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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9369, 20 May 1889, Page 4

Another conspiracy against the life of the Czar has been discovered in Russia j/ appears to be of a widespread character u be confined, to a large extent, to the arm • In order to avoid arrest three officers r 0 l' mitted suicide. The discovery of th"' fresh plot has had a serious effect upon th 3 Empress, who, since the last attempt h 8 been SuffftHnff from nwvniKn w 'rni/ 3 Samoan Conference is expected to concinrf its labours to-morrow. A minority « the German miners who were °' strike have returned to work, but th« majority still held out, and serious di, turbances are reported. The charge :i«ain«h Lord Mandeville of obtaining money bv false pretences has been attempted" to be withdrawn, by the prosecutor refusing to prosecute, but the magistrate has declined to allow the charge to be disposed of in this way, and has brought the matter under the notice of the public prosecutor. The prisoner is the eldest son of the Duke of Manchester and was married some years ago to Miss Yzanga, an American heiress. Lord Man. deville is of notorious reputation and ira! paired health. He is well known in New York. la London he has occasionally figured as an exhibitor of bulldogs at do' shows. It is stated that Prince Albert Victor will shortly visit Ireland.

We publish in another part of to-days issue some Anglo-Colonial notes supplied by our London correspondent, and a num. ber of interesting extracts from our London newspaper files received by the R.M.s Zealandia (via Brindisi and Sydney), which arrived yesterday.

The Minister for Public Works (the Hon. E. Mitchelson) and his private secretary left yesterday afternoon by the Gairloch for New Plymouth, en route for Wellington. It was Mr. Mitchelson's intention toliava remained till Tuesday, and it is presumed that he has been urgently summoned to return to Wellington.

Amongst the passengers by the mail steamer yesterday were Mr. J. A. Hoo-ue, editor of the Evening News, Sydney, and' Mr. Blackiston, editor of the Australian Star. Mr. Hogue will remain in Auckland only for a few days, and intends to return to Australia by the incoming mail steamer. Mr. Blackiston is a through passenger to San Francisco, en route to Europe.

Prom the accounts of the experiments with the "Destructor," in Wellington, that machine and apparatus has scarcely yet got into working order. The electric lighting of Wellington, is we understand to be begun on Thursday. lb will be remembered" that when His Worship the .Mayor (Mr. A. E. Devore) returned from the Melbourne Exhibition, he passed through Wellington, and enquired into both these matters. On returning to Auckland his advice to the City Council was to "let veil alone," and profit by the experiences of die Wellington Corporation. Everything so far goes to prove the wisdom of His Worship's suggestion.

In a recent telegram from Wellington lb was stated that the Defence Department was quite satisfied with the accommodation at Fort Takapuna, and the men's complaint was only the outcome of a desire to get into Stark's "castle," which the department would steadily resist. We are informed (anditisa curious commentary upon the telegram) that the men are now employed in removing the filth and mud which has accumulated in the trench round the barracks, and larger drain pipes are being laid down to carry off the water from the trench. The roof of" the barracks is getting two or three layers of asphalt over it to prevent the leakage into the barracks, which occurs every time it rains. If there was no causa of complaint why is all this expense incurred ? To show what idea the Wellington authorities had |of the healthiness of the place, the washhouse, which is adjoining the barracks dormitory, had to bo closed up, to prevent the stench arisingfrom the defective sewage pervading the whole of the barracks, and the men have now to go a distance of 50 yards to wash in the open air, or else in a sort of fowlhouse adjacent. So far as is known, the naval officers of the squadron, when in port, never inspected the Takapuna barracks, but did express themselves as highly satisfied with the barracks at Fort Cautley, which are occupied by convicts ! If it is reasonable for convicts to expect dry and comfortable quarter?, surely it is only just and fair that the men who serve their country should expect and obtain the same. As a climax to the misfortunes of the men, when they take sick they have choice of lying in the barracks so described above, or the alternative of going to the Hospital, where they have to contribute 2s 6d a day out of their pay of 5s 6d. If the men are compelled to remain in unhealthy quarters, the least the Government might do is to pay for the medical attendance when they are rendered unlit for duty.

