Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4295, 19 August 1875, Page 2

Messrs. James Stewart and F. B. Passmore left for Kaipara yesterday to inspect the railway there. It is stated that it will be opened for traffic in the course of a fewda ya. We are informed that the Government are anxious to assist the settlers along the line by making sidings at convenient places. A fatal accident happened yesterday morning on the Auckland and Mercer Kailway, near Penrose Junction, whereby a young man named Jacob Dine was killed on the spot, and his body fearfully mutilated. The deceased, who was in the employment of Messrs. J. Brogden and Sons, was in one of the loaded tracks in a ballast train coming towards Penrose. A jerk was felt by the engine-driver in coming down the incline, which threw the waggons off the rails. It was discovered that the cause of the accident was owing to Dine having fallen off the truck and the wheels passing over him. On examining the body, a sickening sight met the gaze of those in charge of the train. The wheel of the waggon had entered near the hip, and had split the trunk completely open, exposing the heart and intestines. The poor fellow's head and face were quite crushed, and the brain scattered in all directions. Death must, of course, have been instantaneous. The remains were conveyed to the Ellerslie Hotel, where an inquest will be held this afternoon. The deceased resided at Penrose, with his parents. Great gloom was cast over the district by the sad occurrence. O'Ferrall has received an additional sentence of three years (says the Sydney Morning Herakl of the 2nd). He made a long statement in mitigation of his crime, ana detailed his sufferings when evading arrest. He said that on one occasion, when he had lighted a fire on an island on which he had concealed himself, the whole island caught fire, and he found himself in the dilemma either of giving himself up to death or drifting to sea. He accepted the latter alternative and went to sea on a wreck and drifted about for many days, with only a loaf of bread and a bottle of gin. A general meeting of the members of the Auckland Rowing (Jlub was held last evening in the Thames Hotel. The committee were authorised to get a new gig built at either Sydney or Melbourne. The gig is expected to be delivered in Auckland at a cost of £45. A. subscription was started among the members present, and a sum of £26 collected. It is thought that the whole cost of the gig will be defrayed by special subscriptions from members of the club. Captain Eyre, Governor of the Gaol, has called upon us, to contradict a statement of f.lr. O'Leary's, in reference to the story of "The dog and the leg." The whole story, he asserts, is a falsehood. The '' leg" was not buried in the spot indicated by Mr. O'Leary; and on examination of the actual locality, Captain Eyre finds that it had never been disturbed. In the General Government estimates, and under the head of- " Public Buildings—additions, repairs, fittings, &c.," we find the account: —" Admiralty House, JL'luO ; Goi vernment House and Lodge, £S00."

As will be seen, by our telegrams, the i guard of the Engineer Volunteer Mil,r lr stationed in the Waikato, and employed - 1 making the railway there, is to be on the 30th instant. This i-i No. 3 r? pany, commanded by Captain Nos. 1 and 2 Companies were disbanlwl end of last May. It will be reraemb-rtl that this corps vro3 formed on the occa *" of Sullivan's murder, in January last v recommended by James Mackay Fan I Dr. Pollen, and adopted by the Major Cooper being the officer co ' manding. The corps originally consists ,1 about 200 men, bnt was reduced in JI a v 1 about 70, —those now about to be From the time of their formation dowS - July, 1574, the men -were employed in mixed occupation of military dutv .J making a railway. At this time Mr" wi Stewart, C.E., had a more immediate con'M over the men, and a great deal of the ml't tary superfluity was done awav, and mr "' energetic work done in the shape of raiw" makinc. We are informed that thr JU. and the settlers havo been always onth most amicable terms, and in no serious cajhas magisterial aid been required, is t working capabilities, during the last twelve months the engineers have had very little * complain of, in fact, some portions have been well done. However, the exigency of Stat<> or of parties requires their disbandment and they are to be so accordingly. ' A handsome present was made lately by one of our most respected citizens to his little daughter, on her fourth birthday, ia the shape of a receipted annual premium,' for a policy of "Endowment" under the Government Insurance (says the Li/tldlon Times). The yearly premiums fall due on each successive birthday, and the receipted premiums, representingeach an annual investment, go on accumulating until the child's twentieth year, on which birthday the last premium is paid, and the whole of the amounts paid in, merge on her twenty-rirst anniversary into a solid and handsome gift, presented by her father in the form of a Government cheque for £200, jjlaeed by him absolutely at .her own disposal. This is a laudable example of fatherly foresight and future provision for a child, and doubtless many parents and guardians might have previously availed themselves of this secure and gradual means of investment, had they been aware that such investment by instalments existed. This ia mentioned for the information of those who may not be aware of the various shapes