Talk of the Week.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 245, 20 May 1876, Page 13

Talk of the Week.

The total tonnage of all the vessels that arrived in the port of Wellington during the past week amounted to 4510 tons —steamers, 3887 tons ; and sailing vessels, 623 tons. The total tonnage of the vessels which have entered outwards at the Customs, Wellington, during the past week amounted to 7884 tons. The tonnage of the steamers was 3827 tons ; sailing vessels, 3257 tons. The passengers who arrived at the port of Wellington by sea during the past week numbered 257. Of these 160 came from ports in the North Island, 91 from the South Island, and 6 from Australia. The number of passengers who left Wellington during the past week by sea amounted to 157. Of these 54 went to the North Island, 55 to the South Island, 8 to Australia, and 40 to England. The excess of ai’i’ivals over departures was 100.

Numerous applications, we understand, are being received from all pai'ts of the colony for shares in the Bangitoto Silver Mining Company; and a peculiar feature is that a very large number of the applications come from miners and persons who have a pi’actical knowledge of the mine, and who are therefore better able to judge of the value of the property offered to the public. Some who have visited the American mines say that they have never seen better galena than that turned out at Mount Bangitoto. Becently there has been something said about the discount in the value of silver which has been brought about, firstly by the increased production in different parts of the world; and secondly, the comparative disuse into which it has fallen as a circulating medium in America, Great Britain, and Germany. But, as is pointed out by a paper received by the mail, silver mining as a payable speculation has been in no way in-

terfered with. There are so many uses to which it is at present put, and so many uses to which a slight fall in its price will involve it being put to, that the demand for it will but increase as time goes on; and again, in all good mines (and especially is this the case in regard to the Mount Bangitoto mine) a sufficient quantity of gold is found in the silvei* ore to pay the whole cost of the working of the mine, so that the silver obtained represents clear profit.

A somewhat important announcement appears in our advertising columns. Mr. F. A. Krall notifies that he is prepared to purchase land in the Manawatu district to a moderate extent. Mr. ICrull purposes as a result of his purchases, to let the lands to farmers and others at an interest of 9 per cent, on the cost, giving a purchasing clause whereby the lessee can acquire the freehold after the expiration of seven years. This is a practical step towards the settlement of the people oh the land.

Recently telegrams have been received from Australia in reference to the proposals of Captain Audley Coote for laying a new line of cable to connect Australaisa with Asia and Europe. They include several alternatives. The first proposal is to lay a cable from Noi*manton to Sourabaya, there to connect with the Dutch lines overground, through Java and Sumatra, to Singapore, and so through the Peninsula of Malacca, to Rangoon and Calcutta. The second proposal is to lay a cable dii'ect to Singapore, touching at Timor and Sourabaya, and thence over the same land lines to Rangoon and Calcutta. The third is similar to the last as far as Singapore, with this difference, that from that point the connection would be by submarine cables to the British India system. The amount which is asked to be guaranteed at the i*ates of 5 per cent, is, respectively, for these three routes—• No. 1, £BOO,OOO ; No. 2, £1,200,000 ; No. 3, £1,700,000 ; and Mr Coote is encouraged to hope that, if Queensland and New South Wales go heartily into the matter, they will secure the support of both New Zealand and Victoria.

The want of accommodation at the Supreme Courthouse has been much felt during the present sittings of the Court of Appeal. What with the noise caused by parties passing along the coi’ridor to the Resident Magisti-ate’s Court, and the continual tramp up stairs to the police quarters, varied now and then by a few gentle taps at the wall by prisoners in the watch-house cells, which adjoin one end of the court, the noise has been continuous. But yesterday, in addition to these sources of annoyance, a meeting of irate creditors was held in one part of the building, and the complaints of these gentlemen about the dishonesty of people generally, and of the unfortunate bankrupt particularly, were occasionally so loud that it became necessary for barristers to break off in their argument and wait until there was a chance of making themselves heard in the court. Every day the necessity for some different arrangements in respect of a courthouse becomes more pressing.

The Otago Guardian has found that it made a mistake by its ill-natured attack on the Dunedin Working Men’s Club and the Premiex*. The secretary of the club has recently written to the paper as follows-:—“The club was opened in May, 1875, and had the favor of the following names as honorary members at the outset: The Marquis of Normanby, his Honor the Superintendent (who was the very first); Horace Bastings, Esq.; Donald Beid, Esq.; Robert Stout, Esq.; and many others. Had the Premier been in New Zealand at the time he also would have been asked. Now, he simply was asked for a guinea; he sent ten — and because he did so, you charge us with ‘blacking big men’s boots.’ We respectfully submit that we cannot arrogate the power of measuring men’s motives, and we hold that you have no right to asci’ibe ulterior motives to any of the gentlemen named, or, if it were so, to think that any of the fmembex’S of the Working Men’s Club would be influenced by their action. We trust that you will divest yourself of such humiliating opinions, and give us the cordial support in the attainment of our object which the better portion of your footnote would seem to indicate.” In a footnote to the above the editor professes to be quite a friend of the club, to have meant all he wrote as merely “ chaff.” It is pi'obable that finding his ill-natured attempt to sow seeds of discontent to be useless, he is now desirous to point out that his literary grain has in it no germs of vitality, and is in that sense the merest chaff. If this be so, he need not fear conti-adiction to his apology.

