News of The Week

Otago Witness, Issue 1032, 9 September 1871, Page 15

News of The Week

No ladies have as yet made application to be admitted as students to the University.

A fish market is about to be erected at Auckland, at a cost of £75.

An Improvement Committee has been formed at Cardrona.

Firewood is being sold at Hokitika for 5s a load.

A Sir Walter Scott Masonic Lodge has been formed at Grahamstown.

The Auckland police state that crime has been unusually rare there of late.

The heavy rain last week was gladly welcomed by the Canterbury farmers.

Several black swans have been seen on the Waikouaiti lagoon of late.

The formation of a joint stock brewing company has been mooted at Cromwell.

By the ship Meropc, which lately arrived at Lyttelton from London, four white swans were imported.

The catching of seagulls for the sake of their white breasts, is a branch of juvenile industry in Auckland.

The fish in the Invercargill Acclimatisation Society's ponds at W allaoetow n have commenced to spawn for the first time.

A petition 'in favour of a Permissive Bill is being signed in the Kaitangata and neighbouring districts.

A number of petty robberies have lately taken place at the Scandinavian settlement at Palmerston North, Wellington.

The residents at the Thames complain bitterly of the state of their streets, in which the mud is axle deep.

The building trade in Christchurch is more active at present than it has been for several years past.

Funds are being collected in Auckland for the erection of a monument to the victims ■of the Poverty Bay massacre.

An Arrow paper states that it is rumoured that another quartz-crushing machine will shortly be erected on the Upper Shotover.

It has been resolved, at a meeting of the City Council, to open the Octagon and ■Southern Markets for the sale of produce on certain days, free of charge. Mr John Stevens, of Raugitikei. writes to the Wellington Independent to say that he believes the number of the Maori inhabitants of the North Island is 32,301.

Cash seems to be pretty scarce in Nelson, as a local tradesman advertises his willingness to take farm produce in payment for his goods.

Three hundred Chinamen have made their appearance at the Orepuki diggings. At the Nokomai some of the "heathens" are "robbing the province" to the tune of from £7 to £9 weekly.

A contemporary states that the Auckland Provincial Executive has prepared a scheme of public works in compliance with Mr Gisborne's circular. The proposed works are estimated to cost one million.

A "monster"' volunteer review is to be held at One Tree Hill, near Auckland, on the 9th November next — the Prince of Wales's birthday. It is expected that upwards of a thousand men, besides 300 or 400 cadets, will muster on the occasion.

Mr M'Leod, the member for the Bay of Islands, stated in the House of Representatives the other day, that during a visit to Canada he had discovered that many of the people were desirous of emigrating to New Zealand. The Athenaeum, speaking of Dr Haast's Address to the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury on "Moas and Moa Hunters," Bays that " the Address is, indeed, a valuable contribution to this branch of scientific enquiry. "

Mr E. Carew, of Blacks, and Messrs J. C. Chappie and James Taylor, as mayors of Alexandra and Cromwell, are gazetted as Justices of the Peace. Mr Carew is also appointed Resident Magistrate for the district of Blacks.

Some samples of meat preserved at the works of the Otago Meat Preserving Company, near Green Island, are very favourably noticed by the Hawke's Bay Herald, which says that ' ' both in quality and flavour they are all that could be desired."

The Lawrence paper is informed that Mr C. W. Adams, District Surveyor, is busily engaged surveying the proposed line of railway from Tokomairiro to Lawrence, under the direction of G. M. Barr, Esq. , Engineer of Roads and Works.

Mr Carruthers, C.E., the newly appointed Colonial Engineer-in-Chief, and Mr Dees, surveyor, who also came out from England by the last San Francisco mail, and is referred to by Mr Vogel in his report, which we publish to-day, arrived from the North by the s.s. Phoebe on Saturday. The Hon. Mr Scotland, in the Legislative Council, has given notice of a motion to the effect that, in the opinion of the Council, in order to establish peace on the West Coast, it is a duty to set aside land for Tito Kowaru and his followers to settle thereon with as little delay as possible.

