Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9306, 15 September 1893, Page 4

The bombardment of Rio de Janeiro continues, which is aa ominous sign for the Government, as is also the fact that the garrison of one of the strongesb forts have gone over to the insurgents. A plot for the assassination oi President Cleveland is stated to have been unearthed in America. The would-be assassin is apparently a Pittsburgh \ attorney, and his co-conspirators are said to be a number of malcontent pensioners. The miners' strike in in England is estimated to have caused losses amounting to twelve millions sterling. The Liberal Federation have issued a bombastic manifesto threatening the House of Lords with extinction or re-organisation unless it agrees to Home Rule. But if the Gladstone Government were sincere in believing thai the people are in favour of Home Rule they .vouid appeal to the country. They are evidently afraid, however, of taking that step. More deaths in England from cholera are reported. The situation in Mashonaland grows more critical. The Matabeles are closing in on Fort Victoria, and fighting is imminent. The Czechs in Bohemia are again agitating for Home Rule, and the movement is likely to cause the Austrian Government some trouble. They number over three millions in Bohemia- alone, and what they aim at is the restoration of their ancient Crown rights. In the House of Commons on June 5, ISS9, a resolution proposed by Mr. McLaren for the repeal of the Contagious Diseases and Cantonment Acts in India was agreed to without a division, and was accepted by the Indian Office and the Viceroy, then Lord Dufferin. However, mainly through the efforts of two American ladies, Mrs. Andrew and Dr. Kate Bushnell, it was recently shown ■ that the system sanctioned by the Acts in question continued to exist notwithstanding the decision of the Imperial authorities. Lord Roberts, who during the whole time was Commander-in-Chief in India, was believed to have connived at this evasion of the will of Parliament, but on his arrival in England a few months ago he expressed his total disbelief in the statements made by Mrs. Andrew, Dr. Kate Bushnell, and others, and said if any such system was being worked now, it was in opposition to the most positive orders of the Viceroy and himself. He went even further, and de clared that if it were proved that any officers had disobeyed his orders in this matter, he would see to it that they were broken and punished with exemplary severity. According to a cablegram, he now admits that the statements made as to the continuance of the system are true, so that something more is likely to be heard of the matter. A brief discussion book place last night ab the City Council meeting on a resolutioi moved by Mr. Glover on the desirability of taking every, precaution to prevent the introduction of cholera or other infectious diseases to the colony, and in moving it he pointed out the danger which existed, as steamers trading to New Zealand from England called at ports where these diseases existed. He only desired, in the first instance, to have it referred to the Legal Committee to obtain information from the health officer and other medical gentlemen, from Professor Thomas, and any others able to give it. Mr. Atkin suggested to him to alter his resolution by referring the matter to the Local Board of Health, consisting of the whole Council, and Mr. Glover adopted this view. Several members deprecated creating unnecessary alarm, and it was pointed out that the"Local Board of Health had now all the powers the law could give them, bnb they could do nothing until the health officer reported to them that there infectious disease on board some vessel. Every vessel from a foreign port is inspected by the health officer before she is alio wad to come alongside the wharf. The motion as amended was agreed to. Complaints are made about some of the promoters . ot the petition to the Governor praying that he would not consent to the Bill ? for, conferring the franchise on. women' issuing misleading representations to procure signatures. In one oase, it is stated, a blank sheet * without the proper petition heading was taken to the house of a woman for signature, ;■ and she signed her name, having the assurance that the petition was in favour of the women's franchise. Ou her husband coming home in the evening she was speedily undeceived, and he took occasion to ; let the parties «■, know that the deception had been discovered. Complaints are also made of non-adults of both sexes having their signatures attached to the petition. ■> - . \ • .

