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New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2909, 26 May 1873, Page 2

Saturday, in the General Government departments, was observed aa the Queen's Birth-day ; but the Provincial offices, the banks, public companies, mercantile establishments, and business houses, will commemorate the OTent to-day. The Volunteers will be reviewed at the Albert Barracks; the Golden Crown will make an excursion to the Thames and back. There will be a cricket-match in the Barracks, and a great amount of marine excursioning and picnicing in and about the "Waitemata. The following parcels of gold were molted at the Bank of New Zealand, Coromandel, on Thursday last: —Tokatea, 1,621 ozs. 11 dwts. retorted, 1,592 ozs. 17 dwts. 23 grs. molted ; Buffalo, 197 ozs. 7 dwts. retorted, 196 ozs. 6 dwts. 22 grs. melted; Tokatea tribute, 137 ozs. retorted, 131 ozs. 1 dwt. melted; Harbour View, 72 ozs. 11 dwts. retorted, 71 ozs. 16 dwts. 12 grs. melted ; Pride of Tokatea, 26 ozs. 16 dwts. retorted, 26 ozs. 0 dwts. 12 grs. melted; sundries, 9 ozs. 3 dwts. retorted, 8 ozs. 12 dwts. 6 grs. melted. Four scholarships, at the Auckland College and Grammar School, will be competed for at Auckland, in December next. Each scholarship will be tenable for two years, and will entitle its holder fo an allow ence at the rate of £30 a-year, and to free tuition at the Grammar School. Full particulars will be found in our advertising columns. Another of the series of Monday popular concerts will take place at the Choral Hall this evening, for whioh ocoaaion a more than usually good programme has been arranged. These concerto are of a very enjoyable character, and that of to-night will daubtless draw a full house. The Hon. Dr. Pollen may be expected in Auckland during to-day, by the Government steamer Luna.

A. man who was described by the police aa being the greatest loafer, and at the same time one of the most able-bodied men in Auckland, was, for a breach of the Vagrant Act, sentenced at the Police Court, on Saturday, to twelve months' imprisonment, with hard labour, or, as His Worship said, the labour designated hard at the Stockade. In his opinion the prisoners were too well fed, and had not sufficient exercise to keep them in good health. IJe thought that if they were compelled to break a yard and a half of metal daily, and only allowed bread and water if they did not complete their task, they would be less content to go to the Stockade, and might possibly work instead of throwing themsolves on the country for support. The facts contained in the following paragraph, from a Lonpon paper, appear to support Hi 3 "Worship's view of the case :—" A few months since an arrangement was entered into by the guardians of tho Unions of Whitechapel, Poplar, Shoreditch, and Bethnal-green, under which all able-bodied vagrants applying for relief in either parish were to be forwarded to the casual wards of Wliitechnpel Union, which are situated at Bow. It was believed that the distance to be travelled by the applicants for relief would constitute a test, arrangements being made that it should not be enforced in the oase of sick or infirm casuals. The results of the new system are shown in a return made by the clerk to the Whitechapel Board of Guardians. By this it appears that the number of casuals for the four parishes relieved during the first twelve weeks of the Christmas quarter in 1872 was 1391, as compared with 8632 in tho corresponding period of 1871, 13,837 in 1780, and 16,683 in 1869."

Our correspondent i.t the Wangarei Hp ads writes that the local cricket club assembled on Monday last, the 19tli instant, to play a match—Manaia v. T&rakura. The play on both Bides was decidodly good, the Manaias, however, showing themselves fur superior to their opponents, both in batting and bowling. The toss was won by the Manaias, who, in the first innings, scored 25 ; the Tarakuras then followed with a score of 45, which led the latter to expect an easy victory. However, the Manais, in a second innings, showed their true style of play, and by a score of 55 placed the result of the match almost beyond a doubt. The scoring was as follows: — Manais, 25, 55; total, 80. Tarakuras, 45, 25 ; total, 70 ; the Tarakuras being thus defeated by 10 runs. The weather was every-

