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New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5997, 5 February 1881, Page 4

The news from London that Thomas Carlyle is dangerously ill, and that no hopes are entertained of his recovery, will excite interest wherever the English language is spoken. The announcement cannot give rise to the same poignant feelings of regret as if a young man of great powers, who might have 3'efc done much good to tho world, were about to pass away. Thomas Carlyle was born on the 4th December, 1795, so that he is now in now in his SGth year. He has done his work, having attained the position of being the most influential literar}' man of the age, and having left a monument in literature that will never perish. Many have been his eccentricities, crochets, and errors, but his writings have been powerful for good, and no evil of ignoble thought was ever stimulated by them.

Some little annoyance has been felt by farmers, in consequence of an announcement that millers would refuse to receive wheat or other grain crops until the month of March. We are glad to be able to announce that this arbitrary rule is not to be adhered to, and the millers will commence to receive grain next week. One farmer, Mr. Wallace, has already arranged to send in his wheat next week, but the price to be paid is not fixed. Mr. Bainbridge, of Mangere, is threshing out his wheat in splendid condition, taking advantage of the present fine weather, and the fact of having his own threshing machine. Ho will probably finish in a couple of days.

The fortnightly meeting of the Board of Education was held yesterday. The principal business was the reception of regulations for the management of the training college and practising school. Thero were certain of the regulations transmitted for the opinion of the City Committee. The regulations will be found, with tho report of proceedings, in another column.

The first company which has resulted from the discovery of rich gold at the Tiki was formed yesterday at Mr. Randerson's offices, New Zealand Insurance Buildings, and will henceforth be known as the Break-O'Day Gold Mining Company, under the Mining Companies' Act, 1872, with a capital of £9600 in 9400 shares of £1 each, ni'. paid up, and 200 shares of £1 each considered fully paid up, of which S2OO are to be allotted, and 1400 reserved. The first directors are Messrs. S. Coombes, J. Fisher, J. H. Drabble, H. Macdonald, and H. French. Mr. J. R. Randerscn was appointed manager. The company's ground consists of 3J acres, and adjoins both Gihnore's and Barrett's leases, in both which good gold has been found ; a little gold has already been got on the company's mine. Prospecting operations will be energetically continued without delay.

The new Law Courts have been finished for some weeks past, so far as the contractor, Mr. Connelly, ia concerned, but as in the case of the additions to the Lunatic Asylum, the Wellington authorities only woke up to their part m tho matter when the building was finished. It never seems to have occurred to the official mind that the fittings should have been prepared in readiness to put into the buildings when they came out of the contractor's hands. These are now being executed, and in a few weeks in all probability the buildings will be occupied. The approach from Hi h-street is in rather a disordered condition at present, being a compound of shapeless mounds of earth, wheeled out from tho excavations, docks, and broken stones. A handsome flight of steps is being built half-way up the slope, eight feet six inches wide, each step being composed of a single slab of Melbourne Milestone. Another flight of a similar character will probably be erected nearer the front gate. At the junction of Chancery and High-streets, 30 feet of the frontage was reserved by the Improvement Commissioners, in prospect of the widening of the former street. Should the City Council carry out its intention of cutting away the corner, a very great boon would be conferred on the merchants having stores in the neighbourhood, and on those whose business leads them to the Police Court and other Government offices in the vicinity, as the increased width of thoroughfare would tend to arrest the recurrence of the accidents -which have taken place at that portion of the street, besides giving a better access to the new Law Courts. An ornamental dividing fence lias been erected between these new buildings and the Free Public Library, which has greatly improved the appearauco of the locality and its surroundings.

