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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9026, 12 April 1888, Page 4

Lord Salisbury has been making a speech. He .said he had every hope that the peace of Europe would be preserved. He pictures the state of affairs in Ireland as having improved under the administration of his Government. The licensing question is a difficult one all the world over, and it seems that in consequence of opposition by the supporters of the Salisbury Ministry to the licensing clauses of the Local Government Bill, Government have agreed to leave the control of licences to the counties, and that no compensation shall be paid when a license is withdrawn. The decision of this question will be looked for here with interest. All the colonies will be inclined to follow the English example on this point. The editor of the Pall Mall Gazette has thought it interesting to consult Lord Wolseley on the subject of his visiting the colonies to inspect the defences. The only General" seems to take it for granted that we are all in a state of apprehension till he comes, but for all that "he was unable to definitely conclude any arrangements." We hear less to-day of the great betrothal question, but the reason of Russia's dislike to it is frankly stated by the Russian Press, which asserts that the proposed marriage was an English intrigue to sow dissension between Russia and Germany, so that Prince Alexander might again be placed on the throne of Bulgaria. France is not now thinking of war abroad, being excessively busy about squabbles and intrigues which, do not seem to have any national importance. However, we are told that the French Press "regard the internal situation as extremely dangerous." In our shipping columns will be found a telegram from Port Chalmers announcing the safe arrival at that port of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Co.'s direct liner Tainui, from London via the Cape and Hobart. The Auckland portion of the Tainui's cargo and mails will be transhipped into the Union Co.'s s.s. Omapere, which is due here on Tuesday next. Her passenger list will be found in another column.

Saturday next, April 14, is the anniversary of Sir. George Grey's birth, when he completes his 76th year. Sir George spends a portion of almost every day in the librarian's room of the Free Library, assisting in the arrangement of the books, letters, plans, maps, curiosities, &c., he has lately sent up. Some of the articles lately sent are of great value, but it is not possible to make an estimate till they are arranged and catalogued. It has been suggested that a room should be put aside for Sir George Grey's use at the Library, and we daresay. that His Worship the* Mayor will see that this is done if Sir George wishes.

Yesterday morning Mr. J. C. Firth threw his newly erected roller flour mills open for public inspection. They were started a week or two ago, and on Wednesday several hundreds of citizens took advantage of the invitations kindly sent by Mr. iirth to inspect one of the most complete and finest flouring mills to be found in any part of the world. The whole of the machinery is of American make, and works admirably. In another column we publish a somewhat detailed description of the plant. -v - v '

Last ' week we reported an interview which took place between a deputation of Waikato farmers and the Hon. E. Mitchel son with special reference to a reduction of freight on grain. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works informed the deputation that although the freight charged was nominally the same in Canterbury and Auckland ; yet, as a matter of fact, the former had a considerable concession.' 15 appears that a special export rate is charged on all grain consigned by rail, to Lyttelton for shipment from any part of the Canterbury district. That rate is 25 per cent. legg than the ordinary grain rates, and fully confirms the statement made in our issue of the 4th instant. Our Wellington correspondent, in' our issue of yesterday, contradicts the statement " upon authority," but the foregoing facts, given by the Hon. E. Mitchelson, prove that if the Canterbury farmer obtains a reduction of one-fourth off ordinary rates, the unfortunate Auckland farmer must pay one-third more than his favoured competitor in the South Island Of course the bare statement is correct that the grain rites North and South are the same, but the export concession makes all the difference, and we were pleased to note that Mr. Mitchelson thought the time had arrived when Waikato should have similar concessions to those which obtain in the South.. . .

The members of ' the Law Society met on Tuesday, and agreed to important changes in the constitution of the body. The ballot; hitherto existing is to be abolished, and all that is required is that any member desiring to join should be proposed by two members. The fee is also to be reduced from £2 2s to £1 Is, with 10s for a key to the library.

The designation of the old Whau Asylum has been altered, and it will, we understand be in future known as the Auckland Asylum at Point Chevalier. When the name U'hau was altered to Avondale, the name Avondale Asylum was posted at the gates of the institution, but the Avondale people pro. tested, inasmuch as the asylum is not; within the boundaries of the Avondale road district, and by instructions from the Colonial Secretary the name was removed from the gates. At first sight it might appear that the objection was merely a sentimental one, but such is not the case. It was merely a matter of public " convenience. It frequently happens that "relatives of the unfortunate inmates of the asylum who desire to visit them, take the Avondale omnibuses, expecting to reach . the asylum, but on reaching Avondale . they find that they are two miles past.the.asylum, so they either have to walk back these two miles, or wait for the return omnibus. A good deal of annoyance and disappointment has been caused in this way, and it was principally in order to obviate this that the residents of Avondale took action, and brought) the matter of the necessity for a change in name under the notice of the Ministry.

