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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9195, 26 October 1888, Page 4

The Charitable Aid Boards of NewZealand might, we think, plunge into the question of the day, of whether marriage is a failure, and give a very emphatic answer that from their point of view it is. We have several times referred to the experience of Auckland in this matter, and we observe that the same " bitter cry" ascends from other parts of the country. Married men who find work scarce in the place where they reside, sell their furniture to raise money to take them away, and so that they may have a few pounds in their pocket when they get to their destina- ' ion, and then the grass-widow, with any encumbrances there may chance to be, simply interviews the officer of the Charitable Aid Board. The husband and father has a new chance, and of course his mind is quite easy, for he knows that there is an organisation pledged and created to take care of the hostages he has given to society. The Wanganui Chronicle states that there are men in that district who have been to Kimberley and back, and to various parts of the colony, and who during their absence have never contributed anything to the support of the wives and children they left behind them. There have been similar experiences in Auckland. There seems absolutely n° possibility of applying any check to this sort of thing. The Charitable Aid Board can only take up a defensive attitude, and decline to assist where they believe that the mother or children can earn enough to support the household. But when this cannot be done, they must simply surrender at discretion. And difficulties of this nature are not confined to married people We had occasion to notice a short turn ago the statement made in the Polic* Court by the officer of the Board, of tin number of cases in Auckland in which young men had levanted, leaving young women in difficulties, and in which the Board had to assume parental responsibilities. These cases have considerably increased of late. There seems no possibility of a remedy, except a return of good times, when work is sufficiently plentiful to enable men to stay at home. But it is rather grievous to find that the cases are so numerous in which men who are earning good wages are content to allow the famine' whom they have left to be dependent upon public charity, and who make n( effort to keep them from such depett dence#

The ordinary meeting of the Crown Lands Board was held yesterday, and a large amount of business was disposed of. A noticeable feature of the business was the unusually large number of applications which were received for land in various parts of the provincial district. These applications are steadily increasing, and there is a manifest desire amongst the applicants and others to settle on the land. This is a very healthful sign, and the Board dealt promptly with the applications by ordering that the lands applied for should be offered for sale.

A short sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court, was held yesterday before Mr. Clendon, R.M., who presided in the absence of Dr. Giles, but he only disposed uf the undefended cases, and the other cases on the list were adjourned until Thursday next.

On the motion of Mr. Evans, the City Council agreed to the following formal resolution yesterday evening :—"Thatresolution dated the 9th August, ISBS, clause 7. re the dismissal of the stonebreakers on the Ist November, be rescinded, and that in accordance with recommendation of the Finance Committee, and adopted by '..his Council at its last meeting, the stonebreakers be retained as at present, but at the rate of 3s 3d per yard."

Mr. J. C. Firth was the other day the recipient of a letter which came addressed to him "To the care of The New Zealand Herald."' He found that it was from a. gentleman in Brazil, whose card is " Joao Frick, empresario de Obras Publicas." tit; states '• I read in The New Zealand Herald of the sth December, which happened to come to my hands here as a wrapping paper, a writing of yours called 'The Land Wo Live In.' 1 found it so very interesting, both the report, of the fact of the great progress of your islands, and your reasonings, thai 1 translated and published it, with a small addition, in our Diario Popular of San Paulo. We are, here, one quarter of the world's circle far from New Zealand : very few people are acquainted with any information of your country : it is only said that it is wonderfully progressing. If we take a book for information, we find descriptions of thirty to forty years ago, quite misleading. No doubt the pen that wrote 'The Land We Live in ' has written, and will further write on the same subject, and will no doubt be pleased to have such facts made known abroad. I cannot offer to exchange such writings with you about ourselves, as our language here, Portuguese, is altogether unknown in your country ; but I ask you, whenever such publications take place, to send me a scrap of the paper, or the newspaper itself, that I may translate or write anything that will be of the greatest interest to our country here. I have no right, to give you such trouble, but have no other means than the chance of getting such information from so far away by the mediation of the writer of the article referred to." The letter is written in English, and is exceedingly well written considering that the author is a foreigner, there being very few mistakes made even in the idiom. We are glad to think that, the New Zealand Herald finds its way to Brazil occasionally, even in the humble .-'nape of a wrapping paper. One never knows how a sentence or an article put in print may reach an eye which can appreciate. " Cast thy bread upon the waters." is an ancient and venerable proverb, and if Solomon, or whoever wrote Ecclesiastes, had lived now-a-days, he might have given us another version, showing how a word printed in a newspaper might find its way to tar distant lands, and to people speaking strange tongues.

