THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1575.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue XII, 3 July 1875, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. SATURDAY, JULY 3, 1575.

The annexation of Fiji has given new impulse to tho dosiro for annexation of tlio unoccupicd part of New Guinea. Tho Australian colonists are the most activo movers in this direction and are well supported by a powerful party in England, from whom a deputation waited on Lord Carnarvon in May last. Among those present were Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Duke of Manchester, Lord Kunaird, Mr. Fowler, M.P. ; Mr. McArthur, M.P. ; the President of tho Council, and many others, with numerous Fellows of the Royal Colonial Institute. A memorial from the Institute was presented to Lord Carnarvon on this occasion: In presenting it, Captain Young, of tho Institute, drew his Lordship's attention ie the recent discoveries of Captain Moresby, especially to the new route laid down by him from Australia to China. The passage would bo shortened by ;SOO miles, but tho entrance of the strait was commanded by tho Islands oIF the Now Guinea coast. Their possession, or the possession of tho mainland, by any foreign Power would bo a danger to Australia, serious even now but likely to lie more serious as years went on and commerce with China became greater. The Dutch Government claimed possession of all that portion of New Guinea, lying to the westward of the 141 st degree. J lie eastward portion approached within SO miles of the Australian coast, anl should not be millered to fall into the hands of any foreign Power. Disputes respecting the rights of fishing (pearitishing wo presume) would at onco arise.

A sense of insecurity would be created throughout Australia if tho fino landlocked harbour of Port Moresby and tie numerous other harbours described >jy Capiain Moresby were under the flag of any great foreign Power. The Imperial and Australian Go\einments vould bo forced to incur great expenditure for defensive purposes, an expenditure fr>m which they were now free, and wllcli would far exceed any possiblo costs of occupation. It was certain, too, that in New Guinea, as in Fiji, there waild be settlements formed in ail irregular way and that outrages 011 tho natives would be very likely to occur in the absence of any recogitsed authority and the absoluto isolation in which such settlors would live. This, the memorialists considered, was an eleuent in the question the more important snco gold had been discovered on the lrainland. "As soon"—said Captain Young— "as the fact became known to the Australian mining population, a rush wjuld occur subjecting a race described as hospitable and amicable to all those evilt and outrages which the arrival of any ,argo number of immigrants uncontrolled by- tho authority of a regular Government, vould bring upon them." We pass by the misapprehension in this sentence o : tho much maligned and curiously misunderstood " Australian mining popuktion" ivliicli is here referred to. Captain Tomi" probably knows nothing of them person" ally or he would have learned tc look elsewhere for his fears of " evils anl outrages" by possible settlors. More solid was his dread that New Guinea might become a pe*al settlement for a foreign State—a dre*d which every Australian and New Zealander, whether of tho "laining population" or otherwise, will thoroughly appreciate and share. The memorialists urged that to avoid theso evils the coasts should be occupied and the British flag hoisted over all that part of the island not claimcd or held by Holland. They did not anticipate that much txpense would be incurred, "and such expense might be made a charge upon tie new possession, so that the Imperial eX'hequer might bo recouped for tho necesstry outlay." Other members of tho deputation— Includii g, by-the-bve. Sir James Fergusson, Sir Charles Nichoison, atl Mr. Dalgoty—addressed Lord Carnan-on and strengthened Captain Young's statements in various ways. Lord Carnarvon's reply -was encouraging. Ho fully appreciated tlo arguments of the memorialists and recognised that the physical conditions of New Guinea aro in many respects attractive. Ho thought everyone must be proud of tho discovery of the south-eastern passage ay Captain Moresby, an English seaman, «'d that tho discovery might lead to vorv

