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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9219, 23 November 1888, Page 4

Whitechapel has supplied another sen« 1 ' tion, although happily in this insts" •" capital crime was nob con-"" ia f ' woman, apparent- ~ c tne same c as - a thosp —> nave been singled cut for murder anil mutilation, accompanied a man whose accpiaintance she had made in a public house, to her lodgings, where he suddenly turned upon her and attempted to take her life. The woman, however, was able to give an alarm, and her wouldbe assassin fled. The intended victim was able to furnish the police with a description of her assailant, and within a few hours a man, who violently resisted, was arrested. He is not believed to be the Whitechapel murderer. Sir H. A. Blake has been interviewed, and attributes the opposition to his appointment to a small section of the Irish party. A gentleman in town has received a letter from Australia, stating that a number oi the Victorian and New South Wales farmers may be shortly expected to visit this colony in search of land for settlement, as the) are getting sick of the frequently -recurring droughts in Australia. When His Worship the Mayor (Mr. A. E. Devore) was in Adelaide the Town Clerk of the Adelaide Corporation, who i» writing an account of the early history °- South Australia, took him into the Corporation Hall and showed him the portrait o Captain Sturt, the South Australian ex plorer. In the course of the conversation which ensued, the Town Clerk alluded ° the fact that some of Sturt's letters were in the Grey collection in the Auckland £re Public Library, and expressed a desire avail himself of the information which tnej contained. Mr. Devore replied that n would endeavour to send him copies them from Auckland. Since His Worship » return he has had a conversation with si George Grey on the subject, and Sir tieorg at once gave his cheerful acquiescence, stating that he had placed the letters at tb disposal of the citizens of Auckland. Gopie of the Sturt letters were accordingly' warded yesterday to the Town Clerk Adelaide, in accordance with his desire, ») His Worship the Mayor. . , Considerable progress is being made wit J the erection of the new gaol. The officer quarters in it are now being fitted up, WD a portion of the prisoners are now being commodated there.

