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Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1893, 13 November 1874, Page 2

The Auckland agent of the Anglo-Australian Telegraph Company has lately performed his duty in a very slovenly and indifferent manner. Importaut items of news have been omitted from our telegrams, and the greatest rubbish transmitted in lieu thereof. It was not thought worth while to send a single line to the Thames about the contemplated departure of the Superintendent and Mr Sheehan for England, although the matter is of the utmost interest and importance to the goldfield.

It will be remembered that the Commissioners appointed by the Superintendent to inquire into the allegations made about the Thames Hospital, had not the advantage of hearing the evidence of Miss Milgrew. The Superintendent was, however, communicated with, ?,nd he wrote to Miss Milgrew, asking her to make a statement on the subject, which she has done, or some of her friends for her. Miss Milgiw's statement has been sent down to Dr. Letlibridge by the Superintendent for his remarks.

We have received from Mr Maokay a long letter in reference to the transactions in land purchasing in the Thames district. We shall publish the letter to-morrow. Tho gold which was to have been shipped by the Bank of New Zealand on Tuesday last by the 'Manaia' was forwarded last evening per ' Hauraki.' Its weight was 3,7380z5. A special meeting of the Kauwaeranga Highway Board to take into consideration the works upon which it would bo considered most desirable to expend the amount of the General Government grant of £239 15s was held last evening. It was agreed that this amount should be expeuded upon the making and formation of Sandes-atreet, commencing 'at .the Karaka road.

l'he cricket match—Rnsjland v. the Worldappointed to come off at Parawai ou Saturday aftonoon is causing considerable interest in cricketing circlcs. A well-contested game is expecled. Tlie teams will be selected froni the 1 following players:—I England: Messrs Robinson, Hewitt, Hellers, Cruiup, Paul, Robertshaw, Watkins, Burgess, Hig,;inson, Prater, Slator, Jackson, Wright. The World: Messrs Steadman, Lankhain/ Brassey, Crawford, Buil, Hellion, Lodge, Gorric, Bell, Oassin, Davey, Douovan, Curtis, Carrick, and Whitford.

A seventh share in tlio Bullion claim, Tapu, was sold by auction, under distress warrant, by Mr Craig. There was a competition between Mr Crawptoii, the manager of the mine, and the plaintiff in the action against Mr Geo. and Mr James Robinsou, who was formerly an owner in the sime ground. Ic was started at ss, and bought by Mr Robinson for £5 Is.

We have received a sample of Parnwai roses from the nursery of Messrs Stihvell and Co., which, for variety aud excellence, will compare favourably with any we have seen this season. They are on view at our publishing office.

Wo understand that at the last meeting of the Sir Walter Scott Lodge of Freemasons a committee was appointed to make arrangements for the celebration of St Andrew's Day (the 30th instant). It has been suggested that the members should attend Divine service on the day previous (Sunday), and that the collection made should be again handed over to tlio Ladies' Benevolent Society. On the Monday a gala at the Tararu Gardens is ( contemplated, amongst, other proposals, for tile due celebration of the day.

A New Zealand Gazelle to hand per 1 Tarairiki,' contains a notification that Daniel floury Bayldon has been gazetted sub lieutenant in the No. 3 Company Uauraki Itillo Yoluuteers; that the plot stition at the port of Kaipara has been removed to Pouter Point, oil the north side, and that on and after the Ist of January, 1575, the pilot station will bo fixed at I'outor I'oint, within the north head of the li irbour. Mr Edward Hammond lias heou appointed clerk and interpreter under the lltli section of the Native Lauds Act, 1873, for the Thames, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty districts,

The p. 8. ' Golden Oiovii;' which left Auck« land for the Bay of Islands a few days since, en route for .Sydney,- returned to harbour last evening, and moored alongside the A SP. Co.'s T. The only information our reporter could obtain from tbe captain was, that he had put back from the Hay of Islands with' a cargo of coals. It subsequently transpired, however, that the vessel left the Bay yesterday morning, to proceed 011 her passage to Sydney, when on gct-tiiiL' to sea she was overtaken by a very severe squall off the Cavallis, and she seemed to ha malting water. After a consultation hid been held, it was ultimately decided to return to Auckland, where she arrived at 7.30 p.m.— Gross.

