Cs PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, APBIL 30, 1895.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10295, 30 April 1895, Page 2

Cs PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, APBIL 30, 1895.

The British Government, finding that the Nicaraguans wore inclined to be defiant, have taken possession of Corinto, seized the Custom House and other pnblic buildings, and hoisted the British flag over them. Ihe origin of this quarrol, as wo showed the other day, 13 owing to tho Nictragnan authorities arresting an Englishman named Hatch and an American named Stone on charges of inciting certain residents to resist the Nicaragua Government. The English —this time more prompt than the American in looking after the interests of a subject —demanded the release of both ruon and the payment of an indemnity for their alleged illegal arrest. These domands were met by the release of the men and a promise to indemnify them. The latter the Government of Nicaragua failed to pay aa agreed upon, and consequently the British Government lately served them with an ultimatum declaring that it would seize and collect the Customs revenue of their country until tba claim was satisfied. To this the Nicaraguan reply was a request for a Commission, to adjust the matter. This England refnsed, and stood by her ultimatum. Khe has now landed a British force at Corinto, and is showing this petty South Aruorican State that the British authorities are not to be defied or played with. The United States ought to be co operating with Great Britain in the matter, but tlio Americans are very jealous of foreign Powers. President Cleveland, speaking on the subject to a deputation tl>at w '.ited on him, said :—: — " It was necessary to maintain the inde pendecce of the South t nierican States against armed Europeans, and that he would rtsist by armed force any attempt of a jiuropean power to establish itself on the Ameiban continent. Ilovover, in the case of the trouble with Nicaragua he thought the circumstances did not warrant the intervention of the United States." The Americans are evidently very jealous over ♦*">. control of the proposed Nicaragua canal, which, of course, if tho canal is to bo of any valuo for strntogic purpose?, must not be subject to international control. There are English rights, however, which cannot be ignored, in connection with Nicaragua and the adjacent Mosquito Coast, and the assertion of these will doubtless pievent tho Americans from fortifying tho canal or its approaches. It is estimated that the canal can be constructed within five years at an outsido cost of 100,000,000 dollars (including the raluo of the pretcnt Company's fran chiso) ; that at a toll of 2dol 50 cent per ton there would pass through it, at least, 7,000,000 tons of traffic annually (les3 than 1,000,000 tons of which would be American) ; that the annual operating expenses would not exceed 1,000,000 dol • that the foreign traffic would yield an. annual revenue of 12,000,000d01, which would pay interest, operating expenses, and tho cntiro issue of canal bonds within thirty years, leaving a revenno ever afterwards, nnd tho property as a valuable national asset. Not only is absolute ownership of the canal by the United SttHes contemplated, but it is also proposed to pa 33 " Americsn bottoms '' free through the cnnal, thus giving a preference to American trade. Even should these patriotic aims of tbo

