THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1885.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7267, 4 March 1885, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1885.

How little reliance is placed by England at the present moment on the professions of friendship made by the Russian Press, may be gathered from the announcement contained in one of this morning's telegrams. All the army establishments in the Kingdom are, it is said, being increased in view of the Afghan and other contingencies. That may be held as Britain's reply to the carefully-designed proclamation that

the Russian Press generally expect the Anglo-Russian negotiations, regarding the Afghan frontier to result in apeaceful settlement. This! hope' is. studiously expressed immediately after the Muscovite forces have been put, in motion in Central Asia, with the view of supporting the demand "to have the Hindu Kush and Paropamisian range recognised, as the military line of division between the dominions of the two Empires. One of these forces, we have been told, is actually advancing to a position fifty miles south of the present AfghanTurkestan frontier. If this does not signify that Russia is preparing to back her claims by force, her action must be held to be devoid of meaning. But true ,to her hereditary policy of craft, Russia makes the loudest protestations of friendship at the very time when she is placing herself in an attitude to strike. She thus attempts to secure her footing while she endeavours artfully to throw her probable combatant off his guard. That she has been encouraged in the practice of such tactics by the purblind confidence in her good intentions which the Government of Mr. Gladstone has persistently manifested is unfortunately too well known to be disputed. It is, as we have previously stated, the! encouragement thus presented that accounts for her rapid approach in recent years towards the Afghan territory ; and it is her reckoning on the continuance of, this simplicity, or it may be her suspicion that it may soon _be brought .to a close through a possible change of Ministry in England, that has dictated her latest forward movement. But, as we recently pointed out, she will probably discover that in this instance she has reckoned without her host. - u - -*"

As was shown by the vote of last Friday, the position of the Gladstone Government is at present too insecure to admit of their treating lightly any attempt at presuming on their proverbial inactivity. Any neglect of ' the national honour, or the slightest faltering in the presence of a wily diplomacy and an armed demonstration would, in the present temper of the British people, inevitably seal their doom. Despite the advantage which the passage of the Franchise and Redistribution of Seats Bills may give them at next election, nothing but a vigorous prosecution of the Soudan campaign and an effective defiance of the Russian claims in the matter of the Afghan frontier, will prevent their expulsion from office. We do not say that this will save them, but in this manifestly lies their only chance. And this they are not so blind as not to see. Hence the activity in the British arsenals of which we hear. The Cabinet has at length been compelled by the force of circumstances to recognise the fact that the patience of the people has been exhausted by a series of national humiliations, that, in order to retain their confidence, a spirited foreign policy must be adopted, and that the best way of preventing war in Asia or elsewhere is to be prepared for it. Whether the mobilisation of the British forces will in this instance render an appeal to arms unnecessary remains to be seen. Russia does not change her designs though she alter her tactics; and, sooner or later, the possession of the northern entrances to the passes of the Hindu Kush must be decided by the issues of war. This may be regarded as certain, and, upon their being held by our forces will depend very largely the security of our Indian Empire. Had the present English Ministry retained the advantage which the late masterly campaign in Afghanistan assured to us, the present .dispute about the Afghan frontier would have been easily settled, and probably would not have arisen. But, from a strange disregard of the future, that advantage was thrown away, and whether it can now substantially be recovered is an eventuality of which no one is entitled to speak with confidence. It is, however, something to know that the Imperial Government are giving some signs of a determination not to allow that/ advantage to pass wholly into the hands of England's hereditary rival. ?

