PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1897.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 11014, 3 September 1897, Page 2

PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1897.

■ ■ ♦ ■ That " far fields are aye green" is constantly being urged upon those dissatisfied individuals who, not content with their immediate surroundings, are ever longing for change. But the lesson is rarely heeded, and no matter how often disappointment has been met with a distant alluring prospect has only to be exposed to their view to set their des : res upon reaching it, Gold is the most powerful loadstone to mankind, and the report of a rich find has only to be circulated to cause a rush, great or small according to the richness of the find or the inventive genius of the finder, to the scene of the reported discovery. We have not to tax the memory to any great extent to recall many instances of reported dis coveries of gold which have drawn to the spot miners and adventurous spirits from all quarters. The latest of these is the Klondyke River Meld, British Columbia, of which glowing accounts of its fabulous richnesß havo been freely circulated for some time. It was said to bo the richest goldfield ever known, a veritable Tom Tiddler's ground indeed. No warnings as to the fearful dangers and terrible privations to be encountered before reaching the field were sufficient to deter people from setting out to the scene. The gold fever was on them and they saw only the gleam of the pucious metal. The whole Pacific coast is 6aid to have gone crazy over it, and the craze has spread even as far as New Zealand, whence large numbers of miners and other victims to I the epidemic are flocking to Vancouver, j en route for the Klondyke river. Most of them will probably not go far beyond Vancouver, for we hear already that the field " is not what .it has been cracked up to be." 7he special correspondents of the London Daily Chro»icle *nd the New York Herald, the most enterprising papers in the old and new worlds, state that the reported yields of the precious metal have been grossly exaggerated, and that there is nothing to justify a rush. What have not been exaggtrated, however, are tho reportß of the dangers and difficult^ to be encountered in reaching the field, and it is to be foared that a great many liTes will be lost among those who nre attempting the journey. Thus is history only repeating itself, proving once again the truth of the apho.ism with which we commenced this article. In the meantime attention is being distracted in a measure from our own undoubted mineral wealth. We have in New Zealand gold in abundance, easily won, without a tithe of the risks and dangers incurred in most other countries. We have no sensational alluvial finds, perhaps, but at the same time there should Le no need for any one with the gold fever to go beyond our shores to work it off. The mining industry of the Thames and Coromandel are flourishing, notwithstanding tho sick neßs of the sharemarket. There large capital is required to work in conjunction with labor. In Otago excellent returns are being reaped from dredging operations, whikt on the West Coast theoutlook ia promising. In the Hokitika district we hear of phenomenal returns obtained by tributera, one party of four men having obtained 98£ ounces of gold for fire weeks' work, while there are many miles of the country unprospe«ted, which may bo expected to yield equally good results. With such known gold producing country almost at their feet, it is past understanding why miners and others will rush to unknown countries where all the chances are against them. Anyone contemplating leaving Taranaki for British Columbia might just as well go and prospect the Patua Ranges. There they would find plenty of opportunity of roughing it, and possibly just ns good a chance of making a , pile, whiifet the dangers would be nothing in .comparison with what they would meet with on the way to the Klondyke River. It may be remembered that some time ago a decision was given by Mr Justice Grantham at Leeds, to tha effect that the posting of a chtqua by a debtor to a creditor was equivalent to the payment of the amount due, whether the cheque ever reached tho creditor or not. In the particular case npon which the learned judge was adjudicating it waa admitted that it had been the custom of the debtor for many years to remit amounts to the creditor by cheques through the Post Office ; and the law is, says the Economist, that if a creditor expressly asks his debtor to remit by cheque, the posting of the cheque is equivalent to & discharge of the debt. In the case in question ther* had been no such express request, but it was argued, and concurred in by Mr ' Justice Grantham, that a request was to be implied from the ordinary course of business between the partiei. The decision was received with no small amount of interest, and was pretty freely canvassed. Ithasnotv been repudiated by the Court of Appeal, whither it was taken by the creditor. The Master of the Rolls in giving his decision, in which tho Lord Justices all concurred, said : " Was there any course of business which t>howcd that putting the cheque in tho post was to be taken as a delivery of the cheque to the plaintiff ? The only facts ware that the defendants always sent cheques by prfst, and that when the plaintiff received them he sent back the receipt duly signed. It would be mo&t monstrous to infer from these circumstances a request to send a cheque by post, and that the plaintiff would consider that he had received it as soon as it was posted. He was unable to agree with the judgment of Mr Justice Grantham." The reversal of the decision by the Court of Appeal will bring with it a feeling cf relief to many who are in the habit of receiving cheques through I the post. It may be almost impossible by means of tho ordinary methods of crossing a cheque or making it payable only to order to prevent a dishonest person from misappropriating a cheque, still there are some people who neglect even these precautions, aud make a practice of transmitting open cheques through the post. It must seem to ahy mind at any rate that the risk in such cases should be borne by the person re mitting, not by the person to whom the cheque ia addressed. But Mr Justice Grantham's decision placed the risk wi h the latter. I The United Societies' Band will dear about £15 from the promenade conceit bold on Tbureday night,

