PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1890.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8832, 16 July 1890, Page 2

PUBLISHED DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1890.

The weekly rinks given by the Volunteer Band seem to increase' 'in popularity, as there was again a very large attendance on Tuesday evening. Mr H. Brett, proprietor of the Evening Star, the Xem Zealand Graphic, and several other publications, was in New Plymouth on Tuesday, and loft for Wellington by this. (Wednesday) morning's ' train, on his way to Wellington, where he goes to attend an important' conference of newspaper proprietors. Mr Svennson, travelling expert for the De Laval Cream Separator Company, from Stockholm, is at present in New Plymouth, and wi 1 be pleased • to meet any who wish to consult him re dairy matters at the Criterion Hotel, between now and Monday next. He will be glad to give any advice, for which no charge will be made. There have been tremendous rains in the country inland of Stratford during tho past two weeks. The country is in a flooded state, and the roads are nothing but quagmires. A party who came into Stratford from the Huiakama block on Tuesday evening state that at one place coming down thoy had to swim fully a distance of ten chains on their horse •. They report that the road is in a deplorable state, and the country is regularly under water. A meeting was held in the Catholic Presbytery on Tuesday evening for the purpose of forming a library, when it was decided to form an institute, to bo called " Tho St. Joseph's Catholic Institute." The Rev. Father McKenna was elected president and treasurer, and Mr Gray secretary. A committee, consisting of Messrs Gray, J. H. Parker, Hart, and Jury, with power to add to their number, was then elected. Over a hundred volumes form the nucleus of the .library. A room in the old Presbytery, has been set apart for members to meet, in where there will be newspapers for them to read, or they can amuse themselves with chess and draughts. An important journalistic conference will be held in Wellington next week between the directors and shareholders of tho New Zealand Press Association and ropresenta tives of the principal newspapers in Sydney and Melbourne. Its object will be to arrange for the future supply of European and Australian cable news to the press of this colony. Some of tho gentlemen who are to take part in the proceedings have already put in an appearance in Wellington. MrCollinß, general manager in Australia for the Reuter Telegraph Company, and Mr Wynne, of the Sydney DaVy Telegraph, arrived by the Hauroto. The Waihora had amongst her passengers Mr J. Fairfax, jun., one of the proprietors of the Sydney Morning Herald, and Mr Alex. J. Fraser, manager in Sydney for the New Zealand Press Association. . Mr Horton, one of the partners of the Aew Zealand Herald, left by the steamer direct for Wellington Mr H. Brett, proprietor of the Auckland Sta<; went by train this (Wednesday) morning ; and- will be followed by Mr H. Weston, proprietor' of -the Takanaki Herald, on Tuesday next. The comfort of a good bed was acutely realised on Monday night, by some of those who were obliged to attend the perjury hearing at Stratford. There was a great rush at the hotel for beds which were at a premium, and as the supply was short of the demand, some poor unfortunates suffered. These bedless ones, numbering pretty strongly, took their rest in the parlors of the hotel for the night and, what with singing, and other quiet amusements, managed to kill time fairly well. A resident on the Monmouth I Road very kindly gave 'some comic eketches which were excellent, and quite gave the sketcher a reputation as a comedian. Captain Russell made an excellent speech during the debate on the Financial Statement. He was also very happy in dealing with interruptions, . as Mr Moss found to his cost. Referring to the question of finance, he pointed out that the stocks of the colony rose in the London market as soon as Sir Harry Atkinson took office. " Yes," interjected Mr Moss, with an air of gloomy triumph, 4 " and within the last few dayß they have gone down again." "Of course they have/ replied the gallant Captain; " that is because a no confidence motion has been moved ! " Mr Moss made no further interjection during the rest of the speech. The interest taken in the perjury proceedings heard at Stratford on Monday, Tuesday, and to-day, was very great, and the township was full up with outsiders connected with the case. In fact so many strangers were in the town that accommodation could not be found for them, and Mr Coldwell was quite at his wits' end in endeavoring to make loom for them. During each day, and at night (for the Court sat up till midnight on Monday and Tuesday) there must have been over a hundred hearers -on , the average, and during the adjournments the pros and cons of the case wore the general topics of conversation, 'ihe newspaper men in attendance too were numerous, there being fully Bat one time' at the table, so it would appear that the- proceedings wi 1 ' get plenty of publicity. On the whole the case is one which will be set down in the annals of Stratford as a cause celebre,

The simultaneous and complete interruption of the Eastern Extension Company's three cables between Java and Australia has occurred through volcanic agency. Convulsions of nature are of common occurrence in and around Java, and are frequently on a grand scale, covering an enormous area. The company has more than once had its cables injured by volcanic upheavals. Its two first cables lay close together, and naturally suffered from the same disturbance, so the company determined to lay a third caJbleat a considerable distance from the others, in the hope that no mere local disturbance would affect all three. But it is not local disturbance only which has to be feared and guarded against. The whole' l of a vast area, through Borne portions of which any cable by this route must be laid, is subject to simultaneoub disturbance of the most violent nature, Buoh as no cable can resist. The fact is now made patent that regular uninterrupted communication cannot be depended on when the cables have to pbbs through a voloanio zone such as that which" eurrqupdß Java. The extreme folly ot £he colonies rendering themselves absolutely dependent on such a route, for meanß ,of communication, is therefore painfully apparent. The interruption at the present' time is simply inconvenient, but a similar interruption under different circumstances might prove of the most 6erious import to the colonies, and oven involve their ruin if tbft Empire nbouki b» at waj