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New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4392, 10 December 1875, Page 2

We observe that the people of the Thames are becoming impatient at the delay in the settlement of the difficulty with respect to the pumping of the Waio-Karaka mines. Webelieve that nothing hasbeen done beyond what the public is already acquainted with, viz., that a conditional offer of £6000 has been made for the Bright Smile pumping plant, which the mortgagees regard as much below its value. They have consented, however, to accept £7000, or to leave the price to be fixed by arbitration, to which the City of London Company will not consent. There at present the matter stands, though efforts are being made to effect a settlement. Our latest telegrams from the Thames report that the crushing of the stuff which the Queen of Beauty were taking out of their upper levels, which are still unflooded, has proved not payable, and that the battery and mine are stopped. Thus a number of men will be rendered idle, and if nothing is done to start the pumps, other mines will have also soon to " knock off." We hope that within a week something decisive will be done, so that the pumps may be started at once. Even in that case, it would be several weeks before work could be resumed in the low levels, as an immense quantity of water must have accumulated in the country during the time that the pumps have been stopped.

To the uninitiated it is perfectly wonderful how the city and suburbs are kept in so peaceful & state. About half-a-dozen constables do the whele work of the town, and there is only one to each of the suburbs of Parnell, Newton, and Ponsonby. With regard to the city, as a general rule, quietness prevails. But in and about the suburbs there is at times a good deal of rowdyism, and great tact has to be employed in manoeuvring refractory subjects. The central police have also at times a good deal of trouble, although, as a general rule, " business is easy." The outside constables are, however, terribly overworked, and have immense districts to look after. Take, for instance, the case of the man stationed at Parnell. He has not only that special district to keep in order, but is expected to look after the peace of the whole of that wide-spreading district which extends from the railway riaduct in Mechanics' Bay to Panmure, and as far as as the Royal Oak Hotel, which is on the road dividing Auckland from Onehunga. It would take any man with ordinary pedestrian faculties, at least three days to traverse the whole of the roads running through. thi3 district. Yet, this wida-spreading piece of country is under the charge of one constable only. Either tlie people are remarkably quiet, or the constable is a kind of " springheel'd Jack." The great want, however, in the three localities referred to is that of lock-ups. At present, if a man is found reTelling in the gutter lie must be absolutely carried all the way to the station in Chancery-street. This has been done more than once by each of the district constables, who have toiled up the steep hills with their burdens, and cast them into the cells of the central watch-house rather than allow thorn to die in a ditch, as dogs. A great improvement might be effected by building a secure room as an annexe to the residence of eacli district constable. A drunkard might then be " run in," or carried in, and allowed to become sober. In the morning it would bs an easy matter to make him march down to the head station and answer for his folly.

Tho anniversary soiree in connection with the Baptist Church, at the Thames, took place at their chapel, Sliorfcland, on Wednesday night. The attendance was large, and the meeting highly successful. Tho Hev. Mr. Cornford, of Auckland, occupied the chair, who briefly sketched the work of Christian Churches, and tho present position of the Baptist community at the Thames. During tha past six years they had had four iniuistsrs, two of whom had done their work, and their works would follow them. The present opportunity was one of great interest, as it specially embraced the recognition of their new minister, the Pev. J. T. Hinton; and in response to a question, whether the congregation agreed to accept the rev. gentleman, ail the meeting stood up, and he was received with unanimity and applause. The rev. gentleman spoke feelingly ;of the great kindness that had been shewn him and his family since his arrival, and of his determination to faithfully discharge the duties of pastor. The proceedings were diversified by speeches, singing, and reading treasurer's and secretary's reports.

One of the best, if not the very best, pieces of lithographic work ever turned out ' 1 South of the Xine," has just been completed in this office. The credit of the design is due to Mr. D. W. Macffarlane, who has shewn his capacity as an artist of high class. The card is one printed in colours for Messrs. T. and S. Morrin ; and besideß an ornamental border and centre, there are a number of drawings of various articles of ironware, the whole of which have been executed in a most artistic manner. The colouring, and the neatness of the whole card, also confer great credit on the lithographers concerned.

