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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9065, 28 May 1888, Page 5

The Czar has assured a deputation that the Russian authorities had made all efforts in the direction of peace. Ho did not mention who vrero making efforts in the direction of war. If Russia honestly wanbs peace, it can be easily obtained. It cannot truthfully be said that Russia has made etforte for peace till she has ceased to stir m> disturbances in all her borders. That ghould be tho first step in her efforts. Tho Bishop of Limerick has taken active measures to carry out the Pope's decree regarding tho immoral practices of tho Land League. It looks as if a new element of struggle "ad been imported into Ireland. rrj u -« Government of !New South Wales are still struggling with the Chinese difficulty. \nother vessel has arrived with a large number on board. The Government are to appeal to tho Privy Council against tho decision of tho Supreme Court in connection m-anting a writ of habeas corpus. A valuable gold discovery is reported to havo been made at '28 miles from Broken Hill. It seems as if we were at the commencement of a new era in tho discovery of mineral wealth in Australia.

We understand that Mr. D. L. Murdoch, who for some time has been contemplating retirement from his position as general manager of the Bank of New Zealand, has now arranged to bo relieved at the end of this month.

We have already stated that Mrs. Comiskey, tho wife of Mr. P. Comiskey, hrid had to have one of her legs amputated, o\vin£ to having struck it against an iron box. We learn that intelligence has been received by a private letter of the continued and alarming illness of Mrs. Comiskey. But faint hopes are entertained that she ■rill recover.

The Winter Meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club was held on Saturday afternoon, having been postponed from the Queen's Birthday on account of the football match between tho English and Auckland teams. The weather was most unfavourable. A drizzling rain fell all tho {orenoon and in the afternoon, while the raoes were in progress ; the rain came on so heavily that the stewards decided to postpone the remaining evonte ; but objection iFas taken to this course, and it was then determined to carry out the programme. The course was very heavy, and the attendance small, but the racing on the whole was good, and some of the finishes remarkably close. The total amount put through the totalisatora at the meeting was £716. A detailed report of the races appears in mother column.

A correspondent at Aratapu writes that it is generally believed ■ there that Mrs. Mackenzie (the inquest on whoso body we reported on Thursday last) was murdered. Ic is stated that a few weeks ago she wrote to a commercial traveller in Auckland, asking whether a situation could be obtained for her in Auckland, as ehe feared it was dangerous for her to remain in Mangawhare, its she believed that ehe would meet her death there if she did not leave it.

A meeting to arrange for the establishment of a Kindergarten and Creche in Freeman's Bay waa held on Saturday afternoon in the Ponsonby Hall. Mrs. Peacock was voted to the chair. The hon. (secretary (Mrs. Lilly) explained to those present the working of the central Kindergarten at the old library , buildings. Subscription lists were distributed, and the district divided into sections for canvassing. Mnch enthusiasm prevailed, the ladies pre?ent all concurring that this mode of assisting the poor was by far the best as yet adopted. Arrangements were made to procurs a suitable building, and Mrs. Oliphant, Mn<. J. W. Henderson, and Mrs. Lilly were requested to make inquiries, and report nt a meeting to be held next week, due notice of which will be given.

However many enemies Mr. C. H. Spurgeon may have made by his secession from the Baptist Union, he still has a very large number of friends who uphold him in his action, and who took occasion to show their sympathy in a practical way at the annual dinner of the Pastors' College (held just before t>he mail left), when £3700 was collected, a sum nenxly double the amount over given at any former gathering. The annual meeting in the Tabernacle on the following evening was of a most enthusiastic character, the vast building being crowded with those who wished t<s sympathise with the worthy president.

The first of a series of Saturday entertainments was held at the City Hall on Saturday evening. There was a fair attendance in the lower parts of the house, but the audience in the dress circle was small. The entertainment was not a success, and if the management wish to make these concerts popular, they would do well to secure the assistance of singers more accomplished than some of those who appeared on Saturday evening. A sailor's hornpipe, danced by Mr. A. Hughes, was received with loud applause, and had to be epeated.

The "A" Battery of Artillery fired on Saturday afternoon for prizes presented by Mr. M. Gallagher, one of the hon. members t»f the battery. The amount of the prize, £5, was divided into four prizes. The ranges were 200, 300, and 500 yards, five jhots at each. The young shots showed well in the scores. Gunner Webster takes the first prize, Gunner Kersley the second, Gunuer Botterill the third, and Gunner Exton the fourth. We are informed that the latter declines the prize, and it will, therefore, go to the next highest scorer.

