Untitled

Thames Advertiser, Volume XII, Issue 3338, 11 June 1879, Page 2

Cr McQowan is ashamed of the management of, and interest manifested in, our Mechanics' Instilutc, and intends to take the bull by the horns at the next meeting of the committee by moving a resolution to the effect that steps be taken to haud over the institute to the Borough, in order that it may be thrown open as a free library under the provisions of the Public Libraries' Act.

At a full meeting of the members of the Naval Brigade on Monday night, held for the purpose of electing officers, Mr William Burton was unanimously elected third lieutenant, vice Mr T. lawless, promoted. Carbine champion Gordon wjs elected sublieutenant, vice Mr Charles Brown, resigned. The monthly inspection 13 announced to take place to-morrow evening. Sixty men of the Armed Constabulary are encamped tt Oahi:a, and eighty are stationed at Opunake, The local volunteer force now numbers five hundred and eighty. The Maoris appear unable to reconcile our arming with Te Whiti's prophecies of peace. 73 volunteers were sworn in at Manutahi north on Monday. The general arming in districts is producing a salutary effect on the native mind. Some sensible natives allege they cannot understand the reason of the ploughing, A great ineetiug is to be held at Parihaka on the 18th insfc,, at which Europeans will be allowed to attend.

A meeting of the Roman Catholics of the Thames took place on Sunday evening at the school-room, Willonghby-streefc. The Rev. Father O'Reilly occupied the chair. The rev gentleman staled that the church in that street was getting out of repair, and he had invited the people together in order to see what could be done in the matter. The meet, ing, which was well attended, resolved to collect subscriptions to renovate the church, Messrs Mcllhone, Mahoney, Mulligan, and Twohill were appointed a committee for that purpose, and, no doubt, those gentlemen will pay a visit to most of their co-religionists within the present week,

The Reception Committee in Auckland have re-e-lved to i>ive the Governor a ball on Thursday fortnight. Bis Excellency will be driven imo town escorted by a troop of Cavalry. Pe will be received uuder a triumphal arch at the bottom of Qtieeu street by the Mayor and citizens.

Ivtvi yesterday visited the Three Kings In. stitutioß, and ivas entertuiuea by the Rev. Mr Buddie.

The Wellington insurance offices are said to have resolved to re-build all buildings burnt down, whenever the insurance money will admit of this course being adopted.

Sir Julius Vogel telegraphs that the ' Bakaia' left London witu 295 immigrants for Wellington and Napier.

Pr. Otto JFinscb, a leading German and European ornithologist, has accepted a mission from the Royal Academy of Sciences, Berlin, to explore the islands of Western Polynesia,' and is expected to visit this Colony in a short time.

_ The Manuherikia County Council have car. ried a resolution against employing Chinamen on the works,

The action of Councillor Brassey in moving a notice of motion that at the next meeting the Council should proceed to consider the best means to eradicate the goat "nuisance in the Borough, has been hailed with satisfaction by a large number of burgesses, whose trim gardens are becoming victims to the depredations of these cunning, fleet-footed animals. Of course there are some who are opposed to any rction being taken in the matter, but they are few in comparison with those who are always being annoyed and put to expense in consequence of the thieving propensities of their neighbours' animals, and should the Conncil devise a means of prohibiting the nuisance tbev (but more especially Cr. Brassey) will confer a great boon upon the greater portion of the electors.

In a Government Gazttte of the 30th nit. appeirs a notification of the revocation of the exemption of three roods of land from occupation pfor raining and other purposes at Waterfall Creek, Tararu. The land in question wa3 set npirt iu 1873 by His Honor T, B. Gillies for quarrying purposes, but the stone was not generally used, being too soft, and at the request of the Mining Inspector the Borough Council resolved to relinquish any lieu they had over it.

The only business at the Police Court yesterday consisted of the punishment of Patrick Kelly for drunkenness. •

The steamer ' Kopuru,' recently launched in Auckland to the order of Messrs Blown and Campbell, and intended for that firm's trade on the luipara, was towed to Shortland yesterday morning by the' Enterprise.' The vessel is not a large one, being aVout the siz? of the 'Ruby,' but of a different build, and has been moored to the Shortland Wharf, which is the most convenient place for putting in the boiler. As soon as ttat wo;k is finished, she will be taken to the Goods Wharf where the enjies will be The builders of the machinery are Messrs Price Bros., and they will commence upon tbe 'Kopuru' as soon as they have the ' Coromandel' out of their hands, which will be in about a week's time.

