Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9255, 8 January 1889, Page 5

Wβ publish a large number of cablegrams this morning. The most important news contained in them is, perhaps, that Emin Bey is a prisoner of the Mahdi. The news was brought by a deserter from Khartoum, who states that the Austrian Eavant wa3 being treated kindly by his captors. With regard to the Morier affair referred to in yesterday's cablegrams, the British Ambassador has been able to entirely disprove the accusations brought against him by Prince Bismarck's " reptile Press." The leading Liberal journals in Germany denounce the Chancellor's efforts to bring into disrepute those who were intimate with the late Emperor. We are obliged to hold over till to-morrow a letter from " V." on the "Rescue Work and Women's Home." By the ship Waitangi, there arrived yesterday from London a new 15-ton gun, with 6hields, fittings and mountings complete, for the defence works at the ]Nforfch Shore. Ifc will be landed from the ship this week, and erected in position in due time. Referring to the London telegram which appeared in our yesteiday's issue, relative to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's annual balance-sheet, we are informed by the Inspector of the company that cable intelligence has been received from the London office to the effect that the annual report and balance-sheet has been issued to shareholders. The net profit for the year, including balance brought forward, is £52,153. The directors recommend payment of the usual divideud of ten per cent, and bonus of five pei: cent, oa old and new capital, leaving £12,340, to be carried forward. The meeting of shareholders is to be held in London on the Ist. February. The Attorney • General, Sir Frederick Whitaker, was a passenger by the s.s. Gairloch yesterday for Waitara. It is understood that a full meeting of the Cabinet is desired before the Premier (Sir Harry Atkinson) leaves Wellington for Auckland. There are several important questions to be discussed, among them the vacant Judgeship, the appointment of the Railway Commissioners, etc. We learn from Wellington that considerable division of opinion has latterly crept into the Cabinet in respect to the appointment of the Railway Board, and that Ministers are not half so enamoured of the scheme as they were. The Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, by advertisement elsewhere, invites the attendance of members at a meeting to be held at the Chamber to-morrow (Wednesday) at two o'clock, when Mr. Twopeny •will attend and explain his views relative to the Exhibition to be held in Dunedin in 18S9-1890. At a meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday evening, a peculiar case was brought under notice by Mr. Mays, who said he had been informed that a girl named Bertha Hindley was in the Avondale Asylum. About a week ago she was in service, and within the week had been found in the Domain, senb to the Refuge, then to the Hospital, and on to the Asylum. Such a case as this should, he thought, be reported upon, as ib was desirable to know how the girl got into Buch a condition so suddenly. Mr. Bell Baid that he had heard that the girl had been drugged in the Domain. Mr. Atkin Baid that when the girl was found wandering in the Domain she was discovered putting her hands into the mouths of horses, and in other weya acting strangely. When she left service she was wearing a pair of new boots, but when found in the Domain her feet were wrapped in cloth torn from her dress, and the boots had disappeared. Her mother, who was a respectable woman, stated that tho girl was at times uncontrollable. The secretary telephoned to the Hospital, and was informed that the girl had been committed to the Asylum on the testimony of Drs. Beale and Davey, and Dr. Giles had also seen her. Ifc was agreed "Thafc Mr. Strabhern reportupon the case." The January civil sittings of the Supreme Court were opened yesterday. There were lour cases on the list, three of which were until the March sittings, and as there were no jury cases, the jurors sumwere discharged from further attendance. The on iy remaining case was that of ar l and others v. Heta te Haara, an action tor specific performrr.ee of an agreement to \>~ase certain lands in the Ohaeawai district, ■oay of Islands. This was the land on which cinnabar has been discovered, and which has been sold to a Sydney company. « appears that in 1886 Messrs. Earl, Bull, &"d Hean leased 621 acres of land from iieta te Haara at a nominal rental of £1 a year. This lease contained a clause emPowering the lessees to obtain a renewal of taeir lease for a term of 21 years on a rental to be agreed upon, the maximum to be ±■100 a-year. They applied for this renewed lease, but Heta declined to execute it, alleging that the term was too long, that he desired to sell, not lease. He *u≤o alleged that the clause relative to renewal of the lease had nob been explained to him, and he did nob know that it existed 111 the lease. As there appeared to be a good deal of confusion relative to the manner in which the deeds had been interpreted, Mr. Theo. Cooper, who appeared tor plaintiffs, applied for and obtained an adjournment until March, in order that he Might obtuin the evidence of the solicitor who prepared the deeds. :