Every now and again evidences are being brought to the surface that a large amount of technical skill lies dormant among our rural settlers. A colonial community is composed of all classes of people from different countries and many of them possess knowledge of various trades and handicrafts, which their present occupation as rural settlers do not, a! a rule, require them to make use of. $ aS occasionally the knowledge and skill acquired in other lands are brought inW r ?' quisition here, and it is probable that this feature will become more common in la 3 future than it has been in the past; J"" the great stumbling block to carry this idea into effect appears to be the want of the requisite capital. Much of the latent sH», to which we have alluded, has been developed during recent years in the prep* 1 *' tion of preserves of various kinds from fruit, etc., locally-grown. This is as it should be, and if honesty and perserverance go hand in hand there is no reason why many of these preliminary attempts at frui» preserving should not ultimately result '° the establishment of large and profitable undertakings. The latest of these attempts comes from Mahurangi. A Mr. Long, «* owner of an orchard there, appears to ha*e been engaged before coming to Aucklap in one of the large preserve manufactories in London, and being thoroughly con . ver fl ' sant with the methods adopted in the plaw where he formerly worked, decided to tarn some of his own and other local fruit in e preserves this season on account oft low price green fruit fetched in tn Auckland market. We have received sample of blackberry and plum J lim , his preparation. Both are excellently mac > and the blackberry jam is everything c could be desired. The plum jam fealso e. cellent, but the flavour of the fruit is noes well preserved in it as in the MackoajJ jam. The want of capital detracts iru_ the appearance of Mr. Long's preparatw as he has had to make use °. or(l f l h g bottles with the necks and a portion w <; shoulder knocked off in which to place preserves. These detract; from the a PPTL ance of the article as placed on the ww even though the extemporised vessels affixed to them a handsomely hwograp label. But these makeshifts will << Wy,, in time, and we see no reason «ny ■ fQf Long should not make arrangement carrying on a considerable trade i . course of a few years by making the p - standard of quality. _ ieenlS From letters recently recelved ic c illor our old fellow Montague, is at present at rvimo v mond fields.

""""""• „ he last .session of the Assembly ,'r-Lnnns were made as to the railway 81 -S and others in the Railway Departa nt in various parts of the colony, working Hide their official time for private parties, thus competing with the taxpayers who ' tained them. The lion, member for SSanham (Mr, Taylor) repeatedly alluded * thi* matter, and regarded it as an abuse. The Minister for Public Works (the Hon. v Mitchelson) looked into tl v e question, '{ ok such steps as prevented any further complaints. It seems, however, that the practice has crept in in another Department, that linden' the Ministor 0 f Justice (the Hon.. T. Fergus). \\'e have been shown the educational circular of ft private educational establishment in this city in which, under the heading of ii Teachers," is the name of a Government officer in full duty and full pay. As there are A good many things at present awaiting the attention of the Minister of Justice, one more will not matter much.

At the conclusion of the aquatic sports 9! . bike Taknpuna on Saturday afternoon, the committee of the Auckland Rowing Association, and Mr. llanlan, and Professor Carrollo were invited to dinner at the Takapuna Hotel by Mr. Adam Cairns. After dinner in a brief speech Mr. Haitian proposed the health of Mr. Cairns, and expressed his surprise that such a beautiful place as the Lake district, with such splendid facilities for all kinds of aquatic sports, should be so badly provided with the means of transport to and from the city. They had had experience of that on the present occasion, and those inconvenienced should see that the disadvantage was removed. It" they had such a lake, with such surroundings, in America, they would speedily have ■a tramway line to it. Mr. Cairns suitably acknowledged the compliment, paid to him. In the evening the members of the Rowing Association by invitation nttcmlcil M'um Georgie Smithson's entertainment at the City Hall. When Mr. llanlan entered ho was accorded such a vociferous reception that the performance had to stop till he had promised to appear on the stage. On doing so some little time after he was again applauded and cheered. Mr. Haitian, in a few well chosen remarks, thanked the people of Auckland, and the rowing fraternity in particular, for the handsome way in which he had been welcomed and treated during his stay, concluding by stating that he would carry home to Canada the most pleasing impression of Auckland and its people.