Mr A, McGiven, the diver, who has been working at the* wreok of the steamer Tasmania, returned here on Thursday evening. Mr Kirkby reports having sold the ground upon which the Motnrca Hotel stood together with the license to an outside buyer. The Hon. T. Thompson, Minister of Justice, arrived from north this (Friday) morning, and proceeded by the express train to Wellington. Property assessments in this district are expected to show a very considerable increase under the new valuation now beiDg niide. Mr Jones, the photographer, took a capital flashlight photo of the performers in costume at the rehearsal of " The Pirates," on Thursday night. Mr G. Edwards, the popular comic singer, has taken over the Central Hotel at Patea. The railway refreshment bar is also run in connection with the hotel. On Wednesday Mr A. Barnes, supervising valuer, and Mr S. Hill, district valuer, visited Inglewood for the purpose of giving instructions to the local valuers in that district. The Union Company's new steamer, Rotoiti, for the Lyttelton, Wellington, New Plymouth, and Manukau trade, will bo lannched on the Clyde this month. She is due here early in December. At a Cinderella dance at Orange (NS.W.) the other day, a lady while dancing a waltz suddenly dropped dead, and the shock caused the partner with •whom she was dancing to faint. Captain Kennedy wired this afternoon :—": — " Wind between north east and north and west at all places ; barometer further fall ; iea heavy on all eastern coast southward of Ea«t Cape ; tides high on both coasts " ' The Star Football Club's popular social will bo held on? Wednesday, 15th inst. Tickets are selling well, and no doubt the social will be numerously attended. The committee have decidad not to canvass for the supper. A final reminder is ghen of the Cantata to be given this evening in the Whiteley Hall by the Wesleyan Choir. The merits of the piece combined with the prices ch'irged should ensure a large attendance. Mr L. M. Taunton has unearthed a curiosity in the shape of a " bone-shaker," or old-fashioned velocipede, with wooden wheels, tired with heavy iron, and hubs big enough for a sulky. The machine was made in London about 32 years ago, and has been inspected with great interest by cyclists. A most successful stage rehearsal of the " Pirates of Penzanco " was held in the Theatre Royal on Thursday evening. The costumes purchased for the occasion are in every respect suitable, whilst the scenery and mounting leave nothing to bo desired. , - • ■ The shipping companies have refused to reduce the freight upon dairy produce beyond one-eighth of a penny per 1b on butter, and- nothing on cheese. The National Dairy Association asked for threo-sixteeuths of a penny on butter and one sixteenth on cheese (net weight), and no primage. The present rate, it ia stated, are equal on a measurement basis, to £6 per ton for butter nnd £5 for cheese, as against £2 13a 6d for frozen mutton. A quite little wedding was celebrated at St Andrew's Church, Inglewood on Wednesday, when Mr C. B. Shaw, of Norfolk Road, Inglewood, was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Rose Maisey of Christchurch, the Rev. C. W. Robinson officiating. The bride was attended by the two little Misses Gilmour as bridesmaids, Mr B. Broad, of the Bank of S&w Zealand, acting as best man to the bridegroom. After the ceremony the bridal party drove to the residence of Mr E. B. Kingdon, where tho wedding breakfast was served. We regret to hear that Captain Norbury, the popular and courteous skipper of the Gairlocb, is suffering from a nasty knock on the shin, caused through a hawser bounding -but of a chock and ntriking his leg while the steamer was on "the hard" here laat Tuesday. The lug was attended to by Dr Leathain. Captain Norbury, despite the painful nature of tho wound, which compels him to take all the rest he can, has stuck to his post and navigated the steamer. We hope that he will speedily recover from the accident, and again be in possession of a .sound pair of timbeis. The Post states that besides tho appointment of Inspector Tunbridge, of Scotland Yard, to the positioa of Cbidf Commissioner of Police for the colony, the Premier while at Homo secured tho services of two first-class Xiondon detectives. 'One will be placed in charge of the service with power to introduce reforms, and tho other will be t>tationed in the South Island. So far as is known ac present, Colonel Hume will retain the position of Inspector of Prisons. The members of the Governmant here knew nothing of the appointments made by the Premier till they appeared in the letters of London correspondents.