MR J. C. RICHMOND ON SIR WILLIAM FOX.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5445, 28 July 1879, Page 2

MR J. C. RICHMOND ON SIR WILLIAM FOX.

A COBUESPOITDEXT of the JSveiiitic/ Pdst has uneartlied a letter of Mr J. CJ. Richnldnd, written in 1873, or about six years ago, which in the present juncture is worthy of attention. In the course of the letter occurs the following paragraph : — " M'Lean's visit on the West Coast has done little good ; instead, I fear it has clone harm. I have had the opportunity of seeing many natives lately, and my impression is not agreeable of the net result. But I must allow that he has done well iv grafting tardy justice to the section of the Ngatiruanui tribe, who, leaving their homes at my request (as Native Minister), andou my guarantee of a peaceable return without prejudice to their claims and rights, were for three years forcibly prevented returning by Fox. This is the worst injustice I have ever known in native affairs, and the worst slur on Government faith M'Loan has repaired to some extent. But were these natives Englishmen, they would get heavy damages against the violent and illegal Government or its Minister." This is a grave charge to be brought against the mau who seeks to be Premier of this colony, and it is all tho graver owing to the exceptionally high character which tho vvriter has always borne. The natives have never been slow, either in the House or out of it, to show their mistrust of Sir William, and this letter of Mr J. C. Bichmond is strongly confirmatory of tho statements of the natives. To put Sir William at the head of affairs .in tho presont: state ,of tho native question might result in great disaster to the colonies. Yet this is tho man of whom tho Walm Maori, this week says: — "Let us hail with satisfaction the approaching advent of a new and respectable .Ministry 'under tho leadership of a conscientious and veteran statesman and gentleman, Sir William Fox — a Ministry on whose account the country will have no cause to blush." The italics arc the TVaka^s^-not ours.

We learn by the Suez mail that the tenders for the Borough of Napier £60,000 loan, were opened on May 30. £70,300 were applied for, ranging from the minimum of £98 to £103 10s. Eenata Kawepo continues to improve, and his niedical attendant no w considers him out of immediate danger, Rainer's diorama of the American "war for the third time attracted n, full house to the Theatre Eoyal on. Saturday, when it was exhibited ' for the last time. Tonight a panorama and diorama of the Turco-Russian war, fully eqiial in artistic merit and interest to its predecessor, will be shown, and there will be the usual distribution of prizes, Puller particulars may be ascertained on reference to our advertising columns. The Volunteer Artillery will parade at .the gunshedthis evening, and afterwards will be put through dismounting drill in a building in the Beach-road, at the rear of Mr Leonard's shop, which has been placed at the disposal of the battery. We beg to acknowledge the following additional subscriptions in aid of the poor family in the Makaretu district : — ■ E. Forster, ss; A.D., 10s; A. Jarman, 10s ; A Friend, 10s ; Dinwiddie, Walker and Co., 10s. Wo hear that Mr J. Billin, of Melbourne, intends visiting Napier shortly to malco arrangements for a grand exhibition of billiard playing by W. Cook, champion of England, and L. Kilkonny^ champion of Yorkshire Some additional particulars rolativo to tho accident to Mr Locke, 8.M., aro given in tho Evening Post, showing how very narrow was his escape with' -life. James Brown, night-watchman on the wharf, first heard his cries, and on going

in the direction of the voice found Mr Locke under Oo'mpton*s wharf, Brown threw A line to him* and lie itemed hold of it and held oi until he was drawn clear of fcke wkarf,;;fyit his'; strength was then eihaiis'ted-, aidd he' fell 'back itito the s^?ater. : The;rcJpe wa? Ihen^nrowrijround liim.sd as id keepfjais ne%d N above, watei*, \vhila a nian .who had beeYi attracted to the place undressed, but before He\had his clothes off the police arrived i^ Boat; and took Mr Locike oii bddfdj in v a:trei'y exhausted^dtld T ins l erislßl6 :T •Staie. Wlieif lie recovered conscioilsnesS he explained that he trip-ped over sc)nie tupd^er it the ■•ed^'df-^Ha-T^dM#arK; t ana ar b 6 e?6M"Til' could recover liinise'lf tfelKinto the water! At latest .advices- Mi; i ,Ep.cke<.was; pro-^ '^ro's^vi*: '''^isfacWriiy-;,! 1 ijibiigll* ,? ths operation \Vliicn had to.^pe. performed his ieg.neces'sarily | . left hiia in a very low and we'ik state, 4 ' J " !