A meeting of the Olutha Presbytery will be held on the 20th, at which a deputation from Duiieclin will prosecute the call from the North Dunedin Presbyterian Church to the Rev. Dr Copland. We have heard that though the Tuapeka parishioners of that gentlemen are desirous of retaining him, yet he intends accepting the call to Is'ortfc Dunedin.

The work of excavating the Port Chalmers Railway tunnel, which has for some time been stopped, Avas resumed on Monday. It is expected, should fine weather prevail, that the tunnel will be finished in two months and a half. The work is to be carried on night and day.

An accident occurred to the Tokomairiro eoacn when it was coming doAvn the hill on the Cavershaiu side of Look-out Point, on Wednesday. Fortunately only the driver and a lad were on the coach at the time. The former received some bruises, but he is not seriously injured. The lad escaped altogether without injury.

A social gathering in connection with the Congregational body, which meets in the Oddfellows' Hall, George street, took place in that hall on Wednesday. After tea, which Avas provided by Morrell and Co., the Pastor (the Rev. Mr Johnstone) delivered an address. Addresses Avere also delivered by other gentlemen, and altogether a very agreeable evening Avas spent.

According to the Times, the Census of 1871 shows 503,086 children in Scotland between fiA'c and 13 years of age stated in the householders' schedules to ho receiving education — that is to say, one in 6 '(3(> of thu total population. The children constituting this number are those avlio were at least five years of age and not more than 12 at their last birthday.

At the last meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society, a short communication from Mr R. Pharazyn Avas read, giving an account of St. John's nursery at Wanganui, Avith statistics of the rate of growth of introduced trees. The most remarkable instance was that of Pinus insignis, Avhich had reached the height of tAventy-tAvo feet in three years.

At a public meeting held at Wanganui the other day to consider Avhat should be done for the ay elf are of the destitute children in the place, the Rev. Mr Elmslie stated that fully nineteen-tAVentieths of those children in the toAvn belonged to the Roman Catholic persuasion. It was proposed to form a Benevolent Society, but the motion to that effect was lost, and eventually the meeting broke up without any decision being arrived at.

A correspondent, writing from SAvitzers to the Tuapeka Times on the Chinese question, says that one of the storekeepers reckons every Chinaman Avorth £2 to him alone. The same writer suggests the calling together of public meetings at all the principal centres of the mining population to draAv up memorials, elect committees, and take any other steps that may be considered necessary in the matter.

A Quarterly licensing Meeting Avas held at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday when several applications for the issue of general licenses Avere refused. An application by Mr F. P. Mansfield, for a license for the premises on the corner of Stafford and Manse streets, which at one time formed a portion of the Provincial Hotel, was opposed by Mr Sibbald and the police, and refused by the Bench.

The heaviest fall of snow that has taken place in Dunedin for two or three years, occurred on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The landscape in the early lnorning was a thoroughly wintry one, the streets, houses, and hills in the distance, being covered with snow. With the return of day, however, the temperature rose, and the snow soon vanished, except in some places on the hills where it had drifted, and where it lay in patches throughout the day. It seems that all the telegrams relating to the Telegram Libel Case wfll not be laid on the table of the House of Representatives, in accordance with Mr Gillies's motion. From the Independent's report of what took place when that motion was made, we learn that "Mr Fox explained that the Government would be quite prepared to supply any filed or official telegrams, but there were some of a different nature, which they would not care to lay before the House. On this understanding, the motion was passed."

It is notified in the New Zealand Gazette of the '28th ult. that His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to authorise the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago to frank and receive, free of postage, letters or packets on the public service only, during the present session of the General Assembly. It is also notified, in the same issue of the Gazette, that His Excellency has accepted Mr Driver's resignation of his appointment as a Justice of the Peace for the colony.

The quarterly meeting of the members of the Otago Licensed Victuallers)' Association was held on Tuesday, at the Fire Brigade Rooms. A large number of members were present. The usual routine business was transacted. Before the close of the proceedings a numerously signed requisition was handed to the president, requesting him to call a special meeting of the members at an early date to consider what steps should be taken to obtain a reduction in the price of gas. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.