In a recent issue of the Times it was suggested that some of our local amateurs would do well to give an entertainment for the benefit of the unfortunates, Young, Beidal, and Paul, who suffered at the hands of Smat at the Upper Ilutt. The subject was broached on that occasion because certain gentlemen had kindly expressed their willingness to take pai't in any attempt of the kind, and thei’e seemed every probability that some good result would follow the suggestion. Nothing more been heard of the matter, however, which is to be regretted, as we can conceive of no case more deserving the sympathy of the community than that we refer to. Not in Wellington particularly, but in every township in the colony, benefit performances are repeatedly o-iven to different chai’itable institutions, the funds of which are distributed by committees, who, it is quite possible, may err in the bestowal of charity, and give aid where aid is neither required nor deserved—such cases are frequent. But here we have an example of distress almost unparalleled. Beidal and Paul still remain in the hospital. They are literally unable to support themselves, and it is very much to be questioned whether they ever will be able to do so. Young is little better off, having lost the use of one arm. We would again suggest that some effort should b*

made to assist them, through the proceeds of some entertainment, which if properly worked up and carried out could not fail of proving a success, as we firmly believe that the community would heartily respond to so slight a demand upon their charity. The Wellington Christy Minstrels, who gave a performance for the benefit of St. Peter’s Church building fund recently, might be induced to take the matter in hand, several of the members of that troupe having been heard to express themselves favorable to the idea.

Some misapprehension exists among wholesale dealers as to the provisions of the licensing law as it at present stands. Clause 3 of the Amendment Act of 1875 provides “ That notwithstanding anything contained in the Licensing Act 1873 Amendment Act, 1874, no wholesale license or brewers’ license shall be issued to any person by any Provincial Treasurer oi any other person under the lOtli section of the said Act, to take effect within the respective districts defined under the said Act, and mentioned in the schedule thereto, or any other -district' which may hereafter be defined in lieu of or substitution of the districts mentioned in the said schedule, unless the issue of such license shall first have been approved of by the Licensing Court haying jurisdiction at the place or places where it is intended such licenses shall take effect. ’ J.his is simply an amendment of the old Act, but of which it would appear that many interested persons are ignorant. The custom was to pay the fee into the hands of the Provincial Treasurer ; now the wholesale merchants are placed on the same footing as the publicans, and are required to make application at the Licensing Court. We may state, in addition, that all applications must be made on or before Monday next.

A statement showing the number, amount, &c., of money order and savings bank transactions in the several postal districts of the colony of New Zealand, during the quarter ended 31st March, is published. There were eighteen more offices open than there were during the corresponding quarter of 1875, and it seems that 18,788 orders were issued to the amount of .£73,305 15s. Bd., as against 16,/48 issued to the amount of £68,518 Os. 7d. during the corresponding quarter of 1875. The orders paid were 14,382, amounting to £56,413 13s. 3d., as against 11,980, amounting to £49,829 13s. 4d., during the corresponding quarter of 1875; so that in all branches there was a marked increase of business. The number of savings banks deposits and withdrawals showed an increase. The amount of deposits for the quarter was £177,133 12s. 3d., against £168,160 Bs. 7d. There is an increase of 934 in the number of depositors. The amount of money withdrawn is stated at £180,597 os. 9d., as against £220,851, there being 362 more withdrawals than in 1875. The excess of withdrawals over deposits during the past quarter is set down at £3463, while during the March quarter of 1875 the excess was £52,691.

