News of the Week.

Otago Witness, Issue 1582, 18 March 1882, Page 10

News of the Week.

The Southern Cross Petroleum Company have after all, it is now asserted, no valid lease of the country where the petroleum is found, not half the necessary signatures having been obtained, and the Government having a first incomplete lease over the land. The Melbourne shareholders, represented by Sir Charles MacMahon, Mr Andrew Jack, and Mr Benies (the engineer to the Company), are disgusted to find that the Native title has never been extinguished, and the workmen have been driven off the ground by the Native chiefs. The conduct of the Gisborne directors is strongly animadverted on, and will probably be the ground for legal proceedings. The circumstance is most unfortunate, as the prospects were favourable as regards the mineral deposit. Mr Benies, Sir Charles MacMahon, and Mr Jack return to Melbourne by the Rotomahana to consult the Melbourne shareholders as to further proceedings.

The Engineer to the Harbour Board has reported in favour of the proposal to erect a bridge across the Bay to Grant's Braes. He thinks that pel-mission might, without detriment accruing to the Board's operations, be granted on several conditions, one of which is that 50-feet spans should be left, and two swing openings of 100 feet each; and he suggests that the promoters be bound down to complete the work within two years from the time of starting.

The Northern farmers (according to the Oamaru Mail) have resolved to hold on to their grain for a time, in view of a possible reduction in freights. They think that more ships are being brought into requisition than will be necessary, and that, as there will be considerable competition amongst shipowners and charterers, freights must come down. This view seems to be reasonable enough when it is borne in mind that large fleets of English vessels are announced to load at the several ports which are outlets for our grain-producing districts. Already the port of Lyttelton is crowded with ships awaiting cargoes, whilst numerous others are announced to take their places. The port of Timaru will be busier than ever in exporting the produce of its district to the United Kingdom, and that _of Oamaru will not be far behind in a race which will end in much advantage to growers.

The Rev. Dr Macgregor has accepted the call to the Oamaru South church; and the Otepopo congregation has decided to give a call to the Rev. Mr Lindsay, of Waimate. The call from Hampden to the Rev. Mr Campbell has been sustained by the Oamaru Presbytery.

Our attention has heen called to two very handsome specimens of glass-embossing in the shop and adjoining court of Mr J. Hislop, jeweller, Princes street. These are the work of Messrs N. Leves and Co., and certainly merit a very high encomium, as being most artistic both in design and execution. The panel of the shop door represents an entirely new style in glass-embossing, termed " trebleetched." The border displays a floral design, the flowers being of three shades, on ground glass, and the centre is a large oval of bright glass, with the name richly chased in gold and colours. The whole is in admirable taste, simplicity and an absence of unnecessary ornamentation lending it its greatest charm. The tablet in the court is eight feet by three in size, mediaeval in character, and illuminated in embossed gold and colours. The writing is placed in a panel, and has a very soft and rich appearance, being surrounded by a border and dado, the latter executed on a gold ground with conventional peacocks and vases.

Our Palmerston correspondent writes on the 9th:—" During the thunderstorm on Saturday last, which was about the severest ever experienced in this district, a valuable retriever dog belonging to Mr D. Munro, storekeeper, was struck dead by lightning, which is supposed to have been attracted to the animal by means of a steel chain to which it at the time was fastened."

It is Dr Haacke, of Christchurch, not " Mr Hook," as telegraphed by Renter, who is to be appointed curator of the Adelaide Museum.

The new Licensing Act in New South Wales requires the closing of public-houses at 11 p.m., in reference to which a country organ has the following ;— " Some very sagacious person stated that the closing at 11 o'clock meant a loss to the publicans of Sydney of nearly half a million sterling. Well, if it means a loss of that amount to publicans, it must surely mean & gain of the same amount to those who have hitherto expended the sum between 11 and 12. o'clock at night."

The result of the Government land sale at Rotorua was highly satisfactory. The town sections were offered at a total upset annual rental of £1341, and the amount realised was £1950 10s. The suburban sections upset was £144, and the amount realised £391. Upset for rural sections, £126, and the amount realised £398. The totals were : — Upset, £1611 ; realised, £2739 105.

