Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5441, 25 April 1879, Page 4

.It will be seen from our telegrams that the Union Insurance Company has ma le arrangements to take over the whole of the business of the Hawke's Bay Insurance Company. Thra company has had but a brief existence, and evidently deems it the more prudent course te rotir.j l> m the keen contest at present being carried on in this department of trade. In our advertising columns will be fonni tho official notification from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Taranaki, of the ; vrithdrawal of tha sale of the Waimate lands till further notice.

Mr George Leahy, as guardian to th infant heir of the late John George c Parnell, obtained £300 compensation yestei day- (Mr. Justice Giliies president of th Court, Messrs. Mitford and Wade assessor* against the Mayor acd Corporation of Pat nell on account of inJHry to property n; ••improvements" on Parnell Rise. This 1 one of the most important cases yet heard A report of the proceedings will be found 11 another column. The annnal meetinp of the friends »»d B "J> bribers of the St. Stephen's Orphan Worn, was held last night, in the institution,—hi! Worship the Allyorof Auckland presiding 2 report of the proceedings will be found u another eolnmn. During the last fc-.v days the waternicr have not besn over busy, consequently souk of them are a little more argumentative that u «nal ami this at Hst le.l to a breaca of th( peace, tlio d tails of which will come befon the magistrates in ths course of .1 day oi two. Watermen Kem and Son, and Kerr not content with words, got to blows, whici called for tlie interference of tho polic. We have lx:n n quested to stato that th( assertions coutainvd in 3 letter signet •■Mechanic," in our yesterday's issu?, witr reference to the weighbridge on the wharf are totally at variance with the facts. Even dray-load" of coal that is weighed is doni so most c.wefully, and. instead of thi " propstioks" being luS down, as usually i: the case in other place?, the clerk his r piece of wood for tho shafts to rest on, which is used in lieu thereof, thus savioc the driver a great deal of trouble. " Mechanic," beiun on the oiF side, probabl;. faile.i to sea this, iieuce his deductions ; bui the practice we refer to is perfectly known to all who have business on tbe wharf. With reference to thj weighbridge being placed on made grouud, this i 3 ako a mistake, .is the " reclamation" was exc-'.vated to a great depth, and st-jut piles then driven iutu the bedrock. Respecting the coming native merting. the Alexandra correspondent of the Waikatc Tim-.* thus writes on the2-2ud inst. :—"The preparations for tie Rreit native meeting are now being rapid'y pushed forward at K-.pua, under the personal superintendence of tho Mauri kin-, Tawhiao. Sheds liad alre.i-.iy beeu erect- d for the reception of the expected visitors, but Tawhiao, not approving of the plini, is having them all turn.-d ruuud, to face in an opposite direction, his camp and peoples to be at ths rear, and farthest south. There must be close on "2000 natives already assembled there, all as busy as bees. Our township lias beeu quite lively th-se Ir.st two days. Eighteen !ar b 'e canoes csmi dowii yesterday, and are loading up with ;Ki;ir, Ac . and more is expected up by steamer this evening. The consumption of provisions will be something enormous. It is not yet known to tho natives if the Premier and Native Minister ■will be present, as, notwithstanding the influence of many leading chiefs who have interviewed Tjwhiao and Manuhiri, both deeiiiie to sen i them any formal iii% - ir-.',i.-m, more than they received at tiie last Hi.;ur.ingi meeting. It is, however, to be hop.-d that they will be present on the occasion, and some good result achieved by them, alter 30 much trouble and expense have been iucurred in preparations for the meeting. 1 hear, but eianot vouch for the truth of the report, that had requested Sir George Grey and the .Native Minister to come up and see him at Punin, prior to the meeting. I am inclined to believe the truth of the report, as they ■would, no doubt, mak-3 their arrangements together for attending Tawhiao's meeting. Some of tire ilour supplied for the meeting I have tasted. It is, in my opinion, far more likely to settle the native difficult} - than cmyowder aud bullets. Of course all the aaopktep?rs here repudiate having sold tha: particular brand." A writer in the Timaru Tchyraph tells the following story : —" A certain college dignitiry in the old country walkfd somewhat lame. Buiug asked why wa? this thus, . be. t 'id this affeeiing swry. He «a? a≥ one timo head-, master of an important school, ;iud in his leisure hours he assiduously cu!iVvat-;d an orchard, wiieh was divided from' the playground '03' a h'gh wall. ' Of course 1 , the high' wa , .! and the magisterial authority'tff-.-ctuaTly re-trsined' the boj'3 fr&m the tempting fmit. Bit -JviH, extravagant ;:ist abroaVof '.I'pplcs beyond that wall.of abnormal =!Z2 and lusc;ousn'S?, arid the little cotr!mur.ity wa;' agit.it'.d terribly'. A nocturnal raid was planned in this wise. "In the''very •witching h'our, , when even h-iad-ni.isteis miafet reasonably be presumed tosle.jpas other mortals,.a rop- of sheets wa3 ingnifously coustructe.!, aiift to one end was attajKed a. big hamper. 