THE The Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4023, 9 January 1875, Page 2

THE The Otago Daily Times.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 187 E.

It is always a difficult thing to steer an even course between a silence upen the subject of the public health, which is sometimes criminal, and the alarmists' view, which often causes the evil it exposes. We have no reason to suppose that the city is particularly unhealthy just now, or that the death rate is particularly high. The inclement weather which lasted well into the summer has helped beyond all doubt to ward off tho pestilence that of old was said to fly by night, but which is now-a-days permitted to stalk in daylight out of open sewers and cesspools. No one who knows Dunedin and its less frequented byeways can doubt that the plague fiend may find a pleasant habitat in a hundred cosy pools at our very door. To begin with, the Rattray street sewer wafts odours, not of Araby, up High street whenever the wind is easterly ; but it is not by means of the familiar and recognised stenches that the fatal work is best done. Frederick street smells most horribly, it is true, and passers through it are apt to do what we saw done there the other clay—viz., to put up an umbrella on the smelling side. Again, the environs of the manure depot are not the spot we should choose for a summer's stroll; but, though we complain most loudly of these, it is not these abominations that do the worst mischief. It is in the changeful reproductions of decay that disease and death lurk. Just when the sense of smell does not readily detect anything offensive, but the whole atmosphere seems somewhat heavy and close, when we awake from sleep with a headache and are languid during the morning hours—then it is that sanatory science preaches reform, and the causes and ultimate effect of uncleanliness are made most plain. We have long been of opinion, and the best medical evidence corroborates the view, that the worst and most deadly seedbeds of disease are to be found in some of the low-lying unused sections along the edges of the harbour. Both here and at the mouth of the deep ravines that run down the western edges of the City from Caversham to Maori Hill, there are masses of the most corrupting matter impregnating soil and air.

The letter of Dr D rysdale to the Port Chalmers Board of Health is worthy of note, as showing where it is that typhoid fever is most readily bred. He informs the Board of a case of typhus fever, and adds, " Without positively asserting that the cause of the disease is to be ascribed to the locality, I may remark that I have always been of opinion that Alary street, situated as it is, directly over a gully into which flows all the drainage of the neighbourhood, is a most favourable spot for the outbreak or spread of an epidemic of this nature." There is, of course, nothing new in such an announcement, but use doth breed a habit in a man, and it is surprising, notwithstanding all knowledge, how recklessly indifferent many of us are to the presence of abominations in our own neighbourhood, which we should notice at once if we saw them elsewhere. We know of one instance in Dunedin, where a gentleman who has taken some interest in the health of the city, who is not chargeable with any laziness or apathy in matters of city cleanliness, is living on the next section to a gully which is ancle deep in fetid nastiness. We have some reason to know that while he would have an eagle eye for the same thing in another place, familiarity has to all appearance reconciled him to this particularly unpleasant neighbourhood.

We have not hesitated to speak out our mind tipon all occasions about Cromwell and its want of drainage. Dunedin, unless it bestirs itself very quickly, will be gaining for itself the top place in the class of unclean towns, and some of the hard words so liberally showered down upon Cromwell, and with so much justice, will l,e hurled at ourselves. Surely it is time for the Town Council to consider in real earnest some great scheme of drainage. Any plan which may be adopted will take some tims before it is fairly in operation. A year, or even two, must elapse before the drainage of the city can be carried off to its proper receptacle in the sea, at the Forbury end of the Ocean Beach. The work can hardly be accomplished before the end of another summer, and it is a hundred to one against our escaping disease so long. We do not charge the authorities with any unwillingness to act in the matter. Very naturally they wait for some pressure from without before they proceed to expend a large sum of money in such an undertaking. A complicated system of drainage, costing a very considerable sum of money, is not a popular work ; so much is plain. Very little credit is to be gained by the Councillor who, so ! to speak, throws himself into the sewers. We note with much satisfaction that all our contemporaries with one voice agree that the work is a necessary one and should be no longer delayed.

We believe that a vast majority of the ratepayers ot the city will support a good scheme of drainage, no matter what it costs. If there be any influential citizens who think that things are very well as they are, and who do not care to spend the public money on such a purpose, we would ask them to take into consideration what the effect ujxin our commerce, our prosperity, would be if typhus fever were to make ravages among us 1 It is easier to prevent than

to cure the eviL To decline to recognise the plainest teachings of sanatory science—to go on as our forefathers did ■—as if we did not know that dirt inevitably breeds disease—is to act like children. We say explicitly, that no sum of money, however large, which any systematic drainage of Dunedin can cost, would remunerate us for the outbreak of pestilence here. It is a matter of business, quite independent of other considerations.

The present summer has been, fortunately for us, a very wet and unseasonable one; if we had had the same weather that some of us have known ere this, there can be no doubt that we should have had fever making havoc among us. Is it wise to chance such things? We do not suppose anyone would deliberately recommend such a course, and we confidently hope that the matter of drainage will be taken in hand by those of our number who are well able to carry it through.

