THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1891.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8662, 3 September 1891, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1891.

The-domestic exigencies of the Russian Government are of late the immediate danger to the peace of Europe, and that Government may find one of the most formidable of its exigencies in the spread of famine, and consequent disaffection among the peasantry, the only class of the nation upon whose loyalty it has been able to rely. Constitutional agitation to accomplish reforms not being possible within the Muscovite Empire, conspiracy is widespread and many-headed. The authorities brand it all as Nihilism, to prevent moderate people joining any effort for change. But the Nihilists are no more the only party who would now revolutionise Russia than the Jacobins were the only party who in the last century would revolutionise France. As there were Girondists then in France, so there are Moderates now in Russia, who would fain bring about a constitutional system of Government — whose object is to abolish the despotic •power and tyranny of a corrupt bureaucracy, and rescue the Czar from being merely its puppet and figure-head. Both Moderates and Nihilists —widely divergent in their ultimate views, but equally anxious to abolish the present misrule—are multitudinous among all classes of the nation, save and except the peasantry. They abound among the old nobility as well as the middle classes and the humbler inhabitants of the towns. But the Government continue too strong for such disaffection while they can use the influence of the Czar over the country people, who furnish the bulk of the soldiery, and who, secluded and ignorant, regard their Sovereign with peculiar awe, as head of Church as well as State. Under such circumstances there is grave peril for the existing system in that failure of a staple harvest, which is spreading discontent, misery, and insubordination through the rural population. It is their fidelity alone which is the stand-by of the Government against revolution. In the army disaffection has long been rife among the officers, and a mutinous spirit in the peasantry would soon show itself in their sons and brothers, who fill most of the regiments. And by last accounts the trouble increases. There are riots, conflicts with the military, and loss of life, and especially in the southern provinces, in good years the great grain-producing districts, the agitation is said to be spreading. In these straits the Czar, "the father of holy Russia," can only grant his people permission to gather wild fruits and herbs in the State forests—very lenten sustenance in their present condition ! We do not hear of any better modes of relief, because in the Imperial revenues are never any funds to spare, between such expenditure as is unavoidable on the needs of an immense army, and the enormous corruption which notoriously pervades all branches of the official management —and which sort of bribery of the multitude of officials and their friends is one of the props of the Administration.

Of course the statesmen there at the head of affairs are too astute not to comprehend that their system can have no permanence. They know that their hold of the peasantry must break down sooner or later, and that any minor means of support would at once snap under real pressure. Hence they have always on hand certain projects that dazzle the national, imagination, and one or other of which they would on emergency essay to carry out. Witness their always visible preparations for the invasion of India, and for the march upc ■ Constantinople, and for that annexation of outside Sclavic provinces which would render Russia the head of a great Pansclavic Dominion. There are physical difficulties that would interfere for some years yet with any attempt to invade India ; the terminus of the trans-Caspian railroad, indispensable to such an enterprise, being still some four hundred miles dis- : tant from Herat on the Afghan frontier. But there are no physical obstacles to the invasion of the Balkan Peninsula, or the movement on Constantinople, if the men who surround and direct, the Czar should think the present an opportune time to try the experiment. And their diplomacy has of late been exceedingly active throughout the whole of that extensive region which for want of a more appropriate term is now spoken of as the Balkan. Their emissaries are still busy in Bulgaria, trying to drive away the present .ruler. A matrimonial alliance has been arranged between members of the Imperial family at St. Petersburg and the Royal family at Athens, and which is expected to cement the political alliance. There is an endeavour to conjoin Servia and Montenegro, inhabited by the same branch of the Sclavic race, and it is believed that the object is to give the throne to the Montenegrin prince, who has been always a pensioner of the Czar. But the most important news comes from Constantinople, for according to a London j telegram of August 31st: —"The Standard asserts that the Sultan of Turkey has yielded to the Czar's demands, and pays an indemnity for the stopping Russian vessels from going through the Dardanelles. The passage is to be open to Russian vessels, and closed against those of other nations."

