Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7550, 1 February 1886, Page 4

The latest phase of the English Ministerial crisis, as described in our cable messages this morning, is that the Queen has accepted the resignation of the Salisbury Ministry and has sent for Mr. Gladstone, who is reported to have already begun to form a Ministry. Nothing, however, is known as to its constitution with the exception that Lord Hartington will have a seat at the Cabinet. The nameß of Sir William Vernon Harcourt and Mr. Chamberlain are mentioned as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary for Ireland respectively. It is very improbable, however, that Sir William will be allotted the portfolio named, but it is not at all unlikely that Mr. Chamberlain will be entrusted with the Irish Secretaryship. Mr. Childers has been elected by an Edinburgh constituency. The annual meeting of shareholders of the Union Sash and Door Company was held on Saturday at the Company's office, Mechanics Bay, Th- balance-sheet not being so favourable as usual, after some discussion Messrs. E. Mitchelson, M.H R,, Reader Wood, J. H. Upton. R. W. Moody, and A. Boardman were appointed a committee to inquire into the company's position, and report to a meeting of shareholders to be held in a fortnight. At Abbott's Opera House on Saturday evening a new play, written by Mr. George Darrell, and entitled "The Naked Truth," was produced for the first time in Auckland. The play is supposed to represent the most unsavoury side of society, and it does this with a plainness which is tho reverse of agreeable. It was acted with a good deal of vigour, and was well mounted. . On Saturday afternoon a lad of some ten years of age, named Alfred George Patterson, was brought over from the North Shore to the police station by Constable Hutchinson, of that district. Patterson will bo brought up this morning before the Bench as a negleoted and destitute child. On account of this being our summary number, reports of Saturday's crioket matches are hold oven

The gathering of St. Paul's Sunday-school was to have taken place on Anniversary Day but was postponed to the following day (Saturday), which proved fortunate for th« Sunday-school, as the day was fine through out, though the morning was wet. Provision had been made through the kindness of Colonel Lyon for the use of the Drill-shed but the risk of a wotting was taken in favour of the Domain. There were about 250 scholars present, accompanied by their teachers, parents, and friends, reaching the Domain about eleven a.m. The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves with games races, &c., interspersed with dinner and tea' till six p.m. The treat was one of the best in connection with the school, and ended most happily, though fears were felt in the morning that the weather would spoil it The Rev. C. M. Nelson (the incumbent of St. Paul's) and Mrs. Nelson were on the ground, assisting in ministering to the comfort of the little folks.

The members of the Auckland Barbour Board will make an official inspection of the experimental lighting of Queen-streot Wharf with electricity by Mesßirs. Fletcher and Co' of DunediD, at half-pant eight o'clock to' night.

The National Temperance League of Eng. land is making arrangements for a Tem. perance Congrets to be held in London in July next, in connection with the Indian and Colonial Exhibition, to which Australian temperance organisations of all kinds are invited to send representatives. Further information can be obtained by coromuni. eating with the Secretary of the National Temperance League, 337, Strand, London England.

At the Police Court on Saturday, before Mr. H. G. Seth Smith, R.M., Mary Ann Smith, alias Jane Konnald. Cook-street and Robert Henry Keenan, Victoria-street! were brought up on a charge of stealing £65 belonging to T. Smallwood, of Holnanga,' from the City Hotel on January 27, and were remanded to Friday next on the appli. cation of the police. A request for bail was granted, the accused in their own reeognisences of £200 each, and two sureties each of £100. They succeeded in obtaining the nececsary bail on Saturday afternoon.

There was a very large congregation at the Tabernacle last evening, owing to its being announced that Pastor Spurgeon would deliver a discourse on temperance work. hie took for his text Mark xiv. 8, "She hath done what she could." After an exposition of the text, he referred more particularly to the Temperance question. He rejoiced to know that many of our temperance workers entered into the work in the spirit of Christ. Men should abstain, not merely on their own account, but for the sake of others. It was in the power of women to do much to rescue the victims of intemperance, and in her home life to do much to prevent father, brother, or son from falling into such snares. Many were apt to shun and despise the poor drunkard, but the rescue of such was a noble work. He advised his hearers who possessed a vote to see to it at the forthcoming licensing elections that they gave their interest to temperance candidates only. There would be a very hard struggle, but he hoped it would be carried on in a spirit of love and forbearance.

