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New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6163, 18 August 1881, Page 4

We have to apologise to our readers for the late delivery of the Hebald this morning, owing to an accident to the machinery.

The ordinary weekly sitting of the Supreme Court in banco was held yesterday. His Honor, Mr. Justice Gillies, delivered an important judgment in the case of Rich and another v. the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court. - The. question was whether the Native Land Court judge was. personally, liable for an excessive assessment (£1200) of duty payable to the Government ,upqn a conveyance from the native owner to a purchaser. His Honor held that Mr. Fenton's assessment was wrong, but that the Native Land Court judge was not personally liable. The £1200 has, however, been paid into the Colonial Treasury. Will the Government recoup it? The judgment- has several important public.bearings, and will be found at" length In another column.

We have to hand files of tke Moniteur de la Nouvelle-CaUdonie and Neo-Cal(Sdoniento the sth instant. Vessels from this port are quarantined, owing to a report that numerous cases of scarlet fever exist in Auckland. The national festival was celebrated with great Mat. At the contest which took place on the 24th ultimo for the Grand Pnx of the Rifle Association of Noumea, William Magdelaine, a marine on board H.M.S. Cormorant, won the third prize. Among the competitors were some of the best marksmen of the French Infantry in garrison at Noumea,

The mails received at and despatched from the Chief Post Office on Tuesday, by the steamers City of Sydney and Hawea, consisted of 201 bags. The whole correspondence which passed through the office throughout the day amounted to 10,654 letters, 1358 books, 8428 newspapers received ; 13,091 letters, 1095 books, 12,714 newspapers despatched, making a total of 23,775 letters, 2453 books, and 21,142 newspapers.

As was to be expected, a feeling of indignation prevailed in the community yesterday when it was found that the Government virtually proposed to break the engagement entered into to complete the reclamation, and early in the day a requisition was being signed for a public meeting. This was presented to His Worship the Mayor, influentially signed. The requisitionists desired the Mayor to convene a public meeting, and in compliance therewith he has fixed tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock, and the place of meeting thu large room in the New Zealand Insurance Company's Buildings. There is no doubt that the attendance will be large, and that resolutions condemnatory of the action of the Government will be passed.

We have to acknowledge the receipt from the secretary of a copy of the last annual report of the Auckland Horticultural Society, which has been printed in pamphlet form. We reported the meeting at the time, and so far as the report is concerned needs no further notice at our hands. Enclosed in the report is the schedule of prizes offered for the spring exhibition, proposed to be held on the 16th and 17th November. The place of exhibition is not yet fixed, but that will be announced on a future occasion. For third prizes this year certificates will be awarded if the exhibits are of sufficient merit. This arrangement allows higher sums to be given for first aud second prizes. In the section of plants grown in pots, there are 26 different classes. In that for out flowers there are 27 classes. In the section of fruits there are 11 classes of prizes offered, and 21 for vegetables of various kinds. Copies of the schedule can be had from the secretary, at the museum, from Mr. G. H. Lavers, Messrs. Hesketh and Atkin, and Mr. T. Steadman, seedsman, Queen-street.

Tawhiao lost nothing by his exchange of guns with Major Mair at Alexandra, as he received a newly imported "Brinsley Richards " breechloader, with which he seemed highly delighted. On Sunday Wahanui and others visited the constabulary at the stockade, over which they were shown by the officer in command. Wahanui made a short address, in which he complimented the force on having so strong a pa, but said that it would be of uo further use for them for the purpose for which it was erected, as there would never be other than peace and goodwill between the two races. If ever used, it would be occupied by pakehas aud Maoris as brothers against some common enemy.

We are informed that already over 14,000 shares have been subscribed in the Auckland Fibre Manufacturing Company, and that all preliminaries have been arranged, and the very eligible site in Stanley-street, Mechanics' Bay, secured. As it is only intended to issue 20,000 Bhares, intending subscribers should not delay in sending in their applications to Mr. A. Saunders, broker for the company.

Sergeant McGann arrived yesterday from the South by the s.s. Penguin, in order to replace Sergeant McGrath, who has been shifted to the Thames owing to the removal of Sergeant Mulville from that district to Dunedin. The new officer's last station was Invercargill. He has been twenty-one years in the police force—three years in Victoria, under Commissioner Brannigau, and eighteen in the New Zealand force.

Sergeant McGovern, of Waikato, has reported to Mr. Superintendent Thomson that the police and settlers have searched every conceivable place for Mrs. Luhrs, of East Hamilton, who disapnoared from her home at 5 a.m. on the 24th, ult. She had only a skirt on and a dark shawl over her head at the time, and there is every reason to believe that she committed suicide by drowning in the Waikato river. Mrs. Luhrs had been manifesting symptoms of mental derangement for some time previously, and had expressed her weariness of life and intention of jumping into the river.

