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New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2910, 27 May 1873, Page 2

Owing to the telegraph office only working "Sunday hours" yesterday, wo have received but few messages from the Southern lines, and these are but of trifling import. Our telegraph messages from the Waikato lines will be found in their place, under the head of " Native Affairs." In a sub-loader in yesterday's issue there is a misprint. The sentence should have read, " What the City Council apparently wants is that there shall be but ono Executive officer in Auckland — Nuisance Inspector Groldio; and one code —the Municipal by--1 iws." Thia evening the Committee of the Devonport Literary Institute opens with an inaugural meeting, which is intended to precede a course of very interesting lectures, to be given at regular intervals throughout the winter season. The entertainment announced for to-night will comprise an int.roductory address by Mr. Q-. M. Reed, President of tlio Inslitute ; to be followed by one from ihe Rev. J. Bates, "On Relies by one from Mr. C. H. L. Joy, "On Improvement of the mind and addresses by Mr. H. H. Lusk and Mr. AV\ L. Rees, upon subjects not named. This omission is comparatively of small importance. Neither of these gentlemen ever address themselves to a public audience without interesting and instructing it. Between the addresses will be rendered some oxcelleut music, vocal and instrumental, bv several very gifted volunteer amateurs. In fine, a very agreeable night's entertainment may be looked for at the seat of this very pleasant marine retreat.

The largo stack of hay, tho property of Mr. William Hears, which was destroyed by fire on Saturday last, waa still smouldering in its ashes yesterday at mid-day. How the fire occurred remains a mystery. The stack was too far from the roadside for a match to have been carelessly thrown against it by a passerby, and it cannot be contemplated that it has been the work of an incendiary, Mr. Mears being among those Tory few men who do not know what it is to have an enemy. It is presumed that soma man, probably the worse for drink, lias laiu dovrn under the lee of the stack, and that some live ash from his pipe having fallen on to the hay, the wind has fanned it into a flame, and so tho loss of tho stack, which we now learn was not insured. Tho following proportion is suggested as payable by each colony towards the construction and annual maintenance of a permanent Colonial Court, iu connection with the annual International Exhibitions in London, taking revenue as the measure of the power of tho several colonies to contribute towards tho necessary funds for its construction and maintenance :—

The Registrar, Laughlin O'Brien, Esq., was engaged the wholo of yesterday taking evidence in support of tfie decree applied for iu the easo of Mohi Maungakahia v. J. S. Macfarlane. Ilia evidonee relates to a quantity of flat and fern land at Whangtipoa, which, according to tho plaiutiil', the defendant promise.) to restore to him, having been inadvertently inserted in a deed of conveyance to the defendant. Mr. C. A. Harris, jun., ami Mr. X. Craig, were oxamined at great length. Mr. MacCorinick and Mr. Mackeehnie appeared in support of the decree ; Mr. llesketh and Mr. Richmond for the dofendant. The report will be drawn up by the Registrar, and liid before the Supreme Court. There was an inquiry held yesterday before the Inspector in Bankruptcy, in the oflice of the Official Trustee, relative to the accounts oi' the estate of T. M. Machattie, and the amount alleged to be due from Air. Lumb to Machattie's estate. The evidence taken beforo the Chief Justice has been already published in this journal. Mr. W. L. Rees appeared to support a petition for the removal of the trustee, and Mr. Weston appeared on behalf of the trustee, to watch the proceedings. The inquiry will last several days. Iho allegations are wholly of a personal nature. We defer our report until tho evidence on both sides have been completed.