A telegram from Wellington' states that) Sir James Hector has expressed an opinion that the reported eruption at Kerikeri will prove to be a mere escape of natural gas (carburetted hydrogen), which" has in some way become ignited. If. .there should be coal seams or petroleum springs underneath, an outbreak of gas is not an unlikely or unprecedented occurrence,arid this would account also for the stones and ashes. The former might have been carried upward with the rush of gas, arid the subsequent) ignition of the gas wouid soon produce the appearance of. ashes around the orifice of the natural gas-pipe, by causing combustion of the vegetation ' and vegetable mould surrounding the hole.'

A peculiar request was made in a letter received at the last meeting of the Wellington City Council from Messrs. Shortt and Reid, namely, that" the ' firm might be allowed to purchase the gun on Mount Victoria, which they did not propose to remove in case of purchase, and would undertake not to fire moj; tit*:;-twice weekly. Councillor Coonibe saw no reason' why some revenue should not be made out' of the gun if possible. Another councillor thought; the weapon in question was either colonial property or that of the volunteers. Councillor Richardson moved that no notice be taken of the application, but on a division the matter was referred to the Public Works Committee.

We understand that in the event of the election of licensing commissioners for the City North District turning out favourable, it is intended to, apply for the fjansfer of a license from some other part of • the city to the Marine Chambers at the end of the wharf. , .

A meeting of the • Harbour • Board was held in committee on Tuesday, to reconsider the recommendations made as to the engineer's department. After 'Considerable discussion, it was agreed that the department should be abolished) the • only officer to be retained being the assistant engineer, Mr. Laßoche, who is to be kept to superintend the repairs of the wharves, &c.

Another pioneer has passed away in the person of Mr. H. 0. Nankervis, the announcement of whose death appeared in our obituary oolumns of yesterday: • Mr. Nankervis was a native of Cornwall, in England, and being of an. adventurous disposition, left the old country for these shores. Of course, being identified with the mining industry, he elected to take the Australian goldfields as the scene of his operations, but subsequently left them for the Thames and Coromandel. He had acquired a competency which placed him beyond the "smiles and frowns of rank and fortune." Mr. Nankervis was a good member of the Masonic craft, an esteemed and respected colonist, and endeared to all with whom he came in contact. The funeral service yesterday was conducted by the Rev. Mr. Nelson, and amongst the • chief mourners we observed several old Thames residents. The following estates of deceased persons have been placed under the control of the Public Trustee during the month of March: —David Adamson, Mangonui, estimated value of personal estate, under £100 ; Jos. Billing, Wellington, value of personal estate, under £100; A. G. Brenton, Wellington, personal estate, £10; John Chew, Wellington, personal estate, over £100 ; A. F. Henrickson, Huntersville, personal estate, £2; William Lewis, Patea, Hawke's Bay, personal estate, over £100; Thomas McKay, Waiapu, personal estate, £1 ; Arthur Raby, Napier, personal estate, £10; William Stewart, Auckland, personal estate, over £100.

The British And Foreign Bible Society was instituted in 1804 with the object of circulating the word of God throughout the world. More than ten millions sterling have been spent by it in the work of translating, revising, printing and circulating the Scriptures. From the last report wo learn that 112,000,000 of Bibles, Testaments, and portions have been issued. There is no country in the world which has not felt the influence of the society. Not only does it) possess agents and correspondents, colporteurs and depots in every part of Europe, but it is working as the handmaid of all the great missionary societies. Syrians and Persians, Indians and Chinese, Abyssinians and Kaffirs, the islanders of Madagascar, New Zealand and the South Seas, Mexicans" and Esquimaux, with many others, can say that through its means they hear in their own tongues the wonderful works of- God. The annual meeting of the Auckland branch of the society is advertised to be held on Monday next, the 16th instant, in St. James's Presbyterian Church. The Rev. H. T. Robjohns, 8.A., the deputation from the parent society, will deliver an address, together with other well-known friends. T. Peacock, Esq., M.H.R., will preside.