A little consternation was caused amongst the congregation of St. John the Baptist's Catholic Church, at the ten o'clock mass yesterday. One of the altar boys, when lighting the caudles on the side altar, accidentally set. tire to the drapery of the altar, and being of light muslin texture it, blazed up rapidly. A number of men rushed up, ami after removing the statue of the Virgin and Child safely, proceeded to pull down the hangings and beat out the die with their coats and such other things as they could most readily lay hands on, and the only damage done was the breaking of a couple of vases. The debris was soon cleared away, and the service proceeded. During the afternoon the altar was refitted. bit unfortunately, when the Rev. Father Gilliin was replacing the statue he slipped, and it was broken to pieces. Another was procured from the Convent, and in the evening no person could observe any trace of the accident which occurred in the morninj.'.

The usual Saturday evening entertainment in connection with the Total Abstinence Society, was given last Saturday in the Temperance Hall. Mr. .Tremain occupied the chair, and gave an interesting address. The following programme was gone through :—Song, " Sailing," Mr. Marsden ; recitation, "One Fault," Master Marsden ; song, "Gates of the West," Miss Marsden ; recitation, " One Glass for her Sake," Miss L. Mitcham : duet, " Bright Smiles are Beaming," Misses Mitcham and Stevens ; recitation, " Bingen on the Rhine." Mr. H. Cook ; comic song, " The Fishmonger," Mr. Marson ; recitation, "The sth of November at Inkerraan," Miss Gardiner ; song, "My Darling,"' Mrs. Tutt : song, "I'll Watch It," Mr. Venus (H. s. Dart). The meeting closed with the usual vote of thanks Misses Marsden and Tremain accompanied on the piano.

A correspondent at Tokaanu, Taupo, writes : —Two gentlemen who left here for F.uanui (Mr. Studholme'srun) and returned :n the Ist instant, state that it was reported to them that a startling phenomenon had occurred in the Whangiehu River, which is of a milky colour, very strongly impregnated with sulphur, and quite shallow. This river, which take; its source from the eastern side of Ruapehu, and empties itself between Wanganui and Turakina, usually so quiet, suddenly burst forth ou the 22nd April from the mountain, and in ten minutes' time became a swollen, raging torrent, bank-high, and of inky blackness. There had been no rain to cause such a flood, and which came solely front its source, the mountain. There has been no such outbreak previously in the memory of natives or Europeans who live near its locality, and it is a source of wonder and amazement to them. Possibly the cessation of steam from the hot lake on the top of Runpehu, reported a short time since, may have had something to do with it. Who can tell? Here is a nut for scientists or Hectorites to crack if they can. Mr. J. E. Grace, who happened to be mustering sheep on the Kaimanawa range (which is opposite to Ruapehu) on the above date, states that he saw an immense column of steam ascending high in the air. which lasted for about half an hour, and then disappeared. He thought it at the time most extraordinary, as he had lived in the district a great many years, and never saw such a sight before.

A meeting to hear addresses from the Irish delegates to Australia, was held at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, last Tuesday afternoon, and despite the fact that the fees for admittance were what would be regarded by many as very high, all parts of the building were crowded. Addresses were delivered by Mr. John Dillon, Sir Thomas Esmonde, Mr. John Deasy, and others. Much enthusiasm was manifested. Subscriptions were collected, and before the termination of the proceedings it was announced that the result of the gathering was that more than £2000 had been contributed towards the cause advocated by the delegates. Mr. Dillon, in referring to the magnitude of the sum collected, said that it had been his fortune to stand before many immense meetings all over the United •States as well as in Australia, but he had never known of a gathering of that kind, either in the States or in Australia, where so large a sum had been raised.