At the last meeting of the Education Board, Mr. Moss gave notice of the following motion: " That with a view to better enabling country committees to return country candidates to represent them at the Board, it is desirable that an Executive Committee shall be appointed with definite powers, and that the meeting of this Board should be held monthly, beginning at eleven a.m., and continuing as long as may be .found necessary." Now, we should be glad to see country residents members of the Board, and taking part in the business, but we believe that if the above motion were carried, it would cause great evils, and would do more damage than any good that would be achieved by the substitution of country members./It will be remembered that some time ago we vigorously protested against the amount of business that was done in the Board with closed doors. We could point to a number of instances I when the Board had done things with closed doors which it would not have dared to do if public notice had been given, and the business transacted while reporters were present. One Chairman resolved the Board into committee, and then raised the salaries of the officers—no notice having been given to the members. As we were unmistakeably supported by the public voice, and by some members of the Board, the practice was altered, greatly to the raising of the Board in public estimation. Mr. Moss's proposal is simply to make things worse than ever. 'The Executive Committee to be constituted would do the whole business, with the exception of such matters as might be left over for the monthly (meetings. 'Those country members, for whose assistance at the Board Mr. Moss is so solicitous, would have really less to do with the Board business than they have at present. The Executive Committee, which must meet every week, and probably oftener, would necessarily be residents in town, and they would do the business. Besides, the fact of the Board now meeting every week, on Fridays, which is market day, renders the members and the meetings accessible to ! a considerable number of country settlers, who are members of I school committees or otherwise interested. These gentlemen have all occasion to come in to town periodically, "and when they " do come they can see f most of the members of the Board. > But if the members mostly resided in

the country, they would be only available to those who lived close around them. At present the meetings are held weekly, and they sometimes last for three or four hours. They continue quite as long as could the Board meetings under the proposed new arrangement even- though they commenced at eleven o'clock. Mr. Moss's proposal, though no doubt made with a good object, would have a mischievous effect. We would prefer to see the ; Board split up, and separate Boards j. formed for such districts as Waikato, I for instance.

Ii will be seen from the account of an interview our representative had yesterday with Mr. James Anthony Froude that the division in the House of Commons on Sir Stafford Northcote'a motion is regarded by. this celebrated historian as a crushing blow to the Ministry. And, from his way of viewing it, the blow would appear to be a heavier one than the telegrams lead us at first to infer. The figures giv a show that, contrary to what would naturally be expected on so important an occasion, the House was not a full one. There must have been upwards of a hundred members absent; and, as the Conservatives would be sure to muster in strength nearly all the absentees must have belonged to the Liberal party. These may fairly be regarded as having been opposed to the Egyptian policy of the Government ; and, though unable to vote in their favour, they could not find courage to vote against them, and accordingly squared with their consciences by leaving the House. The condemnation of the Ministry by the country i* thus made more apparent; for,-had-j these absentees performed their duty as popular representatives, as they ought to have done, the Ministry would have been left in a decided minority. It was due to their pursuing a course dictated by party considerations that the Cabinet was saved, though barely saved,' from defeat. The near prospect of a general election, too, had doubtless not a little to do with the abstention resorted to ; as, to have voted for the Government would, in view of the present state of public feeling, have involved not a few of them in the risk of : being .rejected. They had to elect" between the overthrow of their party and the danger of their losing their seats, and they tried through skillul manoeuvre to avoid both evils by choosing neither. In such circumstances the Ministry though they have resolved to continue in office, cannot be said to have a promising outlook. From a telegram we publish today, it will be seen that they mean to hasten the passage of the Redistribution of Seats Bill, and immediately after to arrange for the dissolution of Parliament. It thus appears that as we surmised, they are reckoning on the popularity which the passing of this Bill, together with the extension of the Franchise Bill, is believed to have won for them, to counteract the dissatisfaction caused by the failure of their Egyptian policy. ' Still it is very doubtful whether such tactics will prevent their expulsion from power. The mass of the. people are angry at the expedition to the Soudan failing in its primary object—namely, the rescue of Gordon— and it will be hard for them to overlook the blundering to which this was attributable. It is far from being an unlikely thing that the fall of Khartoum will have its sequence in the fall of the Gladstone Administration.

