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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9087, 22 June 1888, Page 4

Our cablegrams to-day state that China is endeavouring to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the Chinese difficulty. The question, however, is one not easy of settlement. The Chinese Government are not agreeable to contract a treaty with Great Britain on the basis of the American one. Indeed, it is possible that the latter will be repudiated. The action of the Australian colonies has occasioned great offence in China. The European situation has not undergone any material change. Complimentary interchanges have taken place between Emperor William and the French President.

A considerable time waa epent vested evening by the City Council in fiuS* 7 tke annual accounts. Mr. CrowtW *? S attention to the fact that the Citv lfr were now being conducted at a W »„?! was time that they were self «,,r« .- lb The Mayor admitted to be done in the ensuing ,!!' have respect to the baths. Mr. "CrowX" ' n marked that the Council would W r °" take care that the proposed Lend;*" Library was not a further charge unnn u" ratepayers. Mr. Phillipps followed I?" similar strain, and said that money m \ •* buted by the ratepayers had been spent?" the Free Library for the benefit of n ratepayers and loafers of the town— mr which ought to have been spent f O r $ benefit of the ratepayers. The Co • were spending too much money on Mm! of the unborn millions, and for the ™ h posterity. On the motion of Mr pRm of it was resolved, " That it'be an instr 7- iH to the Finance Committee to inveaS" , the Free Library accounts, and tor's opinion as to the legality of charri the Costley bequest with rent expenses for financial purposes." The number of rabbit skins exported fro tRe colony during the year, ended VT.. March last, was 12,125,871 valnLl £108,229 ; the greatest portion-n^L* ,, 9,986,752-hping from the Otapo proSi district. Tnere are now over 7000 ferret. in the South Island, and 700 in the North Island. The reports of the benefit fro ferrets are regarded as satisfactory. The case of conspiracy preferred against David Asher, respecting the purchase of" block of native land at Tauranga occupied the attention of the Suprem" Court the whole of yesterday. },[[ g Q Hesketh, who appeared for the prisoner and who had addressed the jury f or UD ' wards of an hour on Tuesday evenin" bo fore the adjournment, resumed.his aJdreae yesterday, and made a telling speech of nearly an hour and-a-.half's donation. His Honor then summed up. The jury retired , shortly before one o'clock, and did n O h return to Court until six o'clock, when thev brought in a verdict of guilty, recommend. ing the prisoner to the merciful consideration of the Court. Sentence was deferred and the Court adjourned until ten o'clock this morning.

The Native Minister forwards the following translation of a letter received from Pene Taui, of Ohaeawai, in the Bay of Islands district:—"To Mr. Lewis, Under Secretary. Greeting-: All the people here are living quietly, and: there is no trouble as the Maori ' tohung;a.s' are getting fewer! Some time ago I had. .to go and put a stop to some of their doings. A Maori woman a relative of mine, residing at Tautoro, has given birth to three infants. This is true and such an instance is new to me, never having heard ife before. From your friend (signed) Penk Taui." '

As an evidence of the great interest which Pastor Muller's lectures on " The Second Coming of Christ " are causing, tho lecture hall oi the Young Men's Christian Association Buildings was again filled last evening, and the remarks of the lecturer were listened to throughout with the deepest attention. Last evening's lecture dealt with the Anti-Christ, and went to disprove the popular idea that by this figure was meant the Pope or the Roman Church. To-night the subject will be further dealo with, as also who Anti-Chrl-t is to be, and his destruction.

Yesterday, the 21 at. of June, is generally supposed to be the shortest day, but some say that it is a day or two later. However, the time of sunrise is the same from the '20th to the 24th. Then the days begin to extend.

In the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, there were two rather interesting cases before the Court. One wa-s a claim for the expenses of. the funeral of the late Frank Foley. The order was given by Mr. Samuel Jackson, jun., for the funeral, and lie gave a promissory note for the amount charged, £25. ■ Before the note became due Mr. Jackson had left the colony. The plaintiff, Mr. Geo. H. Leaning, sought to recover against the estate. The defence was that the contract was between Mr. Jackson personally, not as executor of Mr. Foley.and the plaintiff, and that the account was paid. The Resident! Magistrate reserved his judgment. A second case was where the plaintiff had taken over the equity of redemption of a certain lease from the defendant. At the time the lease was taken over there were rent and taxes owing.. Subsequently a distraint for these back taxes and rent waa threatened, whereupon the defendant went to plaintiff and asked him to pay tie money, some £10 odd. The plaintiff did so, and the defendant had repaid to the plaintiff £6. The claim was for the balanea. The defence was that the plaintiff was liable for the taxes and rent owinef, as when he purchased the equity of redemption of the lease he took also the liabilities. The Resident Magistrate reserved his decision.

The business at the. Police Court yesterday morning , was brief. There was but one case of drunkenness, and a charge of larceny, in which a man named Daniel Geary wa§ accused of stealing a kitchen-range, register grate, and gas stove,. valued ats £16, the property of Mr. Edward Bartley. This case, on the application of SergeantMajor Pratt, who conducted the prosecution on behalf of the police, was remanded till Thursday next, there being another man mixed up in the affair, whom the police desired to get hold of. The prisoner was allowed bail, himself £100, and two sureties of £50 each.

