Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9047, 7 May 1888, Page 4

The European situation is developing new and serious phases. Conflicts are reported to have occurred in Macedonia betweon the • Turks and Greeks, Turkey is hurrying up military reinforcements, Russian troops are slowly moving nearer the frontier. Russian agents are at work in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the rumour is again revived that General Ernroth is to be sent 011 a mission to Bulgaria. Prince Ferdinand, in a speech at Tirnova, spoke of the independence of Bulgaria as the rallying point of national feeling and alluded hopefully to tho future of the country. Tho German Emperor continues weak. He is able, however, to show himself daily at tho windows of the palace. Tho Pope's decree has, of course, been condemned by the I'arncllites. Mr. Parnell is now engaged in devising new means of carrying 011 the agitation. The antiChinese crusade in the colonies has been made the subject of a question in the House of Commons, while the matter has again been brought officially under the notice of Lord Salisbury by the Chinese Ambassador.

Tho Surveyor-General, Mr. James McKerrow, will arrive in Auckland to-day on business connected with his department. Mr. Brodie, the mayor of tho Thames, has come up to town to meet him in reference to the survey of that borough.

At the last meeting of tho Thames Borough Council the mayor (Mr. Brodie) gave notice of tho following motion : — " That this council now consider the bestmeans of utilising the surplus water from the large county race to tho extent of the quantity they are entitled to per he-ad of population under tho Thames Water Supply Transfer Act, 1880, together with such a quantity of water as may bo arranged or provided for with the county council for the purpose of lighting the borough with electricity ; and that a committee bo appointed to acquire all the information obtainable connected with the electric light, and the cost of tho same, together with price it could bo supplied for public and private uses, and to rejxirt at the earliest opporunity." Mr. Brodie, who is at present in Auckland, is sanguino in regard to tho probability of tho Thames being shortly lighted with the electric light, and is collecting all tho necessary data in connection wLh the subject, so as to be fortified with facts and figures when he brings the matter before the council at its next meeting.

There seems to be an epidemic of juvenile crime just now. Tho other day two little fellows went in for horse-stealing, another couple for larceny of oysters, while some ingenious till robberies, it is said, have recently been effected. Some very emphatic comments have been made as to the conduct of the man Riordan in buying the horse from the lads at the low price of 7s fid. It seems the price was not so marvellously low after all. Tho other day a settler bought a fine fat horse publicly for 12s 6d, and took it to his suburban home, where it was knocked 011 the head to feed his pigs.

Tho local option elections for Auckland North, South, and East, take place to-day. Tho polling places are :—Auckland North, \oung Men's Christian Association ; Auckland South, Catholic Institute ; and Auckland East, at the Court-house. Hours of polling, from nine a.m. to six p.m.

Volunteering in Wellington is nob in a very prosperous state just now, and many men have sent in their resignations disgusted at tho want of encouragement given by tho Government to volunteers. During tho past week Inspector Broham has been inspecting the Thames police stations, and returned 011 Saturday night, by tho B.a. Rotouxn! mi. to Auckland,

This session of Parliament an attempt be made to bring pressure upon the Gove ment to abolish the totalisator, or to alter the Gaming ana Lotteries. Act as t° curtail the evils of gambling in general « i racing gambling in particular. Vested,/ in some of the city churches petitionsT Parliament with this object in view we 0 being signed. The Auckland Minister Association have taken concerted action • tho matter, and yesterday the Rev. A p' rick (St. Andrew's), Rev. H. J. (Newton Congregational Church), Rev. a I 3 Smith (Alexandra-street Primitive Meth dist Church), and Rev. T. Spurgeon (Tabe°* nacle), preached special sermons on' th" evils of gambling. A meeting will be held in the Tabernacle this evening to dra public attention to the same matters and to support tho petition. Mr. E. Win, (M.H. R,) will preside. Mr. R. tt.lJ (M.H.R.), the Revs. W. Tebbs, E. W G. B. Monro, and others, will speak and submit resolutions to the meeting.

