Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7660, 10 June 1886, Page 4

By this morning's cablegrams it will be seen that a serious riot has taken place between Catholics and Protestants in Belfast, and that order was not restored by the authorities for some time. This is, no doubt, the outcome of the rejection of the Home Rule Bill by the House of Commons, and shows how little hope there is of any sincere political union between the two great parties which divide Ireland. Many years ago Belfast vras the scene of similar religious riots aud faction lighting, and tor three days the riotere held possession of the city at their will, despite the endeavours of the authorities to maintain order. The result of the division on Mr. Gladstone's measure has been hailed with enthusiasm in Ulster, which goes to ehow that the views expressed as to the unfavourable attitude of Ulster to Home Rule are strictly accurate. Nothing is yet known as to what action Mr. Gladstone will take, though a Cabinet meeting has been held to consider the situation, but the general impression is that the Cabinet has resolved to ask Her Majesty for a dissolution. The opinion of the provincial Press is adverse to ths Premier attempting an appeal to the country, and with 94 Liberal members recording their votes against his tlome Rule Bill the political outlook is not hopeful for him. In the cricket match, Australians v. Derbyshire/ the former won with six wickets to spare. There are no further developments as regards the annexation of New Hebrides, but the Victorian Government have instructed their Agent-General to aak Lord Grauville to obtain from France an assurance that she does not intend to annex these islands. The Victorian Premier has received no intimation of the alleged annexation, and is inclined to doubt the report.

In a cablegram in yesterday's issue it was stated that at the invitation of a number of leading colonists, Phil Kobinson will make a lecturing tour through Australia. He is a contributor to some of the English serials, and the author of " In My Indian Garden," "Under the Punkah," "Noah's 4rk, or MorniDge in the Zoo," and a work which he has now in course of preparation, " The Poet's Birds and the Poet's Beasts." Oα Tuesday Mr. Errington, 0.K., and his assistants were at Mount Eden getting all the data necessary for the construction of the new reservoir, to bo placed about two-thirds up the mountain. It will have a capacity of half-a-million gallons, and will supply the Mount Eden district, through which the pipe track will pass to the Kyber Pass reservoir. Owing to the height at which it will be placed, it will command a point 70 feet above the turret of Mr. Firth's Mount Eden villa residence, and for fire purposes will be invaluable, as dominating, with a splendid head of water, the higher levels in Grafton, Kyber Pass, and Karangahape Road district*. Some of the exhibitors at the late Wellington Exhibition are only now getting their medals and certiticates awarded them. Among those who have received a medal and certificate is Mr. H. A. H. Hitchene, of this city, who received the lirst and only award for a vegetable compound from New Zealand herbs termed "Blood Restorer." The delay in making the award in this class has been occasioned by the fact that all the exhibits in the class of drugs had to be analysed at the Colonial Museum. The medal is of silver, and the certificate is of very chaste and handsome deeigD. The Metropolitan Club announces by advertisement elsewhere their removal to new premiseH in Victoria-street East. This alteration in their locale cannot but be advantageous to members, and, besides being more centrally situated, the premises are more suitable to a club than those in Rutlandstreet, just vacated. The rooms are large and airy, well furnished, and the cuisine will be of a high class. A large accession to the list of members is already promised, and the Metropolitan may uow be regarded as having a prosperous career before it.

An advance party (13) of Mr. Firth's Matamata special settlers left on Tuesday for Matamata, to inspect the block set apart for thorn. The party was in charge of Mr. S. H. Matthewe. The second division proceed by train to-day to the same destination, and will be met by Mr. Matthews, who will show them over the land. Some of the parents who have managed to get their children into the Industrial Schools have been suffered to get so far in arrears that' they give up all idea of ever paying anything. One tradesman, with two or three children saddled upon the public in this way, is now " wanted" by Sergeant Smith, his arrears being no less a sum than £60. There is little doubt that if tho power under the Aot of commitment to gaol for nonpayment of maintenance money was more frequently exercised by the authorities, we should not witness the scandal of whole families being in the industrial institutions, while the parents apparently have means enough to get drunk half the year round. The New Hebrides petition will be forwarded to Wellington by to-day's Southern steamer. A considerable number of signatures have been appended. Sir George Grey has been requested to present it in the House of Representatives. The drama of "In the Ranks" was again performed last evening at the Opera Houne to a good audience, considering the inclemency of the weather. This evening and to-morrow night are announced as the last occasions upon which it will be playjd, as the latest London version of " Called Hivck" will be produced on Saturday for the first time in Auckland.

