt wanting tho contents of her box for tho Christmas holidays, she sent Bs, which has boon handed over to us for tho Orphan Home, Howe-street. It is said by a contemporary that about £15,000 was spent in Dunedin during tho time of tho Volunteer Review. Commenting upon the Timaru Herald's criticism of Sir George Groy's speech, tho New Zaalander says:— "The Premier's recent speech at the Thames has had a most unexpected, and, in some respects, unfortunate effect. It has driven the editor of the Timaru Herald

mad. Wo niake the unhappy announcement with feelings of the deepest sorrow, and a regret which is not feigned, for in common with most other journalists we have frequently derived great pleasure, instruction, and benefit from the lucubrations of the gifted, although always erratic, being who has hitherto wielded oxir contemporary's thunder. After reading the last issue to hand — that of the 28th December ■ — it is, however, impossible to resist the conviction that the writer cannot safely bo permitted to roam at large much longer. If not dangerous to others, it is painfully evident that he is likely soon to become so to himself. Disappointed ambition, blighted political hopes, have pi-eyed sadly upon a highly strung and sensitive organisation. The comparative solitude of the Timaru downs has exorcised a depressing influence upon his spirits, which even those of another kind have been unable to sustain, and the melancholy result is before us in a column of voritable ravings on the subject of Sir George Groy's address to his constituents." Bather an amusing incident which, ■ however, may prove serious to one of the parties concerned, occurred at Alexandra on Friday last. Mr James Allanwas trying a repeater rifle on his farm, the range being, he says, on his own ground. A man, named Hugh Kelly, employed on Mr Tisdall's farm on the opposite side of the road, imagined he was in his own country, and being made the victim of an agrarian outrage. Seeing George Apployard riding along the road, ho at once went and swore an information against him. And Appleyard was arrested. Fortunately for him he was accompanied by another person on foot whom Kelly did not see, and whose evidence with Mr Allan's at once procured his acquittal of the charge. — Waihalo Times. Of the chances of floating the Hyderabad, the N.Z. Times of the 31st ultimo says : — ' ' Captains Gibbon and Holmwood, I who returned from the scene of operations yesterday, repoi't that tho effects of the gale have been beneficial rather than otherwise . The ship originally lay nearly end on to the beach ; the gale shifted her round about four points. She has since been brought round about a point and a half, and lies about opposite the mainchain, and in a fair way to again reach the sea, so that really her position has been improved. On "Wednesday and Thursday she was moved 78 feet, and on Friday was afloat at halftide, with fifteen feet of water at her stern. In consequence of the gale it was deemed advisable to allow her to drift in shore again ; but though farther from the sea in other respects she is now in a better position than previously, and is only making a quarter of an inch of water a day. Captains Gibbon and Holmwood yesterday arrived in town, and will return to the scene of the wreck in a few days, when another attempt to float the vessel will be made. It is now merely a question of weather. If it prove fine the effort no doubt Avill be successful, but if it be rough the contrary will be the result. In view of the labor expended and trouble trken in the work, it is to hoped fine weather will prevail. As an instance of the fury of the gale and the high tide, it may be mentioned that a couple of iron tanks used at the scene of the wreck have been washed down tho beach— one a distance of twelve miles. The City of Auckland has suffered a good deal by the gales, and now lies broadside on to the beach." The Northern Advocate supplies the following interesting anecdote concerning one of the warriors who feel aggrieved at the present time in the North of the Peninsula. It is well worthy of repetition, as it is a forcible illustration of how men keep the letter but break the spirit of the law: — "Sir George Grey related to us an anecdote about old Tirarau, which is apropos pf the present occasion. Many years ago, when Sir George was Governor, a murder was committed by one of Tirarau's people, and he (Sir George) wrote to Tirarau asking what he intended to do. Tirarau answered, ' that it was written in Scripture, that whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, and to avoid shedding blood he had buried the murderer alive.' Sir George said the murderer was first buried up to the shoulders, and was then asked if he required anything. The victim asked and obtained some water, and after that his head was covered up, and so he died. Sir George only heard of the affair after its occurrence." Tho names of the hitherto unknown members of the Kelly gang of bushrangers have now been ascertained beyond doubt to be Stephen Hart and Joseph Byrne. Stephen Hart is described as being twenty or twenty-one years of age, sft. Gin. in height, having fresh complexion, brown hah', and hazel eyes. He was convicted at Waugaratta in 1877, on thirteen charges of illegally using horses, for which he received the very inadequate sentence of 12 months' imprisonment with hard labor. He got off lightly in consequence of