The Otago Daily Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1877.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4732, 18 April 1877, Page 2

The Otago Daily Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1877.

As we anticipated-some time since, the; advent of spring is about to settle the! question of peace or war in Eastern: Europe. The Russian army of the South is moving into Roumania, while: the' army of that State is placed on a war footing, ready to combine withthat of its powerful aally; "~ W- nation: like Russia, governed by the high in-! telligence which characterises its rulers, does not mass a great force on its frontier, and contract_a, war loan, without: being moved by an intention of employing that force. All circumstances combine to-enable Russia to carry out; the great object of its restless ambition. The defiant attitude assumed by Turkey,; the rejection of all external proposals of reform, and the falling away of the' support of her oldrallies, favour the in-: vasion; while in invading, the Czar isredeeming- his, solemn pledge.. to ; the nation. The Outcome of this invasion of Turkey will be the most momentous change that has taken: place in Europe since the fall of the first Napoleon. We will do well to; consider what is foreshadowed by this vast national movement, for such it is.; Much has been said of the numbers' and discipline of the Turkish troops, and the strong positions held by them: on the Danube and on the line of the; Balkans. "We do not believe that either will arrest the victorious ad-

vanCe 'of the enemy. In all respects, Russian- troops are supe-; rior to Turkish.. Napoleon said on one occasion "onpent. hattre Us Autrichieiisyiaisilfauthaclierlesllusses" so dogged was their determination and unflinching their courage. We may then assume that invasion means the conquest of European Turkey, or of a largs part of iti The onward move of the Russian army will determine the immediate occupation by Austria of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and probably a move on the part of Greece towards the acquisition of Epirus and Thessaly. No one imagines that, Russia will re linquish the territory-her troops will occupy- in the war ;. and the breakingup of the Turkish Empire ia the probable result of the struggle, and the formation of one or two small separate States dependent on Russia, while the latter would hold a large portion of the remainder. The action of England has already be6nindicated, and would probably be limited to holding Constantinople. The partition of Turkey looms in the distance, and with it, the hope of happier times for its subject races. The question is a serious one for England. The two hundred millions of Turkish debt is principally held there, and, in any • case, is probably sunk. -It also means sending a considerable army to the East, and keeping it there.for a length of time, for the British nation does no^ mean that Constantinople shall pass into Russian keeping, and to

prevent this, an army of occupation must remain in possession of it. It is not surprising that, with such prospects,, there should be a depression in the wool market, and a drop in consols: Turkey unaided, with insurgent ;Provinces,, may offer the' resistanc|) of despair, but one that must beun the end unsuccessful. Its dreams5 of a constitution and liberal government like those introduced by 'Francesco 11. in the Kingdom of Naples, when the Liberator was already in Sicily, come too late to save it from ruin. Circumstances have united to favour", the designs of Russia. ; She-thinks the occasion suitable to carry put those ambitious" views which were initiated by the Czar Petek, and which were constantly advanced by Catherine andNicholas. . Russia, though not financially in a good position,,has never been so favoured as at present. Germany is neutral, Austria would take a compensation out of Turkey, France; is silent, and England will no longer aid Turkey' unless called upon by the voice of the country to do.so.

