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New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5337, 24 December 1878, Page 2

The telegraph station at Tokatea was closed yesterday, and a telegraph station has been opened at Driving Creek, County of Coromandel.

The Hinemoa left for the Kawau yesterday afternoon at 4 o’clock, having on board the Premier, Mr. Macandrew, and Mr. Blackett. Sir George Grey will spend Christmas at the Kawau, while Mr. Macandrew and Mr. Blackett will be taken on to Tauranga, whence they will proceed overland to Napier and (Veilington. The Hinemoa will then return to Auckland and take Mr. Sheehan to the Kawau. Further than that, the programme is not laid down. Previous to leaving Auckland the Premier had a consultation of some length with Mr. Sbeehan.

We understand that the Mayor has arranged to be in attendance at the Council Chamber, between the hours of 10 and 11 o’clock daily, for the transaction of official business. We understand that over £2090 has been cleared in one year by the Telegraph Department from “urgent” telegrams alone. A large sum will also be realised from the “delayed” system recently introduced by Dr. Lemon, General Manager of the Telegraph Department. We have to welcome back Dr. Honey man (better known as Mr. Honeyman), who has been absent from Auckland for a period of five years. since his absence in Europe he has qualified himself for the medical profession. We are not aware whether he intends to remain permanently amongst us ; but in any case a very large circle will give him a hearty welcome.

The Hon. Mr. Sheehan was a passenger 'isierday from the South per steamer Wel-

lington. Au incident in connection with him afforded considerable amusement- r? some of the passengers who were with’a earshot of the conversation. Amongst those ou board was a garrulous little man, who appeared fond of hearing himself speak, and who evidently took a lively interest in other people’s affairs. Having heard that Mr. Sheehan was (a) Native Minister, he availed himself of an opportunity of giving him a little of his mind. “ Good morning, sir; tine day.” “ Yes, a very tine day,” in Mr. Sheehan’s usual courteous manner. A number of questions were then asked, as to how long hr. had been in Wellington, how he liked “ the work,” the religious condition of the natives, and added, “I suppose you have done a great deal of good, and been the means of winuiug many souls during your mission ?” This, for a moment, was a staggerer even for Mr.- Sheehan, but he replied with his usual caution, “He hoped he had, but time only could tell.” He was then asked why he allowed meals on board without first asking a blessing. He replied, “ that he bad been late at the table, but would see that the omission did not occur again.” The question of the desecration of the Sabbath by allowing goods and luggage to be landed on Sunday was then urged by the. interrogator, Mr. Sheehan quite sympathising with him, at the same time quietly remonstrating with the old gentleman for travelling and loading his own goods on that day. Mr. Sheehan having consented to hold religious service some time during the Sunday at his friend’s request, he was left for someone else, who happened to catch the eye of the inquisitive passenger. The perfect control which Mr. Sheehan maintained over his features was admirable, but a close observer could notice a merry twinkle in his eye. The first meeting of the Bench of Magistrates charged with the administration of the Slaughter-houses Act,1877, in the County of Manukau, was held in the Court-house, I’apakura, ou Saturday, December 21. Present: Thos. Jackson, Esq., R.M. (chairman), W. Goodfellow and B. Harris, Esqs., J. P.’s. Licences to slaughter were granted to Robert Willis, at Papakura ; Thomas Hyde, at Wairoa ; John Henry Parker, at Bombay; William Crosbie, at Pokeno; George and Arthur Brown, at Tuakau; William Grosse and James at Pukekohe West; John Moore and Terence Kavanagh, at Patumaboe ; John Gill, at Pakuranga; and. John Vuglar, at Otahuhu, at 30s per annum. Licences were granted to John Hall, at Otahuhu; and Joseph L mgley, at Mangere, at 50s per annum. This being all the business, the Bench adjourned to the first Tuesday in the month of June, 1879.—[Own Correspondent.] The Museum was opened to the public yesterday, for the first time since the statues presented by Mr. Thomas Russell had been placed on the pedestals which have been provided by Dr. Campbell. The appearance which the Museum now presents is very attractive, and there was a large number of visitors to see the statuary throughout the day. The Museum will not be open tomorrow (Christmas Day), but will re open on Boxing Day. The season for excursions to the Hot Springs, Motutapu, and adjacent islands is at hand, and should the fine weather continue, trips per steamer to said places will no doubt be the order of the day very shortly. To people living inland, or to those pent up in a town during the summer months, nothing is more invigorating or healthier—despite any temporary inconvenience in the way of an occasional attack of mal-de-mer, — than a short sea trip, and which they can enjoy without experiencing the danger attending them from possible collisions with other vessels, as is the case in the crowded rivers and outlets to the sea in the old country. Here the chief, or, in fact, almost the only drawback consists in landing the passengers in small boats which are not, in all cases, suitable for the purpose, and are nearly always over-crowded, and often made somewhat unsafe by one or two empty-headed individuals who persist, in defiance of the laws of gravity, in standing up in them. If the captains of the respective steamers would not let a boat leave the vessel’s side on any account without all the people were seated, and the rowers had roam to use their oars, there would not be so much pushing and scrambling to get on shore in such a great hurry as there often is ■ the danger would, be reduced to a minium, aud it would be far pleasanter for the excursionists of the softer sex, who usually muster in great numbers on such occasions.

At the Kopuru there are three vessels loading—the Dunedin and Enterprise, and a brig just arrived as I write. There has been a thorough olean-out of the old hands at this mill, the new manager intending to start with men of his own selection, aud great has been the heart-burning and grief, owing to men who had made their homes comfortable, trusting to the mainstay of character and efficiency keeping their homes above their head, being suddenly turned adrift to shift for themselves. —[Own Correspondent, December 21.]