important consequences. Tho deputation need not however be told, that the ' taking oyer of a fresh territory is a serious concern." No Minister would-be justified in rushing hastily into such an undertaking or neglecting to give due considertion to the difficulties to be overcome. Tho climate was not one in which Europeans would be likely to thrive. Lying only 10 degrees from the a very large proportion of the coast surveyed was of that low, hot, tropical character known everywhere to bo injurious to the European constitution. In the higher lands of the interior, Europeans might probably live healthily ; but tho occupation of these high lands was not' now the question. It must take time and money before they could bo reached under any circumstances. As to the natives, the accounts were very contradictory. They were gentle and friendly in their relations with Captain Moresby, but he probably dealt with exceptional tribes or under excoptional circumstances, as the reports of other voyagers gave a different account of their experienco in other parts of tho island. Even Captain Moresby said tliero were evident signs of cannibalism. Any one with experienco of tho Islands—Fiji for example—might have assured his Lordship that gentleness and friendliness of manner are quito compatible with tho most brutal cannibalism. Songs, merriment, tho most conipleto cleanliness of body, and tho most attractive gaiety of demeanour characterise the Fijians, than whom, nevertheless, no greater cannibals were ever known. But no ono seems to liavo explained this to his Lordship, and he was allowed to retain tho exaggerated idea of the difficulty of dealing with these cannibals which ho had evidently formed. Continuing his remarks, his Lordship referred to tho kidnapping trade, which he was very anxious to extirpate. Ho was quite free to admit that tho presence of a foreign flag would increase tho difficulty of dealing with this question, but of course tho deputation would understand that it was impossible to nppropriato every territory and every island for this or any other reason whatever. There were already mi.ny people of different nations to deal with in theso waters. German, French, and other foreigners; were settled in them and it is hopeless to Buppoae you will ever reduce matters to such a state that tho English flag can bo tho only flag flying in that part of the world. Ho might mention that a bill was then passing through tho House of Lords on the subject of kidnapping, and he proposed to introduce a clauso giving Sir Arthur Gordon, the Governor of Fiji and who has already the Consular power, the position of T r igh Commissioner and Commandor of theso tribes. His Lordship concluded by assuring the deputation tho subject should have his earnest attention. "No one could accuse him of backwardness as soon as he could see his way of doing anything for the interest or credit of tho British Crown. But he was bound to say that with the work they had on the Gold Coast in Western Africa, and in Fiji, it was only reasonable to ask some breathing time before they were required to act on a large scale, and to do something quite as difficult to organise and control as either Fiji or the West Coast of Africa." The interests in this case, ho considered, were Australian rather than English, and it was for the Australian colonies to shew a much greater sense of the value of that possession and to shew a certain desire to io-operatc very freely indoed in the matter. "It is for them, said his Lordship, to take the first step," —a hint which we trust the Australian colonies wdl not be slow to act upon, for nothing could bo more encouraging than Lord Carnarvon's tone throughout the interview. His Lordship will not be sorry to add New Guinea to the Gold Coast, and to tho Fijian colony as enrolled under England's ilag during his tenure of tho office of Colonial Secretary. They will be for ever connected with his name, and New Guinea would give additional lustro to his administration.

'W E are glad to learn that tho banks ill Now Zealand liave at length arrived at an agreement which is shortly to come into operation, and we understand the rates fixed on are as under :— Deposits, 4}, ami ."J per cent., for 3, G, and 12 months. ri-cotmts, 7, 3. .mil 0 jierct-nt., for 3 or 4 month 3 an'l longer peri«<l. Ovcnlrnfts, 1) ptT cont. A strong effort, we believe, was made by the foreign banks for higher rates, anxious no doubt to recoup themselves for the extreme rates at which some of them have been taking deposits during the last six months ; but as we already know, our local bank has never approved the lato policy of its foreign competitors, and from the determined stand it took the above rates, though iiigher than desired, were arrived at. It may be hoped that this is but tho precursor to a return to an easier money market, and sve think the banks Would have acted even more wisely in making their rates one per cent, less all round, which would have induced the return of capital to its ordinary channels, and at the same time been an appreciated relief to borrowers.

A tiireatexed evil always carries with It greater i jrror, when we know not in what quarter we should look for it to ci me. When the threat is of long standing, ano has caused extreme mental tension, then a feeling sets in that the sooner the evil comes upon us, and is met, it will be the sooner ended. A European war looms near, but still looms so dimly, that no one knows exactly from what direction it will come, nor what Powers will unite to make the attack, nor who will bu asked to combine to resist. Germany and France are in bitter enmity towa-ds each other, and it is all the stronger because each country endeavours, so far as it is able, to conceal from the other the strength of its hatred. Each great Power waits its opportunity. The death of Bismarck, or of the Emperor William—and in the nature of things it cannot he long before both events happen—will be hailed by France as a fitting occasion for making reprisals and seeking for a surfeit of revenge. On the other hand, Germany only awaits some indiscretion on the part of France for an excuse to send his armies across the Rhine, and once more humiliate a great people by a second defeat. It is, however, weM understood that complications must aris'j which will bring other greak Powers to lend their support to one side or the other of the belligerents. In other words, a great European war may be looked for. The 7'imrs which never writes upon matters which may affect great dynasties unless well informed, while acquitting the bulk of the German people of a desire to promote dissensions, solemnly warns the war- j party that the criminal attempt to crush France into a second-rate power would alarm, and tiiially alienate every nation, whilst probably arraying an international league against the general enemy.