It is satisfactory to be able to record (says a Christchurch contemporary) that there are not wanting signs that volunteering, which for years has been at the very lowest ebb in Canterbury, is at last giving slight indications of reviving. Both the Christchurch corps have received additions to their strength lately, and the musters on parade show an improvement. At the weekly drill of the City Guards on Monday last, 45 men were present, exclusive of the band ; and five recruits, all of a most desirable class, were sworn in. A correspondent writes as follows in the Daily Times: — ' I have on several occasions visited the Stuart street Jetty for the purpose of having a look at the fishing-boats coming in to dispose of their fish, and I nave repeatedly seen that the Act is mostly set at defianceby the Chinese fiishermen. When no European fisherman has got flounders they are always to be had from the Chinamen. On Wednesday morning last I saw a lot disposed of by auction to their fellow countrymen, and instead of being nine inches from the root of the tail to the point of the snout (which is the size fixed by the Act), I am stire that the largest of the lot did not exceed six inches. Some were not even four inches. ' I am sure any European would be ashamed to have taken such fish, but no one cares, it appears, how or what Chinamen do ; and as long as such small fish are taken in such a way you may depend there will be very few large ones. Some may think this note selfish, but in order to satisfy themselves of the truth of what I say, let them visit the jetty, and 10 times out of 12 they will find that "John Chinaman" has flounders when no other fisherman has. It is also well known that many of our rivers that have been stocked with trout have been ruined by the same class of people. I earnestly hope that Europeans will pay a little more attention to this than they have been doiug, and Ihey will then learn fco wlufc extent atich illegal fishing id carried on. The flounders dis posed of by auction on Wednesd-iy morning brought 3s 6d per dozen, and there was brisk bidding for them, but; only amongst; the Celos tiaKj

The Wanganui election petition case has been decided against Mr Ballance and m favour of Mr Watt, who retains his seat. Mr Watt has been allowed costs.

A largely-attended meeting of ratepayers was held on Friday evening in Morkane's Hall, Port Chalmers, at the invitation of Mr William Elder, for the purpose of hearing his explanation of the much-vexed gas question. A long address was delivered by Mr Elder, recounting from the commencement all the passages that had occurred between himself and the Town Council on the subject, and complaining of unfair treatment and personal animosity manifested by several of the councillors. A number of questions were subsequently put to the speaker by various gentlemen present, and were replied to at some length, but a great deal of private and personal matter was unfortunately introduced. The proceedings, which were not uniformly of the most orderly description, closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

Mr Herbert, at the Tuapeka County Council on Friday, brought up a motion to > allow shepherds two dogs free of tax,- but it was lost.

Mr Kitching, of Moa Flat, was riding to Kelso the other other day when his horse gave a sudden jump and immediately dropped dead. Mr Kitching escaped with a few slight bruises.

According to the Mataura Ensign, the fire which destroyed Watson's Southland Hotel and Messrs Haxton and Beattie's property at Gore on Thursday seems to have originated m bedroom No. 3, which had been occupied the night before by a member of Burton's circus company. This company left very early yesterday morning by coach for Tapanui, and it is the general impression that a candle was left alight in the bedroom referred to, and probably left on the table bare--£.e., without bringing a candlestick into use. The candle would take some hours to burn to the level of the table, and it is supposed that upon reaohingthe tablecloth the flame burned to the paper lining, and then ran up the side of the room to the oeiling. This is only put forward as a probable theory, for nothing definite can be ascertained. Writing to the papers, a Melbourne man says:— "l am not bloodthirsty; but if, say 500 of the worst specimens of Melbourne larrikins could have a couple of hours' interview with Mr Wilson's five lions, society would be greatly benefited."