At a meeting of the Cambridge Coursing Club it has been resolved not to amalgamate with the Auckland Club, arid that December, January, and February should be kept as a close season. A sweepstakes match of two guineas each, the winner to receive a silver cup and 60 per cent, of the stakes, runner-up 25 per cent., and third dog 15 per cent., has been fixed for the 23rd of next month. Mr. James Henderson will act aa judge, and Mr. C. Hitchman aa slipper.

There were only two drunkards in the lock-up laat night, a man and a woman.

■ !S» •—An inquest was, held.yesterday afternoon »t th'o" Army and Navy Hotel, before : D r > Philson, Coroner,: and. jury, (of whom Mr' James Knight was .chosen foreman),- on thebody of Gfeorgo Daniel Burke, who died suddenly;;on: Tuesday;'morning.- The cvi. dence of the deceased's wife (Mrs./ Burke), of i two neighbours, Mrs. Jane Hull and Mr. H " J. Syms, and of Dr. Dawson waa taken, but it was simply a repetition of the facte already published ;in : yesterday's issue. At tie desire of the jury Dr. Purchas (who had first seen the deceased after death), made a post. mortem examination'of the body. He deposed that the body was - well nourished, and that of a strong healthy-looking man. There were v no marks of violence other than the marks on the faoo caused by'deceased falling from the bed on the floor. All the organs of thn body were healthy, with the exception of the heart—the seat of his disease. On open, ing'the chest he found the pericardium greatly distended, and filled with 6 ounces serum, and an immense clot of 12 ounces of blood. Traced the blood to a very small rupture in an aneurism of the ascending aorta, immediately beyond the valves. The aneurism tumour was about the siz*; of a hen's eggl . Deceased must have had the aneurism for years, although ho had made no complaint. It was difficult to detect it in this ease, owing to its situation, even with the stethescope. The cause of death vras the rupture of the aneurism at the base of the aorta into the pericardium. The jury returned a verdict of "Death from natural causes." It was stated in the evidence that • the deceased had been medically examined before being admitted to. the Fountain of Friendship Lodge, and similarly when he had mured his life.

A correspondent ("Amicus") asks what it the current price of the best butter, statinc that the Herald quotes it at Is 3d wholesale, -Is 6d retail, which price has beee. accepted as the standard price, by most o£ the grocers. Elsewhere it has been quoted Is 6d wholesale, Is 9d retail. Some of tile community are paying Is Cd per lb., and some Is 9d. We can only say that our reporter is very careful to give the prevailing feeling with regard to butter and eggs and calls upon the principal shopkeepers every Thursday to ascertain the ruling rates. Sometimes ho is puzzled to form anything like a correct judgment, eo various arc the opinions expressed. If settleni,would bear in miud that these quotations only profess to be the nearest an. proximation to the prices possible rather than an absolute standard, thero would be less grumbling. Still we are prepared to guarantee that our quotations are seldom, if ever, very far wide of the mark. Bnt there are other considerations. Take last week for instance. The general quotation was Is 3d wholesale, and the feeling was easier because the supplies were more plentiful ; yet storekeepers were giving a penny to threepence per pound more for certain dairies. "Why ? Because they are considered worth bo much more than average butter. It is understood that first-class dairies command so much more than ordinary dairies, when butter is in great demand. Frequently storekeepers have complained of a second quotation being given. Inasmuch as if best dairies are mentioned, every_onc professes to consider his butter the best in the market, regardless alike of the storekeeper's experience and the taste of his customers. Let it be borne in mind that the quotations are for average butter, and that frequently a little higher price is paid to favourite dairies.

The contract for the building of the new town-hall of Hamilton has been formally signed. Mr. Vialou, architect, will have the superintendence ot the work. The hall will be erected on an acre of laud granted by the Government for the.purpose,-facing Knoxstreet, and close to the main thoroughfare, Victoria-street, and within a stone's throw of St. Peter's Church. It is in a commanding and centnl position, -and will aflbrd first-class accommodation for theatrical, concert, and opera troupes visiting the district.