>■; The Rev. J. Berry, it -feb pear's', ! ia doing his -best for the oolony at Home,- not only, , ipith his voice, but his pern re-j "ceived by the last mail by a gentleman in; town eontains'the fqllovvirlg paragraph : — ,'Mn.the. QhAstain World of ,May,s3oth is a letter Kojii^a.Rey.Jpseph^Betrjrj giving .a glo\yiug.,des i cripti^n <j|;tHe } sisie, . shape,' ana clirriate' of N.ew_Zea}and,* and: this letter is to ;be followed by others on other heads'.,;. An in.tim&tipn is also 4^ v6n , * na * every inforniatioA regarding. .thbiiolbny be. Sent on .receipt of an addressed i._and stamped, , envelope. The picture is certainly n deflightf ill' 6rie, and makes me wish, all things "practicable [referring, to the difficulty of realising capital invested in business in Manchester] thai we could; all join you in New Zealand':" " . '

THere have been many rumors from time , to time of gold discoveries near Wellington, but hitherto the hopes raised] have always proved illusive. Now, how-: ever, says the Post, their appears reasonto believe that payable quartz reefs exist' on the other side of the Wainui-o-mata Ranges, near the "Wairarapa Lake. A party 'of prospeetora who nave been at work in that locality report that they; Have found quartz reefs erf vast extent/ containing payable gold (itbout ladwts.. to the ton) an,d silver (about 4dzsi id tiid tdn), Both being in pyrites, l^he quartz has been tested in the Museum, when a Tjieco of mere " casing 1 1 gave 12dwfcs. Igr. ': to the ton. We are glad td learn that the G-overiirnentJiAve'give'.n every facitity id tEe prospectors for thoroughly testing the ground, of which an area of 30,000 acres has been- reserved. from sale as auriferous. More information on this interesting subject is expected to be available shortlyi

.Tn ere was another mutiny- among the Maori prisoners iritlie barracks #fc JJngMrij '6n Wednesday last. Some 61 the Ngatiruanui tribe (Titdkdwarii's ' men), in defiance of orders, persisted in lighting; up all the .gas-iefca 'Iti the rponi in Which tliey. .slept. Tile jiijp,. is tiiai only, one Jefc U id lie lie^t ll^lited during the night. The following morning ]M[r Mackay called the men before him, and was addressing therrj. on the: subject, was replied to by the J^aoris; in a.ve.ry insolent niarinerl tHe i:irigied!deis being two men named Te Iki and Tamati Hulcu. Mr Mackay called up the guard, and had between 20 and 30 : of the mutinous prisoners taken from the Immigration Barracks, where the mutiny took plice, and placed in confinement in the oells at the Armed Constabulary Barracks. An official encjuiry was held into the affair by 001. Reader and Mr J; Woodward; two Of the visiting^ jiistice^ 6i tlie : .Tne twd.r'irigleaders', Tamati and Te Iki, were each sentenced .to seven days' solitary confinement. Twentytwo other prisoners, who had been insolent to Mr Mackay, were then paraded in the yard, and informed through the interpreter of the decision that had been arrived at, and were also warned that in future when they were spoken to by Mr Maokay they must answer respectfully. The men, who looked very sullen, were then marched back to their old quarters at the Immigration Barracks. Whakawiria and his comrades, who were concerned in the previous entente, remained perfectly quiet on the present occasion, taking nO parb in the mutinous proceedings.

A new local industry is mentioned by the Evening Post in the shape of " practical " thieving. We don't know the precise distinction between a practical and theoretical thief, but our contemporary remarks that one of the former kind stole several watch-chains in the strangers' gallery of the House the other c veiling.

Tbe Stock tax in Victovia has thrown nearly 600 felloiODgers and 230 meatpreservers, besides many tanners, saddlers, and others out of employment, and is driving the Riverina trade to Sydney. Mr Borry has at last promised some modifications.

