OUR LETTER HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9774, 22 March 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR LETTER HOME.

fl I3 Excellency the Governor and party returned on February 24 from «' trip in the Government steamer jjj ne!ll o» to the islands to the south of V c w Zealand, and which are under the charge of the colony. The weather tras exceptionally stormy throughout. jiis Excellency, after a brief stay in Wellington, came on to Auckland, with jlajor KHiot, his private secretary. lie arrived at Government House, Auckland, on March 1. On the same [lav Lady Glasgow, with Ladies Augusta, Dorothy, and Alice Boyle, reached .\uokland, having been spending some time at Wanganui and in the Waikato district. Lady Glasgow was accompanied by Captain Clayton and Captain jYeston. The arrival of His Excellency anil Lady Glasgow coincided with the advent of Rear-Admiral Bridge and several vessels of the Australasian -squadron. But unfortunately a serious accident occurred in His Excellency's family which lias marred the pleasure c i their visit. On March 8, Lady Augusta Boyle, the eldest daught."ot His Excellency, was riding a j lorSf . in the paddock adjacent to government House, when she was thrown oft, and sustained a compound dislocation of the left ankle. The dislocation was so serious that the end of the fibula projected through the skin and stocking. Dr. Paint's was at once sent for, and he found it necessary to put Lady Augusta under chloroform and perform an operation. The accident has proved very serious. Dr. Haines, Dr. Lindsay, an IV. Knispt have since been in consultation. It was feared at one time that Lady Augusta might have to lose her foot, but within the hist few days an improvement has been manifested, which it is hoped will continue. The deepest sympathy has been manifested with His Excellency and Lady Glasgow in Auckland, and indeed throughout the colony. There is no change of note to record in the political position. The Premier, the Hon. 11. J. Seddon, addressed a meeting at Annat, in Canterbury, on February 22, and subsequently lie has spoken at Wanganui. Mr. J. McKenzie, Mini»tei of Lands, has spoke at Naseby, and nlso at Palmerston, in Otago. On the other side, we have had speeches from Captain Russell, the leader of the Opposition at Hastings, and from Sir K. Stout at Wellington. Both these speakers severely criticisedlthe measures of the Government.

Mr. Button, M.H.R. for the city of Auckland, addressed his constituents on March 5. He gave a very careful review of the session, and strongly emphasised his opposition to the main points of the Ministerial policy. He received a vote of thanks and continence.

A good deal of irritation has been caused by the enforcement of some of the labour measures of last session, especially the Shops Act, which compels closing on the afternoon of one day in the week. Exemptions are given to certain trades, and also to shops where a man carries on his own business with the aid of his family, and resides on the premises. There is an effort to get under these exemptions and to evade the Act in various ways. Those whose businesses are injuriously affected, are much irritated, and there is no donbt that if an election were held now, the Ministry would sutler very considerably. Mr. Hone Hoke, M.H.R., who represents the Northern .Maori district, has addressed several meetings of natives, and lias emphatically condemned the measures of the Government affecting the native race Mr. Hone Heke is of the family of the celebrated warrior who first defied the English power. He is a fluent speaker of English. In all probability he will be asked to address a meeting of Europeans in Auckland.

His Worship the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. J. J. Holland) gave a dinner to His Excellency the Governor and His Excellency Rear-Admiral Bridge, at the Auckland Club on March 7. There were only a few toasts on the programme. The Earl of Glasgow expressed his pleasure at being once more in Auckland. Rear-Admiral Bridge regretted that his present visit to New Zealand must be a short one, but said lie and ail the oflicers of the squadron locked forward with pleasure to spending some time in its waters in' the future.

Prince Francis Joseph, of Battenfterg, who is at present travelling in the colonies, arrived at Auckland on March 18, accompanied by Captain To\rn*lieud, of the 2nd Life Guards. The Prince came through the interior of the North Island, visiting Taupo, Wairakei, and Kotorua. At the lastnamed place he arrived when there was a large native gathering, and he was well "received by the Maoris. He leaves by the mail steamer for San Francisco.

The revival on the Auckland goldfields which we noticed last month .still continues. Operations are biing carried on vigorously in various districts with excellent prospects. The yield of gold is increasing, and it is likely that in to long time a considerable amount of new English capital will be invested on ground which will be exceedingly profitable. The details connected with the principal mines will be found in our goldfields summary. The wool sales which have been held in the colony have, of course, faithfully reflected the low prices of Londou. Within the last few weeks, however, there lias been a slight advance in prices in consequence of the better accounts from Home. Even a moderate revival of the London market would soon effect a great change here. Mr. Moreton Frewen, who is one of the vice-presidents of the Bi-Metallic League, delivered a lecture in Auckmcl on the subject of Bi-Metallism. Mr. Frewen is well up in his subject. He attributes the low prices which have prevailed of late years to the adoption of mono-metallisru. Mr. Frewen has dso addressed several meetings in the south of the colony. At his meetings resolutions have' been earned asking that the colonies should be represented a t the Monetary Conference which is about to be held. , The report of the Colonial Bank has lust been issued for the half-year ending the 28th of February. The profits for the half year enable the directors to declare a. dividend of 6 per cent, besides carrying forward a substantial sum.

