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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7658, 8 June 1886, Page 4

From the statements made in the latest cable despatches, there seems to be little room for doubt that France has taken possession of the New Hebrides. The South Australian Ministry has been reconstructed, The petition to the General Assembly in protest against the Frenoh annexation of the New Hebrides was pretty largely signed at the various city churches on Sunday, and further signatures were framed yesterday, The adjourned meeting of the New Hebrides Vigilance Committee takes place to-day at half-past two p.m., at the Chamber of Commerce, to arrange matters as to the forwarding the petition to the Legislature by the Southern ster.mer leaving on Thursday, but, in view of the altered state of affair* siuce last meeting of the committee, and the probability, nay, almost absolute certainty, that the annexation of the New Hebrides by France is an accomplished fact, it is hard to say what steps they will now take. A special meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was held yesterday afternoon, when the question of the disposal of the funds under the Costloy bequest was taken into consideration. The members of the committee carefully surveyed the ground surrounding the Hospital and Refuge, and made recommendations accordingly, for the adoption of the Board on Monday next. Some of those who are agitating for the alternative line of railway on the western side of the city, do not contemplate connecting it with the present Queen-street station, but of having a separate station in Freeman's Bay. The idea is to carry a tunnel under Union, Napier, aud Wellington streets into the Western Park, thence under the Ponsonby Road into the Surrey Hills estate, and thence across to Kingslanl station. It may be fairly questioned whether the cc*t of a duplicate station, buildings, staff, tuunelling, land compensation, &c, would not make this route prohibitory on the score of expense. The following Treasury notification appears in a recent Gazette, over the signature of Sir Julius Vogel; —" His Excellency the Governor has been,pieasie to authorise 'The Promotion of Total Abstinence from all Intoxicating Drinks' as a purpose to which the powers aud facilities of the Friendly Societies Act, 18S2, ought to be extended, in order that societies formed for this purpose may be enabled to register as ' specially authorised societies' under the said Act." The young lad Biggs, who had his leg broken at football on Saturday last, is progressing favourably at the District Hospital.

On several occasions wo hare referred to the enterprise of Mr, M. H. Roe, of Onehunga sawmills, in getting out the kauri from th«* Taupaki bash (which had almost been deemed impossible), to the Waimakau railway station, and thence to his mills, Onehnnga. Daring the summer every effort was made to get the timber out by means of wire tramways, and eome two million feet have been secured before the approach of winter put a atop to operations for the season. At Abbott's Opera House last evening there was one of the largest attendances that wo have seen for some time past to witness the production of tho drama of "la the Ranks." The different parts of the house were crowded, and the enlivening uniforms of the officers and men of the various volunteer companies, under whose patronage the performance was givoD, added greatly to the attractions of the house. The drama passed off with eclat, and is to bo repeated to-night, The case of typhoid fever reported as being in Mechanics' Bay has been removed to the District Hospital. Yesterday Mr. T. B. Hannaford, having "taken out" his fine and costs, in the case of Garrard v. Hannaford, in Mount E.len Gaol, was restored to the bosom of his family. As he says, very truly, he does not feel in the best of trim to take up the tangled skein of his matrimonial agency business again, or to enter into a correspondence with theTasmanian Government over the merits of his windmill bell-turret system, after a fortnight's stonebreaking in the Mount Eden quarries. It appears that during his incarceration a letter has come to hand from the Tasmanian Goverment notifying him that his invention has been referred to the Lighthouse Committee, and, rf after examination of its merits, the report is favourable, he will be further communicated with. Mr. Hannaford intends to prepare a precis of his case for transmission, in the first place to the Minister of Justice, and then to the Assembly, as he is under the belief that a gross miscarriage of justice has arisen.

Owing to the winter season having set in, the attendance of visitors at the City Freshwater Baths is gradually getting less and beautifully smaller. The average attendance is probably about 50. There was some talk a short time ago of increasing the temperature of the water by means of steam pipes, so that bathing could bo carried on all the year round, but latterly nothing has been heard of the matter. The projected cheap hot baths for working men, and the public laundry are still, too, among the " castles in the air." The Auckland Plnmpton coursing meeting, announced to take place on the 15th and 16th instant, has been postponed to Monday, the 21st instant, which is a general holiday, being the Queen's Jubilee. Entries take place on Thursday evening next, and the final payment and draw on Friday, the 18th instant, at the Queen's Ferry Hotel, on or before eight o'clock. The trotting match and hack hurdle race are also postponed to the holiday. Elsewhere in our columns will be found reports of licensing meetings. At the Court for City North, the chairman, Mr. Ewington. read a manifesto setting forth the opinion of the committee in respect to plurality of bars, &c.

