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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9172, 29 September 1888, Page 4

There can now be little doubt that the hurried visit of Prince Bismarck to the Emperor of Germany was in connection with the publication of the extracts from the diary of the late Kaiser, an edict having; been issued prohibiting the publication of further extracts on the ground that it is revealing State secrets. _ Prince Bismarck himself has been forced into a similar reflation in his anxiety to discredit the written statements of the dead Kaiser, having announced that the Emperor Frederick, then Grown Prince, was not admitted to the councils of 1870 because his father lacked confidence in his discretion, and suspected that he would disclose information to the English Court. The Prince further declares that the object in publishing the extracts which have appeared is to create a revolution. But on this point it may be said that if any revolution was aimed at in was against the power of the Prince himself, who has dominated German politics with a tyranny and autocracy without parallel in the modern history of an >' European State. The situation at Suakim is said to be very grave. The rebels have been largely reinforced, and in spite 01 their repeated repulses are showing a bold and aggressive front. The defence of the Tibetans appears to have utterly collapsed, and latest intelligence shows that they are completely demoralised. The rising in Zanzibar is spreading. Several German officials have been murdered. Further rioting has taken place in connection with the miners' strike in France, and many persons are reported to have been injured. Some additional details relating to the war in Samoa are published in our cable columns. Among the visitors to Auckland at present is Mr. H. S. Valentine, xM.H.R., member for Waikaia, and manager of the Zealand Agricultural Company. He is an present on a mission to obtain the services of experts in boring for coal, with suitable boring plant, in order to test certain coal country at the Waimea Plains. Mr. V alentiine, in his testing experiments, has gone down 300 feet, but he is desirous of boring for 1000 feet, i the strength of Dr. Hector's representations as to the coal-bearing qualities of the block. He leaves to-day for Whangarei,"to inspect the Whangaiei and Kamo coal mines, and will return to Auckland on Tuesday. During his stay in town, Mr. Valentine has visited the Freezing Company's works and Mr. Firth's Roder Flour Mills, and will be shown over the Calliope Dock on his return to town by the Chairman of the Harbour Board. He takes considerable interest, as a volunteer officer, in matters of colonial defence, and the organisation of the colonial forces, and will, before leaving for the South, have a look at) the harbour defence works and some of thv volunteer corps.

There was on exhibition yesterday at the Chamber of Commerce about 3cwt. of stone from the Waihi mine. The stone was apparently of excellent quality, and according to the opinions of some gentlemen who spoke with authority, it was much better than that which had been sent home to England, on the strength of hich the company was floated.

Owing to the reports reaching the colony as to the manner in which the frozen meat industry is dealt with at home by the middlemen and others, the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company has taken steps to obtain reliable information on the subject. With this view they have despatched a gentleman to England with instructions to make full inquiries into the matter, and report to the company. On the receipt of this information, it will be considered by the directors, who will no doubt take the necessary means to put the industry on a sound basis.

An inquest was held at the Wade on the 24th inst. on the body of John P. Johnston, who committed suicide a few days ago by hanging. The evidence showed" that deceased had been in the employ of E. Bond as a farm servant for a month or two, and lie then seemed to be very peculiar in his manner and tired of life. Deceased was working in the garden up to half-past eleven a.m., and half an hour later he was found dead, hanging by the neck in his whare by a leather belt which bad been made fast to a rafter. A verdict was returned that deceased committed suicide whilst temporarily insane. Deceased was a single man. and a native of Cuppaster, Scotland. He left behind him deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank to the amount of £100, together with other property valued at about £'20, and his estate had gone into the possession of the Public Trustee.

Dr. Giles, Resident Magistrate, and Colonel Roberts, were arranging yesterday to commence the business of the Commission of Inquiry into the Port Resolution land affair. It will be remembered that it was proposed to enable the Government to deal with the matter by Act, but the measure was dropped in the Legislative Council, and so the present Commission to make ill inquiry was constituted.