We were permitted yesterday to inspect the drawings of the pupils of the School of Art, established under the auspices of Dr. Campbell. These drawings indicate a very marked progress made by the pupils, under the superintendence of Mr. Kenneth Watkins. They are outline studies from busts. Some of them give much promise of future excellence. The school will close for a short vacation from to-day.

A cricket match was played at Ponsonby on Saturday, between the Second Eleven West End and Second Epsom Cricket Clubs, which resulted in an easy victory for the Epsom, which scored 90 against West End’s 40. Hanna, Spry, and Waymouth played very well for West End; but the bowling of Middlewick and Rosston was too good for the losers. Mears, Cotter, and Middlewiok were the highest scores for the Epsom.

Specimens of gouty old gentlemen, the result of indulgence in too much old crusted port wine and. high living in general, are very scarce in New Zealand, but rheumatism and its twjn sister, rheumatic gout, are exceedingly prevalent in the Auckland district,. Amongst modern remedies for the same-the salicylate of soda is often found extraordinarily efficacious in alleviating the excruciating pain, and effecting a cure, and, being only taken in small doses of ten grains three or four times a day, it is acomparatively inexpensive remedy. Chemists are popularly supposed to get elevenpence-halfpenny out of every shilling’s worth (?) of medicine they sell, and they themselves maintain that on account of the smallness of their takings it is absolutely necessary to get a very large profit to pay their high rents and expenses ; but however true this may be, when sickness visits any family, it always causes a great drain on their resources, and when it happens to the bread-winner, it is absolutely ruinous in many cases, and any inexpensive remedy is most welcome.

There was a social entertainment at St. Matthew’s School-room yesterday evening, which was largely attended. Tea was first served round, after which there was a Christmas tree and distribution of prizes, as well as an auction of fancy goods. The proceeds wers in aid of the Sunday-school fete. The treasurer of the Parnell Orphan Home acknowledges with thanks a donation of £5 15s from the Licensed Victuallers’ Association, per J. Little, Esq.

Agriculturists who have crops or plantations of maize frequently find the plants wither and die away without any apparent reason, but which is generally caused by a large dark, greenish-brown caterpillar, or rather grub, which eats through the stem a short distance underground. Directly a plant looks sickly or withering, the mould should be scraped away to the roots, when the marauder will be found there feeding himself, or hard at work at his task, of destruction. Last week a settler in the Mount Albert District collected several hundreds of them from the roots of a small patch of growing maize, and which they doubtless would have entirely destroyed but for his timely aid. The larvae of the cockchafer and other insects are similarly destructive in the old country, and amongst the ignorant and ill-informed the rooks, which tear up sickly or dying plants to eat the grubs at their roots underneath, get the credit of destroying them instead of the insect.

Messrs. Smith and Company’s Panorama of the Franco-Prussian War was exhibited last night for the first time jn the Albert Hall, Darby-street, to a fair audience, considering that the company only arrived yesterday from another port. The shortness of the notice no doubt militated against the attendance ; but, now that the panorama is before the public, we anticipate that to-night and henceforward the clever scenic views will meet with liberal support at this holiday season, although a panoramaof the same name has been on view here before. We understand that this one of Messrs. Smith is by another artist, Herr Wagner, of Berlin, and delineates some of the stirring episodes in that great war, and is worthy of the patronage that has been bestowed upon it wherever it has been shewn.

F'/wI-st-’alers in Melbourne have availed themsol-cs uf a scientific discovery in a very practice] way. They carry with them at night a kind of fuse or slow match, the fumes of which stupefy the fowls, and render their “ conversion ” easy and noiseless. To circumvent depredators of this class has been hitherto beyond the ingenuity of most people, but a Mr. Sheldon, of Collingwood, at length hit upon an expedient that was in his case perfectly successful, aud he is therefore likely to be generally imitated. He placed a number of strings in different parts of his yard, the ends of which were attached to a spring bell in his bed-room. When the thief entered the yard he unknowingly touched one of the strings, and the bell rang without being heard by the culprit. Mr. Sheldon immediately wont down the yard, and kept the fellow at bay until the services of a constable were procured, when he was given in charge. A learned English lawyer was once accused of having disgraced the Bar by taking silver from a client, the etiquette of the profession requiring that his fee be in gold. “ I took silver,” he said, “because I could not get gold ; but I took every farthing the fellow had in the world, and I hops you de not call that disgracing the profession?’

A meeting of the creditors of Ed.vm Binney, commission agent, has been convened to ba held at the Supreme Court on the 3rd January, 1879. Tenders are invited by the Railway Department for 40,000 sleepers of puriri, in one or more parcels. We are requested to draw attention to the baths erected by Mr. W. L. Roth. They can be had hot or cold at all hours. During the present warm weather the luxury of a good bath needs only to be tried to be appreciated. Special Christmas services are to be held in St. Sepulchre’s Church on Christmas Day. On reference to our advertisement columns, it will be seen that special arrangements have been made regarding the railways on the Christmas holidays.

Holiday-makers will be wise to make every provision for their comfort and safety. This season has set in so hot that cases of sunstroke are likely to be common. We would inform our town and country friends that T. McMaster has a large stock of summer clothing, specially suited to protect the ladies, gentlemen, youths, and maidens from the scorching suns of summer.— [Advt.] It is a good thing to learn the reasonableness of walking when you cannot run. Many sick persons retard their progress towards restoration to health by being unduly impatient, and regardless of the dictates of common sense. “Ghollah’s Great Indian Cures” when patiently used, are equal to the correction of every evil influence at work in the system. They are the most reliable and safe means of ultimate recovery that have ever been presented to the public. The cures effected by them are something marvellous. The many testimonials received by the proprietor, copies of which can be seen at any chemist’s, fully prove the as section. —[Advt.]