Mr. G. W. Collier has been .writing to the Auckland Herald and disclosing a state of things in connection with the patronage accorded to the drama there which .we are happy to say cannot be said to exist in Wellington. In the course of his letter Mr. Collier says :—“ After three years’ experience of the Auckland playgoers, will you allow me to give you a few facts and figures, which facts and which figures are open to inspection? In the first place, then, no dramatic season extending over a fortnight has been successful. Messrs. McGowan and Collier did not earn, in three months, sufficient to pay for a week’s board and lodging. Since then, Mr. It. J. De Lias has been to the fore, and manfully has he persevered, losing week after* week at the rate of fifty and sixty pounds, and never netting, in one week, more than twenty. As I have access to IVlr. He Lias books, I can assert that that gentleman lost, in six months, over seven hundred pounds ; and with what ?—the best talent procurable this side of the line. In fact at one period, the company, as a whole, was superior to anything in the colonies. Why didn t these seasons pay ? Because the dresscircle patrons, or rather those who should patronise the dress-circle, were conspicuous by their absence. Why was this ?—because the entertainment was low-class ? No. High class comedies were beautifully played, and produced from a colonial point of view well; but still the aristocracy could not appreciate what it is piobable they will never see again unless they travel out of New Zealand. Liberality ! More money was amassed from the wretched exhibition of four Frenchwomen, emigrants, who called themselves dancers, but who had evidently never seen a stage except as auditors. These ladies were announced as ‘ La Troupe Parisienne.’ The ‘ Can-Can’ was advertised. It rained in torrents, but the house was crowded. Why ? The habitues of the best part of the house, being possessed of brains, must have guessed these women could not have been artistes ; but the ‘ Can-Can’ is suggestive, and those gentlemen who would keep aloof from ‘School’ or ‘Pygmalion and Galatea,’ as first produced, would rush with glistening eyes and watery mouths to see what? four women, who could neither speak, dance, nor move more gracefully than quadrupeds. Let us look things straight in the face. A theatre in Auckland is a mistake, unless foi an occasional spurt for a fortnight, but never more than a month. Pigures are facts. I he 4 Shaughraun,’ supposed to be so successful, left a profit of £9 13s. to the manager on the first week —a grand payment, certainly, for a month’s hard work. In conclusion, I can safely affirm that be the manager who he may, he cannot get talent to equal those artists brought here by Mr. R. J. He Lias. They are not in Australia, and are too well paid in America to venture here —time will prove. During the last eighteen months the following stars have been brought to Auckland through the above gentleman’s enterprise :—Miss May Howard, Mr. and Mrs. George Darrell, Mr.

William Hoskins, Miss Plorence Colville, Miss Carry George, Mr. R. W. Lawrence, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Bates, &c. ; also Mr. Sam Poole, Mr. 11. Aveling, Mr. C. Holloway, Mr. Oily Deering, Miss Lizzie Morgan, Mr. James Starke, Mr. Harry Saville, Miss Patty Holt, and others that I cannot just at the moment think of.”

The whole of the agricultural returns for the colony have now been completed, and a summary is published in the Gazette. The total number of holdings exceeding one acre in extent is set down at 17,250; extent of land broken up but not under crop, 146,414-4 acres; sown in wheat, 90,8044 acres, from which a gross sown in oats, for green food or hay, 30,882 f acres; sown in oats, for grain, 168,2514 acres, from which there was agross produce of 6,357,431 bushels ; sown in barley, 27,655 f acres, from which a gross produce of 993,219 bushels is estimated ; sown in permanent artificial grasses, including hay, 1,819,8014 acres ; sown in potatoes, 14,6554 acres, from which a produce of 71,599 tons is anticipated ; sown in other crops, 75,'*937.j: acres; total number of acres undei' crop, including artificial grasses, 2,230,988 f. There is a decrease of 8473 acres in land broken up but not under crop :and there is a decrease of 14,8684 acres in wheatcultivation. The increases are as follows : —Number of holdings under one acre, 1158 ; oats, 20,687 acres ; barley, 11,420$ acres ; grasses, acres ; potatoes, 2503 acres ; other crops, 37,8_094 acres ; total increase for year, 442,221 acres.

The prohibition of the importation of diseased cattle is a subject on which we offered some remarks in a recent issue, since which we are glad to notice the Government have had the matter under consideration, and it lias been announced that steps will be taken to deal with it next session, by at least the appointment of a commission. We observe by the Nelson papers, in connection with this subject, that it has lately made famous a Mr. John Docherty, of whom the present age would probably, as the Daily Times says, have known nothing, had he not elevated himself into fame by driving diseased cattle from out the infected district of the Kaikouras. The particulars of the case are stated to be as follows :—Docherty left the infected district with a mob of cattle, presumably diseased, for the West Coast ; passed the inspector surreptitiously, and seemed in a fair way for carrying his design to a successful consummation, when information of the affair reached the ears of the Nelson police, and efficient measures were adopted to stay, if possible, the mischief that was in this case literally afoot. Constable Clark succeeded in arresting Docherty and his mate at the Hauparu, and some of the cattle were safely impounded. The whereabouts of the others (either lost by the way, or sent by confederates by some other route), has not yet been discovered, although every pass is guarded, either by the police or by special constables sworn in for the purpose.