Notwithstanding the very inclement weather prevailing on Friday evening last the members of the Mount Albert Mutual improvement Class assembled in goodly number, at Fernrtale, in anticipation of spending a pleasant hour with the poets. The evening was in charge of the Mioses Battley a! / d &ehn! »berg, who were congratulated upon having arranged a most attractive and inspiring programme :- pianoforte solo, Miss Tucker; recitation, The May Queen," Mr. W. W. Cox ; song, The Menage Mr. W. Astley ; reading My Child, Give Me Thine Heart," .Mr. L; , X ; •°, n --' " Juailita " (accompanied on the zither-encored), Mr. Hooper; recitation, "Lady Clara Vere de Vere," ? M , * nestle recitation, "The Children s Hospital," Miss Kate Astley ; Pong, , The Lost Chord," Miss Astley; reading, the Lady of Shalott," Miss Schnaekenberg; song, "Will He Come," Miss Batiiey; recitation, " Dora," Miss A. Astley at the close of the programme criticism «a. indulged in, after which the class b oke up, all present being thoroughly Pleased and amply repaid for a trudge trough the rain and mud. The kerbing and channelling of the foota'„ i? ~ a Weson-street, Freeman's Bay, tZ 0011 ?" 0 HiU t0 Victoria-street, is "Bout to be carried out so as to get a Permanent asphalt footpath made. This 1 prove a benefit to the pedestrians, to font ? m ?"•' . western suburbs. A sub- £' f ret *"» n »all is being carried wS *9™ the G " Company's works, Rulll ~ ' rem ° Ve V 1 ""Sightliness of the = ul 'y there from public view. 41%1rT\ Cet l on Harraway's mills at buß an >-' destroyed by fire, are :-On K.' v g; . National, £750, reinsured in the On th* ?? and Union for £250 each. Glnh. 8 '"; hlner y = Liverpool, London, and W R Um C ° n 6tock : Equitable, £250 ; £500 TV \ a " d Colonial - £25 ° ; National, the South I -. tQV is reinsured for £250 in land o V?" and £125 in the New Zea£loo 11.I 1 . heworkmen 's cottages : National, »Wan CP tV 3 rou " hl estimated that the inces d 0 not represent half the value.

On Tuesday Mr. T. H. Ivey, who has resided in Auckland for about twenty years as manager of the local branch of the Bank of New South Wales, will leave for Sydney, to assume the management at the head office of the institution named. Mr. Ivey was entertained at a farewell dinner at the Northern Club on Saturday evening, Mr. J. McCosh Clark presiding. There was a large attendance, and several complimentary speeches were made. The stall'of the Auckland branch of the bank have presented to Mr. Ivey an album of New Zealand scenery, with the following address : — " Sir : On the termination of your long management of this branch to assume a more important post at the head office, we the members of the staff desire to express our sense of tlio courtesy and kindly feeling evinced by you in your relations with us, and while regretting on our own account your severance from this branch congratulate .you on your promotion, and on the recognition of your abilities shown thereby. We wish you every success in your new sphere, ami ask your acceptance as a small token of our regard of the accompanying album of New Zealand scenery. With heartiest, good wishes for the welfare of Mrs. Ivey. yourself, and family."—[Ten signatures follow.] We understand that an address will bo presented to Mr. Ivey at the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon. The position of manager of the Auckland branch of the Bank of New South Wales is to be taken by Mr. R. A. Tennent.

The organ for the Sydney Town Hall, which has been built by Messrs. Hill, of London, is now completed, and awaits shipment. It is the largest organ in the world. The next largest in size, that at the Albert Hall, has only 110 stops. The Sydney organ has 150," though it is perfectly true that some of them are very nearly repetitious mictor fresh iihiuoj of otboi'P. The recti stop is of the enormous size of 6-i feet, and there are five manuals, this being the only organ that has so many. The number of pipes is exactly 1(),0U0, and the structure generally includes every known method and invention relating to organ building. The cost of; he organ is £12,000. Those who have played upon if. consider it a decided success, and it is likely to give great satisfaction to musicians for the purity of its tone as well as for the thundering volume of its sound. Sir Saul Samuel has the idea of arranging for a recital to be given on it, so as to introduce it to the notice of the London public. It, however, needs little introduction, for its fame has spread far and wide, and musicians from all parts of the country and the continent are visiting Messrs. Hill's works to inspect it.

The Board of Reviewers sat on Saturday at the R.M. Court to hear objections to the valuations of properties in Newton Borough, of which Mr. T. Usshcr was valuer. With one single exception reductions were granted in every ease in which objectors appeared to support their appeals, and in that case the valuer stated that he had agreed on the valuation with the owner. The Board will sit on Tuesday to hear objections from ratepayers in the Grafton, Karangahape, and Ponsonby wards of the city.

The inquiry to which we alluded in our Saturday issue, to be held by Dr. Giles, R.M., relates to the circumstances surrounding the execution of a distress warrant last year in the case of Watson v. Mills. The inquiry has been ordered by the Minister of Justice on the application of Mr. Mills. It will take place to-day.

An alteration is being made in the timetable between Te Awamutu and To Kuiti. After Ist June, the 3.35 p.m. train —Te Awamutu to Te Kuiti—will run on Mondays only, and after same date the 6.45 a.m. train—Te Kuiti to Te Awamutu —will run on Tuesdays only. After Saturday, Ist June, Te Kuiti will be treated as a flair station, and the officer in charge there withdrawn.