thing thut could be desired, aud the day's amusement wus brought to a close by u dinner and bail. The mirth was maintained by the votaries of Terpsichore with much spirit, and continued till towards daybreak. At the City Hall, on Saturday niglit, the programme announced for performanca was what is called a popular one, and certainly the result did not belie the correctness of the appellation, every piece rendered meeting with most unqualified marks of approbation. The Carandinis and their abilities are now so well and favorably tnown to the Auckland public, that to particularise each or any of the pieces, is unnecessary. Suffice it to say that the whole entertainment was as successful and enjoyable us any of its predecessors. The programme for to-night will consist of some of the choicest and moat popular of our national songs. We have no doubt the attendance will be commensurate with the •pecial nature of the selections, and prove that although most of us are far removed from tho land of our birth, we have not forgotten to love and cherish a good old English song. The Raglan correspondent of the Waihato Times writes as follows :—" Honi te One sent word to the settlers living on Kuapuki block that they were on no account to be disturbed by the present aspect of alfuirs, or to entertain any idea of leaving, as he meant to take them all under his fatherly protection, and to die for his pakehas if necessary. The evening previous a large meeting had been held at Alatakatuka (Honi te One's place) to consider what should be done. A number of llauhaus who had come there from Kawhia with the intention of Jiving at Matakutuka, were ordered to leave, and return to their own settlement." The construction of the now road leading from the back of the Flagstaff Ilill to Shoal Bay is being rapidly pushed forward by the contractor, and promises in a short time to be completed. Since the work was first commenced, tho weather has been so bad that comparatively small progress has been made with the road. Should the present fine weather continue, however, a very few months will su'Jlce to fiuish the job. When completed, it will be found to be a great boon to the settlers. The examination for the University scholarships will commence this (Monday) morning at 10 o'clock, at the Provincial Council Chamber. Mr. Leggett will act as supervisor in the absence ol' the Vice-Chancellor. Only two candidates have sent in their names, which is certainly a very small number, considering that the scholarships are of the value of £70 per annum, and have contingent advantages over and above pecuniary consideration. Mr. Commissioner Clarke, says tho Bay of Plenty Times, had an interview yesterday with Wireiuu Hauinu, one of the most important, and formerly the most formidable aud active opponents wo had in tho Ngatiraukawa (Patetere) country. Hauinu has, we learn, formally detached himself from the Waikato party, and is prepared to resist any aggression by the Waikatos. Mr. Clarke, on the part of the Government, promised to support tho tribe.

A rumour reached town on Saturday, from Coromandel, that some of the Maoris in tliat locality contemplated a raid on the powder magazine at Kapanga, with a view to carry off the powder for transmission to the "Waikato, by way of the Upper Thames or Piako. In consequence of such an intention bt-ing very probably in existence, the powder has been removed from the magazine to another place. The business at the Police Court on Saturday consisted of the punishmeut of three persons for drunkenness and two for vagrancy. A Maori, for larceny, was, doubtless much to his surprise, made amenable to the law, and was, for tlie theft of four oranges, sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. Another case of larceny was adjourned. A number of the friends of Mr. Edwin Hornsby gave him a valedictory dinner in the Governor Bowen Hotel ou l'riday night. There were about fifty gentlemen sat down to dinner, including the most prominent business men of the goldfield and .the principal mine managers. Mr. A. Dewar occupied the chair, and Mr. Errington the vice-chair.

The following gold returns were to hand in the Bank of New Zealand, at the Thames, on Saturday : — 4A: ozs. 16 dwts. ; Kuranui Company, 250 ozs.; Golden Crown Company, 126 ozs.; Golden Crown tribute, 15.3 ozo. A public meeting is called for Wednesday next, to be held at Ngaruawahia, for the purpose of considering the advisability of urging upon the Government the necessity of immediately continuing the railway from Mercer through the Wailcato. In our report of the sitting of the .Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday last, we stated that in the case of Ashton v. McCulloch, judgment was given for the plaintiff. Xt was a mistake, a non-Buit was recorded. The Auckland Ethiopian Troupe will give a performance at the Parnell Hall this evening. There will afterwards be a select quadrille party. The only persons in the lock-up last evening were six drunkards, who were incarcerated on Saturday night. They appeared to have been drinking the Queen's health pretty freely. The offal and dead cattle landed from the Comerang at Tararu have been allowed to remain on the beach, the stench from which is said to be most noisome and disgusting. Pilkington, who was lately injured at the All Nations mine, is dying. Not the slightest hopes are entertained of his recovery. Mr. P. Molloy, formerly serjeant-major of police, Auckland, has been appointed one of the wardsmen at the Whau Lunatic Asylum.