There was a good attendance at the three sessions of the rink yesterday and last night. , There is to be a fancy dress rink about June 1, when a prize is to be given to the one who wears the most handsome and grotesque dress.

The pattern in aid of St. Benedict's Church fund was well attended yesterday evening, and a large amount of business was done in the disposal of goods. Of the decorations, those - details- few though they werewhich could not be attended to previously because of the hurry in preparing for the • opening, wore completed yesterday, the scene being therefore even gayer than on the previous day. A concert was given in the evening, when Mr. J« Knox sang "A Warrior Bold with fine effect. The song, " Old Ireland, you're ray Darling," w<vs excellently sung by Miss M. Carrigan, whilst Miss Clara Lorrigan redered "Good-bye."- The Rev. Dr. Egan caused great amusement in a stump speech, his comicalities being very laughable. Mr. M. Sheehan's band were again in attendance yesterday. The exhibition will bo open this evening. ' !i

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The following new patents have been applied for:—Andrew Ryan, of Victoria, clergyman, and William Eddington Field, of the same place, analyst, for an improved method of rendering fireproof all kinds of houses, buildings, and household furniture; Alfred McMillan, of Melbourne, manufacturer, for an improved knife-cleaner; Albert Berger, of Auckland, watchmaker, for putting out the flame of candles, to be called " Berger'B automatic candle-extinguisher;" , Thos. William Kirk, of Wellington, gentleman, for improvements in apparatus for manuring or watering plants or shrubs ; Heinrich Grieger, of Berlin, manufacturer; for improvements i l l oil-lamps with annular : burners ; George Brownlees the younger, of South Australia, blacksmith, Thomas John Burt, licensed victualler, and Robert ' Charlos Miller, chemist, both of Victoria, for an improved contrivance for coupling? the shafts or poles to vehicles; Edward Hammond, blacksmith,and William Edward Rose Smith, machinist, both of Wellington, for a new or improved apparatus for silting casks; Walter Brown, of Wellington, engineer, for dressing and preparing the fibre of the phorminm teiiax or New Zealand flax and other fibrous Blants; Frederick Walter Paterson, of lunedin, boatbuilder, for a clothes-rubber, to be known as " The Simplex Washingrubber ; " Thomas James Heskett and Henry Johnson, both of Wellington, engineers, for Heskett and Johnson's Patent Steel-melting Furnace; William Burnley Bust, of Dunedin, engineer, for an improvement in the manufacturing of brushes lor painting, shaving, artists, etc., to bo known us " Bust's Patent Brush ; " Edmund Alfred Field, of Dunedin, commission agent, for " The Improved Fastener " for baled goods ; Henry William Holbrook-Chatfield, of Melbourne, master mariner, for detecting the distance a ship will pass off a known danger, also for taking cross-bearings ; Robert Cockerell, of Invercargill, agricultural im-plement-maker, for an improved lever wavependulum for pumping purposes for goldmining.

A correspondent over the signature of " Cosmo " writes, thanking us for our advocacy of the rights of the settlers in respect to the repairing of the Tamaki bridge. We are glad the settlers are now to get tho bridge put in a proper state of repair, and hope they will make the requisite arrangements to keep it in good repair when it is handed over to their keeping.

A subscription is being got up in aid of the widow and family of Mr. Charles Granger, lately in the waterworks employ, who died a few days ago of typhoid fever. He leaves a widow and three children in poor circumstances, and we have no doubt his friends and fellow-workmen will be glad of the opportunity afforded them to contribute to the relief of his family.

The remains of the late Mr. Baker, who died suddenly at a meeting of the Gospel Temperance Society at Panmure last Friday, were interred on Sunday, and were followed by a large number of mourners, amongst them being Messrs. Cook, Gregory, and Hill, of the Gospel Temperance Society, and Mr. Ireland, the employer of the deceased. The Salvation Army, of which the deceased was a member, sang a hymn over the grave. He was much respected, and leaves a wife and an adopted child to mourn his loss.

At the local option polling for the licensing district of Maori Hill North, Dunedin, which took place on April 4, only one ratepayer took the trouble to vote. As he voted against any increase in the number of licences, this solitary vote decided that lor the next three years there shall be no increase in the district of publicans', NewZealand wine, accommodation, or bottle licenses.