The Australasian of the 19th of .June has a long article upon Double Government in Xew Zealand, the chief object of which is to explain to Victorian readers the position of the case. The article concludes with the following paragraph:—"The existing double system of government entails an enormous waste of money in maintaining Civil establishments. It destroys unity in the management of police, gaols, asylums, reformatory establishments, &c. ; it enables conflicting laws to be passed on such subjects as education, licensing, &c. ; it complicates land

selections, and exposes applicants for leases for raining and other purposes to most vexatious delays and unnecessary expenses ; it embarrasses the General Government in its relations with the public creditor, tlie control of the public estate, and the economical management of the public funds ; it covers the land with an unnecessary stalf of officers, whose labours often conflict; and it clogs the wheek of progress in a manner scarcely to be understood in a colony where » system of government so comparatively simple as our own exists. In this one re- ! spe-t, at least, —a central responsible Government—Xew Zealand may borrow from Victoria." In another section of the article it is affirmed as a fact " that New Zealand is over-governed, and the Yogel Ministry did not appreciate the fact a moment too soon."

A somewhat remarkable article occurs in a recent issue of the Melbourne Leader upon Sir Julius Vogel, which mixes up eulogium and extraordinary reports in a manner rather difficult to comprehend. Alter refering to the position of the provincial abolition I question and the effect .Mr. Vogel s absence must have upon any action to be taken therein, the writer continues :—"The excuse that i 3 advanced for Sir Julius Vogel's detention in Europe is one of the most unsubstantial character. Gout is a cr.mplaint that may be treated as well at Wellington as at London ; hence other motives for the New Zealand Premier's prolonged absence in England must be looked for; and if local rumour bo reliable, these are not difficult to find. With abilities that far outshire any of his colonial contemporaries, Sir Julius Vogel baa conceived some great schemes that have found but little local encouragement, and the presumption is, that he hopes, in English circles, to inlist for them that interest and support -which he cannot find in t>e colonies. It has been asserted that Sir Julias T ~ogel would assume tho A"entGeneralsiiip for _ New Zealand, displacing Dr. Featherston, who has woefully mismanaged the immi e Tation arrangements of that colbny ; but it is scarcely likely that a man of the financial calibre and ambitious mind of the head of tho New Zealand fioverment would place himself in a position where he would be cramped by instructions that are necessarily imposed upon a colonial representative at London. It is safer, then, to aßsume that Sir Julius Vogel will reta ; u the New Zealand Premiership as long as the colony will tolerate his absence m Europe, and that, without letting the grass grow under his led, ho will endeavour to realise in Europe some of the projects whitfi occupy his fertile brain. He is a wonderfil man, certainly. Ho forced his way to tie front in the politics of New Zealand thron-h great obstacles and a considerable amount of prejudice. He ha« made himself so completely master that he can venture to abs j it himself at a most critical moment; and su:h is the appreciation of his services to tie I colony, that, according to tho latest news, it j is proposed to vote him £20,000 as a testimonial" What next?

Sad complaints were macie yesterday fcy commercial men, that tho discharge of cargo from the steamer Hero, which arrived in onr port at daylight, had been prevented by the Customs untiLthe formality o! "passing entries" g<ne through. "When it is stated thitShe steamer had over 1300 eases of perishable goods, ocean-borne, on board, the delay occasioned by this edict is liable to result in loss to the consignees. "Wo may venture to say that in no other port in the British Empire would steh a restricted be made; and it doss seem that both the owners of the Hero and the consignees of the cargo have just cause to complain. It is quite true that, on a former occasion, the cargo by the Hero, through want of management, became (mixed, np with that of other vessels, causing - great confusion ; but the reiedy for this should be applied in a diflerjint manner to that af > preventing cargo froir being landed w'ti promptitude. It is 3well-known fact that in steamer traffic disj>itch i 3 very essential; and unless a vessel li!i< the Hero can meat with such consideration, :t becomes imperative for the owners iither to increase her rates of freight or vfbhdraw her from the trade. The Hero lias'become an institution with us. During her siren years' traffic witk this port she has Already accomplished © trips, while there ia no denying the faettha: more money is spett in the employment a labour ill discharging her cargo than witK any half-dozen vessels entering the port Under these and othir circumstances, it appears unfair at tlisj stage to compell the vessel to lie alonjsile the wliarf idle for nearly a day, when, by a little management, the discharge of might be proceeded with without loss.

j The frequent exchsion of "strangers" from listening tJ what is said in ! tlio English I'aipnient, it appears, lias been done -.ith an object. This is to shew the utteribsurdity of tlio tiling and to induce Parliabent to introduce a bill by which tlio ancient and now effete privilege which niembtrajjavo been permitted to exercise shall be ft once and for ever abolished. It is intended, tho justice of which none will diijute, that the country, as the constituent cf Parliament, has a right to hear all that is and to be informed of all that is dote by its representatives. Even the Prince of Vales has had to " withdraw" upon the Speaker's request. But this is a matter of comparative insignificance to the whole body if '• strangers' 7 being excluded. Mr. Disr.vli has undertaken to deal with the subject, and it is to be hoped that he will do so effectually. Then will be the time for liberal »nd intelligent representatives to follow suit ji our colonial Legislatures. The exclusim of strangers never yet resulted in any ge)d. On the contrary, garbled reports Lav; been made to take tho place of those which would have been given through the Press representatives when obtained in a legitimate way.

