Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5173, 15 June 1878, Page 4

Three chapters of a new story by Mrs. H. Lewis are given elsewhere—the first one being repeated from last week on account of the demand for copies being greater than the issue. The story is one which promises to be of considerable interest.

It is stated that the General Assembly will not :'ieet until the end of July. It was at first proposed to postpone the meeting until August, but this was overruled by a majority of the Cabinet.

The Government steamer Hinemoa reached Auckland yesterday afternoon from the Bay of Islands, with the Hon. the Nativ« Minister, Hon. Hone Nahe, Mr. Bunny, M.H.R., Mr. Karaitiana, M.H.R , aud Mr. Grace. As soon as he got on shore Mr. Sheehan was besieged with people on business. The party left again about 11 o'clock. The Hinemoa will call at Maketu, but will only remain there for a few hours, and then proceed to Wellington, and hence to New Plymouth, to enable Mr. Sheehan to attend the Waitara meeting.

_When Mr. Cox announced the resignation of his seat in the House, he stated his principal reason for taking that course was that his health was not sufficiently good to enable him to bear the strain of another session, and that his hearing had became so bad that he often felt himself placed at a considerable disadvantage during debates. It is stated by our Hamilton correspondent " that Mr. Cox and family are about to leave Hamilton and reside in Canterbury. Great regret i 3 felt in losing Mr. Cox and family, as they are greatly respected throughout the district, and are a family that cannot easily be replaced."

We understand that Mr. F. A. Whitaker, solicitor, Hamilton, is likely to be a candidate for the representation of Waipa, in the place of Mr. A. Cox. A correspondent at Hamilton, says:—"The 'coming man' for Mr. Cox's seat in the House is likely to be Nir. F. A. Whitaker. He is very popular in the VYaikato district, and it is thought he has the making of a good and useful representative in him. No other candidate is as yet spoken of, and he will have to be a good man to have any show."

In reference to the proposal for the erection of a Masonic Hall, a meeting was held at Mr. Pierce's office yesterday afternoon. The masters of all the lodges in the city were present. The proceedings were entirely of a preliminary nature—more for the purpose of laying the foundation for a future meeting than with a view to arriving at any definite conclusion. There was a good deal of discussion or rather conversation as to the affair, and the meeting was adjourned till the 2Soh instant. After this there will be, no doubt, some definite proposal to lay before the lodges, and we trust that upon the slight commencement of a foundation laid at yesterday's meeting a superstructure will be raised which will be a credit to the city and an honour to the craft.

Some of the dealers in kerosene appear to feel annoyed at what has appeared in our columns with respect to possible accidents from the use of bad kerosene. A dealer who called at oar office yesterday, however, furnished us with conclusive proof that a considerable quantity of kerosene unfit for use in lamps had been sold here and retailed. Our informant gave us the name of one shopkeeper who had purchased a considerable quantity, but stated that when some of that shopkeeper's customers brought back what they had purchased, this retailer did not sell any more. The boxes were marked " Painters' spirits," and the stuff was never intended to be consumed in lamps. Kerosene of an inferior kind is, it seems, extensively used in America instead of turpentine. Our informant does not know what to make of the result of Dr. Hector's tests, but contends that the kerosene ordinarily U3ed in Auckland is perfectly safe. Explosions, he says, are sometimes caused by the small holes in the burner becoming stopped up, and so causing an accumulation of gas that explodes when the flame reaches it. On this point we differ from the dealer referred to. From inquiries we have made, from samples obtained, &c, we believe if a searching test is applied to the kerosene oil at present in Auckland, comparatively few samples will be found to be safe within the meaning of the Act, and that very much of it is scarcely less dangerous in a dwelling-house than would be charged shells given as playthings to children. We make bold to say that, if a full and fearless examination was made of the oil now in Auckland, more of it would be found to give inflammable vapour at and under SO* Fahrenheit than over 90% although by the Act it should not give off inflammable vapour at 110" Fah. Much of the kerosene oil now in Auckland is believed to be extremely dangerous, and, it is affirmed, will give off inflammable vapour at a lower degreeof heat than that of an ordinary sitting-room, and at a lower temperature than that which is ordinarily experienced in the summer season. What have the city authorities been doing to allow such dangerous stuff to be imported and retailed in the city ? Let a full aud searching investigation be m >.de by one having " a competent chemical knowledge," without delay, and the most ample evidence will be forthcoming to prove every statement we have made. The Thames Star says :— "We learn that Mr. J. B. Mason, Borough Inspector under the Dangerous Goods Act, has for two weeks past been obtaining samples of kerosene from dealers in that article, and testing the same. In several instances a most dangerous quality of oil has been detected, such as comes within the restrictive clauses of the Dangerous Goods Act." It will be seen that in Wellington the Chamber of Commerce have decided to communicate with the City Council and the Government on the subject.

