SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12036, 7 May 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

SUMMARY FOR EUROPE.

■POLITICAL AND GENERAL.

The arrangements for the reception of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and i'oik in the colony are taking some shape. 3is Excellency the Governor, to ""hose approval the programmes ot the local committees are all subject, has been giving a great deal of attention to the matter, and in;various respects bus required a modification of the proposals submitted to him. In. Christchurch a temporary hitch of a somewhat serious character occurred in regard to Die choice of a residence for the roval party- Tile Government, R3 was reported by «s in our last summary issue, arranged to utilise Coker's Hotel for the accommodation o; the Duke and Duche;.? I of.Conwall and York and their suite. The Governor objected, however, to this arrangement because, among otier reasons, there are no gardees attached to it, and j the crehitecxural surroundings of the hoiel are itot very sightly After some delay the offer nas bee? r;ade to the Government of private residences in Ciiristchurcli I which wiil provide suitable accommodation io? tie royal visitors. This arrangement having been mace, the proprietor of Coker's Hotel has intimated that he will decline to receive the suite without the Duke and Ducness o; Corawall and York, and hs lias aiso notified his intention of instituting an action against the Government for damages for breach of contract. In Wellington some umbrage has been taken by a section of the citizens at the curtailment by his FαcelicncT o r the suggested route of the procession upon the Duke's arrival; but in ])ur,cdm V>c avangeincnts, except in regard to a few minor details, met with the approval o' Lard Banfnrly. The programme for tnc stay of the royal party in this cit7 embraces the presentation of an uddrecs from t.'ie Corporation in the Octagon, a visit by the distinguished guests to , a children's demonstration m the Caledonian grounds and to the Agricultural and pastoral Society's winter show, and tie performance by the Duke of Cornwall and York of t'je ceremony of laying the foundation stoae of the memorial statue oi the lalfc Queen. The only evening function that is proposed is a reception, which will prooably be held in the Agricultural Hali.

There lias been no such considerable exodus from the colony of persons invited to tlie ceremonies at Melbourne in connection with the opening of the Federal I'arhamav- as there was during the Christmas holiday 'season for Sydney % the Commonwealth inauguration festivities. Vlik Ministry is represented by the Hon. J.] G. Ward (Minister of Railways end Postmaster-general) and the Hon. W. C.'Walkei (Minister of Education), the Bight Hon. tie Premier, who had also intended being present, having been detained in the colony by a case of serious illness "in his family. The military escort from this colony, which was to have numbered 100 men, .swelled to about twice that size. It includes tiie Wellington Garrison Hand (tiie premier brass band in the colony at hie present time), and is commanded by Major X. L D. Smith, who was captain of the colony's HoLdikias ISatlery in Smii.li Africa. The escort comprises small draf.s of members of the Permanent Fore l , Mounted Infantry, Naval Artillery, (Field Artillery, Infantry, and Engineers, with special drafts of Mounted Natives and Highlanders. The Premier, addressing bis constituents at Hokitika last week, made an importantannouncement respecting the finances of the colony. The balance sheet of the Consolidated Fund for the financial year which closed on the list March last showed, he said, the following figures:— Actual. revenue < •• £s>Bj;'™5 > B j;'™ Sinking fund accretions a-.,500 Miscellaneous recoveries Ml" Brought forward from last year .. 105,352 'Total £8,012,267 Actual expenditure .. « 0,473,703 Credit balance - 5 ". 501 The s\un of £105,352, included in the above statement as having been brought forward from the previous year's account, is the balance left alter the transference of £500,000 to the public works fund. If it and the sum representing the sinking fund accretions be deducted from the total of. £6,012,267 claimed by Mr Scddon as revenue for the year, it will be seen that the actual balance on the year's transactions was £374,412. It Is interesting to note that the balance which Mr Seddnn, in liis Financial Statement, made in August last, estimated he would have at the end of the year was only £21,477. If the receipts of £52,800 from debentures for sinking fund increases be excluded, indeed, his estimate of revenue and expenditure contemplated a deficit of £31,323. His revenue was underestimated by £442,595 and his expenditure by £38,180. While Mr- Seddon's speech was largely devoted to a review of the financial position of the colony, it contained also important references to questions of Imperial as well as colonial interest, and on the question of the trade relations of the mother country and her dependencies he" suggested the appointment by the Imperial Government of a .Royal Commission on which Canada, India, Australia, and Xew Zealand should be represented. Mr Seddon has received numerous congratulations upon the occurrence of the eighth anniversary of his attainment of the Premiership of the colony.