of Government Endowment It may be stated that in the event of any child dying before the term of payment of such endowment is due, all the money paid by the father or guardian to the Government (up to the date of death), ia immediately refunded in full, but without interest. - On Tuesday evening the brethren and sisters belonging to the several lodges of Good Templars' at the Thames, met together, with their relations, the Reohabites, a3 guests, and a few others as specials, to witness and assist at the dedication of the first Good Templar Temple. The hall is 50 by 40 feet, 15J feet high, well lighted, and furnished off comfortably, and when filled, 33 last night, by large numbers wearing their different regalias, is quite animated. After the dedication service, Air. Speight in the chair, singing and recitation took place ; and Mr. Dewar, as chancellor, informed the meeting that the present building stood on freehold property, and had cost £261, £114 of which was a debt, and the best thing was to endeavour to pay it. A collection on the spot realised £6 10s. Mr. Lewis, of Kelson, addressed the meeting, and the evening's entertainment was agreeably diversified by part songs and solos, concluding with the National Anthem. The Melbourne Age, the organ of the Protectionists, says that the support of the Opposition will be given to a new Ministry which will bring in a budget embodying the following policy:—That new duties be imposed wherever they may be considered necessary for the benefit of local industry; that the 25 per cent, list, which Mr. Service proposed to reduce to 15 per cent., remain intact; that duties now levied on a large number of articles, and which are not of a protective character, be remitted altogether; that the duties to be remitted* on these articles shall amount to the full extent of Mr. Service's proposed remissions—namely, £230,000 ; that the amount of the deficiency created by these remissions be made good by a tax on property ; and that every assistance be given to carry through sucli a budget with the least possible delay. The resident Catholics at the Thames, says our correspondent, have lately been enabled to write off the debts upon their schools, mainly through the handsome donations of Messrs. McCabe and McDonald, Queen of Beauty shareholders, but also have determined to place their boys' school under the care of an efficient teacher. For this purpose, at a meeting called to consider the question, by the Rev. Father Chastagnon, the matter was taken up and subscriptions received to £60, this, with additional donations expected, and the fees received from scholars, xa considered satisfactory ; and will enable the committee to offer £200 per annum, with house accommodation, to secure the services of a gentleman qualified for the post. Tha gentlemen conducting the business of stock brokers at the Thames, held a meeting there on Monday, when it was determined to form a new Association, in order to obviate the difficulty of receiving resignatiens from absent members of the' old society, and the following gentlemen enrolled themselves as members of the Thames Stock and Share Association :—Messrs. J. A. Chapman, J. Frater, M. Hennelly, R.|R. McGregor, J. Slator, J. D. Wickhain, B. C. Fryer, D. R. Gellion, J. Melhose, J. H. Salmon, and S. Turtle. The following telegram from London has been forwarded to us (Sydney Morning Herald, August 2) for publication :—"July 28.—A son of Mr. Fox, of New Zealand, wa3 entertained at tho Westminster Palace Hotel by the United Kingdom Temperance Alliance Association. Sir Wilfred Lawson occupied | the chair, supported by Cardinal Manning, Lord Stanley, Mr. W. M'Arthur, M.P.; Mr. Sullivan, M. P. ; and other gentlemen. Mr. Fox, the ex-Premier of New Zealand, was congratulated on his passing a Permissive Liquor Bill." The annual meeting of the Horticultural Society was held yesterday,—Mr. David Hay in the chair. The society is in a depressed state for want of funds. The details will be found in our report of the proceedings. It is by no means gratifying that a province most favoured by climate and soil for ibSer and fruit growing should hare to ccui , of the want of public support. The pracS)nurserymen have, for the present, come to the rescue, and operations will be carried on for another year at all events. We sincerely trust that the auxiliary graft will bear good fruit. We regret that two typographical errors crept into our report, published yesterday, of the Free Methodist Church soiree. In the list of ladies who gave trays, the na m ® of Mrs. Trigg appears as " Mrs. Grigg- f The lady who conducts the Young Women s Class is Mrs. Waterhouse, and not " Miss Waterhouse," as erroneously printed. The immigrants just arrived from London by the ship Alumbagh appear to be a wellselected lot, and if they conduct themselves properly will soon find employment. T'kfJ will be landed this morning, and will he open to engagement on application to Mr. Brophy, Depot-master, at the Immigration Depot. At a meeting of the Committee of the Mechanics' Institute, held last evening, iwas resolved that a petition should be signed, asking that a rate should be levied upon the city, under the provisions of the Public Libraries Act. There was another large house at the theatre last night, when the Fakir and hi 3 family amused and entertained most agrwably those present. The treasurer of the Ladies' Benevolent Society wishes to acknowledge with many thanks the receipt of £0 from an anonymous donor.