The Evening Post says: — "A new Districts Courts Act is about to be introduced into the Assembly, and as it is unlikely to meet with opposition, we may anticipate that the Judges of the .Supreme Court will shortly be able to dispense justice from new tribunals at a cheaper rate than lias hitherto prevailed. This measure is said to have met with the hearty support of the learned judge who presides over this district, who has evor displayed a praiseworthy desire to expedite all busies brought before hiea,

and whose uniform courtesy to litigants is proverbial."

The New Zealand Wesleyan (published at Christchurch) for the current month, has just reached us. It contains a number of well written and well timed articles, among which Aye may mention one on the Education question, and one on ' ' Communism and the Commune,"' by the Rev. A. F. Douglas, of Christchurch. The news items arc also Avell selected, and the periodical is on the whole perhaps the best, of its class in New Zealand. There is room for improvement, however, in the paper on which it is printed ; but if, as it deserves, it obtains an increased measure of public support, this defect may be remedied.

The Presbytery of Dunedin met at St. Andrew's Church on 30th ult., for the purpose of moderating in a call to a pastor for that church. There were present — The liev. W. Alvcs, Moderator, who presided ; the Rev. G. Sutherland. Clerk jin> torn. ; and the Rev. J. H. M'Naughton. There was but a small attendance of the members of the congregation. After a sermon had been preached by the Moderator, the form of a call was produced, and on motion, it was resolved to make a call to the Rev. John Gow, of Hokitika, whose name was accordingly inserted in the Wank on the call. No other candidate was proposed.

We notice with much pleasure, from an address to the citizens of the United States, issued by the National Prison Association of that country, that Mr Caldwell, Governor of the Dunedin Gaol, has been elected a Corresponding Member of that Association. It is not very long since we recorded the fact of a similar honour having been conferred on Mr Caldwell by the Howard Association in England. It is gratifying to notice that the labours of an officer who has gained for the Dunedin Gaol a world-wide reputation, are appreciated by .associations in England and America competent to judge of such matters.

A Wellington paper states that "the question raised in the Legislative Council by the Hon. Mr M'Lean as to the costume to be worn by the Hon. Speaker of the Upper House has been referred to the Standing Orders Committee of that House, who are instructed to consider whether the costume should not be so altered as to resemble that worn by the presiding peer of the British House of Lords. The Committee have also been instructed, with a view to promote the comfort and convenience of members of the Council, to consider the propriety of adopting an appropriate robe for members on such special occasions as they may be expected to appear in full dress."

We understand that Messrs Wilson and Birch forwarded to San Francisco, some time ago, two hogsheads of ale brewed at their establishment in Dunedin, and by the last steamer from that port they were advised that their consignment soon found a buyer. The ale is of excellent quality, has attained some age, and is in first-rate condition, so that it is not surprising that it has been thoroughly appreciated in San Francisco. Notwithstanding the heavy import duty of 6d per gallon, which is levied on this article in America, we believe there is every prospect of a trade in it being carried on with this place.

In an article commenting on the published official correspondence regarding the Governor's right of pardon, the Press says : — " Meantime, Sir G. Bowen is left in the unpleasant position of being exposed to blame by some one else's misconduct. We imagine he will be careful how he leaves his autograph in the hands of Ministers for the future. He has learnt that in public as well as in private affairs, it is well to be cautious how one puts one's name to a document, ' merely as a matter of form. ' Or if these ready signed pardons are absolutely neces - sary, he will at least see that they are so filled up as to preclude their application to any but the intended purpose."

