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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9183, 12 October 1888, Page 5

The regular meeting of the City Council was held last night, bub although the busi-ness-sheet was light, and members anticipated an early finish, the talk dragged on until ten o'clock, the fixed hour for finishing business, and even then it was found that some business had to be postponed. A great deal of time was occupied with the abattoir question. The whole of the subject was ventilated by every possible means, but finally the matter resolved itself into a question of how the City Abattoirs should not be a nuisance. The other business of the meeting was of a routine character. The Property Tax Department are now issuing the property tax forms in Auckland city to those liable to the tax. It is to be hoped that the new valuations will not be of such an outrageous character as those at present in force. Yesterday we were given three illustrations The first was a property in the city, valued at £2700 for property tax, which is let at £52 a year, out of which the proprietor has to pay the taxes, £17 10s a-year ; the second is a property in Newton, property tax valuation £400, ground rent £17 a year, which .is let at £13 a year, or £4 a year less than tho ground rent; the third case was a farm in Whatawhata district, Waikato property tax valuation, £5000, just let by the executors for nothing for two years, the only obligation of the tenant being to keep the fences in order. Among the passengers by the s.s. Manapouri yesterday was l)r. Leger Erson. He proceeds to Australia in order to fulfil an important position in the service of the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society. A large number of friends were assembled on the wharf to wish him good-bye. During his residence in Auckland Dr. Erson took a prominent part in literary, Masonic, and musical matters. He was also an enthusiastic volunteer officer. As a medical man and honorary member of the Hospital staff he displayed great interest in all matters relating to public health, and distinguished himself as a competent and zealous sanitary reformer. His departure is regretted by a very wide circle, in which his geniality, his wit, his professional skill and culture will long be missed. It is understood that Commandant Booth has communicated with his father, General Booth, for an extension of his leave, and that he is likely to visit the Australian colonies, returning to Auckland via Sydney, in order to proceed 011 his contemplated trip to the United States. We understand that Commandant Booth has not benefited so much in his health by the voyage out from England as he anticipated. Another excellent performance was given last evening by Professor Anderson, the Wizard of the North, at the Opera House. There was a fair attendance, and a varied programme was presented. The sleight-of-hand tricks were cleverly done, and the spiritualistic business afforded much amusement, and mystified the audience considerably. The mind reading and the Indian casket trick elicited applause. A matinee will be given on Saturday afternoon at million prices—children to all parts of the house, sixpence, and adults Is. The man Ludlow, who attempted snlcidc at Helensville, and is now in the Hospital, shows but little change in his condition. Hopes are entertained that he will recover from the pistol wound he inflicted on himself. The gun detachment of the "A " Battery who are to take part in the entertainment at the Volunteer concert next week, were last night engaged, at the Drill-shed, in gun drill, dismounting, unlinibering, &c., preparatory for that event, as was also a detachment of the City Guards, who are going through silent drill. The men of the "" A ' Battery went through their exercises in capital time and style. Lieut.Col. Payne, Captain Geddes and Lieutenant Ansell were on the ground. At the close of the drill, Lieut.-Col. Payne, in a neat speech, presented Lieutenant Ansell with a silver medal, forwarded by the Government for long service (IS years) as a private and noncommissioned officer in the '"A" battery. Three cheers were called for and given for Lieutenant Ansell, and Capt. Geddes shook hands with the recipient, and congratulated him. He paid a high compliment to Lieutenant Ansell, who, though every inch a soldier, was one of the most unassuming men he had ever met. Captain Geddes also presented a number of tiie men of the battery with certificates of efficiency. He notified that on Saturday the battery would fire at the Mount Eden Rifle Range for Thome's prize and the battery champion belt. During the evening the Staff Sergeant-Major exercised a second gun detachment of the battery in gun drill. During his short visit here he is desirous of giving the battery as much instruction as possible in the scientific branches of their training, and with that view will have gun drill on Monday evening, and sword exercise on Wednesday evening. The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Point Resolution purchase sits again to-day at eleven o'clock, when Mr. Schwartz Kissling will give evidence. It is understood that Sir Grey will adduce some fresh evidence, but it is expected that the inquiry will be concluded early next week. Last evening Mr. J. Aitken Connell delivered a lecture on " The Difficulties of Evolution " in the old St. Sepulchre's Schoolroom, in aid of St. Barnabas' Church Building Fund. There was a fair attendance. Archdeacon Dudley presided, and briefly introduced the lecturer to the audience. Mr. Connell, after a few prefatory remarks, proceeded to define the true character of the evolutionary doctrine, and quoted from the works of Professors Huxley, Tyndall, Darwin, and other evolutionists, tending to show that the doctrines had undergone very considerable changes since their first announcement, and were practically abandoned as presented in their original form by Mr. Darwin himself. He also quoted from the works of eminent naturalists and anthropologists, to show that the doctrine was not accepted by a very large number oi our best naturalists. Passing to the specific objections to be found against the doctrine in the geologic record, lie quoted from Professors Lyell, Williamson, Darwin, Agassi/, and others, and also largely from the works of Professor Huxley, to show that without a single exception, so far as the record of the rocks was concerned, every species had first appeared suddenly in large numbers, and perfect after its kind. He thought that sufficient had been advanced by him to show that evolution was not that formal established doctrine of science which some of its disciples attempted to make it, but was merely an interesting but somewhat wild hypothesis, which, in the course of a very short time, he believed would be utterly cast aside. .Mr. Connell purposes treating next Thursday evening on the subject from a more interesting point of view from which the difficulties presented by the physical sciences of chemistry and astronomy would be considered, devoting a considerable part of the time to the consideration of the theory as professing to account for the origin of man. , A correspondent, " Cleanliness," suggests that the City Works overseer should be instructed to furnish a' list monthly to the City Council of all those householders who do not employ the nightsoil contrator, a list of whom could lie procured from the contractor. He suggests that such householders should be fined for their uncleanly habits, and a percentage of the fines given to the overseer for j the extra work entailed on hiin. With reference to the reported robbery from a dwelling in Liverpool-street, the matter was placed in the hands of Detective Hughes. Subsequently the goods were found in an adjoining outbuilding. So all's well that ends well. Detective Hughes does not attach much importance to the affair. The City Engineer has visited the Western Springs with a view of deciding on the boring operations which are to be undertaken on the jacent land with a view of tapping fresh springs and increasing the city water supply. It is said that the signs in one locality of a subterranean stream of water being tapped at a short depth are very strong, and the City Engineer is very hopeful of success in the new scheme. At the Police Court yesterday Michael Burke was charged with unlawfully wounding Charles Taylor, by stabbing him in the face with a knife. The case was the outcome of a disturbance in Chancery Lane. Burke pleaded not guilty. After hearing the evidence the Bench decided to deal with the case summarily as an aggravated fwsault, under the provisions of the Offences Against the Persons Act, 1867. One witness ■was called for the defence, but his evidence was unimportant. The Bench sentenced the prisoner to two months' imprisonment) nth hard labour, or to pay £10 and costs.

