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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7782, 30 October 1886, Page 4

It will be seen that the directors of the Press Association, at their meeting now being held at Dunedin, had passed a resolution urging the New Zealand Government to continue the subsidy of £5000 per annum to the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company for a limited period. This has been done with the view of preventing the company from acting on their intention to raise the cable charges between Australia and this colony. This course they have taken in the interest of the public and the Press ; and, in furtherance of their object, they have interviewed the Premier, who chanced to be in Dunedin at the time. The interview, however, does not appear to have been very satisfactory ; but the Premier, nevertheless, is reported to have pro mised that the question of the subsidy would again be brought under the consideration of the Cabinet on Monday next. To strengthen their position, the directors of the association have reaffirmed their decision, in so far as the principle of it is concerned, but in more general language, expressive of the expediency of such an arrangement being come to as will not only prevent the cable tariff being raised, but also secure its reduction. It is certainly more politic to put the matter in this form, as the Government having once determined on discontinuing the subsidy, will naturally have an aversion to resile from that position. The desirability of securing cheap rates, both for the general public and the Press, they are, however, bound to symathise with ; and the directors of the association have, therefore, shown some tact in putting that forward as the main object to be gained. Should the Government, when assembled in Cabinet, feel persuaded that this end can be secured only by renewing the subsidy for five years, they will no doubt be disposed to revert to the proposal which the House sanctioned, and which the cable company very injudiciously declined. That was to renew the subsidy for a period of five years, on condition of the charges between Australia and New Zealand being reduced to sixpence per word for ordinary and threepence per word for Press messages. This can be done now with a good grace, to the manifest advantage of the public ; and, in the meantime, the Government would have leisure to consider and decide on the advisability of laying another cable. It will be noticed, however, from this morning's cables that the company has given formal notice that the rates will be raised on Monday, the Ist November, and it is difficult to see how any further negotiation on the question can be conducted.

The situation in Bulgaria looks more critical than it has yet done. It is evident that the long impending conflict between the Muscovite Power and the little Princedom is about to take place. The Russians threaten Varna with bombardment and occupation unless the conspirators in the recent coup d'etat are released, but strong in their sense of right the Regency refuses to be wed or browbeaten, and have replied to these threats by proclaiming a state of siege at Sofia and Varna. The New Hebrides question is approaching a settlement. The New Zealand Government having declined to submit the question of cable subsidy to arbitration, and broken off all negotiations, the company give notice that on and after Monday next the rates will be raised. The general Government revenue sohoonor Hawk, whioh arrived yesterday, is to be laid up, and the crew were yesterday . busily engaged in dismantling the vessel. Further I reference to the vessel will be found in our shipping columns. The barque Nicoya, which arrived from Melbourne yesterday, brought amongst . other cargo 200 blocks of blue stone, which r are to be used in the construction of the Calliope graving dook, now being built by I Mr. Lanigan for the Auckland Harbour Board. We reprint in another column, from the Sydney Morning Hereld, a leading article which is of considerable interest and value to us. In connection with the raising of the loan, the artiole deals with the entire position of the colony in a comprehensive, fair, and judicial manner. Of late years we have been but too much accustomed to hostile criticism from abroad, or at least to _ that kind whioh is called "candid oriticism," given utterance to by one who is quite disposed to indicate the weak points in a friend's position. These indeed our present critic does not disguise, but he also fairly holds up to view where wo are strong. The contract for the fittings of the rooms of the new Public Library Building in Wellesley-street will not be completed till the middle of December, and till there are completed nothing further can be done. But immediately thereafter the City Council will remove the offices to the rooms which have been selected and which are intended for the Art Gallery. A beginning will then be made with shifting the Free Library from the present building to the spacious and noble rqpms Bet apart for it. Sir George Grey will be seen in order that . arrangements may be made foe* the transference of the library he has gifted to the citizens from the Kawau. An order has been sent home tor £500 of new books. The Council have £2000 in hand for. the purchase of. new - books, but it has been thought expedient not to send a larger order at present. Last Saturday afternoon the weather prevented any play on the Bowling Green. In the event of the weather proving fine today it is anticipated there will be a large attendance, as it will be the first opportunity for