The two American revivalists—Mr. Moody and Mr. Sankey—appears to have caused a strong religious feeling to take deep root among the people of England, and mora particularly in London, where their ministrations are afcetded. It is stated that churches and chapels are better tilled than ever, and that the ainiversary meetings of religious bodies and benevolent societies shew an unflagging interest on the part of the Christian public. Pirhapa the best proof of the truth of these statements lies in the fact of the increase of HDeuuiary aid now being given in the causf) of religion and benevolence. Whether Me new tone of thought r.nd increased earnestness in matters spiritual are likely tc •' be permanent or will effervesce causes some divisions of opinior- It is known lejond dispute that many ®en now lead better lives than they did, aid that all or neary sll who have attended tl)3 meetings held by Messrs. Moody- and Sinkey have been diejly impressed even where they have not bceoiae convinced or convened.

The San Francisco contract ha> been signed, and oily awaits the ratification of the Xew South Wales anil Xcw Zealaid Parliaments to c»mjlete it. The couxact, it would appear, w with the Pacific \ail Steam Company ant two Scottish shipowners, "jointly and ieverally." The serriie is to commence jn November, in manner a : wo have already des.ribul, a'nd as referro to in our telegraphic columns to-day. Five new boats areto he engaged, of nealy 3000 tonj each —Idder supplying two anil the Pacific Company three. -As Mi wore assured with reference to Webbandt> Hall, so wearenow adised that " tLeru -S doubt of the ablityof the contractus." Let us hope such is he" case. We woulJhave preferred to have sen the whole tliiiij in the hands of 'an Kiglisli company. Ve can understand their nude of doing business, but 14 for ways that aie dark," comment us to an American mail contractor.

The Bank of Nov Zealand, say 3 our Thames corresponded, with its accustomed enterprise, has introdlced into their melting and assay Grahamsfcown, a most unique furnace, specitlly adapted for assaying gold. The entire»ppar.-.tus does nut exceed two fees in by nine inches diameter, surmounted byp chimney three feet high; no blast rcqinrid. In the bottom of tho sheet-iron casing ga3-bumers are arranged, so as to throwthe heat immediately upon or liutile place. 1 in tho j furnace, composed of he very best description of fire clay. Fie clay or plumbago , fittings may be used at disoreiiai. of which there is an ample supply. In sevc niiiiut-es after the gas is lighted, the heat i.- ""i'ient for assay purposes, and the crtien position, and the aperture e. '■? ~ , ? tire-clay door. The enabled to watch the proceedings by means or a glass-light placed above the furnace, and in the short space of seven minutes a parceL ot 10 ounces was thoroughlv melted withdrawn, and tho gas turned Jtl'. without noi*e or trouble, avoiding the necessary ], I<s r ,f time under the old, cumbrous wav ~t" a fire, and tho consequent I.tter uponsue! arrangement In the matter of expense this gas furnace stancs minvallui, as the furnace may be heated and sustain! for one hour at the cost of CO icet of -m. Customers may now have the Uneiit oi their gold, not only, melted, but assayed at once, without waiting for several hours. As a sample of the usefulness of this furnace, 100 ozs. were melted and assayed yesteiday in fiftv-seven minutes. The introduction of this valuablo adjunct is due to Mr. Severn, who a].pears to be on the look-out for every speciality of value, from the transit of Venus to the detection of metal in tho beams of the sun. Lnder hi 3 care and management the melting and assay department is placed. The apparatus is named FletAer's Gas Furnace, manufa3tured at Warrington, and lias been import' •! direct irom Lonlon by the Bank o: New Zealand tor the we of their branch at tho Thames.

The protracted highwayrates ease, Carson v. .Tones, was terminated yesterday by a judgment for the plaintifi This case was commenced before the rcent Amendment Act of tbo Provincial Council, which validated tho whole bill >£ 1574, so that It stood alone and cannot, be regarded as a leading case. His Woreaip the Ilesident Magistrate, however, gava a judgment which is of some importance ppon the general issue whsro the statute is'pid'to be in operation. llis Honor decidodxpon the strength of a case (X Strange's Reports, p. 446) cited by Mr. Rees, that tho jouiasls of the Council produced by the Speaker and Clerk of Council, and th#ir accuracy being deposed to, are sufficient proof of vhat passed in the Council. Tne words said to bo "omitted"' did piss the Council and thus gave authority to the Act for the purposes of the piesent mit. Tuo judgment appears in another column. Air. Turner, how is this forstreet rail wavs ? A Chicago engineer account of a new