The following is a copy of a telegram sent to Sir H. A. Atkinson by the representatives of Canterbury Chamber of Commerce : At a meeting of delegates of Canterbury Chambei of Commerce, Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and Corn Exchange, to consider the alteration in the railway tariff providing for the carriage of grain by actual weight instead of at per sack, it was resolved to represent to the Government that the farming and commercial interests of Canterbury will be seriously prejudiced by such a change, (first) by imposition of an additional tax on wheat of nearly 10 per cent.; (second) by the vexatious delays that will arise owing to the necessity for weighing all consignments ; (third) by the unsatisfactory mode of ascertaining correct weights. The existing system having worked satisfactorily in Canterbury for many years, and farmers being content with it, they strongly protest against any change being made, and respectfully request? that the provincial district of Canterbury be exempt from the new method of charging railway freight.—(Signed) A. Kave, President Chamber of Commerce ; J. Peass, President A. and P. Association ; ,1, Gammack, Chairman Corn Exchange." A respectable settler at Fairlie Creek, Isaac Battison, was committed for trial on Wednesday, on a charge of making a false declaration under the Marriage Act, to the effect that he had resided in Timaru three days preceding the date of the declaration, whereas, in fact, he had not. The defence was that it was a bona fide mistake, arising nut of the accused misunderstanding the Registrar as to counting a Sunday in three davs, and he had gone home to Fairlie Creek from Saturday till Monday. The .Justices who heard the case could not consider the question whether " wilfully" in the Act must mean fraudulent intention, and the facts having been proved, they had no option but to commit. Some two or three weeks ago a young man named Michael Sheehan attempted suicide by cutting his throat, at his stepfather's residence, Hobson-street. He was brought before the Police Court on his recovery for the offence, but the charge against him was dismissed, as his stepfather offered to become bail for his good behaviour in future. At the time of the attempt on his life Sheehan was suffering from mental delusions, and these have since returned at intervals. On Wednesday night his conduct became so violent that his stepfather had to acquaint the police and surrendered his bail. The result was that yesterday afternoon Sheehan was arrested by Constable Keany, and on the testimony of Drs. Cobbett and Hooper, was committed to the Asylum. He was taken out. subsequently in a cab to that institution. The young lad, John Cook, who was the victim of the powder accident, in Nelsonstreet, is progressing favourably. Dr. Knight, who has attended him, considers that his sight will not be permanently injured. The accident should be a warning to the young lads at the public schools, who are occasionally engaged in fooling about with powder, and firing trains of it, or small toy cannon, that these practices are dangerous, and likely to result in serious accidents. • When at. Beaney's foundry, we noticed one of Holland's patent body-seaming machines which is being made for Hellaby Brothers, in Shortland-street. By this arrangement a very large saving is effected in the nianufacture of tins for preserving meat, iish, fruit, or other articles. Mi. Holland, tinsmith, has had one at work for some months, Hellaby's is the second, and owing to the large saving effected, the machines will no doubt soon become in general use throughout the colony. yesterday the St. George's Rowing Club celebrated the opening of their new boathouse by a social and musical evening. The ' shed was artistically decorated with bunting, crossed sculls, "flowers, etc., and fully a hundred members and friends, many of the latter being ladies, were present. In the absence of Mr. J. Coates, the commodore of the club, Mr. G. S. Ivissling presided. In an etlective but brief speech, Mr. F. J, Sanderson recounted the history of the club since its foundation, and concluded by exhorting the members to " deeds of glory" in the forthcoming rowing regatta. The following programme was then gone through in a finished manner :—Piano solo, Mr. A. Robertson ; sontr, Mr. C. S. McKinney; recitation, "Slow we Beat the favourite," Mr. J. F. Montague; song, Miss Gilfillan ; Maccabean sketch, Mr. O. ; B. Way mouth ; violin solo, Mr. Ward; song, "Sammy Stutters," Mr. Cottrell ; song, Miss Robertson ; Zither solo, Mr. Winkelman ; trio, Messrs. Bews, Marriner, and Bews. During an interval refreshments were handed round to those present, and a very enjoyable evening concluded by the chairman calling for a vote of thanks to the executive of the club. The ordinary drill of the " A " Battery, yesterday, was an outdoor one, as the drillshed was: occupied by those who were making preparations for the horticultural show which opens to-day. There was a good attendance of the battery, under Captain Geddes. A meeting of the company was subsequently held, at which -Mr. George Reid was elected lieutenant of the company, instead of Lieutenant Allen, resigned, but. the election comes up for confirmation at the meeting of the battery on the first of the month. A lecture was delivered in the Foresters' Hall, Karangahape Road, last evening on The object of the Churches' j existence," etc. The lecturer designated , himself as an Evangelist serving under the ] Apostles. There was a very thin attend- ] ance, and Mr. Salmon occupied the chair, j The lecturer, Mr. Webb, was briefly introduced, and he referred back to the con- . elusions arrived at at last Thursday's meet- j ing concerning the Church, recapitulating the arguments and deductions arrived at on that occasion, and he then proceeded to . enlarge on the subject, " Prepare ye the I way of the Lord." He pointed out the i preparations that were being made for the i active resurrection, and the return of the f Lord to take the headship in His own i name. i As the result of a benefit performance, 1 Miss Ijeorgie Smithson has forwarded to J His Worship the Mav/y •> . /"V 0 * ■ wards the ' UI the family of Mrs. J The adjourned annual meeting of the r Burns Club was held yesterday evening, in [. tne Masonic Hall, Karangahape Road. Mr. ; If B. McDonald, president, occupied the cnatr. The first business taken was the ' election of a committee postponed from a last meeting. There were eight members v proposed, but Messrs. T. Henderson and * Linkhain withdrew. This, however, left a contest, and a ballot was taken, which re- , suited in the election of Messrs. Armstrong, Home, Hendry, Parker, McKenzie. Major ® husk and Mr. J. Stewart officiated as ~ scrutineers. The next business was the trea- _ fret's report. This, it will be recollected, 0 was submitted by the treasurer at the 0 • last meeting, but it was not audited, and * p disclaimed any responsibility in regard 10 >t, and a committee was appointed to j confer with the auditor, the secretary, and ~ the treasurer, and submit a balance-sheet S " l "' meeting held last night. The chair- * ■nan called on the treasurer to read the 'eport. The treasurer was not present, 'd -Mr. J. Stewart pointed out that this t * as a matter which had been referred to a s spec-mi committee to bring up a balance- t sheet, and it was for the committee to r> 'eport. Dr. Walker said the treasurer's { wue was very ill, and he could not attend t he meeting, but he told him that if he did j attend he could only do as he had done at last j nef 'ting, read the balance-sheet given to c " m - In the course of a long discussion \ *''ieh took place, it transpired that the j committee appointed to confer with the t auditor, the secretary, and treasurer had f. never met; and, on the motion of Mr. J. i it". Kelly, the committee were discharged, t motion included the appointment of a s " ew committee, but this was allowed to r ' ro P- It was decided to appoint Mr. Leers, f at a fee of £1 i Si to audit the accounts and 1 prepare a balance-sheet, to be brought up 1 , ' an adjourned meeting to be held a week ] enc e. The next business was the appoint- • «\of an auditor for the ensuing year, . (i a Mr. Leers was elected. The resoluone of which Mr. Kelly had given notice, '• s already published, were then brought v yrward, but they were negatived by 32 to ? ino^ ler<3 i was a K°°d attendance last even- ? n a the Columbia Rink. Professor Simt " 8 ? ave a clever exhibition of skating on i inn-t- ]-u. ari( ' our stilts, one of the fori " l ® cu lt and dangerous of -his perejU;iat??' To-night he will repeat his 1 of p ,° u °f fancy skating among " Bottles ■= • rn/ re ;, 0n Saturday night he will give 1 «e Musical Masher." I

