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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8960, 18 August 1892, Page 4

Very serious news is to hand from Central Asia to-day. The Russian and Afghan troops have again come into collision. The conflict was, it is stated, brought about by a dispute between the leaders of the two parties, " The Russian leader was shot, and seven of the Afghans were killed. The Russians are reported to be advancing.' Intelligence has been received in London that enormous quantities of war material are being forwarded from Sebastopol ' and' Odessa to Central Asia, and that the Russian* forces in the Caucasus are being held in readiness to reinforce General Yanoff. The situation is becoming exceedingly grave. England is pledged to assist the Ameer to resist foreign invasion of his territory, and it is not unlikely that she will be called upon to fulfil her obligations. It is true that the arrangement existing between the Indian Viceroy and the Ameer depends upon the bitter's conduct, but in any case England could nob permit Russia to cross the Afghan frontier, even with the consent of Abdurrahman. Although there may be no reason to suspect the Ameer of acting treacherously, his evasive reply regarding the reception of Lord Roberts' mission has evidently not been accepted as satisfactory by the Viceroy, who has, as we learn to day informed the Ameer that he must receive the mission not later than October. It was, it will be remembered, the refusal of Shece Ali to receive a British mission that led to; our last war In Afghanistan. Further outrages by strikers in America are reported. . A list of the! new Gladstone Ministry is published, and although it is nob official, it is likely to be found pretty correct. The cholera is raging in Persia, and "the death rate in Teheran is stated to be 300 daily.

Of the outgoing City Councillors Mr. J. Trenwith intends to stand for re-elecfcicn for the Kararigahape Ward, .Which he has represented for the past six years.

The World, of July 6, in its City article, has the following i—As the following figures show, New Zealand bonds have fared much better in the past few years than other Australian issues ;—

Four per cent. Current Yield Highest Inscribed Stock!?. i'rice. per cent, price '88. New Zealand.. .. 104 3} 104 New South Wales .. 108 311-18 118 Queensland . .. 103 13-16 ill gnuyii Australian .. 105 3} 112 Victorian ■ : .. . 104 3j 113 It will be seen that New Zealand bonds are now oh a par witttfchd highest price touched in 1888— years ago—arid they are, we may add, 8 per cent, above the lowest quotation recorded in that year ; but the other leading Australian issues, when thiis contrasted, show a decline of from 7 to 10 per cent. In fact, the colony now *' ruffles it" with the best of them. At the presedt time we think IMew Zealand occupies a better position than, perhabaj any of the other Australasian colonies, with the one exception of New South Wales. Its bonds are certainly better, in the opinion Of good judges, than either Queensland or South Australian issues, and it is probable that, taken altogether, they are superior to Victorian securities.

A meeting of the Auckland Exhibition Committee was held at ' the Chamber of Commerce' yesterday afternoon, Mr. Adam Porter presiding. There were nine gentlemen present. The purpose of the meeting was to consider the best method of canvassing the city for subscriptions. The chairman stated that from what he could gather the citizens generally were not very ambitious to have an exhibition. Mr. A. H. Devore stated that he had been promised considerable support, but it was a great drawback that there was not a unanimous feeling in support of the project. The meeting generally was" of opinion that there vrould be great difficulty in raising the £10,000 guarantee fund. The meeting adjourned without going into the matter, to give the chairman and Mr. Devore time tb make further inquiries.

There was a depressed feeling and rather a downward tendency in most mining stocks yesterday and although numerous transactions took place in leading stocks, the previous day's rates were not sustained. New Alburnias fluctuated between 4s 5d and 4s Id, closihg"B«le9 being 4a 4d, buyers offering 4s 3d, and sellers asking 4s 7d. Hazalbanks fatlged from 4s to 43 2d, and Bellas now offer at 4s Id. May Queen's changed hands at 3s 9d, 4s, and 3s 9d, buyers offering the latter price, and sellers wanting 4s. Ofvdras were* firm, Sales taking place at 3s and 3s Id, buyers offering the latter price at the close of the market, and 'no sellers in the market. Quotations of general stocks are unchanged practically and no sales are reported. •

Amongst the improvements being effected at the Albert Park a lamp is being erected at the Cobutg-street entrance, which will be a great Convenience. A huge circular bed is being prepared on the slope, in which to plant flowers in design, and which, facing the centre of the end of the street, will enable Hie bed £o be seen from Coburg, Queen, and Victoria-streets. The sodding removed is to be used tor turfing the slopes at the rear of the Mackelvie Annexe of the Art Gallery. A new path has been cut out, winding round the Tear of the Annexe, and which will come out into Wellesley-street East, and will greatly improve the appearance of the Annexe from the Park side of the building.