Among the passengers who left for the South yesterday by the Tarawera was the talented lecturess, Miss Lydia von Finkelstein, who proceeds to Christchurch and Dunedin, where she is under engagement to deliver a number of lectures upon the Holy Land. During the stay of the steamer \t Napier she will hold a matinee in consequence of the request of the residents to jear her in her eloquent and realistic descriptions of Oriental life and manners.

It is believed that the Dr. Gerhard of Dresden, who is figuring so prominently in the squabble between Sir Morell Mackenzie and the German doctors respecting the treatment of the late Emperor Frederick, was at one time a resident of Wellington. A medical gentleman of that name practised there for some time, and then went to Dresden, where he is known to have settled down. The Dr. Gerhardt, who was in Wellington made himself very popular with all classes, and his departure was much regretted.

Yesterday forenoon a lively scene took place in Lower Queen-street, the principals concerned in which were Constable Davy, Mr. Win. G. Garrard (Registrar of Dogs), and two young women who had been paying their devotions at the shrine of Bacchus. Constable Davy attempted to arrest the women, when the trouble began. The constable failing to surround his prisoners, called on some of the bystanders to assist him. After a little hesitation, one man responded to the call of law and order, but retired into private life as soon as the hoodlums hooted him. Another struggle ensued between the constable and the nymphs, when Mr. Garrard came to the assistance of the constable. He took one of the women off the hands of Constable Davy, leaving the officer free to march the other prisoner oil' to the lock-up. Then it was that Mr. Garrard found that it was as risky a game to catch stray women as to catch stray dogs. As soon as the constable had left for the station with his captive the crowd closed in, and Mr. Garrard and the damsel, after a rough up-and-down tumble, came down together on the kerbstone like a piledriver. The pent -up sympathies of the hoodlums now broke their bounds, and the upshot was that the woman was rescued from the grasp of the dog-catcher, and suffered to escape. When Constable Davy called for assistance "in the Queen's name," Mr. Garrard, as an old Queen's man, could do nothing but respond, but after being carried home on a shutter he is inclined to think that his services in the cause of law and order are not appreciated by the "many-headed."

We are informed that a trout was seen yesterday in Lake Takapuna. It was about eighteen inches long, and is supposed to be one of those put in some time since, having grown considerably. It might be worth the while of some of our anglers to try the lake. The question of whether fish will breed in the lake is doubtful.

Mr. William Westgarth, who was a member of the first Parliament of Victoria, and whose name was largely identified with the anti-transportation agitation of the olden time, beguiled the tedium of a voyage from England to Melbourne in portions of last June and July by writing some sketchy reminiscences of the early days of that colony, ■which will be read with interest by the present generation. Mr. Westgarth resided in Melbourne from 1840 till 1857, since which period he has been a resident of London, and his recollections of Melbourne men and tilings in the early forties are written in a bright and cheery style, as well as in good taste. In the concluding chapter of the book, which is a presentable volume "' ITS pages, the author contrasts the Melbourne of 1857 with the Melbourne of 1888, and makes note of the wonderful changes which have occurred in the interval of his absence—changes which leave scarcely anything of the original Melbourne but the names of the streets. Mr. Westgarth records that the first night he went out with a friend to pav a visit in Melbourne, at the end of 1840, they had much difficulty in keepnig the lines of Collins-street, where there were not post and rail fences round the vacant allotments. After floundering helplessly about in the foundation cutting of a new house, which was full of water, they at length emerged upon the open of the present Fitzroy Gardens, where for a little time they could keep to the bush track only by trying the ground with their feet °r fingers. But. in spite of all care they soon lost the road, and wandered about in the pouring rain for the rest of the night. A native corroboree about a mile to the north-east of the town, attended by 700 Macks of all ages and both sexes, was one of the incidents of the time.