There have been rumours about as to the retirement of Chief Detective Browne, who is at present away on leave, through ill health. So far as we can learn, there is no foundation for the rumour.

It is explained with regard to the apparently severe sentences on boys at the Police Court, for damage to unoccupied buildings, that the losses of house owners in this way have been great. No sooner is a house left empty than it is considered the fair prey of the hoodlums of the neighbourhood, who proceed to smash in the windows and carry away the fencing. The police authorities are worried with the complaints of property owners in this respect, and urged to make renewed efforts to protect unoccupied dwellings. Some of the Justices are themselves owners of unoccupied houses, and have suffered severely in this way, and it is held that they would be more than human if, when a case of the kind came before them, they did not make it sultry for 'somebody.

A man named Owen Kelly was arrested late last night on two charges of larceny ; first, on the 7th inst., of a brooch, property of > aroline Best, of Brewer's Lane, and second, on the 15th, of a silver locket and chain, the property of Annie Sinnett, of same locality.

After an absence of nine menths, Pastor A. .C. Daniels, of the Seventh Day Adventists, has returned to Auckland. During part of the time he has been labouring at Napier and Gisborne, and has recently visited the church at Kaeo, in the North, accompanied by Elder Israel. It is intended to organise a New Zealand conference, also tract and missionary work.

At the annual gathering of the Bands of Hope, on Queen's Birthday night, Sir George Grey will preside, and an address will be given by Mr. George Aid ridge. A conference will be held in the afternoon, at 2.30, under the management of the United Temperance Societies, in the Temperance Hall. Sir William Fox will preside, the subject for discussion being, " How to Concentrate Existing Organisations for more Effectual Operations." The Lorne-street Hall has been leased by Mr, P. Do ran, who intends to open it as a place of amusement, at " million" prices.

Our Waipu correspondent writes :•— For some time the settlers of this district have been becoming alive to the necessity of finding an outlet for their surplus population, and more elbow room for those remaining behind. Farms of from 100 or 200 acres years ago men found quite sufficient to work and make a good living from, but with the increase of their family, and being hemmed in on all sides by other small farms, with an uncertain market, the struggling settler finds it hard to make bath ends meet. The liberal land sales of the present Government will mark an era in the history of the colony hitherto unknown in settling the land with the right class, those who will reclaim the waste lands of the Crown from their wild state, and convert them into smiling homesteads, teeming with corn and clover. Sonic of the settlers here have been lately looking ahead for laud, and I. believe before" long there will be an exodus from Waipu. Mr. D. A. McLeod (Sunnyside) has taken up a block of landatHukere nui South, twelve miles from Whangarei, under the perpetual lease. It is first class land, and he intends to move from here shortly. The enterprising proprietor of Sunnyside is in very comfortable circumstances, and lie is surrounded with all the luxury and refinement (the result of his own energy and thrift) that a country settler could' wish for, but lie is handicapped, and wants more room for his growing family. If every second settler were to sell off to his neighbour and then look for fresh fields and pastures new, for the exercise of their energy and skill as pioneers, then would be some chance of success. Every person in the district wishes Mr. and Mrs. McLeod and their amiable family success and happiness, and long life to enjoy the fruits of their labour in their new home.

We refer our readers to the advertisement of Messrs. King, Walker and Co. over leader. The firm have acquired a large and valuable connection both of timber merchants and bush owners, and they have vessels constantly running between Australian ports and Sew Zealand, trading in kauri. The merits of this timber are such that we commend it to our friends abroad, and we ask those interested to communicate with King, Walker and Co., who will give them the fullest information on the subject.

We notice that Mr. T. Trafford. surgeon dentist, who is about to leave Auckland for England, has disposed of his business to Mr. W. H. Skeet, who will carry on business in the old premises, and for whom Mr. Trafford, by advertisement elsewhere, bespeaks the patronage of the Auckland public.

A vocal and instrumental concert will take place on Wednesday evening next, u ider distinguished patronage, in aid of the choir extension fund of St. John the Baptist, Parnell. The programme comprises some choice musical selections, and several of our leading soloists will take part. The concert will be followed by the screen scene from " School for Scandal," and Broughton's amusing comedietta, " Written in Sand."