■ AmooE the visitors to Auckland ab present is Mr. John Ross (of Sargood, Son, Ha Ewen), who has recently been travelKin Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales, with a view of seeing business project". Matters were very quiet in Tasmania, and he does nob think the Zeehan silver fields will relieve them much. He was very much struck with the change in Melbourne, in the diminution of passenger traffic on its unrivalled tramway system, as « good indication of the curtailed finances of the travelling public. Both in Victoriaandin New South Wales he found no appreciable number of people aro yet being got out of the congested centres of population and placed on the land. All that had been done was a bagatelle. With regard to federation, the feeling had nob spread so rapidly as had been anticipated. Speaking of trade in Sydney and Melbourne, he states that although certain stocks were bein" sold at discounts of as much as 20 per cent so far as the great lines of trade were concerned the Sydney and Victorian merchants notwithstanding all the talk of depression, were making higher profits than could be got in New Zealand. He instances a line, with a 10 per cent, duty, sold at '2Ss in Sydney ; the same article, with a 22.$ per cent, duty, is sold in Auckland at 21s. A good deal of surplus stock had been sent to New Zealand and undersold, bub the leading lines were as high as ever. In Melbourne there had been a great contraction of the volume of business, through the reduction of stocks and lessening of orders. His own opinion was that Victoria had still some bad times in front of her, through the financial effects of the reconstruction schemes.of her financial institutions, bub her internal resources were great, and with all the disasters and misfortunes " Marvellous Melbourne"' has yet an immense amount of wealth within her boundaries. The Auckland City Council at their meeting last night determined to augment the fund necessary for procuring a turret clock for the Public Library by taking £100 from the Library fund, and a similar amount from the general account. There was no opposition to procuring the clock, which is to have four faces, and which will chime the quarters of each hour, bub several members expressed the opinion that they could not legally take any part of the Library fund arising out of the Costley bequest or the half-penny rate levied for Library purposes for the erection of a clock. The objections, however, were overruled, and a resolution passed that the engineer prepare plans and specifications and call for tenders for the construction of the clock. The Mayor intimated that he had a copy of the specifications prepared for the Government for the Tost Ottioe clock at Invercargill, which had cost £623, and he thought these would be sufficient. Amongst the passengers by the Upolu, which loft yesterday evening for the Islands, is Mr. W. H. Triggs, sub-editor of the Christchurch Press, who is making the round trip for the benefit of his health, which has suffered from the severe strain inseparable from the arduous duties of such a position. The whole of the re-elected members for the City wards, except Mr. H. T. Garratt, whose return had not been declared when the City Council meeting opened, attended last night, and after making the statutory declaration took their seats. Mr. W. Thome, who was elected unopposed to fill the vacancy for the Ponsonby Ward, was also present. He made the statutory declaration and was welcomed to the Council by the Mayor. A re-adjustment of committees also took piace. Tiia Charitable Aid Board are becoming rather uneasy at the ready manner in which parents get rid of their legal obligations to maintain and train up their children, and saddle them upon the Board. The maintenance of neglected and destitute children now amounts to £1000 a year, and is steadily increasing, and with the scores of semi-criminal and neglected children graduating for the Industrial Schools, it is anticipated that the expenditure will mount up to £1500 or £2000 a-year. The Board contemplate having a field day next week to discuss the matter, as the chairman of the Board (Mr. Bollard) thinks the question is now of colonial rather than of local importance. An inquest was held at the Asylum yesterday by Dr. Philson in connection with the death of an inmate named Matilda Morgan. A verdict of death from natural causes was returned, the immediate cause of death being paralysis. Deceased was 60 years of age, and had been in the Asyium since 1874. The other day the Premier stated that the by-law of the Milton Borough, under which the Salvationist captain was tried and imprisoned was ultra vires Section 3, Sub-section 24, of the Police Offences Act, contains almost the same language as that contained in the by-law, and the borough :ould have elected to proceed under the statute, save for the cogent fact that under the bylaw the fines go to the borough, while under the statute they go to the Government. The following is the sub-section referred :—" Wantonly or maliciously disturbs any