A day or two ago (says the Wellington Times) his Worship the Mayor was about to send a cable message to her Majesty the Queen congratulating her, on behalf of the people of Wellington, on her escape from the bullet of the assassin. This course, however, did not meet the views of Councillors Allen and Danks, who seemed anxious to pour forth their superabundant loyalty at a meeting of the Council. A special meeting was accordingly announced ; but at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon (the hour appointed) only the Mayor and Councillors M'Kenzie, Maginnity, and S. Brown were present. After a lapse of 20 minutes the dilatory Danks put in an appearance, but the other gentleman, at whose request the meeting had been called, did not show up. Councillor M'Kenzie, who had been killing time by drafting cable messages of a loyal character, then proudly rose and read the following to the assembled councillors :— " Accept the congratulations of the Mayor and citizens of Wellington for deliverance from the hands of an assassin. We pray God he may long spare you to reign over a loyal and faithful people." Some objection was about to be taken to this on account of expense, when the Mayor announced that, half an hour haying passed since tho appointed time, the meeting would lapse. It appeared to be the general opinion of those present that the congratulatory message sent to the Queen by his Excellency the Governor was quite sufficient evidence of the loyalty and devotion of the people of Wellington to her Majesty's throne and person.

At Auckland on Saturday the Magistrate delivered judgmentin the case of Lefevre v. M'Gillivray. Captain M'Gillivray, the captain of the Taiaroa, was charged with a breach of the " Shipping and Seamen Act, 1877," by being indebted to Abraham Lefevre in the sum of £13 10s, wages due for services as able seaman. The s.s. Taiaroa was laid up at Auckland for repairs, and the whole of the crew were discharged. Mr E. Cooper, for the plaintiff, claimed the right of his client to be discharged at Dunedin ; and for the Union Company it was contended that by the articles of agreement they wero entitled to discharge the crew on 24 hours notice at Dunedin, or at any port where the steamer should be laid up for repairs. _ His Worship gave judgment for the plaintiff, stating that he had come to tho conclusion, after a perusal of the articles and the Act, that Lefevre could not be discharged except at Dunedin.

The Rev. W. S. Green and his two Swiss guides have been successful in their attempt to ascend Mount Cook. Starting from their camp, 7000 feet up the mountain side, in the early morning, they reached the summit after 12 hours* climbing, which was rendered extremely hazardous by the almost continuous falling of avalanches. They had to put in the whole night standing on a narrow ledge about 2000 feet from the mountain top, and as they had no food, whilst they must have been in considerable dread from the avalanches, their experience could have been no enviable one. Happily they got safely down the next day, and have now arrived at Timaru. No doubt the visit of Mr Green will be the prelude to others from members of the Alpine Club, whose love of such feats will be whetted by the account Mr Green will take Home not only of the scenery, but of the difficulties and dangers to be met with in the climbing of our New Zealand peaks.

Mr Green's time is limited, or he would have ascended some of the other peaks, which he considers could bo easily done.

The alpine scenery is described as surpassingly grand, exceeding anything of the kind in the Swiss Alps. Tho guides, naturally preposessed in favour of their own country, concur with Mr Green in saying this. The weather was generally favourable for mountaineering, only five wet days being met with in the month. The guides are almost astonished at this. They say that five fine days in a whole season are seldom obtained at Home. Considerable interest was taken in the proceedings of the City Police Court on Saturday, on account of the charges which were laid against a number of leading citizens for getting up sweeps at the Dunedin Jockey Club's recent race meeting. Evidence was heard on one information only, and the presiding magistrate (Mr Carew) convicting on it, the defendants in the other cases pleaded guilty, and all were fined 40s and costs. There wore some additional charges against several individuals, but these were withdrawn, as well as some which v/ero admitted to bo wrongly laid. Altogether there wuro 19 defendants fined, and thuse included the Mayor of Dunedin, Mr Fiph, M.H. R., two city councillors, as well as other leading citizens

Mr Herbert stated at tho meeting of the Tuapeka County Council on Friday that he had seen the Hon. Major Atkinson lately, and that the hon. gentleman had said he believed Government would bring up a proposal next session to subsidise county councils lo the extent of £3 to £1 for the purpose of making main county roads.