The practice, and a very bad one it is, of desertion from vessels, has assumed grave dimensions at this port, and calls for the application of such remedial measures as will tend to check the spread of what may be termed an epidemic amongst seamen, for we can give it no more appropriate name. No sooner doea a vessel arrive here than her crew, or part of her crew, desert her, and from what transpired the other day at the trial of the carpenter of the ship Auckland, who was convicted upon the charge of deserting from that vessel, we can only infer that that which has now degenerated inte a custom, receives indirect connivance from those who of all others ought to set their faces resolutely against it. The case we mention is, without exception, one of the most glaring that has ever come under our notice, and may be briefly summed up thus : The carpenter of a ship is missing, shrewd suspicions that he has deserted are excited, an information is laid, and action taken upon it by the Police, and the result—astounding although it appears —is that he is found concealed in one of the sleeping berths of the cabin of another vessel, whilst the implements of his trade —in other words, his tool-chest —are discovered in the lazarette, aud Mb chest of clothes in another place, also adjacent to the cabin. Well might the Resident Magistrate of Port Chalmers, before whom the case was heard, exclaim against the utter barefacedness of the transaction t» toto. Some person or persons in authority on board the vessel must have been cognLant of the levanter's presence there; and, moreover, the surroundings of the case favour the assumption, not only of direct connivance on his or their part, but also of direct encouragement, rf not assistance, to desert. Grave suspicions fell upon the master and officers of the vessel, and although legal implicatory proof was not forthcoming at the trial of the deserter, something approaching a strong prima facie case was made out against them—a case, however, not sufficiently substantial to support an action. This view of the question was evidently taken by the Magistrate, MrMANSEORD, and the strictures it evoked from him receive hearty endorsement on our part. That the master or officers of one vessel, let that vessel's need of hands be ever so great, should descend to the meanness of encouraging, or conniving at, the desertion of seamen belonging to another vessel, is an offence that British seamen, at any rate, ought to be thoroughly ashamed of. In saying this we say all that can be said outside the law, and such an appeal Ito the self-respect, which, as a rule, governs the actions of the better class of seamen, will, we are sure, not fall unheeded. Nothing possibly could tend more to the encouragement of desertion than the fact of the practice being connived or winked at by masters and officers. We remember the time when, on that point at least, masters were as one. The interests of the masters, as a class, were paramount, and any serious irregularity on the part of the crew of one vessel that might have happened to come under the observation of the master of another ship would certainly have been reported—aye, and promptly too—by him to the master of the first. And yet, in these days of enlightenment— save the mark—we hear of masters seeing men desert, and yet take no notice of it. Shipmasters should adopt the Hielanders' motto—" Shouther to shouther."

We are glad to see that the Saturday half holiday movement is gaining strength in some quarters—notably in the building trade. Among the drapers, however, it still flags. Probably there is no class of employes to whom, this half holiday would be a greater boon, for the late hour up to which shopmen are now employed on Saturday evening very seriously interferes with their proper enjoyment of the succeeding day of rest. We are inclined to think that a spirited step in the right direction by the leading firms would bear fruit in increased public support. At any rate, the experiment is worth trying. It is useless to fix the onus on the public. So long as the shops are open, the public will patronise them ; whereas united effort on the part of large houses would have the effect of compelling people to make their purchases at an earlier time than Saturday afternoon. We do not desire to be understood as constituting ourselves champions of a class : we make these remarks < n the ground of general utility and expediency. The promoters of the movement have displayed a very commendable spirit of patiencß; and, by a quiet and unobtrusive influence, have secured a good deal of sympathy. We need scarcely add that in all good wishes for their ultimate success, we heartily join.

The dinner given by the members of the Otago Institute to the officers of the French and American Transit of Venus expeditions, took place at the Shamrock Hotel last evening, and was a most successful affair. A report will be found in the supplement to our present issue.

We are sorry to hear that the experimental late train between Dunedin and the Port on Thursday night was, if regarded from a remunerative point of view, anything bnt a success. But scant support was accorded the liberal action of the Government by the Port people, no more than 30 tickets being issued for the downward journey. This is to bs regretted, but at the same time, certain circumstances militated against the success ot the experimentto wit, the weather was against it, and also the iintoward indisposition that prevented Miss Alice May from appearing in the opera. The fact of her being indisposed was pretty well known at the Port, and hence the result. Something is also due to the novelty of the experiment, and the proverbial difficulty of breaking down settled habits and customs. The experiment, however, triumphantly demonstrated that a train can run safely in the dark, and as quickly as by daylight, and so one objection raised against a night train has been effectually removed. We hope to see the experiment again tried under more favourable circumstances, and that it will be the means of inducing the Government to place a weekly night train upon the railway time-table.

The old Duntdin Band of Hope, -which has been for the past few months in an apparently dormant condition, took a fresh, and, as we think, rather a healthy start last evening. The members of last season's Managing Committee having made what may be considered satisfactory arrangements for

the use of the Temperance Hall, thought it advisable to make an immediate start, and endeavour, if possible, by good and judiciousmanagement, to reinstate the Band of Hope in all its former usefulness. The meeting of last evening was rather suddenly determined upon, and as a natural consequence of such insufficient notice as was given, a small muster could only have been expected ; so the surprise must have been all the more agreeable at finding such a comparatively good meeting. MrD. 0. Cameron, the chairman of the old Committee, occupied the chair. A very pleasant hour or so was passed in listening to recitations, and songs by children and adults as well. Notice was given that the next meeting will be held on Friday, 22nd, on which occasion a Committee will be elected. The meeting was closed by singing the Temperance Anthem.