The Muscovite statesmen are always the bolder abroad when they have to cope with heavy discontent at home. If the above announcement be correct, they have now, in defiance of the other Powers, put unusual pressure on the Sultan, and he has yielded. With the unceasing progress in the means of destruction, it is impossible to foresee what the next war will be like, and it is manifest that no one .of the Powers is willing to take the leap in the dark. The domestic exigencies of the Russian Government are now, however, the danger to the peace of Europe, because there is always the possibility that, to distract the attention of their people and prevent revolution, they may prefer the risk of war abroad.

We may add an interesting sequel to the story we told yesterday of how the land endowments laid aside for the Auckland

Museum have been dealt with under the system of State leases. Th* boroughs of Auckland and of arnp , are interested in this practical appli Ca tion of 1 htate ownership. They had also endowments in the North which they hoped one day to be valuable \V hen the Stout-Yogel Government was in office, it was proposed to utilise the land by placing special settlementupon it. The boroughs were applied to to sanction the leasing of the ] am ] wider the conditions proposed by Mr Ballance who was then Minister 0 f Lands. , The procedure was somewhat different from that adopted with ?L Auckland Institute, the Council U » winch was never even informed 0 the intention to make use of tl endowments. But the results will be seen, were much the Mr. Ballance offered to lease the l, 5 at the rate of Is ami Is 3d w™ ? ,at is to say settlers were to £ placed on the land, who were to ml rent at those rates, the money to \l handed ovp.r to the boroughs of A„„i land and Parnell. After some delibera tion the terms were accepted by tlm Borough Councils, and the best portions or tiie endowments were occupied (), year's rent was paid, but when tta second became due, a new kine hid arisen who knew not Joseph, or ratlim. did not recognise the land theories a nil' practices of Mr. Ballance. The Council, ;it length summoned un courage to art for the rent agreed upon for their land when the Atkinson Ministry declinrri to pay it, stating that the previous Government had no power to lease a, they had done. One might expect the Revolutionary Government of Chili to decline to recognise the acts of the defeated President Balmaceda, but for a New Zealand Ministry 'to take such an attitude respecting its pre decessor is somewhat remarkable. They however, offered to hand over what they had received, and would not acknowledge any liability beyond that When Mr. Ballance returned to power as Premier, Auckland and Parnell thought the whole matter was nowplain sailing. He would of course see that faith was kepi, and that the arrears were paid up to the utmost penny. Repeated applications have been made, but the Government has fallen back upon a policy of silence They have turned a deaf ear to the appeals of Auckland and Parnell. The Government of New Zealand have failed in a good many capacities, but in none more conspicuously than as a landowner. And yet this is the rolt they are most ambitious to play in the future.

Our cable messages this morning state that affairs at Valparaiso are quiet. The remnant of the loyalists have concentrated at Coquimbo where some trouble is expected. A force has been despatched against them. General .Baquedano has been appointed interim president,, Owing to the failure of the harvest terrible distress is being reported from Russia. It is stated that the recent riots in China which were directed against foreigners, were part of an organised movement to expel them from the country, a movement which is being directed by the mother of the youthful Emperor of the Mongolian Empire. Some trouble is likely to arise between America and Russia, owing to an American sealer in the Behring Sea having been fired upon and captured by a Russian cruiser. The serious illness of the Queen of Roumania is said to be the result of the Vacaresoo love affair. The situation in Europe is beginning to assume a somewhat serious aspect. By the s.s. Ovalau yesterday, Mr. H. C, Wick, well known in Ohinemuri mining circles, took over to Sydney a shipment of 1680 bags ore, about 45 tons, for treatment by the latest improved methods in Australia. The ore was taken from the Woodstock and Kenilworth mines at Karaogahake.