A fatal accident, through which two Chinamen lost their lives, occurred at Capt. M'Kcnzie's Ford, Pomahaka, on Thursday week. It appears that Capt. M'Kenzie keeps a punt for the purpose of conveying foot passengers across, and while one of his men named David Wine, was taking two Chinamen across on the abovenamed day, the punt got broadside on to the current, and immediately filled and sank, breaking the wire by which it was worked. The Chinamen leaped into the water and were drowned. Search has been made along the banks for the bodies, but without success. One of the swap's and some blankets have since been picked up by a shepherd and given to to the police. At a recent meeting of the Nelson Teachers' Association, Mr Mackay, of the College, read a paper on " The Necessity of Specific Training for Teachers." Towards the close of the paper, Mr Mackay referred to the advantages of union among teachers as follows :—": — " Our associations will, I hope, stimulate us to still greater exertions in the good cause, and will encourage us by reminding us that we form part of a numerous and honourable body. For my part, I should like to see a bond of union among all the teachers in the colony. Just imagine what an influence for good the teaching staff even in New Zealand might exert, if its members were all united as one man, and Avere all thoroughly equipped for the work they have to do !"

The formation of the Wakatip district into a County is advocated in an article in the Arrow Observer, which concludes as follows :-™" The people of the Wakatip district have now to cfiopse between bad government

and good, _ and whether they will continue to go on paying taxes and receiving nothing in return or form a self-government of their own, _ expending the revenue derived from the district upon local improvements and the support of valuable public institutions. The time has now come to make the required change. We have patiently submitted to years of mismanagement of our public affairs, until things have become so bad that they cannot be endured any longer. We must follow in the steps of WcbtLmd, and adopt the county system as the only effectual remedy."

A good word for colonial beer is spoken by Mr John W. Hood, .analytical chemist, Melbourne, in a letter to the Argus. He says : — "I can safely state, from numerous andrepe.ited analyses, that the bulk of the colonial ale, as sold by the brewers, is far more wholesome and less adulterated than the imported ale, which is generally fortified and strengthened to stand the voyage, while I have seldom been able to detect any deleterious ingredient in the colonial beer. I have no doubt but that there are some brewers dishonest enough to add drugs to their beer, with a view of giving additional head and strength ; but the colonial brewer as, a rule, generally brews even more scientifically than the English brewer. The climate necessitates this. "

A good word for " John " is spoken by the Lawrence correspondent of the Bruce Herald, who writes: — "The lately arrived Chinamen arc spreading themselves about in various places ; but it is pretty evident that they are entirely ignorant of mining. They will require many lessons from their more experienced countrymen before they can hope to do a great stroke. Many of the old hands are buying claims and water-races, and giving for same good prices. We, of Lawrence, do not in any way sympathise with the parties up-country who are commencing a crusade against them. I think that the feeling is the other way. In every community there are restless spirits who are never at ease unless in doing something against their fellow-man. Let us hope that the movement will expend itself in smoke."

The first competition for the medal presented by Mr Seaton to the Peninsula Volunteers took place on Monday. There j were 28 competitors, consisting of 4 men from Anderson's Bay, 5 from N.E. Harbour, and 19 from Portobello. The day was very favourable for good shooting, except the last three rounds at the (300 yards, when a sudden squall came on with heavy rain, which accounts for the low score at that range. The following are the seven highest scorers : 200 400 600 Tl. Vol. Wm. Dickson, Portobello 15 16 10— 41 P. O. M'Keuzie, A. B 15 10 10—11 Vol. J. Wishart, Portobello 16 Hi 11—40 (inn. Duckworth, A. B 10 15 0-40 Gun. M'Cormick, >\ E. H 14 10 15—3!) Gun. Peterson, N. E. H 17 lfl 3—39 Vol. M'Cartney, sen., Portobello .. 8 17 11—36 Wm Dickson was declared the winner for the time being. The next competition takes place on the first Saturday in December. The shooting at 400 (kneeling) was very good, very few making a miss the last round. At 400 there were 13 bullseyes made, the scores made being 19, 18, 17, several 1(5, and a lot of 15 ties. The shooting at 200 was also good. The only drawback to the day's Bport was that the range was rather wet, and the roads to it nearly impassable.