The insurances upon the buildings recently destroyed by fire at Gore are as follow :— On the Southland Hotel— the building for £400 in the New Zealand Office, and £300 in the Standard; contents — £300 in the London, Liverpool, and Globe, and £250 in the Standard. Mr D. M'Lean, contractor for the new building, had a risk of £500 in the Victoria Office. Messrs Haxton and Beattie's plant was insured for £350 in the Transatlantic.

The number of visitors to the Dunedin Horticultural Society's Show on Friday was comparatively small, and the amount realised will not, we regret to say, repay the expenditure to which the Committee have been put in order to secure a successful exhibition. _ The Society has only a membership of 200, whicli is not very creditable for a city like Dunedin, while the number who paid for admission on Friday was about 760. It is to be hoped that the efforts of the Society will meet with better appreciation in the future. We have been requested by the writer of the article " Overland to Martin's Bay " to correct a typographical mistake. Speaking of the timber in the Hollyford Valley mention is made of " kauri " in the report, which should be "koai," which, it is maintained by the writer, is the proper way of spelling what is generally called *'goai." Of course it is a well-known fact that there is no kauri timber growing ia the Hollyford Valley. The,'googoo, "mentioned in the article under question, we are informed is rather a scarce tree. It grows to a large size, and its timber is valuable for turning purposes. It bears a fruit resembling the grape, from which a palatable wine can be made, and the juice of the berries has in more than one instance served the purpose of ink, though with the fatal result of fading away after five or six months. The googoo has a very quaint appearance ; its leaves are represented by tufts like those of the cabbage-tree, springing in tiers one above another from its stout, candelebra-like branches, giving the tree quite an ornamental though somewhat clumsy appearance.

In answer to the telegram sent by Major Thomson at the instance of the meeting of Southland Volunteer officers, the following reply hasbeenreceived :— " Be Volunteer Board Board has been constituted, and I hope will shortly complete its labours. The Board, I presume, has placed itself in communication with the various parts of the Colony, and has before it the official reports. I cannot think that there exists the essential difference between different parts of the Colony as regards a Volunteer system which you suppose, and I fear that to increase the number of gentlemen serving on the Board, as I have been pressed to do by various parts of the Colony, would not tend towards practical recommendations. I have no doubt that the Board would be glad to receive suggestions from those who take an interest in Volunteer matters.— -John Bryoh." The yearly meeting of the Otago District Committee of the M.U.1.0.0.F. was held at Balclutha on Saturday. There was a large attendance, and the meeting was regarded as one of the most successful heldforanumber of years.

■ On Saturday, at Outram, Mr -Murray (returning-officer) declared the following gentlemen duly elected members of the Outram Town Board : Messrs Donald Borrie, James M'Brearty, Alexander Chisholm, William Snow, and Michael Tynan. On the motion of Dr M'Brearty, seconded by Mr Chisholm, a vote of thanks was accorded to the returning-officer. The first meeting of the Board will be held in the hall on Saturday, 18th inst., at 6 p.m.

Lieutenant-colonel Stavely received a telegram from the Defence Office on Monday requesting him to send in at once the Volunteer capitation rolls at the old rates— viz., £2 10s for Cavalry, Artillery, and Naval Brigades; £2 for Rifles, and half rates for Cadets. This should be gratifying news to our Volunteers.

The present total rateable value of the Borough of South Dunedin was at the meeting of the Council on Monday stated to be £22,324 15s, as against £20,420 last year, showing an increase within the year of £1904 15s.

Richard MTherson was brought up on Monday at the R.M. Court, Palmerston, before Mr Murdoch, R.M., and charged by Sergeant Moore with burglariously entering the dwell-ing-house of Robert Donaldson, hotelkeeper, early on Sunday morning, with intent to commit a felony. This charge was withdrawn by the police, and the same prisoner was then charged with being found at 1.30 a.m. on the 12th March in the above dwelling-house, contrary to the Vagrant Act. He was sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment, with hard labour.

The Harbour Board office was broken into between Saturday night and Monday morning, but nothing has been missed as yet from the building. A window bore marks of having been opened with a chisel or lever of somesort, and several drawers appeared to have been ransacked.

