THE DIFFERENTIAL DUTY ON TEA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 10070, 10 August 1895, Page 2

THE DIFFERENTIAL DUTY ON TEA.

A short lima oro we received a copy of a petition by Messrs Nelson, Moate and Co. to Parliament praying for a differential duty on tea imported in bulk and packed in the colony and that imported already packed. As this appeared on the face of It a mere Protective duty to benefit) one or two firms, we could not sea our way to comply wibh Messrs Nelson and Co.'s request that we would support the petition. Bnt Mr Horatio Nelson, in a letter to a Snnthern contemporary, puts a new light on the pstition. fie says : — " I miy say at once that it really will nob affect me if the petition Is not granted, for I import aa much tea in these small packages as any other firm, and I must cay emphatically and clearly that it is not because the tea so imported is better than I pack here, but because by utilising coolie instead of colonial labor and evading the duty on the tealead and bigs I find that a very considerable saving is effected, and unless a differential rate ot duty is Imposed I shall have to import still more of these coolie-packed packages for the above reasons, which will be to the detriment of tbe New Zealand wage-earning classes. And it is really more in their Interest than In my own that 1 am asking for this, for they spend the money they eirn in this country, and It is only reasonable to ask that all work possible be done here. I would also draw particular attention to the fact that there are many other Industries which are affected by this question besides the acbnal tea-blending business— viz., timber merchants who supply timber for cases, carpenters who make up the cases, tinsmiths who manufacture tea tins, bagmakers, printers, &c., &c, — and with these trades alone those who blend and pack their teas In New Zealand spend many thousands of pounds per annum. We ourselves have spent about £200,000 in New Zealand during the last ten years over and above tea purchases and duty." It is certainly grossly unfair that the materials used in packing tea in the colony should be saddled with Customs duties while admitted free on teas packed outside. But it would appear to tie, as Freetraders, that that injustice would be better met by taking off those duties than by Imposing differential duties on teas. If that Is not dove, then tbe colonial packers have Bor ne reason in asking that the artificial disadvantage which they snffer in one direction should be counterbalanced by an artificial advantage in another.

On tbe fourth page will ba found a report of yesterday's proceedings in Parliament, a letter to the editor, delayed oables, and our Waipawa and Makareta correspondents' letter?.

Tho business announcements of Messrs Biker nnd Tabnteau are inserted to-day on our fourth page.

The CoudcU is having an Abyssinian well bublc in Clive-square to replace the sale water well used for the purpose of fire prevention.

The member representing New Ply" mouth iv the House In 1855 was Christopher William Klcbmond ; in 1895 it is E. M. Smith.

Lovers of the artistically beautiful ate reminded that Mr E, W. Christmas' paintings will ba on view at tbe Athemeum to-day.

At a committee meeting of the Union Rowing Clab held last evening the tender of Mr W ard foe building the new boatshed was accepted.

It is probable ft benefit to Mr Kennedy I will he given at the Theatre Royal o- v Wednesday evening next, when " Undei the Gaslight" will te staged. Mr Robert Wellwood haß been nominated for the vacant sent in the Hastings Borough Conncil caused by tho death ol the Into Mr Thomas Foreman. Captain lidwln wl'Od at 2 8 p,ui. yesterday.— "Sjuth to east and north-west heavy gale aoOD ; with heavy aea and high tides ; glass farther foil and raiD." Seal Rocks, where tho wreck of the Cattertban occurred, is about) 200 miles I from Sydney. At Sugar Loat Point, a place neir tho rocks, there ia a lighthouse abo-vliifj a white liebt, flashing ov6ry half tiiit-ute, mid visible 22 mlleß away. Tlio Knunudy Lucaa company played " Cm ihe Shaughrauu " to a very moderate house at the Theatre Royal last night. All Che characters were taken In a capable way by members of the company, nnd the audience was emphatic In its approval. On Monday next Sergeant Mnlvllle will move out of bis houso at the police station, and the building will be utilised as an office during the erection of the new station. The present offices and the lock-up will then he removed to make room for the Dew premises. As the Maoris have offered no further resistance to the survey and road-making work in the Urlwer\ country, the police stationed at Te Whaiti were yesterday deep itched to Auckland, bat it has lieen considered advisable to retain thn Permanent Artillery on the spot for a time. Mr C. M. Whittlngton has commenced an action against Mr H. P. Cohen for a breach of the Local Bodies Contractors Act, 1885, alleging that the defendant, during a period extending from 1886 to 1895, knowingly supplied goods to a local body, being at the same time a member of the same. The following team will represent the Napier Club in their match against the High School to-day at Farndon. The drag will leave the Masonic at 2 o'clock : — Balharry, Jeusen, Bell, Woodhouse, Engleton, Krogb, Jackson, Hope, Smith, Johnson, Heath, Saxby, Mnrton, Harrop, and Roulston.* " Mr B. O. Hodgson, a much-esteemed . member of the Telegraph Department, " died at Hastings yesterday after a lone te and painful illness. He had been IS )o years in the service, the latter part ot m which was spent in Hastings, where he j made many friends who will regret his , I untimely decease.