'This w-as lowered out of fife 3ormitcry ivind-r-w amid breathless silence, with a boy :u i'c«—an-.t th'i scheme was thns laid : The boy on reaching thp"grouud wa3 to clio-b t'.e w.il', entc-r the enchiintel garden, and forthwith proceed to fill a big bag with choice pippins. These he was to place in the hamper, and then give a low whistle. On that signal, the basket would be drawn up, its cirgo discharged, and then it '.vould be lowered again to bring up tli-j pirate. The head-master was moved that night to pro'.vl about, and while the y"ung-stc-r "was ina tree, actually stumbled against the basket under the dormitory window. Comprehending the situation at once, he jjnt quietly in, and give a ljw signal, at which the basket began abruptly to asoend lik-Mahomet's Borak. The loa! was heavy and the expectant youths who were hauling, smacked their lips ferociously, in anticipation'.f the 'jolly feed.' As the basket appreachei the window, however, the classic head .of liifc old pre3cj)tor, crowned with the awfjl 'mortar-board,' suddenly presented itscl: to tlic:r astonished gaz-.-, and in the exLrciaitj' of tLtir terror, they all by coaimor. con=ent It go the rsipe, aud the venerable tuHe t-f their youth reached the solid eartt =nt3:p-jot ! :'"y. TLa boys gave up applestssiiag, an-1 th<= doctor left off prowliug ; but. I re_-r-i t iij i-ay, that he waj ziumbL-red aiaor.g the 'h.At' ever after." Nothing; i? bo to ofncinl diaaity and departmental assumption as the faintest a to a confession of ignorance. The .very alphabet of diplomacy require? that one affects to know it, though knows it not. .So, at least, wa-< it under.-tood by th l ; stilwart gaar'lian of th<j p?ace who lately aoeort«'l a- Commanist expiree, from ISuw Giledonia. " d'ye come from ?" " New- Caledonia, pare," eaid the trembling five-ioot-notuing of political heresy, gianciujr furtively at the awf'il aix-foot-three of dreaded3<"jic(ar;«6 thutf|tic/-tioried. " Where's j-our passport?" " Sare, behold it,' , and the officer took the formal document in hand, with grave imperturbable countenance, cantiounly digeßting every descriptive item, and pointing off each with a searching store of cold detective scrutiny ag hib eyea wandered alternately from passport to man, from man to pissport, in the vain endeavour to discover a discrepancy in the actuality aid its pen-and-iok skttah. " Well, that'll do for the preeent," continued the ofiicial, slowly returning the document, and still following Jacques with a atony gaze as he slunk hastily a-s-ay. " I didn't know you understood French," said an interested bystander" ; " Oh, no, divil a word of it then, but that blackgyard will never know the difference," was the oracular reply.— Fiji Time*. It is announced that the athletes of Auckland will give a benefit to Mr. Goodfellowon Saturday next. The prizes are to be for sweepstakes, but there will be large entries and good sport.

Step 3 are being taken by the ■ Cambridge people to have their district brought undei the operation of the Municipal Corporations Act. The Fiji Times says :—Quite a namber ol our townsfolk are suffering from the ecourgc of boils and blains which proved such an unwelcome visitant last year, and the victims absolutely refuse to be comforted by the general assurance of their happier fellows " that boils are particularly healthy." This complaint frequently assumes in Fiji the character of a local epidemic, and often, in a particular district, those who escape the infliction ' are the exceptions to the general misfortune. Doubtless the late trying weather has had its effect in inducing an 'unhealthy state of the blood, and it is to be hoped the return of a more settled temperature will quickly effect a cure. Till then we can but recommend a mental contemplation of the philosophic rule, what can't be cared, &c. A meeting of tho Poneonby Football Club was hyld yesterday afternoon, in the office of the Royal Insurance Company. Mr. Maeky was vot-_d to the chair. The following ollieera were elected : —Mr. E. X. K. Ford.-r, lion, secretary and treasnrer; Mr. T. -Micky, captain. A committee of management w.13 appointed, consisting of Mr. U. 11. Davy, Mr. E. Cjleman, and Mr. Arueil. Mr. Uoodfellow, who was presont, stated tb.\t. iz was his intoution to bring a football team from England next season, to play throughout the colony. lie intended to call at Auckland first. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated tho meeting. Tho Australasian has tho follon-iug: — " Oi:r ruling political party iu Victoria must look with iimaz-MiiHut at the results accruing from the liberal (not 'Liberal') policy nf the Xew Zealand Government regarding immigration. There- seems to bo little doubc that the condition of all classes of labour is a.l flourishing in Now Z aland a3 in any Australian colony, and far more 30 than iu Victoria. The coiouy is engaged in carrying ont a large policy of publicworks, bin liuds itself hindered—not by want of money, as with us, but by want of labour. An im'U'jiisa number of workers of all kindi hivs been brought out to the colony during the past few years, bat, instead of satisfying the demand for labaur, they seem to intensify it. It would be an interesting investigation were it a possiblo one, to find how many of these iicported labourers are now employers as farmers, small contractors, and so on, and are now swelliug