Last evening was remarkable for the number of festive gatherings in the city, and none could have been of a more sociable and agreeable nature than the supper given by the employe's at the Otago Foundry to Mr William Wilson, the former proprietor, who has recently been succeeded by Messrs Davidson and Conyers. About sixty persons sat down, Mr J. H. Harris occupying the chair. An excellent repast, provided by Mr Dunning, was done full justice to, after which the guest of the evening gave an interesting account of a portion of his career j and songs and speeches became the order of the evening.

Messrs R. Hudson and Co., wholesale confectioners, entertained the employes of the firm—the factory contributing about 30 men, boys, and girls—to a social gathering in the Masonic Hall last evening. Each employe1 was supplied with an invitation card for as many friends as he or she liked to bring, and a gay assemblage, numbering about 200, was the result. The room was decorated with flags of all nations ; music was discoursed by violin and pianoforte ; songs were sung upon the stage ; dancing entered into with spirit by everyone ; and last, and most important of all, presents distributed ad lib. Money b nuses and prizes to the value of £100, consisting of albums, meerschaum pipes, writing cases, ladies' satchels, &c, were presented to the work-people according to merit, and dosenß of dolls and other toys were distributed to the juveniles. A bountiful repast was provided, which it is unnecessary to say was of the best description. The children also had a Christmas tree which pleased them greatly. It is intended to make the re-union annual; and, cementing, as it does, the friendship between employer aud employed, beneficial results must accrue.

Notwithstanding the unfavourable weather yesterday morning, the seventh annual Show of the Blueskin Agricultural and Pastoral Society was very successful A report of the proceedings appear elsewhere.

The new large workshops now in course of erection for Messrs Fergusson and Mitchell, printers and stationers, are nearly completed, and possession will be taken of them in a short time. The building occupies a site immediately opposite the Bank of New South Wales, in Princes street, at the end of the right-of-way where the Londen Portrait Rooms were formerly situated, and occupy the length of the entire section—looft., being of three storeys, or a height of 3Sft., and a width of 20tt.. The structure is of brick and stone.

There were four civil actions set down for 1 rial in the Supreme Court yesterday, before Common Juries, but when the Court met in the morning it was announced that these cases had been settled out of Court. The only case remaining on the list for trial by Common Jury is that of Malaghan v. Wenkheim, which will be tried on Mouday next.

Mr H. Roulston, of the Waihola Gorge (says the Bruce Herald), states that hares and rabbits are so plentiful in his neighbourhood that they are destroying the crops. This would be a good opportunity for the Milton sportsmen who shoot on Sabbath to distinguish themselves.

The first competition for Mr J. L. Gillies's prize by the Bruce Rifles resulted in a victory for Volunteer Gordon, who scored 40, the other scores being Capstiek 36 and M'Kechnie 35. The ranges were 200, 400, and 500 yards ; five shots at each range.

Mr John S. Andrews, at present teacher at Orepuki, has been appointed master of the Southbridge School, in the room of Mr Cuthbert, deceased. Mr H. Hawson, now teacher in the Main District School at Switzers, has been appointed master of the school at Waikivi.

The Bank of New Zealand is providing substantial buildings for its up country branches. Mr Lawson, architecb, has in hand plans for a structure of brick at the Arrow and another at Balclutha ; and, in evidence of the growing importance of Kaitangata, one will also be erected there. They are all intended to be of a lasting description, though not of an ornate nature.

We are informed that the passengers by the Araby Maid, who numbered only four, have presented Captain Potter with a handsome meerschaum pipe, accompanied by a letter expressing their high admiration of him as a shipmaster, and acknowledging the great kindness shewn to them on their passage here from London.

The Corporation of Clyde are calling for tenders for the erection of a wire suspension bridge, over the Molyneux, at Clyde. The bridge will have a span of 200 ft. in tbe clear, and the width of the roadway will be 15ft. It will be suspended on twelve wires, each two inches in diameter, and will carry the heaviest traffic that wiL" likely need to pass over it. The masonry will be o c. a substantial character, and the pillars for supporting the wires will be about 20fc in height. The bridge will be built from plans and specilicitions prepared in the office of the Provincial Engineer about two months ago.

A fire occurred at Milton on Wednesday, by which an outhouse belonging to Mr Strain was destroyed. The place was insured for £50 with the New Zealand Company. Several other buildings narrowly escaped destruction ; but, by great exertion, the fire was kept from spreading beyond ihe place where it first broke out.