The Rotomahana. brought up from the Thames yesterday live boxes of gold (4(i03 vz.), for the Bank of New Zealand. •

Waikato farmers and owners of stock are highly indignant at the insinuation contained in the letter of Mr. Hudson injury to en!tie in railway trucks. If the injury is done by the owners of the cattle, how is it that ship-borne cuttle are not also injured by the owners in loading. The opinion generally expressed is that cattle are far more bruised and injured by railway than bv steamer.

The man Daniel Baxter, committed for trial yesterday on a charge of breaking and entering, is well known to the police, having already served sentences of imprisonment under various names. In May, IS>3, at Lyttelton, he was sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment for larceny, and for having resisted the police. Having been again imprisoned for using obscene language, he was sent to gaol for three months in June of that year, having been convicted of attempting to commit a felony. In August, 18s4. in Wellington, for assault, Baxter was sentenced to ten d ivs' imprisonment ; and later on, in Napier, to eighteen months' hard labour for robbery with violence. He was acquitted of a charge of housebreaking at Wanganui: and a charge of larceny from ihe person, preferred against him in Auckland, in April last, was also not proven.

The Deputy Property Tax Commissioner. Mr. C. M. Crombie. who is at present on a visit to Auckland, is to deliver a lecture on •- Land Settlement and Land Ownership in New Zealand," at the Catholic Institute, Wellington-street, on Friday next, the sth instant, in aid of the Marist Brothers School fund. Mr. Crombie has enjoyed special facilities to gather extensive and accurate information on the land question, and being an acute observer and reasoner, he will no doubt treat his subject in an instructive and taking manner.

Speaking of the Auckland boot strike. ! the Wellington Post says it is almost in- ; credible that a man's life should be in j danger for fulfilling a legal agreement, and ! almost more extraordinary that a legal j practitioner should state that the police i would not interfere to prevent violence 1 being used under such circumstances. "It j will be remembered," "says the paper, "that 1 not very long ago a youth was 'rattened' j in a mild way in this city, and the offenders j were tried and pleaded guilty. Mr. Justice j Richmond, in allowing them to escape with j a fine of £5 each, laid down the law on the j subject, in the following terms:—'Your combination to use force was a bad one. In i a country like this, the peace depends upon I the submission of the people to the law. ! There is no large force to compel its j observance. No one is likely to take the | slightest objection in this colony to any j combination merely for the purpose of j maintaining wages, although the com- ! mon law is very hard even on combina- j tions of that sort. In England the j matter has been dealt with and legal- I ised, but here the common law only ap- j plies. Any combination to use force or j obstruction, however, to forcibly prevent any man accepting what wages he likes, J and working where he likes, is clearly con- , trary to law and dangerous to society, j Those who enter into combinations of that j kind never know how far they may be car- ! vied. The leaders themselves get in- ; fluenced, and are carried to lengths they j never intended to go. Although in this j jase the combination has led to little or no j arm, it is a very dangerous one.' It seems j :hat this case has not had a properly deter- j rent. effect, if the statement of the man i Wawman, in Auckland, is to be believed. | The authorities should make it widely ! known in Auckland and elsewhere that j -attening and terrorism will not be tole- . rated in 'connection with strikes, and that any attempt at violence will be sternly repressed and severely punished. The police should interfere, at least by warning and close supervision, to prevent the peace being broken or any harm coming to men who may not choose to strike with their fellows."

In reference to the proposal now before the Tramway Company to use electricity as a motor power for the cars, Mr. Prince has furnished us with the following details of the operations of the Thomson-Houston electric tramway system : —" In the following American cities roads are now in operation, according to returns, up to June .'JO Ansonia, Conn., 4 miles ; Appleton, Wis,, 4 miles 50 chains; Binghampton, N.Y., 4 miles 50 chains ; Detroit, Mich., _ 2 miles Fort Gratiot, Mich., 1 mile 75 chains; Jamaica, N.Y., 10 miles ; Moonsocket, R. 1., 4 miles; Montgomery, Ala., 11 miles; Port Huron, Mich., 4 miles ; St. Catherine's, Ont., 13 miles; Scranton, Pa,, 5 miles; Wheeling, W. Va., 5 miles 25 chains ; Windsor? Ont., 1 mile 75 chains; Lima, Ohio, 4 miles; St. Paul, Minn., 10 miles. The following are using Thomson-Houston motors : Alleghany City, Pa., 4 miles . New York, N.Y., 1 mile. The following lines are in course of construction : Wichita, Kan. ; Dayton, Ohio ; Omaha, Neb. ; Scranton, Pa."; Chattanooga, Tenn.; North Adams, Mass. ; Salisbury, Mass."

