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New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4480, 23 March 1876, Page 2

A gocd insight into the prevalent dispositions and habits of the more intelligent, even of the workiug classes, may be obtained by observing the books which are chiefly read from our public libraries, and a very instructive essay might be written with regard to what this choice of books shows. Perhaps the first idea which would occur to the .observer would be thatfpeople now-a-days are so busy—strain their minds and their bodies so greatly in the everyday battle of the world—that reading can only be a relief and a pastime. Only a very few in this community, can pretend *to study; not many care even td be instructed; what we all strive for is to be amused. A gentleman who has been making observations on public libraries, writes; the works of modern novelties of the most utter worthlessness are greedily devout ed by young people, who imagine that the extravagance of romance is the only way in which the realities of life may be fitly represented. How far this opinion is from the truth is known to all persons of thought or experience. This error of judgment is one of the evils of the age, and one with which it is exceedingly difficult to cope. There is no lack of good literature, but there is unfortunately a marked deficiency of good taste. No doubt the education of a correct literary taste should commence at tho homes, and be continued in the day-schools and Sundayschools. So important a work might appropriately engage the attention and active co-operation of churches of allidenominations, and of all -Religious and Social Societies. Beyond doubt, good books are read more extensively than they were, but this is not sufficient. They are not read to the same extent as trifling, worthless and vicious publications. In confirmation of what we mean we will mention one instance in which worthless and vicious publications do not come into competition. A large volume of Addison's works has been in the Library of the Young Men's Christian Association for six years and during that time it has been removed ouce from the shelves of the library by a subscriber, 'while scores of books, which bear no sort of comparison to it, works of very trifling value, have been worn out by extensive circulation. It is hardly necessary to say that this does not reflect upon the management of the institution. The committee has provided a very good class of literature. . The works are selected with care and discretion. Of course they cannot all be of equal merit, but nothing vicious is allowed a place in the library. But it is a fact that the less valuable works are read with avidity, and the better class are, to a great extent, neglected.

Seamen seldom pay much attention to the articles they sign when shipping, or remember much of the conditions afterwards. It tlius offcen happens that when a hitch occurs or they are paid off, they consider they have some grievance with regard to the manuer in which they are treated. Such occurred a few days ago on the arrival of the late crew of a vessel recently disposed of at New Caledonia. The men had been provided with a passage to Auckland on the ship's account, and on arrival were tendered pay up to the time of their leaving New Caledonia. This they refused to accept, believing that they were entitled to a continuation of pay until arrival at the port where they had shipped. It appears, however, that according to the terms of their agreement, and in accordance with the Merchant Shipping Act, the master is only bound to pay up to date of their discharge, aud to provide them with a passage home. The instructions are to the following effect: A stipulation is sometimes inserted in agreements to the effect that the crew may be discharged at some port on the Continent of luirope, and some misunderstanding has prevailed as to the effect of such agreements. Masters, should be made to understand that no stipulation will enable them to discharge their crews in a foreign port without the sanction of the Consul, or relieve them from the necessity of providing the men with employment or a passage home after discharge there, and seamen should be made to understand that in the event of their being discharged at a foreign port under such stipulation, they are entitled to a passage home at the expense of the ship, but they will in all probability not be held entitled to wages for any time subsequent to their discharge. In this instance the crew, having been made acquainted with the law, accepted the terms, and received their pay and discharges accordingly, thus avoiding needless litigation and expense.

It is reported that one of the members of the firm of X. M. Rothschild and Sous, the great capitalists in London, is about to pay a visit to this colony at the invitation of Sir Julius Vogel. It will be remembered that this firm provided the wherewithal in return for our debentures in the last four milliou loan ; and it is possible that the visit may, in a measure, be made with a view to ascertain the sufficiency of the security, not only for the money already advanced, but the capabilities of the colony to repay any loans in prospective. The acquaintance of a capitalist, who can write a cheque "off the reel," for four millions sterling in payment of the Khedive's Suez Canal shares, and who has vested interests in nearly every Government loan in the civilised world, is worth courting. Possibly Baron Bothschild will be lionised and feted on his visit, and as the family have the credit of always having an eye to the main cbance; there is aprobability of his negotiating in his tour across the American continent for the purchase of the Californian quicksilver mines, in order to again secure the monopoly in that mineral. Verily his advent to New Zealand may influence our gold mining operations and scrip market. Like Micawber waiting for something to turn up, we shall watch for the arrival of the billionaire witlTinterest."