At a meeting held on the, 28th July, Mr, James Anderson, manager of the Sydney branch of the Alliance Marine Insurance Company, was elected chairman of the Sydney Underwriter.*' Association for the current year, and the following were also elected as members of the committee for the same period :— Messrs. J. F. Church (Standard Insurance Company of New Zealand), W. G. Dixon (Union Insurance Company of Mew Zealand), \V. A. Gibb (National Fire and Marine Insurance Company of New Zealand), S. Hague Smith (New Zealand Insurance Company), J. il. Storey (South British Insurance Company), J. M. Tinley (United Insurance Company). The Home News says New Zealand butter and honey seem bent upon gaining the same sorb of patronage in this country as has already been received by the mutton and the wines of the Antipodes. A correspondent of the Daily Telegraph in this connection, calls attention to the desirability of promoting emigration to the Waikato district, where men with practical knowledge of farming, and industrious families to help them, can make the desert blossom like the rose. A prize at a local horticultural show was given for the beet collection of produce from a single farm. It was won •by a settler, who exhibited, amongst numerous other products, wheat, barley, oats, water-melons, butter, cheese, eggs, bacon, homemade bread, grapes, green tobacco, plums, wool, and ' home-made candles. The land out of which all - this has been raised was ten years ago an "uninviting swamp." And it is still possible to purchase land in New Zealand at ten shillings the acre, or to rent an acre at sixpence per annum! Australia and New Zealand bid fair to become in course of time a kind of " home farm" to London.

The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court were continued yesterday, ana the whole day was occupied in hearing the charge of indecent assault preferred against William Vereker Bindon. Mr. Hesketli and Mr. (.'otter appeared for the accused, an Mr. Hudson Williamson prosecuted on behalf of the Crown. So extremely lengthy was the cross-examination of the witnesses, and more especially that of the little gir» Edith Annie Aspinall, who was in the winess box from the commencement un 1 nearly three o'clock in the afternoon, that the case tor the prosecutiop had on y terminated when the Court rose at hal • past five o'clock. The case for the defenc® will bo opened to-day, and .Mr. Hesse intimated that he may possibly have to ca some evidence.

We have, to hand the Australasian las lists' Review for August. Referring _ close of the conference between J-' 10 P' , toralists and the delegates of the Sneaie Union, it says :—" The new shearing ag'Minent, drafted at the Sydney Oon ok between the representatives of the ' toralists' Federal Council and the Am: Jmuted Shearers' Union, is certain o , the basis of every shearing agreemet • throughout the Australian colonies number of years to come. As it st»ni "' n!> will probably be held suitable foi W * land without a single aiterutioi). _ Victoria, only the price of -Os per 100 j oB have to be altered to 17s 6»1, and ad P ■ d made for the cases in which stations ture ratione. xor South Australia, wt , era l to think, the new agreement willn thsl) important points prove more woi H . the one adopted between the low:i " e . lists' Union and the local -hearers. i terft . menb will also form the basis for '>_ ener tio« in the pastoralists form of g woolshed .employes' agreement., j0( reflection that will oceui . to.the — every impartial reader will be s]loVtive unimportance of the al(x ' r " t.J 'storing conclusively the fairness' . piomul' alists' agreement as origin. J...P m ay crated by the Pastoralists UnM 1 shearers' be recalled that the Amalgam. b j n g a Union shut themselves o,b .^ l, , oclim part in drawing up the original d°> in \ n simply because they refu *'f %v hich a«y framing an agreement u (0 workbut unionists would be en been coinThat position they have o |U „) under polled to completely a^'' c !;n be »ig n a the now regime the a ? l ' eel "? ists alike, who by unionists and non-un:i ... B |, e d with' will work side by de "' . 'belong to out question as to ) vl,( - the |,o pe , without union or hot, and. lo oier side." animosity being shown