The art union for the beautiful inlaid cabinet manufactured by Mr. Walter Bay ne of Karangahapc Road, which, with si* other prizes, have been 011 exhibition for some time past at the front shop 0 Coombe's Arcade, Queen-street, took place 011 Saturday night in tho dining-room of the Occidental Hotel, Vulcan Lane. Tho extra prizes consisted of beautifully inlaid work boxes, gloveboxes, &e. The drawing took place under the supervision of a com. mittee, a young lady waitress in the hotel drawing the tickets, and everything went on satisfactorily. The winning numbers are—lst prize, 'Jo ; 2nd, 102 ; 3rd, 10; 4th 86; sth, 88; 6th, 4; and 7th, 139.' The art union consisted of '200 10s tickets, and all the tickets were taken up.

We have received from " A Beginner" (a gentleman ) a complaint that on applying to one of the assistants at the Columbia Skating Rink to go round with him and instruct him he declined compliance. We are informed by if r Salmon that the assistants are not sup! posed to teach and .aid gentlemen, ea. pecially in the evenings when there is a crowded attendance. The assistants are required to aid the ladies who attend the rink till they are able to go alone. Instructions are given to gentlemen how to skat« but they are not as a rulo assisted round. ' The monthly Band of Hope meeting in connection with the Tabernacle Band of Hope took place on Friday night, when a large number of members and friends wero present. Mr. E. Ellingham occupied the chair, and Mr. R. J. Souster was the plan speaker from the Band of Hope Union, and gave a very spirited and interesting address 011 "Prohibition." Tho following programme was well rendered by the several friends: —Hymn, "Work, for tho Night is Coming pianoforte duet, " Moonlight on "the Lake," Misses Effie Ellingham and Annie Hogg; reading, Mr.. F. W. Gaze; pianoforte duet, Misses E. Plummer and A. R. Stewart; dialogue, " The Consultation," Misses A. Brown, Effie Ellingham and Annie Hogg; song, Miss Stevens ; pianoforte duet, Miss A and N. Dewar ; recitation, Miss Cuthbertson ; song (selected), Mr. Win. Kilpatrick ; recitation, " Mamma is so Cold," Master Wm. Groves; recitation, Miss Daisy Smith. The singing of the doxology and pronouncing of the benediction brought a very pleasant evening to a close.

Mr. W. Green shields writes :—"Sir,—l notice that several volumes of the Illustrated Patent Journal are now to be seen in the Free Library. These, with several volumes of the Official Patent Gazette of the United States of America have been expected for many months. The Illustrated Patent Journal is a very valuable work of reference, and it is sincerely to be hoped that no sneak thief will tear out the illustrations. In arrangement the journal is a long way behind the Gazette. In the former is an alphabetical list of names of patentees only. In the latter are separate alphabetical lists of patentees, as well as the subjects of invention. Thus, in the Journal one has to wade through much matter before getting the subject he wishes to find, while in the Gazette he can find any subject at a glance. For useful information these works are worth a whole drayload of novels, and it is to be hoped that they will be taken care of and appreciated."

Some time ago complaints were made as to the way in which landlords, to wring the last shilling out of a block of land, were building houses both in front and rear of allotments, and huddling up tenants without regard to either health or decency. There are several Vagrant cases of this kind in the city. In order to put a stop to such a practice the City Council inserted a clause in the new building regulations which provides " That every new building intended to be used as a dwellinghouse shall have directly attached thereto, and to the rear thereof, an open space belonging exclusively thereto, of at least 15 feet from the back portion of such building to the nearest fence or building in rear, and equal in width at least to the frontage of such building." The Council finding the law was being evaded adopted the above method of checkmating reckless landlords.