The departure from Sydney yesterday of the New South Wales contingent for the Soudan was a memorable event in the history of the colonies. According to our telegraphic account of it, the spectacle must have been very imposing. Well might the marines from Her Majesty's men-of-war mark their appreciation of the patriotism displayed by escorting the volunteer troops to the point of embarkation. . For there could be no more pleasing evidence than was then furnished that the watchful care with which the mother State guards by means of her navy the interests of these colonies is loyally reciprocated in all her dependencies, and that in these there are not a few men ready to risk their lives in defence of her sceptre. The force despatched is not indeed numerically a large one, but it represents a great principle, hitherto cherished in the hearts of all the Queen's subjects, but now for the first time translated into expressive fact, that, namely, of the real unity of the Empire. . Never before, as was well remarked by His Excellency the Governor ;in the appropriate address he made to the troops' before embarking, has it occurred in the history of that Empire i that a contingent has been sent from. one of its remotest colonies fully equipped and provided with .everything requisite to enable it to take part with the Imperial army in the hardships and dangers of war. Regarded in this light the offer which New South Wales has so nobly made and executed with such liberality and enthusiasm may be held as typical of the spirit which prevails in all the colonies of Britain. For it cannot be doubted that, had the opportunity been given them by the Home Government, all these colonies would have followed the spirited example thus set them. To New South Wales belongs the honour of introducing a new epoch in the relations of the colonies to the United Kingdom, which proclaims to the world that in trial and adversity, as well as in peace and prosperity, they are resolved henceforth to stand or fall together. But that honour is one which all the colonies will desire to share, in ; and in the future which has been so happily inaugurated, the opportunity for enjoying it is sure to come.

News has been received that the Egyptian garrison at Kassala made a sortie from that place,' but were repulsed. They encountered a large number of Arabs in the vicinity and an . engagement ensued, resulting in the Egyptians being driven back with severe losses. Prince Hassan, the Khedive's brother, has started for Korti to enter upon his duties as Governor of the Soudan, and commander of the Egyptian troops in that country. '.. The Soudan contingent sailed from ■ Sydney yesterday for the seat of war. The departure of the troops was witnessed by an immense concourse of people, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. Before the troops embarked, the Governor addressed them in some spirited words. The lines were in contact between Napier and Wellington last evening, and only one wire available for transmission of telegraphic messages South. Telegraphic communication south of Oamaru has also been interrupted during the past few days owing to contacts. The regular quarterly communication of the District Grand Lodge of England was held last evening in the Masonic Hall, and additional interest was felt in the proceedings on account of Brother G. S. Graham, the R.W.D.G.M., being present, he having prolonged his visit from Wellington in order to attend. There was a good representation of the Grand Lodge, and a large number of visitors. ' Amongst the other business was the investment of some of the officers who were absent at the previous quarterly communication, and the business matters discussed were of considerable interest to the craft generally. .. The necessity for a properly constructed fish market has so long been felt that it is a matter of surprise that it has not been provided long ago. Some nine months ago the Harbour Board agreed to grant a space for toe purpose on the reclamation ground, but this has not been done. Yesterday Messrs. ! Btrrrdw and Co. urged the Board to hurry on the: matter as much as possible, and there were applications for temporary sites from 'Messrs. Hoag and others These applications for temporary occupation on sites near the dock were granted. It will be seen by advertisement that the directors of the Cambria G. M. Co. have declared a dividend of la per share, payable on Saturday. •-••-- ■•-

