OUR LETTER HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9027, 4 November 1892, Page 9

OUR LETTER HOME.

His Excellency tiie Governor and Lady Glasgow left Wellington on October 17, immediately after the prorogation of Parliament, for Auckland. His Excellency was accompanied by the Hon. W. P. Reeves, Minister of Education, and also by Lady Augusta Boyle, and Captain Hunter Blair, A.D.C. The party went by rail to jWanganui, where His Excellency was entertained at a banquet. An excursion was made up the Wanganui river, the scenery on the banks of which is beautiful and romantic. His Excellency reached New Plymouth on the 19th, and was cordially received by the residents. Here the llinemoa was lying with the other members of the Governor's family and suite. On Thursday, the 20th, His Excellency reached Onelmnga, the western harbour of Auckland, where an address was presented to him by the Mayor on behalf of the inhabitants. In the afternoon he came over to Auckland by train, and had a most loyal welcome, of which we give a full account in this issue. On Saturday, October 22, His Excellency and party attended the annual race meeting of the Pakuranga Hunt Club. On the following day they visited the Free Public Library and other of our municipal institutions. On Wednesday, the 26th, they attended a meet of the Hunt Club, and lunched at the Pa House, near Onehunga. On Thursday His Excellency went to Hamilton, and was present at the show of the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association. In the evening he was entertained at a ball by the members of the Northern Club. On Saturday His Excellency formally opened the Ethnological Annexe of the Auckland Museum. This building has been erected to contain ethnological specimens, including a largo number of Maori carvings and antiquities. On Monday, October 31, His Excellency and the Countess of Glasgow left by steamer for Christchurch, in order to be present at the show of the Canterbury Agricultural Society. Most of the family and suite remain at Government House, Auckland, and His Excellency is expected here again about the 20th of November. His Excellency and the Countess have ereated a most favourable impression in Auckland. His Excellency is evidently desirous of acquainting himself with the capabilities of the colony and the desires of the people. The closing debate of the session of Parliament took place on October 12, when Mr. Rolleston, the leader of the Opposition, criticised the legislation of the session, and was replied to by Mr. Seddon, the Acting Premier. The session commenced on the 23rd June. In our last summary we referred to the serious illness of the Premier (Mr. Ballance). That gentleman was not able to attend the House or to transact business for several weeks before the close of the session. He has now gone to Wanganui, his place of residence, in order to obtain perfect rest and calm. Mr. John McKenzie (Minister of Lands) has also been laid up from ill-health, but is now much bettor. Mr. Cadman (Minister for Native Affairs) was also ill for some time at the close of the session. The Hon. Mr. Reeves remained at Auckland while the Governor was here, and transacted a good deal of Ministerial business, receiving deputations on various local subjects. He left in the same steamer as His Excellency, but is to remain at Wellington, where Ministers have to decide on various matters of importance. One of the measures of last session which created a large amount of discussion was the Payment of Members Act. For some years past, members have received £150 per annum as honorarium, together with a free railway pass and travelling expenses to and from the session. Last session a Bill was brought in raising the payment of members of the House of Representatives to £240 and of members of the Legislative Council to £150. The Bill passed the House, but the Council laid it aside, intimating that they would pass a Bill limited to raising the payment to members of the House. During the session just past the Bill was re-introduced by the Government, and passed both Houses. It is feared that the tendency of the Bill will be to create a class of professional politicians, who will look to politics simply as a means of living, and who will not scruple to use base means to get into the House. In our last summary, published on October 7, we dealt with the question of appointments to the Legislative Council which had arisen between His Excellency and Ministry, and also with the cable message which had been received by the Governor, recommending him in this matter to act according to the advice of Ministers. Immediately on receipt of the message His Excellency informed Ministers that lie was ready to make twelve appointments to the Council on their recommendation. Nothing, however, was done till after the prorogation of the House. On October 15 a Gazette was issued notifying the appointment of twelve gentlemen. Of these several have formerly been members of the House of Representatives. Four are known as representatives of labour— Mr. W.Jennings, of Auckland; Mr. John Rigg, of Wellington; Mr. J. G. Jenkinson, of Christchurch ; and Mr. W. M. Bolt, of Dunedin. Two of these are compositors, one is a boilermaker, and one a storeman.