VVe have it upon undoubted authority that Mr T. JB. Gillies has been offered a judgeship of the Supreme Court, and that he has accepted the post. The following is the concluding portion of a leading article in the New Zealand Times, strongly approving of the appointment of Mr T. B. Gillies to a puisne judgeship : " The offer, coming from Mr Gillres's political opponents, rendered the recognition of his professional standing all the more graceful Mr Gillies has done bis fair share of political work. He has, we trust, many years of usefulness before him in his new capacity, and none wish him a more successful career as Judge of the Supreme Court than the writer of this article. Meanwhile, a vacancy will occur in the representation of Auckland City West ; and we would advise that constituency, if it is so strongly erabued with the spirit of opposition as certain local writers would lead the Colony to believe, to elect Sir George Grey. So far from fearing him, the Government should only be too glad to have him in the House. The country would soon become aware of the emptiness of the Provincial rattle which has been flourished about their ears for the lasr. three or four months. The Auckland Opposition Press write as if Ministers had reason to fear iSir George Grey's presence in the General Assembly. They never made a greater mis-

take in their lives than in supposing this. If an organised Opposition was hardly possible while Mr Gillies sat in the House, it will be altogether impossible with Sir George Grey there. . He would neither lead nor drive; and as for organising a party to follow him in the New Zealand Parliament, those who think he could do so neither know its traditions nor its temper. By all means, let Sir George Grey be elected for Auckland City West, and the Opposition will at once take back the gift which the Government bestowed by elevating Mr Gillies to the Bench."

We hear (says the LakeWakatip Mail) that complaints against Mr Beetham, as Warden, were laid before the Government, charging him with neglectful attendance at the Skippers Court Sittings. Mr Beetham, we understand, has replied to these charges, but have not heard the result.

On the morning of New Year's Day (writes the Hampden correspondent of the North Otago Times) a melancholy and fatal accident happened at Port Moeraki. It appears that two men set out in a dingy from the Port towards a vessel lying in the bay, when somehow or other the dingy capsized, and the men were thrown into the -water. One of them swam ashore for assistance to save his mate, but by the time he returned the drowning man had disappeared, and, I believe, the body has not yet been found. The large number of sharks known to frequent the bay almost forbids the possibility of its ever being recovered. The dingy was afterwards found upside down.

The round of the New Zealand Ports is described by the Melbourne Herald as now being the "fashionable furlough."

On Tuesday last (writes our Tokomairiro correspondent) Mr Holt was thrown from his buggy whilst on his way from Akatore, through his horse bolting. He was not very seriously injured. Mr Waters started to bring Mr Holt home, when he also met with an accident, his buggy coming into collision with a horse belonging to Mr Crossan, baker. The only result of this second accident was the cutting of the horse's head by one of the shafts.

An old resident of the Grey, writing to the local Argus, from the Palmer diggings, says:—"lt is the custom here for every man to carry a Schneider rifle or a revolver, but the blacks have not been at all troublesome lately. I have been told that that some diggers came across a darkies' camp one day on the upper part of Sandy Creek, when the blacks were roasting a (horse), whereupon the diggers rolled up and shot they won't say how many. There is one thing certain, however. Douglas (the commander of the black corps) and his troopers have kept the road to the diggings pretty clear of them. I was told of a gully close to the road where there were the ghastly rema" ns of eighteen blacks; this is all done quietly—all you would see in the papers with reference to one of these onslaughts is that ' Douglas encountered some blacks at so and so and easily dispersed them.' "

The Southland Times says, that Mr Logan Wilson, of Mill Farm, Ryal "Bush, informs us that he has shorn some Leicester ewe hoggetts, many of which clipped over 121bs weight of fine lustre wool, and two of the fleeces weighed 141bs and 17£ Ibs respectively. These must be considered very heavy fleeces, and the weights are the more remarkable as the sheep were raised on the ordinary grass of the farm, with, however, the addition of turnips for about two months in spring. The sheep were bred from Mr Smith, of One Tree Point's, rams, and picked colonial-bved Leicester ewes ; and the wool, we are informed, possesses to a certain extent the lustre and weight of the Lincoln fleece, while the sheep show all the good fattening qualities of the Leicester breed.

Mr Bo wen, the latest addition to the Ministry (says the Timaru Herald), who had been denounced as an interloper, an underling, a mushroom, by all the Ministerial organs, has made a speech to the electors of Kaiapoi, which raises him at once above all the rest of his colleagues, or the members of the party he has joined. How he could have aoything to do with such an elegant selection as he has thrown his fortunes in with, it is impossible to understand. There are some men, however, to whom not only difficult tasks, but unpleasant and repulsive tasks, have a positive charm ; and that seems the only explanation of Mr Bowen's action in joining the Ministry. St. Anthony, when his admiration of warm womankind became too strong for him, would rush into a heap of snow. Mr Bowen, too much enamoured of good-breeding and fair-deal-ing, has joined the Vogel Ministry ! Let us hope the remedy will not prove worse than the disease.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Toko, mairiro, on Monday (says the Bruce Herald) a man, giving his name as Patrick Humphries, was charged with forgery under singular circumstances. Alexander Aitcheson deposed j he was a constable in the mounted police stationed at Tokomairiro. On the 4th January, Constable White brought prisoner to the Police Station on a charge of forgery, committed in Victoria, and just confesssd to by him. Witness searched all the Otago Police Gazettes for ten years past. These contained extracts from the Victorian Police Gazettes. He could find no trace of what the prisoner had confessed to—namely, a forgery on one Robert Patterson for the sum of £19. Witness asked prisoner if he were not trying to make a fool of them, telling them a cock and bull story. Prisoner, who said he was not, has confessed to having signed a cheque at Bendigo, Victoria, about six years ago, for £19 with the name of Robert; Patterson. He had not written out the body of the cheque, but had merely signed. This was the only crime he -had committed in his life, and he wished it cleared up. Prisoner, who seemed to be perfectly aware of what he was doing, was asked if he knew the consequences of what Le had confessed, and he said he knew quite well. Further evidence was given by Constable White. Prisoner said it was all true, and he had nothing further to say. A remand was granted to Duuedin Gaol until the 4th day of February, pending the receipt of answers to enquiries from Victoria. Prisoner to be brought up next at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin.