Rats and dogs have lately been exported from Wanganui to Fiji. The Chronicle says :—" Among the curiosities on board the Satellite bound for Levuka, are four or five dozen of rats. These troublesome animals, acclimatised by Captain Cook 101 years ago, arc, it appears, in great request at the Fijis, where they arc said to live upon another and apparently greater pest in the shape of some kind of bug that destroys the cocoa oil casks. This is probably a remedy founded on the choice of the lesser evils. A number of dogs (the exact figure fluctuating from day to day) are also on board this cutter at the Heads, and intended for the Levuka market. We have heard that four of these brute 5*5 * jumped overboard the other day, by no means realising the prospect of their free passage and ultimate destination ; one was drowned and the rest escaped to the sand hills. Parties in town who within the last few days have missed their dogs have got a habit of rushing to the. Head?, and it is said that sometimes they have found their property in that vicinity. If this rakish craft does not soon leave the river, the dog-tax next year may be seriously affected, for, while the Satellite or any other vessel entered outwards is welcome to a whole cargo of rats, it ought to be remembered that to denude the district of dogs would seriously affect the revenue, throw some civil servants out of employment, perhaps weaken the Government, and certainly give (Sir George Bowen the opportunity of writing to the Secretary of the State for the Colonies In re the Fiji trade."

The Aided School Clauses of the Education Bill, referred to by Mr Bathgate in his late speech, as the " one great Haw" in that measure, are as follows :—"lt: — "It shall be lawful for the Board of any province at its discretion to grant any sum or sums of money in aid of the efforts made by private individuals or associations for the promotion of education in localities within such province in which from the smallness or scattered position or the unsettled nature of the population or from other causes no School District shall hay* been proclaimed : Providod that in the case of a school so aided it be a public school within the meaning of this Act ; and provided, also that, where aid fa so grafted, a

teacher may be engaged and required to teach from house to house or in two or more localities during the year." "It shall be lawful for the Board of any province at its discretion to grant any sum or sums in aid of the efforts ot private individuals or associations for the maintenance of schools within SJchool Districts within such province, and such schools are hereinafter referred to as ' Aided Schools': Provided every school so aided be a public school within the meaning of this Act.'" "If the Minister shall at any time be satisfied that the Board of any Province in any case shall without reasonable cause have refused aid to any such school as by the two preceding sections the Board is empowered to aid and the managers of which shall have complied or be ready to comply with tho provisions of this Act it shall be lawful for the Minister to give such pecuniary aid as he may think lit to such a school and the amount so given from time to time shall be charged by the Colonial Treasurer against the capitation money of the said Province as hereinafter provided in the case of insufficient school accommodation."

The news brought by the .Suez mail contains one or two disquieting items. "We refer to that in which it is stated that M. Thiers has announced his determination to aid in preserving the independence of the Pope, and that in which it is stated tint .M. Favre has resigned his seat in the Cabinet in consequence of a diffei\.nec with his colleagues on the subject. Such a step on the part of France would not be unexpected, and the Italians have already boon looking forward to it, as will be seen by the following paragraph, which was published in our issue of the 26th ulfc. : — "Public opinion in Italy is in favour of the preparation of the army against a probable French attack." The tone of some o f the French newspapers and the great efforts that have been made since the Commune was crushed to put the army on a Mar footing, would give a colour to this belief. The expression that France will "aid in preserving 1 ' the Pope's independence, points to the coalition of some other Power with her in this matter. The only other Powers at all likely to join her aro Belgium, Spain, and Austria, The first is hardly likely to do so, as the -ss'hole of her interests are against it, and her ligkting power is very small. Spain may also he regarded as out of the question, as she has ■quite euough to do within her own borders and ia Cuba, added to which her recentlyelected King is the son of Victor Emanuel. Austria alone remains, and in view of her ancient grudges against Italy and fealty to the Pope, Count Beust's recent statements regarding the satisfactory condition of the Austrian army become significant. Both France and Austria are in need of having their reputation for fighting rehabilitated, and this matter would afford them at once a pretext and a chance of retrieving aomo of their lost laurels. Perhaps, also, M. Thiers entertains the idea of making Italy recoup to France some of the indemnity money" the latter has paid, and has still to pay, to Germany.