Mr. H. Andrews, head-master of the Wesley College, Melbourne, was fined £5 at the Police Court for severely flogging one of. his. scholars*

Adverting >aboutJifemov* ing the pohce, that the same |evil! occurs cifey witli the disposition \of the : .police.? force. \Ko sooner do the kinen become .acquainted ' the by-laws and;:^city- regulations,, than,"it-; would appear, their time to move on has come, for away they go, and they are replaced , with men who are, as. a rule,„ in happy ignorance of such things~as* by-laws, j and who" saunter down Queen-street oblivious of any' amount of nuisances under their noses. The men are undoubtedly a fine body for Armed Constabulary, whether they are! so well adapted for city police is another "question." It is stated they get a higher rate of pay when in the field. If this is so,..it is not likely to endear them to. city work, where the hours of duty are necessarily longer and more arduous. With so many bad smells, and evils resulting from a more comprehensive system of drainage, it needs every police officer to be a Sanatory Officer or Inspector of Nuisances. There no doubt, if the police were to take cognisance of a great many matters that they now overlook, numbers of persous would be saved court and lawyers' costs, which are now often incurred through their ignorance.

A meeting of the JRegatta Club Committee •was held last evening in the Club-room, Thames HoteL There were present : — Messrs. Yon der Heyde (in the chair), T. Henderson (secretary), Lodder, Nearing, &c. The principal business of the meeting consisted of considering the balance sheet, which shewed, after satisfying all liabilities, a deficit of £20 odd. To meet this, the committee generously subscribed the amount. It is to be regretted that in a maritime port like Auckland, the public, who derive advantage from her commerce, so little spirit is shewn in endeavouring, to develop a rivalry amongst the aquatic fraternity. In all other- ports possessing half of the advantages Auckland does, a stimulus is given to the shipping trade connected with the port by a cordial interest taken in periodical regattas. Here, however, it is otherwise, and those gentlemen who have devoted their ' time, : and ; attention to the cause are saddled with the burden of making good deficiencies, in addition to their own subscriptions, which, according to the Club rules, have made them eligible to hold office. It is to be hojjied that no stigma shall be allowed to exist, but that some publicspirited man will " go round with the hat" in order to recoup the committee-men who have thus endeavoured to uphold the honor and .dignity of the Regatta Club and the port.

The commodious and in every respect conveniently situated premises at the corner of Shortland Crescent and Princes-street, recently occupied by Mr. T. Fish, have been taken by Mr. A. G. Hughes, who has fitted them up in a most elaborate manuer as a chemist's and druggist's emporium. Mr. Hughes has not only become possessed of the old stock of Mr. Pish, but has also purchased that of Mr. Philipson, who was lately in business at the corner of Waterloo Quadrant, and has added to the large quantity of goods recently in possession of those gentlemen, a choice selection of a most elaborate character. Although everything nauseous, as described in the Pharmacopceia, can be obtained there, sweet-smelling adjuncts to the toilet table are also in abundance; and instruments and appliances of every kind requisite to assist nature during her operations in our present artificial state of existence, are also there in abundance.

The works at the Hallway Pier under the contract of Mr. Taylor, are progressing in a remarkably rapid manner. Two of the bays of the tee at the end of the wharf have been completed, and a great part of the headgear of the jetty itself has been placed in situ. It is generally understood, however, that as a means for enabling first-class vessels to discharge cargo, the pier is likely to prove a failure. Tt is said by some who ought to know something about such matters, that even if the silt at the extremity were dredged completely away from the bed rock, there would still be far from sufficient depth of water to float a vessel of 1000 tons at low water, and that nothing but carrying out the jetty for at least 100 feet further will suffice to render it of use in the way of relieving the Queen-street Wharf of some of its heavy traffic.

