Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8963, 30 January 1888, Page 5

The war preparations in Europe are being vigorously continued notwithstanding the professed belief of princes and statesmen that) the present will be a year of peace. The new German Army Bill provides for an incre-ii.se of seven hundred thousand men, and the Reichstag has voted fourteen million pounds to defray the initial expenses of organising the new Landewhr. Hungary is stated to be completely prepared for war. Lord C. Beresford, who recently resigned his position as one of the junior Lords of the Admiralty, in consequence of a disagreement with the line of policy pursued by Lord George Hamilton, has given, what the London Times describes as an appalling picture of the state of the British Navy. Very general satisfaction will be felt throughout the colony at the announcement made in our cable message this morning that Her Majesty the Queen has been pleased to confer the honour of K.C.M.G. upon Major Atkinson. There is probably no colonial statesman who is more entitled "by long public service and unswerving honesty of purpose to such a distinction. Major Atkinson will receive the congratulations of all sections of political parties upon the distinguished honour which the Queen has conferred upon him.

A special meeting of the Harbour Board will be held in the Board-room on Wednesday next, at half-past two p.m., in order to consider matters in reference to the opening of the Calliope Dock. There is reason to believe that there will be no difficulty in having everything in trim when Admiral Fairfax arrives, and for the admission of one of the vessels of his squadron to the dock.

In the good old days the Auckland Regatta was looked forward to with great interest by the natives, and on the day itself Mechanics' Bay was filled with their canoes, and was jocund with their songs. The war canoe race was one of the features, and even Te Wherowhero, Tawhiao's father, did not deem it beneath his dignity to compete for the prize. All that has passed away, and marks another epoch in the decay and disappearance of the Maori race.

The construction of the new Nelson-street public school is being rapidly proceeded with. When completed, the Franklin Road school will bo abolished, and the pupils transferred to the new building. It will also be available for scholars who may be unable to obtain admission elsewhere through overcrowding at adjacent public schools.

Although the new ferry tee, with offices and goods accommodation is now finished the ferry steamers do not yet avail themselves of it. It is said there is somo hitch between the Ferry Company and the Corporation over the laying down of water mains to tho new ferry tee. The arrangements for ingress and egress of passengers appear to be well-devised, and should prevent tho scuffling and crowding which usually prevails on holidays, and deters many heads of families from venturing on fete days to the North Shore.

Tho new I'onsonby reservoir has now been fully charged, and so far has borne the test well, there not being the slightest sign of settlement at the northern face of the embankment, which as the weakest point would, if there were any defect, show it. It will now be possible to have at the Ponsonby Reservoir ample supplies both for domestic and tire purposes for the several district.-; of the city.

There is some talk about erecting a fresh building near the hospital for contagious diseases, scarlet fever, measles, &c., provision to be made for 20 beds. At present the detached smallpox hospital is used for such cases, while four cancer cases are accommodated in a building near the Auxiliary Asylum.

Mr. Crowther has given notice of motion, " That the Finance Committee consider and report at next meeting of the Council what portion of last loan can be spared to pay off tin; overdraft, and the proportion each ward should contribute of same."

The pilot crew at tho Manukau Heads have received an intimation that their services will no longer be required after the end of February.

Special services were held at St. Patrick's Cathedral yesterday, in commemoration of the jubilee of tho Roman Catholic faith in **cw Zealand v _ A report of the proceedings appears elsewhere. Crowded congregations were present at the services, including many people from Onehunga and other country settlements.

On Saturday, a child of three years of age named Leslie Wright, got kicked by a horse while playing in the Domain. He was taken to tho Hospital, where bis wounds ware dressed.

The Temperance Hall was crowded to overflowing on Saturday evening. An excellent programme was given by the members of the Auckland Total Abstinence Society, assisted by the Misses White and Mr. Mills, who are strangers to Auckland. The programme was an excellent one, and well rendered. It was as follows : —l'ianoforto selection, Mr. Barrow; song, "The Labourer," Mr. Ryan; song, "Killarney," Miss Wheeler; song, "Rosoy's Sunday Out," Mr. Masson ; motto son", " Pulling Hard Against the Stream," Air. Mills; instrumental trio, Ist violin, Mr. Mills; '2nd violin, Miss White; pianoforte, Miss M. White: "The Wife's Mistake," dialogue, by Misses Josey, Freer, and Worthington, and Messrs. E. Clark and W. Cat-law; duet, " Tis Hard to Say Farewell," by Mr. andMissMarson;song, "Jeannio'sßawbee," Mr. Smith ; comic song, Mr. Mills ; duet, " When the Wind Blows in From the Sea," Miss White and Mr. Mills; recitation, "Our Folks," Mr. Hesber; song, " Land-ho !" Mr. Ryan; "The" Amateur Concert" (by request), Mr. F. E. Harrison, brought the entertainment to a close. The temperance friends from Parnell give the next entertainment. A number of pledges were signed during the evening.