Yesterday was a day of continuous heavy rain, very unlike what we generally experience and expect so near midsummer. It was excessively close, foggy, and uncomfortable, and altogether the kind of weather to which everyone is prepared to wish a " welcome adieu." Towards evening the barometer gave some indications of improvement. The variable weather tells very seriously against labourers and artisans. It has the effect of considerably reducing their weekly earnings.

The inspector of highways and by-ways, if there be any such officer constituted under the thousand and one by-laws of the City Council, ought to drag his feet in rainy weather down the western side of Queenstreet. Every now and then he would find himself ankle deep in water. The pavement requires raising and re-setting in many places. Possibly the Ins/pector of Nuisances can do something in the matter.

In a local paragraph yesterday, we stated that three members of the Agricultural Society were candidates for " Rodney." It •should have read for the district of Franklin. Another error occurred in the same graph. The members of the Society who were present at the time of meeting were,the Vice-President, the Secretary, and Mr. Calvert, the veterinary referee. , .•;

An accident occurred early on "Wednesday morning to a man named Barber, who fell off a scaffolding in the Abolition claim, Hape Creek, and, in falling, cut his throat, making a gash four inches in length, penetrating the windpipe. Dr. Payna was immediately on. the spot, and the sufferer is doing as well as can be expected.

A special meeting of the Education Board was held yesterday aftsrnoon. Some discussion took place relative to the revised regulations. It was suggested that the hours for secular education should be so arranged as not to exclude the opportunity of imparting religious instruction in schools where it might be considered advisable. Nothing definite was done in respect to this matter, the consideration of which was postponed until next meeting. Some time ago the Chancellor of the New Zealand University published in the Gazette the names of Auckland students as having failed to pass an examination they did not attend. The injustice to these students was of a very serious character, and the Board of Education and the Principal of the Auckland College have since done all they could to have reparation made by the acknowledgment of the error on the part of the University. They have, however, been unsuccessful. In reply to their first queries on the subject they received from the Chancellor a very dignified and cloudy epistle. Not one of the Board could see in it any explanation whatever of the matter. A ' second letter was sent to the Chancellor on the same subject, and to this no reply has been received. The Board yesterday passed a resolution to be forwarded to the Chancellor, regretting the injustice done to the Auckland students, mentioning; the fact that no satisfactory explanation had been given by him, and stating that it was the intention of the Board to lay the matter before the next Senate of the University, unless an explanation such as was required was given.

A certain citizen writes to us anent the obstruction of footpaths. He says:—"My business takes me many times a day along Custom-house-street. Igo a few yards along that main thoroughfare to the railway, and I either tumble over a log of wood lying across the footpath and break my shin, thus necessitating the application of vinegar and brown paper, or have my ribs knocked two into one by a battering ram, in shape of a twenty-foot long plank thrust forward towards a dray, which, I may also say, backs over half the footway. In another part of the same street, a road has been made from a warehouse to the transhipping drays, by actually laying down half-a-dozen of large cases like those you may have seen with four-dozen of beer in them. These are laid right across the footpath. A man can contrive, with a little exertion, to cross them; but a woman, unless she likes to perform an unwomanly acrobatic feat, has to walk through the slush and mire, and go into the roadway and round the head of the horse. Where is the Inspector of Nuisances ? And why should such things be permitted. Where are the Police, and why should they allow such contraventions of the city by-laws to exist i"

