The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1885.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 6733, 16 April 1885, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1885.

Whilst the excitement caused by a few military enthusiasts has almost turned the heads of the community in the larger cities it is satisfactory to find that there are a few who still are attending to their business and looking after tho commercial welfare of the colony. At the quarterly meeting of! tho Auckland Chamber o£ Commerce hist week tho Chairman in his address to the members stated that there was no depression ; trade was fairly brisk, ;ind their financial position was sound. Property in the city maintained its high value, although there was a lull in the suburbs. Iv the queption of property, as in other matters, it became one or! supply and demand, and the supply of suburban property had exceeded the demand, but no doubt in the approaching spring property of that character would be Eousjht after. Looking around the commercial hoi izon, everything looked bright and hopeful. iThe present Government has shown alaciit) 1 and zeal in taking up works of importance, especially to this district, as well as the colony at large. The main trunk railway line, shortly to be commenced, would open up v large quantity of rich amble land, creating wea'th which does not now exist. In connection with this, ]]« said-there was one matter ihe Chamber must not lose sight of. They must keep in view tho necessity for a branch line to connect with New Plymouth, for it wa3 only-.-easonuble to demand that Taranaki should be connected by means oC railway %v! 11 > Auckland, uiid they should keep at tho Government till they saw the reasonableness of their request. Auother matter in which tho present Government had shown activity was in connection with the railway north of Auckland. Mr. Aicken referred also to the frozen meat trade, saying that tho company had nearly completed their works in Auckland and at Waitara, and that the first bhip for England would be loided next month with frozen meat. With regard to Ihe South Sea Island trade he said that in June next the steamer Janet Nicoll would leave for Ton«;a, Samoa, Tahiti, and Uarotonga. The chief imports from the islands would bo fruit, copri, coffee, and lime juice, and this would increase annually. Theic ia much to be done in developing tho trade of tho South Sea Islands, and although, as the speaker said, ''the South Sea bubble" of a century ago was a century before its time, if the matter was taken up properly they would have a second India before them if. the merchants were alive to their own interests. All this is very satisfactory, for although we may feel tho depression nt present it cannot last very long whilst tho district we adjoin is favoured with a biisk trade.

At the Harbour Board on Tuesday, Mr. Rhind reported that the water was so clear that day that tho smallest object could be seen on the bottom. He added that it was a splendid chance for believers in the hole theory about the breakwater to go anc satisfy themselves once and for ail, as a splendid view could be got of every part of the structure.

Following the lead of Mr. Samuel, our M.H.R., the Hon. Major Atkinson and Ilis Woiship the Mayor (Mr. Paul) have decided to join the Oddfellows. The good fellowship of the craft evidently induced the worthy Mayor to anticipate his election, for on one occasion in addressing a gentleman opposite him, he spoko of. him as " Brother Bellringer."

A splendid sample of buck wheat has been sent to us by Mr. Snowball of Moa Block. He states tint if it is sown in November it wll be ready for cutting by February. It makes splendid green food for cattle, and tho graiu is very useful both for pigs and fowls. The soil of the Moa Block seems to be particularly adapted for its culture, and the return from the quantity sown was unusually large. It will also bo interesting to bee keepers to know that the flower is much relished by bees. Mr. N. Schumacher of the same block, who goes in extensively for beo fanning, grows this plant expressly for bees.

The criminal list for the Supreme Court sittings, commencing on 30th April, is a small one as yet, but there are an unusual number of civil cases for trial. The criminal cases are Itegina v. Kuril, robbery from the person ; Sanderson v. Boswell, perjury; Sparke v. Gavcy, forgery of a cheque. The civil cases are Wallath v. Berbier and another (adjourned from last sittings); McGregor v. McGregor. The appeal cises are Richards, appellant, and Wattp, responlent; Nathan v. Queen; Cameron, appellant, and Commissioner of Stamps, respondent. Several more are expected to be set down.

A lot of smoke was seen coming out of iho upstairs window of Mr. Jackson's boot shop on Wednesday, and it was at first thought that a fire had broken out and caught a good hold. It seems, however, that one of the shoemakers in the workroom had left a small piece of candle alight after using it to heat the polishing irons, lie had occasion to leave the room, aud on returning found that the candle had dropped down and set fire to some leather shavings. Tho burning of these caused a great smoke, but tho fire of course was easily extinguished.

Mr. Geo. Marsh, c£ the Kent Roid, Ins written to us to say that a party consisting of Mr. Ilenry Turner, Miss Annie Turner, Miss Ada Olson, Miss Florence Marsh, and himself went to the top of Mount Egmont on Sunday last, reaching the summit without much trouble in about four and a half hours from the camping ground at its base. They went to the mountain by the new track, and the ascent was so easy that the party were not fatigued, but were able to return home the S'line evening.

A laugh was raised at the expense of New Plymouth on Wednesday night, at the Oddfellows' dinner. Mr. -Bishop, with whose name- the agricultural interest was bracketed, simply expressed thanks at the compliment done himself by bein^ associated with such an important industry, and then sat down. A Mr. Lewis, of Wellington, in proposing the next toast, slid he could not withhold an expression of surprise at the scant justice done the farming community by the brief reply, lie had been led to believe that it was the principal occupation not only of the country people in this district, but of the townspeople too, as he had seen in the Wellington papcis that ten tons of! hay had been gathered from the streets of New Plymouth.

Sir William Fox has been spending some time in Scotland, and has made several appearances upon temperance platforms there. Among the places where, he has spoken in public arc Glasgow, Paisley, and Edinburgh. Fpeaking at Glasgow, Sir William staled that tho system at present in operation in New Zealand of regulating tlie liquor (rude by pl.icincp the liwmsiny: power in the hands of licensing benches elected annually by the ralepayi-is lud proved a failure. There was too much human nature amongst those elected on lh°sc benches, and they had consequently only reduced the niiuber o£ licenses by one, duiiug the three years they had been in opeiation. Tho only real eiTeclivo way of getting quit of tl c drink trade was, he said, b}' introducing the popular veto, which would enable the people to exercise their power in each particular district throughout the country. When speaking subsequently in Edinburgh, atagreatPermissive Bill demonstration, at which over 2000 poisons were present, Sir Wilihin Fox began by repudiating the idea tint New Zealand was a "dependency." He claimed for it, and the Colonies generally, that they wero integral paits oE the British Empire. Those sentiments were rec?ived with loud cheers by the. great gatliciing.