Another troupe of minstrels have favoured Auckland with their presence. This time it,is the Mississippi Minstrels, who are " bossed " by Mr. P. Doran. They appeared for tho first time at the Opera House on Saturday night, and went through the usual list of songs, comic and sentimental, concluding with the usual screaming farces. The performance was fairly successful, but the attendance was poor. One the best selections was a song and dance, " The Apple of My Eye." which was rendered with delightful naivete by May and Daisy Thornton. We have had so many nigger minstrel shows lately, all so much of the same pattern, that a little originality would be refreshing. For instance, if only to sro by the rule" of contrary, why should the performers not paint their faces and hair white instead of black ? White evening dresses, with black shirts, collars, and cutis would vary the monotony a little : so would collars a foot high, and cuffs the size of beer barrels, with button-hole bouquets as large as cauliflowers —anything for a change.

The Takapuna Racing Club's summer meeting was commenced on Saturday, and will be continued to-day. The attendance was rather limited, but the races proved very interesting, and were satisfactorily carried out on Saturday. We notice that the club has obtained a supply of numbered saddle cloths, to enable spectators to identify the horses running in the races. They are of local manufacture, with black letters on white ground, and their finish is highly creditable to Mr. W. S.Jones'establishment, being very much superior in this respect to those imported from Melbourne by the Auckland Racing Club. Details of Saturday's races appear in another column.

St. Paul's Sunday-school held their annual summer treat on Saturday last. The children, with their teachers, assembled in the church at ten a.m., where, after a short service, they mat ched with banner and Hags flying to the Domain, which place they reached soon after eleven a.m. An ample lunch of buns, sandwiches, and other good things was distributed and done justice to about noon. To this succeeded games, races for prizes, and other amusementsuntil half-past four p.m., when the children, to the number of '_V>o and upwards, with a fair proportion of their parents and friends, were regaled with tea, cake, etc. The teachers, the incumbent, and Mrs. Nelson were indefatigable in amusing and caring for the children, and weather and every other circumstance contributed to the enjoyment of a very happy day. The Domain was left about six p.m.

J the past week or so two or three houses in Ponsonby West have been visited and articles of value abstracted. One resilient, is is stated, mourns the loss of £15 worth of jewellery, which appears to have disappeared mysteriously.

Amongst the clergy present at St. Patrick's yesterday, on the occasion of the Roman Catholic Jubilee celebrations, was the Very Rev. Consignor McDonald, who was thus present at the Cathedral for the first time since he was appointed to the spiritual charge of the Paninure parish. Prior to the commencement cf mass at eleven o'clock, Monsignor McDonald proceeded from the sacristy in company with Fathers Paul and O'Hara, t.nd walked through the aisle of the church to the main doorway to meet Bishop Luc's, as is the custom of the assistant priests previous to the celebration of High Mass. There was quite a flutter amongst the thronged congregation as "Father Walter" made his appearance, and as he passed down the aisle many of those present, especially the older members of the congregation, were observed to be in tears. At the conclusion of the service, a large number waited about the doors of the church, in order that they might " shake hands" with the venerated priest so well-known to them.

The contractors for Firth'.? Roller Mills Messrs. Philcox and Sons, have well-nigh finished their contract , some half-dozen men only being engaged in finishing up. Preparations are being made for laying down double lines of rails on each side of the wharf, now in process of construction opposite the mill, which will converge into a single line on the reclamation, and lead into the storage compartments of the mill. The contractors for this wharf are Messrs. Lovett and White. It is intended to accommodate the intercolonial steamers, being 340 feet lone by 90 feet wide, and will have on it shedding accommodation for 2000 tons of merchandise. The work is two - thirds finished, but the men have to work with the tides in order to get the braces and stringers put in. It is stated that this will be the best wharf in the port when completed.

Through the meanness of some landlords the tenants in houses in the poorer quarters of the city are compelled to draw their watersupply from old wells, the ground surrounding which is saturated with drainage from the dwellings. It would be well, on sanitary grounds, if the city authorities 'compelled such landlords to lay on the city water supply, which is now available at a very reasonable cost.

Last evening Mr. George Aldridge, who lectures at the Opera House on Sunday evenings, gave his concluding lecture of the present series on "Human Life, and Bible Revelation Concerning It." He leaves for lJunedin on a three months' lecturing tour. Mr. E. H. Taylor, of the Thames, succeeds him temporarily at the Opera House.

The steamer Waitoa was announced to make a trip on Saturday afternoon to the ostrich farm, Turanga Creek. At the hour appointed (two p.m.) she started for her destination, having a large party of excursionists on board. When off Hobson's Bay a mishap occurred to the machinery, which necessitated her returning to the Queenstreet Wharf and landing her passengers. Theselatter were considerably disappointed, as the day was fine, and there was every prospect of a pleasant trip and an enjoyable afternoon being spent. No doubt the owners of the steamer will on another Saturday afternoon afford the disappointed pleasure-seekers a fresh opportunity of visiting the ostrich farm.