The Sydney Jforninii Herald extracts from the Brisbane Courier more of its New Zealand correspondent's detractions of the Sfony wtoh he d veils. Tho extract is ■ follows:—"I have before mo now a valuable document, compiled at immense cost of money and intellectual labour. It may be termed New Zealand socially, P°hti-c-illv geographically, and financially, in the highest style of art: or the concentrated 'sscnce of information relating to our colony, {►oiled down to a very small mass previous to its after concentration. And in deed and in 'ruth, when I como to overhaul things as I find them in this document, I am candid Loach to confess thai I have been underrating the land in which I draw my salary and enjoy so many sweet privileges. To berin then, let me say that, at this present time, WC have in our colony 80 Hour mills, worked by steam, wind, or water; wo have S2 breweries, 110 flax-mills, 3S collieries, 49 tanneries, 109 steam saw-mills, aud 16 iron foundries. Ixjok at these figures and weep not but wonder, for ivc are very young— :ily about thirty five years commenced. We have holdings to tlie extent of twentyfive millions of acres, of which eighteen millions are freehold, ;:>aid for in hard cash. We have over one million aud a-lialf of aores under crop, aud nearly the same area laid down in permanent grass. We have planted -1000 acres of land with beautiful forest trees. We have over thirteen millions of live stock—horses. 100,000 ; cattle, 494,000 ; sheep, twelve millions. AA o havo bou'-ht rams at 400 guineas a piece, and bulls at £1000, and horses for breeding purposes at jCSOO. Can you approach us in such matters! Why, last >ear we made four millious eight liundrc 1 thousand pounds weight of butter, and nearly two million pounds weight of clieeso. We have 770 threshing machines, 27 J 4 reaping machines, 11 steam harrows, ant 1 GO steam printing machines. I think I see the smile of approval spreading with p" easant radiance over the countenance of the old Brisbaner as he comes to read of such solid matter.'

The expenses in c< inectioa with the Auckland aud Mercer r'-ilway are set-out in the Estimates for this year to bo £23,511 Ss ; Kaipara, CtiliOl (is tki. On the Auckland and Mercer line, tht maintenance of way is estimated at £7023 -i:<, including '2 foremen at £4 per week, l ? gangers at Ss per dav, and 50 platelayers lit 7s; locomotive — running £2,753, including 1 foreman at £4, 1 drivereachat 13s and 12s 6d, and 2 at lis Cd, 1 fireman at 9s, and4utSs, 4clcarifcrs at6s Gd, and 4 coalmen at 6s 6<l; locomotive repairs 5 mechanics at 1 Is, and 2 labourers at 7s per dav : car and waggons—'.o mechanics at lis, and - labourers at 7s ; traffic £4,336 12s, inincluilinp 2 station clerkii at £120, 2 at £110, 0 at £I<K), 3 guards at £2 16s per week, _3 ticket collectors at £2 9s, 13 porters at £2 5s 6d, 2 pointsmen at 7s per diy, 1 watchman at £2 12s 6d, and 2 wh»-il-tappers at 7s per dav ; general charges—ir mager £325, traffic clerk £IS2 10s, and 3 cl.-rks at £150, stores £4SOO. The total expenses of railways open for traffic are estimated :.t £244,315. A public meeting having been convened for this evening, m tie Devonport _ Kail, North Shore, the usual weekly meeting of the Devonport Literary fiociety will not take place. An alteration has beer made in the regulations for the forthcoming poultry show, whereby one cock and hi:n can be exhibited, instead of one cock and Iwo hens. An " abolition meetin will be held in the Devonport Hall, North .Shore, this evening, at 7.30 o'clock. The assessment list of the Waitakerei West Highway District is opt a for the inspection of ratepayers. A Choral Society "At Home" will be given this evening, in the Hall, Symondsstreet.