On the 2-tth January there were several school districts that did not on that occasion, for various causes, elect a school committee for the current year. Another opportunity is to be given to these districts to elect their own committees, before the Board of Education exercise the right they will possess of appointing commissioners in place of school committees. There are twenty-two school districts who neglected to elect a committee on the 24th ult. The only place in the neighbourhood of Auckland that has neglected to elect a committee is the JTewfcon school district, and the 21st instant at half past seven o'clock has been fixed as the time for giving the householders another opportunity of exercising their privilege. The last mcctinff held in this district took a strange turn, Cut from what we can learn the coming one is likely to have a little more life in it. Messrs. Dargaville, May, and Moat arc the members who retire from the Education Board, and the following gentlemen have been put in nomination for the three vacant seats at the Board :—Messrs. J. M. "Dar". -, - ville, R. Hobbs, W. P. Moat, and Thomas Thompson. The election takes place on the 11th of March. Cambridge is full of Maoris awaiting the opening of the Lands Court.

Since it has been made known that Mr. Justice Gillies had a specimen sample of the genuine clay out of which the famous porcelainware of SeYres is made, he has received a large number of specimens of various kinds of clay from settlers in the out-dis-tricts. As the practice of making Mr. Gillies the referee in this matter has been adopted, it may be as well to state, to prevent disappointment, that he is about to leave Auckland for Wellington, where he will have to remain for the next four months or so. During Mr.Gillies' absence, however willing he might be to exert himself in the development or I exploration of this mine of wealth of his adopted home, it will be impossible for him to devote attention to this matter, and settlers will require to direct their inquiries to someone else. It would be a pity to stop all investigation on the subject now that a spirit of inquiry has been stx-irted, but it is evident that these favours must be conferred on someone else than Mr. Gillies. For several years Mr. J. A. Pond, chemist, has devoted a good deal of attention to mineralogical pursuits, and as he has several specij mens of very pure china clay found in this province, we doubt not he will be agreeable to receive further specimens of the same mineral from other districts.

During the last few weeks there appeal's to have been considerable neglect on the part of the proper authorities in the examination of fruit ottered for sale to the. public. It is the duty of the local authorities to see that wholesome food only is supplied to citizens, and one of the plainest duties in this respect is the prevention of the sale of rotten fruit. Plain and simple though this duty appears to be, it is sadly neglected in all parts of the eity—save, perhaps, a few of the best fruit shops in Qneen-street. In scores of shops 13 to be found decayed fruit of all kiads, from pineapples downward, which are regularly palmed ofF upon children, and of course eaten, with anything but satisfactory results to the public health. Surely this wrong upon the public can be put a stop to if there is a sincere desire to do a public duty.

The attendance at the Free Public Library is steadily increasing. The reviews and magazines, lately ordered from home, are now to hand and laid upon the table. When the library has been freshened up by the purchase of a number of the latest works, out of the £200 generously granted by the Mayor out of his salary, a still larger attendance at the reading-table may be anticipated.

The Te Aroha Miner says:—"A German gentleman was a passenger by the Vivid on Wednesday night en route to Tongariro, which mountain, we believe, lie proposes ascending. He has been commissioned by the German Government to report on the adaptability of this colony as a lieid for Teutonic emigration. He is highly pleased with what little he has seen of this district."

Messrs. Anderson Bros, shipped to Napier yesterday 20 two-tooth rams, all from the imported Kirkham breed. They were really g'rand animals, and were greatly admired while on the wharf waiting for shipment on board the steamer Te Anau.

The certificate of award granted to Miss Mary Craig, eldest daughter of Mr. Thomas Craig, of this city, by the Sydney Exhibition Commissioners, for a series of oil paintings, is on view (handsomely framed), in the showwindow of Messrs. W. Phillipps and Son, Queen-street.