The New Plymouth Supreme Court was opened by Judge Gillies yesterday morning. -there are seven prisoners charged with various crimes. Robert Jackson, alias J "trick Loughran, an old offender, pleaded guilty to breaking and entering houses and robbing them, ami was sentenced to seven years imprisonment. Joseph James Sadler for larceny, was sentenced to nina Puutus imprisonment.

j The Wellington Evening Press, comI menting on the absence of Ministers from I Wellington, says : —" The Attorney-General I lives at Auckland altogether. He goes | away from Wellington with other members ! directly after the rising of Parliament, and j never comes buck until within a week or j two of the next session. We suppose he is I occasionally consulted on public matters by ! letter or telegram, but he is, to all intents j and purposes, a private person, attending to his practice as a lawyer, and to his business as a director of the Bank of New Zealand and several other companies. Yet he draws his full salary of £800, with other emoluments of his Ministerial office. This is, obviously, a public scandal, and it is astonishing that it has been allowed to go on so long. Either the Attorney-General ought to reside at the scat, of Government, and take his share of Departmental administration, like any other Minister, or his office ought to be an honorary one. It has been clearly demonstrated, in fact, that the office of Attorney-General is a sinecure, which might with advantage be abolished. Sir Robert Stout., though he was Premier .as well as Attorney-General, seldom found it necessary to come to Wellington during the recess, and even during the sitting of Parliament was generally occupied in private practice, in the Courts. Sir Frederick Whitaker has gone a step further. He lives at home altogether, and neither docs anything nor pretends to do anything to speak of for his pay, beyond representing the Government in the Legislative Council — task which is at no time heavy, «nd of which he has lately been almost entirely relieved by Mr. Waterhouse and Dr. Pollen assuming the leadership of the Council. For. all the service the colony gets from him as a Minister, the Attorney-General might almost as well live in Australia or in England."

With reference to the McDonald case, referred to in last issue, it seems that some time ago the city bands played on the verandah of the City Hall, thus leading to a concourse of people in Queen-street which obstructed the traffic. As the police authorities had to keep the footpaths clear, they remonstrated against the granting of permits which led to such obstruction. Accordingly the Town Clerk promised that in future no permits of this character—that is, for singing or playing in a public place—should be issued, but that street singers, street musicians, &c., should be permitted to ply their avocations subject, to the discretion of the police. This is the reason why Mr. McDonald was refused a permit. Tho police authorities have no objection to these poor people earning a livelihood in this way, provided they take the side streets or places clear of danger through the tram and 'bus traffic, or where the footpaths are not. obstructed, and thus the general public inconvenienced. Having regard to the safety of the public the police will not permit street performances opposite the United Service Hotel, Wellcsley-street. When the Opera House is open cabs, 'buses, and trams are drawn up there, and the result would probably be a fatal accident if a crowd of people were permitted to gather there. It would be well, therefore,"" for the McDonalds to comply with the request of* the police to take a less dangerous place for the exercise of their calling. The permit issued to them by the ' Christchurch Corporation expressly states that it is given subject to the discretion and control of the police, and is revocable if the footpaths are obstructed. Last night the McDonalds commenced playing and singing in Wei-lesley-street, opposite the Shamrock Hotel, but subsequently got down to the United Service Hotel "front, where a constable again "chivied" them. After '-passing the hat'' among their patrons, they moved on, and so the matter stands. The city and police authorities are now, it seems, dying at higher game than " The Balmoral Minstrels"—namely, the trustees of All Saints' Church Sunday-school buildings. It appears that the' Ponsonby Choral Society gave a concert in the schoolroom the other evening, and a constable went down to see if any money passed, but on that occasion he was, it seems, not able to get his argus-eye on a threepennybit. Last night the All Saints' Amateur Athletic Club held their annual gymnastic carnival in the building, and the constable was on the spot. It was rumoured that he saw money pass for admission, and that as the outcome the trustees will be summoned and prosecuted for permitting public gatherings in the schoolroom, the building not being a licensed place of public amusement. The fun is only beginning.