The Federation Commission has concluded the Inking of evidence in Australia, and most' of its members have now returned to this colony. The Midland Railway Commission and the Coal Mines Commission are still pursuing their investigations in apparently a rather desultory fashion. Another Royal Commisu:oti —t'lafc on the salaries of public school teicf-crs—iiM commenced its sittings at Wellington, under the chairmanship of Mr

'/.. W. Hogg, M.H.R., and each education /■strict in the . colony will probably be '•:s:teii by its members before they proceed ie- the consideration of their report. At vie first sitting of the commission, the Secretary of Education (Mr G. Hoghen) ir.ifi before the members a memorandum prepared some months ago for the Minister ni Education in the form of a suggested colonial scale of staff and salaries. He urged that the capitation basis of payments to boards would render a colonial scale impossible, and that they could not get a uniform scale of salaries without uniform scale of staff. He had no intention whatever of any policy that should touch the discretion of the boards in saying what kind of teachers they should employ, the only difference being that the Government would lay down what staffs there should be and what each teacher should be paid. The scheme had not ten adopted by the Government; it was simply a suggestion. It was, he added, very much better under such a scheme for the boards, and not the department, to nay the teachers. - The returns of the census which was taken or the 31st March are slowly filtering out, but it will clearly be impossible in the case of » widely-scattered colony

like New Zealand to have the complete figures for some time. The returns for llio four cities, compared with those of 1896, areas follows: — 189 G. IOOt. Auckland „'„ 31.42J 31,193 Wellington rt .. 37,-Hl 43.85G Chrisichurch '.. 'IB.SM 17,821 Dunedin .. .. 23,035 25,114 These figures relate, however, only to the municipalities, and in the case of Christchurch and Dnnedin the bulk of the population resides not within the bounds of the city, but in tho suburbs. Taking city and suburbs together, the returns show that the population of Dunedin—of Greater Dunedin, that is—has grown from 18,213 in 1896 to 53,291 in 1901, and that of Greater Christchurch from 42,158 to 46,083. A gratifying circumstance revealed by the census is an increase in the Maori population during the past flve years. '.he annual conference of djlegates from T-ades f.nd LabciT Councils throughout the colony has be'.n held in Dunedin. The conf?rencs lasted for four days, hut in that t"r.9 '.he delegate.!, with very "little ado, adopted resolutions on nearly every conceivable subject in practical politics and ov.t of the:.!, fioms of tiie most far-reaching i'Esoi'.it:ons wers carried practically without d:scuss ; on, and nearly all of them with unanimity. This carious circumstance is explained by delegates in the statement that they were merely registering opinions which the councils they respectively repressed had formed after discussion; but, it that ;s co, it is not easy to see why th'.rs shevid 03 a conference at all. Among other revo'iuiior.ary schemes to which the conference committed itseif were proposals in favour of the nationalisation of the coal mines, of the oil and mineral wealth of the coior.y, a:;d of the carrying trade of the colony by-sea and by land. After tins it v.fil not be surprising to learn that the establishment of a State lire insurance (icjcrtment and of Government tailoring and bootmaking workshops for the manufacture of goods required in the service of the iSfa'.c was demanded. The present system of oid-agc pensions was not considered by the conference to be satisfactory. It wishes the pensions to be raised to 10s iv week and to be paid to all persons in whatever circumstances who have the age and residence qualifications. Moreover, it proposes that a minimum wage of 10s per <lay for adult 'iinle workers shall be fixed by law. 'Hie Government has successfully floated in the colonies a half-million 4 per cent, debenture loan, which it nut on the market under the authority of the Aid to Public Works and Laud for Settlements Act of hst year. There were 110 tenders received for an aggregate sum of £761,300 at an average price of Is above par. Ninety tenders were amounts for £5000 and under. The amount tendered for over par was £110,000, the average of Hit: total over par iieing Is 6d. About £150,000 was tendered for from Australia. No tenders were s?nt in by any of the Government departments of the colony. Those tenderers who applied for £5000 and under received a'lotlrent in full at the price tendered. These represent about 90 per cent, of the total number tendering. This was done with the object of spreading the loan amongst as many as.possible. The dispute between employers and men in the Waihi gold mines has been engaging the attention of the Auckland Conciliation Hoard for about three weeks, nnd the case is still proceeding. jtyidtnee given before the board is to llnf .effect that the union's demands, if acceded (0, would add about 9 per cent, to Die winking" expenses of the mines. The other Conciliation Hoards throughout the colony have each had several sittings, the number of disputes, so-called, which are brought before them for settlement showing no signs of diminution. The Arbitration Court, which has heavy arrears to pull up, is now sitting at Christchurch under the presidency of Mr Justice Cooper. A dispute in which the Typographical Union and the proprietors of country newspapers in Canterbury are concerned and one (affecting the whole colony) between the Federated Boot Trade Union of Workers and the boot manufacturers for the settlement of working conditions have so far been dealt with, and in the latter case an informal award has been announced. The mayoral elections throughout the colony, held in April foi the first lime— the date having been changed from November by the [Municipal Corporations Act of last year,—excited in most of the municipalities an unihiial amount of interest. In Dunedin opposition came from two quarters at ahno.'t the last moment to (lie candidature of Mr G. L. Denniston, which was definitely announced several months ago. Two ex-mayors in the persons of Mr C. It. Chapman and Mr YY. Dawson challenged Mr Denniston, and Mr Dawson was generally regarded as a rather formidable opponent. The event proved, however, the existence or a very strong feeling om the part of the electors in favour of Mr Denniston, who was returned by an overwhelming majority. In Wellington the retiring Mayor, Mr J. G. W. Aitken, decisively defeated 'Mr T.'.M. Wilford, M.H.R.. an ambitious young politician with no pre- ■ vious municipal experience; and at Auckland the oldest resident of the town. Dr J. [ Logan Campbell, an esteemed octogenarian, I who stood in response to a widely expressed .' feeling that no more fitting person than he could be entrusted with the honour of welcoming the royal visitors to the northern city, had an easy victory over ah opponent not previously known to fame. ' Mr A. K. G. Hhudes was electid Mayor of Cmistcliuvch without a contest.