A serious accident occurred yesterday morning, at the Imperial Crown buttery (Thames), by which a man named Bird received severe braises to his chin, in n manner exactly similar to that by which French was injured a few days ago. Ho was lifting a stamper when it slipped and the lever struck him under the chin. He at once went to the Hospital, find received attention, but, fortunately, the injuries were not of such a serious naturo as to necessitate his remaining in the Hospital. The afternoon of yesterday was enlivened by the porformanceß of the City Bund in the grounds in Government House. The following was the programme: —March, "Festal" (Sir G. Elvey) ; overture, " Fra Diavolo" (Auber); quadrille, " Potro Lo Grand (Julien) ; selection, " Orphee Aux Enfers" (Oil'enbuch) ; yalse, "Juliet" (Coote) ; selection on " Irish Airs" (Weiaen) ; galop, " Jjiobes Keango" (Ging'l). "God Save the Queen." His Worship the Mayor was tlio magistrate in attendance at the Police-office yesterday morning. The only persons' namos on the charge-sheet were those of several drunkards, and these were dealt with very lightly by the Mayor ; only one, who was on incorrigible fellow, being sentenced to a term of imprisonment. The others, -in consideration of the Queen's Birthday, were discharged. To-morrow evening a meeting will be held at the Flagstaff Hotel, North Shore, the object being to take into consideration the propriety of forming a Volunteer corps, the di.iLrii't, up to the present date, having been without one. A large number of fine, ablebodied young men will, it is said, come forward and aek to be enrolled. The examination of . candidates for the Grammar School scholarships commenced yesterday. The two candidates were Messrs. Kigg and Beveridge. The question-papers comprised passages to be translated from Juvenal, Livy, Virgil, and other Latin authors. The remaining subjects are : —Euclid, Algebra, French, German, English composition, &c. We have been requested to direct attention to the catalogue of Mr. S- Hague Smith's furniture, &c., which will be found in our advertising columns. Mr. G. Sibbin will hold the sale of Mr. Smith's residence, corner of Karangahape and Ponsonby Roads, on Thursday next, —the furniture at eleven a.m., and the house and grounds at noon. A Wanganui exchange calls Wellington an ambitiouß collection of ornamental wooden packing-cases. . The Wellington waterworks are expected to be eomploted in about four mouths' time.

A contemporary, in an article advocating the establishment a state prison, says:—The floating criminal population of New Zealand is not large, and should not coat half as much to maintain as they do, were they, when undergoing sentence, sent to a State Prison, where the discipline would be Buch as to effectually cure them of any hankering for a Becond experience of its rigours. It is all nonsense to pamper criminals up and make them so comfortable that, directly they get pinched with cold and hunger outside a prison's walls, they at once take steps to effect a speedy return to their old and comfortable quarters. The Irish Prison system is, perhaps I lie most perfect at the present day, and would form a good model for our New Zealand system, which sadly wants altering, as crimo is on the increase, and is likely to continue so, until the punishment awarded to criminals is of a very different kind to the plenty to eat and nothing to do sort of prison discipline now in vogue. Hard labor, as at present enforced in gaols, is a mere farce, s.s anyone may comprehend who sees a " hard labor gang" under the guard of an easy-going warder, doiug nothing most industriously. Har;h treatment is not what is wanted either, us it would only make men desperate, and end in such a tragedy as that witnessed near Melbourne somo years ago, 'when a gaoler named Price was barbarously murdered by a hard labor gang.

Some apprehension appears to be excited respecting the oppoarance of Maori whaleboats in the Hauraki Gulf, and it appears to be taken for granted that every boat seen is on its way to Piako with suppließ for Purukutu. Referring lo this mt.tter, the Thames Advertiser says : —Perhaps supplies aro going up, and cerlaiuly measures should be taken, if possible, to prevent any such thing ; but ai respects the boats that have been seen, quite a peaceful explanation can be given. It has been arranged that a meeting is to bo held at Shortland of all the tribes of Hauraki, and they are now gathering for the purpose. We understand that J J aura Tipa aud his people have set out from their settlement near the Sandspit, and are cow at a kianga on Wharekawa. The Ohinemuri people are expected down to take part in the meeting, the object of which is to lay down regulations to prevent any of the people belonging to the tribes of Hauraki —Ngatitamatera, Ng*timaru, Ngatiwlianaunga, Ngatipaoa—fvcim taking part in the "Waikato war. The natives, of course, do not intend to do anything on our side, but they profess to wish to see that none of their youug men enrol under Purukutu's standard.