The Neo-Caledonien contains the following items :—"ln some districts of New Caledonia the drought is causing much damage. The grasshoppers have destroyed the crops, and the Government grant a reward to those who will destroy the pests. Formerly locally-grown tobacco was exempt from duty, bnt by a recent decree of Governor Combet the exemption has been cancelled. The decree has caused great excitement. In a conversation between M. Dezarnaulds (Mayor of Noumea, who has just returned to New Caledonia from Paris) and the Minister for the Colonies, the latter said that if the petition iu connection with the indemnity for the victims of the late insurrection had been sent to him instead of being addressed to the Chamber of Deputies, the claim for compensation would have been granted. The nickel mines are now in full working, and a great many people are employed at them. It is whispered in Noumea that the Governor has sent to the Minister for the Colonies a vote in favour of a ConseilGeneral, elected by universal suffrage.

A somewhat novel application was made at a well-known registry office in this city. A horny-handed son of toil, wearied of connubial trouble, knocked at the door of the premises long after usual business hours, and tendered the proprietress £3 as the price of a divorce from his wife, which he said he wanted immediately. Some little explanation and patience was nee led before lie could be convinced that he had come to the wrong shop, and that a divorce could not be obtained in the off-hand fashion his unsophisticated innocence had led him to suppose.— New Zealand Times.

Another rifle match has been arranged between a team of four of the Auckland telegraphists and one composed of a similar number from Wellington station. The Auckland team is Messrs. Kearns, Bloxome, T. B. Salmon, and Lumsden, and that of Wellington Messrs. Chisholm, Tait, Br.tr, and Hawk. It was arranged that the Wellington men should fire yesterday, but owing to its blowing half a gale there (it always does), they were unable to do so, and another day will have to be fixed. The Auckland men will, in all probability, fire next week.

A considerable number of arrests were made by the police yesterday. Four were incarcerated for drunkenness, and an additional charge of assaulting a policeman is preferred against one of them. John Bigton is arrested on warrant, charged with striking Jane Harrington twice on the eye and face. Matilda Jones is in custody for stealing £22, but the owner of the property is not yet known.

A pleasing ceremony took place in the Hunua district on Saturday evenin', January 29, on the occasion of tne removal of Mr. Castleton, the teacher, to another sphere of labour. The settlers, not wishing him to leave their midst without some token of their regard for his valuable services among them, extending over a period of three years, presented him with a few volumes of some of the standard works of poetry and prose. The presentation took place in the school-room, and was made by Mr. Stewart, in the name of the settlers. In a few kind words Mr. Castleton returned his sincere thanks for their handsome present, and for their kind wishes for hhiiself and family.—[A Correspondent, Feb - ary 3.]

W T e have to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of Mr. H. Kohn's calendar and memorandum book for the current mouth. Tjiis little publication is exceedingly useful to all business men, containing as it does full and correct information respecting tiie despatch and arrival of mails, the arrival and ilej>.ivture of the lines of steamers, railway trains, North Shore steam ferry timetable, &e. It is neatly got up, and a whole page devoted to the jottings for each day in the mouth. Tho work is distributed gratis to iiis cr.stomers.

The Rev. A. W. Webb, in giving recently at a public meeting an account of jiis Southern tour, and of the Baptist Conference at Christehmch, complained of the meagre reports which the Southern papers gave-of such ecclesiastical gatherings as compared with those of the .North. Dr. Copland, of Dunedin, we notice complains that the Dunedin Times does not give that space to reporting the discussions oi the Presbyterir.u Synod which their importance warrants. The Times, in its defence, stites that the questions before the Synod -;his year are liot of such general interest as on previous occasions, and that, in justice to the general reader, it was not desirable to give in full a report of the eight hours' sitting of U:e Synod on two euuh questions as the deceased wife's sister trouble and the union with theNorthern church. The editor suggests if Dr. Copland is not satisfied lie should institute a Presbyterian Hansard. A rifle match which has been exciting a considerable amount of interest takes place to-day, at 1.30 p.m., at the Mo.ir.t Eden Rifle Range. It is between two elevens of the Victoria and >To. 3 Coimianies, A.It.V. The ranges are -200, 400. 500, and 000 yards, five shots at each range. The Victorias are tins favourite?, and the backing is greatly in their favour.