"Paddy Murphy," writing from "Lambton Kay," to the Saturday Advertiser, says : " People is wondhrin up here how the dickins Docthor Wallis larnud the game o' fan-tan, but, begorra, I know all about it, so I do. About a fortnight ago I happened to dlnop into Jack McGinuity's, to have a baud at forty-fives wid Jack, when, who the jooce should I find in the little back parlour bcyant the bar but the dochtor, sittin' taty-tatc (Frinch) witli a Chineymau, who grows cabbages out at the Hutt, be the name of Chung Chow. «What in the name of av' all that's , lucky arc ye doin , here, at all, at all, sittin' op-possit a common Chineyman, docthor, asthore ?' ses I. ' Whisht, Paddy,' ses the docthor, 'I'm just gittin' an insight into the game o' fan-tan, for the Lotthery Bill debate, , ses he. 'D'ye ye tell me so, , says I. An' sure enough, there was John iusthructin , the Docthor in the mystheries o , the game. This is how the docthor lamed all about fan-tan."

Messrs. E. Mitchclson and Co., of Auckland and Dargaville, have purchased the business of Messrs. Rust and Co., Kamo. Weunderstand that Mr. Mitclielsou's vessels, the Annie Wilson, Torea, and others, will in future call at Whangarci to load coal on their return trips from the South. We congratulate the people 'of Whangarei on the accession to their community oi a gentleman of so much enterprise aud such public spirit. Energetic business men of the stamp of Messrs. Morrin, Mitcheliion, and Bciinett are not numerous amongst us, and should always bo welcome.

The hearing of the Wade smuggling case was resumed at 10 o'clock yesterday, but so far there seems little prospect of an early termination. Mr. Lusk, in au address lasting about an hour and an half, dissected the evidence for the prosecution, drawing comparisons between the evidence given by ths principal witnesses in June last with that given on the present charge. The two defendants, Emrile and Polkiiighorne, were examined, and distinctly, definitely, and emphatically denied the statements made by the eight principal witnesses for the prosecution. They were cross-examined at great length by Mr. Laishlcy, but adhered to their statements. Mrs. Polkiiighorne was also examined, but her evidence was brief, and had only reference 1;o the meeting of -She boats in the Wade river, and the conversation which she heard. The Court then adjourned.

The following is the return of sick treated »t the Provincial District Hospital, for the week ending Saturday, August 13, 1S81: Remained last return, 106 ; admitted since, 10 ; discharged, 10; died 0; remaining, 106 ;S3 males, 23 females. Arrangement of cases : Zymotic, 25 ; constitutional, 10 ; local, 40; developmental, IS ; violent, 13. Thanks are returned to Mrs, Coster for a number of illustrated newspapers.

The people of Paruell were much exercised yesterday with the names of a lady and gentleman whom Dr. Maunsell joined in the holy bond of matrimony. The lady's name was Hay, and the gentleman's name was Corn(e). There was no ead of "chaff' on both sides of the Manukauroad, but the friends of the lady had the best of it when they heard that she had fixed her future residence iu "Conq,iKSt place." . To-day a special meetiug of the Auckland Presbytery will be held iu St. Andrew's Church for the purpose of inquiring into the scandal attaching to the name of a student of the Church. The Reverend Court opens at ten o'clock.

The latest illustration of "Japhet in Search of a Father " is given in the following narra- : tive:—ln the beginning of last year a young woman samed Elizabeth McVeagh, who, with her pawiits, are natives of Newagh, County Tipperary, settled at Greymouth, on the "West Coast. From thence the young •woman came on to Auckland to be confined, the event taking place in April of that year, •when she gave birth to a little boy. About two months after her confinement she induced a poor woman to nurse' it for Her, paying so much a-week, and took a situation with Mr. Ballin, of Kihikihi, aa domestic servant, in July of the same year. From that date to this she has never looked after the child or supplied it with necessaries. About December last Miss McVeagh got married to a man at Hamilton. Dunng the first quarter the child was put out Miss MeVeagh gave the nurse some money, but after that she received nothing. This poor woman has the child now saddled upon her to maintain, while she can find no tra?o ° f the unnatural mother, who has left the Wailato district. As the child's father is believed to reside at Greymouth, it is to be hoped that the Greymouth papers will give due publicity to this paragraph, so that he may be enabled to claim his offspring or to maintain it.

The report of the Public Trustee to the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, has been laid before Parliament. It gives a comparative statement of the working of the Public Trust Office, for two years ended respectively on the 30th of June, ISSO and ISSI, a perusal of which shows the greatly increased business of the office during the twelve months last year. There had been an increase during the latter period of cash receipts of no less than i;-J6,4iS. Tbe_ total transactions show an increase of £51,570, or SS per cent., and the nett profits of the past year of the office were £475, as against a deficiency of ,£SS9 iu the previous year. The estates entered for administration numbered IS4, or an increase of 7 per cent. The Trustee concludes his report by observing : "It is satisfactory to be able to report that the colonists are availing themselves more generally of the advantages offered under the provisions of the Public Trust Office Acts, whilst the largely increased business may safely be taken as an iudication that the office is growing in public favour, and that a knowledge of its objects is being gradually disseminated amongst the people."-

To-morrow evening the Right Kev. Bishop Cowie is expected to deliver a lecture, in the old church of St. Sepulchre's, Symondsstreet, on "Wiekliffe, the Church in his days, and his English Bible." The lecture begins at half-past 7 o'clock. This is a subject upon which the lecturer is quite familiar, and there is no doubt that it will b<! an entertaining one. The proceeds are to bo in aid of the fund devoted to the repairing o'f the building in which the lecture will be delivered.