In reference to the course of procedure for the remainder of the criminal sittings, His Honor yesterday said he thought it would be convenient to take the pleas in, II ,] ie cases, as if there were any special pleas there may be replications. He would, therefore, receive pleas at ton o'clock this morning, unci asked the Crown Prosecutor to communicate with counsel engaged in the case?- In the event of the accused being 011 bail, and their bondsmen wero 'present, the bail could be extended until || lt . cases camo on for hearing, Mr, Williamson undertook to communicate tho facts to the counsel engaged for the defence of the various prisoners. At the Police Court yesterday afternoon, before Dr. Giles, R.M., the charge brought flciiinst, a young woman on 'I hursday last, f maliciously and unlawfully libelling Mr. 11, Short-land, was again considered. Mr. 11, Campbell appeared on behalf of the defendant, and Mr. Shortland conducted his own case, rharle? Fagan, a cab-driver, Annie Wyrin, Mrs. Mary Wynn, and Hugh Sh.Mtland, were examined. Dr. Giles said tinit 1 he position of the prosecution had not in the slightest degree improved since the ]„«t charge was hoard. Had the present information been laid before him ho would have refused to have granted a summons, miles" lie was convinced that moro evidence would be produced—such additional evidence as would have satisfied a professional man. It. was a vexatious and disgraceful thine for a new information to belaid under circumstance* like those before him. Tie would dismiss tho charge, and was only foirv he could not allow costs against the informant. -Dr. Giles also condemned the --iv in .which tho informant had'endeavoured to foist in irrelevant evidence throughout the case.

The quarterly meeting of tho Auckland K:i~t Licensing Committee was held at the Police Court at noon yesterday. Present: Messrs. J. J. Holland (chairman), Julian, Jlasetiekl, and Bailey. Mr. Stoney acted s< clerk to tile committee, and SergeantM ijor Pratt represented tho police. There being no objections raised, the transfer of the license of the Provincial Hotel from Marion Stewart to William McManus was screed to. Mr. Julian then retired, and the remaining three gentlemen sat as the ■committee for Auckland North. Mr. Hugh Campbell 'pointed out to the Bench that there was an application before thorn for tho transfer of the license of tho Albion Hotel from Patrick Gleeson to Walter Caddy, but as there was no appearance of the applicant the transfer would revert temporarily to the transferor. Mr. Martin was then called, and gave evidence to show that Walter Caddy had not for some timo pi-;, been in a fit stato of mind to take charge of an hotel. Mr. Campbell went en to state that it was proposed to transfer the license to a Mr. Smith, but this could not he authorised at present, as tho required notice of '21 days had not been -ivt-ii. He would, therefore, ask for an adjournment until Monday, the '2Sth instant. The adjournment was granted as annlied for. j The West Australian Land Company, Limited, are pushing tho salo of their land crams obtained fiotn the construction of thet.reat Southern Railway of tho colony, 243 miles, running from Albany, in King Iworce's Sound, to Beverley, the southern terminus of the Government line of railway. They notify that the P. and 0., Orient, Messrtgtrries', and Adelaide Steamship Companics call regularly at Albany, and the latter company has arranged to issue return tickets to Albany, from any of its ports of call, to bona fide selectors at a reduction of .it) per cent, from their advertised faros. The railway company will, in order to facilitate land selection, issue at their office i:i Albany free railway passes to land fcleet'irs. In order to obtain this reduction ami free railway pass selectors must obtain from an agent in their district a letter vouching "for their bona fides. As will be seen from our advertising columns R. l\ Shearman and Co., of Wellington, are the agents of the company in New Zealand. At tho conclusion of his Honor tho Judge's remarks in sentencing Beart on Tuesday, Mr. Tolo drew his Honor's attention to the apparent misconception of his (Mr. Tole argument. He said he had not advanced the sudden and disproportionate reduction in the remuneration of the accused as any justification for the latter's st'.s, but. urged such a stato of things as some palliation for the offence, insomuch as the small pittance for collection was inordinately disproportionate to the services to be performed, and to the sum of about i'lOwu passing' through accused's hands without check, and therefore the temptation to commit the offence was much greater. As to bank clerks, Mr. Tola said their case was vastly different to Heart's, as in the former their accounts were required to be scrupulously balanced every tiny. His Honor was understood to admit that he had misinterpreted Mr. Tolo's . :'_".mient, so far as justification was concerned. At the meeting of the Socioty for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals held yes terday, Mr. Burtt presiding, a letter was read from Mr. Thornes resigning his position, owing to lack of time, on the formation committee for Bands of Mercy, and Mr. E. Withy w;t~ elected in his place. Messrs Baker, Morton, and Withy were appointed a committee to consider the best way of reaching the children. It was reported that numbers of deceased jowls continue to ie sold, and that there wag reason to ba.teve some wore sold for rood. Tho disease h a sort of catarrh, accompanied by an tiile.'i.-ive discharge from the nomils, and '■he matter had been brought under the notice of the proper authorities. It is contetnphited to hold the annual meeting on iinn.-day, October Ist. The circular from Colonel Bailey, headquarters, Christcliurch, has tho following P<irticnlurs concerning the Salvation Army : —"The Union Steamship Company of New Zealand has kindiy places at the disposal of lienerai Booth an all-round ticket from