We are iniormed, on what appears to be good authority (says the Wa.ra.rapa Standard), that the 10 per cent, reduccjon on J i=. salaries of the Civil . =ease a on the 31st of March next, the< e»« * the nnancial. year { h » c ]»™ have be,,. rfS^^on^nous^^-J the oblociuy of the reduction* « the public serwee,

Mr. Hugh Davies," one of denta in Mahurangi district, week. Mr. Davies, who s?* burnio, in Scotland, arrived m th 1 upwards of a quarter of a centurva J?' Oa ? during almost all the time sine,, t ßo '-««d settled iuMatakana. For soZ _—***» he was never in very goodhealH. the whole of theJJt ticularly ailing. Some little time invited by Sir George Grey to m? Was Kawau.andthe change, great kindness and shown Sir George, did him much K ood m<l ity supposed by his friends that he woußiT 3, rallied again. However, the change better was only temporary and heir, 1 V? e sank till the end came. °oto Jorf 8 was greatly respected here, will £" much missed. In reference to his ,Wi? the Kirk Session of the Presbyterian Phi! of Mahurangi and Matakana their record the following nmmte 3?-n? , session resolve to enter on their records aser' preasion of their great sorrow at thelemovll from among them by death, on the <>«? c January, ISSI, of Mr. Hugh Davies Sγ* elder, in the 76th year of his ~4%S siou desire to acknowledge the importSt services rendered to the Church tv Mr Dimes, who, from his woude-ful knnAfi of Holy Scripture and the hLtorV°f|| e byteriamsm was well fitted to render services to the church, to the session, m especially to the mmister. ■ The desire also to express their heartfelt s™ patliy with Ins bereaved, relatives, aud es D e cially with her who for more than half century was the partner of his i Q y s „, sorrows; and to pray that while they sorrow not as others who have no hoc/ , the Lord may comfort them with the comiort wherewith He comforteth his people "

The near completion of the City I'uU;,, Baths has revealed a difficulty of a ]>e--nliar character. A number of the residents in Hardinge-street, whose houses are sitii-r* on the eminence overlooking the baths " C u the principle of "not crying out beWthev' were hurt," have held their peace until the baths were erected, in order to see what raovision would be made for the seclusion -irt privacy of those engaged in bathing. X O w that the baths are erected, the residents hav« had practical proof of what will t* a daily occurrence when they .ir, opened, from what occurred oa Suminy last. On that day a number of larrikins vert amusing themselves in the baths, a-.d in a nude condition running along the platform which on three sides of the baths is exposed to the full view of the residents on the. cliff above. To add to the nuisance the youni-. sters kept up a continual hubbub, which iva? occasionally raised by the utterance of language more vigorous than polite. Under such circumstances, it is not to be wondered that certain paterfamiliases here been prowling aud growlina around the baths, owing to the annoyance thus occasioned to tht female portion of their households. There are three remedies, all or each of which might be adopted—Closing-iu- the open platforms ; restricting the hours of bathing to certain hours ; and enforcing the weariug of calei.'ous, as is done at public baths in France. While on the subject of the baths, it would be an improvement if the floor were flagged or formed in concrete, aud also admit of its being more easily cleansed. The deposit of silt which at present occupies the surface of the rock is not calculated to give ihti baths an inviting appearance.

The following are the names of the artists forming the " Lydia Howard " Company :— Mdlle. Lolo do Glorian, Miss Blanche Leopold, Miss Rose And lews, Miss Ada Sinclair Miss Clara Mauselle, Miss Louisa Jlason, Mr. George Leopold, Mr. Harrv Power, Mr J. Stark, Mr. J. Marshall, "Mr. Eiiyenc Mowry, Mr. Paul Carter. Miss Lvdia Howard stands in the first rank of burlesque actresses as vocalist and tlan&utgc. The repertoire comprises "Robinson Crusoe" (with which the season will open), "H.JI.S. Pinafore," "Les Cloches de Corneville," "Ivanhoe," " Girofle Girofla," ''The Doctor of Alcantara," "Nemesis," "Chilperic," "Napthauia, or Aladdin the Second," "Trial by Jury," "The Sultan of Mocha," and the pantomime "Tom Tom the Piper's Son."