Mr. Superintendent Thomson returned to town yesterday, by the Hiuemoa, having visited the Northern districts, in order to inspect the police-stations at Hokianga and the Bay of Islands. We have no doubt that his visit will lead to considerable improvement in the efficiency of the police in these districts.

The concert to be given on behalf of the family of the late Mr. Marlin will take place on Saturday night week, in the Theatre Royal. Some excellent performers have been secured, and there is no doubt the affair will be a success.

Yesterday afternoon a than ordinary interest took place at J"" 6 copal Cemetery, and attracted a largouSk?" 01 persons, as naval honours weiitf - mbw « the graveside of the ZcZZ T"* tne recent stay of U. M. a x' harbour one ,/the engine- room 'Sfc. * named James Chelton, a late England, w ai attacked by typhoid everTs prior to the vessel sailing for the Z'lh * pores and the Auckland I 3 ! a „da he Z " veyed to the city hospital, W W-" expired on Thursday. Yesterday A** 4V comrades, comprising cettv r« a °o*t chief petty officers of H fl. F their last respects to a departedSriS S on a gun carriage dragged by the blue i£ was the coffin of the deceased ci n borne to its final resting-place. Sirr™ r' the grave, besides a number of JK? ,B S public, were the following officers of H M*? Sapphire : Lieutenant McArthur Engineers Griffin and Taylor, and man Adams, and a firing party of th\JZ w P " jackets. The Rev. Cox Edward, 3? lue of the Sapphire, read the at its close the usual volleys were fireil k tween each volley the salute by thebu-fc and drummer being sounded in token of re spect to a departed comrade. e " A complaint has been made to us bv „ working man relating to the railway charL imposed on him. The man in ' U „Z whose name ,s McCarthy, has taken a con tract to dress kerbstones at EUersli- an j supply them to some contractors in AuTk land. The quarry being close to the railway station, and, if we mistake not, with a side." mg leading into it, he of course took it fo granted that the cost of transit would £ very moderate, and ho tendered according To his surprise and disappointment, how ever, ne found that the railway impose a charge of £1 per truck for convev mg the same to the Auckland station a fW which it has of course to be carted'to its destination. The tariff is so heavy that he has requested those whom be is supplying, to engage carts to cart the stone 3 to town finding that the cost by that means would' be very much lessened. By the way »W quarry might be utilised to considerable advantage, and made a source of revenue to the railway department, if a more moderate scale of charges was adopted.

The case of alleged poisoning was before the Court yesterday, and on the an pucation of the police a further adjournment was granted. The facts of the case as stated bjj the Sub-Inspector, were the same as those already published, but the iavesti gations made have led to the con lusion that there is some other man whose name did not transpire implicated or connected w uh the case in some way. The detective and a mounted constable have scoured the country in search of this man, but although they f Juud traces of him in several places, they were unable to find him. The remand was granted to enabie the police to make further search for this man.

The new comedy " Ultimo, or Stocks •• Brains," was repeated last evening, at the Theatre 1 loyal. The cast waa the same and the piece was well played. "UnJer the Gaslight'' is announced for this eveuin ' The company proceed to the Thames on Monday. They open the Thanus season •with " Henry IV."*

The following appears in a Thames paper —"We are glad to notice that Mr. W. Brass<=y, lately practising here, and who,' from mining and other speculations, was obliged to seek the protection of the V.an'kruptcy Court, obtained his disch.vge at the District Court to-Jay, having some tin;c since arranged to pay his "creditors in lull ail debts due by him."

We are glad to karn that llr. Morton, of Messrs. Grant and Morton, who has been exceedingly ill within the last ;V.v days, is progressing towards recovery.