An inquiry lias been licld ;it Oam.uu into Uic circumstances surrounding the wreck of the yacht Ariadne near (lie mouth of the Waitaki River. The legal representslive of the underwriters definitely made the charge in the course of the inquiry that the vessel had been designedly castaway, but the evidence failed to support this allegation, and Major Kcddell, S.M., who was president of the court, rather contemptuously swept it aside. The finding was that the captain of the yacht was guilty of negligent navigation, and that to this cause the loss was due. 'flic captain's certificate was suspended for three months, and lie was mulcted in a portion of the costs of the inquiry. The value placed on the Ariadne by Mr Kerry, the owner, was £20,000. The hull and appurtenances were sold on the 26th ult. for £215! Two days later a severe storm broke the vessel into matchwood, but the | lead ballast, which is estimated to be worth £1200, will probably be saved. The Conway case, as it is called, belongs actually to New Zealand, although it has | keen tried in Sydney; and no record of | the events of this colony for the interval '■ covered by this summary would be com- | jilete which did not include a reference to the trial of Jane Smith for the murder of the deceased, Patrick Conway, who, it will be remembered, left Nov Zealand for Sydney on the steamer Talunc on the same : voyage with the accused and died my.stcri- : oußk-fvom strychnine poisoning, as an : autopsy subsequently revealed— shortly be-

fore the arrival of the vessel at her destination. The trial occupied five day*, the accused being ably defended by Mr