A burlesque of "II Trovatorc" was produced at the Prince of Wales Theatre last evening. If incongruity alone were a criterion of merit in such a piece, the burlesque would have great claims to recommend it. The music, as was the case in all these burlesques, was very miscellaneous. Mr. Collier took the part of Azucena, Miss Lydia Howarde Manrico, Miss Jennie Nye the Count di Luna, and Miss Navaro Leonara. So far as travestie can entertain an audience, this performance was highly successful. The leading-songs were well sung, but the rest need not be menfcioued. To-night will bo the last appearance of the troupe. We learn that ilr. Cary, of Smith's Combination Troupe, has been engaged. He would make a capital Divir cus in "Chilperic." This part was the i >«. defect in the rendering of that comic opt and we should like to hear it agaiu. It is certainly the best thing this company has done.

lu. reference to tlie fatal accident in Hobson-street, we learn that all fences in dangerous positions are examined weekly by the City Council carpenter, and that on Saturday last the fencing was all right, but this morning one end of a length of rail was found down. If persons are resolved to get through, even close fencing will not prevent them. Two other places, one very dangerously situated at the end of Chapel-street, and another at the top of Shortland-street, have been close paled by the City Council, aud yet the palings are being constantly torn down and carried away, and the dangerous paths left open.

It was a boisterous night last evening, which may perhaps account for the meetiug of master mariners lapsing fcr want of a quorum. One old salt who was present said that it was apparent the rest of the fraternity had anchored for the night between the blankets with their best bower down, and there was no chance of their getting under weigh until daylight. So after waiting half an hour, those who were present spliced the main brace and set sail for home. The Master Mariners' Association is still unformed.

A meeting of the Improvement Commissioners was held yesterday afternoon. Several letters were read, and action, taken thereon. It was agreed to offer the remaining allotments for sale by public auction, one month from this date, and Messrs. Grant and Morton were appointed auctioneers. Two cottages in the reserve were ordered to be sold by auction without delay. A report of the business of the meeting is published in another column. At Pulman's photographic establishment in Shortland Crescent, conducted in an able manner by Mr. Steele, are now to be seen a number of views of some of our most prominent buildings. Among these the principal churches accupy a leading position, and are depicted with a faithfulness only to be arrived at by the help of the rays of light. The pictures are cheap, and should be in the possession of everyone. One person of unsound mind, one for using obscene language, two for assaults, and two for drunkenness, were incarcerated in the police cells during yesterday, and will make their appearance before the Bench this morning to answer the respective charges preferred against them, i Mr. Zambra, for a long time well known to fame as a photographer of high order, has re-commenced business in that line pf art. He has taken the premises in Shortland Crescent at one time occupied by Mr. Hedfern. ; The inquest on the body of the unfortunate man who lost his life by falling over the cliff at the bottom of Hobson-street has been postponed till this afternoon, at 2 o'clock, •when it will be held at the Freeman's Hotel. A telegraph station is now open at Riverhead, province of Auckland.

V Wellington Evening [states .tliat ' sots 6 years ago excellent, maun-! rfactuxed at the Roma® ] Catholic Mission; < Station in the Upper Wanganui district,| and: iiiore-lately a Mr. Tod v residing |in Waiiga" rnairhas devoted to*\riue;prov "duction. Mr. Tod exported sonie wines of Insproduction about a year ago, and.strong testimony in its fayonr isgiven ( in ing notice by the -Jfibidcc'Advertiseri— (t It" is satisfactory to learm that a commencement i 1-has been made in. sending to Great Britain : wines manufactured, in New Zealand. . The credit of developing tliis new trade is due to Mr. Andrew Tod, a Scotchman resident for mauy" years" in - Wanganui,- in the-pro-yince of Wellington, where 1 he carries on a large general business. The- idea of starting wine manufacture in New Zealand occurred to Mr. Tod in rather a singular way. One day a native called at his store, and offered for sale a quantity of rich,j wellgrown- grapes, at the same hinting that they would be found very suitable for conversion into wine. Mr. Tod bought the grapes, and while conducting experiments on a small scale, other Maoris visited him, and wished him to buy several tons of the fruit. This he did, aud the manufacture has gone on since, with the result that, after supplying wines in his own immediate district, Mr., Tod now intends to export them to this country. We have seen some samples of the New Zealand wine made from the juice both of the red and white grape. It appears to be of excellent quality, and has improved rather than deteriorated in bouquet by the long voyage." This subject has now excited considerable attention in the Wauganui district, and we learn from the Herald that two of the settlers there are going extensively into vine cultivation, this year. It is also suggested that a vine-growing _ company should be formed, with a capital of £2000, to try the experiment fairly, with 150 acres of land specially suitable for vino cultivation. Some time ago it was stated that the Agent-General proposed to- obtain on the Continent a number of skilled viguerons to send out to the colony. If vinegrowing and wine-making .were once established at Wanganui, the industry would soon be prosecuted in other parts of -the North Island, whereas In Auckland- the soil and climate are admirably adapted for. the purpose.-

