Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9325, 30 March 1889, Page 4

According to our cable messages «,■ morning the relations between Xj and Germany are assuming a mere cfrTp 1 character, a circumstance apparent j to the efforts of Sir E. MalKdVlL 9 Salisbury. The only causes iff have interrupted the friendly between the two countries have h 3 purely personal, and those who in! to acquaint themselves with tho 7 nature of these have only to read fk® remarkable article which appeared ; 7* e Contemporary Review on the Pile" , Dynasty, on article which in t literary excellence and direcfi ° 0 • appeal eclipses anything which J Qni ° ever wrote Lord Salisbury has de livered in the House of Lords a £ and generous eulogium on the late John Bright, whom he ranked as the ereataS •orator, and the most perfect roaster of the English language, of the present centum a verdict which we ogives pronounced h chronicling his deatn. Ho also referred £ his disinterested motives and intercity of conduct in his political career. The can tain and officers of the Sultan, which was recently lost, are to he tried by coonmartial. rs "

The Minister oi Defence (tie Hon T Fergus) spent yesterday forenoon in' in ! specting the fortifications and battens J i ort Cautley, North Head, and at Tiki puna. Accompanying the Minister were Major Jackson, Messrs. R. Thompson p' Monk, and F. Lawry, M.H.R.'a, Colonels Hume and Shepherd, Major Harris, Can tains Morrison (A.C.) and Coleman 'To?.' pedo Corps), S. T. George ("0" Battery) Kohn (City Guards), and Crawford (South Wairoa Rifles), Lieutenant - Commander Parker (Auckland Naval Artillery), and others. The principal object of the' visit was to teat the concrete works at the North Head fortifications, and in order to accomplish this object the heavy 8 - inch gun was loaded first with a reduced charge, and a target situated 4500 yards away in the R-angitoto Channel. The firing operations were conducted by Captain Morrison, and the result was watched with great interest by the company. The first shot went a little wide, owing to the allowance for windage not being sufficient; but the second shot, with a service charge, went close to the mark, and appeared to ricochet directly over it. The masonry stood the test admirably, although the concussion was sufficiently strong to tarn over an old iron tank standing near, and to warp and twist it. Mr. Fergus expressed himself as being perfectly satisfied with the test, as well as the manner in which the gun had been handled by the officers in charge. At Takapuna battery three shots were fired from a Nordenfeldt, and the results were equally satisfactory, the shots striking around the target, and even a launch would not have escaped. Subsequently an excellent luncheon was provided for the party by Mr. Pearce, of the Masonic Hotel, and they returned to town by the Government steam launch about three o'clock.

Yesterday forenoon the Minister for Public Works and Mr. C. Atkin chairman of the Charitable Aid Board) visited tin Hospital reserve, with a view of arranging about a re-adjustment of boundaries between the Domain authorities and the Board. It seems the Hospital is built on the very edge of the reserve, and there is not room for a passage. The stable is found to be on Domain ground, also ivhat is known as the Smallpox Hospital, &nd the retaining wall. What is wanted i 3 to get sufficient ground from the Domain reserve to get a passage round the Hospital, some six feet beyond the retaining wall is also wanted, so as to enable the Board tc repair it at any time without being liable to be harassed by c.,ny litigious person or body, and to secure a legal title to the buildings erected on the Domain ground. It will be necessary to get a Bill introduced to legalise these arrangements, with plan of land affected, but a draft Bill will first have to be submitted to the City Council, as successor to the Domain Board for thoir approval. Mr. Mitchelson admitted, after inspecting the re/serve, that there was a public necessity for adopting the remedial measures suggested.

Yesterday was the last day of the native meeting at Orafcei. Many visitors went down from Auckland, amongst them being Admiral Fairfax. The Maoris had the meeting all their own way, none of the Ministers having attended.

A number of leases of town and rural lands in the Rotoraa district were offered for sale yesterday at the Crown Lands office, under the provisions of the Thermal Springs Act, 1881, the conditions being lease for a term of 99 years, rents to be payable half-yearly in advance. There were few buyers, and the only lota disposed of were the followingSection 2, block XXL, town of Rotorua, 2r 20p, bought at the upset rental of £5 by the Rev. S. Williams; section 4, same block, 2r 20p, bought by the Rev. S. Williams at the upset rental, £5. Suburban sections: Section 38, 10 acres, bought by John Lewis Reid at the upset rental of £5; section 6, 5 acres, bought by the Rev. S. William:) at the upset rental of .£5 ; sections 24 and 26, each 40 acres, were bought by Mr. J. H. Taylor at the npsob rental of £7 103 each.