The telegraphic story (says the Southern Cross) that a New Zealand judgeship'had been offered to Mr Higinbotham, of Victoria, is entirely without any foundation. The Ministry never entertained any idea of such a thing. Indeed such a proposal would have been irritating to the amour propre of all the legal fraternity. If any outside aid in this direction had been deemed desirable, surely the Government would, as has been the custom in past times, have gone to England for a Judge.

Writing on the subject of Mr Travers and the Attorney-Generalship, the Timaru Herald says :—" Very little interest attached to Mr Travers's sudden acceptance of a political office in connection with an Administration to which he had long been bitterly opposed. Such a step was entirely in accordance with all his political traditions, and it is not worth anyone's while to enquire into his motives in taking it. Caprice alone, the mere love of chanae, and of disappointing those who were accustomed to consider him one of themselves, would be sufficient to account for that. But we should very much like to know why he afterwards withdrew from his agreement with Mr Vogel. In spite of the letters which have been bo carefully published, we

must decline to believe that there was any misunderstanding between the Premier and Mr Travers as to what the status of the Attorney-General was to.be. Surely one who, in view of the fact that he was.offered the highest legal office, must be assumed to be acquainted wi*h the law, knew very well what the provis ons of the Civil Service Act, 1873, were. Before he consented to relinquish his practice, he must have assured himself of how far the Attorney General's Act oirer-rode all other enactments; nor are we able to believe that Mr Vogel ever intended Mr Travers to be a mere secretary to the Minister of Justice. We think it is safe to conclude that the Premier and Mr Travers understood each other thoroughly ; that Mr Vogel went away in the firm belief that on the contemplated judicial changes being effected, his Government would have the benefit of Mr Travers's political support and legal advice; and that something has happened since then to cause Mr Travers to think better of his bargain. Should a boulevetsemait be imminent, it would but ill suit him to lose hid chance in the scramble."

The Ne;v Zealand Church News, after alluding to the action taken here on the subject of Funeral Reform, says:—"Very great and general interest is felt in the matter, but no small amount of determination and perseverance will be needed to overcome the inveteracy of custom in these matters. Meantime, one example is worth much talking. We witnessed, not many days ago, a funeral conducted oa what may be called reformed principles. The deepest feeling was manifested, but all display and unnecessary expense, as well as all that isinerely gloomy, were studiously avoided. The deceased, a child of four summers, who was mercifully taken out of her sufferings by her Saviour in the early brightness of Christmas morn, was borne to the Cemetery, not in one of those gloomy structures, called mourning coaches, but in an ordinary close carriage. The coffin was of polished wood, without covering and without plate or inscription. No pill, no hired mourners, nothing dismal, nothing unbecoming those who are bidden to " sor- | row not as those who have no hope." The mother was there, but not in oppressive black laden with crape, which, on that sultry day, would have been cruel even to behold, but in cheerful white, subdued by a braiding of black. The choicest of white flowers were thrown into the grave by the hands of the parents, and the only thing one missed was, that the voice of Christian song was not heard before the mourners moved away, having committed their treasure to Him " Who shall change our vile body that it may be made like to His glorious body."

It is extremely satisfactory (say 3 the Southern Cross) to observe that Mr Justice Chapman, while contradicting the statement that he is ahoufc to retire from the Bench, also denies his having made any stipulation that a retirement would be conditional on the promise of the Government being given that Mr District Judge Ward should not be his successor. We discredited the making of such an unseemly condition when we read the telegram. Such a proposal would have been at once derogatory to the position of Judge Chapman, and insulting to the Government of the Colony; besides being a gross breach of gentlemanly propriety, rendered all the less tolerant by the fact of the quarrel between the two judges, which took place not long ago, and which formed the subject of an enquiry in the House of Representatives last session when a disgraceful story of a stolen telegram, and the purchase of the stolen article, were the prominent circumstances of the case, and a report of the evidence of that Committee was such, that the Assembly was recommended not to publish it. Why this was recommended is not very clear. In our opinion it would have done good. This paltry attempt at secresy—this hiding of facts which concern the pub lie is only spreading a film over an ulcerous sore. However, as Mr Justice Chapman has not resigned, we hope that there is no foundation whatever for even a suspicion of any such stipulation being suggested or intended.

The Gold Fields Mercury, a South African paper, states that amongst the largest finds at the Diamond Fields lately are diamonds of 231, 114, 100, and 87i carats.