A young fellow named Harding met with a very nasty accident yesterday morning while exercising a racehorse named Forsaken at Surrey Hills. The horse bolted, and tried to get through a gate, but the rider pulled him of!', and he then shied over two fences. He cleared the first, but got caught on the second, and almost midway on the rail. The jockey was dislodged, and the horse fell backwards, rolling over the rider. Harding was picked up by the bystanders, and taken to Dr. Walker, who found that Harding's collar-bone was not only fractured, but crushed into splinters. He, however, set the bone together, and bound it up, and sent the patient homo comfortably. The horse is also injured by his escapade, but to what extent has not been ascertained.

The present session of the Devonport Mutual Improvement Society closed last. evening with a lecture on " Socialism," by the Rev. J. Bates. There was a crowded attendance despite the threatening aspect of the weather. The lecturer said that the subject of his lecture was a most important and difficult, one. At the outset it was difficult to fix tho meaning of the term. If lie described Socialism as the cry of hunger, the demand for justice, and an awakened consciousness of many to their depressed condition, he thought he would not be far wrong. There was a social spirit in all societies, and man was acted upon by such spirit. There were bonds between man and man which could not be ignored. Our industrial organisations were tainted deeply with selfishness. But there were better impulses in man than selfishness. The laws of a country were in many cases behind the average moral opinion ; for instance, they had nothing to do with questions of gratitude, selfishness, etc. Wealth and capital had also to be considered in connection with the subject. The chief cause of the Socialistic movement was the fact that labour had been divorced from land and capital. This Socialistic movement was one of the greatest of the times. It was in politics connected with democracy, and in ethics with the principles of human brotherhood. Our modern life is based on a condition of wage-labour, as opposed to the ancient condition of slavery. Our modern system of private property in land dates from the fall of the feudal system. Socialism claims to be more just, and more in harmony with man's interests, than the present system of law. The theory of Socialism is that the present competitive system with wage-labour must pass away, and give way to a co-operative system of industry. The co-operative societies of England and Germany were shown to be most successful. Le Clair's French house had allowed its employees to participate in the profits, and its business had increased enormously in consequence. One of the objections raised against Socialism was that it. was opposed to Christianity. But if Socialism was taught anywhere, it was taught, in the New Testament. Socialism was not an equal division of property, but an economic change. Neither was it possible to make men etiual, for nature herself prevented this. There was no doubt but that the capitalist overshadowed at present both the labour ani the land-owner. The condition of the English labourer was lamentable, but now was receiving some attention. The present system had perverted our judgment, and we thought of nothing but getting on, and were not always particular as to how we should get on. Socialism in its truest sense means society based on useful work and co-operative industry, and a more equitable system of political economy conducted on democratic principles, and unselfishness and Christian morality in the daily business of life.