During the course of the discussion on the Fever Hospital the other day, the' real reason which animated the Mayor, in his action came out. We have been told; a great deal about the* motives of humari-i ity, and so forth, which1 rendered the advocates of the Hospital so determined; in their line of conduct. Incidentally,. Mr Eeeves let the cat out of the bag; when he said that he was in favour, of; alienating a part of the Belt for building: purposes. There is no doubt that had this aim been brought -prominently! forward at an .earlier ; period .id,; the' discussion the advocates of misusing, the: Belt would have; driven from their sidet some of their most valu ed supporters.-' It cannot be too clearly understood that, under cover of humanity and behind, the' shield of befriending the poor man,-the; actuating motive of the agitators 'for: misappropriating the Belt,was this—that' they might effect a lodgment, however; small, on the reserve with buildings.; Those who have for some years watched; the progress of events will remember that: over and over, again there. have , been propositions ;to use a corner here-and a' corner there, this, strip and that section,; of the Belt, for building purposes. All: these attempts have been prevented by; the good, sense of the majority....] Itj remained for Mr Beeves arid those whothink with him to adopt the -Fever! Hospital as.!• the wooden horse, nn-i der cover 6i- -which they might! enter on. this property at last. ;The! Belt is such a rich endowment,-that! the Corporation cannot keep their hinds i off it, and every succeeding. Mayor has i looked longingly at it, and:hoped that he; might diminish the burdens of .'- thei citizens by leasing the Town Belt for!. building sites. Concerning the morality '■, ioi such a clever dodge, we- shall-;' say; nothing ; the bare statement of the .fact! ;Is its own condemnation. In an uriwaiy' :moment, however, Mr Reeves announced: that he was in favour of using a portion of; the Belt for building sites, and while wej think he was well advised- to; keep, his 1 objects secret as long as he did, we are; .obliged to him for at last disclosing them. • The proposition is, then, as it was called, ', the thin end of the wedge of spoliation,; which will lead to the alienation' of the; .reserve.. ~'. ■' ■[■."' ..[■',■ ..'.-. -,- ■■■'■'. :

After aome : discussion the City>Council; resolved yesterday to present an address of welcome, to His Excellency the Governor on his arrival in'Dunedia on Friday next.;; His Worship, the Mayor stated yesterdayitiat: it was probable the Hinemoa; would land the' vice-regal party at .the Rattray street Wharf.; A reporb of the proceedings yesterdayT will be found in another column. ' ■••-■■'} i

. A meeting :of the Carnival .Committee appointed; last year to raise fonds for tho "wafsTeceTveßrffoiS 7tEeTßeney6lenT Institution Committee stating that a resolu-' tion had been passed appointingjten members of the Carnival Committee life governor^ of the Institution, and that it.was intended to set; apart £1500—the amount reckved from the Carnival—for-;'.permanent investment;-. The'question .of.'hblding'a'Carnival this year was discussed, and its further con-'

Bideration adjourned till next '/week,: when

another meeting of the Committee will be! held. : A. report of yesterday's meeting is! given elsewhere. .;.-:' -.'-.'■- '■••' •'•. '■■■; •:,.;,' ; The little difficulty that arose about'pro-' Tiding a suitable person to "dip" the Chinese on the Quarantine Isiand, prepara^ toiry to admitting them to partique,has been satisfactorily adjusted. A person competent to perform the operation; has'at last.been1 obtained, and with good store of disinfecting' aaatinesses, was .- conveyed, 'to, the Island yesterday afternoon by -the ■ Customs Steam launch. It will take a day of two to' operate upon the Celestials as thoroughly as has been wisely .determined upon; so> that the release is not likely to take : place until Saturday next. Meantime the : barque Gloucester still remains in, quarantine; We hope her case will receive >■ early; consideration. ~ ...'.'"'.' ; . ...■ ' ..■ ''J:\i !i ',"■■'■'^ ■ \ ■■ A notification of the intention of His Ex] cellency^the Governor to. visit Otago was received on Tuesday evening; by the- ;Mayoij of Port Chalmers, and was: submitted by! him to the Councillors; who had attended at the Hall on the regular meeting night. : The notice'was conveyed by telegram, arid stated that the Governor and suite of -six would likely, arrive, on Friday morning. As the regular meeting of the Council on Monday! night lapsed owing to the indisposition of the Town Clerk, the Mayor convened another meeting for last night, when the question of the Governor's ■ yißit : was diecussed in Committee. We understand it was resolved; to receive him'in due form,but without expensive, demonstration. '■