A new cross-cut saw has been invented by Mr R, Williams, of Adelaide. A local paper, in describing the invention, says:—"Attached to the horizontal shaft placed under a bench are a couple of iron supports, upon which are fixed the pulleys which drive the saw, the pulleys being connected by belts from the engine. The saw, instead of being stationary, is, by a slight pressure of the foot upon a lever, drawn towards the man superintending the work, and cuts through the wood instead of the wood being pushed on the saw. By a counter weight, after the wood is cut, and the pressure of the foot is removed from the lever, the saw runs back to its position. The machine is a small one, Mr Williams having tried his invention upon a small scale. It is used for light work, the whole of the wood for the soap boxes on the premises being cut by it, and it would be found extremely useful in connection with door-frame, window-sash, and other light work. An immense amount of work may bs got through with very little effort."

A good deal (says the Ballarat Star) has been said and written about the size and weight of ladies' hats and bonnets. An instance occurred in Sfcurt street on. Wednesday, which showed how easy it is for the ladies to lose such articles of covering without being aware ©f the loss. A young lady had her hat blown off her head, and she did not discover the loss till passing the window of Mr Towel's chemist shop. Happening to glance at the window, she was rather amazed at discovering thai her head-gear had been carried away. A gentleman who was following close on her footsteps, picked up the missing article and restored it to the owner.

In a late number of the New Zealand Gazette is published the commission appointing the Marquis of Normanby Administrator of the Government of New Zealand. Its terms explain why it would have been embarrassing had Sir James Fergusson remained to welcome His Excellency. The commission runs as follows :—"We do, by this our commission under our sign manual and signet, appoint you, the said George Augustus Constantine, Marquis of Normanby, until our further pleasure shall be signified, to administer the Government of our Colony of New Zealand incase of the death, incapacity, or absence from our said Colony of our right trusty aud well-beloved Councillor Sir James Fergusson, Baronet (now a Knight Commander of our most distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George), our Governor aud Comruander-in-Chief in and over our said Colony, with all and singular the powers and authorities granted to the said Sir James Fergusson in our commission under the great seal of our Uniied Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the eighteenth day of February 1573, in the thirty-sixth year of ODr reign ; which said powers and authorities we do hereby authorise you to exercise and perform, according to such instructions as he hath already received from us, and such further orders and instructions as he or you may hereafter receive from us : And fnrther know you, that we do hereby appoint that this our present commission shall for the time supersede our commission under our sign manual and signet of the fourteenth day of May, 1873, in the thirtysixth year of our reign, appointing the

Chief Justice or the senior Judge ior tae time being of onr Colony of New Zealand to be Administrator of the Government o£ our said Colony in the event of the deatfc, incapacity, or absence from our said Coloay H of the Baid Sir James Fergusson, and that «* long as you are administering theGoveraraent under this comrnissien, the said commissMßi.

to the Chief Justice or senior Judge shall be taken and deemed to be suspended: And we do hereby command all and singular oarofficers, Ministers, and loving subjects in our said Colony, and all others whom ifc may concern, to take due. notice hereof, and to give their ready obedience accordingly: And. for so doing this shall be your warrant Given at our Court at Balmoral, this fifth, day of September, 1874 in the thirty-eightfc year of our reign. By Ber Majesty's command.—Carnarvon."

The Adelaide Observer approves of tae appointment of Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon to the Governorship of Fiji, and says-— "His salary in Mauritius was £6000, so thafe his present appointment can hardly be considered in the light of a promotion, unless the emoluments attached to it are much greaterthan we have been led to believe they wDI be. In organising. British rule: in Fiji the* new Governor will.have an uphill task, but he will not enter upon it altogether witbJOHfe experience in the management of coloured, races." -

The appointments to the Ptesbyteriaat Ladies' College (says the Melbourne Age) have now been made. Miss Burgess is ladysuperintendent in the College ; Miss, Bolton, Miss Bromby, and Miss Stewart have undertaken the lectures in Mathematics, Lati»,

and French respectively. Conversation^ French classes will be held by a native. The lectureship of English laaguage and litesature is not yet filled up, but it is hoped that a graduate in honours of the Melbourne Uiiiversity will, uudertake it. Miss Livingstone teaches drawing and painting. I&Baddee, Miss Griffith, and Mrs Lytteltom will teach instrumental music; ProfesaoePearson keeps the teaching of history in Ms own hands.

The Hawke's Bay Times was published, tor the last time on the 31st of December. Many amongst the hundreds who hare perished in the Australian bush (says the Glen Innes Examiner) for the want of water and food—Andrew Hume being one "of tfut latest instances—might have been now in. being had they but known in what a vexy simple mode life may be sustained by tke explorer under the most trying circumstances. An individual, well experienced in the manner, thus writes :—"This is to inform yon. and the future exploring parties, that no man need die for want of water or food i» the bush whilst he holds an axe or tomahawk. Any man may find sufficient water, let the earth be ever so parched up, by dealing round the box tree in particular, or any other tree; then provide a hollow sheet o£ bark, cut the roots in lengths, stand them oa a slant in the cogey, or bark, the top end leaning against the tree, and you may in Bach. wise soon boil your billy. In reference to a. subsistence—what a pig will subsist on, & man may do the same; for instance; tfie common fern roots may be washed clean and roasted, and a man might subsist for month* on them." Again, we have been aware for many years of a very simple method of obtaimog water or sap in any timbered portion, of the bush. Cut off saplings and trim oflt their heads a foot or two down, and place that end, inverted from the way they grow into a billy, tin dish, or hollow piece of barfe* when, in a short period, a copious supply a£ fluid will be obtained, not by any means objectionable to the palate, and possessing strengthening qualities in a far greater degree than water. - ■ ,-T