system of transportation, callcd the "Rollway," at a recent meeting of the Civil Engineers' Club of tho north-west. The system may be described as revolutionary, for it is proposed to put the wheeL on tlio ground and tho tracts on the oara The of " the rollway" consist of a continuous series of pairs of small wheels or rollers, set in timber like railroad ties. Between the lines of rollers there is a single guide rail, the top iof which is three or four,inches above tho level of the rollers. The tara are like the cars now in use, with th* exception that instead of having wheels fciey have timber runners, shod with steel plates. Each car is to be supported by at least three pairs of wheels or rollers at a time. At cprres and turnouts the faces of the way-rollerj are widened, so as to give support to the runners when the direction of tho latter if being changed. Under both ends of each car there is a pair of guide rollor<» on path .bides or the gtlift* prevent the cars from running offthelineof way-rollers. The Jccomotire is builfc oa the same general ptinciple, its driving wheels bearing on the gauge rail. r ih3 inventor of this system claims that it is chtaper than the railway, .[a comparison of tht cost and capacity of the two systems, he sa\3 that the cost of the rolling superstructure and rolling-stock i* r.boat that of railways, the dead-weight c»f r.m : ris about one-half, the resistance of lobded t'ains one tliird, and the starting resistance one-fifth# In addition to all this, he claims that the raiway is safer, smoother. m*rc durable, ant that trains can be run oi the same or grater rates of speed than on nil ways. another fatal accident by drowning oc-* cured at an early hour yesterday morning, in he harbour. The unfortukate man who | halosthis life is one JosepliSiva ; a sailor I onboard tho cutter Rob Roy, nov Ij'ing in ha:»our. The deceased, it appeals, went on dea at about half-past five yeifc/rday morning Half an hour afterwar/s the mate fond him missing, and fancied ths he had fallen overboard, Information wagiven to the police, andSergeaut Martin at ace proceeded to drag the iarbour in the vxcuity of tho cutter's anchorage ground. At:en o'clock tho poor fellqVs body was recvered, thus removing all itrabts as to his fat- The body was conveyedbj* the Water Fo.-'o to the dead-house, aril the Coroner appsed of the circumstanca An inquest wilibo heM this afternoon, at?;he Fi eeman's Bat Hotel, on the remains. deceased wa:fonaerly mate of the whafcr Albion.

Jr. S American corresponded drops the foll.ivinj; lines to the A uxtnt/'iHan theatrical criti.: —" The Gourlay familj, with 'Mrs. M'G'egor's Levee,' have Ijjcn travelling lateh through the State offl'ennsylvania, aadsisiness has improved gresly with them. Mr. Ceorge Fawcett Rowe postponed his return to England, and ia now playing ai the Chesnut-street Theatre I'hiladephia. MaJiue Kistori, on the oceai»n of her fareweba- the Lyceum Thextrii, Xew York, gav,_j (in English) the sleep-irlking scene f"om, ' Macbeth.' Her pstprinance was gAin! in the extreme, and elated long and C'tttiined applause. Mr. Voodroffe, the walMnown Bohemian glass'.lower, after n:tkiig a ' certainty' in tne tape of Good HJ'pt, has commenced a sison with his ' &ov,'in conjunction with aOr. Nicholls, in lrootlyn. Mr. W. West ' Australia's ove stng and dance man. has joined TrenMe's Varieties Theatre jit Pittsburgh, Pa. .Mr. Louis Aldrich, whi will be remenoered as the ' heavy villior of the Marsh trou: • of children in America jid Australia, is tie leading man at Wood's jluseum, New Yor:. Frank Hussey and 1* wife (Miss Blanche Clifton) have joined tje company at the Theatre C'omirjue at Detriit, Michigan, and,are generally well spoken o. ' Tobias and Biatcas' is still his piece cle resisanx.'

A correspondent, writing ton Mercer, say.i The rain has been very ieavy this wctk, and greatly retarded the progress of worts going on. The contractor for the tunqel will have his lirst ct arch tun:'c.l by Saturday evening, should' tQe weather hold line. The adit is in good groiM and is likely to be through in about five veeks. A goods train arrived here yesterday, with a lot of timber and ironwork or the Xgaruawahia bridge, and other materiil. Mr. Mathews has commenced the gooJs-:hed. Mr. .Rider is making extensive alterat ons and additions to hi 3 Eailway Hotel, 30 that we are pretty lively." A pe-son who was charged vith illegally pawninj a watch which had been left in his charge o repair was yesterday lommitted to take hi* trial at the SupremaCourt. The justices who presided at tin Police Court also committed three men to :£al upon the charge i. : stealing £2ti in mouy from a house at the Wade. The other cnaa were not of an impn-tant character. -A report of the proceediigs appears in anotler tolumn. It is sated in the ScienS_ac American, on the autlority of Dr. that leinon juice, uf.-d as a gargle, is .n effioicious specific agaiist diphtheria ind sililiar throat troubles. He lias suteessfuHjr thus employed it tor over eightem yeais. A list of sections to be skd by auction on the 1.-c September, under be New Zealand JSetlEmont Act, 1563, ii the province of AuckLnd, is announced in $e 2few Zealand Gazite of 24th ult. I