Rapana, the well-known Maori chief at the Thames, has got into trouble through assaulting Judge Munro. The Thames Advertiser reports the circumstances:—"lt appears that a piece of land, for which Rapana was a claimant, was being adjudicated upon. Other natives claimed to be included in the Crown grant with Kapana, and substantiated their titles to the satisfaction of the Judge. Kapana, seeing which way judgment was going, left the Court in bad temper, with out waiting until judgment was delivered, and as soon as the judgment was actually given the Court adjourned. The natives cleared out at once, and Judge. Munro was just coming out of the Courtroom (the American Theatre) when Rapana rushed at him, and commenced in an angry, excited manner to address him. Judge Munro attempted to pass out several times, but was as often prevented by the angry old chief, who pushed him back, evidently for the purpose of detaining him until he had told him a piece of his mind. His Honor sent for the police, and gave Rapana in charge, and he was taken away to the lockup. Immediately after the sitting of the Licensing Commission, Captain Fraser, in his capacity as Resident Magistrate, sat to hear the charge. Mr. Wilkinson interpreted. Defendant denied striking, but admitted making a noise, being dark, through losing his land. Mr. Bullen stated the circumstances of the case, and called Henry Alfred Horne Munro, who deposed: I am a Judge of the Native Lands Court, and held a Court to-day, in Shortland, in which I gave judgment in a case in which defendant was interested. It was not adverse to him, but he wished to exclude some of his near relatives. Defendant left the Court before judgment was given, and when I gave judgment the other natives left the Court. I was myself the last to leave the Court, when Rapana rushed on me like a madman, and commenced addressing me in a very violent way, and every time 1 attempted to pass him he pushed me back. I had only two alternatives—to send for a policeman or knock him down, and I preferred the former, and gave him in charge. Defendant asked no questions, but said he was very dark. Mr. Austin, clerk to Judge Munro, deposed that he saw the defendant attempt to atop Judge Munro from going out of the building by putting his hands against his chest and pushing him back. He was very excited. Defendant, in answer to the charge, said the reason he shouted as he did was to get into trouble, as he was satisfied to get into trouble about his land. The land was his, and the other claimant had no just claim to it, and that was the reason he acted as he did; he was so very dark. He was satisfied to be taken away, as his land had been, through Judge Munro. His Worship, addressing the defendant, said that the Lands Court was appointed to decide calmly all claims to land, and Judge Munro was appointed a Judge of that Court, so that justice might be done to the quiet native as to the noisy one. That was why the Court was appointed, so that the bully and boisterous native should not get all the land, and that the quiet, well-behaved natives might get justice. People like Rapana, rangatiras, should shew their people a good example, not a bad example, as he had done in this case. He knew that Rapana was a good man at bottom, although he was very excitable, and that knowledge which he had would be taken into consideration in his punishment. Hhe did not know that he was a good native at bottom, he would not give him the option of a fine, but would send him to prison without the option of a fine ; but as he knew him to be a good, peaceable Maori, he would let him off with a fine of £10, or in default a month's imprisonment. There was a large concourse of natives in Court. Rapana seemed inclined to take out his sentence, but a well-dressed Maori woman called out to wait, and the money would be paid. The prisoner was removed, but in a few minutes the fine was paid, and he was liberated."

A great many people wonder if the question of the drainage of the Waio-Karaka district has become a thing of the past, or whether the political excitement which now prevails has totally driven this important question out of the minds of those interested. It certainly does appear that there is great laxity somewhere. The stoppage of the pumps of the Bright Smile is one of the chief causes of the depression which exists here at present. Numerous propositions have been made from time to time, but no decisive action has, so far as we know, been taken recently, and we hear no more of the formation of that drainage association which was determined upon at the meetings held some time ago at the Pacific HoteL We believe the creditors of the Bright Smile Company, at a meeting held recently, determined to make some offer to the proposed association, but the nature of this offer has not transpired.—Thames Advertiser.

Mr. McDonald, of the Miranda, has received an order to supply 73 round kauri poles t 55 feet high and not less than 5 inches in diameter at the small end, and 400 round poles of any tough wood 35 feet long and not less than I ' 2 inches thick at the small end. These have-tobe delivered in Auckland as soon as possible, and are to be ÜBed in the construction of the building or canvas structure in which Blondin is to perform his marvellous feats.