Nearly the whole of the American consignment of American apples to this port by the last San Francisco steamer were disposed of by auction at 4d per lb, whereas our local fruit-growing settlers complain that when they have paid railway and other charges they cannot get more for their apples than about a Id or 2d per lb. There must be something wrong either in the get-up of the fruit or in a lack of enterprise when such a result is brought about. A gentleman engaged in the fruit trade says that the settlers make a mistake in holding over fruit for a better price, and that a prompt sale at 2d per lb will pay them better than to hold over for 6d or even Sd. As the increased percentage of waste is a drawback on the increased price. Prompt sales and quick returns is a motto which applies to fruitgrowing as to most things.

The Waipawa Industrial and Art Exhibition opens on the sth December. In the prospectus the committee say : —" Before launching their enterprise, the promoters have pride in saying that they have received the hearty support of all the leading men of the province, and this has given them confidence, while it must afford to the public a guarantee of the genuineness of the whole affair. The promoters feel that they have undertaken the discharge of a heavy task, but they also feel that they will be at the same time discharging a great public duty, that must help to build up the local manufactures, while it may be the means of encouraging an interchange of commodities with other parts of New Zealand. The promoters having so far done their share of this work, it remains with those interested to do theirs, and if they are mindful of what a successful exhibition, on the lines laid down, must mean, the promoters can have no fear, and the public may be assured of a glorious result."

The concert and tableaux vivants, in aid of the Auckland West Kindergarten was held last evening in St. George's Hall. There was a crowded attendance, many being unable to obtain admission. The programme opened with a violin trio by the Misses Chew, which was well rendered. Mr. Charter was heard to advantage in "The Sea Rovers." The vocal duet, "Onward, Onward, Through the Waters," was tastefully given by Mesdames Edger and Judson. A violin solo by Miss Otie Chew was brilliantly rendered, and a bouquet of flowers was thrown on the stage to the young lady. Mr. Taylor acquitted himself well in the song " The King's Highway." " Alas,ThoseChimes" (with 'celloobligato by Mr. Fred. Clutsam) was pleasingly sung by Mrs. Clutsam. The Misses Colegrove executed two pianoforte solos with delicacy and taste ; Mrs. Edger gave a nice rendering of " The Lady of the Lea." That fine song "The Gauntlet" was done ample justice to by Mr. Abel. Mrs. Judson sang in her usual artistic style the song, "The Little Mountain Lad," and Mr. Taylor followed with "Facing the Foe." The tableaux vivants were effectively given, and the audience demanded a repetition of some of them. The following was the series : —" Seizure of the King of Delhi;" "Love's Disguise;" " Nausicaa and Her Maidens ;" " Who Wouldn't be a Drawing Master;" " Pausius and Olycera ;" "Caught." Mr. Peacock, M.H.R., moved a vote of thanks to the ladies and gentlemen who had made the entertainment a success, which was carried by acclamation, after _ which the proceedings closed with the National Anthem. The concert proved a great success, and the Kindergarten fund must have benefited substantially through the extensive patronage accorded to the affair.

Among the temperance delegates attending the International Temperance Convention at Melbourne during next month will be Sir William Fox, who will be one of the New Zealand representatives.