lYrs..n= Who f.-.l an inclination to take part in the pastime . f " Unsettling a newlv-married practice that is clt-Arlv a -iii-rival trom tlio imiMo.il performSlices'"of savage life- may reflect with protit on a ca-'c that»•** tried K tore the .Mipreme Court, and on the verdict that was given by the jurv isavs the JuMrnbtfian ). Ihe ease was oik".a which a young man, named Renfree -lied for damages for an assault. Kenfree' had agisted at a kerosene-tin serenade <nv,-n in hon.-ur of the defendant on his entering the holy state of liiatrimonj-. The defendant, K.spie, endeavoured as well as he oould to niter into the fun of the thing, but after list. ning tn the music for some twenty minutes it U-gan to inon<>t<>m>i!s. With fX**- dispelling his sense of '.vi U'iness \ ie . rowd, he loaded and discharged a . vhu-It was charged ..nly with ]>ewder, ough more substantial charges have -'-onieuu.es beiii tired on such occasions. However, tin di*'':iargc of the cr.n was attended with ii> "iiveiiient conseiiueuces to Ken-fri-e. w:. . had his face scorched with the pow-i. r. and is disfigured for life. He accordiiij'.y brought an action against Fs - 'ie. In defer. •• it was urged that the inj'iry caused w.s not intentional, and tjiat in jay case it rved Keiifree right, as he ha<lno , business t • annoy the defendant. The jury, who wer • probably married nun, and vtjio liiav have experienced similar intlictions at a critical m.-nient of their lives, wished to tin.i a verdict i". r defendant, but the judge telliig them that thrv niu-t on the facts of the cise find one r the pUiiititT, they brought in me for Is ••amage*. The mer.il seems trie that if iih n coiitcmplite making night hid. Jus for a uewly married couple by so unseasonable *ti>l unmusical a serenade, tlieT will do well to remember that in so they rv.n a great risk of 1. tired at, and that if tiu r are tired at, nn-l so injured as to bear the "marks for life, and appeal for redress to a jury, they r.re liable to havo the damages they have sustained assessed at Is with IK' allowance for costs. Calm consideration of this view of the matter will Tcrv much reduce the humour of the thing, ar.d ■will induce such serenaders to leave the | votaries >•; Hymen in peace. |

It is not often that thcatricaliy-inrfined people venture to tMrrow " properties from the members of the legal profession. A recent ll..kink* paper, however, recrds an incident, which should act as a warning. It savs .— "On Saturday morning, wiieu his Honor Judge Weston took hi# seat on the Bench in the District Court, at 10 o'clock, two learned gentlemen (Messrs. Piirkiss and Button) v.-ero somewhat exercised in spirit, owing to the absence of the.r wigi, which had been lent the day previous to Mr. <?. F. Hawkins, and had be: n worn by Artaiominus and Ki.sbus in tie burlesque of 'Bomhastes Funoso,' which was played os Friday niiiht for the benefit of the hospital Articled and other clerks rushed frantica.lv round the town iu search of the missing Tii;s which ultimately turned v.p, and wer- hurriedly placed on the heads of the legit-jn;te wearers. Mr. l'urkiss was proceeding t< address the Court in a case in which hi vra3 concerned, when he was extremely discincerted by an auxiou* >n from llii Honor, as to whether he was in mourning. Mr. Purkiss disclaimed the soft inipencipent, and gazed in a bewildered manner pund the Court. Ultimately, the hamed .entleman was led to understand that fron lis wig depended a large black bag. a pjrton of the stssa property of Artaxominu.', >ut which Fusbus, who had been entrusted with the wigs, had neglected to remove. The objectionable appendage was t-;rtlivith cast Aside, and the rematnder "f tie proceedings were concluded without offending the dignity of the Court."