The City Council is likely to be in a quandary shortly over a suitable place, at a reasonable distance from town, for the aeposit of nightsoil. The residents of Point Chevalier threaten to take legal proceedings if the Council continues to use the depot there. If the contractor, Mr. Ca^ey, selects a depot at Avondale, the residents say they will get the district formed into a borough, and use the powers thus created to stop the practice. The Three King? people will not hear of a depot in their d : strict, or the residents at Sc. Heliers Kay, whilst the people at Henderson objected even to the erection of poudrettc works in that locality. It has been suggested that there is a block of land across the Whau Bridge, seaward, which might, be suitable. Whether it be so or not, it seems evident that a change from tho present depot is likely to take place.

The gymnastic carnival annually given by Professor Carrollo and his pupils is announced to take place on Thursday next, at the Opera House. There will be upwards of forty performers, who have been carefully rehearsing for some time past, while special attactions are notified in the shape of marble tableaux with limelight ejects, and Professor Carrollo's wonderful performance on three bars. An amusing coxing melee in fancy costun. will be staged as a finale to this popular entertainment, which is certain, as on previous occasions, to draw a bumper house.

It will be recollected that at a sitting of the Judge in Chambers, an application was made for the postponement of a trial, Major Wilson v. Dr. Laishley, in which Mr. Cotter appeared for the defendant. His Honor remarked on the fact of the writ having been served on the last day, and said this had been done several times of late on purpose, and ho considered it sharp practice. After the conclusion of the Chamber business yesterday, Mr. Cotter drew His Honor's attention to the remarks which fell from His Honor on that occasion. He felt, and other members of the profession felt, that some explanation should be given, as otherwise they would be placed in rather an unfortunate position. His Honour had spoken with reference to giving to the defendant only the time allowed by the rules, and to the effect that giving only the time allowed by the rules savoured of sharp practice. If His Honour intended this to apply to every case, solicitors could tell their clients so. It frequently happened that there were cases in which the client's first instructions were to write a letter of demand, and that letter frequently was not answered. The client was told the position, and the next thing he asked was, "When can you biing the action?" The solicitor tells him when, and the next question was, " When will the writ be issued ?" He (Mr. Cotter) felt bound and obliged to tell his client that, by the rules, so long as the writ was served on such a day it would come on for trial on such a day. If His Honor said that this was not so, and that counsel was entitled to tell their clients, "You are not to be allowed till the last day," it would save them considerable time and trouble. Not only that, but frequently the question of costs came in ; so that it came to this. Frequently it was not the solicitor who was to blame, and in the case in question it was not the solicitor who was to blame. His Honor .-aid he did not intend his remarks to apply to any particular case. He said that to put off on purpose, till the last Hay, the serving of a writ was frequently done, and with regard to this that it was sharp practice. Of course, there were circumstances in which a solicitor got his instructions for possibly the last day. His remarks were applicable where the thing was postponed purposely, in order to come down upon the defendant, and give him as little time as possible. Mr. Cotter said that this was not so in the case in question.

Complaints are made of young lads who are going about Ponsonby anil Newton begging for money to pay their mother's rent, and to buy food and clothing. It is to be hoped that the public will discountenence this practice, as parents who are so shameless as to send their children out to beg should be relieved by the Charitable Aid Board, and not by private charity.