We understand that the Government contemplate closing all the telegraph stations throughout the colony at eight "o'clock on Saturday evenings, the new rule coming into force on Saturday week. The change is made as a matter of retrenchment rather than to give the officers of the department as much of Saturday night for their recreation as the exigencies of the public service will allow. The only possible retrenchment by the change will be in the matter of a reduction in gas and fuel.

The difficulty between the Bootmakers Operatives' Union and Cullen has, it is stated, been settled. So far as we can learn the Union has foregone its demand upon him for the £5 fine by letting the matter drop. The result is that work is going on as usual at Messrs. Me Arthur and Co.'s Boot Factory. It is to be hoped that this will be the last of these petty trade squabbles, and that masters and men will alike co-operate to extend the trade of the city in this branch of industry.

A man named Charles Edward Renner, a butcher in the Newton Road, has been missing since Tuesday morning last. On that day Mrs. Renner reported to Constable Bernard, at the Newton Police Station, that her husband left his shop in the morning, with the intention of going to the Freezing Company's works to purchase some meat for his shop, and she had never since seen or heard of him. She stated that lie had been suffering from depression of mind, and she was afraid as to his safety. Constable Bernard subsequently ascertained from Mr. Alfred Wilson, a baker, residing in Sussex-street, that he had found a letter from Renner under his (Wilson's) employer's door, and Wilson expressed his belief that Renner had gone to Te Kopuru, where he had some friends. Inspector Broham subsequently telegraphed to Te Kopuru to ascertain the whereabouts of Renner, but a reply has been received statin? that nothing was known of him at Te Kopuru, and that lie had not been seen in the locality. Mrs. Renner has gone to reside with her sister, pending further developments, or information as to the missing man.

The fortnightly meeting of the Star of Auckland Lodge, No. 20, 1.0.0. F., was held on Thursday evening, when a good number of members were present. An interesting discussion took place upon several subjects which are to be ventilated at the forthcoming Grand Lodge session. After which the valuation report was read to the members, and was considers' y ri . io we gather the following tacts : —During the quinquennium, ending 31st December, 1887, the number of members sick was 53 ; members who died, 1 ; members' wives, 2. Total sickness experienced: First six months, 240 weeks four days ; second six months, 20 weeks four days ; after 12 months, (iO weeks four flays : making 326 weeks four days. The average sickness per member per annum was equal to five days ; sick members, six weeks, one day ; mortality, members, per 1000, 2.19 ; mortality, members' wives, per 1000, 4.3!). Rates of interest credited to benefit funds during the quinquennium was as follows :—ISB3, nil; 1884, 4.26 ; 1885, 2.16; 1886,4.59; 1887,8.39: average for five years, 3.BB—equal to £3 17s 7d per cent. Balance-sheet Dr. : Present value of benefits assured, £2343 15s 5d ; balance surplus, £231 14s Id : total, £2575 9s fid. Cr. : Values of future contributions, £1939 16s 4d ; cash to credit of benefit funds, £635 13s 2d : total, £2575 9s fid. It is gratifying to see that this lodge has attained such a good position, and we wish it the success it deserves.

