NOTES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2763, 1 August 1883, Page 2

NOTES.

The Times of tho 13th June publishes some interesting nows about New Zealand, — interesting, we mean, to the colonists who had not previously heard tho intellkoncc. "Native affairs," wo learn, " are m a promising condition, all difficulties between the Government and the native chiefs having terminated. The natives, hotvover, are not satisfied with the Land Act, and Nihnui, a prominent chief, has given evidence beforo a Parliamentary Committee m regard to tho working of that measure." "Tawniko, the M:iori King," it is further stated, " is about to proceed to England m orderto have an ;;udi6tice of Queen Victoria." T.iwaiko, of course, is our old friend Tawhiao, but who the dickens is Nihnui ? What is tliis Parliamentary Committee, moreover, before whom Mr Nihnui has been giving evidence I This nowa wns published m London on the 13th June, and as it purported to have been received by telegraph ci'fJ San Francisco, it must have left New Zealand about three weeks earlier. But Parliament did not meet till the 14th June, on the day after tho paragraph appeared m the Timts. Tho announcement as to Nihnni's action was, therefore, to say the least, a little premature. Wo wonder whother Nihnui has turned up m Wellington yot, and, if so, what tho nature of his evidence was. Perhaps some Member will put a Question to the Government, " Whether it U truo, as stated m the Times, that a prominent native chief, named Nihnui, has given evidence before any Committee aa to tho working of the Land Act, and whether such Committee aat during tho recess." It would also be gratifying to know something authoritative about the alleged intontion of King Tawhiao, alias Tawaiko, to pay a visit to Queen Victoria. Is he going iv state or incog, or how ( And is ho to bo receivod as a sovereign monarch and entertained by Her Majesty, or handed over to the tea and nrnffins of the Aborigines Protection Society ? We sincerely hope he will go, beeauso he will be a good riddance from hero ; but if he does, we hope he will keep decently sober and not punish tho Prince of Wales' b and a too ferociously. Roally, these colonial items m tho Home papers are enough to make a cat laugh. Tho " Agony column " is an institution which has not yet got a footing m colonial journalism. They try it_ on a humble scale m Melbourne, but it is a poor affair. Thoro is no mystery m (the notices, which are too obviously mado up for tho express purpose of playing at romance. Thoy are mostly, wo fancy, mere jokes between barmaids and their admirers, or some Buch common -place folks. It needs a big city with plenty of real tragedy m it to produce a genuine Agony column. All the morning papers m London have a recognised placo allotted to advertisements by which persons correspond with each other by secret signs or by more or less suggestive or sensational announcements. Here is a queer specimen which wo clip from tho head of the first column of a recent number of the Mornimj Post : — THE BIDE, Hyda Park.— Day and night, m carriages and m cabs, at full speed, somo ladies havo for a long time followed a printer named Wiltshire about tho streets, and havo followed him to his lodging m Regont Square, and havo followed him to hia workplaco m Exoter stroot, Strand, hut tho ladios havo not been able to wait. Being latno and short-sighted, tho printer claims, as an invalid, privilege against oticmotte. Tho clergy say that m suoh a oaso privilege would be allowod against tho printed etiquetto for tho marriago service. If ono of tho ladios makes tho printer's acquaintance, and a satisfactory explanation is not given, the lady's father, mother, brothers, and hor other relatives, except her sisters, will be forbidden to mako tho printer's acquaintance until the expiration of 21 years. Now, can any of our readers tell us what that means? It looks at first sight liko,