club play this season. The Rev. R. Bavin has been making a tour to the Lake Country and the scene of the Tarawera eruption. He is expected in town by the Waikato train to*day in order to resume his ministerial duty. Owing to the extended accommodation at the City Saltwater Baths, visitors can now go at all hours of the day. Notwithstanding the establishment of the City Freshwater Baths, it is anticipated this summer that the Saltwater* Baths will be as largely patronised as heretofore. The Egyptian Fair and Bazaar was again well patronised last evening. The miscellaneous concert was postponed, in order to enable visitors to make their purchases, but the side shows were in full swing. This afternoon, at three o'clock, for the benefit of the children, there will be a tableaux, consisting of "Titania," three scenes; "Old Woman in the Shoe," one scene; and "Cinderella," four scenes. A maypole dance will take plaos at four o'clock. In the evening the usual tableaux vivants, and, by request, "The Three Old Maids of Lee." Complaints have been current as to the wanton destruction of flatfish, and there seems to be some foundation for them, judging from the following note from Mr. F. H. Lewisson :—" On Thursday morning 700 or 800 bundles of flatfish were thrown into the harbour unfit for use. They came from the Thames. I think it is time the Government put a stop to this wholesale slaughter. If not, there will come a time when flatfish will be a thing of the past— respect being shown to size." The piece, " The Three Hats," which will be produced at the Opera House on Monday evening by Mr. Wyburd's company, is described as a farce of a highly amusing character. It is full of ludicrous situations, and the comical absurdity of the plot is irresistible, according to the critic of the Brisbane Courier. "We have not ■ the space," says that journal, "to describe the intricacies of the deliciously absurd plot, which hinges on the misappropriation on the part of three gentlemen of one another's hats, on a night when one at least of the party was sligutly 'mixed.' Everybody is at cross-purposes with everybody else, and the result is an intensely laughable comedy of errors, adapted to modern times." At the Waipu R.M. Court, on Tuesday, the case R. Finlayson v. A. Finlaysou was dismissed, each party paying their own coats, and the cross cases were withdrawn. John Arnold (arrested on warrant in Auckland), was charged with the theft of a blanket and towel, valued at 225, the pro- ' perty of Mr. SimßOn, storekeeper. The evidence west to show that the prisoner passed a night in the prosecutor's house, when a blanket and towel were given him to take to his room. In the morning Mr. Simson found the prisoner had disappeared, and the blanket and towel could not be found. The Bench considered the evidence insufficient, and discharged the prisoner. The following will be the rota of Justices at the Police Court from November 2 till November 8 :—November 2 : T. M. Haultain, G. Von Der Heyde, G. Boldahip. November 3 : A. G. Horton, E. Isaacs, H. M. Jervis. November 4; T. B. Kenderdine, J. P. King, G. S. Kissling. November 5 : J. H. Lewis, D. H. Luak, W. C. Lyons. November 6: D. G. MacDonnell, D. B. McDonald. W. McCullough. November 8 : C. C. McMillan, W. P. Moat, R. W. Moody. A staff of surveyors arrived at Helensvilla on Thursday night, to commence the survey of the extension of the Belensville railway line. The residents are pleased that at last something practical has been commenced in reference to the extension. The usual meeting of the Board of Education was held yesterday in their room, Victoria Arcade. Twenty-five applications were received for the vaoant headmastership of the Onehunga School, the list being referred to the Visiting Committee of the Training College to make a selection of the most suitable candidates. According to the Greymouth Standard Mormonism is increasing in numbers in the North Island. A great number of natives have become adherents in Napier, and they are particularly numerous in the Gisborne district. At Palmerston North the mission is being energetically prosecuted among the Rangitana tribe. Elders E. L. Davis and M. 11. Pratt (the latter being a son of the famous Orson Pratt) are labouring in the Wairarapa at the present time, and within the last six weeks, they state, 40 natives have professed the faith. In Carterton there. are about 40 Europeans who have joined the Saints. The President of the district, Mr. Newby, is at present in the Manawatu district. A large number of peach trees on the Te Aroha River, which have hitherto yielded an abundant supply of peaches, through some unaccountable blight are totally devoid of fruit this season. In concluding the hearing of the arbitration between the Thames and Ohinemuri Counties, Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald said that if he succeeded in making an award that satisfied both parties, he should be extremely suspicious that ha had done something wrong. The following programme will be performed by the Artillery Band this afternoon at the athletic sports in the Domain, under Bandmaster Hunter :Grand march, " True till Death" (A. S. Gatty); valse, "Britannia" (H. Round); selection, "Bohemian Girl" (Balfe); quadrille, "The Queen's Jubilee" (G. Rout) ; grand selection, "Melita," Act 11. (H. P. Crowe); valse, "Clytie" (May Ostlere); selection, " Susie Miller" (Verdi); galop, "Charley" (Puce). It is proposed to form a temperance settlement in the County of Raglan. Those interested in the subject are requested to attend a meeting convened by Mr. T. B. Hill, to be held in Kobson's Rooms on , Tuesday.