The Inspector of Prisons, Colonel Hume, is at present in town, on a tour of inspection of the Mount Eden Gaol. He is well satisfied -with the progress of the work on the new gaol. He has been on a visit of inspection to the Thames, and in his capacity as Inspector of Volunteers, inspected the volunteer corps.

A deputation of the Gospel Temperance Mission, consisting of the President ana secretary, Messrs. J. F. Garlick and >>■ R. Cook, waited upon the Chief Paul, oi Orakei, yesterday, and arranged for a Temperance meeting to-morrow afternoon at the native settlement at three o'clock. Paul has kindlv arranged to find an interpreter. A number of other temperance workers will accompany the gentlemen who are selected to give the addresses.

A fire was discovered at about half-past four o'clock on Thursday ? morning in an unoccupied shop and bakehouse, opposite the Windsor Castle Hotel, Manukau Road, Parnell. The premises are owned by Mrs, Vaughan, and as the fire had only a slight hold when dipcovered, it was easily kept in check by the bystanders until the Fire Brigade came on the scene. It was fortunate that it was discovered at such an early stage, or the consequences might have been serious, as the building is an old one, and is in a crowded block. The police have made inquiries, but have been unable to discover any cause as to the origin of the fire beyond the old one, that some vagrant might have got into the premises.

A match, ten men a-side, is to be fired to-day between the Ponsonby Navale and H.M.S. Opal, at the Mount Eden rifle range, and drags containing the teams will leave town at half- one o'clock. The ranges are 200, 300, and 500 yards, seven shots at each range, and after the first four shots at each range a change of weapons will take place. The match will probably prove a very interesting one.

As the newly-formed Newton Fire Brigade is now fully organised, the Newton Borough Council are looking for a reduction of rates of insurances. For the satisfaction of the Rating Committee of the Fire Insurance Association, a wet practice will be held by the brier .if at three o'clock this afternoon.

/Last evening the Hons. T. Fergus and Stevens, accompanied by Mr. R. Thompson, M.H.R. f° r Marsden, left in the. Wellington for Whangarei, to inspect the North Auckland trunk railway route. From Whangarei they will go across country and get into the Mangakahia Valley, up which " there is a Maori track to Lake Omapere. • The Mangakahia Valley offers an inviting: field for settlement. There is a length of r ally 100 miles of country, of not less than 15 miles in width, of as good land as one could wish to see. Not a soul is living on •'that tract of country, containing about a million acres, except the residents in a few decayed settlements. From there the party •will proceed along the proposed route of the !Nortn Auckland trunk line, of which a flying survey has been made to Lake Omapere. They will subsequently visit Kawakawa, and return to Whangarei via the Puhipuhi forest, which is to be inspected. At Whangarei conveyances will be provided to enable the Ministers to proceed again to the line at the point from which they originally started, when they ■will follow the line southward till reaching the terminus of the constructed line, viz., Kaukapakapa. The reason they are taking the northern section of the.line first is from fear of an unfavourable change of weather, and there are no roads or settlements withii a dozen miles or so of the route which

they have to follow to Lake Omapere. The southern end of the line is differently stuat-ed in that respect, and even if unfivourable weather should occur, there will b less difficulty in pursuing their tour of iispection.

The annual meeting of the Northern liver Steam Navigation Company was ield yesterday at the ollices of Messrs. A. Auckland and Sons, Hay market, Mr. A. •Auckland being in the chair. The balancesheet and directors' report were adopted, md Messrs. C. Clarke and H. F. Anderson vere re-elected directors. Messrs. «T. Waynouth and Son were re-elected auditors. The usual monthly meeting of the Howiclc .nd Pakuranga Band of Mope was held in Jr. Gilmour's Hall on March 20th. Mr. . rilmour presided. The meeting was opened nth singing and prayer, after which the ollowing programme was submitted to a arge and appreciative audience : — Piano luet, Misses L. and T. E. Roberts : recitaion, " Speak Gently," Edith Roberts : ong, " The Fisherman and His Child," Jiss Eva White ; address, " Origin of Sands of Hope," Mr. Gilmour ; recitation, 'The Kaiser's Question," Rosanna Forune ; piano solo. Miss Arnaboldi; dialogue, : The Fairy's Visit," Misses A. White, G. nd L. Roberts, and Messrs. G. Bell and F. lattaway ; recitation, " Harry's First Victry," Annsley Hickson ; recitation, "The tetotal Mill; " dialogue, " Miss Dibble's l>dgings," Misses F. Hattaway and G. bberts, and Messss. M. and J. Gilmour, 3 Slinn, and G. Bell ; recitation, " Baby's Socking," Jessie Roberts ; " Our Bellman's Mices," by Master Annsley Hickson, in caract-er, concluded the programme. The acting was then dismissed.