The remains of the late Dr. James Dixou, of Melbourne, who was found dead in his batb at the Lake House, Ohinemutu, were yesterday shipped to Melbourne by the s.s. Te Auau.

Mrs. Hampson and Mr. George If emus were passengers by the 5.3. Eotomahana tothe Thames yesterday, where the lady evangelist intends holdings one of her popular evangelistic missions.

It is announced that Mr. Thomas Spurgcon, son of tlic eminent Biptist preacher, ■will arrive at the Bluff on Monday week, from Australia. He will spend some time in Dunedin ; but his further movements arc not known.

The Waikato Times publishes the following :—"Garrard, the enthusiastic, if somewhat erratic apostle of the unemployed ia Auckland, owns, it appears, some land in the Ivirikiriroa Highway District. In December last the Secretary -wrote to this gentleman for the amount of his rates, addressing the letter to ' Mr. Garrard. Unemployed, Auckland,' thinking this the surest way of finding him. In reply, the following fiery epistle was received :—' Auckland, Dec, ISSO.—Sir, —i will or might be able to send you tho rates and taxes for the little allotment in East Hamilton, Waikato, No. 203, in the course of a month; and how dare you, sir, to have the imprudence to address the letter to me in the impertinent way in which you have done. I shall acquaint your superior officer on the subject. It is no matter to you, sir, if I am out of imploy. I am shure your worship the mayer didn't tell you to address your letter tbat way. Mind yourself, sir.—Mk. iV. G. GaBitARD, I\O., Auckland.' The envelope containing this haughty document was addressed thus :—' To the Clerk at the County Council that receives tho rates, West Hamilton Waikato, paid pauper in imploy.' Captain McPherson responds with a threat to summons, whereat the sturdy champion of the ' 'orney 'anded' adopted a very much milder tone. Thus :—■' Jan. 20. Sir, —receiving your letter i must say i am out of work and cannot meet your demand.. You must know your own business better than i can tell you as you want cash. —Yours truly MK. W. G. (rARKABD." ,

Mr. John Bryce has been recruiting his health after the severe strain to which it was subjected whilst in charge of the Native anil Defence departments, by a visit to his estate in Kiwitea. He will shortly address his constituents.

We were shown yesterday a portion of the stomach of an ox, killed by Mc&srs. Fisher and Co. The ox had been fed for some time «ith chaff, cut from crops bound by wire. The ehati-cutting machine had cut the wire into short lengths, and these were all stuck through the coats of the stomach in a manner which must have seriously interfered with the feeding of the animal. . It clearly shows how dangerous binding by wire was, and all farmers must be glad that binding by string has been rendered practicable. Those interested in the subject may see the portion of stomach referred to, by calling to-day at our publishing oiKce, Quecn-stroet.

At the Christmas examinations of the pupils of tlie Church of England Grammar School, Hi-. G. P. Pierce offered a special prize for the best essay on " The Life and Works of Bishop Patteson," which was carried bv Master Moss (sou ot Mr. F. J. Moss, M.H.K.), and presented to that young gentleman on Tuesday last .it inc presentation of prizes to the pupils of the sehooi. We have perused.the essay, which is a very creditable literary composition,, and contains much interesting inforinatipn-eOB-~, cerning the life and labours of the martyred Bishop. ~"~ --> — r> V~ = The annivorsai/ of thf Burns was celebrated on JanitMy&»;iraert of the Otago and tt'est Coast towns;:; ■ ~--■ ;

Tenders for the of a teacher's dwellin;,- at Oram «« n at ne office of tho Education " mu " Don of Monday next, 7*

Mr. WuliamTeUv? S f to theH , ot