The Rev. Dr Lee, Ritualistic vicar of Lambeth, is plain-speaking if not orthodox. In a book entitled " Essays on the Re-union of Christendom," which bears his nanie as the author, occurs the'following passage among many others of like tendency : — " We [the Ritualists] are teaching men to believe that God is to be worshipped under the form of Bread, and they are learning the lesson from us which they have refused to learn from the Roman teachers, who have been among us for the last three hundred years. We are teaching men to endure willingly the pain of confession, which, is an intense trial to the reserved AngloSaxon nature, and to believe that a man's 'I absolve thee 5 is the voice of God; How many English Protestants have Roman priests brought to confession compared with, tho Anglican clergy ? % Gould they have overcome the English dislike to mummery as wo are overcoming it P. On any hypothesis we are doing their work." An exchange says that the latest name for the Mansfield district is Kelly-fornia, and it is seriously contemplated to name Benalla the " Golden Gate," from the , amount of Government money now being 1 poured into ifc. ' Soino one^ suggests that, if they want to capture the Kellys, the police should be withdrawn from the district—forming, however, a cordon around it — and that no more Government money be spent there. The people of the district will then rise en masse, and wipe out the gang. A most ludicrous incident (says the Melbourne Telegraph) occurred in connection with a political meeting at Castlemaine. Mr Patterson's ppeech, which had been carefully written out, was supplied to tho Ministerial papers in Melbourne and Oas--tlemaine early in the morning. Taking advantago of the favor conferred, the speech was sot up during the day, and some copies of it struck off. Some time before the meeting began, one of those slips got into the hands of some prominent opponents of Mr Patterson, whose intense delight may be envied, butno\> often experienced, on finding that the speech was interlarded with " oheers," " laughter," "laughter and cheers," cries of " No, no," " hear, hear," as thiokly as the vainest orator who ever mounted tho stump could desire. Mr Dodd, a London diamond merchant, has examined two diamonds found at Echunga, South Australia. He says there can be no doubt that diamond fields exist in the vicinity of Eohunga, and that in years past the gold-diggers passed over unheeded hundreds of them, believing them to be mere uaele3s crystals. During the sitting of the Land Tax Court in Wellington one gentleman called attention to tho discrepancy between the valuation of the Government Assessor and that of Mr Ames, the Corporation Assessor, tho former estimating tho value of the land, minus the buildings, at £1430, and tho latter, including the buildings, pnly assessing the valuej at £1750. „

. " liounger " in the Melbourne tierald, Writesi — I niet a person the other day, who,. I honestly thinlc^;^, thai original Mark xTapley. He was>tnirrying along the; 'street, with a jollyf&iSiile on his face > that told of a. peace witmii his bosoid of A mdsfc envidbie Uindi t.Said soij " i*eace ! I believe you, myboy > 'j;*'and i tp 1 tell you tad truthj;'tis a novel sensation wit Wine. See," — : aiid 'he p'rdduced. a paper /ronl his pocket } it a forni df. . sefiydiile 1 in irisdlvdiidV — lt t ! in going to file, my boy : " and he laughed joyously.' "Yoit regard this as an enioydble circumstance; then ?" JjrmMMM&v -. " HnjdyißW; r j^4j stance, 5 ' he echoed. " I shdulH^l^li^r ttiinlTsjv-. A clean receipt s and oj^bjfence, aroVsiifely i'deligjitful'i" ■■/*' teji^a,, "1 can^t see £ow, ypn Tlugyyour cpnscience' into im' 'sbn^dule^ of 'ybur happiness?" ""My dear sir." said he, " you are evidently np plulosophef .^1 The law can do no wrong. JSrgo, that which is done in the name 01 the law mtfsb be righti T"hat which is l'iglit is 1 soothing td the, cdnscierice,. Twig? Ta ! ta!" and -of£ he walked as . airily as. a man whp might lfave'succeede'd to a fprtiin^di . . „ .

The 4 U6 ?^ on °£ how ee^, 4 re i>ro- : pagated ,has;.. at^. length been^ setj;.atj rest by Prpfessora tiairdj ,ans Packard, who have fdtlnd the $v& 6i b'oifoilie •'rijjlll 1 and female eel. The o varies r: of, iasixr! poundfish were found to contain 9;j30G,112,, eggs. The ] egga are so ismall" that .they can only be deteoted by the aid of a microscpe. The roe has , ofteii , been, observed, but has been taken for fafo. '

- Revelations 6i pa. extraordinary kini! are at times mado 1 during the examination of witnesses in bankruptcy estates, but it will be difficult to match the meanness of the following .instance -related .by ; 'the 1 Mount Ida Chronicle :~At the Diatrjo'ti Court it appeared .that'! 1 . Befibei'g had put down in the assets of his schedule the r wages of his ,wifo, who is in service in Dunedin ; and further, his assets, the one In question included, were sold to his House-keeper !— *a buxoni and square-built female of some forty odd summers.-

S'df. KiSsiri^ jS mafrie'd woman agairi'st' her will' in liuam-street, dhris'tchUrdh, Thomas Desmond has been fined £3, witb? the alternative df fdurtepn days' iiiip'riso'nment; A dear Hiss> that ! „ <:

U appears, that Sir Julius Yogel will stand for Fal'mouth and I*enrhyn in tho Conservative interest at the ' neit election. '■ It is a. peculiar thing to see a colonial liberal turn an English/ Con-' servativdj . , ....».,