Good progress is being made at the new gaol, Mount Eden. A number of prisoners, skilled in dressing stone, have been drawn from work on the harbour defences, and transferred to the work of erecting the new prison. As the work advances, and more labour of that character can be utilised, additional stone dressers will be withdrawn from the North Shore fortifications, and replaced by unskilled hard labour men.

I We have been shown several large photo- '< graphs, which have been forwarded by Mr. ! Dewar, formerly of Auckland, but now manager of a mine at Broken Hill, showing the position of the mine with which he is connected, and which, he claims, has the entire underlie of the famous Broken Hill Proprietary lode. The photographs give an excellent idea of the class of country, and tho scale on which mining and smelting operations are carried on in that locality. It would be well, as being of interest to those concerned in mining matters, if the photographs were placed on view in the show window of some of the local stationers.

A large amount of time is devoted by the members of the Auckland Charitable Aid Board to investigating the claims to charitable aid which come before them and in detecting imposition. In this work they are effectively aided by the Board's detective, Mr. Strathern, but even notwithstanding their joint efforts, most amusing stories are current as to how the Board are taken in, and much of the money intended for the honest poor appropriated by the professional class of mendicants which is fast growing up under our poor law system. In some cases applicants allege that they are suffering from all the ills llesh is heir to, and yet refuse to undergo medical examination ; apply for work, and yet refuse to work at any other employment than their trade. There are reported to be even cases where persons have given notice to their employers to terminate their engagements, and then thrown themselves into the ever open arms of tho Board. In other cases where rations have been given by the Board, rent has been got from the Benevolent Society, and coal and milk, &c., received from other benevolent sources— the total toll from all sources enabling the recipient to make a comfortable livelihood.

The fourth annual gymnastic carnival and concert, in connection with the All Saints' Amateur Athletic Club (Professor Carrollo, instructor) took place last evening, in All Saints' School-room. There was a. crowded attendance, and the affair passed off most successfully. The programme opened with dumbells in squad, to music. The exercise was done in excellent time, and the evolutions and grand march succeeding it, under tho leadership of Professor Carrollo, were greatly applauded. In the fencing with foils, between Messrs. J. W. Hall and M. C. McGregor, some good practice was shown, the latter proving the victor. The exercises on the Roman rings were much appreciated, and the feats of skill of the several competitors greeted with cheers. Some capital exhibitions of skill were shown on the horizontal bar. The vaulting over the military horse created a good deal of amusement, as a couple of clowns tried their hands at the game. Some excellent grouping was shown on the parallel bars. Indian club squad, to music, showed the pupils to be well-dis-ciplined and trained. The athletic portion of the programme closed with a. lively bout at " ye oldc English game of quarterstaffe," between Messrs. Hail and McGregor. Each combatant gave the other a lick where it would do him good, and the upshot was that two quarterstaffs were broken in two before the encounter was over. The following pupils took part in the athletic exercises : Messrs. F. Atkinson, W. Blomtield, C. Buchanan, F. Clark, W. H. Cooke, Cosson, Cratnoud, Fielder, Hackett, C. Lusher, J. Tucker. McGregor, Mclndoe, SlcKenzie, Miller, Plumraer, Russell, Speer, Stephenson, Thomson, and L. Wilson. Mr. T. M. .Jackson's song, " My Life For Thee " and " The Anchor's Weighed," whilst Miss Knight contributed two songs, " Nightless Land " and " Your Voice." Mr. Birdsall contributed several comic songs. All the vocalists were encored, but the two tirstnamed simply bowed their acknowledgments. The proceedings closed with a boxing melee in fancy costume on skates, which elicited roars of laughter. The Rev. Mr. Calder returned thanks, on behalf of the All Saints' Amateur Athletic Club, to Professor Carrollo for the care and attention which he had bestowed upon the members of the club in training them. In doing so he said he thought the parents present would be also pleased to see the muscular development their sons were getting under the training of the Professor. The entertainment was one of the best of the kind that has been held in All Saints' schoolroom.