Sydney to Melbourne via New. Zealand. Hit) company has also recently donated halt-a dozen life-belts? to the Salvation Army oflLx'r-s stationed on the '■ anganui River, General Booth lias made a triumphal I'fiij.'reas thtuugh South Africa. At Capetown, the Governor, several judges, military commanders, and many members of Parlia••lent, joined in the welcome accorded him. 'Lite Hon. Sir Gordon Sprigg, ex Premier, guest the General was, presided at t-iu meeting. All classes and creeds endorsed the General's proposal for the '--lablishment of Salvation colonies in "until Africa. The Salvation Army will Keep their annual week of prayer and self•[filial in New Zealand from October 4 to October 10. Last yeur the Army's funds K'-re supplemented from tills source to the tune of over £30,000. Of this amount New Z'"i!at«l contributed over £1000. This }«ur it is anticipated that £1000 will be raised.";-:

A correspondent, writing on the question '| tlin la to hours of the attendants at tho ii'oe Public Library on Sunday evenings, the only intelligent reason lie has heard of for such y. course is that the Sunday evenings are epiiet. He says :—" There no hui-t) disputants over a move of the uruusfht-boaril, no arguments over what •lack ought to have done, no chatter, no rattle. One day out of. the seven is left for r e;t<li.*r3 who like to r. .id, and therefore iiiitny renders only avail themselves of the privik.ffi. ~i the reading room on Sunday tv eninjrH. On the week days the larrikins are shoeless snigger over Punch, while '"c larrikins who are Looted look aftor tho IjUtst report* about Slavin, Mitchell, •lolin 1,. .Sullivan, and other noted P'ize lighters, post themselves up with •"« liii est, news of tlio various stag's likely to find the winner of the •■uillield and Melbourne Cups. The strike '>oi makers muster, of course, in force. lit'ro is 11 'ell lighted, warm, comfortable 00111 ; they meet their mates ; there is to pay ; they can play games at 1B _ expense of the ratepayers, in the ,l . v < "" -as and attendance (very little of J 8 latter). Tho citizen who pays his '",l u 'y '"do, and tho quiet, thoughtful, e '-behaved youth or man who can approve the use of a public library and read'o'i'O'jin retires in disgust. I ri, ° |>«xt concert of tho Auckland Ortli" V in i ''"' on t'dies place on Thursday, instant, in the Choral Hall. - The An l"' llt; tiees will be held this evening, i, ' . 0 linal 0110 0,1 Wednesday, the 9th ; s,v '^' le meniLjorsliip of this popular ; fy'iii""f '* Rl,!ut ' l| y enlarging, ti most grati- ' tor. | l(:t ,0 '' 10 promoters, whose aim is «>'[«■ l'"pular and classical music in a "j''y Bt y'e, and this has been acknowg'r(i^ e W l ' lo public in •* very marked de- |