- The iYczy Zealand Times contends that the - remark made by Sir Julius Vogel at the late bauquet;respecfcing Wellington harbour has been, misinterpreted. It saysln point of fact, what Sir Julius-Vogel saidhad reference'to the administration of harbour affairs, and should be taken as a compliment to Dunedin and Auckland. He stated his opinion that an important harbour like that of Wellington, in which the colony had not only a general interest, but in some sense a pro-,, perty as well, should not be left wholly to municipal control -j and we think that every person, who has had an opportunity of observing how the City Council manages the Queen's Wliarf and municipal affairs generally, will agree with-the Premier that it would be much better to separate corftrol of the harbour from the city. This has been dene in Auckland and Dunedin, and we can. say without fear of contradiction that if the harbour in either case had been left to the City Council the requirements of commerce would have been made subservient to the ward popularity of city councillors. This is a matter in- which, in our ojriuion, the entire colony is interested. Wellington is the pivot of inter-colonial and. inter- provincial trade, and anything which tends to reduce port and harbour dues, aud to facilitate transit, will be a pecuniary gain to the rest of the colony. It is no exaggeration, therefore, to say that this harbour is in an especial sense a colonial harbour. The colony is interested in its improvement. It is essentially the colonial port of New Zealand. ' But it' wants many things done to it which cannot even be spoken of, much less attempted, under municipal control."

An American journal wishes to know whether human saliva will kill snakes. We should almost fancy that it depends very much upon the facts whether the person who endeavours to slay the serpent by this meaus is in the habit of chewing tobacco. The Marietta (Ga.) Journal was told by a gentleman lately that human spittle was as deadly to poisonous snakes as their bites were deadly to man. He says while picking up a bundle of straw and trash under liis arm, while cleaning a field, a ground rattlesnake, four feet long, crawled out from it and fell to the ground at his feet. - He at once placed his heel upon the head of the snake and spit , in its mouth. Shortly afterwards the snake ' showed symptoms of inactivity aud sickness, and he picked it up by its tail and carried it to the house aud showed it to his wife, telling her he had spit.in its mouth and .that it was poisoned. At the expiration of fifteen minutes the snake was dead. 'To further exx>eriment he came across a blowing adder (suake), which ejected from its mouth a yellowish liquid. He caught it and spit in its mouth, and it died. He caught another blowing, and it refused to open its mouth.' He spit upon a stick and rubbed the spittle upon the adder's nose, and it died. Afterwards he came across a black snake, regarded : as not poisonous, and he caught it and spit in its mouth. Instead of the spittle killing the black snake, as it did the reptiles, it only made it stupidly sick, from which it recovered. This conclusively shows that poisonous snakes have as much to fear from the spittle of man as man has to fear from their bites. That man evidently " chawed."