Recent visitors ftom Whangarei state the co-operative railway working parties 011 the Kamo-Hikurangi section are making very satisfactory progress. Some of the men, who were new to navvy work, made rather indifferent pay at the first; but as they- are becoming accustomed to spade and shovel work they are doing fairly well. On'the whole the men are said to be thrifty, and are husbanding their earnings or sending them to their families.

There seems to be greab difficulty in tilling up the vacancy at the Newmarket police station, and finding a satisfactory successor tti Constable Dunne. Constable Finnerty, of Ponsonby, has been transferred to the station temporarily, and took up the duty yesterday.

Yesterday Constable Haddock, of Warkworth, telegraphed to Inspector Broham that Mr. H. Mason had reported to him the 'finding of the dead body of a man named William Smith in a boat on Tuesday, an the Mahurangi River, near the Heads. The constable arranged for an inquest to take place yesterday, but the particulars have not reached Inspector Broham.

The clerk of the Police Court, Mr. Haultain, who has lately been appointed Registration Officer for the city, is busily engaged in overhauling the rolls. He is issuing about 1500 notices on the ground of insufficient description, and certainly it does seem, on locking at the Way in Which some of the voters are described, that personation and roll-stuffing Would be the easiest thing in the world, us in the great majority of casei there is no street given as place of residence opposite the elector's name, so how he is to be traced is a puzzle. Here are some of the descriptions on the roll of electors :-— ft "Pretenses in which be resides, store and . building, Symondsstreet" premises ia his occupation, Lome-street" house and allotment iil occupation;" allotment, Jermyn-street etc. - '

Two candidates, namely, Messrs. David Knibb and Richard tidy, have been nominated to nil the vacancy which has occurred in the Mount Eden Road Board "by reason of the death of Mr. W. K. Bridgman. A poll will be taken on Thursday, the 23th instant.

At the last meeting of the Auckland Provincial Agricultural Association, attention was called to the Stock Bill now before the House, copies of which had been forwarded by Mr. LaWry, M.H.R.' The president (Mr. W. F. Massey) stated that it was proposed to place a tax of twopence per head upon cattle and horses ; also, that the Government intended to prohibit the driving of cattle through public runs without giving 24 hours'" notice, and to render it illegal to move stock of any description between the hours of six p.m. and six a.m. Mr. Robert Hall pointed out that the latter restrictions would probably be acceptable in the South Island, where numbers of cattle and sheep had been stolen by persons driving through runs after dark, but in this district such regulations would prove extremely vexatious to the settlers, who would frequently be prevented from driving stock home from late markets j they would also at time 3 entail suffering upon the cattle, by necessitating their being driven during the heat of the day. It was resolved that a communication be sent to Mr. Lawry, the chairman" of the Stock Committee, drawing his attention to these facts, and urging that in the event of the Bill becoming law, every endeavour be made to 'secure its limitation to such districts as may desire to avail themselves of its provisions.

Last night Detective Chrystal arrested a man named William Smith on the charge of latceny of a handcart. The cart was placed in Messrs Hunter and Nolan's yard, Durham-street, by the owner Thomas Fertton on the 13th insfc., but had disappeared in the morning, and was found by the detectives at a second-hand dealer's, who had purchased it for 16s. The same prisoner is also charged with larceny, as a bailee of a hand-trolly, the property of Thomas Pilkington. Detective Chrystal also arrested a man named John James Sullivan, charged with the larceny of a shawl, valued at 5s 6d, from the shop of J. Berry, a second-hand dealer iii Grey-street. ; ... .

The funeral of the late Mr. Bridgman took place yesterday, and was largely intended. Many of the members of the Mount Eden Free Methodist Church and the scholars of the Sunday-school were present, deceased having been superintendent of the school. The Mount Eden Road Board, of which he had been chairman, arid the Mount Eden Domain Board, of which he had been a trustee, were represented by M W. ft. Cooper, chairman of the former, and Messrs. Udy and Cooper, trustees of the latter. ' """ .!

