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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5795, 16 June 1890, Page 3

'^fcfeifceMs §2£ thai iiotlcB shetild' hav< -; beeu tak&n of the small portion of fore s ihore available for -wharf purposes, H< thought the foreshore, from Read's Quaj to Grey street should be reserved for public purposes. To let a property for L 25 a year and spend LlOO a year on it was absurd—for the two bodies, the Harboi Board and Council were one and the same — and the ratepayers were one and the same people. Common, Shelton and Co. were quite right in endeavoring to obtain it, and it showed business tact on Mr Shelton's part, and he would have done the same thing if he could, and had such a weak body aa the Harbor Board to deal with. Or Cbleman did not see that anything forcible had been urged against granting the lease. He thought it more a matter for the Harbor Board to deal with than them. He didn't see why alternate sections shouldn't be put up, but still he would like to see a provision made that it be utilised in one continuous line. The only point with force would be the expense of opening the bridges. For .the. last twelve months there had been ah average of two vessels per week passing through the bridges at an average cost of 8s per vessel. He had seen Mr Shelton, whose contention was if the lease was granted that he would use a punt or perhaps the Freezing Company's Steamer to pass under the bridges. They ' would not need the bridges open for every small quantity of cargo coming or going away. If they took a vessel or two vessels a month that would not come to LlOO a year. If country people could get their produce shipped cheaper ,so much the better for the place. The Harbor Board were quite, right in utilising the foreshore. The building was to be on P'les, so that it would nofc interfere with the course of the river, and the Marine Department could see that it did neb interfere with navigation. If they could show that it interfered with public health or public convenience he thought they ■would be quite right, but it was-rather ; out of place to attempt to dictate to tho Harbor Board. , Cr McLernon said it seemed to him that Or Coleman looked at the matter in a reasonable and proper light. The Marine Board would see that the navingation was not interfered with. The rent was a matter ■ entirely for the Harbor Board. The chief objection they could raise would be on tho score of expense in opening the bridges. They had to look deeper at the thing than what might appear on the surface. It ssemed there was a principle involved and they were setting their faces against any improvement, whatever, further up the river. Who was there, there who objected to the expense put them by Messrs Nelson Bros. The ratepayers would not object to an expenditure for such an industry. Supposing anyone .wanted to erect a flour mill on the river or they objected to ler.se a reserve because it would cut up their roads by the caiting of material. It was a parallel case. Then in regard to interfering with the traffic of the river, the plans showed that they were not going to put their building to low water mark, but reserve space for vessels to lie out of the channel. The lease was not for eternity, but only for 21 years. It appeared to him inadvisable to interfere. After further discussion, A motion was carried (Crs McLernon, Coleman and Harding voting against) that a letter of protest be sent to the Marine Department.

The Te Anau is expected from South to-morrow night, David Ross' house at Mohaka has be en burnt down. The Christchurch Press says:—"Recently the charitable aid officer in a country district was applied to for relief by a widow whose departed husband had received a showy burial. The friendly society to which he belonged had paid L 25 tjwards the burial expenses. Out of this, it Was ascertained, the widow had paid L 8 for a coffm ; also the cost of a hearse and fftouruing coach, two new dresses and an inprover, a widow's bonnet (the latter costing 38s), four pairs of kid gloves, two pairs boots, and a headstone for which she was indebted L 4. Within a week of the funeral she applied for aid, desiring to obtain 15s, or rations value 5s and money 405." J It is only a short-time back since a child of Constable Brooking's was poisoned by eating "thorn apples," and now a similar occurrence is reported, this latter case being attended by fatal results. Mr . and Mrs Robert Harnrnond, of Waitohi, in the Rangitikei district, had the misfortune to lose their child Eileen, aged three years, on Sunday week, through the effects of eating some of, the poisonous berries of the plant known as " thorn apples," or datxvt'a stramoniiim. Parents in suburban or country districts cannot be too careful in instructing and warning their children against theseductive-looking berries of this plant, which apparently grows freely in many districts. The plant has a smooth stem and leaves, with white flowers and erect prickly capsules. It contains a peculiar narcotic alkaloid termed "daturine," which is one of the most powerful narcotic acrid poisons known. The leaves of this plant have an extremely nauseous overpowering smell md a loathsome bitter taste. The seeds, which are of a dark brown color, are stfll more poisonous. A variety of the same plant, with pale violet flowers and purplsh violet stem, is frequently cultivated in gardens as an ornamental plant. They have a curious but effective method of dealing with inebriates in the Argentine Republic. An English clerk, who had gone thither to seek his fortune, was arrested at Rosario for being intoxicated. Instead of being let off on payment of a fine, the unhappy wight was sentenced to sweep the streets for eight days. So humiliating did he feel this penalty to be that he quitted the countiy— a sadder, and, it is to be presumed, a wiser man. Such a punishment certainly destroys the idea of rollicking conviviality which is associated with inebriety. The most extensive frauds ever perpetrated on the United St ,tcs Army Pension Bureau have just been brought to light, and ex-Congressman Lee Wilson, Pension Commissioner, is under arrest. The evidence shows that the fraudulent |annulment of the marriages of 25 soldiers' widows was obtained by Mr Wilson, so as to obta'n the restoration of the women's pensions, which are suspended in case of marriage, but resumed if a second widowhood or divorce ensues. Mr Wilson shared the money with the women, several of whom will probably be charged with fraud and perjury. The KS.W. Cremation Company is before the public as a joint-stock concern with a capital of L5OOO in L 5 shares. The chief object of the Company is to provide an oven with which to start operations. The editor of the Bulletin says he has read over the list of directors and does not see in it the name of anyone who would not bake very nicely. The emigration statistics show that last year 28,834 persons sailed from tho United Kingdom for Australasia. Of these 3162 ware married men, 4119 married women, 11,440 single men, and 5683 single women. There were besides about 4400 children. '■'• An attempt has been made to roughly classify the occupations of these emigrants. For instance, 2536 adult males were agricultural laborers, gardeners, carters, &c. ; 948 were farmers and graziers, 1747 gentlemen, professional men, merchants, &q. ; 1724 general laborers, 303 miners and quarrymen, 322 shopkeepers, shopmen, and warehousemen. Of the women - ;7CO7'are classified as "occupation not stated," wh::e 2304 were domestic and farm servants, nurses, etc.