inhabitants by ringing any door bell, knocking at any door, blowing »ny horn, or beating any drum, using any other noisy instrument in any public place, or ringing any fire-bell." Among the works recently presented to the Free Public Library are the volumes for 1891-92 of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, which have been given by Professor Aldis. Some 400 volumes, recently received from England, have also been added to the Library. The headmaster and teachers of the Parnell district school are taking time by the fort.ock, in regard to Arbor Day. They are now organising a series of concerts, in order to raise funds for planting trees, next year. A coroner's inquest into the origin and circumstances of the fire which occurred on Sunday night, in the Sydenham tailoring establishment, Queen-street, was opened at the Oriental Hotel yesterday morning, by Dr. Philson, coroner. Mr. H. Kurtz, the manager of the establishment, was in attendance, and a jury of six was empanelled, of whom Mr. \Ym. Gulliver was chosen foreman. After viewing the scene of the tire, the coroner intimated that the police were not ready with the evidence, and the inquest was postponed until ten o'clock on Tuesday. A meeting of the Eight Hours Committee was held at the rooms of the Liberal Association last evening. There was a fair attendance. No reply having been received from the Colonial Secretary, nothing could be done re sports, and the secretary was instructed to wire to Mr. Jennings, M.L.C., and ask him to interview the Colonial Secretary re ground. Mr. Worth brought forward a programme of sports, consideration of which was deferred till next ingA very interesting and instructive lecture on " The Public Buildings of Rome" was delivered by Mr. Field- Woiiige in the Parnell Hail, mat evening. There was a large attendance. The lecturer, in his opening remarks, contrasted Rome with the Holy Land, and pointed out how much more interesting, from the traveller's point of view, Rome was than Palestine. He then dwelt o.ti the chief places of interest in Rome, including the Coliseum, Catacombs, the Arch of Titus, and the Capitol. The lecture was beautifully illustrated with limelight views, and v/sa enjoyed by all present. The following resolution was unanimously carried by a large meeting of the "members and workers of the Helping Hand Mission, in the hall, Freeman's Bay, last evening, presided over by the missioner : —" The officers and members of the Helping Hand Mission desire to thank Inspector Hickeon and the police, for the asssistance rendered in maintaining order at the open-air meetings ; also, to express hearty sympathy with him in his effort to close the many disorderly houses in -the city. While cherishing nothing bub kindly feelings towards the unhappy women themselves, and desiring to lend them a helping hand, we are convinced these dens are a source of demoralisation and grave peril to the community, and we pledge ourselves to support this reform." -. ? , - i; A very serious accident happened ab a slaughterhouse near Timaru recently to a little boy, who was playing 'about the aughteryard with other children. He gob ° n e of his legs into the cogwheels of a horsepower, aud it was dreadfully mangled, "« was at once taken to the Hospital, Where the leg was amputated, and, he is rePotted to be progressing favourably.

The police have, as yet, gob no clue to the mother of the infanb abandoned the other night, on the verandah of a resident L" % W^ n R - oa & The <* has been taken by the Charitable Aid Board, and placed out to be nursed at the public expense. The Sydney Daily Telegraph, commenting upon the frequency of this crime, aa well as that of infanticide in Sydney, suggests the establishment of a Home for Foundlings, maintamed either out of public funds, or by private beneficence. lb says :—" So long as "u-Pi'J?/ m . ethod if ' Provided for safeguarding child-hfe, it may be taken as a truism for all time that infanticide will remain with us as an element in our social system thab « cannot be helped. Bub thab proper provision for giving succour and shelter to unfortunate infants born oub of wedlock materially decreases the number of cases of child murder is amply shown by experience in the oldworld countries, where foundling homes have long been maintained, partly by public funds, and partly by private beneficence, and where infanticide and desertion on the scale known here are comparatively rare. There is no reason for doubting that a similar provision here would have a like result, both in minimising crimes against children, and in safeguarding infant life." A Chinaman was taken to the Hospital last evening by the police, suffering from a wound in the arm. He alleges thab he has been stabbed by a fellow-country-man, and the police will investigate bis statements. We have received 5s on behalf of Mrs. Kate Donovan, who was fined 20s and costs, or a month's imprisonment, for severely beating her son. The donor wishes it to be acknowledged as from "one who, while deprecating undue severity, laments the want of