On March 10 an eruption occurred from iluapehu mountain. There are three summits on the range, Tongariro, Kuapehu, and Ngauruhoe. The lastnatued is always active less or more, but mtherto Ruapehu has been quiescent. 11 "as, however, a crater on the top, H? that contains at the bottom a small lake. Those who have ascended the fountain of recent years have found »at the water in the lake was becoming warm, having evidently been reached bv volcanic influences, i The recent f : ru Ption has blown this lake out. No ■ ma S« lias been done to the surround- ". g country, »or is there any likelihood °*w»y being done. •.; ' 4 '

The quarterly criminal sittings of the Supreme Court commenced on Tuesday, the 12th instant. The calendar was numerically large, there being 33 charges against 37 prisoners, but none of the indictments were of the very gravest character. A fact commented on by the learned Judge (Mr. Justice Conolly) was the very large proportion of first offenders, young men who had never previously been convicted of any crime, who came before the Court, but against this there was evidence of the existence of a criminal class which has found its way from Australia, and amongst those was one man convicted lof forgery, who was shown to have spent the greater portion of his life since ISO 4 in gaol in New South Wales on charges of stealing, robbery under arms, and forgery. There were two charges of arson. In one of these the Grand Jury threw out the bill, and in the other the accused was acquitted. One woman, a Maori, was charged with attempted suicide, and she was bound over in her own recognisances and those of her husband. The greater number of the offences were included under the head of theft, comprising house-breaking, cattle stealing, larceny, etc. In many cases in which convictions Were secured, the accused were admitted to probation under the First Offenders Probation Act. There are two charges of unnatural offences, the details of which are very repulsive, and there are still remaining for trial seven charges of perjury against witnesses who had given evidence in a trial at the December sittings of tho Court.

By the s,s. Taviuni from Fiji, there arrived on the 13th instant, His Excellency Sir John B. Thurston, Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, accompanied by Lady Thurston and family, being en route for Wellington, where they took passage by the R.M.S. Tongaiiro for London. During his stay in Auckland, Sir Join had an interview with Lord Glasgow at Government House. Prior to leaving Fiji he took prompt and elective steps to deal with the distress among the natives arising out of the late hurricane which devastated the Rewa and adjacent districts. For some time past Sir John has been devoting his attention to utilising the islands recently annexed, known as the Gilbert and Ellice Groups,and they have turned out well. They stretch through six degrees for latitude and have a population estimated at 30,000. He lias established a regular administration in substitution of the capricious rule of local chiefs, which is already self-supporting. The code of laws is uniform with the Fijian code, and printed in the native language, so that law and order are now having free course, a proof of which is the? execution at Fiji of a native for the murder of a German trader in the Gilbert Group. The civil arm was strong and long enough to reach the murderer without recourse to the "last argument of kings," the guns of a warship. A great moral object lesson was thus taught to the natives of the Group which will not be lost on them. Sir John anticipates that in a year or two the trade of the Group will be doubled, as it follows the flag. Effective government of aboriginal races is always personal government, and Sir John Thurston is known through the length and breadth of the Islands by the whole population, thoroughly conversant with their language and customs, and able to speak to them directly, without having his sentiments filtered through official interpreters or Island missionaries. His relations with the new King of Tonga are friendly, and he has received letters of the most cordial nature from that youthful Island monarch. No doubt Sir John, during his stay in England, will have something to say on sundry Island matters in the Pacific, which are of-great importance to the colonists of the Australasian group, and also to Fiji. His Excellency anticipates being back in Fiji in November, returning by the Vancouver route, but Lady Thurston and family will make a longer stay in England.