(J. H. lleid, K.C. Tlie jury, after being locked lip (or u night, were unable to agree, and :i fresh trial, which will commence on the 28th hist., was consequently ordered. The East Coast of the North Island has produced the most serious crime of the past month. A man named Waller Smith, a retired mariner, who had been living on bad terms with his wife for some time, attempted Iter life by stabbing, and. subsequently, when about to be arrested, tried first to stab himself ami then to shoot, himself. Neither Smith nor his wife U in anv serious danger. At Oisborne. an elderly Maori woman named Harata Peteri, convicted of manslaughter, has been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment. Claiming to be a tohunga, she touk a man who was suffering from typhoid fever and bad been under medical treatment, and ordered him to be dipped in the sea and fed with shark, stingarce, and potatoes, and given a decoction of flax water as a purgative. In Wanganui, a man named Shannon has been committed for trial fur the attempted murder of a woman, whom, it is alleged, he savagely attacked. An unofficial announcement of a gratifying character has been made concerning the results of the operations of the Bank of New Zealand for the past year. The annual report and balance sheet will, it is said, show that the profits exceed those of the previous year by about .€50.000. It is also stated that the whole of the assets can be shown to he profit-earning, with an immediate prospect of a substantial dividend being declared if the giiieral prosperity of the country is continued for another year The picsent year, it is very evident, will be a bad one in New Zealand for tire insurance companies, several heavy losses having been incurred by them. So repealed, indeed, haw been the reverses experienced in the North Island that the council of the Underwriters has resolved upon increasing the rates of fire insurance there to a moderate extent on and after the Ist May. This decision has created a good deal of discontent in somo portions of the colony, and resolutions protesting against it have been adopted by more than one Chamber of Commerce.

Ureal satisfaction has been expressed in (lie colony at tlie bestowal of high di.stinetinns upon New Zealand oflicers in recognition of set-vices rendered by tlicm in the liocr War. Lieutenant-colonel Hobin (first ctinliiigciit), Lieutenant-colonel Cradoek (second contingent), Liuitenant-eolouel Davies (fourtii contingent, originally captain of one of llie two companies of the. first contingent), mid Lieutenant-coloii'l Nnwall (fifth contingent) heve been awarded the (lecor.ition of CD.; Majur Jowscy (third conl indent) has been created a C.M'.G. ; and Captains Major and Poison and Lieutenants Todd and Hughes have been gazetted to the Distinguished Scrvico Order. ltegret. is freely expressed, Imwever, at the absence of tlie mime of Major Madodis from (he list of Xcw Zealand officers upon whom decorations liiive bestowed. The steamer Tongariro, with between 290 and 300 returning Xew Zealanders on board, anion;; them being Colonel Holiin and Major Jmvsey, arrived at l'ort Chalmers lust night. Kxtiiisive preparations b.ive been made in Duncdin for tlu-ir reception today.

It is Imped tli;il the union between the I'rcsbytiviaii Church of New Zealand and tin! of ()i:ij>() and Southland will be consummated in Dmicdin in the last week of October iii-xl. The synod of the church in this part of the colony has instructed its Onion fominitlrc, in conjunction with the committee of tlie Xortkrn Church, to mnke tlie necessary arrangements to that end.

The animal colonial chess congress was held at Chrisfchureh. There were only five competitors for tile Chainpionsliip of New Zealand, which was secured br Mr D. Forsyth, of Dunodin, who won all his games. The Draughts Championship of the colony wa.? decided at a tournament held at Wanguimi. and was won after an exciting tussle by Mr .f. (iuuliner, of Gore, who filii.sbed only half a point ahead of

Iwo other competitor.

Tile de.-illi of (he Veil. Archdeacun Dudley, uf Auckland, has created a serious giip in the ranks of (lie .Anglican clergy of the colony. The legal prnfesMon has lost a popular member in Mr (.'. K. Salisbury, of the firm of Logan and Salisbury, of Napier, who. being in had health at the lime, disappeared from 1 steamer Monou'iii on ihe 16th inst., on the voyage from Sydney to Wellington, and must have liren Inst overboard. Mr L. (.I'llrien, for nearly 20 years a judge of the Native Land (Vini, has ditd at- Auckland, and Mr Francis C.

'nltnn, siii early settler in Otiigit and for

a number of years a prominent business man in Dunedin, lias passed away at Napier. We have also to record with regret (he death of the oldest while resident in Dunedin, Mrs (.'. H. Kettle, whose husband was the chief of the survey staff by which the Otago settlement was originally laid olf.