The Temperance Hall was crowded on Saturday evening for the usual weekly f ntertainment. The chair was taken by Mr. C. G. Hill, and a very able address on "' Hard Times " was given by Mr. T. Glover. ,&Xk excellent programme was given by the members of the A.T.A. Society and Good Templars, which was as follows :—Selection, Mr. C. Marson; song, " The Isle of the Sea," Mr. Masson ; song, " The Bridge," Mrs. Seymour ; local song (encored) "Is it Likely ?" Mr. Harrison; recitation, "The Little Boy that Died," Miss Burns ; duet, " England and Ireland," Messrs. J. and C. Allen ; address, Mr. Glover; duet, "The Minute Gun at Sea," Messrs. Pluramer and Hall; comic duet, " Very Suspicious " (encored), Miss Stephens and Mr. Harrison ; comic dialogue, " You Don't Say So," Messrs. Evans and Robinson ; song, " Silver Threads," Mr. Hall; song, " The British Lion," Mr. Jones; song, "The Little Hero," Mr. J. Allen. The meeting closed with the usual vote of thanks, and a good programme was announced for next Saturday.

An art union of oil paintings of local ecenery, by the well-known artists Messrs. E. and A. Aldis, has been opened in Cooinbee' Arcade, Queen-street. There are in all some 38 pictures, ranging in value from about two to fifteen guineas. Tho Bcenes chosen are all pleasing, some remarkably no; awl contain glimpses of all the varied charms of mountain, lake, and woodland, which are to bo found in the neighbourhood of Auckland. The grand prize of the collection has been taken from tho Waitakerei ranges. It looks towards the West Coast, with a glimpse of the blue Pacific in the distance, and is well worthy of attention from those who take interest in good landscape paintings. Among many others, there are two exquisite little bits. One represents a sunset scene on the river Waihem, with everything, from the reflection of the trees in the water to the long lines of horizontal golden clouds, giving the impression of peace and stillness. Tho companion picture shows us Whangarei Heads on a windy day. Here everything, from the *° n Rh muddy wave to the wind-blown trees, impresses one with a feeling of comfortless unrest and coldness. There are many other Pictures which make this little gallery well worth inspection even by those who may Jot care to purchase a ticket). There are *00 tickets at 5s each, from which it will be •een that a very moderate value has been Jet on each picture, and owing to the num"*T of pictures ticketholders are almost certain to get a prize. Due notice will be given of the drawing for the prizes. A branch of the Eureka Skating Rink is 5° be opened this evening at the Parnell «ail, which has been specially fitted up and decorated for the convenience of skaters.

On Saturday Dr. Giles had before him another case of getting into a train while in motion. Mr. Clendon, who appeared on behalf of the Department, said he had been instructed to press for a heavier penalty than the mere nominal fines that had been inflicted, which seem to have no deterrent effect on people, that being the third case during the week. Dr. Giles, in giving judgment, said he would have thought that a fine of 5s and costs would have kept people from committing the offence, but as it did nob he would make the fine, in the case before him, 7s and costs. The accused, who had pleaded guilty, took the matter very coolly, paid the fine, 14s in all, and left the Court without tendoring any statement in extenuation of his conduct.

The Southland Times has the following in an obituary notice of Mr. George Hatoly, surveyor, who died at his survey camp, near Whanganui, lately:—"The deceased gentleman was one of the pioneer settlers of the district, having arrived at Port Chalmers by the Jura, about the year 1858. Ho at once obtained engagement with tho Provincial Government of Otago, and proceeded with a party of assistants overland to tho far south, then just beginning to bo spoken of as a likely field for settlement. In addition to making the rural surveys in tho neighbourhood of Invercargill, Mr. Hatoly, under the supervision of Mr. J. J. Thomson, then Chief Surveyor, laid off the towns of Invercargill and Campbelltown. Subsequently, when engaged on his own account, he laid off' most of tho private townships scattered over the country. It is needless to speak of Mr. Hately's high professional standing,—his works to-day speak for themselves. When old surveys have to be checked, and some of them by very good men, they are occasionally slightly in error, but thosoof Mr. Hately are found to bo of almost niathomatical accuracy. In corroboration of this it may bo mentioned that, in some of the recent town surveys for the verification of boundaries, the old pegs driven thirty years ago, and embedded in the soil, havo been struck or come down upon by the surveyors in exactly tho position ascertained by the more modern perfected instruments in use. For a brief space of time Mr. Hately held a position in the Southland Provincial Council, having been returned for Waikiwi against Mr. Toshach. Public life, however, had no attraction for him, and ho soon retired from tho political arena. In private life Mr. Hately was one of the most kindly of men. He did not, so far as wo are aware, make a single enemy, although a very determined upholder of what ho deemed to be the right. It is now a little over a year ago that he— finding his professional services no longer in active demand, owing to the depression —resolved to goto the North Island, where, at tho time of his death, ho had charge of a Government survey party. Mr. Hately wae unmarried, but he has several relations living in this district, by whom, as well a? by a wide circle of friends, his death while still in the prime of life, will bo deeply regretted."