The following passengers left the Coach and Horses Hotel, Tarawera, on Thursday morning for Taupo :— Mr and Mrs D. Campbell. The following arrived there on Thursday evening : — Mr and Mrs C. E, Nicholas from Newcastle, Mr P, M'llroy from Rotorna, and Mr W. N. Jowlth from Auckland. Cook and Sone, agent. Mrs Heath's house in Cameron-road took fire on Thursday night for the second time within recent date, through the window blinds oatching alight. The alarm was given to the neighbors, who extinguished the flames before they had obtained a strong hold, though a great deal of damage was done to the furniture by both fire and water. Mr Lucas and Miss Lllla Wilde, assisted by a number of the leading amateurs of Napier, intend giving a concert in the Theatre Royal on Sunday night, when an attractive programme will be submitted, Miss Wilde's talent as an elocutionist was shown In a pronounced way last Sunday evening; Mr Lucas' proficiency In the same direction is notorious.

Frank Glover, the brave boy who risked hU life Id rescning Miss E. M'Vay from the Tataeknrl river some months tmck, on the occaeion when Miss M. Can nlngham lost her life, has been awarded a certificate of merit by the Royal Humane Society, The heroic jnveniie, who certainly was lightly rewarded (a bronze medal would have been a more fitting memento) is at present In Africa. In the S.M. Court yesterday morning Mr J. Oretswell, solicitor, obtained a verdlot) for £5 7s Bd, with costs 10s, against A. S. Hawley, for professional services rendered in connection with the letter's bankrupt. The sum of £16 19s 8d was claimed, but Mr Turnbnll ruled that expenses Incurred subsequent to the bankruptcy were chargeable to the estate. Mr Dinwiddie represented defendant. Yesterday morning the unfortunate daughter of a respected Hastings resident was brought up at the S.M. Conrt there charged with vagrancy. On the application of Sergeant Mitchell the young woman was remanded foi eight days, the Rev. J. Hobba having interested himself in the case with a view to getting the accused admitted into one of the establishments provided for these cases by the Church of .England. The ladles' committee of the HB. Kngby Union's fancy dress ball met yesterday afternoon, and reported that their efforts had been exceedingly success ful, so that arrangements for that most important featare of a ball— the supper —will be very complete. The tickets are going off rapidly, and it only remains for the public to respond to bhe efforts of the Union to cater for their amusement, to ensure the success of the ball and make it most enjoyable. The second of the serlea of sacred concerts in connection with the Trinity Wesleyan Church will take place on Thursday evening next, when a first-class programme will be submitted. Those who took advantage of the last concert were fully repaid, and we are sure that with the programme now submitted those who avail themselves of the opportunity 'will not be disappointed. The programme will go through with our Wednesday morning edition as an inset, In pur report of the fancy dress ball held in the Garrison Hall on Thursday evening we omitted to state that Clarke's Quadrille Band supplied the mnslc in their ÜBual excellent Btyle. The various members of the band were attired in fancy costumes, the leader being most appropriately dressed as " Music," while a Judge might have been observed so far sinking his judicial dignity as to "bow " his allegiance to a base viol, A colored gentleman from Darkest Africa forsook the time-honored banp and extracted sweet melody from a violin, and a representative of the fine arts in the shape of a "Carver" manipulated the cornet in good style, The producer of a really first ckas article has always scores of imitators, and it is do wonder that Messrs W, Gregg and Co., the well-known coffee merchants, of Danedin, have lond cause for complaint. This firm has now been established a number of years, and by the quality of their prodnctlons they have bnilt up a large trade, making their name a household word in Now Zealand. This does not suit the unscrupulous trader, and in coosequence of late labels of Messrs W. Gregg and Co.'s goods have been closely imitated, and the buying pub'le deceived into getting an article they do nob want. The latest Imitation is this firm's brand of their "Club" coffee, and by an advertisement elsewhere the public are cautioned against being duped. 4 The trial match to be played on the Keoreation Ground this afternoon will start at 2.30 p.m., and not 3 o'clock as usual, so as to allow the country players to return by the 420 train. Great interest is being taken in this match seeing that it !b the final practice before the selection of the team to play against Auckland on Thursday next, All the players are training hard and will do all they know to make good their chance of being picked to represent the province. The Pirates have gob their full strength, and are determined to secure a victory over the combined team If possible, and no doubt the latter team will try equally hard to pat down their redoubtable opponents. Given a fine afternoon there should be a large attendance on the Recreation Ground to witness this contest. I