)n Thursday afternoon Admiral Fairfax ad Mrs. Fairfax paid a visit to the St. Slphen's Orphanage, and were accompaied by Mr. M. Rawlings, the Revs. R. B<tow3, G. H. S. Walpole, and C. M. Nson. The visitors expressed themselves giatly pleased with the arrangements of th Home, the beauty of the site and its siroundings, and above all, with the cherful, healthy, and neat appearance of th children. At the request of Admiral Fa-fax the children were allowed a halfhaday, as a memento of his visit. The Atniral and party then visited St.Stephen's Ktive School, where Mr. Davies, the teaher, was in attendance with his pupils. Acniral Fairfax took a keen interest in the scfcol. He heard the boys read, and looked c«r their maps, etc., and as a mark of his seisfaction he invited the school to visit BM.s. Orlando on Monday next, promising tht the ship's boats would be sent to conW >hen to and from the ship.

Th late secretary of the Auckland Dispensry, writing concerning that institution, enters a vigorous protest against the prop«al to close it. He says : —" I see by the roort of the meeting of the Charitable Aid loard that the dispensary is to be close I think this is a calamity to the sick ioor. I was secretary to the dispense for over twenty years, and a more usef' and less abused institution never exisid. The closing of the dispensary inus issue in a great increase of trouble andxpense to the Hospital, and a hardshijand cruel infliction to the diseased by bei? compelled to travel so far. Ido trust thiorder will be rescinded."

jiickland is less fortunate than Canterin not possessing an Agricultural ; but the masters of our local educa--tirfaT establishment are trying to make up tc their pupils for this deprivation by ring them all the information which can imparted, by visits to places where the -prk usually undertaken in agricultural Bhools can be witnessed in operation, about fifty boys, accompanied tr the master, Mr. Carson, obtained perlission to see the working of tHe New ZeaInd Dairy Association's Dairy, at the Rail'ay Wharf. The entertainment of such a umber of inquisitive young folk during the ime of business must have been something >i a task for Mr. Spragg and his assistants. Bowever, the mysteries of the busine-s rere duly exhibited. The boys were shownfee cream in the cooling-room, and then fllowed the process of manufacture through (.1 its stages, until they partook ol some of tic finished butter on some of Bycrofb and fo.'s biscuits, which had been provided for hem. The remarks of the lads evidenced ..heir interest in the 11 object lesson they were receiving, and their testimony to the excellence of the "product," the principle of which they had studied.

With reference 'to the late fire at the Wesleyan mission house, Raglan, it appears that the occupant, Mr. Sewell, saved most of his goods.

Yesterday forenoon the first meeting of the Waikomiti Licensing Committee was held in Mr. Seaman's office, Insurance Buildings, for the election of a chairman. There were present Messrs. Archibald, Atwood, and. Bishop. Mr. Archibald was elected.

The first meeting of the Licensing Committee of Takapuna was. heM yesterday forenoon in the office of Mr. Thomas Seaman. T'he business-.was for the election of a, chairman. There were present Messrs. George, Hodges, and Williams. Mr. Michael Shea, J.P., was elected.

We have received the last published number of " Cook's Excursionist," issued in London, which shows how potently that enterprising firm are advertising the colony. The introductory article states that "We have now entered on the forty-ninth year of our excursionist and tourist system," and then proceeds to lay out'the arrangements for the year. The provision that has been made to suit those who desire to travel in New Zealand is'fully stated- One article of considerable length is devoted entirely to New Zealand, and sets forth in excellent style the • rhany attractions of the colony. The following is.the concluding paragraph : — " In conclusion, We cannot say more than that for the traveller, the investor, the agriculturist, the health-seeker, and the lover of Nature or romance, there is no country that offers greater attractions than New Zealand, the home 'of the Maori, the sanatorium of Australasia, the Wonderland of the South Pacific."

A meeting of the Newmarket Bowling Club was hold yesterday, when the secretary read the . annual report, which was adopted.. . A resolution was passed thanking the secretary for past services, and hoping that, in the coming year he would do his best to- promote the interests of the Club.

The'following subscriptions on'behalf of William' SKelton, armourer's mate of H.M.s. Lizard, were received at the Herald office yesterday:—R. W. Brown, Greyhound Hotel, £5; L. D. Nathan and Co., £1 ls; R. .Whitson and Co., £1 ; George Fowlds, 103 , J. Giles, ss.