A Wellington paper States that many residents of Petone experienced a singular inconvenience as the result of the late storm. The dense showers of spray flying over the township salted the water-tanks to such an extent as to render the contents quite unfit for domestic use. Residents living half a mile from the beach had their domestic water supply spoiled from this cause.

The Croydon goldfield, respecting which we have had cablegrams recently, is on what was knOwn as Croydon Downs cattle station, the owner of the station being Mr. W. C. Brown, who, with Messrs. Aldridge Brothers, originally prospected the locality, and found gold in October, I&SS. Soon afterwards a rush set in, and at one time about 1500 people were in the field. Last year's report say 3 : —At the present time 200 claims are being worked, and the miners generally are satisfied, and it is believed that, with full mining appliances, it will prove to be one of the best goldfields in the colonies. Some of the shafts are down a considerable distance, and the stone is reported to be improving as a lower depth is reached. Gold shows freely, and some of the stone has assayed a large percentage. According to the Warden's report, the present mining operations are located in an undulating flat, running out from the broken, ridgy country, between ridges and hillocks, into the plain or low-level forest country, which stretches away towards the shores of the Gulf. This fiat has alternate layers of clay and heavy land on its surface, and bands of granite, sandstone, conglomerate, and auriferous quartz traverse it in all directions. One remarkable blow of quartz on this flat is the Iguana Hill, named so on account of the prospectors having chased and killed a gigantic reptile of that sort on the summit of the hill; in doing so they found gold.

In the course of the Supreme Court criminal proceedings at Dunedin, Ah Chew —name curiously suggestive of a modest imeezewas charged with stealing some lead. The almond-eyed innocent made a queer plea. He attempted to steal it, but aid not succeed in getting away with the weighty plunder. The accused, who had throughout the course of the case manifested the greatest impatience to make a speech, when asked if he had anything to say to the jury, stated that when he was in prison on a sentence of four years, Mr. Phillips, the gaoler, cut his pig-tail off— (laughter)—and he had known Chinamen who had been in gaol ten years, and had not had their hair cut. (Laughter.) He knew this had nothing to do with the case, but he wished to ask His Honor if the English law allowed Mr. Phillips to cut his hair off. (Laughter.) He would sooner have been hanged than lose his plait. (Renewed laughter.) That was all he had to say.

The following are from Lloyd's Weekly of February 26:—Ann Buckland sailed to Dunedin about two years ago with her daughter Sarah, and was last heard of in Great King street, Dunedin, New Zealand. Her aged sister is anxious for news. John Kelly, late seaman on H.M.s. Miranda, who is supposed to have taken his discharge about '.wo years ago in some part of Australia or New Zealand, i 3 anxiously inquired after by his aged mother.'

At the regular meeting of the Board of Education on Thursday last, the names of the candidates for the position ol : headmaster of the Mount Albert school, and assistant masters at the pier - street and Devonport schools, were referred to a committee ; and this committee met yesterday, when a selection of the candidates they considered most eligible, was made, as follows :—Mount Albert school : Messrs. W. H. Arnold, Neil Heath, H. R. Hyatt, Neil H. Kennedy, A. J. McCracken, D. O'Donoghue, and Geo. Thwaites. NapierBtreet school; Messrs. F. P. Burton, T. H. Chapman, J. Christie, R. McPherson, and Geo. Thwaites. Devonport school : Messrs. F. P. Burton, T. .H. Chapman, J. Christie, R. McPherson, and A. Taylor. The names will be submitted to the Mount Albert, City, and Devonport Schools Committees respectively, who will make the final selections in . the usual form, for recommendation to the Board. The consideration of the applications for the position of second assistant master at the Newton East school was deferred.

The Christchurch Telegraph, referring to a recent occurrence at Sb. Paul's, Auckland, says:—"Howsome clergymen manage to exist and support families, and keep up the dignity of then 1 profession upon their stipends, is one of the things which we never could understand no more than we could understand the popular theory that clergymen are a class of heaven-fed Elijahs, who can subsist upon nothing a-year. If the work of the preacher of the Gospel is recognised, at all, the labourer, in our opinion, should be worthy of somothing like respectable hire, and we quite agree with the incumbent of St. Paul's that one of the first duties of honest Christiana is to square up with their clergyman.",,,. .