i We are requested to state, in explanation I of the apparent delay in the arrival of the : direct mail ex Tongariro, that the direct I steamer arrived at Wellington at 11 p.m. I on Saturday, and the mails were forwarded on Monday morning l to New Plymouth by train, with the intention that they should ! be brought by the Gairloch, leaving Waitara on "Tuesday night. The weather, however, prevented the Gairloch leaving tho Manukau until Tuesday afternoon, the mails had therefore to be sent from New Plymouth by the Wanaka, arriving in the Manukau yesterday morning. Captain Clayton, of H.M.s. Diamond,paid a visit 011 Wednesday to the Kohimarama Training Institution, which he carefully inspected. On going away, one of the boys was sent with him to put him 011 the main road. With this little chap Captain Clayton entered into conversation, asking him how the boys amused themselves, and did they play cricket ? The boy said they did, but he could give him but a sorry account of the material they were possessed of. Captain Clayton sent word to Mr. Hogan that he would furnish him with an outfit of cricketing material to be used by the boys. Mr. Hogan and the boys return their most hearty thanks. Our Hamilton correspondent, writing yesterday, says : —" It has been suggested that the present year, and especially this portion of it, should not be allowed to pass in Auckland without some demonstration being made in the commemoration of events which are now just one quarter of a century old. Twenty-five years ago Auckland was a military camp. The Imperial forces, in September and October, were encamped at Pukekohe, the Forest Rangers being pushed on towards Meremere—that battle and the storming of Rangiriri Fa being as yet unfought. The young men of Auckland — volunteers and a few militia—were doing service at Drury and the other redoubts and camps on the line of the Great South Road, and under Major Lyon, holding the Galloway Redoubt, -waiting to be relieved by the forces of Major Pitt being then raised in Melbourne and Geelong, main' of whom are now the pioneer settlers of Waikato. I The present occasion may well serve to initiate the commemoration of thrilling events and of a time which is yet green in the memory of hundreds of our middle-aged citizens and settlers who took active part in them, and of many who are, in the natural course of things, fast passing into, it. is to be hoped, a better heritage than that of the country beyond the Waikato at Maungatawhiri." Mr. Henry George Barber, who was known to many in Auckland, and who left a short time ago for Queensland, writes to a friend that lie is now in employment, is in good health, and is likely to do well. In our report of the South British meeting yesterday we made Mr. Ralph Keesing say " It appeared to me anomalous," whereas he said, " It appeared to me enormous.'' A New Zealand Gazette issued on the 4th October contains a proclamation in which are detailed the boundaries of the amended sheep districts in the Auckland provincial district. There were in the lock-up last evening two prisoners on charges of drunkenness. Liquorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), which is now but little cultivated in England, the chief supplies being from Spain and Italy, is said to have become of late an important article of cultivation in the neighbourhood of Batoum, in Russia. A few years ago its existence was scarcely known or heeded. It is now grown in great abundance at Liakha, in the district of Elizavetopol. The quantity exported from this place in ISS7 amounted tij 1400 tons, and the average price on the spot of production is about £- per ton, and at the port of Batoum, properly pressed and packed, it realises over £(3 per ton. At the Sugar Works yesterday goodptogress was made with the getting out of the Fiona's cargo of raw sugar. In another column will be found a notification that E. M. Hallett and Co., No. HX>, Queen-street, have been appointed sole agents for the North Island for the Wertneim higharm sewing machine. Their new premises will be opened 011 Tuesday next, with a large stock of every variety of the machines. Mr. Josiah Martin will deliver a lecture in the Young Men's Christian Association this evening at half-past seven., the subject being '" The Great Rameses, a Romance of Ancient and Modern Egypt."illustrated by numerous portraits;) ml pictures. From the well-known ability of the lecturer and the interesting subject, which is occupying much attention at present, an instructive lecture may be expected.