Among Wellington residents the name of the Rev. H. Van Staveren, Hebrew minister, is a household word. He is chairman of tho Benevolent Trustees, and is generally foremost in inquiring into and alleviating distress. The writer of a series of articles in the New Zealand Times on the Wellington pulpits says of him:—"A skilful student of men and manners, with the quick discernment of the Semitic race, a heart as tender as a woman's, full of the deepest sympathy, a mind bound by no narrow notions of class or creed, the Rev. Mr. Van Staveren stands upon a broad platform ass man amongst men—a humanitarian of the highest type. Wherever in this city is found sin and shame, want and suffering, pain and misery, his well-known form is seen as a minister, not of a creed, but of a sacred duty. Wherever the bitter cry of one in sore distress is heard, the name of Van Staveren comes as a light in darkness —as a draught of water in a thirsty land. It is to break through his official life and penetrate into his daily work that one has to admire and revere this almoner of tho poor." Mr. Van Staveren takes broad and enlightened views of humanity ; and in his sermons there is an absence of the dogmatic in his tones. ha is argumentative, persuasive, and above all, deeply sympathetic. Last evening there was a crowded attendance at tho City Hal' to hear Pastor Muller's evangelistic address. Mr. Brakenrig presided. Mr. Muller delivered an excellent address, taking as the basis 01 his remarks Matthew xxviil, 20 — " 1 I am with you always, even to the en of the world." He divided his subject into three heads : 1. Christ for us. *• Christ in us; and 't. Christ with us. W conclusion he gave some advice for times 01 depressionnamely, to commit all thoii ways to God, to consult Him in all their business affairs, and to give a fixed proportion of their income to God's cause and wor'. He said in one case, where a business in had come to him in great trouble, an acted on that advice, ho had made £40pro ■ tho first week, and in another instance where a man commenced to lay uil ,® settled proportion of his income as a described, ho began with shilling ended with a donation of £7000. By ret] , Pastor Muller will give an address m City Hall to-morrow evening. At the election of three members of the Archhill Road Board on Saturday, the F resulted as follows :—Messrs. George la>» 1 49 ; R. Millbank, 48 ; R. Somers, 44 J. J- ■ Dines,'J!); J. C. G. Moore, 25. 'i he first ttu gentlemen were declared eleete . - Thomas Seaman was Returning Office . . poll for the election of three mem the Mount Eden Road Board was also taK on Saturday, when the numbersiwouJ' W. R. Bridgman, 120; R. Lay, ll *' Donaldson, 96; H. V\ aite, /J- - A , rt> . Bridgman, Udy, and Donaldson, are, m fore, elected. , .-. The various city rinks-—the Co UD *g Choral Hall, and St. George Ji»ii-r well patronised 011 Saturday, a , r(J children's matinee at tho first nan_ gj. coived extensive patronage, -La o 1 of the Columbia Rink denies thee v . era of the statements published that ' ni " a series of accidents " the other He stakes that tho only one was young lady who broke her arm. Yesterday afternoon Dr. Giles, • ' men livered an interesting address toy uttoa at the Y.M.C.A. Rooms. Mr. <^Jpresided. There was a good attend . A bankrupt bootseller in Dunedw 81 at a meeting of his creditors on ly stood all day in the shop an . - eeK a pair of lacos, while the l>rew<? -j. 0/ his "sales" consisted of one i sliouers 1