W. J. Burk, our champion long-distance runner, has accepted the challenge of Fagan, of Christchurch, to run a mile for £50 a side and the championship of New Zealand; the race to be run in Dunedin on or about 20th May.

The estimated population of Victoria on December 31st, 1881, was 882,193, made up of 464,216 males and 417,977 females. The figures for 1880 were :— Total, 860,067—451,456 males and 408,611 females.

The preliminary investigation into the charge of perjury against George Wybar was concluded at the Police Court on Monday, andfc he accused was committed to take his trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court. Mr MacDermott endeavoured to adduce evidence respecting the financial transactions botween John R. Reid and the defendant, but, after argument, the evidence was excluded. Counsel for the defendant further protested that there was no tittle of evidence to support the charge, that the proceedings were brought to " whitewash" the Standard Insurance Company, and remarked that every point raised had been decided adversely to the accused. At the conclusion of the case he (Mr MacDermott) expressed the hope that his Worship (Mr Logan) would be present at the trial of tho case.

Amongst the special cable messages in the Melbourne papers we find nothing of importance additional to the particulars given by Reuter's messages of the attempt upon the life of her Majesty. The Princess Beatrice, who was driving with her Majesty, saw the prisoner fire the revolver, and was greatly alarmed. Finincdiatoly on arrival at Windsor Castle her Mr.jcfity telegraphed m follows to his "Royal *• IlifthnAiK tho Trinno of Waios: "I am not the woivc." IvjVLuan has been ascertained to be a grocor'u assistant, residing at Portsmouth. He walked all the way to Windsor in order to [ perpetrate the act,

In the disputed election for the Jwronce Central licensing district, Mr J. N. Wood R.M., gave his decision on Monday. In legavd to the point raised by Mr Hunter for the respondents, that the Magistrate, being return-ing-officer, could not review his own decision the R.M. ruled that the aoventh section of the Regulation of Local Elections Act gave the substitute returning-officei- all the poveis to act, consequently he (the Magistrate) could hear the case. His verdict would be in favour of the petitioner, and he therefore declared the election of Messrs Harrop and Docnerty void, and Messrs Jeffery and Walker duly elected in their place ; costs to be paid by respondents. The Secretary of the Kaikorai Horticultural Society writes to us:-" You will oblige by correcting an error in the prizes awarded at the above Society's show on Saturday last. l ( or six best peaches the awards were as follow :— Mrs M'Arthur, Ist; G. Bain, 2nd; and J*. Wilkinson, 3rd. I regret that your reporter had left the room before the mistake was discovered, and take the earliest opportunity of correcting the mistake and apologising to the parties concerned." In the official list of the Dunedin show Mr J. J. Pryor was entered as having exhibited vegetables, whereas lie showed a collection of provincial-grown fruit.

The dispute about the Union Steam Ship Company's cup, which was won by the JNo. 1 City Guards at the Nelson meeting two years ago, has at last been settled. The claims of both Volunteer Provo and Volunteer Coventry have been ignored, and another competition to decide who shall obtain possession of the cup will take place next Saturday morning, lhe principal scorers at the last match were—Cor poral J. Webster, 20 ; Volunteer Provo, 20 • Volunteer Coventry, 19 t and Corporal Scott, 17. As all these competitors are likely to take part in Saturday's match the contest will probably be a very keen one.

The Rev. A. 0. Gillies was on Monday unanimously called by the members of the congregation of the North Dunedm Church as their pastor, none voting against the call or signing the dissent from it. The Presbytery sustained the call, and it is to be presented to the Rev. A. G. Gillies at a meeting of the Presbytery on Wednesday, the 22nd mst. ,

The Kelso people are complaining tha although the busy grain season will soon be on, there is no sign of the promised telephone communication with Tapanui being established.

The cricket match between the Englishmen and the Australian Eleven has had to be drawn in consequence of heavy rain. This is much to be regretted, as the Englishmen promised to exceed all their previous records during their Colonial trip in the way of scoring, only two wickets having fallen for the very large number of 234 runs.