The Bank of New Zealand received per Enterprise yesterday, four boxes, containing 4000 ozs. of gold.

A lad named WL'son was charged at the Police Court yesterday 'with having carried a piece of timber, abon. t nine feet in length along the footpath in Qt*. 'een-street in spite o£ the constable's request fo.' him to walk in the street with it, where there" wonld have been less likelihood of its proving' a n annoyance to pedestrians. The lad plea ded not guilty and cross-examined the eonsti >tle somewhat minutely in relation to the occurrence. He however, failed to shew that he. had complied | with the constable's request to take to the street, and also failed to satisfactc "rily refute . ° statement that he had persistec lin striving to irritate the policeman as muci'i as posible by stepping on and off the footpath at frequent intervals Such conduct was highly | reprehensible on his part, and he may consider himself fortunate in being dealt wit h so ! S *° b % l , et a nominal line of Is and ccsts. The desired end which ii'r. Broham had m view in bringing forward th e case will have been attained if of ' a 3 P° sition dui; im t" ec E with the knowledge that their disregard o£ Lhed bB alWd i°P«sunpu2

The proceedings of the As sembly at Chnstchurch have been of an in teres ting character. They have taken steps for a complete union of the Church through out the colony. The erection of a Theological Hall for the training of students for the ministry at Auckland has also been sanctioned. But perhaps the most important feature of the session, in a political point of , has b . een the expression of opinion elicited against denominafcionalism. The Presbyterian body is one of those which could take advantage oE a denomination?. 1 system, and use it unfairly against othec bodies ; but the ministers assembled at Chnstchurch rightly and nobly desire to do no such thmg. A Total Abstinence Society has been formed in connection with the Church, of which Mr. John Lamb has been appointed president.

Mr. Foughey, the contractor for No. 3 section of the Thames Wator Supply, comprising one mile and three-quarters, from the Waio-Karaka to Parawai, ha 3 completed hiß task in terms of specification, and in a manner that has enabled the resident engineer, Mr. Aitken, to pass the work. The nature of this contract has been varied, consisting of tunnelling, open-ditching, and tressle-wort for carrying the iron flumin". in some places as high as 80 feet. In every particular, the erections have been faithfully put up, and the connections properly secured. Beyond the present dam—built for the mines in the Waio-Karaka district, there is no present depot for storage of water, but provision is made to turn the race into the Karaka Creek, should it be necessary. The near completion of the entire of this "water scheme will, in the course of three weeks, demonstrate its utility. No. 1 section (Mr. Heron's) has been completed lop j since ; and No. 2, or Smith's, is so far completed that the water is now running in the race, and found to answer the levels as expected, and can be connected with No. 3 section in three weeks, when the water will be. available. The object of this water scheme will not accomplish the firstintention of supplying water to batteries up the creeks, but will command the town and mines to 150 feet above high-water mark. The whole of the water-power can be easily and profitably utilised, if the cost per sluice • head can be brought down to a price that will successfully compete with the present outlay required in steam power, and probably will be the means of starting into life new industries requiring constant and cheap motive-power.—[Thames Correspondent.}

Colonel Haultain sat as a Commissioner in the office of the Clerk of the Resident Magistrate's Court, Shortland, on "Wednesday, to inquire into the nature of certain allegations made by Mr. Alley, of Hikutaia, regarding Mr.F. W. Pnckey, the district native officer. The accusation made was to the effect that certain natives had been instigated by Mr. Puckey to stop Mr. Alley's cattle, and prevent them from being driven over certain lands near Te Aroha. Mr. Alley and Mr. Puckey were in attendance, and made statements which were taken down by the Commissioner, but the proceedings were of course of a private nature.

At this season of the year farmers are generally complaining of the scarcity of rain, but, so far as the summer has gone, we have almost had too much wet weather. However, it has been excellent weather for grasses, and the result is the unusual cheapness of farming produce and the good condition of cattle. Some capital crops of wheat and barley are being raised in the country districts, and are now in full ear. For potatoes the weather has not been favourable, and but poor crops are, as a rule, expected.