We have to acknowledge receipt of a pamphlet, published in Wellington, in which is elaborated the " Proposals of Mr. S. D. Taiwhanga, M.H.R., for the Colonisation and Settlement of Maori Lands." His scheme is elaborated in some twenty-three sections. In his preface he says :—" The chief objects I have in view are : (1) To secure to the Maoris the management and market value of their own estate; (2) to divide the estate equitably amongst them, and to protect their estate from waste ; (3) to assimilate the land, mining, and other laws of the colony to Maori lands; (4) to give facilities for the construction of public works and the settlement of people upon the lands ; (5) to abolish tho Native Land Court and Native Department, and thus save the large and wasteful expenditure that has been going on for years past; (6) that the whole colony may derive great benefit by tho throwing open for settlement, upon the same terms as Crown lands, fourteen million acres, containing some of the best lands in New Zealand." We have received from Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane, agents for the Canton Insurance office, a copy of the report for presentation to the shareholders at the seventh ordinary general meeting. Ib states that the profit on the working account of ISS7 is 296,677 dollars, oub of which tho sum of 202,677 dollars has already boon paid for dividend of 10 per cont. to shareholders, and bonus of 20 per cent, to contributors of premia. The balance of 94,000 dollars, it has been decided, subject to the approval of shareholders, to dispose of by adding to the reserve fund the sum of 74,000 dollars, thereby increasing ifc to 304,000, and paying a further dividend to shareholders of 2 dollars per share, making tho total interest for the year 7 dollars per share, equivalent to 14 per cent, on the paid-up capital. The quarterly communication of the Provincial Grand Lodge, 1.C., was held in the Masonic Hall last evening. The Ara Lodge was first opened by Brother Evans, P.M., after which the Provincial Grand Master, Brother G. P. Pierce, and the officers of bhe Grand Lodge were received, and the Grand Lodge was constituted. The business was of a purely routine character. The railway authorities are doing a good work at Newmarket, namely, by widening the bridge across the railway line at Newmarket, and thus making provisions for foot passengers to cross out of the line of wheel traffic. Hitherto the bridge has been a source of great anxiety to all pedestrians, and it only remains for the local authorities to extend the footpath a few chains from the bridge to Newmarket in order to ensure complete safety for foot passengers on this important line of traffic. A private letter from an English football player states: — "This Maori football team over here seem to excite a good deal of interest, and certainly they play a very fair game ; and although they cannot beat our best clubs, they are by no means to be sneezed at. Their three-quarter back, Madigan, is superb, and if the halves would only feed him more, he would bo a dangerous man." For a well-written account of tho hostilities at Samoa, included in the news in yesterday's paper, we are indebted to Mr. R. J. Creighton, who obtained his information from Samoan journals and from those who came on board the mail steamer at Tufcuila. The holiday number of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (a copy of which has been sent b3 r Messrs. Champtaloup and Cooper) is up to the high mark which might naturally be expected from a journal which has for so long occupied a high place for its illustrations and letter press. The Christmas pictures are appropriate and are beautifully executed. The Equitable Life Assurance Society of United States has telegraphed to Mr. W. A. Thomson, manager, Auckland, that the year ISSS results of new life assurance business is £31,250,000. The annual income of the Equitable, United States, is now £5,400,000 sterling. The cost of obtaining new