Tlies.s. 'Tavanaki,' Captain Wheeler, ar* rived in the Manukau on Wednesday from the South. PassengersSaloon—Mrs Cantlan, Mr and Mrs Hamilton and ton, Messis Hoskins, clunox, Davies, Katfcray, Mownell, Hodgson, Captain Gundry, and 12 steerage, We are indebted to Mr C. J. Edmiston, purser) for our files aud report. A meeting of creditors in the estate of Michael Brearley, of Tauranga, butcher, was held in Auckland on Tuesday. The liabilities were set down at £30-113s 2d; assets, £183 43 sd, Mr Thomas Macffarlane was appointed trustee. An extraordinary meeting [of shareholders of the (Soklen Crown Gold Mining Company was held yesterday afternoon, at Mr U, Tothill's office, Mr W. Aitken in the' chair. It was proposed to increase the capital of the company by the issue of 9,600 new shares at £1 each, and that they be offered to present snareholder*. An amendment was moved "That the new shares be issued at ten shillings." On being put to the meeting this was negatived, aud the original motion agreed to.—Heridd.-^ ■ The first wool sale for this season was held by Mr Alfred P.ucklaud, at the ITaymarket, - Auckland, on Wednesday. 149 b.-tles were catalogued, and 142 sold It being earlier in the season than those sales have hitherto been " held, accounts for the limited quantity brought forward There was a good attendance of ' buyers, and with one exception every lot offered sold. Prices obtained were:—Longwool, in grease, lOd to ll|d; washed, Is 4d to ls4j}d; scoured wool, Is SJ; half-bred wool, in grease, G£d to 9d; merino wool, in grease, Bfd; washed, 13d; cross-bred East Coast wool, in grease, B|d the lb.

The 'Southern Cross' was detained in Tau. ranga with head wind until 6 o'clock oil Wednesday evening, when she left for Auckland with the following passengers—Major Wood, Captain Fotberingay, Mrs Daveron, Mrs Howard, Messrs Davenport Ward, Moss Well, Swan, Horsburgli, Simpkins, Firth,' Wrigley,' J, Wrigley, and the patriotic Holloway. < The Colonial Bank have bought fine premises at Wellington, in what is called Thatcher's Comer—the rhymer having owned it once. The National's new bank is nearly completed. A Wellington correspondent says—"l hear, it is said, that the new colony is being overdone with banks, but I read in an English paper that there is a hank there for every 10,000 people, and in Scotland for every 4,000; so there's room yet."

At the extraordinary meeting o£ the Caledonian G.M.C. for increase o£ capital, Mr W. Weston made the following explanations:—The position in which the company was now placed as to deficiency in its funds, had been caused principally by the enormous drain upon its resources made by the Pumping Association, to which the company was a party, and to the cost of whose scheme it contributed a thirdsomething like £62,000. That was up to Ist March. . About that date, and during the time Mr Vogel, Mr Eichardson, dud other members' of the Cabinet were in Auckland, an agitation was got up, and the General, Government were asked for assistance to cu'ry on the deep sinking, and keep the big pump going. The tiovernment very generously came forward anil assisted them to the extent' of £50,000, the Caledonian Compmy's share of that liability amounting to £13,500. With the sanction and co operation of the Provincial Kxecutive that money was lent upon the security of the Pumping Association's plant, and that of various mines concerned in the pumping operations. If the resolutions were passed, the! directors will give security over the company's property to the Provincial Government, who were acting as agents for the General Government in the matter. If they should ever find gold again, which he was sanguine enough to hope they might do, they would have to pay the Government their share of what had been expended, or in the event of the whole of the • £50,000 having been expended, they-would be liable to the Government tor £13,500 before any dividends could be paid to the shareholders.' The position of the battery at present was not favourable for public crushings, In, the first, place it would be impossible to make it accessible to the outside public, except at an expense of £300 or £400, and if they were to incur tint expenditure there would still be a difficulty' with regard to water, as the company had not a monopoly of tlie Pumping Association's water.' They bad enough water to keep from 20 to 25 head of stampers going, :and it would be inadvisable to start the whole plant for public crushing with the risk of being stopped at any moment for want of water. If : they looked into the profits of public crushing companiss, they would find they were so very small that it would not be worth the company's while to run any risk to secure so tiiiling an advantage. The resolutions were then put and carried.

