OUR LETTER HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8501, 27 February 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR LETTER HOME.

The present issue of the Herald Monthly Summary is the first under an arrangement by which the San Francisco mail will be accelerated by three clays. Hitherto, the mail via 2?e\v York and San Francisco lias taken «j5 days to reach the colony. At this time »nd for the future, it will bo delivered at the first port (Auckland) in 32 days. The change has been effected by Mr. R> J- Creightan, the New Zealand Government agent in Ban Francisco, in arrangement with Mr. J. D. Sprockets, of the Pacific Mail Company. A day will be saved on the voyage between Auckland and San Francisco, and two days will be saved by the mail being timed to catch a swift steamer at Kev York. This acceleration will still further manifest the superiority of the niail route via San Francisco, and make it the most speedy means of communication between the colonies and London. The Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, who was Postmaster-General in Sir H. Atkinson's Cabinet, determined to make the acceleration as soon as it was shown that it could be done. Some delay, however, took place, as the subject was remitted to the contractors for the mail service conducted by the direct steamers. The dates of sailing of these steamers had to be somewhat altered, so as to divide the two services as nearly as possible. The direct mail service will, however, be far behind the San Francisco service in point of speed. The time tiiken by the direct steamers last year was: Auckland, 48 days; Wellington, 45 days ; Ohristchurch, 46' days ; Dunedin, 47 days. His Excellency the Governor and the

Countess of Onslow live now in Auel land, where they propose to remain fc some months. As soon as the meetin of Parliament concluded, His Exce lency left AVellington for Napier, ap from thence he went through the ir terior, camping at different places. ] was his original intention to go throug the country of the Urewera tribe, bu that purpose was not- carried out, a some excuse was made by the chiei that they could not be prepared for large gathering at this season. Th Ureweras are the owners of a larg extent of exceedingly rough and moun tainous country at the back of Opotik and running out towards the Eas Cape. They sent detachments of me! to tight against us in Wtiikato and oi the East Coast, but their principa settlements have never been occupied b; our forces, owing to the difficulty o access. They still jealously keep Euro peans out of their country, and liv almost in their primitive savage con dition. It was at lirst thought that tta plea of the Ureweras was a met*' Sretence, but within the last few day is Excellency has received a lette from the chiefs of the Ureweras con veying a cordial invitation to visit thei country, and promising him a warn welcome. His Excellency has replie< that he will arrive at Ruatoki, thi gathering place, on March 20. His Ex cellency on his way from Wellington to Auckland spent some time in tin Kotorua district. He then proceedec to Tauranga, and from that dis trict he crossed the range to Te Aroha. He had a cordial reception ai that place, and in the Public Domain, in which are the hot springs which art becoming so well known, he planted ao oak tree. One of the springs was named " Lord Onslow's fountain." His Excellency then came on by train tc Auckland, where he arrived on February -23. Lady Onslow arrived two days before His Excellency by steamer. A meeting, convened by His Worship the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. J. H. Upton), was held a few days ago in order to make preparations to entertain His Excellency and Lady Onslow at a ball. The proposal has been well received in town, and will be enthusiastically carried out. Admiral Lord Charles Scott is at present on the voyage from Hobart tc Auckland with the following men-of-war : — Orlando, Rapid, Goldfinch, Lizard, and Eoyalist. The Curacoa has been here for about a fortnight, and will await the Admiral's arrival. Lady Scott is now in Wellington, and will, it is expected, reach Auckland a day or two before the Admiral. In our last Summary we mentioned the meeting of the House, the retirement of Sir Harry Atkinson, and the appointment of a rfew Ministry under the Hon. Mr. Ballance. We may repeat Ihe names :—Hon. J. Ballance, Premier and Treasurer; J. McKenzie, Agriculture and Lands; R. Seddon, Public Works and Mines ; W.P.Reeves, Education and Justice ; J. G. Ward, Postmaster-Gene-ral (without salary). The Hon. Mr. Buckley is Colonial Secretary, and conducts the Government business in the Legislative Council. At the publication of our last Summary the Minister representing the Auckland district had not been appointed, but since then Mr. A. J. Gadman, who has represented the mining district of Cororaandel, has been appointed, and takes Native Affairs. On January 28 the House met, with the new Ministers in their places, when His Excellency delivered a speech on behalf of the new Government. It was exceedingly brief. It stated that the new Ministry would make an exhaustive inquiry into the finances of the country, with a view of making proposals regarding the taxation; that a Department of Agriculture would be created, and that measures would be proposed to improve the relations of labour and capital. There was no business done, and the final sitting took place on January 31. It is understood that the House will meet again in May. The Premier was entertained at a banquet by his constituents at Whanganuion Feb. 12, when he made a speech, but did not make any distinct statement as to the policy he meant to pursue. He declared that his Government had no idea of going on the London market at the present time ; and that if there were any further borrowing it would be in the colony, for money to carry on roads and open up lands for settlement. During the last few days Mr. D. Goldie, member for Newton (a suburb of Auckland), has resigned. Mr. Goldie was elected at the general election without opposition, having sat in the House for several years. In announcing his resignation to his constituents he gave no reason for his action. It was immediately proposed that Sir George Grey should be elected to the vacant seat. It will be remembered that this veteran statesman felt compelled, owing to severe illness, to retire from the candidature of the city of Auckland at the general election. Since then he has visited Rotorua, and has marvellously recovered his health. In all probability he will be elected without any contest. A convention of statesmen from the different colonies of Australasia will assemble in Sydney on March 2, for the purpose of putting together a constitution under which the colonies can federate. This is the outcome of a conference held last year. At that conference New Zealand was represented by Sir J. Hall and Captain Russell. The statements they made on behalf of this colony were that, although New Zea4aad viewed with satisfaction the pros-