A company has been formed in England to issue farthing post cards, or rather, to sell the halfpenny post cards for one farthing. This is done by devoting the margins of the cards to advertisements, and 15 percent, dividends are expected. In order to retail the cards at a farthing, the company will have to bear a loss of £1 2s 4d per thousand in addition to the cost of the cards and printing the advertisements, which may amount to something like 4s per thousand. This is the amount which the advertisements must produce, with profits in addition. The company has entered into an agreement with advertising contractors for letting all the advertising spaces on the cards, they agreeing to take a minimum number of 100,000 cards a week for three years. This seems a large number, but the sale of post cards in the United Kingdom reached last year a total of 180,000,000.

A large picture of the Champagne Geyser, Wairakei, by Mr. M. A. Aldis, intended for the Waipawa Exhibition, will be on view for a day or two at Coombes' Arcade, and will no doubt receive a good deal of inspection from lovers of art. The subject has been painted by other local artists, who will be anxious to see the style of treatment adopted by an artist who is one of the latest accessions to our art circle.

The Medical Health Officer of the city, Dr. Stonkwell, still remains, we regret to •say, in a very weak state of health. Yesterday he appeared to be a little better. Dr. Muckellar has been attending upon him.

Some time ago the Board of Education suggested to the Hon. the Minister of Education the desirability of increasing the benefits of the scholarship system to a larger number of scholars, by adding about a third more scholarships to the existing number, by reducing the amounts for senior and junior scholarships, and modifying the terms upon which they are held. The Minister of Education has agreed to this reform, which will thus give the large number of candidates competing this year a better chance of getting a scholarship.

During his recent visit to the King Country, the District Engineer, Mr. Hales, found the various railway works progressing in a most satisfactory manner. The new Waiteti viaduct, one of the heaviest works on the line, is about completed. It is all in position, and there is little to do save to place the rails over it. The piercing of the Porotorau tunnel has proved a great success, the two drives junctioning capitally, there not being a deviation of half an inch, and the bricking of the arch is going on rapidly. Latterly a better seam of. clay has been discovered, the result being a superior class of bricks to those formerly made. Two steam brickmaking machines are on the ground, turning out a large quantity of bricks, and as the fine weather will shortly set in there is not likely to be any difficulty in keeping the men bricking the tunnel constantly supplied with bricks.

While complaints are made as to the cost of our primary system of education, it is only fair to recognise the efforts which are being made by the Auckland Board of Education to prune out the excrescences which have grown upon thosystem in this provincial district, and their action might very well be imitated by Southern Education Boards. On the Ist of April last there were about 70 surplus teachers on the roll in excess of the scale requirementsnow there are about six. The rest have been dispensed with as opportunity offered, without sacrificing efficiency, the result being a saving at the rate of £3000 a-year. Thoso who have gone have been those who could be best spared. One member of the Board put the situation very concisely when ho said that in making many of these appointments the Board had been acting in the capacity of a Charitable Aid Board, and the matter was practically j one of relief.

The discharged stonebreakers will resume work this morning at Elle; - slie, so as to complete the order of 1200 yards of road metal for the One-tree Hill Highway Board. Mr. Hales, the District Engineer, has no instructions further than that; on the contrary, he is desired to bring the unemployed relief work to an end as soon as possible. It is explained as to the difference in the amounts of relief expenditure, North and South, that the unemployed in Canterbury and Otago have no gumtields a-s a "poor man's diggings" to resort to. Besides, instead of running a race with other communities as to winch could show the biggest array of unemployed, and the largest amount of relief expenditure, it should be the aim of each district to show how few men required work or aid, if new settlers are to be attracted to the country.

Some time ago the committee of the Coromandel Institute, in order to augment their funds, arranged to hold a concert and dance on November 9th, and a conversazione and exhibition of works of art and curios on the following evening. The first part of the performance was a most pronounced success, but the Saturday evening was so exceedingly wet that the conversazione was postponed to the following Saturday, and then, contrary to the usual run of postponed meetings, it was a still greater success. The schoolroom was crowded the whole evening, and although the exhibition was not very large, some very valuable articles were shown in the shape of paintings, specimens, old books, an Auckland paper of 1842, the account sale of the first gold got in Coromandel, 1852, by Mr. Cad man, and many curious things. Mr. Rhodes, the hon. secretary, deserves great praise for his exertions, for it was mainly by his energy and perseverance that the affair was so successful. The committee will net some £10 or £12 by the affair, which, I understand, is to be devoted to the purchase of new books.—[Own Correspondent.]