j • The Financial Times gives the following particulars regarding tho members of committee in London who investigated tho •i affairs of the National Bank of New Zealand :—"Sir Henry Peek is not only a j successful business man, but is known as a I directors of one of our- most progressive j assurance companies; Mr. James Macandrew is a partner in Messrs. Matheson I and Co. Mr. J. Daniell's firm —Messrs. j Mullens, Marshall and Co.—acts a* the Government brokers Mr. Hugh Colin Smith is a director of the Bank of England ; Mr E. Kent Kurslako is an ominontQ.C., ■and Air. T. E. Hurst-Hodgson is the gentleman to whose onergy tho satisfactory ending of this disagreeable business is mainly due." The Auckland Gas Company have recently supplied Messrs. Arch. Clark and Sons, of Snortland-etreet, with one of the most modern and improved types of the Otto gas engine, for driving tho sewing machines of their tailoring factory, and which is doing its work to the complete satisfaction of the firm. It is in replacement of another type of engine by tho same maker. The chief marked improvement is the substitution of an incandescent iron tube for tho delicate slides. Formerly these delicato slide." were a source of expense and loss of power owing to the necessity for having then accurately surfaced. The tube is kept incandescent by a Bunsen burner, anil the burning tube being sur rounded by an asbestos-lined chimney, which prevents the loss of heat, and therefore minimises tho consumption of gas used for ignition of the charge in the cylinder. The general design of the engine is much simplified, the method of withdrawing tho piston for cleaning is now so simple that one person can easily perform the operation even in the large size of engines. Owing to the adoption of tho tube ignition

the engines are capable of running nearly double their former speed, the workmanship and material being of such a. quality that 50 par cent, additional power is gained in the same size of engine of tho old type. Another thing is that there is now a special gasbag, which prevents tho jumping of the other lights in the building, and the chief point is that it satisfies the insurance companies as to the safety of tho gas power in factories by automatically shutting off the supply of gas, at alf times, when tho engino ceases working. Ib may bo interesting to remark that a very large number of these engines, working from 100 to 200 h.p., are now at work in the old country. The chief point of importance with those largo engines is that they are worked by Dowson or water gas, instead of coal gas, bringing the efficiency of these engines to more than double that of the most modern steam engine. A considerable number of these engines ato working in corn and paper mills under a guaranteed consumption of I Jib of ordinary gas coke per indicated horse-power. The manufacturers, Messrs. Crossley Brothers, in their own works, Manchester, are using 340 horse-power per hour, and the total gas used is manufactured by one man. Messrs. Mitchell, Armstrong, and Co. are using 14 engines of 50 indicated horse power each, they themselves being the manufacturers of steam engines. Eighty of the Otto gas engines are at work in Auckland, and '230 in the whole colony. One of tho latest types of engines (referred to in the beginning of this notice), of 5 horse power, can be seen at the offices of the Auckland Gas Company, Wyndnam-street. The British Consul at Finnic, AustroHungary, writing on April 8, says :— "Itis interesting to point out the benefits accruing to Fiutnt) by the effects of tho Hungarian zone-tariff system and the different lines of steamers, which, by degrees, are being called into existence by the care and foresight of M. do Baross, the Minister of Commerce, at a trifling cost to the Exchequer:: Our much-vaunted ' parliamentary ' sinks into insignificance in face of such achievements as those of M. do Baross. When it is considered that you can travel from one end of the country to the other, not. by a slow ' parliamentary,' but first-class and by express, at the rate of jd a mile, and third-class at one-half that price, and that even these low rates are further reduced by 15 or 20 per cent, by means of circular tickets. When it is further considered that this has been achieved without a decrease in the receipts, without the necessity of large investments for rolling stock, and that the. largo increase of passengers has been carried without loss to the State, it is needless to affirm that M. do Baross has every reaaon to feel proud of the result." Last night was an off night at the Drillshed, owing to the parades of the Engineers and Royal Irish being altered from the first and third Wednesdays of the month to the second and fourth Wednesdays. A squad of recruits wore put through a course of position and general drill by SergeantMajor Kearney, who is doing excellent work in this respect in grounding the young volunteers in tne methods by which precision and accuracy can alone be attained. Mr. R. J. Feltus writes as follows:—"I desire to correct the report of your valuable journal of this morning's issue with reference to my second petition presented to Parliament this session. The petition was for ray late father, George Feltus, staff officer, H.M. sSth Regiment, grant of cottage and acre at Pan inure as a New Zealand Fonciblo, who retired from the service after serving in the Queen's service '23 years 4 months, and who died within three days' pail of New Zealand on the 17 th December, 1846. I petitioned that I might receive the same privileges- to which my father was entitled to had he lived to land in the colony, al=o compensation for the death of my only brother William John Feltus, Ist Class Militia, who at the early ago of 20 years (having just finished his indentures as a carpenter and builder with the late .lames Gilbcrd, Princes-street, wan cut off from the effects of camp life in the Drury swamp, dying of camp fever. My only course now is" to petition the Horse 'Guards through His Excellency tho Governor, when am assured that my father's claim will be con-