I At the Harbour BoarT^S^ the.question of tender, for th?fe **** under consideration (Mr. a ta ?»M the only tender), the qnts'tion ,7' *»« being nt in by members TS S *$& either through their partners 0 r !>'* was brought up by Mr. Goldi* 11 **»««» to the fact of tVcontracTfc?SfijjSl new Barbour Board building &*■ man in the employ of Mr Wink to * matter wan not gone into, Mr Wint , **• absent. It did not therefore t «°* whether the contractor tendered on? account or on behalf of the firm b * a he is employed. The Act provides member of the Board can be am , 1 under the Board, but there is a sarin* ,* which provides that this shall not an i* any member of an incorporated com* A shareholder in a company may be . P * B ber of the Board although the any membor of it may be contractors 1 * Mr. Winks could not take a contract nj" the Board because he is a member i* Board, but T. and S. Morrin and Co J? lake contracts although Mr. T. Morri sitting member of the Board, or Mr D " l i could take a contract although Mr I Owen, his partner in the Agricultural i ! Mercantile Company, is a member and Ox i man of the Board. The whole matter i I probably be discussed at some length t future meeting. *' * An accident occurred on Monday a w< ngerei to a young man named Robert" pi ing, in the employ of Mr. Thomas Johns*?' of that townsnip. He was driving arW with two horses, and had some gates 0 part of his load. They shifted forward *! touched' the hind-quarters of one of th animals, which thereupon kicked out. a fractured the leg of the driver. Fleming removed to the house of a settler, and tV* fractured limb was set by Dr. Edgelow Some cases of typhoid fever have been ported to the Sanitary Inspector ag »vi '* been sent from < itahuhu and Mang» w j3 to the District Hospital. There are iuw to be several cases in the city at the preset time. * There is .a very dangerous mantrap ; night, at the High-street frontage of the new premises of Mr. Samuel Coombes. Th planking of the first floor has not been finished yet, while the doorway is left on. barricaded after working hours. One c these fine nights. a waif or a vagrant will step into the doorway for shelter for the night, and go bead-over-heels between the flooring beams on to the cellar floor, tea feet below. It is intended to erect a parsonage adjacent to the Anglican Church, Nortbcote, for the use of the district clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Hitchcock. The plans have been prepared by Messre. Hammond and Sons, architects. The young woman Lucy Armstrong, who has been before the Bench lately, was yesterday committed to the Lunatic Asylum on tha testimony of Drs. -Tennent and StockweU. She was in the habit of taking fits, and on coming out of them appeared to be afflicted with suicidal mania. Early yesterday morning George Patrick Dowse, •who was sleeping on board his - vessel, the Ann Eliza, at the Queen-street Wharf, heard a noise in the cabin, and, on getting up, saw a man scrambling on to the deck. He followed in pursuit, but the man having the start had got on the wharf, which was eight or ten feet above the deck. Dowse hailed the nocturnal visitor, and demanded his business. The fellow, with conmm. mate impudence, roundly abused Dowse, and finished up by throwing a broom handle at him, which hit him on the head, inflicting a contused wound, and then made off. The injured man had to be removed to the HoapiJ tal for treatment. Among the passengers by the City of Sydney, mail steamer, yesterday from Sydney was Lord Elphinetone, who is on a tour of travel, and is at present staying at the Northern Club. His Lordship hai spent some time in Victoria and New South Wales, and, in company with Mr. Froude, intends proceeding to the Lake Country on Thursday or Friday next, and hence South. The intention is to see as much of the colony at can be seen prior' to the departure of the next mail steamer. Lord Elphinstone ii anxious to get back to his place in the House of Lords owing to the stirring times looming, and the probability of the Conservatives being again placed, in power. Ha succeeded to the title in 1861, and served in the Royal Navy during the Crimean War, retiring from the service subsequently. : The Sydney Morning Herald of February 26 says -. — " Mr. Dalley, Acting Colonial Secretary, had a long interview yesterday, at the Colonial Secretary's Office, with Mr. J. A. Froude, at which, we understand, the relations of the colony to the Empire and the question of Imperial federation formed the chief subject of discussion. Mr. Froude has been furnished by Mr. Dalley with every kind of information connected with the public departments of this colony, and illustrating the prosperity of the country, which it is in the power of the Government to afford him ; and he has had opportunities during his brief visit of seeing as much as he could of the city and its public buildings, and of the various departments of Government. Much regret has been expressed at the shortness of his stay here, and that the Government had been unable <to show him that attention which so distinguished a man deserves ; but had his visit taken place under less exciting circumstances than those which, in connection with the expedition to the Soudan, are occupying the time of the Government more attention would have been paid to him."

At about half-past ten o'clock yesterday morning some little excitement was caused in Queen-street, at the bottom of WyndhamBtreet, by a runaway horse attached.to a spring cart. The horse, a spirited young animal, belonging to Mr. Ash, milkman, Mount Eden, was harnessed in a trap containing milk cans. The wheel was chained in the usual manner, and there was no one m the trap. The horse becoming heightened at something, bolted towards the footpath just opposite the shop of Mr. Alexander, jeweller, and would in all probability have done considerable injury had he not collided with a heavy dray, which brought him to a standstill. Mr. McCaul, of High-street, who is somewhat crippled with rheumatism, had considerable difficulty in getting out of the way to the Auckland Hotel passage, and had it not been for the collision it is very doubtful whether he would have escaped. Tn« horse was considerably cut on the near fore foot and fetlock joint.

