AUCKLAND:

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 35

AUCKLAND:

(Fjrom Oub Own Cohbespondent.) January 29. There is little stirring politically, further than that the Women's Franchise League has been disbanded— its mission having been accomplished, — and in its place a Women's Political League has been established. The object of fche league is to secure fche election to public office of men of integrity and high personal reputation; Its object is an excellent one, but it is predicted that the organisation will come to grief from two causes : first, in regarding, to some extent, woman's interest as apart from man's in the political affairs of the community ; and secondly, in an assumption of superior personal virtue and appreciation of character in public life, which is likely to be resented by the male voters, at election times, as a reflection upon themselves. Mrs Daldy, who was president of the Women's Franchise League, is also head of the new society. She is a shrewd, capable woman, who knows her own mind, and is of considerable force of oharaoter. Whether she will be able to bring her sisters up to fche j lofty ideal of public duty she has laid doWn remains to be seen. The experiment will be watched with some interest.

The Auckland Liberal Association has been making itself ridiculous of late. Ab a recent meeting, which consisted of a small coterie that could be counted on one's fingers, it passed resolutions endorsing the Premier's action with regard to the Railway Commissioners, and also decided to strike off its roll all members who had voted against the Government nominees who had been chosen to stand for fche city at fche late general election. We are accustomed to hear a good deal about the inviolable seOrecy of the ballot ; but if the above resolution is not an empty threat it seems to involve some unpleasant questions and reflections, and one of them is, How does the association ascertain that some of its members voted against Government nominees, and what is fche data upon which the list of the proscribed is founded ? The climax of the evening's business was reached when "the organising secretary was relieved of his duties." If there is one dogma upon which fche association has been more emphatic than another, ifc is that " the labourer is worthy of his hire." The organising secretary saya that he has never received a penny piece for his services, so that " relieving him of his duties" has been rather a relief than otherwise.

Sir George Grey is determined to conserve his strength for fche coming session of Parliament, and has therefore resolutely declined all the invitations in this colony and from Australia to address public meetings on topics of the day. His health is on the whole fairly good, with the exception of chronic bronchitis, to which of late years he hag been subject. His object in going to Rotorua is to get the rest and quiet indispensable at his time of life, and to take advantage of the baths, which it is hoped may prove of benefit to his complaint, as they have done in that of others.

Among the visitors to Auckland at present is the Hon. W. M'Millan, M.L.A. of New South Wales, and ex-Colonial Treasurer of that colony. His visit is understood to be in connection with the rumoured closing down of the business in New Zealand of Messrs Wm. M'Arthur and Co. — his brother, Mr C. C. M'Millan, being the senior New Zealand partner of that firm. The announcement just made in the press of the likelihood of this old-estab-lished firm closing its operations in this colony came as "a bolt from the blue," and the most extraordinary rumours have been in circulation as to the reason for this step. The firm, however, have as yet, and rightly so, kept their own counsel, and let the quidnuncs talk. There is reason to believe that a decision will shortly be come to, now that all the parties interested are on the ground, and Mr Percy M'Arthur, who is fully empowered to act, having arrived from Home. It is hoped that in some form or other, even if the M 'Arthurs elect to retire, the old firm will continue its operations in the city and colony in which it has been so long established. Some southern firms are said to be nibbling after the business, if it is decided by Messrs M'Arthur and Co. to retire, as giving them the needed opportunity to get a cut into the Auckland trade. Mr W. M'Millan goes on south before returning to Sydney. Referring to the political affairs of his own colony, Mr M'Millan cannot find words to express hie contempt for the men and parties who have brought matters to their present sad pass in New South Wales, and for the degeneration which has taken place in public life. As he intends to speak out fully and fearlessly on the public platform his views on the political situation to his own constituents, he declined to be drawn by the press representative who interviewed him into anticipating his bill of indictment against his political opponents.

The annual church meetings which are now takiDg place give some indications of the social condition of the people, and are on the whole of a more cheering character than in former yearn. Perhaps the most hopeful feature it a horror of debt and a laudable desire to get rid of the burdens attached to churches arising out of extensions during the "boom "times. In one case a clergyman has had to forgive £100 of his arrears and carry the balance to a "suspense" account, but this is discounted by the fact that another clergyman has had £50 added to his salary without asking for it. Allusion is again made to the paucity of males at Divine service, the congregation in one populous suburb consisting •• principally of women and children." As indicating better times, over £1000 of debt has been wiped off city churches, and one church is in course of erection which, when completed according to design, will cos>t £10,000. Increasing attention i 3 being devoted to what may be termed civic church lines : one minister, the Rev. S. P. Prior, of the Pitt street Wesleyan Church, being about to establish a " church parlour " — a furnished club room where the members and adherents of the church may meet nightly for social intercourse and amusement, and where the parson may make the acquaintance of his flock without the inconvenience of visiting their homes.

In connection with matters ecclesiastical it may be mentioned that the Rev. J. B. Johnson, whose case attracted so much public attention, has returned from Ballarat, whither he had gone to vindicate himself against the charges brought against him. So far he has not renewed his ministerial labours, or engaged in any city mission work. The "heresy hunt" with regard to the Rev. Mr M'Neill, of the Thames, seems to have got irom the sublime to the ridiculous. The presbytery recently spent

a whole night in investigating a squabble as to a bunch of flowers being placed upon the pulpit boards, and which arose from a lack of (esthetic culture on the part of a member of the committee of management.