business is £2-48 for every £100, being les3 than half the average cost of that of seventeen Life Offices operating in Australasia. The united Communion seVvice was held last night in the Y. M.C.A. Rooms, and was attended by a representative audience. The Rev. R. Bavin presided. An earnest lddress was given by the Rev. E. Best, ifter which the Communion was partaken )f. The Revs. W. Gittos, J. S. Hill, W. Salter, B. L. Thomas, and T. Earner, took Dart in the devotional exercises, along with Messrs. McDowell and R, B. Shalders. Fhi3 evening the Conference will be held. Fhe Rev. R. F. Macnicol will preside, and iddresses will be delivered by Rev. Thomas Spurgeon and R. Scott West. The subject 3 " The Fullness of Blessing." Friends ire cordially invited. Tho meeting commences at half-past seven. In the Queen's Bench division, recently, the case of " Venables and others v. Fitb and others " came before Mr. Justice Denman and a special jury. It was an action for libel brought by a firm of land agents and surveyors, carrying on business in Chancery-lane, against the proprietors and publishers of the North Middlesex Chronicle. The defendants pleaded that the alleged libel was a report of certain proceedings at a public meebing, and therefore privileged. Ib was stated that obher papere which had published a similar report had inserted apologies, bub the. defendants refused to do so, simply stating that their columns were open to any explanabion or contradiction that might be offered. Evidence was given for the defence to prove the accuracy of the report of the speeches, and that the meeting was open to the public. The result was a verdicb and judgment for the defendants. An entertainment was held at the Temperance Hall yesberday evening, bendered by the members of the Good Templar lodges in Auckland as a reception to tneir comrades of the order on board the war ships now in port. Ths seamen were met at the Queen-street Wharf by a large number of the members, and accompanied to the hall in Albert-street, where about3oopersons partook of tea, the following assisting at the tables :—Sisters Lightfoob (3), Hill (2), Havard, Robinson, Dickenson, Mills, Hayward, Cox, Leßoy, Welsh, Murray, Cann, Williams, Reed, Brown, McGreevy, Brothers Hampton, Haywood, Hill, Mclnfcyre, McCaughy, McDermobb, Whitten, Edwards, and Allen. The following naval lodges were represented: — "Orlando," H.M.s Orlando; "Sea Nymph," H.M.s. Rapid; "Light of bhe Ocean," H.M.s. Opal; " Pennab," H.M.s. Lizard; and "Union Jack No. 399," H.M.s. Calliope. An excellenb programme of songs, recitations, etc., was contributed by the following : —Misses McGreevy, S. Marsden, A. Parkinson, Messrs. Snellin, Tinney, Haly, Griffin, Irwin, W. andC. Marsden, Havard, Webber, Leach, Cox, and Master McDermott. Brother Haly (H.M.s. Orlando) thanked the members of the shore lodges for the reception which had been accorded them. Brother Leßoy, who presided, returned thanks. An address was delivered by Sir W. Fox. A number of photographs were conspicuously displayed, and one of these was a shield of the members of the first Good Templar lodge in bhe English navy—bhab on board H.M.s. Brisk, and which, ifc is worthy of note, was established in Auckland in 1868. Tho following intimations are from Lloyd's Weekly of November 25 and December 2: —Thomas East and his family left Blackwall for New Zealand in 1864. When lasb heard of he was ab Papanui, Canterbury. His brobher William writes. Alfred Packman wenb to New Zealand 13 years ago, and last wrote a year later. His sister inquires. Samuel Smith left England in 1874. In 1875, he was ab Obago, New Zealand. His sister Frances wribes. Annie Maria Taylor went to Auckland in 1883; in 1886 she was 90 miles further up country. Her parents seek news. Thomas Colyer is inquired for by his father, who has not heard of him since he left Kent 20 years ago for New Zealand. Mary Ann Dubson (Mrs. Moss) lefb Birmingham in 1876 for New Zealand. When lasb heard from she was at Chrisbchurch. Her brobher inquires. Alfred Packman, formerly employed in Sb. Paul's churchyard, and a residenb in Camberwell, went to New Zealand 13 years ago. His lasb known address was " Post-office, Dunedin." His brobher seeks him. Charles J. Warren left London for New Zealand in 1874. Since December, 1886, he has nob been heard of. His sister Charlotte inquires. Daniel William Wright, who lefb London in 1861 to go to New Zealand, and wrobe from Oberon, near Babhursfc, a year later, is sought by his widowed mother. The only occupants of the lock-up last evening were a man for drunkenness, and Horace Louis Wood, remanded to Waitoa on charges of larceny.