There is now on view at Messrs. Kidd and Wildman'a, Victor:- Arcade, a handsome silver cup presented by Hallenateiu Brothers, New Zealand Clothing factory, for competition by the Ponsonby Rifles ; also a handsome silver medal, which has beeu presented by Mr. Thomas Peacock, M.H.R., for competition by the same corps. The medal will be tired for next Monday, at 200, 300, and 500 yards, and the cup at a later date. A Gospel Temperance meeting was held on Tuesday evening, at the Primitive Methodist church, Richmond Road. The Rev. 0. Evans presided. Practical addresses were delivered by various speakers. During the evening some excellent recitations and musical selections were rendered. Miss Holland presided at the harmonium. At the close of the meeting several persons took the temperance pledge, and donned the " bit o , blue." The Enginedrivers' and Firemen's Association and Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants will hold their annual dinner and ball this evening, at the Choral Hall. Every preparation haa beeu made foe an enjoyable reunion.

A meeting of creditors in the estate of R. K. David was held yesterday at the office of the Official Assignee. The bankrupt's statement was read, and will be found in full elsewhere, The meeting was adjourned till to-day. We aro pleased to notice that the unsightly telegraph, posts which disfigured the facade of the Victoria Arcade have been retuovnd. A short time hack we called attention to the grossly bad effect produced by these unsightly objects, and the directors of the New Zealand Insurance Co., having communicated with the Government on the subject, an arrangement has been como to by which the company will be allowed to provide the necessary supports for the wires in whatever manner they consider will least interfere with aesthetic effect. We are informed that two cast iron pillare of ornamental design will be cast, and utilised in supporting the verandah, and that the supports (or the wiros will be inserted into these. The building is one of the chief ornaments of our city, and we are therefore much pleased that a solution of thu difficulty has been arrived at which will savo it from disfigurement. In the report published in our Tuesday's impression of the wreck of the Ly-ee-moon, it was stated that Captain Webber, of that vessel, aud who is now in custody on a charge of feloniously killing, was formerly in command of the s.s, Zealaudia. We have ascertained that the statement is incorrect. Captain Webber, formerly of the Zealandia, and who is well known here, is now in command of the s. 8. Australia, now running between San Francisco and Honolulu. The Law Courts, High-street, are at present undergoing a thorough cleansing by means of prison labour, and yesterday the business at the Police (Jourt was taken in the R. M. Court-room, in the upper portion of the building. A substantial set of steps have been constructed in the grounds, for the convenience of the morning procession from the police station to the Halls of Justice. Yesterday afternoon a painful accident happened to a young daughter of Mr. Keville,

landlord of the Suffolk Hotel, College Road. She was standing near a glass door when a gust of wind banged it to, wounding her wrist and severing some arteries. The girl was taken to the shop of Mr. Henderson, chemist, to have the injuries attended to. Dr. Knight happened to be paseing at the time, and w?s called in and attended to tho. child's wounds. The first section of the Rotorua railway— eight mile 3 in length fjom the Porotorau junction—is now ready for tender, the preliminaries having been finished yesterday. Nothing now remains but for the Govern, inent to give the word authorising tenders to be invited for construction. It is rumourei that the Oxford-Lichneld section will, as previously announced, be opened for traffic on the 14,1), as the time-table, it is said, is not yet definitely arranged. The water-race from the Nutuwhora stream to the Lichfield railway station will be completed during the present month. We would remind our readers of th» lecture on " Socialism " to-nighfc, by the Rev. E. H. Gulliver, in St. Sepulchre's Schoolroom. Tie subject is an interesting one at the present moment, when bo many theories are propounded for the regeneration of modern society and the improvement of the human race. There were in the lock-up last evening a man, name unknown, for drunkenness and malicious injury to property; Frederick Williams, for a, breach of the Shipping Actby wilful disobedience to lawful orders; and a number of laws, named Calvert (2), Mabberly, and Meason, for larceny of cigarettes, umbrella, socks, etc. At the last meeting of the Charitable Aid Board attention was called to the abnormal amount of charitable relief in the settlement! of Howick and Onehunga, and a sub-committee was appointed to investigate the matter. We find on inquiry that thr-re are eighteen families in Howick drawing 763 rations monthly, and nineteen families in Onehunga drawing 930 rations monthly. Some families draw from one to three rations, and have been on the ration list in the case of Howick since 1874, and of Onehunga since 1875, so that official charity has become not incidental aid, but the regular subsistence of the recipients for 10 or 12 years. The average monthly charitable expenditure in Onehunga is £15 odd, and ia Howick £14 6s, or an annual charge of £!S0 and £171 respectively. The inquiry then comes, how much of this is borne by the districts concerned \ t Howick's contribution towards charitable relief for the 16 months is fixed at £5 2s 7d, of which not a farthing has been paid. Onehunjja has paid a first contribution to Hospital of £35 17a BJ, bat some £59 16a still remains unpaid. Of her contribution to charitable relief for the month, fixed at £47 16s 10d, not a penny has been paid, yet in the above settlements over£33o is expended in charity. The Relieving Ofiicer, though very vigilant in watching the expenditure in Auckland, ie unable, to exercise the same surveillance over charitable relief in the outsettlements. In these cases he is obliged to depend on the cheek furnished by the recommendation of recipients through the local bodies, Justices of the Peace, clergymen, and respectable settlers. It would seem as if these safeguards were not sufficient, judging from the way in which the public charity is occasionally abused.