" The Wellington Argus has the following :— "A man named Bent was arrested yesterday, afternoon for indecent exposure at Te Aro. The facts are too revolting to put into print, but the case served to bring to light the courageous conduct of a female who witnessed the prisoner's conduct. Coming suddenly upon the man, she found him in an out-of-the-way place, making improper overtures to a child. She at once ran to her house, and got a gun, which, fortunately or unfortunately, happened not to be loaded, and putting a cap on in presence of the prisoner she threatened to shoot him if he didn't make himself scarce. With calm effrontery he stood bolt upright before her, and told her to "shoot away." She was a little exasperated at being met with this reply, but she was still equal to the occasion, for she caught hold of the ruffian and dragged him to the street, where he was handed over to some persons, who in turn delivered him into the hands of the police. A difference of opinion has arisen between the Bench at Dunedin, and the Inspector of Police regarding the interpretation of the Vagrant Act. It is upon the view submitted by the Inspector, and which is as follows : "Are common prostitutes, as such, persons who have no lawful means of support ? If not, neither married nor single women can be so charged—if so, both would appear equally amenable, for a legal authority says, in all cases where a wife offends alone, without the company or coercion of her husband, she is responsible for her offence, as much as any Jemme sole." The Invercargill It. M. has, according to i the Southland Neivs, given from the Bench anew definition of " disorderly conduct," I He said: "If a man lies down in the I path and goes to sleep, he is disorderly." "Topers," remarks the 2?ew$ f "had better look out. Hitherto the belief has been that though a ' fellah* got tipsy, he could not be reckoned * disorderly/ unless some one was molested by him. That appears to be a fallacy, and tipplers need not be | if, on waking from a comfortable street tap, they find that the charge of being 'disorderly' is preferred against them." The Church of England in Queensland is bestirring itself from the lethargy into which it had fallen. Under the guidance and with the encouragement afforded to renewed exertions by the example of Bishop Hale, there seems a promise of something like a revival in thg£ Church. yiz }'(Tuapeka -■■Times) learn that- Mr. William Hayes-has sold, his interest in the Beaumont bridge to'"Mr. Henry Driver, of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency, for the sum of £7350. We believe Mr. Driver took possession of the bridge on Friday afternoon*

"A private letter received by the mail by a resident in Wellington, aud published in the New Zealand Times, has the following pasYou know by this time all about Wainwright and his brother Tom. :The latter deserved hanging more than his 'brother. I have heard much about it from. Rev. Mr. who took what confession Harry thought proper to make, and who is. - a*-personal r friend: of. mine.:: x-3?rom - what says, Tom was the actual murderer, and likewise thefactual butcher. The poor creature was made dead drunk with champagne and brandy, • and : then Tom'shother, whiles Harry awaited the news in a public-house and .she was then put into a box with chloride of lime, and three days after that ' they buried, her. -When she was exhumed, and cut up twelve months after, Tom was to have brought a.box for the remains, but failed to keep his promise, hence the employment, of Stokes and the discovery of the murder." From fnrther passages in the letter, it would, appear that, so far as the necessity for putting Harriet Lane out of the way was con- ' cerned, Thomas was as much interested as was Henry Wainwright. The English : papers have all noticed the latter's remarkable elocutionary powers, frequently displayed in public. ' It is noticeable that Hood's "Dream of Eugene Aram" was one of his favourite pieces for recitation. The Australasian of the 26 ch February says:—New Zealand lia9 atlengthbecomeconnected with Australia by a telegraphic wire and in so doing has linked itself with the system of communication which forms a network round the globe. It was time that the great and flourishing colony of-New Zealand should become a link in that "electric chain by which we are darkly bound." No community « possessing great commercial aucl industrial and political activity can afford in these timesto dispense with the services of the telegraph, not only as a meausfof inter-communication, but also as a link with the outside world. It cannot content itself with waiting for' the mail to obtain news that the rest of the world obtains instantaneously by the wire. The congratulations which have been exchanged between New Zealaud and some of the Australian colonies on the completion of the telegraph line have more than a formal and " complimentary meaning. They express-, a sense of the great benefits which must arise-, when communities, already so closely connected by their interwoven material interests, are yet more closely drawn together by this new tie. Amongst the smaller of these benefits is the fact that one of the outlets to absconding offenders from these colonies is now effectually stopped. For persons desirous, from urgent personal reasons, ' of taking a hurried departure from. Australia, there was a ' very* attractive facility offered by the New Zealand steamers. However, the change which joins New Zealand to us by telegraph clobcs this means of escape, and supplies, a useful auxiliary to the operations of our police. Bufc without trying to enumerate these benefits, it is obvious that they are many and great, and not the least will be the closer federative feeliug which must be fostered by everything « that tends to improve the communications between the colonies.