A crowded attendance congregated at) Messrs.-Arthur and Buddie's auction mart yesterday on the occasion of their offering for sale tho well-known Bartley property at Northcote. The bidding was, however, but moderately brisk, and only half the lots offered were sold, though a number of those passed are under offer and will likely be disposed of by private treaty. .Among the lots which are still in the market is the fine residence with 8 acres of land, and a block of 7f acres fenced and planted with fruit ! and shelter trees. The lots sold were as follows : — Lots 72 to 82, fronting Beach Road, Stafford Road and Derby Lane, £400, Geo. Goldie; lots 61, 62, 63, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, £293, W. S. Wilson; lots 87, S6, 88, £35 each, A. Green ; lot 85, £34, Wm. Eady; lot 108, £30, W. J. Dowden ; lot 9, £45 ; lot 45, £35, J. W. Wiseman; lots 41 and 40, £67 10s, J. R. Hanna; lot 8, £46, Chas. Smith ; lot 47, £35, Thomas Boyd ; lot 46, £35, D. McPherson ; lot 109, £25, G. Testa. On Monday, the last night of the old year, a very pleasant evening was spent by the members of the Mount Albert Mutual Improvement Society at Ferndale, tho residence of Mr. J. T. Garlick. The gathering, which took the form of a surprise party, was made the occasion of a presentation to Mr. Garlick of a handsomely framed photographic group of the members of tho society. The secretary, Mr. Wake-ford-Cox, read the address presenting the shield, and Mr. Spragg, tho vice-president, iii a few well-chosen words, handed it to Mr. Garlick, Messrs. Allen, Caughev, and various others also saying a few words expressive of good feelings and wishes towards Mr. and Mrs. Garlick and family for their uniform kindness and hospitality to the class members. Mr. J. T. Garlick very suitably responded, and thanked those there for their very acceptable presentation on behalf of himself, wife, and family. The rest of the evening was spent in games, and was passed very pleasantly till twelve o'clock, when " Auld Lang Syne" was sung with preat zest, and hearty New Year congratulations were exchanged. A ringing three cheers for tho president and family brought this most enjoyable evening to a close. "E.E.8." writes :—"With regard to ' E.F.G.'s' letter, I have only to say that for an individual who knows so little about the ' so-called' Liberals in Mexico as to imagine they are all atheists, and has the impertinence to seek to gauge my religious opinions from an impartial article dealing with the various parties in tho Mexican capital, any attempt at explanation would be only a pure waste of labour." There will be a cricket match to-day on the Domain cricket ground between a team from H.M.s. Orlando and a team picked from the remainder of the vessels of the fleet. Admiral Fairfax will bo present during a portion of the day. The proprietor of the Bay of Plenty Times (writes our Tauranga correspondent) announces in to-night's issue that in future the paper will be issued as a bi-wookly, on Mondays and Thursdays,- instead of as a tri-wee'kly as heretofore. The alteration is anything but satisfactory to the general public, but the increased interest lately token in the district by tho Herald and Weekly News will more than fill the void left by the local paper. The man charged with rape on a Maori woman at Mercury Bay, Christopher Martin, was brought before the Court there on the 30th ult., and the charge dismissed. The magistrate did not regard the evidence as sufficiently strong for committal. There is a fair tourist traffic to the Lake country at present. A number of the tourists go to the Hot Lakes via the Thames River and Te Aroha, catching the train at Morrinsville. Our Pukekohe East correspondent writes to the effect that a string reaper and binder has been introduced into the district, and that another is to follow. The first is an improved Buckeye, from Morrin and Co. 's, one of a recent shipment from America. Mr. Sharp, the owner, was clever enough to put the machine together, and to commence work, the first crop operated upon being a heavy crop of oats belonging to Mr. Morgan, some of it six feet high. Notwithstanding that such a crop is the very worst for a reaper and binder to tackle, after some rounds and a trifling adjustment here and there, the machine aid excellent work, the sheaves being a nice handy size, the binding well done, with scarcely a straw left on the ground. 