The Auckland Band of Hope Union repeated the programme of the annual gathering held on the Qneen's Birthday in St. James' Hall, Wellington-street, last night, when the spacious building was crowded. Every item went with great vim, and was heartily applauded by tho audience. The choir was in full strength, upwards of 200 children and a good orchestra filling the benches, under the leadership of Mr. S. Frith. The chair was filled by Mr. D. Goldie, who, in his opening remarks quoted statistics as to the amount of money expended on strong drink. All the choruses, with their accompaniments and effects, were given very prettily, combined with harmony and good time, .No. 4 "exercise" being enhanced by the limelight, manipulated by Mr. H. H. Smith. The Rev. C. Worboys delivered a terse and interesting address, which referred to the rising generation, and to the good work of training the young under such organisations as Bands of Hope, A number of instrumental selections were well rendered, among them being "The Sweethearts' Waltz," by the Halifax band duet for pianoforte and flute, from "Martha," by Miss Piummer and Mr. J. Book ; while solos were sung by Miss Marson and Miss Patterson. Excellent recitations on temperance topics were given by the little Misses Ruth Jones, D. Sprapg, and E. Wood, Mr. E. Morgan, and Master Walter Barry, who repeated "In Memoriam of J. B. Gongh." The bellman, who we understand was the indefatigable secretary of the Union, created a lot of amusement by assuming the role of "Ye Olde Englishe Bellman" when announcing the new service of song, Conquest of Drink," under the conductorship of Mr. Tudehope, at, an early date. The concluding chorus, "Assam Pekoe," was given with great piquancy, and the performance closed with the singing of the National Anthem. Mr. R. M. Mitchell informs us that he has been repeatedly congratulated on his election to the position of city auditor by persons who had worked in his interest and obtained votes for him. They were, however, und- ( a misapprehension, as it was Mr. W. L. ,- ->ll who was the candidate, and their effortio uO doubt swelled the majority by which that gentleman was returned.

There was on view yesterday at Mr. Howden's jewellery establishment. Queen* street, a very handsome Maltese gold oross, claßps and ribbori, won by Lieutenant 0. K. Johnson, of the Auckland Cavalry Troop, in a carbine competition held on Queen's Birthday. The workmanship is beautiful in the extreme, and shows that there is no necessity for sending out of Auckland for jewellery of this kind. Thearmß of the cross gold, the centre piece being chased, and the words, "Auckland Cavalry," are handsomely engraved round the circle. The reverse side is plain, and tears the inscription, "Won by Lieutenant C. R. Johnson, May 24, ISS6." At the eleven o'clock service, at St. Patrick's Cathedral on Sunday morning, the musical portion was of a very high order. The choir, under the able conductorship of Professor Swallow, rendered Haydn's No. 1 most creditably ; the soprano solos by Mesdames Forder, O'Connor, Barrett, and Miss Mcllhone, and the tenor solos, by Mr. Burnham and a gentleman amateur, being carefully sung. Mr. Ball, the talented conductor of the Opera House orchestra, played the favourite violin solo, "Ernst's Elegy," at the offertory, moat artistically, and in the evening Mendelssohn's " Concerto in E Minor," in both pieces being skilfully accompanied by Professor Swallow, who dessrves the greatest praise for the marked improvement made by the choir since he has assumed the management of it.

The usual meeting of the Gospel Ternperance Mission was held in the Protestant Hall on Sunday evening. Mr. R. Redfern presided. Addresses were given by Mr. R. B. Shalders and Mr. Richardson. There were in the lock-up last evening a, man, named Clements, for being drunk and disorderly, and three men on charges of drunkenness. One of the persons injured at the late fire at Borsboom's boardinghouse is still suffering from the effects of his injuries, and returns to the Hospital to-morrow for treatment. , The only nomination yesterday for a representative of Grafton Ward in the City Council, in the room of Mr. Holland.resigned, was that of Mr. S. J. Clark, who was accordingly declared duly elected. A man named Somerfield, alias Murphy, has been sentenced at Hokianga by the Bench to four mouths' imprisonment for larceny. He wilt-be brought on to Auckland by first opportunity, to serve his sentence at Mount Eden Gaol. A correspondent writes complaining of the filthy state of the smoking carriages on the twenty minutes past eight a.m. train from Onehunga. He says:— "They are more like pigsties than anything else, and the stench is sickening in the extreme, many smokers preferring to ride in the ordinary carriages and forego their smoke rather than face such reeking odours." Writing on Mr. Firth's small farm settlement at Matamata, the Opotiki Herald says : —" If the Whakatane Cattle Company would just take a leaf out of Mr. Firth's book, they could soon get rid of their white elephant, and Whakatane Valley would in a few years contain a Urge population. They have pursued the 'dog-in-the-manger' policy long enough. They are doing very little for themselves, aud|the prohibitory prices they put on the land scares away men who would be willing to settle,"