Attention has been turned to the growing mania for committing suicide, but no one seems to be able to satisfactorily determine the promoting cause or causes, inasmuch as in some cases there seemed to be no immediate trouble. Perhaps one of the most mysterious and pathetic cases was that of a man who has apparently come over from Australia — was one of the intending emigrants in the "New Australia" expedition — and a week after his arrival here, comparing the dates with the state of the body, walked out of town some 10 miles, lay down near a bush track, and blew his brains out. Thirty pounds in gold and notes were found on his remains, so that want could not have been fche reason ; and a deposit receipt for £60 in Sydney was also found in a secret pocket in his clothing; He had apparently bought a new pair of boots &t a boot shop in Auckland ; but no one could be found to identify the stranger, though every effort was made to do so, and his identity remains a profound mystery. In another case a man well connected at Home took his life in fche same way — by blowing his brains out under a tree in the bußh, — but considerately left a note affixed to the door of his store of his intention to take his life, and a flag on a pole at the spot in the bush where his remains would be found.

There is another turn of the wheel at the Onehunga Ironworks, the employees having been duly discharged on notice on Saturday last. A syndicate is said to have made arrangements to carry on the works on a new basis, and to have arranged to bring their party of workmen from Australia. There is a very general desire expressed that the new enterprise may be successful and may solve fche problem of utilising profitably the ironsand deposits, which have so long baffled the skill of the men engaged in the task. The iron industry — or rather the wages fund of the workers — has been of the greatest benefit to Onehunga and its tradespeople „ It is gratifying to find that fche Costley Training Institute is becoming increasingly useful, and carrying out satisfactorily the intentions of the testator. There was originally only provision for boys on the foundation, but steps have been taken to make the bequest available for girls. The present manager has enforced strict discipline, and the result is that the restlessness and insubordination which were manifested a year ago have disappeared. Not a single case of insubordination has taken place during fche past 12 months. Formerly the supply of lads was obtained from the Kohimarama Industrial School, but the breaking-up of that institution has closed that avenue, and the trustees are now endeavouring to get destitute boys remitted by 'the resident magistrate direct to the institute. So prudently have the trustees fulfilled their trust* that at the beginning of this year they had an unexpended balance of £1433. The resident magistrate is energetically compelling defaulting parents to look after their offspring, so that only the really deserving and destitute lads will find their way to the Costley Institute, there to receive an education and training which will fit them for the battle of life.

The Aucklanders now entertain a higher opinion of the New South Wales men in the matter of swimming and criokefcing contests than they have hitherto done. . They were rather inclined to undervalue tho visitors, but the result showed that the error was an egregious one. In the swimming contests Bailey, the local champion, never got near them 1 , possibly through being out of form, and the only man who ever had a chance was Hoey, of Whangarei, a member of the Auckland Swimming Club. The New South Wales team were greatly impressed with his swimming powers, and predict that with practice he will yet make a name for himself in swimming circles, not only locally but elsewhere. With regard to the cricket match Auckland v. New South Wales the visitors simply played with the local men. There is this to be said, that the local team could have been strengthened if certain cricketers could have got leave from their employers to play in the match. The pleasantest feature of both contests was that the Auoklanders took their defeat in good feeling, and nothing occurred to mar the general harmony. The New South Wales team were delighted with their visit to Auckland, and with the reception accorded to them.

It is rarely that we have three foreign men-of-war in our port together — one German and two French — while the " meteor flag " has been only conspicuous by its absence. The Germans and French do not seem to have got any nearer to each other since the Franco-German war, as the " liberty men " have come ashore day about in order to prevent any unpleasantness ashore. This feeling did not, however, prevent the French flagship from displaying her bunting on the German Emperor's birthday. The Duguay Trouin seems to be scourged by typhoid, and the band has not come ashore to play in the public parks as has been customary on the visit of French flagships. A singular accident has befallen the commander of the German warship, the Bußzard. While travelling in the islands of the South Seas he got his heel punctured in some way — how is not known. It festered, gangrene has set in, and it is contemplated to amputate the leg, in order to avoid possibly fatal result*. The gallant officer, who stood first on the list for promotion, has had to resign his command. The Buzzard improves her lengthy stay in port by getting a thorough overhaul in tho Calliope dock, and will leave a goodly sum in Auckland for repairs. The most unique entertainments ever given in Auckland have been the concerts of the Blind Musical Students, from the Ormond Hall of Music, Melbourne, where they have completed their course of education, and are now endeavouring by means of concerts to raise funds for a sfcarb in life. Ifc is their intention to tour the whole colony. Their entertainments show what can be accomplished by patieut study and training, and the result has been to greatly encourage the promoters of our own Institute for the Blind, who have confined their attention principally to the industrial branch of the institute's operations. It was a most pathetic spectacle to see the reunion between the Blind Musical Students and those pupils of the Auckland Blind Institute who had been with them in the Melbourne Institution, and to hear their expressions of delight at "seeing" each other once more, for curiously enough they never express themselves as if they were blind. The Blind Musical Students are profuse in their gratitude for the kindness and sympathy which have been everywhere extended to them in this city, and they go southward confident that this experience will be continued throughout their tour in New Zealand.

The White Star line steamer Gothic was thrown open to the public at Wellington on Saturday and Sunday. A charge of Is was imposed, fche proceeds being devoted to the fund for furnishing the new wing to the Wellington Hospital. The sum of £103 6s was taken, which with fche Government subsidy will result in the fund benefiting to the extent of £207.