" Snyder," in the Weekly Hebaxd, says : —-There's a beautiful and a lovely and a fascinating custom prevailing very extensive y just now. It iB that of giving away other people's money to your particular friends. e process, like everything grand in nature or in art, is so extre;nely Bimple. You get into a Provincial Council, or a City Council, or into Parliament, or belong to some public body where the money employed to carry it on don t come aut of your pocket. Then you £2,500 to a man for having done something that hag already placed him in a billet worth £1,500 a year and the oddments. You vote a man £250 and a tobacco-pipe for showing you across half-a-dozen unfenced paddocks. You vote £100 to buy a cradle for | a baby that the Mayor's wife has just introduced into the muncipality. You vote £50.f0r a bonus to a man as au acknowledgment a contractor for having done his work ill a satisfactory manner, the said contractor having made £2000 out of the job. All this and more has been done. Soou I expect to hear ot Corporations and Councils voting large s | in , l3 to a man because his cousin ia butler fco a due or has got a brother who the Queen once aske'd to take a sandwich. It was Artemus Ward, 1 think, who said he had not the slightest objection to shed the last drop of his brother-in-law s blood in the cauße of the war. So we have men who have not the slightest objection to emptying, for the benefit of their friends, any public treasury chest that ktia been filled by other people.

The people of the Thames will fully appreciate and, we hope, acknowledge the following compliment paid by the Lyttelton Times:—"It would be unfair to the inabitants of the North Island generally to assume that the meeting held at Graharastown is an index of JTorthern opinion of the present aspect of native affairs. G-rahamstown, it must be remembered, is the principal centre of the Thames goldfield, which appears to have latterly become a sort of refuge for the worst class of digging adventurers, mere hangers-on to the skirts and preyers upon the pockets of the real digger. A thousand or so of these men could be collected any day, at a few hours' notice, and they would pass resolutions like those reported in yesterday s issue with the utmost fervour. They have nothing to lose, and may gain a great deal, by another Maori war, and it is, therefore their cue to throw up their hats for the fireeating policy. Added to this element in the population, there are a large number of men in the Thames district who have frequently endeavoured to get up an agitation on what they forcibly term ' sweeping the Waikato of all troublesome Maoris.' "

Our correspondent at the Thames writes that, during the firing of the feu dc joie on Saturday, in honor of the Queen's Birthday, an accident happened to one of the members of the Naval Brigade, named Jennings. It appears that the ramrod of Jennings' rifle was broken at the screw end, which left a sharp point, and, no doubt, forgetting this, he was intending to ram the cartridge well home, when the wind in the barrel sprung back the rod, it. piercing the palm of the hand, and making its appearance on the other aide. Beyond causing the young fellow to lose a little blood, and become so weak that ha was led off the ground, there is nothing very serious. Dr. Croft, the surgeon of the brigade, who was on the ground, promptly attened the sufferer. We take the following from the Independent of the 16th instani;: —" The Cynthia was laid alongside the main wharf yesterday morning, ■ and during the day her cargo of Ngakawhau coal was being rapidly discharged into carts. The quality of the coal was a frequent subject of discussion amongst those or inclination brought them on the wharf; and the verdict generally was in favour of this specimen of Nevr Zealand coai'. Mr. George, manager of the gas-works, has ordered forty tons as a trial sample, so that probably in a few days' time wc- shall learn what its qualities are for purposes." A rather novel presentation was made to Mr. Curtis on the occasion of the turning of the first sod of the Nelson and IToxhill line. A Mr. HarkneßS, an old Waimea settler, itepped forward with a pair of watertight boots, which he presented to the Superintendent with a somewhat lengthy Bpeech that it wus quite impossible to hear, but the purport of which waß that they had been made at Richmond of locally manufactured leather, and as His Honor had just performed a navvy's work, he trusted he would not be oifended if he presented him with a pair of navvy's boots.

The majority of the inhabitants of Hokitika have, fortunately, no favor for the manufacture of puns and conundrums. Mr. Murray, the proprietor of the circus, offered a gold watch as a prize for the beat conundrum. On the eTening named, Mr. Murray announced that only five conundrums had beeu received, and that none of them was of a local character. Under the circumstances, the watch would not be given away.