ferred upon hi- only surviving heir." A meeting of the Auckland University College Debating Society was" held lust night, when the subject for discussion was "Socialism." Mr. Purdio opened in the affirmative, and marie an admirable speech it) support, of the views he advocated. After describing the origin and growth of " Socialism," he argued strongly in favour of its principles, con tending that if the State ha i control of all industries, all land administration, and all conditions of labour, it would not be in the hands of the few to take unto themselves great wealth, and deny others even a bare subsistence. Mr. Ooldio ably took tlio negative, maintaining that the existing evils hurl been caused by individual failings, and not through any faults of society as a whole. To alter the laws of society would, he said, be attended by no lasting benefit; human nature remaining the same, any alter tion in these laws would lead toa chaos from which there would eventually be a return to the old order of things. Mr. Mulgan, Miss Edger, Miss A'ldis, Mr. Tonks, and Mr. Barber having spoken, Mr. Purdio replied in a capital speech. The next meeting of the society will bo a literary one, and the hon. secretary (Mr. Barber) will give an address on " Thackeray, as Humorist and Satirist." A public meeting, under the auspices of the Gospel Temperance Mission, was held in St. .lames' Wall, last night, tho Rev. R. F. Macnicol presiding. There was a very fair attendance. After a few appropriate introductory remarks by the chairman, interesting and forcible addresses wore given bv Sir William Fox and Mr. E. C. Curr. The speakers dwelt upon the advantages to be derived by tho individual and by society at larg" by the more general adoption of total abs'ineme i principles, 'urged .U temperance workers to still press forward, and not to be content with the great work achieved in the past.. At the close of the meeting, a collection was taken up, to defray expenses. A meeting of tho friends of the late Charles Hannken, who at the time of his death was a member of Impey's Band, was held yesterday evening, when it was decided t hot an entertainment should be given for the benefit of his family. Miss Amy Vaughan lias kindly volunteered her services for the occasion, and the members of the recently, existing Waitemata Minstrels will also assist. , The Burns Club entertainment will be ' given in the Masonic Hall, Newton, this ! evening, at eight o'clock.. ' The Rev. E. Neilsen will deliver an evan- ; gelistic address this evening in the Young Men's Christian Association lecture hall. Miss Neilsen will sing several sacred pieces, with harp accompaniment. Cadbuky'h Cocoa.—" A Cocoa of the high- ! est degree of Purity and Nutritive value. — I Health.