There are on view in the shop windows of Messrs. T. and S. Morrin and Co., Queenstreet, and of Mr. Prime, Newton, plans drawn tip by Mr. R. Jenkinson, of a new sanitary castellated villa, , Mtf&* 13 compartments. " The '"leading idea is that the house is to be built on the latest sanitary engineering principles; but it also commends itself for its cheapness. The materials proposed to be used are concrete and iron, and the building so greeted will be indestructible either by fire or by time. Mr. Jenkinson states " that he has for five years tried to introduce modern scientific sanitary engineering into Auckland, but hitherto, without any great measure of success. ■ " " ;

The Salvation Array authorities have rid f£ansferr£3 their Tlesc Home"operations from UpierTKt- street to the building : in Vih'ce'rit afcfeet;' leeetrfljf parfcliased for I the jxiirpose. The building is now tenanted and suitably, equipped. ; Ensign Gunnion 8 . ah in charge, bat a new captain is coming up from C&riatchurch to take Un the work. The lady was expected to hi Here already, biffc has been uhabl6 to make the voyage owing to indisposition. In our obituary column will be found recorded the decease Of Mr. John Ebenezer White. He had been & Resident of Auckland for over half » century, having been in HokiAnga before the Northeffi war. - Deceased was one tof the original discoverers and shareholders of the famous Shotover {or Hunt's which heralded the openinoof the Thames Goldfield. Messrs. A. \V* Hunt and Ctackson were the other two fortunate prospectors, the mine vieldin? Qver fIOOjOOO's worth of gols. Mo White afterwards met with reverses. He leaves a. widow and family. . * " * A Wellington butcher, in his sworn statemfnt in bankruptcy the other day, stated that he had sold his freehold and pawned ! his gold watch ; 'his'littie ' children had given up their savings, and his daughter Alice her only £l—all in ' the" hope and attempt to restore things. He worked "in almost Blank''"despair." "He "had suffered o£ late "the most fiendish torture that cannibal savages could intent." In conclusion, he thanked the solicitors who had been against llfifl, and the fittdsTW^hohflie was indebted. The creditors appeared touched by his eloquence, and the . bankrupt was allowed his furniture, the 1 Official Assignee being instructed td tld his best with the assets.' ''' * ; iL ' " ~ • The canvass amongst the business people of Auckland for special prizes"for the forthcoming show of the Auckland Agricultural Association, is provitig Very successful. Th« committee have now £200 on band, with th< expectation of obtaining a further addition to the funds from gentlemen whom thej have not yet waited on, A meeting of the Executive Committee is to be held on Friday next, to take preliminary steps for the preparation of a programme. We have to acknowledge the receipt from Uapt&inTlutt6b,""Tofc&btlhu; of a copy of the " Keporb and Proceedings of the Fruitgrowers C&fifereflCe, held at Auckland, July 19, 1792, and Draft Bill for the Suppression of the Codlin Moth and Other Insect Feats,""" Which has been printed in pamphlet form.

Our Raglan cofrespondent writes —Mr A. Raatrick mqb with an accident on Friday. August 12th.' He Was riding 'into * Raglan at a good pace, when his horse got into a boggy place, and he was thrown fracturing his leg. He was placed upon -hip horse, and brought in. Mr. Bay set the broken limb, and he was conveyed to his home the following day by boat.

In a recent issue we referred dangerous asphalt street crossings where owing to* the steep grade several Occidents to pedestrians had taken place. The City Engineer is now taking steps to have the matter rectified, one of- the first taken in hand' being the crossing near the Free Public Library where SOWS ac cidents have taken place of one kind or an other.