We have files of the Message de Tahiti to a late date, but there is nothing in them of local interest.

Our readers should remember that a conoert takes place this evening in the Choral Hall, under the direction of Herr Carl Schmitt. Among the items in the programme is a selection from the opera of "Cazille," composed by Herr Schmitt, also a march composed by him for the reception of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh in Sydney. The orchestra of the Choral Society will perform two overtures, also a movement from one of Beethoven's Symphonies. We have heard a rumour to the effect that Herr Schmitt has been induced, at the urgent request of members of the orchestra, to play a violin solo, although this does not appear in the programme as published in another column. As most of our readers are aware that this concert was originally intended to have been given during the stay in Auckland of the Detached Squadron, and it was in consequeaee of the delay and uncertainty in thb movements of the squadron that the concert has been postponed until now, so close to the Choral Society's concert of "Elijah." We hope, however, to see a full house, more especially as in compliance with a very general wish, it has been decided to admit visitors to the back seats at a charge of one shilling.

Our Waikato correspondent, in his account of the opening ceremony, by inadvertence snbstitnted the name of McLean and Sons for that of O'Brien, as the contractor for tho building of the Te Rore bridge.

One of the most celebrated places in tho neighbourhood of Auckland passed from the hande of its original owner yesterday, to the possession of n public company for manufacturing purposes. The spot was occupied thirty-five years ago as a ropewalk, by Mr. James Robertson, of Mangere, and afterwards as a tanyard by Messrs. Ireland Brothers. In the little creek by which it is watered the war canoes of the Maoris used to be moored. The land is purchased by the New Zealand Fibre Company, who intend to erect extensive premises and workshops upon it.

"A Visitor " has " a little plan " for facilitating communication with the North Shore without erecting the projected bridge : - "Might I suggest, as a solution to the difficulty of establishing easy communication with the North Shore, that instead of a bridge, which, along with the heavy first cost, is open to many objections, that it be done by means of a ferry boat worked by chain, similar to those used so successfully on the Clyde. Like them they could be made of sufficient size to accommodate passengers, waggons and drays. The cost and future working expense of these is very small indeed. Any of the engineers in Auckland, if called on, would be glad to submit prices and designs, I have not the least doubt."

The induction of the Rev. J. Mackenzie Fraser to St. David's Presbyterian Church, Upper Symonds-streot, takes place this evening in the church at half-past seven o'clock.

To-night Professor Fraser, at the request of the Auckland Total Abstinence Society, will deliver a lecture in the Temperance Hall at half-past seven o'clock upon "Alcohol ver3U3 Blood and Brain." Several important experiments ■will be performed, and mineral selections -will be given during the evening.

A Wellington correspondent of the Thames Advertiser telegraphs as follows:—"Mr. Vraser has called for an inquiry into the circumstances under which his appointments under the Civil Service were determined. The petition, along with others from the Thames, were presented to the House on Friday last by Mr. Sheehan. It is not likely that the inquiry will be ordered. At the most a reference to the Governor may be obtained."

The Demon Spectacles, a. thrilling romance by "Wilkie Collins, 13 commenced.in to-morrow's Observer. Extraoedixar,y DISCLOSURES. —A strange eventfnl life history now for the first time made public—see to-morrow's Observer. The Wade Smcgglixo Case.—Portraits of principal actors in to-morrow's Observer. To-day Messrs. S. Cochrane and Son will hold a sale of books, consisting of both popular and jind&rd works. In another column will be found an announcement of the dissolution of the old-established firm of Rushbrook and Bridgman, Drapers, &c, Upper Queen-street. Mr. W. K. Bridgman has purchased the interest of Mr. Hushbrook in the concern, and will in future carry on the business. Jlr. Bridgman purposes making extensive alterations in the premises, and announces that before doing so, in order to clear off the present stock and adjust partnership accounts, ho will hold a> gennine cheap clearing-out sale. The premises are to be closed on Saturday next, the 20th instant, until 6 p.m., when the sale will commence.