At the Police Court yesterday, Thorn" Campbell, for assaulting Mr. A. E. Lewn» was fined 40s and costs, or fourteen days hard labour in default. Three 'informations arising out of a neighbours' quarrel over » well, occupied the Court for a considerate time, and were dismissed, the first upon a question of title, in which the Court bad no jurisdiction, and the others were ditnuM* 1 without hearing evidence for the defence. Considerable argument ensued between W counsel engaged, Messrs. Theo. Cooper ana W.J.Napier... Mr. Greenshields, who has devoted considerable attention to the subject of P at ?°r' has compiled the following latest rt*™ 0 ™ on the subject :— There were about 360 applications for patents for New Zealand » 1884 for New South Wales, 181; an* l ?.' Victoria, 294 applications. Victorians wonw thus appear to be of a more inventive tarn than the New South Wales men, notwiw standing that the patont fees were awu double in Victoria to what they were in *«" South Wales; flew Z*alanders would a«» appear to be much more inventive than Victorians, as, although the population only about one half, we have a^-ut v" 6 more applications for patents than Victor and about double that of New South vy aw* In New Zealand we have the most W*» patent laws in the world. The Victory Legislature, noticing the rapid PW8 re3 f. .:. New Zealand, evidently got ashamed oi w high scale of charges, and now they are duced to about third of the raouj charged last year. New South Wales is «• about to follow in the same sensible a" tion. Mr.'and Mrs. Thompson, of the K* * Pass-road, who were the victims " t buggy accident at the foot of BurlsS&**T d on Monday night, are doing as well as c be expected. The former is too seriously hurt, Mrs. . Thompson being «g shaken. The horse was so n^inr actor that it had to be destroyed. The for the cutting down of the Kyber r five lamps lighted on the works, and \» rf at either end of the line warning perw > danger, and recommending them, to »*° Gaol-road. „ . t « The Registration' Officer is «*■!£ in revising the electoral roll of wty x * and a batch of summonses will "norwissued in cases where the parties «av° valid claims to ronwa on the roll. .

We are informed than Wahanui has sent a meisage to the Native Minister telling him that the natives are quite prepared and ready to have the first sod of the railway turned whenever the Government think proper. A meeting of the Senate of the New Zealand University was held yesterday. The Chancellor (Dr. Heotor) presiding. A considerable amount of business was transaoted. A report of the meeting will be found in another column. Mr. Seaman, as Returning Officer for the Waitemata County, reports having received the following nominations of candidates for the Wade and Takapuna Licensing Committees at the Wade, on Monday, the 2nd inst.:-For members of the Wade Licensing Committee : Messrs. Christian F. W. Blucher, Enoch Bond, Samuel Dunn, Timothy Foley, Andrew Jack, Charles Jeffs, James Lord, John McKeown, John Moffat, Leslie Vickers, and William Wilson; and that a poll will be taken on Monday, March 16th, at the Schoolroom, Wade; at Mr. Robert Brunton's, Orewa; and at Mr. Crowley s, Lucas Creek. And at Devonport, on luesday the 3rd, for the Takapuna Licensing Committee : Messrs. Edward Hartley, William Hoile Brown, John Edson, William H. Fenton, James Mays, Alexander M MoCallum, Samuel Vesper and Charles-Wil-liamson ; and that * poll will be taken on Thursday, March IStb, at the Devooport Library • at the Lake Takapuna Library : and at the Zion Hill Schoolroom, Birkenhead. Major Shepherd, commanding the volunteers, has received a telegram .from the Government definitely stating that the Hinemoa will not be sent for the volunteers who proposed attending the prizefiring. We understand that the reason of the backing and filling there has been about this matter has been that the Government would have Bent the steamer if a large number had proposed going South, but as only a few were to attend it was not thought proper to send the fiinemoa. Another trial of speed took place yesterday afternoon between the open boats Dream and Mascotte, and resulted in a win by some 15 seconds for the Mascotte (the winner of the Open Boat Ra:e of her class at the recent Auckland Regatta). There was a good N.E. breeze blowing, and soon after the start the Mascotte assumed the lead, and held it to the finish. During the race the Dream carried away her boom, and lost the lead she had attained while repairs were being effected. The race created a large amount of interest, and a good deal of money changed hands upon the result. The dream started first favourite. The owner of the Dream has intimated his willingness to have another match. The Anglo-New Zealander and Australian Times of January 16 notices the reception of a cablegram in London to the effect that the New Zealand Government contemplated despatching the- Hinemoa to Samoa, and in an ahle article gives the history of Samoa and the relations of New Zealand with the group from the despatch written by Sir George Grey to the Secretary of State six and thirty years ago. A store, also doing duty as a Post Office, at Otanga, the property of Mr. John McKenzie, was burned down at ten o'clock on Monday night, and goods to the value of £120, and gum to the amount of £11, destroyed. The mail bag was also burned. Mr. and Mrs. McKeuzie left the store at eight p.m., and all then appeared perfectly safe. There was an insurance of £50 in the National Insurance Company.