never having been previously convicted. Joseph Byrne is described as being twenty-one or twentytwo years of age, about sft. lOin. in height, having fresh complexion, light brown hair, and blue eyes. He was convicted at Beech worth in May, 1876, for having meat unlawfully in his possession, and got a sentence of six months' imprisonment. This was also his first conviction. Byrne's mother lives in a hut in the ranges, not far from the Bat's Castle. This was one of the huts searched by the police a few days after the police murders were committed. The clothes the offenders now wear are those which they appropriated from the hawker's cart, and are described as follows :— Ned Kelly — Grey tweed trousers and vest, dark coat, and drab felt hat. Dan Kelly— Grey tweed trousers and vest, black coat, and white felt hat. Hart — Dark grey tweed suit, and white felt hat. Byrne— Light grey tweed suit and light felt hat. Al] the hats are supplied with elastic chin bands. Ned Kelly has now a long beard. Tho gang are armed with two doublebarrelled guns, two single-barrelled guns, a spencer rifle, and eight revolvers. The Legislature of New South "Wales voted the following address to Her Majesty : — " To the Queen's most Excellent Majesty. May it pleaso your Majesty, — We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, in Parliament assembled, having heard with unfeigned sorrow of the decease of your Majesty's daughter, her Royal Highness the Princess Alice of Hesse, desire humbly to approach your Majesty with an expression of our heartfelt sympathy and the hope that the Almighty disposer of all things may enable you fittingly to bear this great affliction." The Hobart Town correspondent of tho Launceston Examiner writes : — "Tho worthy Speaker of tho House of Assembly is becoming afflicted with somnolence to an alarming extent. As long as he only took forty winks in the chair, and woko up just in time to say ' Tho question before tho House is,' &c, it did not matter, but latterly he sleeps in an extraordinary manner. Like the Irishman, ho 'pays attention to it.' Sometimes when the House is in Committee ho will get on ono of the back benches, and snore till the chamber rings again, and on Thursday afternoon he went 50 fast asleep that, after Mr O'Riolly had finished a speech and made a motion, there was a dead pause, and the clerk at length had to go and shake tho Speaker to wako him, and tell Mm what was before tho House. There is, however, some excuse to be made ; for, to have boon compelled to sit 14 weeks listening to the dreary twaddle which has characterised the present session is enough to knock anyone up but a ' k cast iron man.' "

The Auckland Herald opens an article on Mr Barton thus:— "Mr Barton, meaning to murder the Judges of the Supreme Court, has succeeded in committing suicide." Baron Macleay, the New Guinea explorer and naturalist, strongly advocates the formation of a Zoological station at Sydney, similar to that at Naples and elsewhere. The Legislative Assembly of Vancouver's Island has passed a bill imposing a tax upon every Chinaman in the province. The rate, however, was fixed at 40dol. instead of s*odol. per head, as originally proposed. The Colonist, an antiChinese newspaper, declares that the bill will make the province the laughing-stock of Christendom. The Wellington Post of Saturday says that an accident occurred with the tramway the previous night, opposite the Occidental Hotel. The tram was running at a rapid rate, when a hansom cabman, who appeared not to see the danger, drove right across the rails immediately in front of the engine. It was impossible for the driver to pull up in time to avoid a collision, and the engine crashed into the cab, carrying it and the horse some yards before the train could be stopped. The hansom was seriously injured, and the horse is so badly cut and bruised that it is not expected to recover. Provicfentially both the driver and two passengers who were in the vehicle escaped with two slight bruises. I have always held (says " JEgles," in the Australasian) that by far the most interesting portion of a paper is the advertising columns. There people always say what they mean — or try to. For instance, this from the Argus : — " Lady requires nurse for children, 40 or 50. Apply Mrs Motherly, West Melbourne." Now in Salt Lake City this would be the regular thing. There is a charming indefiniteness in the number of little ones to be nursed — a few more or less not being of the slightest consequence. Matter-of-fact (who spoils everything) says that the lady's figures refers to the age of the nurse. In New South Wales during the last financial year eighty-nine miles were added to the length of railways in the colony, viz., sixty-five miles to the Great Southern and Western lines, and twentyfour miles to the Northern line. The. actual amount of expenditure on the finished hues of the colony was £8,735,177 ; and on unfinished lines, £575,323, making a total of £9,314,500. The total expenditure on all public works for the year amounted to £1,618,768. Stutterers are compelled to take life easily, whether they will or no. Two men thus afflicted were at work at a forge. The iron was red hot and placed on the anvil, when the first one said, "John, s-s strike it hard. " The other answered, " Jim, wh-wh-where shall I hi-hi-hit it ?" "No m-m-matter now, its co-co-cold now," was the reply, and the bar was put into the forge again.