In connection with Mr Vogol's proposal that New Zealand should establish a Protectorate over the Navigator Islands, a few particulars regarding those islands may not be without interest. The Navigator or Samoan Group is situate between 10 and 13 decrees S. lat., and 1(59 and 173 degrees E. long., being about 400 miles N.E. of the Fiji <iroup. It consists of nine islands, covering an area of 2650 square miles. The islands are "believed to have been sighted by lloggewin and Baiinuui, in 1721, but our first definite information regarding them is derived from the narratives of Bougainville, who re-dis-covered the eastern islands in 17G6, and La Pero\ise, who visited the western ones in 1787. Bougainville called them the "Navigator '' Islands, on account of the skill dissAoyed by the natives in managing their tanoes. The islands are of volcanic formation, and are mountainous, but very fertile. Tiiis is due in a great measure to the great moisture of the climate. Storms are also said t» he very frequent, and all the accounts of tht islands speak of the great fury with which the surf beats on the reefs by which they are surrounded. The natives, whose numbers are variously estimated at from 50,000 to 150,000, are" described as an exceedingly fine race, physically, but fierce and treacheiwis in the extreme. Their language is said to W the only dialect of Polyuwwia in "which the iVbilant sound occurs. They are very indolent, and although the islands produce the usual tropical products, even the sugar-cane growing spontaneously, they nsqwrt hardly anything beyond a little •cocoa-nut oil, most of which is sent to Nydiney. The chief trade of the natives, howover, is with the whalers, who call for water .•and freah pork, pigs being very plentiful. The islands have been the scene of missionary labour since the year 1810, and a considerable number of missionaries, both Pro--tesrewt and Roman Catholic, are still resident m ihe group.

The Rev. Mr Beid of Dnnedin, by invitation of the Committee of the North E-ist Harbour Public Library, delivered a lecture in. the schoolroom of tliat district, on Mon*lay week, to a very full audience. The snl^eet of the lecture, viz., "The Haranony s>etween the Mosaic record of Creation and the ]>isenveries ot («enlo<,y,'' was dis•cAissed in a manner so thoroughly popular as to bring that difficult controversy within the ■comprehension of the entire audience, who (listened to it with great interest for nearly two hours. The lecturer gave a very inter- • eating delineation of the results of geological -invcatJ^aiiou in eon.nec.tion \yith, a pvinute

classification of the strata in the order of their superposition, and with the dawn and progress of vegetable and animal life. He dwelt particularly on the fact that these transitions must have been effected within jioriodo of immense duration — .such indeed, as to baiile thought awl distance imagination — a theory which, in the iirst instance, was felt to come into collision with the usual interpretation of the Ist chapter of G ene&is. The lecturer then explained at length the theory of reconciliation suggested by Dr Chalmers, viz. , that the Mosaic Itecord does not determine the date of creation — the phrase "in the beginning" being susceptible of an interpretation indefinitely wide ; also that of Hugh Miller, viz., that the days of Creation were not days in the ordinary acceptation of the term, but epochs of very extended duration. Finally, lie explained the more recent solution — that the Bible docs not deal with the facts embraced within the geologic period, but that it leaves them to be discovered by human eiiort and enlightenment, and opens its narrative with the delineation of the great catastrophe which introduced the period of the earth's present occupants and of the circumstances attendant on their creation. The lecturer took occasion repeatedly to characterise the divine care and forethought in having regard, during all the antecedent periods of the earth's changes, to the comfort and accommodation of man. and the consequent obligation on all intelligent beings to render to the < 'reator a thankful and dutiful obedience. A vote of thanks to the lecturer, proposed by Mr Sim, who remarked that the district was deeply indebted to Mr Reid for his repeated attentions, was very heartily responded so. The collection on the occasion was in aid of the fund for establishing a library in the X.E. Harbour district.