Depositors in the Australian European Bauk have agreed not to remove their balances of current accounts within a certain time. The investigation of the affairs is satisfactory. £30,000 will fully co?er any likely loss. A call of a pound in two instalments in July and August will ba made The Provincial Bank investigation shows expected assess to realise £15,000 or £20,000 more than was estimated. A call of £1 and the present assets will cover the liabilities. It has been resolved to voluntary wind up.

Prospecting in tlie Wei bcrstones claims (says the luuneb Himcs), proceed? with unabated energy —The (jo den FJeece shaft is down 215 feet and is showing a very good wash. A gord number of the green or jasperoid stones— a good indication—are being met with This Company's sluft started from tin surfice at a 50-fee.t lower level than the Black Horse Comp.my's, s.i that if the litt-r company do not >triko the blue cement t ; Il they corue on the same level as the 'oldeu F.eece they will have at least another 5J feet to sink befo c th"j re:icll the Hue. The Dauntless Company are down 106 feet with their new shaft. Tbey are pushing on with it very rapidly, not haviDg much water to encounter.

There will be ni performance of the Victoria Variety Troupe this evening, hut on Friday evening Miss Jessie Raymond will take a benefit under special pa'.roiMge, an] as sh" iinn old Thames favourite there will, no doubt, lie a large attendance m the occasion, lihcrc will also be another matinee on iSa'urday,

A few days ago a most important discovery was made at Whangorei, a rutive named Puketawa having found a large soun of coa! crop, ping out on a block of land named Kioreroa, purchased by the Government five yena a»o Tliep'silion, however, has this advantage, that it is within a chain and a-half of deep water, and is clrse to where vessels usually lie.

Tho Cambridge Cavalry are not to go down to the Governor's reception (says a corre<pondent of the Ilcrtdd). It is not thought advisable that the district should be left without their protection just at this lime Many here view with grave concern the fending away of Armed Constabulary, and tho absurd restriction as to height, 5 feet 10 iuches, insisted upon for recruits

At the last Hamilton Borough Council meeting it was resolved, as the Council was outrunning the constable (says the Herald's correspondent), to undertake no nrre large contracts, excepts the bridge approaches, which come ont of loan, till after winter, and the funds were in better condition. The overdraft was stated at £781, and likely to he over £1000 by the end of ,the month, Tenders for the bridge approaches were opened; that of Livingstone and Booth.

£817 lCs Bd, for approaches west side, and

that of James Coombes, for appro lches cast m<ide, £63313s 4d, being accepted. Sixteen -tenders were receiveo'. Great indignation is expressed here that, in the troubled state of the colony, the effer niatio by over forty Hamilton residents to enrol as a rifle Volunteer corps has not even been acknowledged by the Government.

On Monday Mr Morton gained access to the safe in his office in the store in Customhouse street, Auckland, in which the fire broke out on Saturday night, as described in yesterday's issue. The papers and books were found to be all safe, and he ascertained that the insurances on the stock were as follows:—New Zealand Insurance. £1,000: Northern Assurance, £1,000; ltoyal Insurance, £1,000; Victoria Insurance, £1,000; and United Insurance, £500, making a tot»l of £1,500, a sum which it is believed will fully cover the goods contained in the store. The building, which is the property of L. D. Nathan and Co,, was insured in the South British Insurance office for £1,000, in conjunction with the adjoining premises, occupied by Mr Hendry. The stock has not yet been inspected, It is hoped that some of it is not ruinously damaged, but, of course, the perishable goods—tea, sugar, ivc. — are totally destroyed, for what escaped the fire perished in the water, It is probable that a survey will be held on the stock to-day; No explanation can be given regarding the series of explosions which took plaee. So far as Mr Moiton knows, there were no explosive substances in the premises—neither powder, dynamite, nor dangerous acids, and the origin of the fire is quite inexplicable.— Herald,