Professor Aldis announces that ho will deliver a course of lectures on the principles of arithmetic and elementary algebra during the present term on Saturday mornings, at ten, the first lecture of the course being appointed for Saturday next. For teachers there is to be a reduction of fee.

Yesterday evening Messrs. Brough and Boucicault's company closed their season in Auckland at Abbott's Opora House, the comic opera " Dick" being performed to a large audience with great success, encores being frequent. It is a matter for regret that the season has been curtailed, and that " The Forty Thieves" is not to be produced by the company, as was formerly intended.

A coloured man, who appeared before the Dunedin Police Court the other day as prosecutor in a case of robbery from the person, lost some 28s on the Warrington racecourse on Easter Monday, and had it not been for the forethought of his wife, who without his knowledge. extracted £8 from his purse just before leaving home, he would have been a loser to the extent of £9 15s. The wife explained to the Bench that she took the £8 out of the purse and only left some 3'2s in, because she thought the latter amount was quite enough for her husband to take to the races.

The Wellington Press has an article on the Harbour Boards for Westport and Greymouth being gazetted out, and says : — " It has been stated that this is the boldest stroke ever ventured upon by any Ministry since Sir Edward Stafford's famous conflict with Mr Macandrew as Superintendent of Otago ; and wo believe it is. But it is a perfect ly safe one, all the same. Among the members of the Harbour Boards who nave been subjected to the humiliation of being dismissed through the Gazette to make room for subordinate Government officials, are four members of Parliament, one of whom aspires to be leader of the Opposition. It is natural to suppose, therefore, that on the meeting of Parliament the Ministry will be exposed to a perilous storm of resentment from these members and their party or friends. We venture to predict that that will not be so. The truth is the Ministry have in their possession the means of quelling any such storm very speedily ; and it will not be oil that they will throw on the troubled waters. They will be in a position to produce such evidence of the urgent necessity for the step they have taken, as will probably lead the four members to conclude that the less they say about the matter the better for themselves and their late associates. The Ministry will not shrink from the issue. On the contrary, they will insist upon justifying their action before Parliament and the country; and they need not have the slightest fear of the result."

The following is from the Manawatu Herald :—Mr. John Guerin has at last, after encountering many difficulties, succeeded in completing the diagonal drain contract on the Moutoa estate for Mr. Larkworthy. This drain is one of the largest in the district, and a few particulars may not prove uninteresting to our readers. The drain is 132 chains and 32 links in length, being 20 feet wide for 116 chains and 16 for the remainder, whilst its average depth measures between six and seven feet. The work was commenced in August, ISB6, and to be completed during the succeeding summer, but owing to the numerous floods experienced, the time for the completion of the job had to be extended for another twelve months.

In reference to the forthcoming retirement of His Lordship the Primate, Truth has the following :—" Another colonial see is about to become vacant, as Bishop Harper, of Christchurch, the Primate of New Zealand, has announced his intention of retiring, after thirty-two years of episcopal work. Bishop Harper was for many years the 'conduct' of Eton, And he subsequently held the College living of Stratfiekl Mortimer. If the Church people in the diocese are wise, they will insist on the appointment of a clergyman who is already in New Zealand or Australia, instead of waiting for at least a year to obtain a new bishop from England." •

A party of boys from the Collegiate School, Whanganui, together with one of the masters, made an attempt to ascend Mount Egmont, taking the Manaia route. The weather was not favourable, but the party managed to reach the first peak, a height of about 6000 feet.

It is notified by Mr. J. J. Craig that he has purchased the plant for brick-making, etc., formerly belonging to the late Mr. B. Keane ; and he is prepared to supply building materials at low rates.

Tenders are called by the Harbour Board for the cleaning and painting of buoys and beacons.

The sale of drapery, clothing, etc., at Mr. Goodson's old shop, opposite Albert Hotel, is to be continued to-aay by Messrs. Arthur and Buddie.

To-morrow evening, at 7.30 o'clock, the annual meeting of the Auckland Sundayschool Union is to be held in the Y.M.C.A. lecture-hall.

We call attention to the popular lecture on " Droll Men, and Their Merrv Ways," to be delivered this evening by the Rev. E. A. Telfer, from London, in the hall of the Young Men's Christian Association, at 7.30. Admission is free. A collection will be made on behalf _of the association. A rare treat may be anticipated. All are cordially invited.