f— * — The Auckland Harbour Board's new hopper dredger left Brisbane yesterday for this port, and may consequently be expected to reach here about the middle of the ensuing week. It will be remembered that when the dredger reached Brisbane, her crew refused to proceed further on tho ground that she was unseaworthy. A survey was held there, and the result was that the dredger has been pronounced seaworthy, and* that she received little, if any, damage from her goinz ashore in the Red Sea. The telegram from Brisbane is silent upon the point as to whether the old crew are coming on with the vessel or not, but if they are, it is to be hoped the authorities will institute a searching inquiry into the allegations made that they refused to take on board two of the crew of the wrecked French vessel Guichen, when coming down the Queensland coast. A description of the new dredger appeared in yesterday's issue of the Herald. A difference of opinion is said to exist between tho members of some of the city licensing committees as to the inspection of the hotels. The temperance men regard it as part of their duty to see personally that the law is obeyed, the house in good order, and the comfort and convenience of the public considered. On the other hand, othcrmeinbera of the committee hold that it is no part of their business to visit the house, as they have no legal right of inspection, but only by courtesy, and that as the police make an official report it is their duty to go by that report, leaving the onus on the police. Judging from the terms of some of the reports, things have been bad enough, even with committee inspection, but what it would be without it may be left to bo imagined. In one case where tho polico report was "satisfactory," the chairman gave the statement a direct contradiction. as he had visited the premises only the day before.

At the Police Court yesterday, the adjourned case against William Knox, charged with assaulting his brother, on a yacht in the harbour, was dealt with, the complainant being able to appear after treatment at the Hospital for his immersion in the harbour. The Bench bound the defendant over to keep the peace for six months in sureties of £-0 each, and also ordered him to pay the Hospital fees for maintenance. Robert March, a saddler, who had also got mixed up in the fishing trade, was similarly bound over for uiing provoking language to his wife, in whose favour a protection order had recently been granted. Mr. J. P. Campbell, solicitor, left {or the Bay of Islands last night, by the Clansman, with instructions from Mr. Webb, United States Consul, to assist the Consul at Russell in making the fullest investigations into the charges against the captain of the Petrel. Mr. Webb has from the first done all in hie power to secure a thorough inquiry. The patient now in the Hospital, who formed one of the crew of the Petrel, is a coloured man from Canada, and appears to understand English imperfectly, and to speak it only in short sentences. While' on the way to Auckland Mr. Webb asked him if he had any complaint to make, but he had none, and said he was quite ready to go back in the ship, There is considerable difficulty in dealing with such a case as this. We believe the only person authorised to take depositions is His Excellency the Governor, and he can only take the evidence and send the whole affair to the United States. The Parliamentary Union of Dunedin is in the throes of a Ministerial crisis, arising out of new Representation Act. In the new Bill the seamen of the mercantile marine are allotted a special representative in the Legislature. The Salvation Army Prison Gate Brigade is still continuing with success its work of social reform and benevolence. It does not Donfine its labours to the city, as the following illustration shows —On Saturday morning last a Mount Roskill settler called on Captain Little, the officer in charge, informing him that on his road into town he had seen an old man lying in the fern, helpless and exhausted, who apparently had been lying there all through the previous night in the ■torm. Captain Little went out to the locality indicated, and found the old man as stated, who was perfectly blue with exposure. He stated that he was nearly 70 years of age, had first arrived in Tauranga some months ago, and had been wandering over the country ever since, being unable to get work, though willing, both owing to his age and want of strength. Captain Little brought him to the Home, and tended and nourished him as long as he could ; but, as the Home is not intended for permanent inmates, he intends seeing the secretary of the Charitable Aid Board or the Relieving Officer, with a view of obtaining the old man's admission to the Old Men's Refuge, as he has no relatives in the colony.