parental correction in these days." It may interest our correspondent to know thab bhe Inspector of Police has notified the Charitable Aid Board thab ib is his intention to apply for the committal of j threo of Mrs. Donovan's children to an industrial home. Yesterday afternoon the consignment of presents, toys, etc, which are being forwarded to tho children of the Baptist Indian Mission, through the New Zealand Baptiet Foreign Missionary Society were displayed before being packed, ab the Tabernacle school-room, to the friends of the mission. Mrs. Blaikie, wife of Pastor Blaikie, has been accustomed in Victoria to engage in this labour of love annually, and made an appeal to the Sunday-school. The result was a handsome response from teachers and scholars. There were over 300 toys of every conceivable class, albums, etc., arranged picture books, which were simply works of art. Two special presents are also made to the missionaries. It has been found that this benevolent work has been helpful to tho children in teaching them habits of industry, neatness, and unselfishness. Another successful performance was given by the Cogill Brothers' New Minstrels ab tho Opera House last night. The whole of the varied and attractive programme went off with the utmost smoothness, and its merits were evidently highly appreciated by the audience. The musical portion of the entertainment was heartily applauded, whilst the comicalities created the greatest merriment, and the acting and dancing made a very favourable impression. To-night is the last nighb of the present programme. To-morrow night the company are putting forth a special bill for their last performance, introducing a new comedy of " The Voyagers," the scenery having arrived from Melbourne. The scenery (panoramic) depicts views from all parts of the world, and has been painted by John Hennings. An interesting lecture upon " Africa and Its People " was delivered by Mr. VV. Brakenrig, in the lecture hall of the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms last night. The subject was appropriately illustrated by numerous distinct and artistic lantern views of the inhabitants and scenery of the Dark Continent. The lecturer gave special prominence to the progress of the Christian missions. In conclusion, he urged his hearers to remember the Maoris at their doors, as well as the Hindoos, the Africans, and the Chinese abroad. , The lecture was closed with the singing of a hymn, followed by the benediction. Probably the most enjoyable nighb of the season was spent lastvevening ab the usual fortnightly meeting of St. Albans' Literary Society. The whole programme was provided by the lady members and friends, and great credit is due to Mrs. McKinstrey, who took the initiative in presenting both a varied and delightful programme. Mrs. E. J. Harvie occupied the chair, and made a few remarks suitable to the occasion. The following programme was gone through : — Pianoforte duet, Misses Paton and Edwards; song, " Thy Voice," Mrs. Edmonds recitation, "The New Organ," Miss Olphert; song, " Tib For Tab," Miss Minnie Ewington ; pianoforte solo, Miss Graham (encored) ; song, " My Sailor Boy," Miss Martinson ; paper, " Woman's Work and Influence," Mrs. McKinstrey; song, " Dear Heart," Mrs. Bradstroet ; recitation, " The First Settlers' Story," Mrs. Nicholls ; pianoforte solo, Mrs. McKinstrey ; vocal duet, Excelsior," Mrs. Bradstreeb and Miss Wood; reading, Miss Olpherb; "A Serenade," Miss Wood. Mrs. McKinstrey acted very efficiently as accompanist. Ab the conclusion a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the ladies on the motion of Messrs. F. G. Ewington and E. Nordon. The usual monthly entertainment of the Burns Club took place last evening in the Masonic Hall, Newton. There was a large attendance. Mr. A. Dunn occupied tho chair, when the following programme was submitted :—Overture, Mrs. Angus. Songs, "Annie Laurie," Miss Roderick; "The Death of Nelson" (encored), Mr. Parish; "Then You'll Remember Mo no More" and "Cousin* Thro' the Rye," Miss Babe; "Still I Love Thee" and "Happy Moments," Mr. Patterson ; "Theßridge" and " Mary of Argyle," Mrs. Leers ; " Hand in Hand," Mr. Ellis ; " Meet me by Moonlight Alone" and "When a Maiden Wants to Marry," Miss Lye; "Pretty Fond Lilies" and " My Darling's Waiting," Mr. Henton ; "Smile Again, My Bonnie Lassie," Mr. Tait. Recitations, "The Irish Schoolmaster," Mr. Hill; " The Clerical Wit," Mr. Home; and two excellent violin solos, "The Blue Bells of Scotland" and Scottish airs, by Mr. Hood, and " Auld Lang Syne" brought a pleasant and interesting meeting to a close. The annual Burns Chronicles have arrived from home, and are now in the hands of the secretary. They aro late this year on account of the first lob ordered having been destroyed by fire on board the Ruahine. A grand vocal and instrumental concert will be given this evening at the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms under the conductorship of Mr. J. H. Philpot. The programme, which is a very varied and attraccive one, will be found elsewhere.