In the speech delivered at (he pleasant native gathering at Orakei on Monday, Bewi defined his position more clearly than he has as yet done, at least according to European notions. He referred to his former identification with the King party, to his having become convinced that that movement was a failure, and could not be made the means fur preserving and improving the Maori raw, and to his having now come to seek what lie calls ''a new revelation." He is somewhat afraid of the responsibility which rests upon h'im, saying that too much must not he expected from one who has just emerged from the hush. He, indeed, puts the matter in very practical shape when he says that things have to be so ordered that the European may acquire land for his money, and the Maori money for his land. He rifera to a matter of importance when he says, " It is theselling of land by people who have no title tint has alw.iy been tbociinse of Iron We." The Kingilcshave themselves imch to blame, as for the most part they have declined to recognise our Courts. Headers will observe, also, that Bewi places stress upon the point thnt he was acting for Tawhiao, and not against him. He says: "Now let us all endeavour to see some way out of this difficulty for Tawhiao." /ll the other speakers concurred with this view. When Itewi settles 'with the Giveraor and Premier, a very strong pressure will then be brought to bear upon Tawhiao and those immediately around him, who will probably be disposed to accept from Bewi what they would not have looked at from us.— Herald.

The infant child of Mrs J. C. Hart, of Karangabape Road, who has been already prominently before the public, was found dead in bed yesterday morning by the mother, under circumstances which it is thought require a judicial investigation. It will be recollected that about a month ago Mrs Hart was arrested on a charge of abandoning her child at Mr \V, Vaile's gate in Wellingtonstreet. It transpired then that the woman had been enriente when she married Mr J. C, Hart, and the birth of the child was naturally the source of much domestic unhappiness. The woman, driven to desperation apparently, had then taken the child away, and laid it down

where it was found, in the hope that some kind-hearted individual would take it up. Under the circumstances, and as the child appeared to be well nourished and cared for, the magistrate dismissed the grave charge, and recommended the husband and wife to make up the quarrel. This tbey agreed to do, and the child was taken home ly her mother to her husband's house, and no more was publicly heard of it or them until yesterday, when the child was found dead in bed by the mother soon after her husband had left the house to go to his work in Ponsouby. Mrs Hart's statement is to the effect that she got up about 7 o'clock and prepared her husband's breakfast, leaving him him in bed with the child. Fhe did not observe anything unusual about the child then After her husbond had left the house she, at eight o'clock went into the bed-room to give the child its milk, and blio then for the first time discovered that

it was dead, Dr Purchase was sent for, and upon examination' he found that the child had been dead for some time, and that rigor mortis had ensued. Be refused to give a certificate of the cause of death without making a postmortem cxamina. tion, as he had not previously attended the child. It seems apparent that death resulted from suffocation, but whether through being overlaid or while in a fit could not be decided from the external appearance of the body, but we may add that there were no external marks of violence, nor is there any suspicion of foul play on the part of Mrs Hart or her husband, but the circumstances are so peculiar that Dr. Eurchas did not feel justified in isrning a certi-/-iicate, and an inquest will probably be held to-day.— Herald.

The Macetown correspondent of the CWwdl Argus says:—"lt is computed that at the end of the season some 3500gsb of gold will have been produced f;om the leefs, of the value of £9400. They are now i, their infancy, and bate had one of tho worst years of floods to contend with in the annals of the goldficld's history. The above return is only an rarnest of what we may expect when the reefs arc fully opened, and we have six or eight, or ten head of machines going; then the Arrow district has good grounds to look fonvaid to a bright and prosperous future "

A new invention of a real practical character (say<s Nature), net a n„re patilo post futuiuin invention, like many wc | lilve i lc;ir ,i 0 f ] !lte | , f has jrst been made by M r K. A. Cowpe-, the well-knoMi mechanical engineer. It is a real telegraphic wn ing machine, The writer in London nnves his ben, and simuliancously at Brighton .'mother pen is moved, a S though by a phantom hand, in precisely similar curves and motions. The writer writes in Loudon the ink 'marks in Brighton, We have seen'this instrument at work, and its in uvels are quite as stiitling as these of the telephone. The pen "t lhs receiving end has all the appe. nnc/ of being guided l«y a fpiiit hand. Thcapja ratns is shortly to be marie public bc.orc the Society of Telegraph Engineers.