CTnoon, Messrs. Tonks and Co. 10-&7' r -mova'l the old Masonic Hotel, Vol l f ° r if together with the outbuildFrinCe^ SeparaW to there being built Wfc' site * hotel more worthy of np° n J nd its surroundings. In the the site , ft "_ w hen the Government olden- days, Union Bank held offices . a p rnce H-gtreofc, and it was one *** I*/" thoroughfares, the Masonic of OUr J a l intents and purposes a club *''* JllLal banquets were given, and Hsr6 ..EiS citizens," a term as doubtful bftfl WW"" s tion then as now, congreof if«rpreUtum fche favourifco gat** l - " , the officers of the 58th "TS, «" d later on ? th ,t ffi f, ers and W"'. rocrimenta brought hither of fcho u"the campaign of 1863. Ichabod through the camp on the old but 19 hostelry, and it must go, through IW°™ Z.t of the times. The whole tho f;I rich in reminiscences of the past. fIL allotment below, belonging to the 0n iMnrietary, was a house (now removed Miction of the Masonic Hall) once for the «i (i lineal descendant of the oCCUpl ßmllie Niccol Jarvie. On the allotfem U adjacent that again stood the old men £ of Issue (now pulled down), Bftnk , pr l from the Bay at tho sack m °Kororarekn. Above tho M,™ 0 l 0 ' old Surveyor-Generals office, Mr Li<mr held the post, and in when little grass plot in front tho h'vi squatted and got paid for their ? i The Pakoha-Maori, tho lawyer, the ttp land agent, the European speculator, na V t L Native Lands Court had not then tho pool,» «, the S,hisli»t«l Moor. got h.» own. On . , r „»r above, stood the houso in winch Mftjor-Goneral Pitt breathed his last, and +Th transformed into a boardinghouso, ' the favourite rendezvous of the Southern '"Ambers attending Parliament in AuckF 1 d On the opposite side of the street •L a two-storied building, now removed, the old headquarters of the officers of the French frigate Alcmene, awaiting with i i' shipwrecked men transport to Franco. There resided Lieutenant Villeneuve, the imindson of the famous admiral who fought Einst, us at the battle of tho Nilo. Every fSt of the ground in Prince?-street is rich fn reminiscences of Old Auckland. Baron von Klamp, an illustrious German nobleman, is in Melbourne, and is travelling through the colonies. His full stylo •inert'tie is His Royal Highness the Landf«f Friedrich Wilhelm Nicholas Carl von esse Ho is a first cousin to the Princess of Wales and a nephew of the late Emperor ci Germany. The rabbit plague is still increasing in Otaeo. The irrepressible rodents have invaded'the township of Milton m the Tokomairiro district, and have extensive burrows under the Court-house and buildings In its vicinity.

The Bud Jen fall in Broken Hill shares, ■shich almost caused a panic in Sydney, has been explained by the fact that a certain lady held scrip to a very considerable amount, (.ml being about to leave the colony placed it on the market all at once, thus causing the supply to be temporarily greatly in excess of the demand.

The Temperance Hall was again crowded On Saturday evening, to listen to a programme by the temperance friends belonging to H.M.s. Egeria. Unfortunately the leave of some of them had expired on Friday, so that only four of them put in an appearance, but these four proved hosts in themselves, and with the assistance of a few of the total abstinence friends, carried oat an excellent progamme. Mr. E. Tremain took the chair and Pastor Daniels very kindly, in the absence of the speaker arranged, gave an excellent address on Prohibition." The following was - thi programme Overture, violin and piano, McComish Brothers ; song, " Roses Underneath the Snow," Mr. Stoneman, H.M.s. Egeria ; Dutch song, " Susan Jane," H. E. Harrison (encored); song, The Lights of the Harbour," Mr. Fuller, H.M.s. Egeria ; Bong, " The Hard Working Man, ' Mr. Brown, H-M.s. Egeria; piano solo, Miss Tremain; reading, "A Young Lady's Resolution," Mr. Stoneman; comic song, "The Special Policeman," F. E. Harrison; recitation, A Mother's Child at Sea," Mfts Longbottom; song, "The Harbour lights," Mr. H. Tremain; song, "Dear Kelly," Mr. Bullock, H.M.s. Egeria; song, "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep," Mr. Stoneman ; song, " The Lah-de-dah Brigade," Mr. Masson. Mr. Harrison then Ethortod all those who had not signed the pkdge to do so, and on behalf of the Total Abstinence Society, invited all temperance friends and workers to the Temperance Conference and breakfast, to be held on the Queen's Birthday. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to those who had taken part. A good programme was announced for next Saturday. , Seven pledges were taken at the close.

There was a large and attentive congregation at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church yesterday morning to listen to a discourse by the Rev. Pastor Midler, the churoh being well filled. Mr. Muller chose as his (abject Nehemiah viii., 10, "The joy of the Lord is your strength," and preached therefrom an . interesting and eminently practical discourse, illustrating it largely from his personal experience. In the evening, the Rev. A. Carrick, pastor of the congregation, preached an able discourse on the evils of gambling. , ;

- At the lockup Inst evening there were six prisoners, all for drunkenness, but tho whole of them had been arrested on Saturday. <■

In accordance with the unanimous request of the Thames butchers, Messrs. Banks and Co. have decided to alter the day for holding their wee.kly'market from Thursday to Wednesday. The change is to take effect on Wednesday, 9th inst.