A well-attended public meeting was held last flight ih' the" Alexandra-Street .Primitive Methodist Church for the purpose of creating a wider interest in mission work amongst the gumdiggers. Owing to the ; unavoidable absence of Dr. KQnderdjne. the Rev. J. Guy presided, and gave a shorb opening address. He explained that the mission had been inaugurated by the executive of the Primitive Methodist Church under the earnest conviction that the work wis necessary, and that Mr. George Field, a local preacher of the Church, was suitable for " the work. Mr. George Field gave an interesting and graphic account of " his " recent visit to the Northern' gumfields, whither he had been sent upon an evangelistic tour under the auspices of the Auckland Primitive Methodist Churches. Mr. Field was listened to with the greatest attention, and created a very favourable impression upon his hearers. The following resolution was proposed by Mr. A. Brown, seconded by Mr. F. A. White, " That having heard Mr. Field's report, this meeting heartily approves of the mission to the gumdiggers undertaken 1 by the Primitive' Methodist Church, and cordially commends it to the sympathy and support of the citizens of Auckland." The secretary of the Primitive Methodist Missionary Society, Rev. W. S. Potter, in speaking to the resolution, urged that in order to give effect to it a subscription list should opeffed. Several gentlemen volunteered to become subscribers, and the resolution was carried with much enthusiasm. • Several gentlemen in th« audience strongly urged the committee to continues ' the teiis&ion," being thoroughly convinced that it will meet with adequate support when it became better known." The dhai?ftfctf,t6£tfT&"letter from the Rev. J. Berry expressing his regret at being unable to afctefid, and his hearty sympathy with the object of the meeting. A collection ■ was " takes tip'' in aid of the funds of the mission.

At a meeting of the Newton football team held on Tuesday evening it was decided by a narrow majority, and after a heated discussion, to withdraw from the Auckland Rugby Union contests. A resolution to this effect WAS carried by 5 to' 4, Messrs. Murray (captain), Mills, Major, Williamson, and G. Walker voting for it, and Messrs. Donald, Barnes, Walton, and J. Walker against it. The grievances of the dub wfere summed up as follows V— 1. That they had never had the principal ground at EpSom to play on this season, and so get clear of interference from spectators. 2. That the Rugby Union had done a very unfair and indecisive action in sending their protest to outsiders, knowing that a proper and authentic view of the case would not'be laid before! such persons for their information. 3. For the way in which the Union had totally ignored the Club in not acknowledging the receipt of their protest-, and. in- failing to even acquaint them with the decision re the late protect. ' " * "■ : ; '' •• •'■

We would remind the members of the National Association of the meeting to be held to-night in the rooms, 123, Queenstreet, when Dr. KtlgourV papef on the " Representation of Minorities" is to ba read and discussed. This subject has eJcerdieed the thoughts of all Clauses of politicians for a long time now, and it is hoped that in the discussion amongst the member's to-night ? some new light will be thrown upon a scheme which is deserving of every consideration, if, by such a plan, a wider range of representative interests might thereby be secured. We understand the writer's purpose in writing the paper is to create interest among the members, and elicit more information on the subject.

Another large audience assembled at the Agricultural Hall last night to witness the performance of" WifthS' Circus. The various items on the programme were disposed of in an eminently successful and satisfactory Manhfer,' and trie 5 audience showed how keenly they appreciated the efforts of the performers by r their hearty and continuous applause. This evening there will be an entire change of programme, and the proceeds of to-morrow evening's entert ammentwillbe devoted to the augmentation of the funds of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind. This week concludes the season, that is to say, there are only three more nights in which to see the circus.

The auction sale of drapery and other goods, being assigned stocks from Belfast and Melbourne, will-be continued to-day by Messrs. D. Tonics arid Co.. in the rooms opposite the Union Bank. So far, the sales in Auckland have approached £3000, and the balance must be told at any price, regardless of value, and ' without'the slightest reserve whatever, the selling rate being decided by the bidders only. The Auckland Caledonian Society will hold its annual celebration this evening, in shape of a plain and fancy dress ball. A notifies,tion relating to St. John Ambulance Association appears in another column. »""• • - The usual entertainment of the Burns Club will take place this evening. The following are the tenders which have been received By Messrs. Mahoney and Son, architects, for the construction of the new buildings to be erected on Quay-street, for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company and" Shipping Company A; Grandison, * '£5531; McLean and Morris, £5780; Philcox and Son, £5794 E. Wriglev, 56147; J. Furey, £6168 W. Hutchison, £6294; J. T. Julian, £6381; W. R. Fairweather, £6432 : J. Ellingham, £6500: J. Heron, £6575*, Heron Brothers, £6600; J. J. Holland, £6631 V* Cole and : Moody, £6685; Watson and Farrell, £6800; J. Leigh, £6847; R. farrell, £7095; R. Kay, £7&0; and Donald McLean, £7950.