"Taxpayer" writes as follows relative to the proposed visit of the Superintendent and Mi' Sheehan to Ireland Surely we iiave liad enough of this piece of provincialism, for since the preseut Superintendent was elected, he ■ and some of his Executive have been making pleasure trips all through the province at the public expense, and now, as a climax, they •aropose to.take a pleasant five months trip, still at the public expense, but without auy vote of Council,' Is it that these gentlemen see the doom of provincialism, and so are determined to take all the gifts the gods provide ? But, sir, I would ask the workingmen of this much-abused province whether they will permit such a misappropriation of the ■ public money, whilst they are struggling depriving themselves aud families of somelittle luxury to pay the education tax, which. Mr Shecban stated..at. the Choral, Ball last Friday could not be supplemented by any of the vote of £25,000, but out of which the .61,500 for this little pleasure trip is' to come ? If any protest is to be made it should be doue quickly, as tho steamer will leave for Sydney about Saturday.

When, we wonder, will the Provincial Laboratory bo in working order? We have a gentleman doubtless well qualified to perforin the necessary functions 'pertaining, to this do* l partmeut—one so material to health that its importance cannot be overrated—duly appointed by his Honor the Superintendent, but we liave, as yet, no knowledge when lie will commence his duties, —Echo,

The question of steamboat fares in the Southern waters is one deserving consideration. Everyone who travels much knows lie pays ioo Moll for the accommodation received. If the' New Zealand Shipping Company are'successful in their tender to the Government for the collection and distribution of our inter-provincial inails-as we are informed by our Welliugtou correspondent yesterday —a reduction in the rate of passage prices may he hoped for. Cheap means of travelling, like cheap passage rates, are generally found to be most profitable.— Echo.

By the Mcthdist Journal we see that the Rev. James Jefferis, oi the Congregational Church, North. Adelaide, has been his congregation on the siti of forgeiy. He said—" The temptations to forgery and kindred crimes were described as arising out of three things-Extravagance, gambling, profligacy. Gambling also gave'rise to the temptatiou to forgery. The temptations of a gambler were inure direct, because having obtained money other than as the reward of honest labour, the barriers were already in part broken down. The man who risked money "not his own was already half a robber. To the gambler forgery camp camparativply easy,"