Admiral Cyprian A. Bridge, the new Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Squadron, paid his first visit to Auckland on February 28, in H.M.s. Orlando, the flagship of the squadron. He was received by Mr. M. Niccol, the chairman of the Harbour Board, and His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. J. Holland), on his arrival, and had the usual courtesies of the port extended to him. The Admiral made his official landing on the 2nd inst., when he was received by the Mayor, the chairman of the Harbour Board, and the other officials, and accorded a. hearty welcome. After a stay of eight days Admiral Bridge left in the Orlando for Melbourne, where he has since arrived. After visiting the various Australian ports, Admiral Bridge will return to New Zealand, and is expected about Christinas, probably making Wellington the first port of call. The Admiral hopes on his next visit to Auckland to make at. extended stay. 11.M.5. Orlando, with Admiral Bridge on board, arrived from Hobart on February 28, accompanied* by the Katoomba, Royalist, Ringdove, and Karrakatta, they all having rendezvoused off Tiritiri to meet the Orlando The flagship left for Melbourne on the Bth inst. The Royalist has gone to Melbourne and the Ringdove to Syd ncy, where the latter vessel will undergo overhauling. The Katoomba and Karrakatta have replaced the Royalist and Ringdove in New Zealand waters, the former vessels being still in port, the Karrakatta having left on the 20th for Napier and Southern ports. She returns here in about three weeks' time, and after a short stay proceeds to Noumea in company with the Katoomba, where they part, the Katoomba going to Samoa and the Karrakatta to , Brisbane and Sydney. The Wallaroo is under orders to come on to this port from Samoa, and is now daily expected, and after a stay of a few days goes on to Sydney to undergo a thorough overhauling. The Pylades, which has relieved the Curacoa on the Australian station, was at Hobart at last advices. The Ringarooma, Lizard, and Goldfinch are at Melbourne. The Dart has completed her overhaul at Sydney, and is to be recommissioned to the station for another, term of three years. The Penguin, which has been engaged in survey work at the Solomon Islands, has reached Sydney from Brisbane, and is to be overhauled. The Paluma, which has also been engaged in survey work among the Islands, has left Sydney for Brisbane, where she will be formally handed over to the Queensland Government. The Waterwitch, the new survey vessel of the squadron, has arrived at Sydney from Plymouth She has since gone to Hobart, where she will make a lengthy stay, and then proceeds to Fiji. The German warship Falke has arrived at Sydney from this port, and is to go to Jervis Bay for a month for big gun and torpedo practice, after which she returns to Sydney, and thence proceeds to Samoa. The Bussard has also arrived at Sydney from Wellington. Both these ships are to be recommissioned for a further term of service on this station, their new crews being expected to reach Sydney early in June. The Moewe has arrived at Sydney from

Zanzibar and Melbourne, and is to proceed shortly to New Britain on a surveying cruise. The French war cruiser Soorff has been thoroughly overhauled at Sydney, and has left that port for Noumea, *

Melodrama had a not over-satisfac-tory run, at the Opera House, during the early part of the month, that being succeeded by a season of comic opera, which has yet a fortnight or so to run. Up to the present, Williamson and Musgrove's Royal Comic Opera Company have played Ma Mie Bosette, Paul Jones, and The Mountebanks, to crowded houses. The attendances at the performances were records at the prices. Mam'selle Nitouche, The Mikado, The Vicar of Bray, and La 'Mascotte, are to follow.- Miss Nellie Stewart has made a great, hit in the leading parts, the other principals being Miss Marietta Nash, and Messrs. J. Tapley, Wallace Brownlow, and J. Lauri. The annual firing for the Champion Belt under the auspices of the New Zealand Rifle Association, commenced at Trentham on March 14, and continued for six days. There were 195 competitors from various parts of the colony. The shooting as a whole was excellent, and fiom this point of view the meeting was perhaps the best ever held in the colony. The Champion Belt was won by Captain W. Ballinger, of Wellington, after a most exciting contest. He and his brother Arthur were a tie upon the conclusion of the final match ; but in the tiring off Captain Ballinger came out victorious. Both brothers have been noted marksmen for many years. The championship meeting of tho New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association was held this year at Napier, on February 22, 23, and 25. The meeting was very considerably interfered with by wet. weather, and was not remarkable for exceptionally brilliant performances. The championship banner, which goes to the district whose representatives score the most points during the meeting, was on this occasion carried oft by the Auckland athletes, the scores being ; Auckland, 32 points ; Canterbury, 24 ;Wanganui, 22 ; Wellington, 21; Haw ke's Hay, 17; Otago, 10 ; Mauawatu, 0. The 'cycling events were especially successful, the five and ten-mile championships being a feature of the meeting. H.J. Pither, of the Pioneer Bicycle Club, was the winner in each case, the five-mile being covered in 13m 1 2-ss, and the ten-mile in 27m 18 3 us.

A swimming championship meeting was held at Christchurch commencing on March 7, and proved a most successfid gathering. The races were viewed with additional interest and importance owing to the fact that several competitors from New South Wales took part in them. The diving championship was won by Thomas, of Auckland ; while in the half mile and the 100 yards Leo, of New South Wales, was the winner, the time of the latter race being 78 3-sth see. E. Davis, of N.S.W., won the plunging championship with a plunge of 42ft. Sin.