The railway authorities publish elsewhere the railway arrangements for the Auckland Steeplechase meeting at Ellerslie on Monday next. Trains will run at intervale from noon to two p.m. to the racecourse, fare, irrespective of class, beiDg 3s 6J, which includes admission to the course. Saturday return tickets to Auckland will be issued at Mercer, Helensville, and intermediate statione, on the 14th instant, and will be available for return on that or following day, and return tickets from all stations issued to Auckland on Saturday, June 12, will be available for return up to and including the 15th. The arrangements for taking back from the racecourse the passengers for Mercer and intermediate stations, Onehunga and Helensville and intermediate stations, will be found Iα the advertisement. The winter meeting of the Otahuhu Racing Club will be held on Saturday next, and trains will leave at 11 45 a.m. and 12.45 p.m. a epecial returning after the races at 5.30 o'clock sharp. Further particulars will be found in the advertisement elsewhere. Kobert Stevens was charged at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Chriitchuroh, on the Ist instant, before R. Beetham, R.M., R. Western, and Dr. Preston, J.P.'e, under section eight of the Gaming and Lotteries Act, with gaming on a racecourse. William , Gillon deposed that he attended the Oxford races on April 1, and lost £83 to the accused, who conducted a game called "Backup or forfeit." He lost the money in fifteen minutes. The defence was that the game was like the totalisator, the accused ouly received a percentage on the stakes, which weut mostly in dividends to the investors, the share the accused took being only the "difference of the odds." Mr. Beetham said that the Bench were nofc there to set right any mau who was idiot enough to risk his earnings on such a game, but to vindicate the law. The maximum penalty for unlawful gaming was a fine of £00. In this case the accused would be fiued £25, to be recovered in the usual manner. The fine was immediately paid.

The Wellington correspondent of the Ilawera and Normanby Star writes:—"l am informed by Mr. M. D. King that the Treasurer his agreed to reduce the interest payable on the Patea harbour loan of £10,000 from 7 per ceufc. to 6 per cent, per annum.' . Now, as the money advanced on loan to the Patea Harbour Board is from trust fund*, it would be interesting to know by what authority the. Treasurer has made this, reduction of 10 per cent., if, indeed, Mr. M. D. King is to be accepted as an authority. The object of the Hon. Sir Julius V"ogel in making or promising to make the reduction would be sufficiently obvious. Patea is Major Atkinson's district, and a general election is looming in the near future. The Southland Times says :—"A gentleman, in whom every confidence may be placed, informed us on Saturday, May 29, that a nugget, weighing abont 3oz, bad been unearthed by two men, whose names are at present withheld, a day or two previously in the Seaward Downs district. The precise locality has not been disclosed, as the tinders wish further to tost the value of their discovery before making it fully public. More information has been promised in the course of a day or two, if ' things turn out well.'" The following is the state of Her Majesty's Prison, Auckland, for the week ending Juno 5, ISS6 :—Awaiting trial, 10 males, 1 female ; boys, 4; hard labour, 7S males, 15 females ; penal servitude, 31 males ; default of bail, 8 nmles ; debtors," 2 ; received during the week, IS males, 6 females ; discharged, 14 males, 4 females; total in prison, 133 males, 16 females.