A moonlight excursion by the steamer Takapuna was to have taken place last evening, but owing to the threatening character of the weather, and the darkness of the night, it did not eventuate. The Artillery Baud was in attendance, but had to depart homewards in silence, having exhausted all their lively airs on the march down to the wharf.

The monthly inspection of the Victoria Rifles took place last evening. There were forty-seven present, under Captain Mahon and Lieutenants Skinner and Selfe. Major Shepherd, officer commanding the district, was the inspecting officer, and put the company through a variety of company movements. At the conclusion of the inspection, Major Shepherd made the presentation of Dr. Dawson's medal to Volunteer Barnes for best attendance at parades during the year. The company then had a "march out" in the suburbs headed by the Garrison Band. • The portrait of Tawhiao, taken in England, and presented by Mr. George Graham to the Auckland Museum, has been hung up in the Secretary's room. It is a magnificent picture.

"The Little Due" was reproduced at Abbott's Opera House last evening by Pollard's Lilliputian Opera Bouffe Company, and in some respects there was 'a marked improvement on the first night's performance, when the company had been so short a time off the sea. The military evolutions in the last act were excellent, and were heartily applauded. This popular opera will be reproduced to-night. Yesterday Mr. Superintendent Thomson received a telegram from Colonel Reader intimating that the Defence Minister (the Hon. J. Ballance) had been pleased to promote first-class Sergeant McGovern, of Hamilton, to be sergeant-major, and thirdclass Sergeant Gillies, of Te Awamutu, to be second-class sergeant, in recognition of the special services rendered by them in the capture of Winiata. The intelligence has been received with pleasure by the members of the Auckland force, who consider that these two officers deserve all that they have obtained by their pluck and capacity in the Winiata business. The new head of the Defence Department has again inspired the men with the belief that good and faithful service to the State will receive recognition and reward.

It will be seen from our advertisement columns that an interesting meeting will be held in St. James's Hall, on Thursday evening, at half-past seven. The Rev. C. Murray, who was ordained by the Presbyterian Assembly in Christchurch, is in Auckland, on his way to labour in the New Hebrides, and in order that a wider interest may be awakened in foreign missions, and an opportunity given for hearing Mr. Murray, arrangements have wisely been made for this meeting. Several well-known ministers are also expected to give addresses. Mr. T. Peacock, M.H.R, is to preside. Considering the object of the meeting, and the list of speakers, we expect to see a very large attendance.

An amusing incident took place yesterday afternoon in Queen-street, in connection with the sale of St. Heliers Bay estate to-day. A Maori was coming down the street, when he stopped one of the sandwich men, who had a map of the estate pasted on each of his boards. He backed the perambulating hoarding up against a verandah post, and asked the man to tell him the mystery of the blue patches on the map (the sections sold at previous auction sales.) This having been done, the Maori got down on his knees on the kerbing to examine the plan and the corner allotment. Possibly that aboriginal was looking after " the unearned increment," and will be to the fore as a bidder to-day. There arrived by the direct steamer Rimutaka, Sergeant Denny, of the Koyal Irish Constabulary, the officer who was despatched from Ireland, armed with a warrant for the apprehension of Sheehan, now in custody iu Auckland in connection with the Castletownroche murders. Sergeant Denny left Wellington last night by the Arawata for Auckland.