At the Police Court, yesterday, a man named Horace Chandler was brought before the Bench, on a charge of conducting himself on the preceding evening in a manner that was calculated to provoke a breach of the peace. The man, who appeared with a rather difigured countenance, denied the charge. It appeared from the evidence given by the prosecutor, who was a boarding-house-keeper, that the prisoner had come to his place and insisted upon being supplied with a bed, but failed to shew how an equivalent for his night's accommodation was to be paid. On the landlord's refusing to take him in, he grew very violent, and threatened to take his life, unless he relented. His unlawful proceedings were checked by the appearance of a policeman on the scene, and he was conveyed at once to the Police Station, and a sentence of 10s. and costs was imposed, with the option of 14 days' board and lodging, on easy terms, in the quiet glades of Mount Eden.

The recommendation of Sir George Grey that the Thames Borough Council should follow the example of Timaru respecting the construction c£ harbour works, will cause some surprise in the South. Why, the Timaru Borough Council had nothing whatever to do with the question. It was the Superintendent of Canterbury who sent to England ior the best engineering advice could be obtained, and it was Mr. Rolleston who received the report that has lately been published from Sir John eminent engineer, when applied to, a..»'nce = 'Sßnt out an assistant to inspect the Timiyyruadstead, to watch the action of the travelling shingle on the beach, and to take proper soundings. Upon this information the report was framed, and works were recommended which will cost a quarter of a million of money. We are quite prepared to agree with Sir George Grey that a similar policy should have been ■ followed at the Thames, and we strongly recommended at the time that Sir John Coote's assistant should be asked to make a report upon the harbour works at the Thames, but the Superintendent of Auckland wo:.*ld not move in the matter. We recommend Sir George Grey to follow the example of Canterbury, and at once obtain a proper plan for future works at the Thames. There are no great engineering difficulties in the way, and we need not go out of the colony for advice. To recommend the Borough Council, with an income of £3,000 or £4,000 a year, to undertake the construction of harbour works, is nonsense.—Thames Advertiser.

A large native meeting, convened by the Hawke'a Bay chiefs, takes place at Napier on the 22nd instant, for the purpose ofj-deoiding on a Maori member for the seat held during last Parliament by Mr. Takamoana. The whole of the Arawa natives have been invited by circular to be present, and it is anticipated that the korero will extend over sis days. We understand that Henare Potae, of Poverty Bay, is one of the candidates, and it is intended to request Mita Hikairo (Judge I? oil ton's assessor) to contest the seat. Should he accede to the request, there is little doubt that he will be supported by the whole of the Arawa tribe and the liawke s Bay natives,—Bay of Plenty Times.

To-morrow a match will be played between the West End Cricket Club and the Manukau Cricket Club. The former will l«»ve town at 1.30 from Crowther'a stables, and b« represented by the following gentleman:— Messra. T. Macky, Gleeson, Heather, Pollan, H. C. Brown, Mason, McLean, Choyce, C. Taylor, Western, Haultain.

A melancholy interest attaches to the letter written by Mr. Henderson, from on board the Strathmore, as it is the last that has been heard, or that probably ever will be heard, of that vessel. A good many weeks ago,' it was surmised that she had been lost by having caught fire and having been, blown to pieces by the explosion of the large quantity of powder which was onboard. It hasbeenshewn lately that fires are caused in vessels in most cases by men scrambling amongst the cargo irith naked lights, for the purpose of getting at the spirits. In all probability the practice of broaching cargo had been continued, till some one, careless or drunk, had set fire to the ship. Some change ought to be made in the method of stowing cargo, and also in respect to the carriage of powder; but it would appear that the New Zealand Legislature can do nothing.