TH Auckland Mbi'e fcompaiiy- matte ft net profit of L 4580 on fclie year's operations. There is little hope at Lyttelton for the safety of the ship Marlborough, 157 days out for London. Professor Thomas deplores the absence of social life among the students of Auckland College. At Wairoa Mr It. J. Deighton is dead, and Jane, a daughter of Mr T. Parker, died from a burn. Referring to the demise of Zealand a, •the. Napier Telegraph says : — The longest article is by Arthur Desmond, which accounts, we should say, for the magazine's death. Intimation has been given by Tawhiao to the natives of Dargaville that he intends to visit that district, and a large meeting is to be held on the occasion. Some human remains have been found on the beach near Helensvillo, Auckland. They are supposed to be those of a man named George Viness, who was drowned in the locality .about eleven years ago. The schooner Isabella Anderson, heavily laden with timber, touched on a shingle bank at Hokitika when being towed out. She. will probably be got off to-day. A portion of her cargo has been jettisoned.

Oamaru, Avith a population of some 5700 persons, has sixteen public houses, eleven churches, and eight clergymen, and should take the record. . The North East Valley (Dunedin) has only had one drunk in three and a-half years and that as the constable put it " a stray one." The prosj>ectors of the Shag Point mine are quite agreeable to take back the men over whom the trouble first arose, and the dispute is likely to be settled. The volcanic island thrown up in the South Pacific four and a half years ago is beginning to be covered with seaweed and vegetation. In the course of a few generations it will be transformed into a verdant bit of land tit for human habitation. |

With reference to the complaint that the Wellington exhibits have been delayed or have not come to hand, the Exhibition authorities are not responsible. The Wellington committee sent down a man in authority to take charge of the exhibits, and eveiything was placed in the hands of the committee's representative, who saw to their packing up and shipment. By the R.M.S. Arcadia, which left Melbourne on April 4th for London, 11,3 CD cases of Tasmanian fruit were landed in medium condition. While the other colonies have been talking of exporting fruit, the little colony has been at work. The Governors of the Waitaki High School have resolved on a new departure, and from the beginning of 1891 will take, at reduced fees, boys who have passed out of the primary schr.ols at the Fifth Standard, and girls who passed the Fifth Standard. The Star of England left the Bluff on Wednesday last for London with a cargo including 7C30 sheep, 12,0C0 bushels of oats, 1095 cases preserved meats, 440 cases cheese, flax, tallow, rabbit skins, &c. An experimental shipment of thirteen cases of frozen rabbits is included.