Professor Carrollo leaves for England on a visit, but will return to Auckland early in April. The Rev. Mr. Caldor stated last night, at the gymnastic carnival of All Saints' Amateur Athletic Club, as a proof of the Professor's care, that during the four years lie had had charge of the Club thero had been but one accident — sprain sustained by one of the pupils, a mere misadventure which did not arise from carelessness on the part of either instructor or pupil. The Professor, while endeavouring to teach the youth manly exercises, has also endeavoured to make them manly in their conduce.

The Waitaki North correspondent of the Oamaru Mail, writing on the 18th instant upon trout fishing in the Waitaki River, says:—"Dr. de Lautour, Mr. Duncan, M.H.R., and Mr. Schluter, arrived by the express for an afternoon's fishing, and the result of their labour must be very gratifying to themselves and to others. Mr. Schluter landed eleven fish weighing 63lbs, Dr. de Lautour landed four fish weighing 24lbs, Mr. Duncan four fish weighing 1-ilbs, and Mr. J. Wheeler, who did not get a start until half-past five p.m., landed five fish weighing I3olbs, making the total of fish landed '-'4, weighing 136lbs—nob bad for half a day's work for four anglers. Mr. Schluter has put Mr. H. Aitken's record in the shade. I should think the Waitaki River will be able to hold its own against any river in New Zealand for trout fishing. The fish were caught at the Waitaki North side of the river.

A Dunedin telegram says : —"The s.s. Mararoa takes nearly 600 passengers, while many are shut out."

TheChristchurch Press has the following: —" As showing how the frozen mutton from New Zealand is being spread over the whole of England, we may state that in an account sale shown us by Mr. P. Cunningham yesterday we observe that 1000 sheep had been about equally distributed between Liverpool, Coventry, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Wakefield, Rotherham, Dewsbury, Greenock, and London, realising a trifle under 4:d per lb."

There was a crowded attendance at the weekly meeting of the Auckland Athen.eum last night, when Mr. C. P. Newcombe delivered a lecture upon " Education, General, Technical, and Scientific." The paper was an exceedingly able one, and had evidently been prepared with a great amount of labour and care. Mr. Newcombe was listened to with deep attention, and at the close received hearty applause. Rev. R. Coates, Messrs. A. Gray, Jones, J. H. Upton, E. Bell, Dr. Girdler and others, commented briefly upon the paper, and thanked Mr. Newcombe for the intellectual treat and valuable information he had given them.

The concluding concert of the Young Men's Christian Association winter course takes place this evening, in the lecturehall of the institution. Rev. Jamas Chew will preside. The attractive programme of Scottish songs, etc., prepared by the Burns Club, should draw a large audience on this occasion.

This evening the Baud of Hope Union musical and elocutionary contest will commence in the Foresters' Hall, Newton. The following classes will compete, and form a very interesting programme :—lnstrumental music : One male, four females, under 12 years. Reciting : Six males under 16 years. Singing : Five females, over 16 years. Reading : Three males, under 16 years. The competitions will be continued to-morrow and every evening until completed. The choir contest takes place on Tuesday evening. For further particulars see advertisement in another column.

The Mount Eden Baptist Church purpose giving a vocal and instrumental concert in aid of the organ fund on Monday, the '29th instant, at eight p.m. From a perusal of the programme in another column our readers may notice that suburban audiences are not usually treated to such a recherche bill of fare as will be found therein.

The Devonport Lawn Tennis Club, having considerably augmented the funds of the Club by holding monthly socials during the past winter, have decided to open the season with a fancy dress ball in the Devonport Hall on Thursday, the Bth November. Those desirous of being present are requested, as advertised in another column, to appear in costume. Cards for admission of spectators and dancers to be obtained from the committee only.

_ The anniversary of the Newton Congregational Sunday-school is postponed to 11th November.