2*i"o doubt amongst wheat crops, which are numerous in the district, this new Buckeye will be a success. As one watches these machines, noticing the ease and rapidity with which they cut the stuff, gather and adjust the straw, securely tie the sheaves, and pitch them to one side, the thought flashes through tho mind, what an immense improvement upon the oldfashioned way of cutting with a hook or scythe ' The successful tenderers for the erection of the proposed new building at the Sugar Company's works, Chelsea, are Messrs. Hirst and Moody. The annual examinations of school teachers under the Board of Education commenced yesterday, at tho Wellesleystreet East public school, and will, in all probability, last the week. There are a large number of candidates. A fire occurred at the store of Mr. W. P. Knott, Wairoa South, on Sunday, which ended in the destruction of the building. The fire was first discovered by some people returning homewards from a dance, and they gave the alarm, but too late to save the premises. Mr. Kingsford, of Devonport, owned the property. Our Hamilton correspondent telegraphed yesterday :—Mr. Howard Jackson leaves to-morrow for the South, having been appointed inspector of the Blue Spur Gold Mining Company, of which Sir Robert Stout is managing director. Our Ngaruawahia correspondent telegraphed yesterday :An inquest was held on Saturday, before Coroner Searancko, on the body of Mrs. Leigh, the wife of a shoemaker, of this place. Mrs. Leigh was confined early on Friday morning, and died suddenly about noon. No doctor having attended her an inquest was held, when it was shown that deceased died from disease of the heart, and a verdict in accordance with this fact was returned. Occasionrlly complaints aro heard from the Waikato district on account of the manner in which the Rabbit Act is being enforced in that district. It is shrewdly suspected that not a few of these complaints have-their origin in a desire of making the rabbit a perpetual source of gain to many, by allowing them to breed undisturbed in the summer season, and during tho winter find a source of sport combined with profit in hunting for and killing them. Be this as it may, the Government aro doing what they can in all parts of the colony to reduce the number of rabbits within manageable limits, and in the King Country the aid of tho Maoris have been enlisted on the side of the exterminaton of the rabbit by the payment of a fee of 3d per skin. For this fee the Maori takes his own methods of destroying tho rabbits. They may hunt them by day, shoot, snare, or otherwise destroy them, so long as the skin is delivered up to the Government officers appointed for the purSose. We have been informed by Mr. ailley, the inspector of sheep in tho Auckland district, that the Maoris find the ready money for the skins a very effectual spur to exertion. Since the 14th of November to the 15th of the present month Mr. Bailley is aware of 22,312 rabbit skins being delivered by Maoris in the Upper Waikato and King Country districts. At this rate, it may be found that tho Maoris are the most effective rab biters in the colony, and it is well that they are taking an interest in the destruction of this harmful beast so long as the Government continue to pay for the skins of slaughtered rabbits. It is worthy of consideration on the part of the Maoris whether it would not be advisable to learn whether similar terms would be given to them if a party of Waikato natives were to go the Crown lands on the South Island for the summer months. Such energy displayed there as is now being put forth in Waikato would soon reduce tne numbers of the rabbits, and provide a comfortable dower for the return of the Maoris to the more genial climate of their own district during the winter season. The Jungfrau Kapelle submitted another new programme at the Opera House yesterday evening. The entertainment was attended with the usual success, and many of the items were encored, Madame Seebold, who appeared in a song by Arditi, was twice recalled. To-morrow is the last night of this famous company's per- , formances.