The following advertisement appeared in the N.Z. Herald while Wirth's circus was in Auckland :—" I am glad that the depression has left Auckland ; no unemployed ; no poverty ; no distress ; as the circus can be so well patronised.— A Citizen." The Auckland police have secured lodgings for JYTrs James and her children, and intend to send them back to Wanearei by the next steamer. Mrs James has her mother there, but she is destitute and unable to take charge of her daughter and the three children. On Friday Detective O'Comier arrested a man named Albert Norman upon a charge of robbery at Palmerston North. On the Bth August last the pawnbroker's shop of Mr Solomon Abrahams in that town was broken into, and a number of watches, alberts. and rings stolen to the value of LlOO. Suspicion was directed to the accused, who has been in Christchurch about three weeks. The police believe that the accused disposed of most of "the jewellery in South Canterbury. At the Wairoa County Council meeting the question was brought up as to what requirements of the Wairoa County Mr Arthur, M.H.R. for the district, should urge on the consideration of Parliament. A long and acrimonious wrangle ensued with reference to making application to have the vote of L2OO for the Cricklewood road, which lapsed last session, reinstated. Finally the following resolution was carried:—"That Mr Arthur be asked to use his endeavors to have placed on the estimates the sum of LlOOO for the purpose of improving the main roads in the three ridings." A now frost-proof potato has, says the North Otago Times, been introduced to the colony. The potato will stand from five to eight degrees of frost, and produces from ten to fifteen tons per acre. This, however, will probably depend on the season. For instance, in a season such as we have just experienced in the Oamwru district, the new frost-proof potato could not be expected to produce more than the ordinary Derwent. It has been noticed as a remai'kable coincidence in Tasmania that the disappearance of the mussel in former years was followed by the increase of the oyster, and the 'decrease of the oyster meant the increase of the mussel. " When mussels were plentiful on a former occasion it was noticed that a parasite crab attached itself to the shell, and as the same thing is taking place again ifc is hoped the question of whether these crabs are enemies will be solved.

In Chambers at Christchurch Mr Justice Denniston dismissed, with three guineas costs, a motion to commit W. H. Spackmaii, solicitor, to prison, for contempt of Court for having, as was alleged, written to two persons who had made affidavits as to the character of Mrs W. Duncan, in the case of Duncan v. Duncan, requesting them to furnish the name of their solicitors that he might serve them with a writ for slander. Mr Spackman made an affidavit to the effect that the letters did not refer to the statements in affidavits, but to others made previously. The Napin- Telegraph says : — We gather from the LiLeial Press of this colony that it is liberal policy to introduce an influx of population at the part expense of the I State ; that it is a liberal policy to make these people, these new comers, a gift, or a partial gift, of the public estate ; that it is a liberal policy to impose such Customs duties on imported goods that twenty shillings shall only buy twelve shillings' worth ; that it is a liberal policy, after putting thousands of comparatively speaking helpless " new chums" on the land, to impose a land, tax ; it is a liberal policy, also, to abolish tho property tax. - In ancient days the Hebrews had to sacrifice lambs that were without spot or blemish. Now, however, things aro changed, judging by the remarks of the treasurer of St. John's Wesleyan Church. When he had concluded reading the financial statement Mr Russell said that he noticed there were a large number of defaced coins put in the offertory. He aaked the congregation to put these aside in future, as it simply meant that he had to make up out of his own pocket all coin that would not be taken at the bank. — Auckland Star.

The London Board oft Directors of the Bank of New Zealand are awaiting the arrival of Mr David Hean (who is on his way Home from Auckland) before they dec : de whether they will undertake the management of the Bank's affairs. As soon as he arrives a general meeting of shareholders will be convened. Bank of New Zealand shares old issue are quoted at L 3 10s to L 4 10s, and new issue at L 5 JlOs to L 6 10s.

On Friday 13, 118 ocfes of rural lands in the Albui'y district (Canterbury) were sold for cash under the Land Act in 18 lots by ballot. In dealing with a number of lads charged with riotous conduct at Dunedin, the Bench commented severely on the increase of larrikinism, and . characterised it as the one great evil of the city. Another pitiful case of destitution was discovered at Ohristchurch on Friday. A woman nearly 70 years of age, a cripple, and her daughter aged 40, an invalid, were found in a cottage in Antigua street with no furniture except an old bedstead and a few rags of bedding. They had no food and had not tasted meat for two months. The landlord turned them out for not paying their rent, but another woman allowed them to occupy a small cottage. They stated they had applied for charitable aid, but had not received any. A case has been partly heard at the Auckland Supreme Court in which Mr Mr Ehrenfried, brewer, is plaintiff, and Mr Gleeson, licensee of the Albion Hotel, is defendant. Mr Gleeson is under covenant to Mr Ehrenfried to take all wines, spirits, beer, tobacco, and cigars from him. This covenant was enforced by a decree of the late Mr Justice .Hillies, but Mr Gleeson now urges that although he is bound to take all his colonial beer from Mr Ehrenfried, he is not bound to take Whitson's beer (Mr Ehrenfried being the owner of Whitson's brewery), but that he has the power to order from Mr Ehrenfried supplies of beer from rival breweries, and that if Mr Ehrenfried fails to supply him he is entitled to procure what he wants olsewhere.