The Victoria Varieties gavo an afternoon 1-erforrnan-e of " Uncle Tom's Cabin " and the

I ' Bonnie Fi-diwifo"yesterday, which w<slargely at'C'ided by chi'dren and ladies. In the evening there vwi a limited auditory, who were treated to a fine performance. The emedj " For better or for worse" was very amusing, was well acted, and secured for the performers well merited approbation. An interlude followed, in which Air Joseph Ibhelson, who has earned some local repute as a tenor singer, rendered several songs in a pleasing m inner, Mr Keddy did not peiform his daring acrobatic, feats, Pongs, dances, and recitations were aho given by members of the Troupe. The piece de resistance was the drama entitled " Peace at any price "—very appropriate at the pres"nt. juncture of affairs—in which Miss Jessie Raymond and Mr Glover the principal parts, and sustained them with their usual ability. They were ably supplied by the remainder of the company, notab'y Mr Young and little Amy Glover.

The undermentioned appointments have been gazetted br the Wellington Naval Brigade :— C, J. Johnston (New Zealand Militia) to be captain; A. 1), Dennett (late Thames Navals) to be lieutenant; W, H. Diver to b= honorary surgeon. Such commissions dating from the 21st April last,

The following are the terms on which the Government will accept the services of persons who may he willing to j"in the Volunteer corps during the present emergency in New Plymouth :—Government will accept the services of volunteers during the present emergency, to be enlisted subject to three months' notice, and relax the volunteer regulations in the following respects -.—The uniform usually purchased by volunteers will not be insisted on, so long as a blue shirt is worn by the members of the several corps. Volunteers who do not wish to leave their immediate localities, but desire to defend their own homes, will not he called upon to serve elsewhere. To such volunteers sufficient Enfield Eifies will be issued. Volunteers who n'ay be willing to assist should any emergency arise, in which additional force is required for a particular short operation, in whatever part of the district, will receive Snider arms.— G-, S, WIIITMORE.

On .Sunday morning Mr Samuel Cooliivne, the well-know Auckland auctioneer, breathed his Inst at his son's residence, Ecmuera. Mr Cochrane had resided amongst us about 21 years, and during that time has been a useful man of husinessi He was brought up in the vacinity of Londonderry, and was there engaged in the linen-trade. He subsequently settled in Montreal, and there carried on business for a number of years. Hearing of the more genial climate of Auckland from some relativea who had settled here, Mr Cochrane was indued to cast in his lot amongst us in the year ISSS. Mr Cochrane took a very active in developing the mineral resources rf the Coromandel district, in connection with Mr Keven, Mr Michael VW, and others, With this object in view, he purchased from the Government the steamer 'Sandfly, 1 afterwards better known as the 'Tasmanian Maid,' which he ran in the Coromandel trade for a number of years. He was also the principal owner of the steamer ' Waitemata, now known as the 'Enterprise N0.2,' which was at first intended for the purpose of opening up regular steam communication with the North Shore, Whau, Hobso.iville, &c. His other and last enterprise in connection with steam was the ss. ' Jane,' in the early days of the Thames golcllields, Mr Cochrane's object in these various ventures was the advancement of the Auckland district, and to secure fast and refiuhr steam communication between this city and the various cut districts, In political life Mr Cochrane took little pari, Among the many other things in which he took an active interest for the advancement of the district was the Drury Coal Mines, of which so high an. opinion was at one time entertained. He also started a wool-scouring establishment at the Whau, which was carried on for some time, and also, in coi'junction with Mr J. HooduM, OK., he owned the IMnce Alfred battery, Grahamstowu. In 1872, Mr Cochrane paid a visit to the old country, and shortly after bis arrival there bo was appointed by Or bVaiberton, who was then Agent-General of the Colony in London, to the post of New Znland Emigration Agent for'the North of Ireland. This position Mr Cochrane held until June, 1878, and was the meaus of selecting and sending out many really good and useful colonists for this portion of New Zealand Early in January last Mr Cochrane returned to Auckland in a very unsatisfactory state of health, and lingered until Sunday morning, when death relieved him of further suffering, The complaint, which ultimately proved fatal, was chronic cancer of the bladder. The great fund of humour which he possessed was oftentimes exhibited while discharging his duties as an auctioneer, to the amusement of those assembled at his sales, He was altogether an exemplary and energetic citizen,— Htirald.