Two eminent lawyers had a rather undignified squabble at the Keaident Magistrate's Court, at Wellington, the other day. The affair is thus reported :—" Mr. Travers was continuing his remarks when Mr. Allan" said there was no necessity for making a -; long speech. Mr. Travers said, Mr. Allan" was very much in the habit of using'. language which had led another lawyer in Court to designate him "the most un- • courteous man lie-had gver met with." He'- 1 was systematically uncourteous to every member of the bar, and he (Mr. Travers) must request him to refrain from using : language of the sort to him. He was rude and insulting in his remarks. Mr. Allan:And you are equally rude and insulting. X was taught my professioiwn a school where you were not. You are simply a solicitor, and you come here and .practice as a barrister 1 lam not inclined to put up with any insulting remarks from you, so be good enough not to make use of them. You are not a barrister at all; we do not stand upon the same footing. Mr. Travers :My footing is equal to your own, and even superior, as is shown by my practice. Mr. Allan :My practice is equal to yours. His Worship: This is not the place for wrangling. I really must ask you to desist.

The Mobocracy of London have lately been ; triumphant in a matter where the " people's • rights" where assailed. According to the : Weekly Times, a large crowd assembled one afternoon in the latter part of December, on Hackney Downs, for the purpose of hearing Mr. de Morgan speak on the inclosures which ~ have recently been made by the lord of the >• manor, Mr. Wm. Tysson Amhurst, and the rights of the commoners. The meeting commenced about half-past four, when, it was estimated that nearly 25,000 persons had ' assembled. The speaker of the day commenced by saying that the commoners had a perfect legal right to remove all the inclosures which had recently been made by the lord of the manor, and that by their taking such action, r they would'be in no way interfering witlr the suit now pending in Chancery between the Board of Works, the custodians of the Downs, aud the lord of the manor. The only way for the people to get back their rights was by forcibly breaking down the railings (loud cheers, and 14 to the railings!"). No sooner had this last of five similar ad-.' dresses concluded, than there was a general j rush for the fence. AVhen the men made* move to the obnoxious fence, they were met . by some thirty or forty of theN division of the Metropolitan Police, but this body of men was entirely unable to defend the whole line. Every one present was only too eager to have a hand in the "fun," and bo the stout iron rails were made no more of than ; so much pack-thread. The posts, however, on the other hand, gave considerable trouble, V as they were imbedded some three or four , feet in the ground. They were all uprooted at last, however, and dragged in triumph to a convenient spot, and piled in the sbape o£ a cone. The next thiug to be done was to light the whole—a work of but a few moments, as they had been tarred in the morn- „ , ing by the orders of; the lord of the manor, who thought by that means to prevent their ' ; being handled by those who had made up v their minds to destroy them. When this gigantic bonfire was blazing away, the whole->j, of the spectators set up a wild of triumph, and some commenced dancing ' round the burning mass. In order to , make the work of destruction complete, a collection was made* and liberally responded to for the jmrchase of oil, tar, and other combustible agents, which, when thrown into the fire, lighted up the locality for a , considerable distance. Everything passed off as quietly as could be expected under the . circumstances, and not a single arrest was made by the police. r 1 The following is the rota of attendance of Justices at the Court of Petty Sessions to be held on Tuesday uext, the JJtn. instant: Messrs. K. B. Lusk, T. Macffarlane, G. M. Mitford, J. May, D. L. Mur* doch, H. D. Morpeth, _L. I>. Nathan, J*. J. Nathan, H. A. Nation, J. Newman, A* O'Neil. i Mr. R Arthur will hold an extensive s»le of fruit, ex Jane, from Hobs-rt Town, a * mart, Queen street, at 11 a.m. to-day. AJi consignment consists of apples, plums, uani* sons, jams, &c., and is in splendid tion. Mr. Ewington's concluding lecture on " The Dutch Kevolt against Spain take place this evening, at 7.30 o'clock, 1 the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association.

The surplus immigrants 1 stores ex balisbury, from Louclon, will be sold, by auction by Messrs. E. and _H. Isaaos, at 11 3.J8. today. • r - The panorama "Up the Rhine" Tvill . exhibited in Wellesley-street Sunday-schoo this evening. Members of the 1.0.0. F. are requested™ attend the funeral of their late brother w. ; Mattieon this afternoon. . Tenders are required by the Parneu W' trict Board for work required in that a**" trict, -a;