Towardstheend of the session thecoramittee which had been taking evidence in regard to the proposed route for the railway to open up the interior of the North Island presented their report. The conclusions were —(1) That the railway should be extended at the southern end to 2G miles north of Marton, as soon as the land is purchased from the natives;. (2) that a road be constructed to connect the Taranaki district with the Upper Mokau ; (3) that further exploration and surveys are necessary before the precise direction of the North Island Trunk Railway can be determined; (4) that no further works be constructed until the land is acquired from the natives. The report was referred to the Government, who will no doubt act accordingly. Considerable sums are to be devoted to the making of roads in the interior to enable the Government to settle the lands available. There is still a large demand for land by intending settlers, and in a very few years a large extent of land now lying waste will be utilised. It will then be much plainer than it is at present how the country should be opened up, and there will be less risk of mistakes being made. An Electoral Bill, brought in by the Government, has occupied a considerable portion of the session. When-first introduced it was chiefly a consolidating measure, and allowed each person to be qualified and to vote only on one roll. But Ministers agreed to introduce into the Bill the principle of female suffrage. A clause was put into the Bill giving every woman .over the age of 21 the right to vote at Parliamentary elections, but they were not permitted to become candidates. A strong support was given to this clause throughout the country, and it passed

the House. In the Legislative Council there was a good deal of opposition, but ultimately the Bill passed with the clause included, except that a, proviso was inserted enabling women to vote by an electoral right, which had to be lodged, properly certified, at a post-office. It was claimed that there was nothing in this in violation of the secrecy ot the ballot, and besides, the same privilege was granted to shearers, commercial travellers, etc. But the Government would not grant this modification, although the Council gave way so far as to ask for the privilege only in country districts, where there might be a considerable distance to travel to a post-ollice. As an agreement could not be come to between the Houses, the Bill was dropped. Both the Government and the Council have been accused of having been insincere in this matter from the first, and it is said that the liquor influence was powerfully exerted so as to manage that the Bill should be dropped. A proposal was brought forward in the House to grant £3000 to the widow and family of the late Sir Harry Atkinson. The grant was passed with some opposition. A large addition has been made to the Art Gallery, in the shape of an annexe in which are to be placed the art treasures presented to the city of Auckland by the late Mr. Mackelvic, and those which may be purchased by the funds which he bequeathed for that purpose. The annexe has been erected from designs by Mr. Arnold, architect. When it is sufficiently dry for the purpose the pictures will be hung, and it will be opened by a public ceremonial, at which it is expected His Excellency the Governor will preside. Within the last few days it has been made public that a despatch has been received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, directing that the Governor should act according to the advice of his Ministers in respect to granting licenses to vessel plying in the South Seas, enabling them to carry native labourers from one island to another. Under an Act of the Imperial Parliament the Governor of any of the Australian colonies, and also the High Commissioner of the Pacific, who is Governor of Fiji, may grant a license to any vessel on bonds being entered into for the fulfilment of the conditions,and on being satisfied that the vessel is suitable for the purpose, and that the master and mate are trustworthy persons. Mr. J. T. Arundel, who is a member of a firm having a lease of a number of guano islands, applied for a license for a vessel to enable her to take back to their homes certain labourers who had been employed on an island shipping guano, and whose time had expired. The Premier, Mr. Ballance, declined to grant the license, on the ground that he was opposed to the utilisation of black labour anywhere. At this time, Sir James Prendergast, Chief Justice, was administering the Government, and on considering the Imperial Acts he came to the conclusion that he was bound to issue the license, and he did so. The Secretory of State for the Colonies, it is said, quite agrees that Sir James Prendergast was right in his action, but thinks that it will be expedient in future that in this matter the Governor should be guided by his responsible advisers. Either the Secretary of State must have misunderstood the