The two samples of stone discovered in the Waitakerei district, which were found by Mr. Galbraith, on assay, to yield gold and ■ilver at the rate of 13dwt Igr to the ton, were taken from a section of land in the centre of the Taupaki block by Mr. Henderson, who is owner of a considerable acreage in it. He states the spot is about four miles from the Waimauku railway station by a good road. In the back part of the block towards the Waitakerei ranges he says the same geological formation is observable. Mr. Henderson lis prepared either to subscribe towards prospecting the district, or to give a sum towards a reward fund, under certain conditions, in the event of a payable goldfield being discovered. The best way would be for the landowners of the district to meet and consult as to what should best be done for the purpose of thoroughly testing the auriferous resources of the district. "What may happen to a Temperance committeeman " was tokrably well exemplified last night, at the Band of Hope Union entertainment, at St. James' Hall. By way of explanation, it may be stated that it had been the duty of Mr. David Goldie, as chairman of City South Licensing Committee, to close the publichouse opposite, as not wanted, and as being in unpleasant proximity to a church and school. Months have rolled by since the event, and another chairman now reigns in City South who knows not David, but one incensed female has not forgotten the circumstance of closing the hotel, and is not done with the exchairman of the licensing committee yet. Last night when Mr. Goldie, as chairman of the meeting, commenced his remarks, she kept up a running fire of interjections as to " the price of timber," Ac, which showed that she could still give considerable license to her tongue. Ha goodnaturedly ignored the interruptions, and allowed the poor woman to go on making sport for the Philistines, greatly to the amusement of many present.

The Timaru Herald, referring to the report of an entente cordialc between Otago and Auckland on the subject of railway expenditure, believes that " a combination of those members—North and South—who are now endeavouring to obtain larger expenditure on the North Island Trunk line and the Otago Central respectively, would prove embarrassing, and perhaps fatal to the Government," It will be seen by advertisement elsewhere that Mr. F. G. Ewington is a candidate for the office of a committeeman in the Auckland Permanent Co-operative Building and Investment Society. Mr. Thomas xlankin, of the Thames telegraphic staff, has been transferred to Auckr land. Our Hamilton correspondent telegraphs yesterday :—At the Bankruptcy Court today, Mr. John Runciman applied for his discharge. Mr. o',Neil for ths debtor, stated that there was no opposition, and that the creditors had passed a resolution expressive of sympathy with him. The discharge was granted. There was no other business. To-night the officers of the Victoria Company will entertain the members of the corps to dinner at the United Service Hotel. One of the features of the evening's business will be the making of a presentation to Major Mahon, formerly officer commanding the company. Mr. E. W. Lowe, the resident secretary in New Zealand of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, was married at St. John's (Presbyterian) Church, Wellington, on June 2, to Miss Reid, sister of the SolicitorGeneral. The ceremony was witnessed by a large concourse of persons, including the ■taff of officials under the bridegroom's control, and the service was a pure choral one. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe are passengers for Auckland by the Wairarapa, which will arrive to-day. In Wellington, the Cook Licensing Bench have decided to write to the licensees of the Army and Navy, Clyde Quay, and Prince of Wales Hotels, stating that they contemplate refusing to grant renewals of the licenses of those houses on the grounds that the accommodation is insufficient, and that the hotels .are not required,

A correspondent, "X," writes :—'| If the opponents of the CD. Act would give the time and exertions they are now bestowing upon that topic, and in sentimental hostility to the measure, to the more useful and practical work of getting up an agitation against some of the provisions of the Mines Pill now before the House of Representatives, they would effect some real good. By some of the clauses of the Bill, not only women may be employed-at coalmines, but children over 10 years of age." That such a state of things could be contemplated in this young country only shows to what lengths creed and selfishness will drive men when unrestrained by any better controlling influences. What will be the future of lads of 10 years of age brought up in a coalmine, and still more vital is the question, what will be tho future of women working and living in such surroundings. It seems as if every effort was being made in this colony to reproduce the foul social blots which disgrace the mother country —to graft on New Zealand soil the squalor, backslums, pauperism, refuges, uad soup kitchens, of which we had thought we had seen the last on leaving the old country, and now forsooth the working of children in coal mines, against which the late Earl of Shaftesbury protested, and not in vain, is to be revived here. There are signs abroad now that commercial avarice is getting keener in its appetite, and that child labour is beginning to compete with the labour of boys and girls. Anyone who walks our streets with an observant eye, can see numbers of immature children going to establishments to work, to add their pittance to the earnings of the breadwinner of the family, who had much better be at school for years to come. What can bo expected but that they will grow up stunted in body and mind, and prematurely old before their time, never having shared the joy or lightsomeuess of childhood. There are some minds so constituted that they prefer to gush over the strumpets who flaunt our streets in their ill-gotten finery, but to whom the cry of children in a coalmine will come in vain ; but I should hope that these casas are exceptional, and therefore I sound a note of warning on the Mines Hill. Mr. Bradshaw, M.H.R., who did such excellent service in the cause of social reform by his Employment of Females Bill, is already moving in the matter."

