Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8530, 2 April 1891, Page 4

Our cable messages this morning contain some additional particulars of the Manipur massacre. Although the rising has been attended by very serious lo=s of life it possesses little political significance. The State of Manipur is one of the outlying districts on the north-eastern frontier of India. During the past two or three years the English have been engaged in complet

ing communication with Burmah, and in so doing have had frequent skirmishes with the native tribes. They have recently had a great deal of trouble with the Naga tribes, which adjoin the State of Manipur. The Rajah of Manipur has probably declared his allegiance to Britain, and by this action- has given offence to some of his subjects, who have taken up arms and created the present disturbance. The Indian troubles are not confined to the eastern frontier, for there is a British force consisting of two mountain batteries, six regiments of native infantry, and a detachment of cavalry engaged on the Meranzi Field on the western frontier, south of Kohat, and another expedition to the Black Mountain is contemplated. The Ghoorkas who have suffered so severely hail from Nepaul and make excellent soldiers. They are short in stature, but are nevertheless lithe and. active. The Government in India are disbanding four Hindustani regiments and are replacing them by Ghoorkas and other warlike tribes. The assassination of the Bulgarian Minister of Finance turns out to have been part of a widespread plot to plunge Bulgaria into confusion, no doubt with the intention of affording Russia a pretext for again actively interfering in that country. Already the Russian press are urging the European Powers to take up the Bulgarian question and to- intervene in the affairs of that State. The death of Earl Granville, which is announced to-day, removes a prominent figure from English politics. The deceased statesman belonged to an era which is now almost closed. He was a suave and polished diplomatist, but as Minister of Foreign Affairs his career cannot be said to have been a success. His foreign policy has been summed up in the phrase "feebleness and funk." Italy has broken off diplomatic relations with America in consequence of the New Orleans affair. This, however, does not mean war. The influenza epidemic is causing fearful mortality in Chicago.

Closely following His Excellency Lord Onslow's visit to the Urewera country we learn from authentic sources that many of the chiefs, including Netana Numiaand the hitherto obdurate Tamai Koha, have resolved to bring the whole of the tribal lands under the operation of the Native Land Court, and have sent in application accordingly, and appointed the well-known surveyor, Mr. Harry Mitchell, of Rotorna, to carry out the survey. The boundaries of the claim or claims include an area approaching 2,000,000 acres, and as a preliminary step it is proposed to prepare a plan showing the various blocks surrounding the Urewera country which have been already surveyed and passed the Court, with a view to establishing the title of the several tribal divisions and hapus concerned.

Mr. Reischek, who is now in Vienna, writes as follows to a friend in Auckland: —"Forgive my silence, but I am overburdened with work, and 1 have nob been very well. I suffer very much from headache, and with my work the old illness comes back. .[Mr. Reiechek's health is affected by the arsenic ho works with in preserving; specimens.] I have not come to any settlement about my collection. It is still exhibited at the Imperial Museum. The Emperor, Archduke, and nobles have visited it. 'The papers are full of praise, bub on honour alone one cannot live. . . lam busy lecturing on New Zealand, and have been very successful. Every time the places were crowded with people. My first lecture was in the Scientific Club, on "The Wingless Birds the second in the Royal Academy of Sciences, on " New Zealand the third in the Scientific Club, on "The Maoris." I have a lecture on the fauna of New Zealand, and the disappearance of the animals. I have also to give popular lectures. The people here take a great interest in New Zealand, and are surprised at the beautiful scenery which I exhibit. . . How I wish I could be far away in the forest where the breeze carries the aromatic air from the flowers and evergreen trees, and amongst the birds with their melodious songs, away from the weary life of the city."

Several of the officers of the Austrian warship Saida, left by train yesterday, en route for the Hot Lake district. The award of Mr. Gavin, Assistant Con-' troller-General, in the arbitration between the counties of Cook and Waiapu, has been received. The award is that Cook county shall hold all real and personal' property, that Waiapu shall pay Cook £322, its share of liabilities of the late County Cook in excess of the assets thereof. This is* a judgment entirely in ' favour of Cook County, as Waiapu contended that it was not liable for the old county's liabilities as it had not hitherto received monevs allocated to it. The matter is likely to go on appeal to the Supreme Court.

The well-known photographer, Mr Josiah Martin, has recently returned from a vieib to the Lake country, and made the ascent of Tarawera. .He states that the activity of Mount Tarawera is by no means cxtincb —in fact that the mountain has been increasingly active during the past twelve months, This is noticeable not only in the fissures, but along the edge of the rift, and on the summit and the sides. Some crevasses on the top are so hot, that he states a stick can be set on fire in a few seconds. Lake Rotomahana is steadily rising, and making its way up the rift, and in all probability ib is the water getting into the superheated regions that has caused the late thermal explosions arid earthquake tremors. He states there is no cause for alarm, and they may be expected to occur again as the water, rises , from time, to time in the rift. The JFumerole Peaks—the only landmark identifiable after the eruption in the Rotomahan a basin—are being ' gradually insulated as the water rises, and all the area of the old Terraces is now under water to the depth of about 150 feet. When the water rises 100 feet more, it will be able to break through into its old channel, the Kaiwaka, and thence into the Ariki, and Lake Tarawera. Mr. Martin, during his present visit to the Lake Country, has obtained an entirely new set of views. Tarawera, the ash fields in their present condition, the less-frequented solfataras and pools of VVhakarewarewa, and some magnificent views of Tikitere, the best that we nave yet seen of that weird and wonderful locality. He gave a private evening exhibition of his series of views of the Lake Country (by request) with the aid of a lantern, at Taylor's Hotel, Whakarewarewa, during his stay at Rotorua, to His Excellency the Governor and the vice-regal party.

r As the important work of preparation for taking the census is now progressing, and the time when the enumerating must be made, viz., the night of Sunday, April 5, is fast approaching, should any householder, which term includes the occupier of any habitation that may or may not be slept in on that night, have up to the preceding day, the 4th, been overlooked by the subenumerators for any district in his distribution of the schedules therein, such person or persons should immediately,' after the 4th"April, at once communicate with the census enumerator, or with the sub-enume-rator for any district. Mr. Thomas Seaman, of 319, Victoria Arcade, Auckland, is the enumerator for the five counties of Eden, Manukau, Waitemata, Rodney, and Otamatea, and to him any communication "on census business" may be addressed postage free, and will receive prompt attention.