A lecture on the subject " Scottish Humour." was delivered at the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms, yesterday evening, by the Rev. R. S. West. There was a crowded attendance. Mr. P. McArthur presided. The lecture was a very interesting one, Mr. West treating in happy style of the several phases of Scottish humour, and relating many excellent anecdotes. On the motion of Mr. Moore, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. West. A programme of musical selections was given during the evening. Two quartettes, " Braes of Balquither." and "Corn Rigs," were sung by Mrs. Edmonds, Miss Davis, and Messrs McGregor and Stewart. Mrs. Edmonds sang " We'd Better Bide A Wee" with good effect, whilst " Comin' Thro' the Rye," was rendered by Miss Davis, and Mr. McGregor sang "Bonnie Mary of Argyle."

A trial of the two new Gin guns at the Central Battery, Ocean Beach, says the Otago Daily Times, took place on Saturday last, in the presence of the Hon. T. Fergus, Minister of Defence, LieutenantColonel Wales, Hume, Reeves, Captains Goldie, Smith, White, Proudfoot, Fairbairn, Douglas, Humphrey, and a number of other officers. Major Goring, of the Permanent Force, was in command. The first shot from the right was a splendid one, and struck the white patch on the top of White Island, the range being 3300 yards. The second short fell short, the "line of tire, however, being good. The left gun was then fired, and the first shot again struck the top of the rock. In the second shot the gun was laid by the reflectors, and this struck about, the same distance short as the second shot from the right hand gun. In the shots which fell short, it is worth mentioning that after striking the water they ricochetted right over the top of the island, and continued skimming the water for a distance of two or three'miles. The battery and all its accompaniments were in splendid order, and reflected great credit on Major Goring and the men under his command. General satisfaction was expressed with the test, and the Minister of Defence was well pleased with the condition of the battery and the behaviour of the artillerymen. _ The mechanism of the guns worked admirably.

One of the Christchurch papers has republished a paragraph from the New York Herald inferring that there is a connection between "twins and artesians," because immediately after artesians were sunk in North Wales, Pennsylvania, and the water was utilised, there 'were born six pair of twins in that locality. And now all the voung married couples in Christchurch are as nervous as possible, and have taken to filtered Avon water !

The body which has heretofore been known as the 'A ellington Association of Spiritualists has just undergone reorganisation, and will continue its investigations on an entirely new basis. It is proposed to henceforth style it " The Wellington Psychological Institute," and it will in no way conflict with existing religious sects, its labours being instead directed to research into the phenomena on which the belief in Spiritualism rests. Popular lectures will also be arranged for Sunday evenings, to catch the class of people who do not attend church services.

So many mournful jeremiads (says the Wellington Times) are preached every day about the exodus from New Zealand to Australia that it is refreshing to learn something absolutely true which puts another aspect on the matter. We are informed on excellent authority that in most cases men who arrive in Melbourne from this colony are very soon anxious to get back again. So marked is this inclination that when the last steamer left Melbourne for this colony the police had to be employed to keep constant watch against stowaways. Preparations are also being made, it is said, for the accommodation of extra passenger traffic from Australia to New Zealand. Thus it would appear that this new exodus is not so great as one would be led to believe, and that less of the bone and sinew of the country is lost than has been, made out.

While New Zealand does not want her defenders to be feather-bed soldiers, it is surely not the desire of the colonists that the defence force should be subjected to conditions as regards «anitation which would not be allowed under ordinary circumstances. Our attention has been very forcibly drawn to the men's quarters at Fort Takapuna, where the Permanent Artillery are quartered. They cannot speak for themselves, and have just to grin and bear it, but this is what a gentleman who recently visited the fort has to say on the subject" The barracks are built underground, and excavated out of very heavy wet clay. -A-11 round the outside of the barracks are two or three inches of water after any rain, while inside there is no proper ventilation, and the water, soaking through the walls, makes everything damp and mildewed, and in these barracks men are to live. The water supply is another matter worth drawin"- your attention to, in fact, there is no water supply except from the drains round the barracks and the gun pits. I consider it a great shame that these men should have been moved from Fort Cautley to such a dungeon as Takapuna Barracks. These barracks have only been finished about eight months, and are only fit to be occupied'during a few months in summer, or else during any emergency. I want to know why the men could not have been moved into the house adjoining the battery, which is the property of the Government, and is at present occupied by Colonel Roberts V"

Ihe attendance at that popular resort, the Columbia Rink, does not appear to be at; all diminished by the approach of the warm weather. Yesterday evening the floor was crowded with " votaries of the wheel" of both sexes and divers ages, while the spectators' seats were filled with an interested audience, who witnessed the evolutions of their friends at a safe distance.