Our Fortrose correspondent telegraphs that the dwelling-house of Mr M'Kenzie there, with its contents, was totally destroyed by fire on Tuesday morning. Theowner was uninsured.

Albert Newland Woollatt, Esq., Mayor of Green Island, has been gazetted a J.P. Sergeant Finnegan has been appointed Clerk of the Court at Milton, and Clerk of Licensing Committees in the Tokomairiro district ; and Sergeant Rooney to fill similar offices at Balclutha—both vice P. Farrell.

An event of some importance from a " local industry " point of view will take place at North-East Valley on Saturday afternoon. Mr Calder is to begin work at his quarry with a new stonecrusher, which has the merit of being the first made in New Zealand ; and ho is also to make a trial of Mackley's blasting powder, from the Owake factory. The public are invited to be present.

Reuter's telegram giving particulars of the attempted assassination of the Queen was despatched early in the morning and published the same evening in the Melbourne papers, which is the first instance on record of a message being despatched from London and published in Melbourne on the same day, and is a satisfactory evidence of the improved working of the telegraph lines, overland as well as submarine.

Mr Franks, a member of the well-known firm of Wimble and Co., printers' brokers, had an uncomfortable experience the other day at Marton (Wellington). He was accosted by a detective, and having admitted that his name was Franks, was straightway told that he was to consider himself under arrest for stealing a watch and ring in Otago. It appears that Oliver, the pedestrian, who was afterwards arrested, had changed his name to Franks at Wellington, which led the detective after the wrong mean. The real Mr Franks had to get himself identified at the local newspaper office before the detective could be convinced of his mistake.

Messrs Kincaid, M'Queen, and Co. have forwarded to Westport, by the s.s. St. Kilda, the three-ton crane recently completed to the order of the Railway Department. The crane was tested last week in the presence of the Government inspector (Mr Buchanan), who expressed himself highly satisfied with its working. The body-casting of the crane is a solid one weighing over three tons. The firm are now making for the Christchurch Exhibition a morticing, a tenoning, and a chairmaker's morticing-machine, all of very tasteful design and workmanship.

A cable message from New York in the Melbourne Argus says :— " Sir Henry Parkes has been very energetic during his visit to Washington in pushing the objects of his mission. The British Minister (the Hon. L. S. Sackville West, C.8.) accompanied him on the 23rd inst., when he paid a lengthened visit to the State Department. He afterwards interviewed President Arthur and the Post-master-general. On the 24th inst. he had a conference with Senator Ferry, the chairman of the Committee on the postal service, who promised a favourable consideration of the points urged by Sir Henry Parkes."

When the Scotch express arrived at Darling ton recently, two boys, brothers, aged 10 and 14 respectively, and named John and William Hamilton, were found hanging on by tho brake under one of the carriages. Thoy stated that they had got on the tram at Edinburgh, and intended to have gone on to London. _ The distance from Edinburgh to Darlington is 260 miles.

The New South Wales Coursing Club have purchased from Mr Lamb the new Plumpton grounds at Rooty Hill, comprising 200 acres, enclosed and stocked with game.

The Home correspondent of a contemporary says: — "On the 18th of January, 1881, occurred the dreadful snowstorm which seemed to bring back the winters of old time ; but, strange to say, the same anniversary this year tho weather was, as it has been through the winter, as mild as spring, and the baroinetnr roao to the unparalleled height of 30 93, ov within an arts of 3L inches. Since 1825 thib phenomenon has not occurred, and of c >r >m\,o the attention of meteorologists has been much drawn to the fact."