We (Cms) are gravely informed that it is tbe intention of bis Honor the Superintendent to proceed almost immediately to England, accompanied by Air Sheehan, the Provincial Secretary, The avowed object of their mission is said to he to arrange for bringing out immigrants from Ireland, to be established in special settlements in this province, It is said that arrangements have been made so that these gentlemen shall depart on their mission by the first steamer which leaves here for Australia, that is, within a few days. The hare fact of such an announcement will take the public by surprise. The sudi'en and unexpected determination, which is without a parallel in the history of the provinces, may well induce people to enquire—Whither is provincialism drifting ? With an exchequer almost bankrupt, with tho necessity of obtaining special loans and special grants from the General Assembly; above all, with the fact that the General Government are bringing out immigrants as fast as the means at their disposal permit, and in as great numbers as the colony can conveniently absorb t hernia this a time for those entrusted with the ministration of a province like Auckland to enter upon an independent immigration scheme —lo incur a large expenditure, and still further to impoverish the coders of the province? Is it either wise or judicious; nay, is it permissible l'nr a Piovincial Executive without the alightestorevious indication to the Provincial Council. a:i'l without a single peuny b?ing appropriate! bytlia' bjdyforany such piiriose— is it right that tLa 1 ; Executive should inaugurate a new policy, eitublMiiug a scheme of immigration more or less competitive with that general one which hiis received (lie coiilirinalrn of the General Assembly and of the country at large? We can scarcely believe that the story can be tine, or that the Kxecutive have really res 'bed on such a wild preceding, and still less can we imagine Mr O'ltorke lending his aid and countenance t» such a proposal and such an expenditure. Nevertheless the resolution has been taken. \\ e had fancied th it even now the Executive was favourable to the cause of caution in the introduction of immigrants, and entertained the opinion tint care must betaken not lo exceed the power of absorption which the province possesses. Ves-els with immigrants are arriving at regular intervals; and there is no lack of immigrant's. It will be fresh in the recollection of tbe public that not a few obstacles were placed in the way of Mr Stewart by the Provincial Executive in making his arrangements. for the special settlement at Katikati. At least there was an absence of that cordial assistance and co-operation which might have been expected, anl indeed at one time it was feared tha 1 : from wmt. of, that co-operation his special settlement i scheme would fall through altogether And now it is seriously proposed that Mr Williamson aud Mr.Sh.ehan shall proceed to Ireland, and arrange for bringing out five thousaud immigrants as special settlers iu some parts of ■- uckland province under the provisions of the Waste Lands regulation. It was a', first intended that Mr Toie, the Commissioner of Waste Lands, should also be of the party; but, on reconsideration, it was resolved lo limit the number to the .superintendent and the Provincial Secretary. It is further said that £1,500 had been authorised to meet the Expenses of the mission iu the meantime, but wo know not whether this authority had received the sanction of tbe Provincial Auditor, who is closely hedged about with legal provisions referring to the application of moneys not appropriated by the Council. We shall suppose, however, that this difficulty has been got over, notwithstanding the fact that last session of the Council the unauthorised expenditure of the previous year was never definitively explained or settled. There still remains the question: "Where is the money to come from that is .required to meet the expenses neccssary for this very new departure?" If, as was said at the education meeting the other night, the extra £ - 20,000 voted by the Assembly to this proviuco was never for a moment intended to be applied to supersede the education tax, still less was it imagined that any portion of that money would be employed in starting a scheme of immigration to compete with that already established, and being now fairly worked under the management of the Colonial management. We are told that the scheme has been under consideration for months. It must have been kept a dead secret, and that of itself is culpable, inasmuch as to start such a novel policy without permitting it to get to the light of day, or allowing any possibility of discussing it until all arrangements were made, and the missionaries even prepared to depart, is a system of action wholly oppo ed to the openness necessarily a part and paicol of representative Government. Jt is said that Mr Vogel and other members of the Government have known of Ihh project for months; and we have been informed that Mr Vogel-has expressed himself favourably on the subject. 'If that is so, we can only say that in our opinion Mr Yogel's customary judgment has deserted him, and he will doubtless hear more about the mistake when Parliament meets. If the other membe' s of (government consent to'this establishment of a series of competitive provincial immigration agencies, and the incurring of a great expense which the province cannot afford, they will commit a grave error, and a'ienate not a few of their friends — The Ifcmld says:—Have we not an , J g/ : "ntGeneral with whom tbe heads of Provincid Governments nan communicate, whose duty it is to receive any suggestions which may be madoto him? (.'an it be supposed that Mr Williamson visiting a country he has been absent from for so very many years, in company with a member of the Kxecutive who never saw that country, are capable of doing more, or doing so much as tho.-e whose business it has been for years past to procure a supply of suitable immigrants for the provinces of tbe colony? What can Mr Williamson or Mr Hbeeban expect to accomplish more than those at home in the Government employ? Have we not our special provincial representatives in Mr Stewart and Mr Cochrane, both able men, and knowing the province, will understand the class of immigrants suitable for it quite as well m cither Mr Williamson or Mr Sheelisn? It is high time that a stiong and general protest should be made against ho ids of Provincial and General Governments taking upon themselves lo tiavel distant parts of the world to propound and carry out schemes which have not in the first instance been submitted for public approval or constnt The evil has grown la-gely of late, and it is high time it was checked.

Mr Beatty, chief warder at Mount Eden ' gaol, had an exceedingly narrow escape from serious) injury or dtath yesterday morning. He had been resting for a time in one of tlie sentry boxes, overlooking the prisoners at work, and had just Jeffc the box, when an immense mass of scoria rolled from the heights above and smashed the box into splinters,—Grow. The arrival of the news of the running for the Melbourne Cup in town yesterday morning (says the lie raid} created considerable excitement, especially when it became known that none of the favourites were amongst the placed. The interest in this race has been unduly excited in Auckland by the drawing of sweeps to the v due of *2,500. The lucky tiuteholders were as follow;—!n Mr l'erkins's sweep : Ist prize, W. J. Marks and Co , £300; 2nd prize, J. Thompson aud Co., £150; 3rd prize, 11. H, Bartlett and (Jo, £60. In Mr Abbot a £1,000 sweep: Ist prize, £500, James King; 2nd pi fee, £200, Miisjid; 3rd prize, £75, Gif'S and Grattan. In Mr Abbot's second sweep: Ist prize, James Smyth, £1(J0 ; 2nd prize, Auckland Go,, £50; 3rd prize, A L, Wilson, £25. A llawke's Bay journal discourses in this manner on h'ir George Grey's petition:— • nicc father and defender of New Zealand's Constitution Sir George Grey' has been. He kept it literally locked np in a box, after it was sent out to him, r.nd for a long time steadily declined to make use of it at all; and now that some alterations are suggested— which, by the way, arc contrary to the letter and spirit of the original document—he comes out as the father and defender of a Constitution which he didit'l he pjssibly could to burke, years ago, vdiea it was in its iufancy!