A well-known resident, Mr. Frank Perrott, check-taker at the Opera House, died somewhat suddenly yesterday afternoon. The following are the particulars so far as we have been able to gather them :—Deceased was at the Opera House the previous evening attending to his duties, and reached home about midnight in his usual health, and went to bed. About three o'clock in the morning his daughter heard him moaning, and on going into his bedroom to ascertain the cause, found that blood was issuing from his mouth. At his request she called in a neigh' our, Mrs. Ellsworth, and some brandy was administered to him, and hot bottles put to his feet, as he complained of cold. He would not allow a medical man to be sept for at that hour, but early in the forenoon he consented to Dr. Lewis being called. . Unfortunately the doctor was not in, and word was left for him. At this time deceased seemed to feci a little better, but later on, after two o'clock p.m., he got worse, took a fit of coughing, spitting more blood, and shortly after, exclaiming, " I'm dying," he expired. He had been in indifferent health for some months, and consulted various doctors. His latest medical attendant had been Dr. Bakewell, who expresses the opinion that death arose from aneurism of the heart. It is believed that there will be no inquest. Deceased has a son resident in Tahiti. He was a native of Brittany, France. Mr. Perrot, it is believed, died in comfortable circumstances, as he was a careful, industrious man, and a shrewd speculator in mining shares.

A youth at Timaru was charged with larceny of a hand-big containing gold spectacles, which he found on the road. He tried to sell the spectacles to a pawnbroker a few days afterwards, but the dealer had been warned by the police, and retained the articles, whereupon the youth fetched and gave him the hag also. Mr. Hay defended, at" - "i>i-i"oii an acquittal on <.i.„ law tnat subsequent information of an intention to misappropriate property found is not larceny.

A lecture was given last evening by Mr. W. C. W. McDowell, 8.A., in the Mount Eden Congregational Church ; subject, "A Tour in the Holy Land." There was a good attendance notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather. The lecturer gave a graphic and entertaining account of the various places of interest visited during his tour in Palestine, and especially of Jerusalem and the Holy Places. The lecture was given on behalf of the ceiling fund of the church. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer.

Gas and coke consumers are notified that Monday next is the last day upon which full discount can be allowed on their accounts.

The All-Star Minstrels gave another excellent performance last night at the Opera House to a fair audience, and met with as hearty a reception as ever. They will perform to-night, and to-morrow p.vening will give their last entertainment of the season, when /i grand farewell programme of entirely new items will be presented. This opportunity should be taken advantage of, as the low figures for admission, 2s, Is, and fid, place the show within the means of all. Yesterday afternoon the minstrels drove out in brakes to the Asylum at Avondale and gave a two hours' performance there. The patients were delighted, and Sylvo, " the innovator," was recalled so frequently that he quite exhausted his repertoire of tricks. Dr. Crcmonini showed the minstrels through the establishment, and they expressed themselves pleased with the care and order everywhere apparent. Every credit is due to the company for their generous performance, and the good example set by them may lead to further entertainments being given to the patients by visiting troupes.

The athletic sports of the Domain Grammar School take place to-day, commencing a l } eleven o'clock, in the Domain Cricket Ground. The programme comprises 21 races — flat, hurdle, sack, and Siamese races, jumping, tiig-of war, etc. The school cup is to be run in three heats, 100 and 200 yards, and a quarter of a mile. There are two races for "old boys," 150 yards flat race and 120 yards hurdles. The entries are well filled for all the events, and if the weather takes up a good day's amusement for the pupils is anticipated.

Messrs. G. W. Einney and Sons announce that their tirst wool sale for the season will be held at the Corn Exchange, Fort-street, on Wednesday next, at halt-past two p.m.