The Registrar-General’s report on the vital statistics # of the boroughs of Auckland, T hames, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Hokitika during April last have heen published. The total number of births was 279, and of deaths 105. There were 65 births in Wellington and 28 deaths, the proportionate mortality being 2'48 per 1000 of population —the highest in the returns, but partly accountable for by the deaths of several very old persons, as will be seen hereafter. The births were 46 less than in March. The deaths were • 62 less in number than the deaths in March, but accurate comparison is interfered with by _ the method in which certain of the deaths at hospitals have been dealt with. Of the deaths, males contributed 67; females, 38; 53 of the' deaths were of children under five years of age, being 50'48 per cent, of the whole number; 39 of these were of children under one year of age. There were 7 deaths of persons of 65 years of age and over: 6 of these persons were males and 1 a female : of these, 4 males, aged respectively 66, 67, 72, and 76, died at Wellington; 2 males of 68 and 74 at Nelson; and 1 female of 65 at Christchurch. A comparison for the months of March and April shows a very decided decrease of mortality. The number of deaths for each borough is less than in March, but the difference is greatest in Christchurch and Dunedin. The proportion of deaths to the 1000 of population fell from 3-11 to I'2l in the first-named town, and from 2'92 to 117 in the latter; or if the hospital deaths excluded were included as in former reports, the death rates would have respectively fallen from 3TI to L 67 in Christchurch, and from 2'92 to I*sß in Dunedin. In Auckland the proportion of deaths was 1 per cent, less than in March. The general decrease is accounted for by the decline of zymotic disease, the deaths from which were much reduced in number. Diarrhoea and dysentery, of which there were 49 cases in March, were fatal to only 18 persons in April. The cases of typhoid fever were about equal for the two months, as although fewer appear in the analysis for April, several cases of country people dying in hospital were rejected, as shown below. Constitutional diseases fell from 25 to 14 in number. 6 cases of deaths in hospital from phthisis were, however, rejected in April. Diseases of the respiratory system showed a slight increase, taking all deaths in hospitals into account. An alteration of system has been made for the first time, by which of the deaths at hospitals those of persons who had been residents in the boroughs only have been included for April, instead of all hospital deaths as previously. The death rate compares still more favorably with that for April, 1875, in which month there were 170 deaths, comprising 80 from zymotic disease, of which 73 were miasmatic. Deducting of these 24 cases of measles, there still remain 49 cases of scarlatina, cholera, fever of different kinds, dysentery, diarrhcea, &c., against only 36 in April of this year, including in the latter month all such deaths m hospitals. There were only 3 violent deaths last month. The causes are not such as to

call for special remark. Out of 7 deaths of old people, Wellington contributed the highest number, taking the place usually occupied by Auckland, where deaths of people of advanced age have hitherto been numerous.

The importance of the recent discoveries of rich argentiferous lead and copper ores cannot fail to impress the minds of all persons interested in the welfare of New Zealand, and should act as an incentive in promoting these valuable industries. In referring more particularly to the prospectus of the Mount Rangitoto Silver Mining Company, which appears in our columns, we feel it a duty incumbent upon us to direct special attention to the prospectus of this great mine, consisting as it does of an area of 500 acres of land, leased for 21 years from the Westland Government, on reasonable terms. The really magnificent assay report of Dr. ICirkland, of the Melbourne University, who is considered to be the head of his profession, and the highest authority on these matters in the Australian colonies, must certainly convince the most sceptical as -to the valuable nature and importance of the discovery, seeing that the galena has been found in such large quantities, and traced to the extreme boundary of the claim. At present one vein ten inches thick is exposed to view for a distance of 45 feet, and since the prospectus has been issued another vein has been discovered 5 feet underneath, equally rich, and also another vein on the opposite side of a creek, which cuts through the main lode. Many practical miners and experts have visited the locality, and are unanimously of opinion that it will be ere long classed amongst the most famous of the silver-producing mines. In fact, one gentleman, who has been connected with silver mining for many year's, and who has taken up a large number of shares, asserts that the galena is equal in quality to some of the Sierra .Nevada mines, which have produced such wonderful results of late years. Some samples of the ore are now on view at Mir. Cohen’s, the jeweller, in IVillisstreet, and we must certainly admit that they are really magnificent specimens. Another valuable feature attached to the ore is that it contains a very large percentage of gold, over one ounce having been assayed from the ton of pyrites. And when it is considered that sdwt. to the ton of quartz in Victoria pays handsome dividends, we are therefore justified in our conclusions as to the mine of wealth now under offer to the public of New Zealand ; and we certainly hope that the people of Wellington will heartily join in assisting to float the company, for the advantages are incalculable to the colony at large in settling an industrious and wealthy population. The discovery almost simultaneously of argentiferous ores at Colling wood, in the Nelson province, and that at Mount Rangitoto, in Westland, goes far to prove that the Middle Island is a country rich in the possession of vast mineral treasures, such as gold, silver, copper, coal, &c., which only await capital to develop them. We therefore trust that ere long a new era of prosperity will dawn upon us, the importance of which it is impossible to overestimate.