position, or there is some misunderstanding in respect to the purport of his despatch. If the Premier of New Zealand refuses on the ground that he is opposed to native labour being employed in the Pacific Islands, licenses must be procured from the other colonies whose Ministers have no such sentimental objections. The only result will be to cut New Zealand vessels out of much of the island trade which they hitherto have had, and to compel all persons desiring to charter vessels to go to the Australian colonies or Fiji. While the Hon. W. P. Peeves was in Auckland he addressed a public meeting on the subject of the social and labour legislation of the last two sessions, defending the action of the Government, and explaining the provisions of the new measures. H.M.s. Itingarooma left here for Samoa on October 31, she having been ordered to Apia by the Admiral of the station. H.M.s. Goldfinch is at Lyttelton, having been at Port Chalmers for some time. H.M.s. Orlando is at Melbourne awaiting the arrival of the new Admiral, Sir E. Bowden-Smith, who arrived at Albany on the 2nd inst. H.M.s. Curacoa, which has been engaged in cruising amongst the Islands for some months past, left Suva for Sydney on October 25. H.M.s. Ringdove left Noumea for the New Hebrides on October 12, where also is the Rapid. H.M.s. Royalist has been in dock at Sydney for an overhaul. H.M.s. Kotoomba is expected here shortly from Sydney. H.M.s. Tauranga was to have relieved the Ringarooma on this station next month ; but*owing to the latter vessel having gone to Samoa, this arrangement may fall through. The French warship DuchafFault arrived here on October 31, from Melbourne, Hobart, and the South. She is bound home by way of Callao, and will remain here for about ten days. The French warship Scorff has arrived at Melbourne from France, and is to go on to Noumea. The German warship Bussard was at Apia on October 17. In our last summary we stated the case for the San Francisco mail service, which has been again endangered by the English Government declining to pay any more for mail matter than the Postal Union rates. Mr. Perceval, the Agent-General, has, we have learned by cable, been endeavouring to move the English Government to continue some special encouragement to the service, which is by a long way the most speedy to New Zealand, and which might be made the best for all the colonies. Apparently he has not been successful, but in the meantime the Government of New South Wales, which place derives great advantage from the service, owing to Sydney being the terminus, has agreed to contribute £4000 towards its maintenance for a year. This secures the continuance of the service in the meantime, but it is much to be desired that substantial arrangements could be made by all parties concerned for the development of the service, and for making it fortnightly instead of four-weekly. The Jubilee of the arrival of the Scottish pioneer settlers for Auckland by the ships Duchess of Argyle and Jane Gifford—October 9, 1842— was celebrated on the following day, Monday, October 10, with great enthusiasm, as the committee of management had determined that it should be a day of rejoicing generally, by making it a reunion of old colonists of all classes of fifty years' standing and over, and of their friends and relatives. The weather was all that could be desired, and Mr. Hanna, photographer, was able to get three historic photographic groupsfirst of old colonists ot 50 years' standing ; second, of some of their descendants ; and third, the survivors of the passengers by the Duchess of Argyle and Jane Gifford. The gathering in the evening at the Choral Hall was a magnificent success, there being 1200 people present, and Dr. J. Logan Campbell, who had witnessed the birth of the infant city of Auckland, presided, and made an admirable speech. The

re-union was thoroughly historic, as such anotiww gathering of pioneer old colonists we can never hope to see again. Much of the success of the gathering was due to the unselfish and enthusiastic services of the hon. secretary, Mr. J. J. Craig, himself the son of a pioneer Scottish settler. A detailed account of the jubilee demonstration will be found elsewhere. .As the outcome of the re-union an Old Colonists' and Natives' Association is to be established, and a permanent memorial erected to commemorate the arrival of the pioneer settlers. An Old Colonists' roll of 630 names is also to be deposited in the Free Public Library. The annual sessions of the Auckland Diocesan Synod were opened on Monday last. Prior to the opening of the session a communion service was held in St. Matthew's Church. There was a full attendance at the opening of the Synod, and the exhaustive address delivered by Bishop Cowie, who is now Primate of New Zealand, on all matters affecting the diocese was listened to with earnest attention. ■ The sittings of the Synod continue daily, but the proceedings are mostly of provincial or local interest.