About a dozen drays and nearly 40 men are employed on the Kyber Pass and Sy-monds-street excavations. The contractors expect to get finished in two months, and are now working thsir gangs from seven a.m. to six p.m. About 16,000 yards of filling at the railway bridge has been done, and about three-fourths of the Symonds-street embankment. Some off the side streets will have to he graded to the new levels of Symondsstreet and Kyber Pass, but when the alterations are completed they will improve the locality greatly. The following gentlemen were nominated yesterday for seats on the Onehunga Licensing Benoh. The election takes place on Friday, 13th instant:—W. Bray, A. Dunwoodie, C. U. Fleming, T. R. Gilman, D. Hills, J. D. Jackson, J. Robinson, W. Shaldrick, W. Sutherland, A. Somerville, R. Webb.

The large number of young men who gave a their names to Mr. A. D. Bennett as VUhng to join a New Zealand contingent for «b Soudan now know that their services will not be required, at present at all events. Mr. Bennett will, however, preserve the »*, and, in the event of a New Zealand conurgent being required when Parliament Wil "'roll "D ° d Ubt that many 0f them Ihere was only one prisoner in the lockop ut evening; * maa f or drunkenness.

A correspondent, " H.," writing respectin the recent published references to alleged high charges at Ohinemutu preventing persons of small means from taking advantage of the baths, says :—" I think perhaps that some of your readers may be glad to know that there are now two boarding houses and one hotel where the charge* are moderate, and where every attention is paid to the comfort of visitors. One of the boardingbouses is close to the Government baths, and the other is in the village of Ohinemutu, a short mile from them. At both these houses the charge is, I understand, £2 a week, and at the hotel, kept by Mrs. Morrisson, £2 10s a week. I understand that there is another boarding-house where 30s a week is charged, but whether it is comfortable or not, I have not heard." The Thames Advertiser of Monday has the following: — " We are indebted to Mr. S. Alexander, who was at Hikutaia on Friday last, for the information that a terribly destructive fire has been raging for more than a week in the workings at Mr. Blair's bush, Waipaheke. This locality, it ' will be remembered, was the scene of the disputes regarding possession between the Union Sash and Do r Company and Mr. Blair, and as the latter has now carried on operations for a considerable time without an opportunity of removing any of the products, an enormous quantity of felled timber . has been stacked in the bushes. It is stated that upwards of two million feet have already been consumed, and some £500's worth of dams destroyed, while the ravages of the fire are not yet stayed. Several stores have also been burned to the ground, and the natives have lost large quantities of gum.".

The Remains of the late Professor lies ton, the talented brother of the late Minister of Lands, have just been published in the form of a volume of "Scientific Papers and Addresses." In a review of the work the Pall Mall Gazette remarks : "There was no better known face or figure in all Oxford of late years than the earnest and genial Liuacre Professor's. Tall and handsome, clear-cut of feature, close-shaven, ardent-eyed, with keen expression and kindly, smiling mouth, Dr. Kolleston possessed a% singularly charming and lovable personality, which, in spite of all his fads, and crotchets, endeared him closely to all who knaw him. He was the last of his sort; there will be no more like him."

The thunderstorm of Saturday night would seem to have been somewhat erratic in its course, and not at all impartial in the distribution of its benefits and favours. In some localities Auckland, Newmarket, Remuera, and others— was little or no rain, whereas at the North Shore it descended in torrents for some time, while the thunder and lightning accompaniments were, in the language of Dominie Sampson, " Prodeegious! " The storm apparently gathered all its forces for a coup de grace on that devoted suburb. Old residents say they do not remember having experienced lightning so vivid or thunder crashes so loud and so close as on Saturday evening. So far, the only damage known was the shattering of a small flagstaff at the pilot look-out station, on the slope of the North Head, near Cheltenham Beach. It was split from truck to base, and innumerable fragments of all sizes hurled in every direction, some a distance of about 60 feet. It is, of conrae, only in accordance with the eternal fitness of things that our marine suburb should always be in the thick of a storm. This is quite in harmony. with the traditions and predilections of Devonport. It is not the first time that there has been a splitting of the poll when a disturbing candidate tor notice was introduced,—[Correspondent.] Over 100 excursionists from New Plymouth arrived yesterday morning at Onehunga, by the s.s. Gairloch, after a very pleasant trip. This, is the first excursion from New Plymouth that has been given for years, and we learn that it is such a success that the Northern Company were compelled to decline issuing tickets to a larger number of intending excursionists. The company have, however, arranged for another excursion, which leaves New Plymouth on Wednesday. The passengers by the Gairloch speak highly of the accommodation afforded, and the attention they received from Captain McCarthy and his officers. The usual monotony of - the trip was relieved by a moonlight concert on deck, and the excitement attendant on a supposed race between the Gairloch and . the s.s. Hawea, both vessels leaving the New Plymouth Breakwater at the same time for the Manukau. An excursionist states that the breakwater was the scene of quite. an unusual bustle and stir, on account of both steamers lying alongside receiving passengers and cargo simultaneously. The New Plymouth people have reason to congratulate themselves on the practical use to which the breakwater is now put, and the mere fact that coasting steamers can now run regularly there, and find "eVery facility for obtaining ready despatch, should soon give the port of.New Plymouth a good name.