Mr Robert Neill, teacher of. the Waipori School, has ■■ been appointed master ■■ of the Qaeenstown School,- in the .room of^r M'Nicholl removed to iOatram. ~Mr H. Meeking, teacher at Warepa, has been; appointed master of the school at Papakaio. ! It was staled in our issue of yesterday that Mr E. ff. Ward had resigned the.Regis.: trarship of the Supreme Court. This is not the case. Mr Ward is merely, at-his;own; request, absent on" leave until the 3rd ofMay. '■•' ■• ■ ":;;, -: '.''['■[ '■ A considerable amount of commotion wad caused in George street yesterday, in consequence of a horse belonging to a man named James Johnston having bolted from the door of Mr Wilson's shop. The animal rattled along George stre3t towards the Octagon at a rapid rate, and nearly run over some children who were crossing the street. It was stopped at the European Hotel. !" i No public meeting has as yet taken place at Milton with reference, to the proposed establishment there of a clothing factory.1 A meeting was called, bufc fell through, the townspeople not attending.' Though a few may enthusiastically support the project, it does not appear to meet with general support.5 A man. in the Tokomairiro district has during the past week been engaged catching skylarks for the Acclimatisatipn/ Society. He sent away no less than 60 on Saturday, and states that one morning. he caught as many as 22 before breakfast. .-•'-. \ We see by the Riverton paper that com-! plaints are made of all the available water to work the auriferous' ground on the Longwood; ranges being monopolised by parties who have not been using it for some months past,!

At the City Police Court yesterday, Thos. Hirst Dodson, of the Empire Hotel, waa fined Is and costs for keeping his licensed house open on Sunday. This being a test case, and ona of considerable importance, His Worship (Mr Watt) agreed to state a case for the Supreme Court. The judgment appears in another column. " C .

A correspondent writes to us as follows :-± Afine group of solar spots is now;visiblef On the 15th insfc. the, group consisted of 12 small spots and one large one.. They have 'since united, and this morning' present the grand appearance of three very large'spots,1" "the umbra and faculce surrounding' .them being worthy of inspection. A good binocular ■will show the group.'

> Among those wko-took part in"the duck shooting raid at Kaitangata and Tuakitoto Lakes upon the 2nd of the month, were three well-known •■■ sportsmen,1 who,' -in order to ensure success, procured a boat, which, while -they were in the act of ' aiming at a.flockjof ducks, swamped. They at once got-up-to their armpits in; the water. Fortunately, the water was not deeper at the place, other-1 wise they would have been drowned;, none of them being able to swim. However, after a great deal of difficulty, they hooked the guns ;up with their feet,1 and righted the boat, but the ammunition was" lost, and any hopes of "further.success ttat daywere at an end." <

At a summoned -meeting of -j_ the Leith Lodge, in the New. Oddfellows' Hall, on Monday, evening,..one candidate..was duly initiated, arid another proposed for membership/ It was resolved—"That the anniver-: aary ofthe'-Lodge'be celebrated by a supper on the Queen's' Birthday," and a large committee was appointed to carry but the riecessary. arrangements. "".' . '-'.. ,-".-■ !

:•■ .The>following- paragraph, clipped from a North China Herald of .January last, /will b^ .interesting to our readers of' strong sporting proclivities. The: "bag " described is;, of a mouth;watering description, and attests to the abundance of -;game;' in the Shanghai, dis-; trict:—-" It may interest some of ourapbrt-; ing readers to learn that a party of four! gentlemen have just, returned, from an up-; country trip, with the magnificent bag of: 1030 head' of game, : the result of; 13 days' shooting. The bag comprises 851 pheasants, 64 deer, 105, duck and teal, 9 hares, and 1 and is an unusually heavy one for the season.of the year." ! . ..''■'..l'...' ' ■

The following passage occurs in a telegram; from . Christchurch, in an exchange:—j "There is likely to be some Governmental: enquiry as to the conduct of Judge John-! ston in Woodgate's base. If no steps are 4akeh' beforehand, an inquiry is certain to be asked for next session." : v I

The teachers of the Knox Church Sunday; School held a social gathering:in. the Class JRoom.lasfc evening; -There waa a large attendance/and' the entertainment was' highly enjoyable. \ - . : ;

"■''• "Lost in London" and ■ "The" Sailbr'a ■Child" were -prodacedj at,'toe Princeas Theatre last ■ night.- < The; attendance was not a very encouraging one so far as numbers' were'eoncerned. , ; , ■ -\ - . ' '■■-', '

A special meeting of Gardeners is: to :be held in the Douglas-Hotel this evening at 8.;