The Gold Fields Mercury, published bil South Africa, in alluding to the contemplated departure of diggers to search "for gold at Borneo, says :—" There is gold there, no doubt, that has been known for years, though it is not about Borneo that the present excitement has bee*; got up, but about what are known as the Straits Settlements. Internal wars have beea carried oa for many years on the Malay Peninsula, bnfe peace has been established in January, and hence explorations have been practicable, resulting in some extraordinary discoveries. The glowing reports which Lave beea brought back have only tended to magnifythe already almost fabulous accounts of the territory. One man has brought back geld nuggets, some of which are valued at£l2o - another has discovered a gold reaf; a-third a mine of almost virgin silver; tin mines, copper mines, lead and cinnabar abound, Grants of land have already been applied for by planters who have prospected thtt new country, which is adapted for' the growth of sugar, tapioca, rice, tea,'sad coffee. This Malay Peninsula has been lying idle for centuries, but is now, owing to Lord Carnarvon's policy, opened to British enterprise. There is, iiowever, one drawback. The country is close to the equatoris not of the healthiest, and the animal known as the Bengal tiger-^t least, it'is <£ that size—is tao often in disagreeable proximity. We would rather take our chance at Pilgrim's Rest."

The Times on the 21st of October (tfte anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar) g£ v « the following list of surviving officers wno contributed to that great victory:—Admiral of the Fleet, Sir George Ross Sartoriu^ X.C.8., was midshipman of the TonnanfcAdmiral Robert Fatten was midshipman £ the BeUerophon; Admiral William WalpoLs was midshipman of the Colossus; Admiral Sir G. A. Westphal was master's mate is the Victory—he was severely wounded ia the head, and was laid in the cockpit by the side of his dying chief; Admiral R. a M'Crea was midshipman of the Swiftaure - V lC e-Admiral Joseph Gape was nrsfc: c laJ volunteer in the Ajax; Vice-Admiral Spencer bmyth was midshipman of the Defiance - Deputy-Inspector of Hospitals, Peter Suther* was surgeon of theSwiftsure ; Captain Joh^ Geary was midshipman of the Revenge and. wounded; Lieutenant-Colonel James Fynraore, R.M., was midshipman of the AfricaCommander John H. Sanders was master's msteintheSwiftsure; Commander Francis Harris was midshipman in the TCmeiraire - George Wharrie was midshipman in th£ Colobsus ; and Commander William Vicary a recipient of the Greenwich Hospital peal sion, was first-class volunteer in the Achilles.

An English paper states that on^the 3rd November application was made to Vice. Chancellor Bacon by Mr W. Pearson, Q C for an order permitting the existing trustee! °f th, e + made by Sir Roger Charles Doughty Tichborne before leaving Enriaui to sell certain of the Tichborne estates lying iv the counties of Surrey aud Middlesex. Under this will Sir Roger-devised Ti^T °1^ ******> brotherAlfred and his heirs, and other property to> hiscousin, Miss Kate Doughty (now lily Radchffe), and provided for the sale of other properties under certain contingencies situated in Surrey, Middlesex, and Dorset, rhe ] a te baronet {Sir Alfred) died ia February, 1866, and in the May following the present infant baronet was born anl against h lal a previous administration suit was revived. Then followed the proceedings instituted by the '■ Claimant.- and ao long as that litigation was going on it would be impossible to sell the estates to ad. l^n, ,A Certlficate was found by tk 6 Ctuef Clerk in August last and no objections were taken to it. There was no opposition now, and the Vice-Chancellor sanctioned the sale of the estates not*

The Auckland Star says that the iron I piano used by Madame Arabella Goddard at j her concerts in the colonies, has been shipped on board the City of Auckland for conveyance to London.

In deference to the wishes of a number of its supporters, the Melbourne Herald published a special Sunday edition, containing a

fuil account of the proceedings in connection with ths arrival of the B.oman Catholic Archbishop and Bishop.

Writing on the subject of the cession to -Great Britain of the Fiji Islands, the New York Herald remarks :—" The formal cession of these islands to England is mi portant only as the beginning of her probable absorption of most of the other groups lying ■ between New Zealand in the south and the ■Sandwich group in the north. Our Government, perhaps, will have nothing to say >Tipon the subject except that the independence of the Sandwich Islands must not be -disturbed."

With reference to the rumour that Sir •George Grey intends to come forward to represent Auckland City West in the place -of Mr T. B. Gillies, the Auckland Star says :—"We sincerely hope that the constituents of City West will be moved by 'their good genius to take active steps towards inducing Sir George to abandon the ■learned leisure he has so long indulged, and prove himself a good warrior in the cause of vfche country which he has adopted as his

■own."