Mr. George Dennes, for a long time manager for Mr. Kidd at the Commercial Hotel, and recently providore of the Waikato Company's steamer*, has purchased the Queen's Head Hotel, Upper Queen-street. Mr. Dennes' long experience and business capacity will no doubt enable him to conduct this hotel with satisfaction to his customers and profit to himself. Amongst the list of Auckland exhibits to Le sent to the Wellington Exhibition, are a "case of dental requisites, etc.," from Mr. Chatfield.

The Coroner's inquest into the circumstances surrounding the fatal tramway accident on Monday was held yesterday, and a verdict bf "Accidental death, attaching no blame to the driver of the car," was returned. A report will be found in another column. The sale of St. Heliers Estate takes place to-day at twelve o'clock, at the auction mart of Messrs. Tonks and Co. We have already fully described the proper y, which is advantageously and beautifully situated, commanding splendid views, and having the convenience of a splendid wharf. Herr Schniitt delivered the inaugural lecture of a series, on the "Great Masters," at Mrs. Clayton's, Parnell, on Friday last. The subject chosen was " Mendelssohn's Life and Works," which was attentively listened to by the pupils. "

We learn that the construction of the breakwater at New Plymouth is progressing very rapidly, and the pier has now reached the point known as the "bend" on Sir J. Coode's plan, viz., where the breakwater, after running out the full length, turns inwards towards the shore. It is anticipated that the greater portion of the " bend" will be completed during the present summer, and this will enable small steamers to remain at the breakwater during heavy weather.

A grand national concert, under the auspices of the Auckland Christian Doctrine Society, will be held in the Lorne-street Ball on St. Patrick's night, 17th instant. As the object is to aid the library fund of a society, which in its own bumble sphere labours unostentatiously for the welfare of the community generally, and as a love of good music is a noted characteristic of the Irish race all over the globe,' it is expected that the national concert on the 17th will be a pronounced success. The gully at the back of the Drill-shed in Wellesley-streefc is being rapidly filled up by the earth from the excavation of the site for the Free Library. Upon its completion there will be an available space of two and a-half acres, which it is proposed to use for out-door drill purposes, and also as a playground for tho pupils of the Wellesley-street School.

The Harbour Board has received a communication from the Government, declining to entertain their claim for £45,000, for land taken for railway purposes in Mechanics' Bay. The matter was not discussed at the meeting of the Board held yesterday, but was referred to the Finance and Legal Committee.

The attention of the Harbour Board was drawn yesterday to the necessity for lights on the JS'orthcote and Birkenhead Wharves, also for landing stages, where passengers could be landed at low water. The subject has been referred to the Works and Tariff Committee.

Yesterday afternoon at one o'clock the Grey-street fire-bell rang out an alarm, which was speedily taken up by the Fire Brigade station bell. The column of smoke showed the fire was at the rear of Mr. Barnett's, pork butcher. It appears that while cooking some chops the fat got into the fire, and the soot in the chimney got ignited. Some sacks were put in the fireplace to stop the current of air, and one of the Salvage Corps speedily extinguished the fire with a "baby" engine. The Fire Brigade turned out promptly with the reel, but there never was any real danger,