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Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1522, 12 March 1886, Page 2

Archbishop Gibbon, of Baltimore, has been created a cardinal.

It is understood that the history of New Zealand is to be nuilc a subject of the national education, and a gentleman in Wellington is writing a manual for use in th-j Slate sd.uulb.

The Hon. Mr Larna.m and Messrs J. E. Fitzgerald and T. K. McDonald, the judges appointed to consider the merits of the essays supplied ia connection with the N.Z. Industrial Exhibition have selected the essays bearing the following mottoes:—"Si sit prudentia," "Press Onward" ind "Nuurjuam dormio," although it has not yet been decided which will get first, second or third prize. The final decision will be made shortly. Eighteen essays were sent in, one being too late for competition. The prizes are a gold medal and ten guineas, and a bronze medal and live guineas. The subject of the essays is: " The present cuuilition and future prospects of the industrial resources of New Zealand, and the best means for foateriug their development." The Premier, who presided at the temperance meeting at Wellington last week, was handed a piece of paper on which was written: " Where would the revenue corns from if drinking were abolished!" The hon. gentleman, in replyiug, said that the mon«y spent in drink was not reprodac* tive, bnt wasted. If it was not so spent it would be availaMe for taxation in another way, and the Colonial Treasure!, whoever he might be, would not I* a very able man if he could not devise a means of getting it out of the pockets of the people. Mr W. J. SpHi<ht, uf Auckland, remarked that temperance people shon Id be proud of possessing a Premier who was bold enough to make suck a statement as that ju3t uttered.

The Auckland deputation of policy-bolder* in? the Government Insurance Association to Sir Julius Vogel ended in something very like a bet. Some members said the Auckland property purchased by the Association for £19,000 was not worth more than £12,000. Sir Julius Vogel thereupon offered to give £lO to a charitable institution if, on a fair valuation, the property was not worth r»#ore than £12,000, Mr M'Lachlin, one of the deputation, agreeing to give a like sum if the valuation wasabove £12,000.

The trial of the divorce cas*, Dmall CrawfoHf against his wife ami Sir C. lhike (corespondent)* was begun on February 12. The Courtroom was crowded. Sir Charles Dilke arrived early, and took his seat without being recognised by most of the people present. On th« case being called, petitioner's counsel stated that the first intimation Ida client had of his wife's unfaithfulness was by tlie receipt of several anonymous letter*, the writer of whieh warned him to beware "of the member for Chelsea" (Dilke). Receiving further anonymous letters, Mr Crawford taxed his wife with infidelity. She admitted hi r guilt, and said slmj had remained two evenings with Sir C. Dilke. His intentions to her had commenced directly after her marriage. He professed to admire her Iwcause of her resemblenoe to her mother. The wifo of the petitioner attributed the anonymous letters to the vindictiveness of her mother. Petitioner's case rested solely oa the wife's confession. The petition gave testimony supporting the statements of his counsel, lie said that he was startled by his wife asking him whether be would forgive her if she had Iteen unfaithful. His wife's sister had been shown the anonymous and they agreed that they were in the handwriting of their mother. Counsel submitted that there was evidence against' Mrs Crawford, but none against Sir C. Dilke. The Court granted the divorce, but dismissed the charge against Sir Charles Dilke. Although Sir C. Dilke escaped under the technical pica that Mrs Crawford's unsworn confession was tusufnoient evidence, the whole tenor of the trial has produced a profound and and universal conviction of his guilt. The concensus of opinion is that the filthy revels* tions made in the trial, and the failure to attempt either to deny or to disprove the charges against bim, have practically ruined Sir C. Dilke politic call/.