Discussing the cable question the Melbourne Age says the Australian colonies are extremely unlikely to be impelled by a desire to help Sir Julius Vogel in his contest with the Eastern Extension Company. The published correspondence will not cause any impartial reader to be predisposed in Sir J. Vogel's favour. The company throughout appear to have acted in a fairer and more straightforward manner than the politician ; and inasmuch as they are prepared to greatly cheapen the telegraphic rates upon reasonable terms it is probable they will meet with support rather than with censure in Australia. The New Zealand cable operations constitute only a small portion of the work performed by the company in which these colonies are interested. New Zealand contributes nothing to the Port Darwin or Tasmanian cable subsidies, and it is not too much to expect that it shall avoid taking up a merely insular and selfish position in dealing with its own lino. If it insists on acting in the illiberal spirit Sir Julius Vogel has manifested it must not be astonished if the Australian colonies think only of their own interest in making terms with the Eastern Extension Company. The time-table of the Devonport Tramway will be found in our advervsing column*. It will be Been that the trips have been so timed as to suit the arrival and departure of the ferryboats. The company are allowing a discount to purchasers of tickets by the dozen, the prices being 2s 6d for adults ; children, Is 6d per dozen; and schools by special arrangement. *■ The ladies of the Thames are canvassing for prizes for the annual flower show. The Auckland Institute has been closed for the past week, in order to have the annual cleaning and rearrangement of the exhibits, but will be opened again to-day. A number of Maori carvings and implements have been placed in the vestibule, cases of new exhibits have been added, and considerable rearrangement has taken plaoe 4 Last night the Amy Johns Burlesque and Variety Company gave another entertainment at Abbott's Opera Bouse, it being for the benefit of Miss Amy Johns, whose efforts to please the play-going public during the last week may be said to have been indefatigable. The lady was in excellent voice, and was frequently applauded during the course of the evening. The programme consisted of three parts. A farce entitled "Sam and Martha's Courtship," in which Miss Johns sustained the part of Martha Bunn, and various songs and dances brought the first part to a close, The second part was of a varied character, consisting of trapeze act by T. Macciney. The song, " Love, I will love you for ever," by Miss Johns, was admirably sung, and was warmly applauded, as was also the song and dance by the same lady, " The flower girl." To-night is announced as the last night of this excellent oompany, and for the occasion an attractive programme is announced. The unfortunate man, John Swift, who was received into the Hospital on Tuesday last, owing to having received injuries at the Bastion defence works, succumbed yesterday morning. An inquest will be held to-day at the Hospital, at half-past two, by . Dr. Philson, coroner. It appears Swift was wheeling a barrow-load of earth on an 18-inch wide plank across a trench 12 feet deep, and floored with concrete masonry. He acoi« dentally lost his balance, and fell over, barrow and all. On being picked up by his mates he was found to be unconscious, and was removed to the Hospital, dying as above. It has been determined by tbe Plumpton Park Company to hold a race meeting on November 20, probably on the Onehunga racecourse. The programme will include trotting, hurdle, and fiat races, and a meeting was held last evening to finally decide on holding the meeting, but the details of the programme have not yet been arranged. The thirteenth athletic carnival of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club will be held on the Domain cricket ground this afternoon, in conjunction with the Waitemata Bicycle Club. A very attractive programme has been Issued, for which good entries have been made, and some iirstrate sport may be looked for. During the afternoon His Worship the Mayor (Mr. W. R. Waddel), who is president »of both the A.A.A.C. and the Rugby Union, will present the senior and junior football cups to the respective winners. The Garrison Artillery Band will be in attendance, and play selections during the afternoon. Our athletic contributor deals with the events in another part of this issue. The Onehunga Cadet . Corps which was organised only a few weeks ago, assembled at the Drill-shed last night, and was put through a course of drill, after which the election of lieutenants was proceeded with, and resulted itvß. H. Wynyard and J. Luudon being chosen. The non-commissioned officers were also elected. The tender of Mr. Mc Bride for uniforms was accepted. He was in attendance, and took the measure of the members, in order to have them uniformed by the 9th prox. We call the attention of the public to a new and useful article lately introduced into our midst. We refer to Wastell's Parisian polish for brightening and oleaning all kinds of wood work, nod, having seen its operation, we can confidently recommend it to the public as being strictly what it represent! itself to be. The annual meeting of the members of the Auckland Rifle Association is announced for Wednesday next, at the Drill-shed. We believe it is the intention of the members of the Association to make great efforts for the success of the next competition of the Association, which is proposed to be held about the end of the year. Officers attached to companies in the Auckland garrison are invited to attend the meeting.