A Melbourne correspondent of an exchange writes :—" What sort of justice is this, I should like to know. A young man named John Phillips has been sent to gaol for seven days for stealing a tin of sardines at the Exhibition, while those officials I mentioned last week, caught in the act of purloining preserved meats, have had the matter hushed up. Phillips' principal offence seems to be that he had no influential friends, otherwise, like the other luckier thieves, he would, of course, have got off scot free. But this, is not so scandalous as what takes place in regard to the concerts. The Commissioners forsooth have given two or three invitation" concerts—that is, to their private friends at the public expense. A well-known Melbourne financial authority told me he made a calculation that the cost of each of these entertainments, including proportion of Mr. Cowen's pay, orchestral and chorus charges, attendants, lights, &c., &c., was over £2000. Did anyone ever hear of such profligate waste and injustice? It is to me a wonder that the public stand such proceedings—that when they have paid for, and are paying for, the thing itself, it should be monopolised by a party of nose-in-air officials who happen to have been pitchforked into the management."

Among the various corps which are benefiting by the recent increased interest evinced in volunteer matters, none is showing greater activity than the "0" Battery of Artillery, which has lately received a considerable accession to its numbers, and has also made good progress in efficiency in drill, etc. We are pleased to notice that Lieutenant C. F. James, of th.s popular Company, whose commission dates from November, ISS7, has passed with flying colours at the recent examinations.

Last, week (says a Christehurch paper) a horse belonging to Mr. J. Rudd, of Greendale, had a somewhat novel experience. He was grazing in an enclosure surrounding a large concrete tank, and not having room enough to turn round when driven back, he made a leap on to the iron which covered the tank. This gave way, and he went splashing into the water beneath, which was about six feet deep. It took six men the greater part of a day to get him out, which was at length accomplished by baling a"nd pumping out the water and filling it with straw. Except that he was cold with standing in the water several hours, and that he sustained a few bruises, he did not seem much the worse for his reckless plunge.

It will be seen from our obituary column that another old identity has passed away in the person of Mr, C. bootmaker, who has been engaged in business in this city for over a quarter of a century. A short time ago he retired from business owing to ill-health, his complaint being paralysis. Deceased leaves a grown up family, most of whom reside here, but one (a son) is in Sydney. Mr. Westpfahl was much respected by the circle in which he moved.

The police are still searching for Rudolph Ritter, but as yet nothing has been heard of him. Mr. Hermann Brown, the German Consul, has offered £'20 reward to be given to any person who finds him alive or dead. This will doubtless infuse fresh vigour into the search for the missing man.