This-day ! This -day! At Bennessy'syos, can get — Ladies' Norwegian Felt Slipperc Is 6d per pair ; Men's Strong Leather Elasti Sides (toe and heel plates), 9s lid; Ladies Strong Leather Lace (leather lined), 8s 6d ; Ladies' Glace Kid Elastic Sides (patent toe cap), 6s 6d ; Gents' Light Sewn Balmorals, vlOs 9d ; Ladies' Evening Shes, over fifty varieties to choose from. — Adv. Strangers visiting Gisborne and desiring to know the best establishment in which to purchase Watches, Clocks or Jewellery will please note that S. McLernon offers special advantages. He imports direct and buys for cash from the leading manufacturers, consequently he claims to be in the best possible position to serve the public well. One month's trial given with each Watchr epaired by him. If not satisfactory, money returned. — Advt.

Jl:lS»fcii» k&& <56hti;ibated to tke , an article descriptive of the ?ssffigi|iß of the eleotrio light m Australia. a^iEe evidently tliinks the precautions #?-fi^«injrt mishap are insufßoiont, for he ?c£:DOld^r>awe»tß that, although no acoidents -feiiave poeurred that could be attributsd to i>',<t^e eleotrib light, yet it is more by good ?^Sf luok than good management. He only 3. vrfouches upon New Zealand to point out C ;"-'-* : 'that in that colony and Tasmania the 1 .prospects of electric lighting should be --"•>'' -"good, the abundance of water power which . "•' J is at the disposal of engineers giving every opportunity for the electric light to com- :> , pete with any other system of illumina- : :fcipn.

That unfortunate measure, the Deceased Sister Bill, was read a second time in fche'Eriglisli House of Commons on the 2nd of .May. This measure has now been before the country nearly fifty years, having been first introduced into the Lords by Lord Wharncliffe in 1841. Since then, it has several times passed through every at^ge in the Commons, and' been on nine occasions rejected by tlie Lords, i.e., the Bench of Bishops. The present measuro contains one new provision, which it is hoped may act as a sop to the clerical Cerberus. Parsons who conscientiously disapprove these marriages are not to be forced to solemnise them. If any man desire to wed his deceased wife's sister "and the parish priest' has religious' scruples aners officiating at the ceremony, the candidate for marital union must send for some more enlightened cleric. When the Government of the day sanctioned the first colonial Act legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister, there is little doubt that they expected the law to be adopted in the Home Country within a year or two ; but the House of Lords, in Bpite of the unusual manner in which Koyalty has manifested its desire for the passing -of this Bill, has persistently obstructed it. Lord Randolph Churchill's proposal on

the licensing question is to give compensation, whilst he favors the adoption of the Bill introduced by Mr Bruce in 1872, under which the public houses in London would have been reduced from upwards of 10,000 in 1872, to about 3,000 ; in England and Wales, from upwards 100,000 in 1872 to about 32,000. He says :— "ln 1872, the number of public-houses per head of population was about one to 182. The Government of that day, after exhaustive consideration of the question, decided that one public-house per thousand of the populations in towns, and one per 600 in the country, was an adequate provision of establishments for the sale of alcoholic liquor. At the present day, 18 years after the authoritative Ministerial judgment, the number of public-houses per head of population is about one to every 200 souls." Now, to reduce the hotels to this standard, a measure which Lord Randolph declares to be necessary . to save the nation from becoming "each generation more and more alcoholised, more fatally liable to crime, poverty, and disease," would involve the closing up of four out of every five licensed houses in • 'thV 1 country. It is no wonder that the nation protests at the prospect of the wholesale pillage of the Public Treasury which such a scheme opens out. ■*" " Mercutio "' in the Auckland Herald

writes : — " The Maori has many noble qualities, and nobody would be more ready to concede this than myself. But I must admit that although he is a success as a fighter, and is a good fellow in very many w.ays, he is a failure as a husband, especially when he marries a European woman. Maori wives havo often made excellent helpmates, but matrimony won't do the other way. And then how indulgent our law is to the failing of the Maori husband ! Sydney Taiwhanga, eminent amongst his fellows for mental energy, is seized with a desire to promote miscegenation, and. taxes to his bosom a fascinating widow. Then comes a period, too brief, of matrimonial felicity, and we begin to think that the Maori has made an advance to civilisation. But clouds gather ; police court cases follow in quick succession. Sydney sinks lower and lower and finally is elected a member of tho House of Representatives. Then his wife sues him for maintenance, and it is found that Sydney, being an aboriginal, is above orbeyond the law. He can and does snap his fingers in the face of his spouse. A still worse case is that of War brick, who is only a half-caste, and is to all intents and purposes a European. But he also repudiates his marital obligations, and claims the privileges of a Maori. It is high time that in this respect the law were altered. At all events, European women, when listening to the wooing voices of Maori or half-caste lovers, must how see what risks they run.