A country paper in New South Wales records the disappearance three weeks ago, and supposed drowning in the Murrumbidgee, of a mining character well-known on New Zealand, Victorian, and New Fouth Wales goldfields. I write of 'Tip' M'flrath. miner, chiropodist, student, practiser of herbalism, local preacher, a Hechabite lecturer on intemperance, and alas! poor fellow, a steady devotee of the bottle. He was a volunteer in New Zealand during the Maori war, saw a good deal of service, in which he was severely wounded, and was promoted to the post of sergeant-major for his gallantry,

At a Conservative meeting at Bury, the first Lord of the Admiralty absolutely denied that there was any difference of opinion between the British and French Governments in reference to the Egyptian question. Both nations condemned the policy of the Khedive, but England and France had resolved, notwithstanding, to act quietly and safely without precipitation,

News from Capetown to May 19th states that Cetewayo had made proposals for peace, but that the negotiations have failed in consequence of the refusal by the British authorities of any terms but an unconditional surrender. It is believed that Cetewayo and his whole army are at the lower Tugela,

Both our Auckland contemporaries, the Eerald and the Star deserve well of the present Government (says the N.Z. Tima) It is true'that, in abundant Government advertisements, the respective proprietors have already secured some of the fruits of discriminating patriotism, and it is true that a "lucky" accident has opened to the editorial vision the halls of an official Elysium where party virtue can he seen, even by the naked worldly eye, in actual enjoyment of its own well-earned rewards; it may therefore be that it is only a lively sense of future favours that finds its natural expression in the crowiur; and applause with which the remarkable success of the Ministers at the Kopua meeting has been greeted. The performers have been, metaphorically, called before the curtain by their enthusiastic editorial claqueurs, and literary bouquets, for which the Treasury may finally have to pay, have been showered in acknowledgment and recognition of the pantomimic deftness with which the Honorable Mr Sheehan made his exit by tumbling through the "practicable " stage dock, and the Honorable Sir George Grey by flying up the "practicable" stage chimney, before the dusky Majesty of Tawhiao, and in the presence of Winiata, Nukn PurukuUi, Te Kooti, and a brilliant Court, We have studied our late Northern files with a curious interest, and are somewhat, but not gr.atlv, surprised to find that our optimist contemporaries havo discovered that all is for thebest in the best of all party worlds; thai native affairs have been Ly recent events brought into a most satisfactory condition; and that the hightst_ honour is due to Sir Geoige drey for the patient forethought and diplomatic ability villi which he has extricated himself from the inconvenient and unauthorised engagements into which be so rashly entered with Tawhiao last year at Hikuiangi,

Miss Florence Nightingale is now sixty year olti, and lives in London almost a prisoner to lior room, so ill is slu. Once a year she takes her widowed mother to Derbyshire. She wrote lately in a letter to a friend : 'Overworked h$ I am, my health is necessarily bad. 'lliank Qod, who sli"* gives me work to do for Him.

The barque 'Weymouth/ from London to Awdiland, is now 133 r'ays out, and she should therefore put in an appearance early. The following exacts are taken from the census tabic? for IS7B. parts 1.. 11., and 111., as issued by the l'ccistrar General:—The European popu'ation i.f t'io Colony em 3rd March, 187S, was 226 574 males, and 183,105 females; total, 409.979, The Chinese population on the same date was 4121 males, and 9 fonriles, The total number of habitations in the Colony, exclusive of Maori dwellings, was 88,381. of which 5296 only were uninhabited, and 479 building, The number of persons to the ffiuarc-milo was 3'95, the number of persons to the inhabited dwelling, 5*02, the number of inhabited dwellings to the square-mile "787, tho area of New Zealand being estimated at 104 9"0 square miles. The number of females