Return of sick treated during the week ending Saturday, May 21, 1873, at tho Provincial Hospital : —Remained last return, 6S ; admitted siuce, 7; discharged, 7; died, 2; remaining,, 66 (males 60, females 6). Arrangement of cases : —Fever (convalescent), 1; ophthalmia, 1; syphilis, 4; Btricturo, 1; rheumatism, 4; diabetes, 2 ; phthisis pulmonalis, 6; paralysis, 3 ; melancholia, 1 ; lunacy, 1 ; epilepsy, I; heart disease, 2; bronchitis, 4; pleurisy, 2 ; pneumonia, 1 ; whooping-cough, 1; dyspepsia, 1; fistula, 1; cystitis, 1 ; caries and necrosis, 5 ; mentagra, 1; abscess and ulcers, 10 ; burn, 1 ; fractures, 3; wounds and contusions, 4; resection, 1 ; debility, 4. Two men died, ono J. C., aged 35 years, on 22nd inst., of phthisis; and the other, P. O'l)., aged 65 years, on tho 23rd inst., of paralysis. Thanks are returned to Colonel Kenny for a parcel of Illustrated London Kews and two parccls of old linen ; to Colonel Haultain and Dr. Campbell, for a parcel of jVail Mall Gazette, Saturday Review, . Public Opinion, and Home News ; and to Mrs. Henry Ellis, for a parcel of old linen. ( According to a late issue of the Japan Herald, the Japanese Government has issued a number of notifications of alterations in the domestic habits of the people. The calendar is to be altered, and the Japanete New Year is to be made to come on the Ist of January instead of the 9th of February. The Japanese holidays are also to be abolished and the European Sunday observed instead, workmen having to labor sis days in tho week, rain or shine, the old custom of dropping work on rainy days being abrogated. Female hairdressers are to lose their occupation, and in future every womau is to dreu h#r own liiir. And the «oft mats so common in Japanese houses aro to bo dono away with, k«o»u»e tlisy conduce to luzineis. An order enjoining ill natives to dress their hair iu foreign inhion hud caused some dissatisfaction, but had nevertheless, it in »aid, been generally complied with. Castlemaine, of which we have a good sprinkling of its former residents in Aucklaud, is thus described by the " special" of the Melbourne Argus :—" Reposing tranquilly amidst its hilly surroundings—rather picturesque than otherwise as to its situation—rather forlorn and ruinous as to its buildings— rather somnolent and apathetic as to its inhabitants —stands the township of Custlemaine. Silent and neglected now, it lives on the memory of the good old times, when Fore»t Creek was a name of glory, and on the anticipations in which many of its denizens indulge of that great future in store for it, wlieu its now undeveloped quartz mines shall make tho pestilent braggarts of Bondigo pale their ineffectual fires." The Thames Evening Star of last night says:—A false alarm of fire was raised this morning at about one o'clock. Both the Grrahamatown and Shortland fire-bells rung out their alarming pea-3, and a number of the Shortland Fire Brigade turned out with their engine, and proceeded to Grraliamstown, where tho people were all rushing about in a state of excitement. The \ olunteers also turned out. The alarm was caused by the furnaces of tho Pumping Association, which gave out a red glare similar to that which is caused by a building on fire. The Marlborough Express states that on Mr. Charles Redwood's furm, potatoes were planted between the hop plants this year, and such a crop has been produced as seldom gladdens the eye of the potatoe grower. From a singlo acre of land, twenty tons of potatoes have been lifted. We have a sample of them at our office; the smallest of them measures in girth ;15i inches by 13V, another 19 by 9i inches, a third 20 by 14 inches, and weigh respectively 1 lb. 13 ozs., 1 lb. Id ozs., and 3 lbs. 3 ozs. ; eight potatoes weighing sixteen pounds. We noticed last night that his Worship the Mayor was showing his loyalty to tho Queen by haviug a most brilliant gas illumination in tho shape of a star burning in front of his premises, at the comer of Shortland and Queen-steets. This was the only illumination we observed in town. Mr. Edward Coombes and a number of watermen were yesterday engaged in dragging the harbour for the body of the late Mr. Richard Morton, but without Bucce3s. We are afraid that there ia now little probability of the body being recovered. Tho members of the Auckland Amateur Dramatic Club gave a performance last evening, at the Thames Theatre Royal, in aid of the Miners' Accident Relief Fund. The attendance was very good, and the performance much above the average of amateur talent. We obsorve that Mr. J. N. Newbold, of Victoria-street, is retiring from his present business, and offers his goods for Bale for one week longer, previous to submitting tho whole stock of "clothing, boots, goodwill, fixtures, &c., in one lot. —[Adyt.] A conccrt and ball was given last evening at the Thames, under the patronage of tho Volunteers. There was a very large attendance, and an excellent programme was arranged for the night's entertainment. Designs bare been prepared for a building to be used as a Sunday-school, in connection with All Saints Church. Tenders are shortly to be called for the erection of the building. A fern-cutter capable of cutting ten acres a day, has been invented, and is in use in Napier.

Tenders are required by the Government for works on the section of the Waitangi and Ka'kohe Koad, between To Haruru and the Fuketutu Hill. A oall. of- one shilling per share hu been made in the Golden Calf Gold Mining Company.

SubscripContribution tion Colony. Itercnne, 2s. Ski. i>cr Id. 7-iOths X871. cent. per cent. Victoria .. .. £3,305,300 £4,475 18 G£234 2 6 Now South Wales (1S71) .. .. 2,400.200 3,372 2 8 170 7 9 New Zealand .. 1,342,100 1,5517 SO 95 1 3 (Queensland.. .. 800,000 1,083 0 3 00 13 4 .South Australia .. 778,100 l,0/>3 13 6 :>S 2 3 "Western Australia 1)7,000 132 3 4 (J IS 3