Philadelphia, the hot :<ed of protection, is beginning to :iud out what higl datiis mean, and » plaintive wail enmee :p from her manufacturers and dealers ia cstlv articles, that smuggled j;ooils arc Iriviii; them out of businu«£. Une of the V;.'.lrc_ci;>h:a papers (the Tlm-s), after shewing li>v» V.rglish and Canadian tailors otTcr " > till triers in Philadelphia at 00 per cent, less ha:, tie prices Of local tailors, says :—" What ij true of this single mercantile iutcreit true of all the rest. Our mist fa.-hioialle teams are decked out in smuggled ham-.-s, <>ur ladies are arrayed ill smuggled sills .vi<i laces, and jewellery. S._.me of our est drawingrooms shine with smuggled caq ets and smuggled furniture ; the c<Btlcst sideboards ai-? furnished with '.vines and smuggled cigars. Kvcrythl;:. str.es, for the Atlantic • )cean is almost 1 ci.i.t-.with stealers, ar: 1 across it more pe>pc- go in iho course of a year thai: ti't/y as ago crossed the Alleghanies. Fiftocn fttane rs sail from our ports weekly, carryi:. • ii treive months nearly 40.0X1 cabin i.a.-s.-]L-e--,»ud draining this country yeaily of -it ,OOUO'I dollars iu gold, for -v'hich there i.- nc >e'.urn to our our manufaetinr. or our tradesmen. And l'hi!«d■. Ipliia is :t the mercy of this smuggling and time Fm.-ulers, who, having exhausted tin ir city • f her productive power, are well cmteit "o leare her sterile."

"How lithograph-,* was i. : 5-r*v t -r\il is thns described in a .'arc . journal :— After the first triumphant pe*'ormance of Mozart's opera I'on Ji n, it \funich, the theatre was deserted 'V all li t one man. Alois Senn-felder had ft ill mucl to do. After seeing can-fully around tie <ige that no sparks ha'! ignited aboat the tk-itre, lie retired to his little room to stamj ihe theatre tickets for the folhxvir..: day. At he entered the room he had three things il his hand, a polished whetstone fi rra/ rs, I'hich he had purchased, a ticket-swop luusteiwd with printers' :nk, and a <hi<pu oi the theatre treasury f'jr his weeklr j«iy. tic pliced the chojue on the t«hle, when a guitof wind took it, swept high tip in hif.rf''inf jr a moment, and then deposited it in' a b.-in filled with water. Sennef'Mer t'rf'k tie wet paper, dried it as well as he could nnd then, to make sure of it, weight-d ii o>'>'n with the whetstone, on which hi- had bfore carelessly placed the printing st.u.ip. lemming to his room on the following nornin; he was surprised to see the letter- of tin «tainp printed ■with remarkable accuracy «nt n damp paper. He gazed long at th>- cbetp<!; a sudden thought Hashed thrDi/n fes brain ; he wondered if by sum; .-aoh ncan3 "nc could not save himself the Meaty t-(/jb!e he continually had < f copyi-ig '.h» tongs of the chorus. That very : went out and purchased a larger >t< 1.1, a-,d commenced to make experiments, ami sn:illy succeeded in discovering the art'•! prijljag from stone —lithography '

The intense cold in the nri<r part of the Persian Gulf, says a lati Kngli.-h journal, still continues ; and v eieaT.ly the arrival of the British India steaii'T i'trmah, Captain Saunders, th.it it is griatlj ir. excess of any that has been known for ;h. la.-t twentyfive years. .'■■' eve.'i persons liavc died from exposure at Maakil, a few miles north of

fcusscrah. .All the r< ids u-e Mucked with snow ami rei.tiered ini:iass-iU(; for traffic, so that no merchandise l i* b<:»o brought to the seaports for '.nine htt-c tint- l-ack. An extraordinary event has-«courei, which Captain Saunders wns not at dspn«ed to credit —-at all events in the in which it was conveyed—but ho 'iihsr q:<-;ji]y verified it by the at-everatiDtx « f witnesses. It is, that f r inilct along the Persian shore- of the Gi;f. *vere driven, by the unusual UTr. , ici; i tu*f - , leave their own element and t.irj Ir-smn-lvi-s on the beach, to die, in jurt'erMicc- '-aptain launders suggested— * ta-'t had conic trithin his own etfniz-'ui'.L—th.it they might have been ►■odrivfr. by thw Tin-1, but tbi* was out of the questi-Jn, u- * ?:>■ rt *vas no wind to spaak of at the tin.-©, :-d ± re can be little doubt but that'tii* is correct. Some of the tiali, v.- *oid. would weigh from one hundred t : < He ircd and liftv pounds. J

A woman naun-d Varv -Johnson, aged S3 >ears, died at the Lc:.auc Asylum on Thursday last. An was held at the Asyluia, before hi. (joliUboro*, and a verdict returned that iue deceased had died from old age. Mr. De Lias's theatrical company will revrmj m Thames to-night; and on •Monday ** Jezebel" vill be produced, with new scenery and effects.