The Summer races at Takapuna, which had been postponed from the previous day on account of the weather, were held on Saturday afternoon, and were very successful. The weather was good, the attendance and the racing excellent, and the arrangements made by the Ferry Company for conveying passengers to and from the North Shore were admirable. As showing the interest manifest in the races, we may remark that £5244 was put through the totalisator on the seven events during the course of the afternoon. We may add that there were uo liquor booths at the races, as the liconsing committee of the district refused to grant temporary licenses. A detailed account of the races is published in nother column.

The report of the examination of the Grammar School by Professors Sale and rfhand, of Daneain, and Professor Brown, of Auckland, will be read at a meeting of Grammar School Governors this morning. We understand that it is eminently favourable, except that it recommends a change in mathematics.

The usual Evangelistic service was held last evening at the Theatre Royal, the building being crowded and many unable to obtain admission. Mr. F. Lsrkins, Vicepresident of the Y .M.C. Association, occupisa. the chair. The Bishop of Nelson (the Kight Rev. Dr. Sater) delivered an able and telling address, taking for his text, " The Son of God was manifested." His Lordship's address was listened to most attentively by the large andience, and his kindly words of counsel and sympathy will not soon be forgotten. The Revs. W. Wallis, T. Hamer, Mr. W, McArthur, and Dr. Kenderdine occupied seats on the platform.

There were in the lockup last evening three persons on charges of drunkenness, and Ann Sullivan for indecent language.

We have to acknowledge receipt of the current issue of the Temperance organ the Leader. The leading article is devoted to " The Coming Struggle" over the forthcoming licensing elections. The article concludes as follows " Everybody mußt vote. No one must be dispensed with. One vote may turn an election." Other original, and selected articles make up a good readable number.

The Trades and Labour Congress concluded its labours on Saturday. It will meet next year at Christchurch. A letter received by the Secretary from Sir Julius Vogel, in which the Colonial Treasurer deals at some length with the rotations of capital ami labour, was read, and will be found in another column, as will also a report drawn up by a special committee on the manufacturing industries of New Zealand.

On Saturday last the annual picnic given by Messrs, Eraser and Tinne to their employes took place. At ten a.m. the p.s. Enterprise started from the Queen-street Wharf, under the guidance of Captain H. Miller, having on board about 230 of the employes, their wives, families, and sweethearts. Mr. and Mrs, G. Fraser and the members of their family were also present. The place of rendezvous chosen was Messrs. Reid Bros.' island of Motutapu. After a pleasantrun the island was reached, the passage down being enlivened with music. The excursionists vrere speedily landed, and no time was lost in getting up games of all descriptions, and they were most heartily entered into by both old and young. At about half-past six p.m. the steamer was again under weigh homeward bound, and prior to the vessel reaching the wharf, the health of Mr. and Mrs. Fraser and their family was drunk amidst great cheering. Everything possible to make the trip # pleasant one was done, and it proved one of the most enjoyable outings yet held. The Waipa Jockey Club is unfortunate in the weather it has experienced since its commencement, Anniversary Day having been wet four times out of five. Yesterday, however was the worst of the four, and the only shelter to ba found was in the crowd round the bar of the refreshment booth. If this race meeting is to be the success it deserves some shelter must be provided for the public, and this would be neither difficult nor expensive, for a sum of £50 would fence in a long strip of the hillside facing the course and provide rough seats. Generally speaking the arrangements were good. The chief booth was well kept by Mr. Bond, of Kihikihi; and Mr. Walker, of Alexandra, who ran the temperance booth and provided the only eatables on the ground, did his best to make everybody comfortable under the depressing influence of wet without and wet within. The gates must have been a serious loss to Mr. Wheal, who paid £57 for them, and could not have recouped more than half the money. But as the weather was, and the course was very heavy, the racing was very good, and the Maoris seemed mightily delighted with the success of Dick Hunt, a horse which belonged to Mr. Kingi,of Whatawhata.—[Owa correspondent.] Our Kihikihi correspondent writes: — The friends of Mr. James Clements, the contractor, who was so severelv injured 00 his head and face by a kick from his horse on Sunday last, and conveyed to the Auckland Hospital, will be glad to learn that his brother, Mr. Thomas Clements, has received a letter from the head nurse stating that he is getting on very well indeed. A man named Francis John Burclett, who had been brought down from Tauhoa on a charge of lunacy, was examined by r3, Walker and Macmullen on Saturday, »nd on their testimony was committed to the Asylum at Avondale. No less than sixteen children have been committed to the various local charitable institutions during the past week.