United States be realised, tho canal would still bo a valuable aid to international commerce, and would play an important part in the development of New Zealand and Australia. It is very evident from the President's re-inark-5 that the United States Government is not at all pleased at the attitude of tho British Government, which has evidently a desire to have some control over the new high road to tho Pacific. We do not expect that the British Power will become in any way embroiled with the United States authorities, but we may expect to hear of some Yankee bounce if the British do not soon clear out of Nicaragua. The Tukapa Football Club will open the Beason on Thursday, when a fancy dress match will be played in the Recreation Grounds. The price of admission will be sixpence. The system of robbing food safoF, which •was in vogue some years ago, has been revived in the ease end. On Saturday night Mr J. Avery's safe was robbed, tho thieves cutting out the perforated zinc in several of the compartments. Another resident in the same end of the town also I had his safe rifled the same ni^ht. ■ We are pleased to learn than Mr C. K. Stock has been reappointed a member of the Land Board. In order to catch the railway passenger traffic Mrs Sorenson has started a fruit bazaar in Lower Brougham-street, opposite Messrs Berry and Co.'s ironmongeryMiss Connor has opened an oyster saloon next door. Both these businesses will bo a great convenience to the public. Wo were shown on Monday two camelias —a white and a crimson one — ' which surely must be the first of the season. The daphne is also flowering, the perfume of which is very agreeable. The average yield per acre of the harvest of 1895 is—Wheat, 24-31 bushels; oats, 29-05 bushels; barley,.27-47 bushels;! potatoes, 5-52 tons ; hay, 1*39 tons. An accident happened at tho breakwater this (Tuesday) morning. William j Menson, a workman on the wharf, was helping to unload a truck at the side of the steamer Takapuna, when he was stiuck by a sling, whereby he lost hia balance and fell on his arm, breaking it, and bruising the muscles. He was brought into Mr Sykos' pharmacy, where Dr. O'Carroll attended to him. Some larrikins caused a disturbance at Professor Hugo's lecture on Monday night by whistling and shouting outside St. Mary's Schoolroom. The sub-committee who have been canvassing for shares in tho proposed freezing works at Moturoa' have been very successful in their efforts, between 1500 and 1600 shares being promised. The Committee will meet on Saturday next, when definite steps will be taken in connection with the company. An elderly woman named Emma Smith, who was brought before the* Court last Monday week on a charge of setting fire to Mr A. Drako's residence, at Waiwakaiho, and who was remanded for eight days, was again b rought before the Court this afternoon, at 2.30 o'clock. Mr Weston appeared for the accused. The case, Biley v. Halloran, was heard on appeal by District Judge Ward at Westport some days ago, and His Honor this (Tuesday) morning delivered judgment reversing the decision of the Stipendiary Magistrate. It will be remembered that judgment was given in the lower Court against Mr Halloran. -This has now been reversed, each party paying their own costs. Tho shooting season for native and imported game will bo opened to-morrow (Wednesday). There is a good deal of speculation as to the probable success of tho boring operations for petroleum at Moturoa, and many are sanguine that oil in payable quantities will be struck. In view of the probability of striking oil, it is reported that thore is a tendency manifested to speculate in property. Mr Hugo's lectures on physiognomy still retain their popularity. On Monday evening there was a large audience t» listen to what he had to say upon tho " Chin and the Forehead," many varieties of which he described. Ho had noticed that ladies with dimpled chins had many admirers and possessed graceful manners. Men with dimpled chins were usually very susceptible ; they were constantly in love but not constant in love. The outward curved chin was the sign of originality, while a flat chin meant selfishness. The lecture closed with ,jth'e usual amusing delineations of faceßJ walk, and handwriting. There will be another and final lecture to-morrow, when the subject will be the " Hand and the Lips." A Catholic Church social will be held in the Alexandra Hall on Thursday next, and as there is no counter attraction on that evening it should be well patronised. Messrs E. Cock and Son have received a consignment of Canterbury potatoes which they offer at a low rate. Messrs Veale and Bon advertise Canterbury potatoes and Lopperton jams. |_There was very little business in tho Magistrate's Court to-day (Tuesday), judgment for plaintiffs being recorded in tho following cases :—W. Morey v. 0.1. Johnston. Claim, 10s, with costs, Gs. R. C. Hughes v. Ngarango Kawika. Claim, £5, with costs, £2 17s. There were twenty-five eases Bet down for hearing. Now that the establishment of freezing and cool chambers at the breakwater is practically assured, it may be news to some to know that such an institution was predicted a« far back as 1889. An enterprising tradesman in Devon-street had painted on canvas a representation of what the Ttiranaki harbour would be ten years after, which he had hung in front of h's shop. The artist was Mr G. W. Browne, who, no doubt, thought the matter seriously and prophetically out. At the base ia represented a large building, bearing the inscription, " Runiney, 1889. Cool Chamber," isnd leading to this is a railway line on which an engine is shown drawing a long train of cars loaded with butter. At the wharf is berthed a full rigged ship, whilo in tho offing three other sails are shown. The artistic pieco of work is now ia possession of Mr G. Corney, who has had it hung in an upstairs apartment' of the Excelsior Drapery Company's promisos. [ j |