"There are tricks iu all trades," saith the proverb. If this is true, silver-platers will perhaps bear watching as well as other tradesmen. But tho following is a siinplo test for the detection of any fraud iu the tjuality of metal employed for plating. A cold saturated solution of bichromate of potassia in nitric acid (sp. gr. 1-2) is applied to the metallic surface—which must be perfectly clean—by means of a glass rod, and immediately washed oIT with some cold water. If pure silver is present, there will appear clearly a blood-red coloured mark (chromato silver). Upon German silver the test liquid appears brown, but after washing ■with water the blood-red coloured mark does not appear ; the so-called Britannia metal is coloured black : on platinum no action is visible; metallic Burface3 coated' with amalgam of mercury yield a reddish speck, which, however, is entirely washed oil" bywater ; on' lead and bismuth the test liquid forms a yellow-coloured precipitate ; zinc and tin are both strongly affected by this test liquid, which, as regards the former metal, is entirely removed by water, while, as regards the latter, the test liquid is coloured brownish, and the addition of water produces a yellow precipitate, which slightly adheres to the tin.—Kivjlish Mechanic.

The British Admiralty has issued a circular directing the use of slaked lime for the preservation of those portions of the framework of iron vessels which are constantly exposed to the action of sea-water. The circular states that experiments have shown that the destructive effects of bilge-water on the iron frames of such vessels may bo reduced or altogether obviated by the application of lime, which should be placed iu the water contained iu such compartments, bilges, and wings as cannot be dried out sufficiently to allow of tho application of preservative paint, composition, or ceuieut. It is ,i general he'ief among sailors that a fall of rain will calm the surface of the sea. This belief gains support from some recent investigations by Professor Osborne Reynolds. He demonstrates that the fall would tend to destroy some of the wave motion that is present in the water. The paragraph which appeared in our issuo of Wednesday, purporting to be ft 1 ellcr from Mr. Batkins re the payment of tt. j capitation fund into the Provincial Treasury, was extracted into onr eohni ub from tho AYc ninj Stir. When suffering from a cold, it will bo found advantageous to put cotton wool iu tho ear. We learn that Mr. H. B. Tnrncr will not renew his application for laying down a street railway in Auckland. Divine service will be held in the following placesof worshipto-morrow, Sunday, as under: —Pitt-street Wesleyan Church: Rev. W. J. Williams, morning: Uev. A. Reid, evening. Grafton Road Wesleyan Church: Mr. 11. Ellis, morning: Kev. W. J. Williams, evening. l'arnell Wesleyan Church I Rev. A. Reid, morning ; Rev. J. Whowell, evening. Congregational Church, Beres-ford-street: Rey. Warlow l>avies, M.A., morning and evening. Wellesley-street Baptist Church: Rev. I'. H. t'ornford, pastor, morning, at 11; evening, 6.30 Lorne-st. Hall : Rev. S. Edger; morning, "Living to do Good;" evening, " True Fortune-building ; or, Making the Best of this World." Newton Hall : Service at 11 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. The Auckland Model Training School, at tho Choral Hall, re-opens on Monday, after the winter holidays. The success of the system adopted at this school is becoming apparent by the large number of pupils already entered on tho books. Mr. Josiah Martin, the headmaster, may be congratulated upon having in so short a time brought the school to its present state of proficiency.

A free entertainment will be given this evening, in the room of the Young Men's Christian Association. The public are cordially invited to attend this social gathering, where they will be amused with songs and music, and instructed by readings and speeches. Mr. W. E. Turner, of California, has promised to attend to deliver an address on "The Temperance Movement in America." The annual meeting of ratepayers in tho Papatoitoi Highway District will be held on the 20th inst., at Mr. James Wallace's rosidence, Hillside. Messrs. Combes & Daldy have been appointed agents for Messrs." I'reeCe, Howard and Co., and will for the future transact all business in connection with that tirm. A meeting of ratepayers of the Newton Highway District was held iu the Kxcelsior I Hall, last evening, at which several matters j were discussed. j The annual meeting of ratepayers of the i One Tree Hill Highway District u'ill be held, at the Junction Hotel, ou the 10th inst. The monthly meeting of the New Zealand Agricultural Society will be held, at the Criterion Hotel, Otahuhu, on the oth inst. Mrs. liobertshaw's pupils wiU'reassemble on Monday next, at the Ketreat, Manukau l!oad, Parnell. The third quarter of Mrs. Norman's school, Waterloo Quadrant, will commence on Monday next. The annual meeting of ratepayers of the Newton Highway District will be held on tho 19th inst., at noon, in the Newton Hall. The ordinary general meeting of the Cobban Gold Mining Company will be held at Grahamstown, on the l'Jth inst. A notice appears elsewhere in reference to an election, for tho Newton district, of a member for the Prorincial Council. The annual meeting of the Karsngahape Highway District will be held on Monday next, in the Newton Academy, at 7..'',0 p.m. Shareholders in the Dixon's No. 1 Gold Mining Company are requested to pay overdue calls. A notice appears elsewhere iu reference to titles of land in Fiji. A bankruptcy notice re 1. H. Webb appears elsewhere.