Hamilton is shewing signs of steady progress. TWn allotments are rising in value, and many business people are enlarging their borders. Amongst other new erections is an important addition to the post-office and telegraph building. This will enable Mr. Taylor and family to reside on the premises. Mr. Taylor has long beeD connected v.;th this department in Hamilton, and is a very obliging and useful officer. The Bank of New Zealand have taken possession of their new premises. They are both handsome and commodious, and are an adornment aud prominent feature in the township. At the opposite corner Mr. R. N. Cox will very shortly erect veiy handsome premises. They are to consist of a tbree-story brick building, giving accommodation for a drapery and grocery establishment, and a number of private rooms suitable for offices.

The science of phrenology appeara to be shedding fresh light upon the subject of matrimony, although at first sight the connection between "bumps" and connubial felicity may appear somewhat remote. A phrenologist in New York has executed a series of plaster casts of the craniums of about thirty eminent public men, single and married. A reporter of the New York Times, who inspected the models, was struck with the symmetrical formation of the heads of the bachelors as compared with those of the Benedicts. For instance, adjacenttothe "cast 'of a disciple of single blessedness conspicuous for its symmetry, lay that of Secretary Sherman, which was noticeable for a series of undulations and indentations that bore silent testimony to a perfect cycle of matrimonial vicissitudes. Similarly, in the southeast corner of the head of General Sheridan (whose marital experiences are somewhat limited), there appeared traces of a recent swelling, which the reporter was wholly unable to account for, save on the theory "that the flat-iron was on the more, and describing parabolas in the family circle.'' Two games of football will be played today, should the weather be hue. One between Ponsonby and Grafton, played on the Metropolitan Ground; the other "on the North :-hore ground, between the .North Shore aud the Auckland Club. The following will be the players in the match Grafton v. Ponsonby : — For Grafton : Messrs. Orchard, Biggs. Mears, Sealy, Beale, Reid, Carr, Mitchell, Broadhurst, Pearse, Green, Matthews, Ridings, Garlick, Warnock, and Robinson. For Ponsonby: Messrs. Adams, Coleman, Davy, Roberts haw, Hanna, Haultain, Cotter, Cooke, Macky (J. and T.}, Leopold, Meter, Barnes, Reece, Dunnet, and Bravewater. In the match North Shore v. Auckland the following are the names :— Auckland: Messrs. Henderson,Woon, Carter, Shakespear, Lynch, Philson, Cotton, Will 3, Wilford, O'Hare, Mettam, Brennan, W. W. Robinson, and Kelly. North Shore: Messrs. Burgess. Sibbin, McGechie, Walker, Brassey, Warbriek. Nolan, Wells, Sims, Burgess, Webster, Townsend, and McLean.

\esterday Mr. C. T. Wren, seedsman, Queen-street, had on view a couple of white stone turnips of prodigious size, which attracted considerable attention. They were grown by Mr. Robert Proude, of Razorback, and are said to be a fair sample of the whole crop. The larger of the two is 3 feet 4 inches in circumference, and shews the fertility of the soil of the district, when worked with skill, &e. Mr. Proude's letter, accompanying the samples, stating how they were raised, will prove of interest to our agricultural friends. Mr. Proude says : " I bought four different kinds of mangold seed from yuu last season ; I drilled it in October with 3cwt. of bonedust per acre, the land previously Updressed with 3cwt. of salt, per acre. Both the mangold and turnip seed were good ; in fact, I believe every grain grew, and ihat speaks volumes in favour of our wide-awake sparrows."

A ploughing and drainiug matoh, under the auspices of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, will take place today at Mr. Wallace's farm, adjoining the railway station at Papatoitoi. lu addition to a large number of special prizos, offered by Auckland merchants and others, the Association gives liberal prizes in each ot the classes. It is anticipated, as a very great amount of interest is displayed in these matches, that there will be a large gathering to watch the competition, A dinner will be held at the Criterion Hotel, Ofcahuhu, in the evening, at which, no doubt, the prizes will be distributed, as awarded by the judges.

The members of the Loyal Good Intent 1.0.0.F.. M.U., A.D., and other lodges are requested to meet in the Cook-street Locigeroom to morrow afternoon, to follow to the grave the remains of the late wife of Brother John Broughton. Mr. iiichmoud has converted the billiardroom of the Nevada Hotel into a handsomelyfurnished sitting-room, which he has designated an Chieutal lounge. The room is a very rine one, well furnished, and ornamented. The tables are round, and just suited for small parties. A handsome small bar has been fitted at one end of the room.