to 100 males 79 40. The number in lb'64 was

but Gl's3, each successive census period showing an increase in those proportions—Bl, G5, 70 75, 79. The increase of population from 1807 to 1878 Ins been, numerically. 99,069 males and 96,675 female; total, 195,744. CeatcMinnlly. the ii crease for the same period has

been 75 09 in males and 11145 in females. In the entire colony there were, at the time the census was taken, 180 males aud 173 females of 80 years of age and upwards. The returns as to the education of the people show the proportion per cent, of the educated, partially educated, and the uneducated, to the total numbers living at ihe census periods. The figures for 1878 are these:—Read and writ*)—males, 72'11; read only, 5'91; cannot read, £I'9B. Females—read a»d write, G6.33; rtad only, 7'80; cannot read, 25 S7,

The Rev Mr Buller, now in London, was prosent at a meeting with Mr Witt, tho Swedish missionary, whose station was at Ro: Ire's Drift, and gives the following account of the same in the last number of the JVcto Zealand ]]»• kyan :—Mr Witt was accompanied by a Zulu youth, about 18 years, who is a cousin to the King Cetcwayo. This youth was a candidate for baptism, and therefore hh life was not safe if he came within reach of tho King. So ho came to Europe with his missionary. In answer to my enquiry, Mr Witt said he was a good specimen of his people, and the Zulus are considered to be the best type of the Kaffir tribes Then I can only say that, in physique, they arc immeasurably inferior to our Maoris, who would feel insulted by a comparison with them. Mr Saunders had invited about fifty persons to this conference, including many Members of Parliament. Mr Witt was put through a rather long catechising, and in this manner much information was elicited, He did not hesitate to condemn the war ss uncalled for, and thought that the dislike manifested by the natives to the English was owing to the contempt with which they were treated by the latter. He represented the prospects of his mission in no brijht colours. The King, he said, had been taught in a mission school, I and is well acquainted with the Bible But when he was enthroned it was on the express condition that he should not become a Christian. After be was enthroned he set his face against any of his people becoraiu* Christians, and they did so under pain of death, He said, 'as they would not have a Christian king, so now I will not have a Christian people/ Mr Witt is of opinion that Cetewayo can bring 80,000 warriors into the field. He says they are all well armed, finely disciplined, and desperate fighters."

We have been permitted to make the following extract from a letter received by a gentleman in Auckland, in reference to the stranding of the 'Mohaka':—l have seen and heard about the stranding of the s.s. 'Mohaka' on the Mohaka bar. After she wa3 stranded we took John North down and some screw-jacks to get her eff. He tried for a "week, and lost all his screw-jacks and tools, the sea being to heavy, Twice I saw her myself, and she was tben buried in the shingle level with the covering board, and the sea making a clean break over her, John North told mo that the sea got up so hiph that at last it washed her over the beach into the river on the other side.and turned herover,keel up. As soon as she got into the river she righted again, and afterwards, when she got in the river, she did not leak at all, and was as tight as a bottle. John North told me that if he had not seen it with his own eyes he would not believe that a diagonal built vessel would stand such knockine about, and had she been a timber framed boat she would not have stood three hours. The ownersjhave made up their minds not to insure her any more,— Auckland Star.

The police in New Plymouth seem to be regular terrors. At the Police Court on the 20th instant, several individuals w<re brought up and fined for leaving their vehicles in tho street. A publican, because dice was thrown in his house while was away from home, wa3 put in for £1 anil costs. Another publican was fined for permitting drinking in his hotel after 10 p.m. And still another poor pub. was hopped on and fined 8s because the wind was too strong, and blew his lamp out. A footpath rider put his hand in his pocket for 10s. A Sunday liquor seller paid 10s and £1 lis costs, Two gentlemen were brought up for driving through the town without lighted lamps, but in one caße the sun had only just set, and in the other a fine moonlight night was pleaded. The cases were of course dismissed, the Court remarking that the police had better learn to distinguish between daylight and dark in future. Things have changed within the last few years iu the town of New Plymouth, and one date not wink now without having to vi-it the Resident Magistrate the next day.—/to. Mail.

CORRESPONDENCE.