There is usually a great deal of irrelevant discussion at the meetings of the St. Kilda Council, and on Tuesday evening'two hours were taken up in arriving at a few not very important resolutions. The inspector reported that the Chinamen had got the better of him in the matter of hawkers^ licenses. This statement was the subject of a good deal of " chaff," and one councillor suggested that the inspector, being a powerful man, should bring "John Chinaman " to justice by getting a hold of his pigtail and retaining it in his grasp till the fee was extorted. Another councillor suggested that in the event of the Council Chambers being shifted they should be let to the Jockey Club for loose-boxes. Things went on in this manner till near 10 o'clock, when matters were suddenly brought to a climax. Cr Jones made a remark while Cr Eagar was speaking, and the latter at once told him to hold his ongue and he would hear what he (Cr Eagar) had to say, if he had only brains to listen.' Cr Jones then referred to a footpath that required to be formed in his ward, whereupon Cra Stenhouse, Eagar, Burman, and Mitchell indignantly left the room, and there not being a quorum, the rest of the business had to be abandoned. An attempt was made to got the absconding members back, but it was of no avail, for they had vanished into the darkness.

Sir George Sfcrahan, the Governor of Tasmania, recently paid a visit to the Beaconsfield mines, and was warmly welcomed by the miners. He went down the Tasmania mine, and received an address from about 200 workmen, to whom in the course of his brief reply he said : " There is one thing I would like to impress upon you, and that is temperance. My advice to you is, be temperate above all things. I don't want to preach, because I am : no preacher; but I conjure you from a worldly point of view, for the sake of your wives, families, and yourselves, (for God's sake be temperate, and do not give way to drink."

The population of Melbourne and suburbs, according to the census of 3rd April, 1881, was 282,981. Since 1871 the births have fallen from 3627 per 1000 of the population to 3119 per 1000; and the deaths, during the same period, have slightly increased — from 1835 per 1000 to 1870 per 1000 ; but they were at one time (in 1875) as high as 25*82 per 1000. , The birth-rate in New Zealand for 1880 was 4078 per 1000, and the death-rate only 11-46 per 1000.

Caroline, Marchioness of Queensberry, haa addressed a long letter to Irishmen, strongly condemning the present agitation. She is especially severe on the lady Land Leaguers, and sarcastically observes : "I am glad that the line is so clearly drawn between the 'ladies' and the women of Ireland. Woman's mission in society is a pure, a holy, a regenerating one, and as an Irishwoman I rejoice that the women of Ireland leave the platform, the scenes of strife and outrage, to the undisputed possession of the ' ladies.' " Messrs Parnell and Kelly, M.P's., have received formal notice from the Home Government of a further remand for three months.

A writer in Truth condemns as strongly as anyone the persecutions of the Jews in Russia and Poland, but remarks that "it ought to be tinidersood that they are not the result of any, ill-feeling towards the Jews on account of their religion. The Jews in Russia and Poland are what the Gombeen men are in Ireland. They advance money to the peasants at usurious interest, and it is as usurers rather than as religionists that they- are persecuted. 'I have been several times in Poland, and I know what they are. The Polish village Jew has the peasant entirely under his thumb, and he uses his power much as a ' West-end usurer ' trifes to do with us." ' There is a possibility, it seems, of .Mr Oscar Wilde, the, apostle of sestheticism, coming to the' Colonies on a lecturing tour ; but as he has been, professionally speaking, a "frost" in America, he is not likely to meet with much su6cess if he does. Mr Wilde is described by a New York reporter as having "a pale, smoothshaven face, blue eyes and a bluer necktie, patent-leather shoes, and an enormous fur-coat, ' of heaviest fur, surpassing aught that " un aesthetic man can reach,' and far heavier than what ordinary men would wear in Arctic winter." He made the voyage to America on the Arizona, and it is related of the great eesthete that he was disappointed with the Atlantic. " The sea," he observed somewhat slightingly, "ceems tame tome. The roaring ocean does not roar. The Atlantic is not what I thought it was. 1 wish that I could see a storm arise and sweep the bridge from off the ship. I care not for this tame, monotonous trip; 1 would that I could see a storm arise." The skipper was naturally not so keen for dirty weather, and gave vent to his ire by wishing he had Mr Wilde lashed to the bowsprit on the windward side. Strange to say, most of the passengers grinned and wished it too.