Mr. J. P. Hall, manager of the Alburnia, while inspecting one of the winzes on the upper section of the mine, found to his cost that a rotten stick' was the means of his going down with the run some 12 feet, and sustaining a severe shock, that well nigh broke his back. The gentleman was carried to the battery office, and, owing to the excellent treatment he at once received, he has been enabled to resume his duties in a Yery enfeebled condition.—[Thames Correspondent.]

If the weather is at all favourable, a match will be played by eleven of the Auckland United Cricket Club and eleven of the North Shore Cricket Club, on Saturday afternoon, at the North Shore ground. At a meeting of the committee of the Auckland United Cricket Club a challenge from a Taranaki team to play a match during the Christmas holidays was read, and, we need scarcely add, immediately accepted.

There seems to have been quite a spell of rough and wet weather lately in the South, and in Wellirgton the storm appears to have done considerable damage. Communication by telegraph was interrupted for several hours last night, but about eleven or twelve o'clock the wires were got to work, and the Southern .telegrams were completed about two o'clock this morning.

There are as many pretended remedies for ■sea-sickness as there are quasi authors of the " Letters of Junius," but none of these vaunted cures proved suceess•ful. Iced champagne is a very favorite beverage at sea, and many people imbibe glass after glass of Moet and Chandon, with much apparent satisfaction; but then they are not suffering from sea-sick-ness. A London contemporary—The World —firmly believes that nothing yet invented or known will act as apreventive of sea-sickness, and it is about to join its faith to the newest remedy for this dismal malady—namely, nitrate of amyl—which has been recommended by a London doctor as being far superior to bottled stout, camphor, chlorodine, belladonna, ice-bags applied to the spine, and even to the generally popular '' hzz." The way it is used is by inhalation. Three ■drops of the nitrate should be put in a pockethandkerchief for the sufferer to smell, taking care not to expose the drug too much to the air. According to the inventor, the result of the inhalation is to "free the circulation," and to " relieve the hyperemia of the spinaj cord." The next sensation is that of a throbbing in the temples, followed by " a more or Jess general flushing and increased warmth of|the surface of the body," the sufferer next goes to sleep, and awakes ravenous for food. There is only one drawback to this panacea, and that is that a person is not expected to apply the remedy until the sickness has begun.

The Government have, it appears, called on Messrs. Brogden to pay the whole of the promissory notes given under the immigration contract. It will be remembered that immigration was a part of the original contract with the Messrs. Brogden, but that they failed to carry out this part. They attribute this failure to the action of the Government.

The panorama and the performance by Monsieur Oriel's clever dogs was repeated at the City Hall last evening. The patrons of the entertainment were especially pleased with the marvellous intelligence displayed by the canine artistes. There will be a performance at Onehunga this evening.

In consequence of the very inclement weather which prevailed last evening, the variety entertainment which was tohavebeen given in the Devonport Hall by the members of the North Shore Rowing Club was postponed till next week.

Two persons were arrested for drunkenness last evening. A man who is undergoing a sentence of hard labour, and a boy who had deserted from the Training Ship, were also in custody at the Police-station.

The firm of Messrs. M. Levy and Co_. have issued a very handsome almanac for 1876. It is printed on thick enamelled paper, and has been extremeiy well got up.

The Bay of Plenty Times contains a requisition to Mr. Kelly, to stand for the East Coast, numerously signed.

The members of the Pitt-street Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Association will give their half-yearly entertainment, in the Wesleyan School-room, Pitt-street, this evening. There is a good programme. The Rev. A. Reid wiU take the chair, and, as is usually the case, a very successful meeting is anticipated.

The Auckland Choral Society's performance of the " Messiah' has been fixed for the 30th inst. Old members and those of the late Orehunga Choral Society are invited to attend. The first practice will take place on Tuesday evening next.

By advertisement notice in another column it ■will be seen that all licences issued by the City Council expire on the 31st inst.

The drawing for the prizes for the Champion Race will take place at the City Club Hotel this evening.

Notice is given that Charles Burton, hotelkeeper, has filed a delaration of his inability to meet his engagements.