A meeting of*' the shareholders of. the North New Zealand' Woollen Company will be held in the Onehunga Public Hall on • Tuesday evening next at seven o'clock, the business baing to appoint a committee for the purpose of instituting a legal investigation into the affairs'of the company. As the late'Mr Christopher Greenway has died'.intestate letters of administration were yesterday • applied for' and granted to the - widow of deceased by Justice Gillies. An affidavit filed by the widow places the value • of the estate as under £63,000,. the direct heirs being. herself, Mi's. Colonel Dawson '. (daughter of deceased), and Mr. Greenway, Solicitor, of this city. •

The " X" Battery of Artillery held a very pleasing re-union last night, in the Imperial Hotel, as a recognition of the honour brought to the Auckland district and the company by Sergeant James Parslow winning the Champion Rifle Belt. There were over a couple of hundred volunteers present, and the chair was occupied by Capt. Geddes, of the "A" Battery, who was supported by Lieutenant-Colonel Payne and the champion. Among the guests present there were Captains Reid (Hamilton Light Infantry), Parker (Auckland Navals), Miller (Ponsonby Navals), Kohn (City Guards), Robertson (Newton Rifles), Cooper (Victorias), Leahy (Royal Irish). The patriotic toasts having been duly honoured, Capt. Geddes proposed the toast of the evening, " Our Champion," and referred in felicitous terms to the merits of Sergeant Parslow, as a marksman, a volunteer, and- a man, stating that he had since 1884 never been lower than fifth on the championship list, and had won the belt twice. The toast was received with enthusiasm, and repeated cheers were given for the "Prince of Shots." Sergeant I'trslow briefly acknowledged the honcAir. " The Auckland Representatives," "Absent Friends," and other toasts were duly proposed and responded to, and the remainder of the evening spent in melody and social enjoyment. Songs were contributed by Captains Robertson and Leahy, Sergeant Parslow, Volunteers Lilly, Prince, Churchill, Wallace, Messrs. Reid, Sinclair, Birdsall.and others, while the recitation of " Parslow's Triumphal Return," an original ode, by the author, Mr. J. O'Meagher, " brought down the house."

Tho other woman named Margaret Bedford, of Brewers' Lane, was brought tip on a charge of using obscene language at tho Police Court, and the case was remanded. Yesterday her daughter, a girl of some eight years of age, was taken into custody by the police as a neglected child, and steps will be taken to see the child suitably cared for.

'The conductor of tho City Gymnasium, Wellesley-street, Professor Moss, is in process of making arrangements for the use of his excellently-appointed establishment as a training school for the various recognised football and rowing clubs and volunteer corps.

The concert and dramatic performance in aid of William Skelton, the seaman who lost his leg through injuries at a recent fire in Auckland, is to take place to-night at the Choral Hall, under the patronage of Admiral and Mrs. Fairfax. Details of programme, etc., are given elsewhere. It is proposed to establish in Dunedin a monthly literary journal, to bo called " Zealandia," the contributors to which are to be exclusively residents in New Zealand.

At the Zealandia Rink last night»there was a large attendance to sea the ladies' and gentlemen's-race. Five couples entered. Mr. Pelham and Miss Linda Gibbons camera first, after a well-contosted race.

In our advertising columns will be found a notification in relation to the " electropathie establishment for the application of curative electricity," in the Y.M.C.A. Buildings, Albert-street. lt»is fitted up with powerful batteries, also various electrodes and other appliances for the scientific treatment of patients. It may perhaps inspire confidence in intending visitors to the establishment to know that Mr. W. Crusher, the proprietor, is the holder of a first-class L.S.A. certificate in electricity, and also in animal physiology in relation to health. Several doctors are already sending their patients in cases where electrical treatment is likely to prove ol service. ,

The rare opportunity of seeing a large number of natives collected together is afforded the public of Auckland by the large attendance of Maoris at the meeting at Orakei— the principal portion of whom are rangitiras, or chiefs, representing some of the most important tribes in the North Island. The Ferry Co. will run the steamers Victoria and Osprey to-morrow to Orakei.

The lectures of the University College commence next week, and the programme is in our advertising columns.

The prizes won on St. Patrick's Day by members of the H. A.C.B. Society will _be handed to the winners at a branch meeting on Wednesday next.

The practices for the annual gathering of the Band of Hope 'Union commence on Monday next at the Primitive Methodist schoolroom, Alexandra-street.

A combination of elegance, comfort, .-and cheapness will be found in our matchless wicker chairs. Inspection invited. Ladies' wicker skirt stands, 3s; basketware cheap; Awarded seven first prizes. T. Cole, No. 1, Wellesley-street East.

It is not often that Auckland tenders are accepted for Southern contracts, but Messrs. Sharland and Co., druggists, of this city, have obtained the contract for the supply of drugs, &c.. to the Wellington Hospital. This firm also hold the Auckland Hospital contract.