Archbishop Vaughan, of Sydney, addressed the following letter to the Rev. Father Ryan, of St. Mary's Cathedral, on receipt of the news of the attempt on the life of her Majesty :— " My dear Rev. Father Ryan,— l am sure that the heart of the Catholic body must have been violently shocked on hearing of the recent cruel attempt that has been made on the life of her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria. The spirit of the Catholic Church is a spirit of devotedness and loyalty ; and when anything occurs to shock that spirit, true Catholics are up in arms at once. How intensified, then, must not our feelings be when the object of that foul attempt was a lady whose life is as a shining light amidst the sovereigns of England, and who is revered as a Queen, felt for as a widow, and loved and admired as a mother throughout the Empire?— Be good ' enough to arrange for a solemn Te Dcwm, to be sung in thanksgiving to Almighty God for her Gracious Majesty's preservation from the hands of an assassin. Let it be sung in St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral immediately after my lecture on Sunday night, so that' l myself may have the gratification of joining in it."

Tho Police Commission report was dealt with by the Cabinet at a protracted sitting (says the Melbourne Argus). It was decided to appoint Mr Chomley to be Chief Commissioner of Police, and to reinstate Assistantcommissioner Nicolson and Superintendent Hare, pending their appointment at an early date as stipendiary police magistrates. Superintendent Sadleir will also be reinstated, but he is to be censured for his imputation of cowardice to Senior-constable Kelly because that officer requested not to be sent to Greta. This minute was ordered to be cancelled. Inspector Brooke Smith's case was not entered upon, as that officer was about to retire in consequence of extreme ill health. Detective Ward was reduced to the lowest position in the grade in which he is now classed for having misled his senior officers. A board is to be appointed to deal with the accusation against Sergeant Steele, that lie deliberately fired at Mrs Reardon and other innocent poivsons at Glenrowan. Tho throe constables, DnnHri, Dowling, and Alexander, who were in ohenitlV. hut on the night ho was murdered, are to bo dismissed f.lio foics. Tho othor portions of the Commission's report will bo dealt with subsequently.

Apparently they have nearly had a surfeit of cricket 'Oi, '"the other (Ado," and certainly no wonder. The public are beginning to tire of the everlasting "big match," for we reau that on the last day of the English and Victorian contest barely 200 people assembled on the ground in Melbourne. There is at present on view at tho Crown Granite Works, Aberdeen (says a Home paper , a very artistically-finished monument, which is about to bo sent to New Zealand. Tho monument, which was publicly subscribed for, is to lastingly commemorate one of the saddest events that could possibly occur-the drowning by shipwreck of an entire family of seven per-sons-the husband, wife, and five children. It is dedicated to tho memory of Dr Donald Campbell and his family, who were lost at the wreck of the screw-steamer Tararua, off Waipapa Point, on April 29th, 1881. Standing. 20 feet in height, and made of red granite of <a very rich and deep hue, the monument rises from a base four feet square, over which comes a' die, with araised scroll on each of its four sides, there being some very nice otcned tretwork. There is an octagonal cope, above which comes the column proper, .finished oil with. fretwork and a cap, the whole being sutmounted by an elegantly-designed uni. Ihe style and execution of the memorial cannot fail to command universal admiration.

At a recent sitting of the Education Com1 mission in Melbourne, the Chairman stated that he had been looking through the records of the department and had found a number of cases in which teachers seemed to have been most leniently treated. One case he mentioned was that "of a teacher who in 187G was found guilty of drunkenness, using obscene language, and fighting in a public-house. An inspector found that these charges were fully sustained. A board of inquiry was then appointed, and the charges were again proved, but tKe teacher was merely censured. In the same year the district inspector reported that there were false entries on the rolls (which amounted to a charge of attempting to obtain money by means of false pretences), and there was an entry, 'Not a fit person to continue in the service of the department.' He replied to this charge, but his explanation was not satisfactory, yet the next record was, To be continued at a smaller school, and to be more careful in future. 1 There was also a note that he ' lacked all that was essentially necessary in a teacher except education.' Here, then, was a teacher who had been drunk, used obscene language, had fought in a public-house, and attempted to obtain money by false pretences, had neglected his duty, and so on, arid who was nevertheless continued in the service of the department. What would a man have to do before he could be dismissed ? " !