State of Her Majesty's Gaol, Mount Eden, for the week ending May 24, 1873: —On remand, 2 maleß; awaiting trial, 8 males; sentenced to penal servitude, 41 males ; sentenced to hard labour, 64 males, 24 females ; sentenced to imprisonment, 3 mules; default of bail, 4 males; debtors, 2 males ; received during the week, 13 males, 8 females ; discharged during the week, 8 males, 5 females. Total in gaol, 124 males, 24 females. The Bruce Herald (Dunedin) is owned by one Mr. Mackay. This Mr. Mackay published an almanac for 1873. Speaking of the late lunar eclipse, tbe Bruce Herald says, " A total eclipse of the moon u ;;urred last night, that luminary strictly aciueriug, throughout the different phases of the operation, to the time prescribed in Mackuy's almanac for 1873 " It was certainly very considerate of the moon to strictly carry out the instructions of Mr. Mackay'a almanac. As evidence of the extreme richness of the Gabriel's Quartz Mining Company, a fourth cake of retorted gold, weighing 34 lbs. troy, has been exhibited in the window of Mr. Mouder.ihausen. It is the result of six weeks' crushing by ten heads of stamps ; 600 tons of stone having been paßsed under the stampers. The value of the cake is £1530, and the estimated cost of production £400. A football match between the Volunteer and civilian members of the Auckland Football Club was played in the Albert Barracks on Saturday afternoon. Ploy was commenced at a liLtle before three o'clock, and after a very exciting oonteat, during which the usual number of spills and ekrimmages took place, it resulted in a draw. We notice that in accordance with a resolution recently passed by the residents of the North Shore, the planting of young trees has been commenced on the Flagstaff Hill. These, when they grow up, will give a very pleasing arpect to the hill, and will offer many a pleasant grove to pleasure seekers in their search for health. The Poverty Bay Petroleum and Kerosene Company is likely to be floated. Already applications, according to the Poverty Bay Standard, for 300 shares have been sent in, aud it was concluded as certain that within a few days the company would be in sufficient funds to justify its commencing operations by Binking on the land. An open-air meeting in connection with the Auckland Total Abstinence Society was held on Saturday evening, in the old market square. The speakers were Messrs. Hemus, Waite, Bomber, Green, and Sansom. Mr. E. Carr occupied the chair. Mr. Warden Eraser arrived in Auckland from the Thameß on Saturday, and hia views on the state of Mb district in connection with the Maori question will, no doubt, be at the service of the Government. A haystaok, the property of Mr. William Meara, at Epsom, was destroyed on Saturday last, by fire. No other damago was sustaiued. The hay contained in the stack was, wo believej insured. Labour is in demand at Oamaru, where high rates of wages are ruling, masons and carpenters being especially in request. The former got fifteen shillings a day.

It is absolutely necessary that the police authorities should make an effort to suppress the dangerous practice which boyH are at present indulging in in the use of the " Shanghai." Yesterday afternoon a child in Ed-wardes-street was nearly deprived of it 3 eyesight by a stone impelled by one of theße instruments. As it was, he received a blow on the temple from which ho is not likely to recover for many days. A meteor of unusual size and brilliancy wag seen in Wellington at about half-past seven o'olock on the 17th instant. It pursued a course of about thirty-five degrees across the heavens, leaving a long trace of bluish light behind, which changed to a greenish tint as the meteor burst. A meteorite fell from Oetaue within five degrees of the south pole of the heavens about six minutes afterward:. The Napier Telegraph reports that a biweekly mail hns been established between Napier and Wellington, leaving Napier every Monday and Thursday morning. We hear that Mr. S. Hague Smith is likely to leave Auckland shortly for New South Wales, to take the management of an inau. ranee company. An Acclimatisation Society has been formed in Marlborough. Notice is given that the partnership hitherto existing between Richard Seccombe and J. C. Seccombe, trading under the stj le of Seccombe and Son, brewers, has been dissolved. Mr. John Carrol Seccombe will in future carry on the business. A special general meeting of the shareholders of the Inverness G- M.Co. will be "celd at the manager's office, Canada Buildings, at 3 p.m. to-day, to empower thb directors to let portions of the mine on tribute. The anniversary soiree in connection with the Grafton Road Wesleyan Sunday-school will take place this evening. A meeting of the shareholders of the Red, White, and Blue G-.il. Co. is convened for the 9th June. A meeting of the shareholders of the Dauntless and Sink-to-Rise G-.M. Co. is convened for the 6th June. A dividend will be payable to shareholders in the Bright Smile G-.M. Co. on the 29th instant. A dividend of 2s 6d per share, will be payable to shareholders in the Tokatea G.il. Co. on Monday next. Tenders are required by the Auckland Improvement Commissioners, for the continuation of Princes-street. Tenders are required by the Government for portions of road works, at Waitangi and Kaikohe, Bay of Islands. Tenders are required for the erection of a echool-house at Dedtvood.