The Wellington Charitable Aid Board estimates for the year amount to £7257. Of this £3628 will be levied on the local bodies. The Hospital Board levies £2510 on the local bodies.

A respectable young lad, nob yet eleven yeara' of age, was brought before the' Police Court yesterday morning on two charges of breaking and entering at Newmarket. The places entered were the store of Tonkß and Wynyard, and the dwelling house of James Thomas.' According to the evidence of Detective Hughes and Constable Hist the young offender, who was a pupil of the Remuera Convent Schools, admitted his guilt upon being questioned, and showed how he carried out his thefts. On being asked by Mr. O'Meagher to apply the First Offenders' Probation Act in this case, lJr. Giles replied that to do so would be simply ridiculous in the case of one of tender years. Other provision had been made by the Legislature for the treatment) of children. The boy was committed to the Industrial School, and ordered to receive six strokes from the birch rod. The father of the boy stated that • this was rather hard lines, but Dr. Giles pointed out that.it would be far harder lines to have the boy grow up to be a confirmed criminal. 4

A notice to mariners is published in the New Zealand Gazette of the 26th of March, stating that on and after the Ist September next a system of buoyage will be used in New Zealand. Buoys defining the starboard hand, entering harbours, shall be painted a single red colour ; buoys defining the port hand, entering harbours, shall be painted a, single black colour or a particolour ; buoys defining middle groundsshall be painted with horizontal bands.

Mr. Harkess, MiH.R., who is now on a visit to New Plymouth, stated, during a speech there, that he had purchased a ftrm at Taranaki, and intended residing upon it in the future.

At the Wellington Police Court a few days ago an elderly man named Frank Houlihan, who had been arrested on suspicion of lunacy, was brought up on remand. The police stated that the gaol surgeon was of opinion that the accused was now fit to be discharged. He had been suffering from delirium tremens, but had now quite recovered. Houlihan stated that he had lived in Auckland for about 41 years, and had come to Wellington in search of work, but had not succeeded in getting it. He had started to walk back to Auckland, but after walking three days and three nights without food he had found himself at Otaki. As he had been without food for such a long time he was easily " knocked up." The Bench decided to discharge the accused.

The trial of the Australian cruisers is thus referred to by the Broad Arrow, on 6 of the English service journals:—"The colonial defence cruisers Tauranga and Ringarooma, built by Messrs. Thomson, of Glasgow, have both arrived at Devonport, and have been commissioned by Captains Nesham and Burke. We regret to see that the Admiralty are pursuing their old tactics of pulling the ships to pieces after taking them over from the contractors, and in the case of these vessels there is less excuse for the extravagance than usual. Both the Tauranga and Ringarooma attained a speed of nearly 19 knots on their trials in the Clyde, but it may be safely predicted that after the dockyard people have had their fling they will never again attain thai: speed. The alterations in questions are of the same character as those made in the Barracouta, and it ought surely to have been possible to have persuaded the contractors to effect the required changes months ago. As it is, the expense will of course have to be borne by the taxpayer." The consecration of the hall lately erected at Papakura for the use of the Papakura Lodge, N.Z.C.j took place last night, Worshipful Brother M. Niccol performing the ceremony, assisted by Brother W. H. Cooper, A.G. Secretary, and other Grand Lodge officers. There were about a dozen Past Masters and fifty of the brethren from nearly all the lodges of the district. The hall is admirably adapted for the purpose, having a lodge room upstairs, with anteroom and separate entrance, and a large public hall below. Amongst the brethren present were Brothers P.M's, Powley, Hanna, Craig, Hewson, Dr. Walker, McClemans (2), Dunwoodie, Dr. Carolan, &c. Lodge I'cpakura, with the other New Zealand Lodges of the district, has unanimously passed the resolution asking the Governor to accept nomination for the office of Grand Master, and for the sake of the craft and to put an end to the present strained relations of the brethren of the different constitutions, it is hoped he will acced to the request of 1 the brethren.

The shed owned by the Auckland Rowing Club was broken into on Sunday morning. Some of the crew were boatuig at the time and their clothes were rifled and two valuable watches stolen. One of these was valued at £27.

Some new features Were introduced into the programme submitted by Miss Amj Vaughan and her company at their third entertainment! at the Opera House last nights A quartette and dance by Misses Vaughan, A. Vaughan, May Travers, and Wynyard, was given with great spirit, and Miss Vaughan made a hit in the locallywritten topical song " Don't You Believe It." There was a numerous audience, who were very appreciative, and encores'were plentiful.

The committee of the Onehunga Horticultural Society by advertisement elsewhere thanks the ladies and gentlemen who assisted at the promenade concert at the Show. ' All claims against Military Sports Committe to be sent in. A committee meeting will be held to-morrow evening at the Drill Shed at eight o'clock. v A notification as to general city rate by the Town Clerk appears in another column. The Burns Club gives & social concert this evening in * the Masonic Hall, Newton, at eight p.m.