Instead of recognising that the present financial system la devoid of all principle, that It has hopelessly broken down, that the fiscal hulk is rotten, water-logged, and quite aneeaworthy, the two sides are eagerly debating the size and shape or the patches to be employed to keep it afloat a little longer. None of their minds rise

beyond tinkering, and like most tinkers they would make more holes than they would mend. The Scriptural injunction as to the folly of these who would mend an old garment with new oloth Is entirely thrown away on our legislators. The only hope for financial and political salvation for this country lies In an entire re-arrangement of its financial policy. Unlesa we are to go from bad to worse and come to early and unutterable grief, parties formed on and united by principles must replace the personal factions into which the House and tbe country ore now divided.— Post,

| A committee meeting of the Hawke's Boy Amateur Athletic Clab was held in the secretary's office last evening. Present— Messrs Y. Fulton (In the chair), Cnto, Lndbrook, Pi 100, Keid, Swan, and the secretary, A letter from the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association re expenses in connection with the late championship meeting wae read and dis-cusi-ecl, and it was resolved to ask tho association £4 4s for hire of hurdles. A number of proposed alterations to the rules oi the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Afsociatlon were left to the chairman and seorotiary to report on, Mr W. J. Cottetill of Christohnrch was appointed one of the olub's delegates to the New Zealand Association In place of MrT. W. , Heese. 16 was decided that entries foi tbe crosscountry race oloee with the secretary at the Criterion Hotel on Saturday evening next. 17th instant, at 9 o'olook. This event, wbiob, will be the

Erst of its kind In Hswke's Biy, pro- | miaea to be a most exciting one, and it Is I expected a good field will start. I In conversation with Inspector EmerS I son last right that officer asked I oar representative to give on em- I puatic denial to a scntemp.ut wblcb I lias been made that serious foots io I relation to the recent fire, wblcb destroyed I promises belonging to Mr T. Sldey, of I Makotnkn, were helfi back by the polio- I because they did not point in one direc- I tion. Tbe Inspector characterises the I statement made an deliberately false I He has also asked as to explain the I circnmstanceß in connection with tbe I detention of Mr W. Carnell. Ha states 1 bbat Constable leherwooil met Mr Carnell I on tbe Marlue-parade, and thinking he I was drunk desired bleu to accompany him I to tbo pollco etatloD. On arrival there I (Jonstable Gordon, who was in charge of I the watch-honae, refased to detain Mr I Carnell, as be did not consider him I inebriated. After "a talk on ordinary I topics Mr Carnell letb the station, and 1 I subsequently made a complaint to I I Inspector Kmereon, who conducted an Inquiry into the whole matter. The statement that the Inspector, Sergeant Mnlvllle, and Constables Isherwood and I Gordon held a conference before deciding I to let Mr Carnell go is a pure invention. It is obvious that Constable Isherwood I committed a grave error in detaining Mr I Carnell, but that does not justify an I founded statements being circulated with I in<pnt ti damage tbe officers of the 1 Department. I "Sensation at any price, even at the I expense of trath," seems to be the motto I of certain people who continually seek to I condemn the local hospital and all cmI nccted therewith. When Mrs Grace I Nelll, ABsiatant Inspector ot Hospitals 1 and Asylums, was in Napier recently a I representative of tbe Herald had the I privilege of a conversation with that lady, I and one of tbe queiles he pat to her was : I " How does the Napier hospital compare I with thoee in other parts of the colony ? " I The reply he received was : " I cannot I answer that question as so far 1 have I visited few of the hospitals officially, and I I have not yet had the opportunity of I forming a comparative opinion." Now I the public are asked to believe that Mrs I Nelll complained of the fact) that three I cmcer patients were treated in the f refuge instead of in the hospital, I but qualified her indignant reI monstrance against such a state of I things, by saying that in this respect | I Napier was no worse than any other town lin tbe colony. Mr Cohen, to whom it is alleged Mrß Nelll directed her "complaint," denies that it was ever made, and we are quite content to believe him. The fact Is tbat there Is a hospital ward In connection with the refuge, where the three men — who have been there for a long time— are treated, one of them is comparatively well and is able to get about freely. This hospital ward is aditcent to the library but quite Isolated from the rest of the buildings, and not near the cook-house as deliberately stated. All the patients there are visited daily, and more frequently if necessary, by Dr. MeDzies, who naturally gives them the best medical attendance, and are carefully tended by the master of the refuge and tellow Inmates. The cancer patients were never thrust out of the hospital into the refuge as alleged, because they were never in the hospital. We aie not concerned as to whether these unfortunate rren would not be better la the hospital— perhaps they would, Tbat Is a matter which could perhaps be discussed without prejndlce. It 1b annoying to have to devote onr space to the refutation of assertions primn. facie untrue, especially when reasonable inquiry would reveal the facts as they are. Congregational services will be held in the Gaiety Theatre to-morrow morning at 11, evening at 7.* To morrow morning the Key. Mr Frost of Hastings will preach in St. Paul's Church, and in the evening the Key. Mr Beck will occupy the palplt.*