An exceedingly beautiful work of art in cabinetware, made from the richest and rarest class of our native forest timbers, has been on view at Mr. Nome's showroom, top of Shortland-street, for the last few weeks prior to packing for the Melbourne Exhibition. It is a Princess's cabinet wardrobe, supported by four solid mottled kauri Corinthian columns, eight feet high. Two of tho inlaid drawers are from woods collected from every part of Australasia. Many visitors', including Captain Aldrich and officers of H.M.'s Egeria, have visited Mr. Nome's showrooms to see this exhibit, and they have expressed themselves very highly pleased. The annual social gathering of the parishioners of St. Sepulchre's Church was celebrated last evening, by an entertainment held in the Sunday ■ school, Syinondsstreet. About 250 sat down to an excellent repast prepared for them, the tables being presided over by various ladies oi the congregation. A very successful concert was held immediately after, opening with the Orpheus quartette, " May Day, by Messrs. Martin, Edwards, Hamerton, and Charter. The other items were: Song, " The Sea hath its Pearls," Miss Bletwrd, 'cello obligato, Mr. Edger ; " Love and War," Messrs. Edwards and Charter; glee, " The Skylark "; song, "O Swallow, Mr. Edward Harker; Tyrolienne duet, Misses Turner and Mackey; song, "i™

Shadow Land," Mr. Burgess ; song, "The Old Brigade," Mr. Chambers ; song, "Sere; nado," Mr. Martin ; song, " Fiddle and I (i) MissGilfillan ; song, " The Skipper's Mag. Mr. Hamerton; glee, " The Hardy Norseman." Addresses were delivered by toe Rev. Dr. O'Callaghan end Archdeacon Dudley. The meeting was brought to a close by the singing of the "National Anthem." Yesterday evening, at the Star Hotel, Albert-street, the officers of the steamer Wainui, presented to Captain Cromarty handsome marble timepiece, mounted wit the figure of a horse in silver. The presentation was made by Mr. A. Livingstone, chief engineer, Captain Cromarty brieny responding. Upon a silver plate amxea w the clock the following inscription &V << !)..««,«„4-/wJ Pontnin W. "•

peared, " rresented to oaptam ■ Cromarty by the officers of R.M. -• Wainui as a token of esteem and re e ai • June, 1888." The committee of St. Matthew's Gi Auction met on Wednesday e v e mn 2'.t fl i, Hooper in the chair. The balance-swei showed receipts from all sources, £1 1O > penses, £5 ; leaving a net balance to credit of the fund of £111, to which win w added some small sums not yet S Ol . Votes of thanks were passed to-the laa*b>, the auctioneers, the ladies and g e " tlen ??" who assisted in the entertainments, w Press, and to all those who had nbrl °"rr o either by assisting or by donations to success of the undertaking. J b * with solved that the present committee. power to add to their number, be *°£" into a Parochial Fund Augmentation w» mittee, for the purpose of carrying out any future schemes for the reduction at parish debt. , ~ * Gas and coke consumers are notified tna Monday next is the last day upon which juu discount can be allowed on their accoun w.

Mr. J. M. Geddis, who has been appointed o member of the Hansard reporting staff, left for Welliugton by the Wairarapa yeeterdav at noon, after receiving a present from his colleagues.

Mr. Oswald's Shakesperian class held their fortnightly meeting on Wednesday evening, when the play of the "Merchant of Venice" was presented, The parts of Shylock, Bassanio, and Gratiano were well rendered by Messrs. Queere, Walters, and Herbert. Miss Burton's Portia showed careful study. During the ovoning Mr. Warren read "Zara," by Tennyson, with considerable spirit, and Mr. Oswald delivered an interesting address on the origin, plot, and leading characters of ° Midsummer Night's Dream," the play arranged for July I.

The several rinks in Newton, I'onsonby, and Parnell, again afforded amusement and exercise to a largo number of people last evening. A special attraction at tho Columbia Rink was an obstacle race, for which nine competitors started, and after an up and down race over hurdlei?, over a nee-saw, under a form, and through sacks, iir. Hough came in winner by halt a lap.

The Onehunga rink is becoming very popular. During the week the morning sessions have been well attended by young ladies, while in the evenings largo numbers of both sexes have assembled for amusement.

Professor Herbert;, illusionist and prestidigitateyr, afteranextended tour through the Pacific islands, opened a short season of throe nights at tho Opera House last night. There was a thin attendance, but the entertainment was as good of its claps as wo have ssen in Auckland. The Professor will givo a new aeries of illusions to-night.

A musical «nd dramatic entertainment is announced to take place in the Parnell Hall to-night in connection with the St. George's Rowing Club. The programmo if an excellent one, and the list of tho contributors contains the names of such popular and talented amateurs as Mrs. Cooper, Miss Buckland, Messrs. A. L. Edwards, W. Martin, T. Charter, P. Hamerton, and others. The extravaganza entitled "Ici on parle Francois" is underlined, while glees and character sketches are also included. During an interval in the programme the Mayor of Parnell will present to the members of tho Rowing Club the medals won at recent competitions.

As will be seen by advertisement in another column, the second performance of the Blondinette Minstrels will take place to-morrow night, under the management of Hiae Georgie Smithson, who ha* succeeded in securing several novelties, specialty artistes, &c.

Attention is called to thesalo of oil paintings and water colours of New Zealand scenery by local artists, to be held by Messrs. B. Tonka' and Co. on Monday next The paintings are now on view at the stores of the auctioneers, Queen -street.