AH the. Agents-General in Llondon do riot cqincide in £lir JT. Vogel*£ views as . to' the advisability df Agents-General being ifttfttiWnteriii • ;; ; w '; :■; . A man was recently fined Is by; the magistrates for clipping tiis horse on Sunday. , He had the alternative of sta^d^f ; P?4 -JW]* 1 :- iri.i^j^ool&p.y.S.ave iney got one of tnose pieces or antiqiiatea: street iurnitute in Sydney, or wou\dthey have to make a pair specially for that Sabbath4>rpaker ? . , - : -, .■ A* novel developine,n^ qt tHe ?* Education, difficulty domes 'froifl AUfcflciatidi It. appears^ from an account in the Herald^ that the chairman of a local school committee was called away from home to attend to business of more general importance. Without consulting his colleagues he " appointed '■ another gentlemen as substitute chairman of the committee, and in the.^letter appointing him, tpld'tfie^latterth'atin all cases tie must be guided by tile advice of his (the dliair-* man's) wife, and that he was to take no action without consulting her. Time went on, and a meeting took place. ' The substitute took his seat in the chair, and when asked by the members by what authority he presided he produced to them the letter from the chairman appointing him, and containing the proviso limiting his action. The other committee-men first stared, then tittered, and finally gravely consulted as to the legality of the appointment of a substitute by the chairman of the school committee. They could find nothing to warrant such an appointment, and finally they had a grave conference as to whether, in the event of their, adpepting the" position, the wife of the 1 chairman; dr, tile geritlentaii ndrolnally ; appointed, was to rule the deliberations of the committee. As arguments proceeded, the subject became complicated, and it was found that the action recommended to the Board of Education by the substitute was not in accordance with the wishes of the committee. This rather aggravated- matters, and it was determined to ref er. the whole question to the Board of Education. The facts will nq doubt form the basis of a lively correspondence at the next regular meeting. Mrs Mary Woodley has been elected an honorary member of the Dunedin Fire Brigade. A Catholic priest recently obtained permission to see the Maori prisoners in Wellington gaol, in order to persuade theni of the insane conduct of Te Whiti. "He seduces you," said he, "by his ridiculous dreams and pride." " But," he says. in a letter to a contemporary, " the moment I uttered their prophet's name, they convinced me that, in spite of their present humiliated, condition, they would suffer, *none to attack with impunity the follies of their deceiver, and some of them answered with great warmth and indignation, insulting the speaker. In Taranaki I had many discussions with them on the same subject, and I constantly found thorn in the same disposition. In their eyes, Te Whiti is the infallible truth, equal to God, or, at least, Grod is incarnate in him, consequently he can neither deceive nor be deceived. Such is the Maori idea of their prophet." ; The Victorian Government are quite independent of the gas companies. The new railway station at Prince's Bridge, Melbourne, has been recently lighted with gas made on" the premises from crude shale oil. The light produced is officially said to be of a very brilliant kind, and in every way superior to the ordinary coal gas. The burners in use are . of the smallest, size, and will consumo from throe-quarters to one cubic foot per hour. The burners used for coal gas consume about four cubic feet to the hour, while the coal gas has, foot for foot, considerably less illuminating power than shaie gas. When Mr Mitchell, the proprietor of the Opera, Company, was being examined in the Resident Magistrate's Court, Wellington, he stated that the performance of " Martha" was a fiasco, owin« to the | orchestra not being provided with sufficient band parts. "Hasn't the opera always been a fiasco when it has been played by the company V asked Mr Adams, who appeared for the conductor, Mr Hughes. The witness seemed a little taken aback by the question, and then replied apologetically, " Well, the other places we played in were only little townships, and it didn't matter much." This naive admission excited roars of laughter in court. The New Zealand Times satirically says : — We understand that the interests of the colony are likely to be placed in the hands of a powerful middle party in the House. The leadership has been offered to, and accepted by Mr J. E. Brown, and the party already numbers some seven or eight influential members. The moat prominent names which have reached us as yet are those of Messrs Shrhnski, Turnbull, Murray, and two or three others of equally high standing and reputation. It is said that they are only waiting for the accession of a few doubtful members before finally declaring themselves. If this party should grow in numbers and power as it promises and deserves to do, it may become of as much importance, in Parliamentary warfare as the Irish vote is in New JTork municipal elections.- We disclaim any intention of making invidious comparisons between the two.

They ard having sewing circles for thi benefit of the poor. The sewing circle is where "tho; ladies .meet and manufacture seventeenpence v^orth of clothing for some poor family, and ruin some other \fam;ly-a roputation for life4 — American. pap"eri -"'