On Saturday at noon there was a sale at the Police Station of a number of properties that have come into the hands of tho pol ice. Amongst other things were one or two relics of the Great Barrier murder—Caffrey's gun and the notorious black flag fetched ss, and his bulldog revolver went for 3e Gd. The auctioneering was done by Sergeant Ellison.

Mr. and Mrs. Muller returned from their visit to the Hot Lakes on Saturday by the evening train. They enjoyed their trip very much.

The Rev. George Muller preached to a large congregation yesterday forenoon at the Devonport Wesleyan Church. His text was Psalm ciii., 3: "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities ;" from which he delivered a practical discourse. In the evening Mr. Muller again preached to a large audience in the City Hall, taking Ist King 3 xvii, 1 to 7, the narrative being Elijah's message to Ahab, from which Mr. Muller drew some valuable lessons. Ho was attentively listened to. To-morrow evening Mr. Mnller will preach in the Ponsonby Baptist Church ; on Wednesday in the Newton Congregational Church ; and on Thursday tho address on missionary work in India will be given in the Tabernacle.

The rinks on Saturday night again did a good business, the weather outside helping to swell th&- numbers. At the Columbia, in the Agricultural Hall, the floor had as many as it would hold, while the spectators were as numerous as ever we remember seeing them. At the Eureka there was a splendid attendance both afternoon and evening. In the evening there was a mile race which resulted as follows :—Nicholson (scratch), 1 ; Watson (ssecs.), 2; Laurie (9secs.), 3. The race was won easily. On Saturday next the return football match on skates will be played. Mr. Carter, the manager, will be willing to receive names for a football club.

We call the attention of the trade and others to the important sale (without reserve) of wines and spirits, beer, etc., in the estate of Thos. Macky, to be held at his stores, Fort-street, to-morrow (Tuesday), at eleven o'clock, by Mr. Gabriel Lewis. The stock is all duty paid, and comprises some choice liquor. The greater part nas been imported for private trade, and selected by connoissieurs at home. Samples will be on view morning of sale. The catalogues are now ready, and can be had at the stores of Mr. Macky, and of the auctioneer. We aro also advised that there will be a large lot of spirits, in bond, offered at the same time, which will be sold without reserve.

In another column will be found Pastor George Muller's services for this week. On Tuesday he will preach in the Ponsonby Baptist Church, and on Wednesday in the Newton Congregational Church (Rev. H. Lewis), commencing each evening at 7.30. All are cordially invited.

We are requested to remind our readers of the entertainment to be given in the City Hall tonight by the Band of Hope Union. In addition to the advertised programme, recitations will be given by Mr. W. R. Cook, Miss Moncur, Miss E. Wood, Miss and Master Willows. The excellent and varied programme, coupled with the objects to which the proceeds are to be devoted, the Newton Gospel Temperance Committee and the Band of Hope Union, together witli the low price of admission, will no doubt secure an overflowing attendance.

We direct attention to the advertisement of Dr. Haines over our leading columns, from which it will be seen that his patients will be put to no needless inconvenience through the fire at the Apothecaries' Hall, as they will bo able to consult him during his usual hours at his private residence, Princes-street; nor will they have any trouble returning to town to obtain the necessary medicines, as arrangements have been made with Sharland's to dispense prescriptions at the same place. With their usual energy the management of the Apothecaries' Hail have arranged for the usual conduct of the business in spite of the unfortunate fire on their premises. It will be seen from our advertising columns that they will dispense Dr. Hainea's prescriptions at his residence, and carry on their other business at their old premises opposite the post-office with a new stock.

The lecture on "Maori Legends and Poetry," by Major Wilson, of Cambridge, will be delivered this evening in the Lecture Hall of the Y.M.C.A. Major Wilson hoe spent many years collecting material for this lecture, and all who are interested in the native race should attend. The proceeds will be devoted to the funds of the Association. By an announcement in our shipping advertisements it will be seen that tho Jubilee Steamship Company is determined to push their business, and open up a profitable Northern trade. On and after Monday, 4th July, the Stormbird will run weekly to Mangonui and back, calling at all porta, and leaving Auckland at 8 p.m. Tho fares for freight and passengers are exceedingly low.