pect of the colonies on the Australian mainland federating, it could not see its way at the present time to join, owing to distance and for other reasons. It was, however, by resolution left open for New Zealand to join any federation at any future time. New Zealand was also invited to send delegates to the Convention appointed to draw up a constitution. The representatives appointed were : by the House of Representatives, Sir George Grey and Captain Russell; by .the Legislative Council, Sir Harry Atkinson. Sir George Grey will no doubt be well received in Australia. A meeting of old New Zealanders has been held to arrange for giving him a reception, and it may be expected that Australians will be glad to see a man who was one of the early explorers, and who had a distinguished career as the Governor of one of the colonies. Sir William Fitzlierbert, one of the early settlers at Wellington, died on February 8. Sir William had taken an active part in politics from the beginning of political life in the colony. He was several times a Minister, and occupied for a considerable time the position of Superintendent of the province of Wellington. For about ten years lie has been Speaker of the Legislative Council, an otiice which he resigned

only a few weeks ago. The annual meeting of the Aucklam Chamber of Commerce was held 01 February 19, when the retiring chaii man, Captain Colbeck, delivered an excellent and comprehensive address dealing with the commercial positioi of Auckland and of the colony. Ml A. Porter was elected as chaiyman foi the ensuing year. Since the collapse of the grea strike, everything in that way ha: been quiet in New Zealand. Tin Union Steamship Company, which wai most intimately affected by the strike stated at its conclusion that they woulc take on unionists and non-unionists m differently. A few days ago, how ever, Mr. Mills, managing director o the Union Company, issued a lettei stating that the company had fount that the unionists whom they took intc their employment were not loyal tc them, but endeavoured to force all tit*, non-unionists into the unions with 1 view, it is supposed, to a future strike To this manifesto the unions have nol as yet made any reply. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association took place this year at Napier. The proceedings concluded on January 26, when Kruse, oi the Wanganui liifles, won the Champion Belt, Webster, of the "A" Battery (Auckland) Artillery being second. On Monday, February 9fcl), the polling of the payers of harbour dues took place for three members of the Board, when the following were elected: —Messrs. T. Henderson, C. V. Houghton, and E. W. Alison. At a subsequent meeting of the Board, Mr. M. hiccol Ifa.s re-elected chairman. Since the advent of the Ballanee Ministry to office, there have been two elections. The Northern Maori Division was rendered vacant by the death of Sydney Taiwhanga. There were several candidates. Eperaharua, a member of the Aupouri tribe, re'siding near the North Cape, was elected. He is said to be a supporter of the present Ministry. A contest took place for the Egmont seat, vacant by Sir Harry Atkinson being called to the Legislative Council. The Government candidate was Mr. F. Maguire, who had contested the seat with Sir H. Atkinson on several occasions ; the Opposition candidate was Mr. Bruce, who sat in last Parliament, and who was defeated at Waitotara at the last election. The result was—Maguire, 956 ; 913. Auckland certainly deserves congratulation upon the all-round success of the athletic championship meeting held in Auckland under the auspices of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association and New Zealand Cyclists' Alliance, on February 6 and 7. In addition to competitors from all New Zealand centres, New. South Wales furnished a splendid team of six performers. In