the demand for more immigration. Wages ara high, av 111.4)1 (according to our Wellington correspondent) as they were 20 years ago, and in some distiicts even higher. Iα this colony our working-c'.issas look upon every fresh arrival as an invading enemy came to take the bread out of cheir mouths, aud they discourage such arrivals bv all means iu their power. In .New Z aland tho Government has been for some years introducing Ur\><s ship'nonts of immignuts in all branches of industry. And the result is 1 that while we have dullness and depression, and only recently frequeut meetings of the unemployed, JNow Zealand is in the high tide of prosperity, labjur is in eager demand, and wages are very high. No doubt, iu time, oven our protectionists aud anti-iin-migratiouists will be made wis-ir by experience, but very likely not till it will be too late to protic by their tardily acquired [ wisdom." I Not bad for a " Fernroot" : Two young gentlemen of an eclectic turn of mind, residing in this township, whom, for the sake of eaphony, we will call Smith and Jones, were discussing ■ the other Suuday religious matters iu general and acrmons in particular. Suiitb, who ii the younger of the two, after taking what he called a calm, philo. sopbic, aud dispassionate view of a sermon he had heard a few days previously, remarked, "Jones, we seldom hear any originality from the pulpit now-a-days." "No, nor from any other pit," replied Jones, who is a bit of a cynic and witiial humorous in bis owu way. "Oh! Joues, Jones," said the youthful Smith, " I never dreiuied you would attempt to pull a joke out of that."— Bruce Herald. ~ , Ths "tVeHland correspondent of the Cin-'jarbar-y..7.Ti"HH\s tans writes :-p" Mr.' Mao.andrewVreception of a deputation is some- : .tiling that our, Ministers in KugLiuu might take a'.lesson; from. "It. is au axiiuple oi high art." Talk about "Ulysa'.'-j : Ulysses was only a Gr*ek,'while Mr. •Aljcaudre.w a Scotchman!.. Aud a h.is beau 3(1 yeacs'inXciv Zealand, and lived all tH.it tinie in Otago. Uiysses w.u nothing jo " hiii.." See hini-receive a", deputation -with a grave courtesy^—mirk—not v.dtU . that profuse aud 'bland courtesy which, would "at once make old colonists, suspicion aad disgusted, but with a quies and respectful manner',.'which implies thai, they hav.u comu. .10 teach'and expound, aud that ha is,-tlit;i;d to listiiiaud learn, au.l all the time he.kncnvo quite as iniichyibout i« do,-,aud perhaps a little more. "He. k'navs. how the jlusnt gentleman, who so glibly explains thu advantage of the roaJl, or'the bridge, or the wharf, has a littlclofr of land lying olosn by, which will bu trebled, or quadrupled in value if the work 13 done, but lie treats the ilu-ut gentleman as if he were actuated solely by, the nob'est and purest motive-', and by aa unselfish and disinterested wish to benefit the human, race in general and tho inhabitant.'of Mudtown in particular. Listening witU" r great attention, Vie oceasi.9u.iily interposes a question, shewing tTiat he his followed the argument closely, and evincing an intelligent and clear-sighted appreciation of the subject. And then when tho memorial has been read, aud the deputation have had their talk, with what judicial impartiality he sums up the whole case, and sunOs away the deputation delighted- and triumphant, until the report in next day'.-i papers shews them that he admitted very little, and admitted evoa less. Then tliu meekness with which he would confess that ' the Executive' could noi be induced t-> carry ou: what he half-hinted, half-impHcd, were his own foii-lest wishes. As if, when Jamu3 Macandrew was Superintendent of Otago, there was ever an Executive that did more than register hi 3 decrees ! Oh, it vm grand ! Machiavelli wrot; before the era of responsible government, or Maehiavolli might have added a new chapter to his b juk— ' How deputations should be disp-jsud of, by the lion. Jame3 Macauurew !' " A sad reflection is suggested, when we learn tbat I*o2 English an I 72 Scotch bankruptcies were the outcrop of the five weeks bearing tho onset of the City of Glasgow Bank failure. Mr. G. ~W. Binney will offer for lease on the Ist August, a large number of city endowments in Grey, Oook, Albert, and AVellesley-street. The. annual meeting of the society for the relief of neglected and destitute children takos placa this evening in the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms, at h.df-p.ist seven o'clock. Jtr. Juatice Uilliua is expected to preside. Tlio , usual business on such occasions will be gone en with, and an interesting' programme of music, vocal niid instrumental, will add to tha chirms of the evening. I A meeting of the Grafton Road Fnotball Club ia advertised to be held in the Thames : Hotel this evening at 8 o'clock. Licencee for billiard and bagatelle rooms, Sec, expire on the 30th instant, aud the Town Clerk intimates by advertisement that such licences must be renewed ou or before that date. A. meeting of the members of the Ponsonby Kinking Club is to be held this evening, iu the Ponsonby Hall, to pass acounts, &c. We would recommend ladies and gentlemen who desire to protect themselves and families from cold to change their light clothing .for vrarm, heavy material. We notice T. McMaster, Queen-street, h(is opened a large stock, per Sarco, direct from the best English and Scotch houses.