Marriages are by no means rare in Timaru, as the registrar's books and the newspaper notices show, but some modes of solemnising marriages are very seldom used here. A marriage was conducted on Wednesday last, according to the Jewish rite —the first, we are informed, that has ever taken place in Timaru — when MrJ. H. Keesing, of Wanganui, was united to Miss Clara Salek. The ceremony took place at the residence of the bride's parents, Theodocia - street, and was conducted by Rabbi I. Zachariah, formerly of Christchurch, now of Grey mouth. -Among those present were the bride's parents, Mr. Henry Kee-ing, of Auckland, and Miss Keesing, father and sister of the bridegroom ; Mrs. Ascham, of Lyttelton, aunt of the bride ; Messrs. S. and W. Salek, and Misses S. and M. Salek ; Mrs. Moss Jonas, Miss Moeller, of Wellington, and Mrs. Zachariah : Messrs. J. Gall, of Fairlie Creek, C. Zander, of Ashburton, and D. Zander, of Si. Andrews, Mr. Newman, of Dunedin, Mr. Levien, and a number of other friends. An apology was read from Mr. Moss Jonas, Mayor of Timaru, on account of important business detaining him. The bride was dressed in a robe of white cashmere, with girdle of pearl beads and buttons to match, diamond bracelets, white kid gloves, and the usual veil and orange blossoms. The wedding presents, most of them collected in the room where the ceremony was conducted, made a good display. They included a piano, five o'clock tea-service in silver, silver tea-pot, egg-stand, cruet, fishslices, large gold brooch, a dozen silver teaspoons and £20-note, marble clock and £5note, quaint jug and goblets in horn, silvermounted biscuit, casket in crystal and oak, handsome diamond bracelet, epergne, pair diamond earrings, crystal dessert set, £10note, and a variety of ornamental embroidery and other needlework in cushions, drapes, &c. Mr. and Mrs. Keesing left for Wanganui by the express in the afternoon.

It is understood that the successful tenderer for the purchase of the stock of Graves and Fleming, of Wellington, is Mr. Woodroffe, of The Melbourne Drapery Company, Auckland. The tender is eleven shillings and a half-penny in the £.

It is calculated that at thepresent time the number of farmers and faim labourers in the States is about 0,000,000, exclusive of women and children. And notwithstanding the diminished profits of farmers during the past few years, the wages paid to farm hands have been well sustained. The Washington Agricultural Bureau, which publishes every three years statistics of wages paid for this kind of labour, has recently reported that this year the average rate throughout the States is £3 12s 11 Ad per month where the engagement is made by the year. In 1885 the rate was £3 lis 10kl; 'in 1882, £3 15s 9d ; and in 1879, £3 5s Bd. Thus there was between 1879 and 18S2 a rise of rather more than 10s per month, then a decline of rather less that 4s during the next three years, and now the rate is slightly higher than it was in ISSS.

Not long since the Salisbury and Winchester Journal published a statement showing the serious decrease that has taken place in the income of the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury. In 1875 the Dean and Chapter, who had given up all sources of income which they previously possessed, were endowed with estates which were computed to produce a yearly income of £4700. Owing to the depreciation of landed property, the income of the Cathedral body has been reduced to £3200. This only furnishes an income of about £600 to the Dean, and of £300 to cach of the canons residentiary, while there is only £1000 available for the expenses of the establishment, instead of £1700. It has, therefore, been found necessary to reduce the income of everyone receiving payments from the Cathedral funds.

It has been found, by extensive observations in Paris and Munich, that the years in which there has been a large quantity of water present in the ground have invariably been the healthiest, while those in which there has been a smaller quantity have invariably been the unhealthiest.

To-day is the last day for receiving applications for licenses for public hails or places of public amusement. Applications require to be certified by the Building Surveyor (Mr. .J. Hughes) before license can issue. In response to a general wish, the committee of the Choral Society have decided to postpone the performance of Beethoven's "Ruins of Athens" and Gacle's " Zion," and put in immediate rehearsal Sullivan's " Martyr of Antioch." Since the performance of this popular work in September, 1885, many requests have been made for its reproduction. The members of the Society will, no doubt, hear of the committee's decision with pleasure, as the work is a general favourite with performing and honorary members alike. The grand display of beautiful goods exhibited in the windows of the D.I.C. are a special attraction to the ladies just now, and we must confess, after viewing the large and varied assortment displayed, our judgment is that the styles and patterns far surpass 1 hose of aay other season. We recommend our readers to avail themselves of the invitation given by this firm to inspect their stock of novelties just to hand. The attention of our readers is called to the prospectus of the Pastoral Finance Trust and Agency Company of Australia, which appears in the Herald of Wednesday and the Weekly News of Saturday. The now celebrated J A, Beehive, Cow, Star, Fern, and other choice brands of fresh butter can be obtained at the London Dairy Co.'a Depots, Victoria-street and Mount Eden Koad.