point of attendance the fete Avas excellent, while the keen interest displayed by all spectators was a tribute alike to the merit of the contest and the completeness of the arrangements. The two lions of the meeting were certainly Messrs. W. T. Macpherson, of Sydney, and Derry Wood, of Canterbury, and it may be questioned whether Australasia could produce a better all-round sprinter or distance runner than these two have respectively shown themselves to be, the former winning the 100 yds, 250 yds, ind 440 yds: while Wood carried off the Half-mile, Mile, and Three-mile runs. None of the events could, by any stretch of language or imagination, be called "tame," while several furnished struggles in which the interest was :>£ breathless intensity, the desperate pluck shown at the same time arousing enthusiastic praise. Perhaps, however, the most remarkable Feature of the whole meeting was the splendid times accomplished, records being broken in more than half the events. While this is of course a direct result of the high calibre of the performers and their general fitness, it also conveys a by no means trifling tribute to the excellence of the Domain track, which has been frequently acknowledged to be inferior to none in the colonies. To break the colonial record in nine events is an achievement which will not often be equalled. The events in which previous champion performances md records were broken were :—Onenile walk, three-mile walk, half-mile, ;hree miles, long jump, quarter hurdles, quarter flat, 250 yds, and putting veight. In the cycling races, the Canter)ury men carried off all the events, the Auckland riders being quite outclassed. ~nd won the champion banner 'or the year, having secured 6 firsts, } seconds, and 4 thirds; Canterbury, J firsts, 5 seconds, and 2 thirds ;. Welington, 3 firsts, 3 seconds, and 2 thirds ; sydney, 3 firsts, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds. 1 project is now under foot to despatch a representative team of five ithletes to England in about April to :ompete in the home championships. kVant of money is the chief obstacle, jut it can be overcome. The team will Drobably comprise J. H. Hempton, STapier, sprints ; J. C. Hutchison, Auckand, quarter-mile : H. W. Batger, Welington, hurdles ; D. Wood and P. Mor•ison, Canterbury, middle and long dis;ances. In the way of amusements we have luring the month had a novelty in the shape of Edison's improved phonograph, which was produced here under ;he management of Macmahon Brokers, with Professor Douglas Archibald, M.A., Oxon., as lecturer. It has ichieved an unqualified success. The Dpera House has since been occupied )y Mr. J. F. Sheridan (Widow O'Brien) n the unique entertainment, " Fun on he Bristol." The management have jood reason to congratulate themselves >n the success of the venture, for the louse has been crowded nightly. The long vacation of the Supreme Jourt concluded on the Ist instant, and ince then a civil sittings has been ield before Mr. Justice Conolly, but ione of the cases were of public inerest, except one. This is a case in vhich the question of a brewer's right .0 enforce the purchased right to the exclusive supply of beer to a publiciouse is involved. It is a question

which often crops up, but there are sometvhat peculiar features in this :ase. The evidence has been taken as x> the but the argument on the questions of law are deferred until Vlarch 16. Mr. Justice Conolly is now presiding at the criminal and civil dttings at Gisborne, and will return to Auckland to open the criminal sessions >n the 9th proximo. There is a very ieavy calendar for this session, the lumber of cases and the number of jersons charged being the largest preented for many years, but none of the sharges are for serious offences against he person, the greater number being or forgery, false pretences, larceny, tfce. I