The following letter, addressed to the editor Poverty Bay Herald, and his reply thereto, tell their own tale: —"Sir, —Perhaps the obliging Secretary of the New Zealand Land and Labour Company would afford a shareholder the following information : — 1. Whether it is a fact that the New Zealand Printing Company have a judgment against them for £30 13a 4d; Porter and Co., £16 4s; Auckland Gas Company, £1 Is Id; Hulme, £10 13s lid. 2. Whether any other judgments have been confess or obtained against this devoted company. 3. What, if any, are the assets of the company ? 4. When do the company inteud to call the annual meeting of shareholders, and whether the balance-sheet has been prepared.—A Shareholder," [This is the company that some twelve months ago was to totally revolutionise the whole of the East Coast and attract millions of wealth to Poverty Bay, Surely the sapient promoters will scarcely longer continue to contend that the great scheme has been a success. 1 The Salvation Army givo a free tea to all the poor children of Dunedin and suburbs on Saturday next. About 1000 children will be provided for. Last night a musical entertainment was given by the Pitt-street Wesleyan String Band, which has for some time past been trained under the conductorship of Mr. Gatland. There was a good attendance, the lower school connected with the church, where the concert was given, beiDg well filled, and the chair was taken by Mr. T. Buddie. In opening the proceedings the chairman said the first commencement of the band arose from the wish of a number of young men connected with the Sundayschool to form a string band. That idea was encouraged, and though the present evening was the first on which they had appeared in public they had frequently in the same room rendered their Bana of Hope meetings more enjoyable than they would have been without the help of the band. The young people of the present generation had, he thought, much to be thankful for in being taught music and singing, which in former days was quite exceptional. He then called upon the musicians, who rendered tho following programme in a very effective manner —

Overture?, band ; song, Mr. Taylor ; song, "Loch," Miss Lay bourn ; violin duat, Messrs. Davies and Keesing; song, Mr. Gatland : vocal duet, Misses Blackburn and Phillipps; violin solo, Mr. Keesing; song, "Children's Home," Miss Main ; selection, band ; piano duet, Mr. A. Wiseman and Mies Main ; song, Mr. Taylor ; recitation, Master Mason ; song, " Reign of the Roses," Miss Campbell; selection, band ; song, Miss Blackburn ; violin solo, Mr. Davies f selection, band. The "Straaburg Clock Exhibition" did a fair business at Onehnnga considering the state of the weather, and the proprietor goes to Hamilton to day, and subsequently to other Waikato settlements, with his interesting and curious exhibition. To-day at eleven o'clock Mr. G. Lewis will offer for sale, without reserve, one of the Urges assortments of hardware submitted to auction for same time past. The lots to he off-red comprl je rooU all lines, and in trade parcels, Mr. Lewis will -\lso offer at two o'clock, by order of Mr. L. S donjon, an immense lot of boots and shoes, and o.her g.iods. The instructions are to sell every lini without re.-erre, to close the consignment. The sale is held opposite the Victoria Arcade, Queen-street. (Vida advertisement.) We have to remind the residents of Otahuuu and district that the performance in aid of the Holy Trinity Church place on Thursday nsxt, the 10th in'st ,in the Otaliuhu Public Hall. The Keruuer* Minstrels, who are ever ready to assist in any goo<J calls*, havi promised to pr sent a first-clans progr-mr *. This has hcen carefully prepared for the occasion, and we are sure thai it be such as to plea*" 'he audience expected. The entertainmont will be follows l by » dance to be girnn to the troupe, and, from the manner in which the liuies of the parish are working, we predict a great success.