It is probable that Fiji will be represented at the annual show of tbe New South Wales Agricultural Society to be held in April next. The Fiji Times, writing on the subject, says :—" Mr Justice Garrick intends inviting those who take an active interest in i promoting the welfare and prosperity of these islands to meet at an early date, for the purpose of considering the best steps to ■ be taken, in order to ensure the fair representation of this infant colony at the forthcoming exhibition. A committee should be i formed on each important island to receive and collect exhibits ; and so great would be the advantages to Fiji, if its products be properly represented, that it is manifestly ithe interest of everyone desiring to enhance * the value of property, in town and country, to exert himself to foster the re-action in . favour of Fiji now commencing in the Australian colonies, in New Zealand, and in ■ Great Britain. Thus Fiji will become renowned for its salubrious climate, its prolific virgin soil, its numerous and valuable productions, natural and artificial, in many respects unsurpassed by any place in the •world."

A rather peculiar application (says the Pall Mall Gazette) was made the other clay at York. At the City Brewster Sessions, a Mr Lawson applied for a license for a public house on the express ground of its close proximity to the cemetery. " There was," it was stated, "at present no place for persons to go to for a stimulant when depressed by grief at the gravesides of their friends." The request was, oddly enough, supported by the chaplain of the cemetery, and on better grounds perhaps, and even more earnestly by the lodgekeeper. The latter, indeed, seemed to have urged it as a personal favour to himself. "At present," he said, " these depressed persons come to his lodge, aud he had to give them his own bnmdy; for he would be fined if he sold it to them." The Magistrates, however, were hard-hearted enough to refuse the application. It seems hard indeed that this generous and tender-hearted lodgekeeper should continue to have his little private store of brandy so cruelly drawn on by thtse depressed creatures, especially as it may not occur to them, after their depression has passed away, to make it up to him in kind.

The will of the late Biron A. Eotlischild is remarkable, says the New York Herald, for the sense of piety toward his late father which pervades the whole document, consisting of twenty-live articles. Paragraph 20 is as follows : —" I exhort all my beloved children always to live in harmony, never to loosen family bonds, to avoid all differences, dissensions, and litigations, to use forbearance toward each other, and not to allow temper to get the better of them, and to be friendly in their disposition. My children possess a good example in their excellent grandparent. Friendliness was always the sure condition to the happiness and success of the -whole Rothschild family. May my children now and never lose sight of this family tradition, and may they follow the exhortation of my late father, their grandfather, contained in paragraph 15 of his lastwill and testament, always to remain true and faithfui, and without changing, to the paternal faith of Israel."

The China Mail gives an account of the horrible tortures now practised upon the subjects of the Peking puppet. During the past month, a youog woman -was sentenced to undergo the ling chih, or death by cutting to pieces. The agony is prolonged through • such operations as flaying the face, cutting ■ off breasts, excising' the muscles, nipping the fingers and toes, and finally disembowelling ..the wretched victim, who even then has been known to manifest signs of life. The "every-day" punishments are said to be • compressing the ankle and squeezing the • fingers, until crushed, between boards, twisliDg the ears, kneeling on chairs, strik-v-ing the lips until jellied, putting the hands in stocks behind the back, or tying tae hands to a bar under the knees, and chaining the neck to a stone. Cases are officially • recorded of nailing prisoners' hands between boards, using beds of iron, scalding with .^boiling water, inserting red hot spikes, cutting the tendon Achilles, and burying the "tody up to the neck in lime, while the prisoner is forced to swallow large draughts •of water. Finally, a lighter punishment is ■to kneel on a mixture of pounded glass, •sand, and salt, till the knees are ex- • coriat?d.

The attendance at the Opera last evening "was a very small one, attributable no doubt 4o the continued non-appearance of Miss Hay, whose inability to perform is a source ■of regret to all opera-goers. Wisely, the management, during her inability, are not attempting great things, but, as in last ■evening's performance, content themselves "with doing operettas well in preference to opera indifferently. Legouix's comic opera, or rather operatfa, was fairly performed. It abounds in sparkling dialogue, and at times attractive music ; and, notwithstanding the poor house and consequent scant app'.ause, the interest was kept up throughout. Mi's Lambert, as the maid and intriguante, looked and acted charmingly, and with Mis 3 Howe sang well, her utterances rather than her execution of rapid pa-sages being particularly noticeable. Mr Hallam sang an excessively pretty serenade •more than usually well. The operetta's—as is also the case of "Cox and Box"—greatest •meat is, however, in the beauty of the instrumental accompaniements, which were •played with great care. Sullivan's clever ■operetta, " Ci>x and Box," succeeded by the "transformation scene, concluded the per--for ance>, and Messrs Tcmpleton, Vernon, and Leveson each acquitted themselves exceedingly well. Mr Vernon particularly so, Ijeing at times irresistibly funny. We think the management wise in closing the opera for a week in ord^r to give Miss May time to thoroughly recover, and shall hail her re-appearance with mnch pleasure.

To-day an excursion will be made by the ISlaturfilists' Fieid Club to Deborah Bay, leaving town by the 2.30 train. The Secretary «-f the Benevolent Institut:on acknowledges l>y advertisement the receipt of various bums of money and other donations.