The business of the Supreme Court possessing public interest lias not been great. Mr. Justice Conolly was chiefly occupied while in Auckland, in the detail business of chambers and banco. He held a civil and criminal sittings at Taranaki, and then proceeded to Wellington to attend the Appeal Court, which is now sitting. The hist issue of the New Zealand Gazette contains the returns showing the quantity and value of gold entered for duty for exportation from New Zealand for the quarter ended «30th September, 1892, and also the Customs revenue at the ports of the colony for the same quarter. In regard to gold the present quarter shows a decrease from that of last year. In the September quarter of 1891, the export amounted to 62,876 ounces, of the value of £252,242. This year, for the corresponding period the export was 53,346 ounces, of the value of £214,543. The deciease occurs chiefly in Otago and the West Coast. The former fell from 22,860 ounces to 19,866 ounces, the latter from 25,704 ounces to 19,932 ounces. In Auckland there has been a considerable increase. In 1891 the amount was 7689 ounces, of the value of £30,956. In 1892, the product was 12,654 ounces, of the value of £51,052. There is every prospect, we think, that this increase in our local production of gold will continue. Nowhere can the improvements in gold saving recently discovered be applied with so much practical advantage as to the quartz reefs of the Thames district. The Customs revenue for the September quarter of 1891 amounted to £436,960 ; for the same period of the present year it amounts to £436,674, showing a trifling decrease this year. In Auckland there has been a decrease from £103,612 to £97,922. The port of Russell shows a decrease, while Tauranga and Poverty Bay show increases. The New Zealand Gazette published on October 27, contains the statistics showing the postal and telegraph revenue of the September quarter. The total postal revenue for the quarter amounted to £45,749 15s 2kl, which was somewhat under the figures of the corresponding quarter of 1891, £46,565 13s 2kl. The total revenue received in Auckland was, however, better than that of last year, being for 892, £5975 , 4s lid for 1891, £5911 9s 3d. The j total" of the telegraph revenue shows a falling off from £26,319 10s 7d in 1891 to £21,354 Is 6id in 1892. In Auckland, for the September quarter of 1891, the cash received amounted to £4415 12s 9d ; this year the amount is £3448 19s 2kl. The Post Office Savings Bank transactions show an increase during the quarter. The accounts opened in 1891 numbered 6360; this year they were 6437. The number of accounts closed were: 1891, 4356; 1892,4199. The excess of deposits over withdrawals amounted to £29,122 9s 4d. These figures show that the working classes are steadily saving money, and that there is no process of withdrawal going on for the purpose of paying passages to other colonies. In Auckland, the amount of deposits is slightly under that of last year— £s6,s24 5s 3d, against £60,311 lis; and the withdrawals larger—£ss,6s9 12s 3d, against £53,710 12s sd. Still, in Auckland, there is an excess of £3864 13s of deposits over withdrawals. The largest excess _of deposits over withdrawals is in Christchurch, where the amount is £12,035 14s Id ; in Dunedin the excess is £5208 9s Bd. There are seventeen postal districts, and in only five is there an excess of withdrawals over deposits. These live are Nelson, New Plymouth, Oamaru, Thames, Whanganui. The postal-note transactions are steadily increasing. The following are the figures for the September quarter of the last three years -.—IB9O, postal-notes sold, £18,315; 1891, £20,763; 1892, £22,878. The figures for Auckland were:lß9l, £3761 ; 1892, £4294. The run of amusements which opened so auspiciously some months ago still continues, and the public of Auckland have recently been treated to sufficient variety to please all tastes. The Williamson Comic Opera Company closed one of the most successful seasons held in Auckland with three productions of " Pepita," and a final performance of " The Mikado." on the 12th ult. The Steen-Smith combination of clairvoyants, spiritualistic exposers, and ven-' triloquists, who arrived from America, gave a series of performances, opening on the 17th inst The principal feature was the thought-reading of Madame Steen, and by whatever source of telegraphy she acquired her information or inspiration, there is no doubt the remarkable quickness with which answers were given was very astonishing. Mr. W. H. Jude, an eminent English organist, composer, and song-writer, is at present a visitor to our city. He has given not only a series of enter- ', tainments of a high-class order, and musical lectures on Saturdays and Sundays, but he has also popularised himself here by giving a benefit for the Institute for the Blind, which resulted in a gross takings of £130. The concert was held in the City Hall on the 24th ult In this concert he was assisted by the great English basso, Signor Foli, and a number of local celebrities. Mr. Snazelle returned from his trip to the South Sea Islands, and has since given a number of his unique performances, " Music, Song, and Story," pictorially illustrated, in the suburbs and city. Signor Fob's concert season closed on the 25th ult. The great basso was supported by a wellappointed concert company. The musical public thoroughly appreciated the great treats afforded them in successive performances. Signor Foli left for Sydney en route for England on the 26th ult. The Will's Surprise Coml pany, a well-appointed variety show, at present occupies the Opera House, and the combination is one of the best ; of its class that has been here for many years. Mr. Kelly's exhibition of Edison's loud-speaking phonograph commenced at the City Hall on the 3rd instant (yesterday). The advent of numerous other companies of entertainers is announced, but definite arrangements have not been, made up to the present.