tho ravings df a lunatic, but it may be taken for granted that it is nothing of tho sort. Possibly it is a trado puff m disguise, but if so, it ia uncommonly well disguised. At a venture, wo should say it isa communication which is only intelligible by tho aid of a key, agreed upon beforehand with tho person fur whom it ia intended. A particular arrangement of tho words or letters, or tho omission of sumo of them, might mako it quite clear m a moment. Tho L'-ndon detectives profess to bo ablo to make out every ono of these nnennny advertisements without tho slightest difficulty ; nnd there ia no doubt that long experionco nnd a thorough lcnmrltufce of human nnture maki-a them marvellously expert. The criminals nro well nwaro of that, fur it is said they never make, nso of tho newspapers for working out thoir plaiiß. We once saw a long list of Agony column advertisements, some <>f which wero quite ns baffling as tho one before us, unravelled by an_cjcdetective ; and tho re3iilt certainly astonished cur wenk mind not a little. The fellow seemed to see through each puzzle m nn in.itant, and was able unerringly to distinguish bond fide appeals to or from p<v>p!e m distress, lost sons, fallen daughters and ho forth, from mere hoaxes or pre-arranged communications. Some of the advertisements, we remember, turned out to liaveatobilly different meaning and purpose from what appeared on the face of thorn ; and m ono or two instances wo felt convinced our interpreter was mistaken. Wo wero assured, however, that it was not so, but that any ono with a good memory, who know tho methods usually adopted m Agony column correspondence, and had had thousands of examples of nil varieties tinder examination, could Kjircely ever be at fault. For all that, there barn been case*, which have como out. m the Courts, where oven the smartest detectives wero entirely misled. Wo need hirdly mention that the detectives and the " private enquiry offices" themselves contribute largely to tho Agony columns. Vital Statistics. — During the month of July 31 birth*, 11 deaths, and 9 marriages were registered m Xiniarti. Fkrns. — Weyesterd ivy inspect ed a collection of ferns — 20 boxes m all — which nre to by cold by Mes^r-i R. Turnbull and Son tomorrow. They are well worth bidding for, having been obtained by Mr C. C. Armstrong of Dunedin, from various parts of Otago, including the Alpino regions. They are pricked m such a way as to ensure their keeping for any reasonable length of timo. Tub WKATnnn. — Tho weather to tho north and south of Timaru has been very boisterous fur some days past, heavy rain having fallen both nt Christchurch and Dunedin. From t\ privnl<> letter received from Dunedin dated Monday, we learn that tho Caledonian Society's grounds there were under water, whilst a considerable portion of the low-lying land at Caversham was also swamped. IlAitßon Board's By-laws. — In our advertising columns this morning will be found the text of an amended By-law to be considered by the Harbor Board at a special meeting to hi* held on their next ordinary meeting day, tho 9th inst. Most of the provision' of tiie By-law relate to tho manner of conducting the Board's meetings, other* to appointment of Committee?, appointment of olficcr.t, etc., eto. Pleasant Point School Committee. — The ordinary monthly meeting of this Committee was held m the schoolroom on Monday evening, tho 30th ult. The members prosent were — Messrs Butler (Chairman), Jackson and Greig. Tho minutes of tho last meeting were read and confirmed. An application was rend from tho members of tho Loyal Orange Lodge, asking for tho use of one room to hold meetings m. It was resolved to grunt tho use of ono room to tho institution during the Committee's pleasure, on pnvment of 2* Cd per ordinary meeting. A letter was also read from the Jtevs. McLennan (Presbyterian) and Welsh (Episcopalian), applying for the use of tho schoolroom for ono week, viz., from tho 7th to the 12th inst., to hold united evangelistic services. The request wns granted, A letter was read from the Board of Education, advising thnt tho old class-room would be rclloored at once. It was suggested that tho work should be so arranged as to interfere as little as possible with school duties, and the Chairman was requested to write to theßoard accordingly. The Visitor's Report was adopted, and Mr Orton was appointed Visitor for the ensuing month. A few loads of shingle were ordered to ho procured and the urinal to be repaired. Several accounts wero held over on account of insufficient funds. A Legal Question. — In tho Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday a question was raised which, it is said, affects a practice common throughout tho colony, of solicitors taking affidavits relating to proceedings m Resident Magistrates' Courts. A ease was heard m which tho defendant resides beyond tho jurisdiction of tho Court, and m such a case tho plaintiff has to file an affidavit assorting that ho has good cauao of action, nnd that such cause of action arose, wholly or m some material point, within tho jurisdiction of tho Court m which tho ense is brought. This is required by section 3-4 of tho Residont Magistrates Act 18G7, and section 10 of the Amending Act of 1872 authorises tho Clork of tho Court to tako such affidavit. In the case m question the plaintiff made tho affidavit of jurisdiction before his own solicitor, and Air C. T. H. Perry, for defendant, raised the point that a solicitor has no more power than any ono else to administer tho necessary oath for tho purpose, or for any purpose m connection with proceedings m Resident Magistrates' Courts. Solicitors aro authorised by "the Rulcb of the Supreme and District Courts to take affidavits relating to matters before those Courts, except when acting for the partios making them, but Mr Perry contended that they have no such authority m regard to tho lower Court. Tho Magistrate took time to consider tho point heforo deciding tho case. Collieu Company. — The first annual genoral meeting of the Timaru Steam Collier Company (Limited), was held m tho Municipal Buildings last evening. Present — Messrs R. Stansell, J. Jackson, J. Shears, W. McGill, I. Peters, G. Gabites, W. R. Quinn, A. Hart, W. M. Sims and D. M. Ross (Secretary) . On the motion of Mr Jackson, Mr Stansell was moved to tho chair. After tho minutes of tho last ordinary meeting had been read and confirmed, the Directors' report was read as follows : — " Your Directors, m order to comply with the Articles of Assnciation, bog to submit tho following report nnd first annual balance sheet for the yoar ending the 9th day of July, 1883 :— Tho Company's agent, Mr Tapling, m company with tho constructor, Mr Watson, proceeded to England on the 3rd day of August, 1882, with a view of contracting for the steamer, but owing to tho unprecedented activity m tho ship-building trade, they were unable to place the order for delivery before tho end of August, 1883 ; and they report that if tho order had now to be placed it could only bo dono at an extra cost of £1000, and for delivery by tho end of 1881. Tho original capital of the Company has been fully iubscribed, and there is paid up m respect of such capital tho sum of £4438 ; but on account of the high price m the ship-building trade, your Directors submitted to shareholders a. proposal for increasing the capital to £14,000. This proposal was ndopted by tho unanimous voto of shareholders at a meeting held on the 16th day of January last, and was confirmed at one held on the 15th day of February. The total paid up m respect of both issues is £4963 10s. Tho preliminary expenses amount to £131 16s Id, of which sum £37 2s lOd has been written off to tho debit of profit and loss account. Profit and loss account shows a credit balanco of £82 17s lOd, which amount is carried forward to noxt year. In accordance with Articles of Association, three Directors, Nathaniel Tapling, John Jackson, and John Mciklc retire, but are eligible and offer themselves for ro-olection. It will be the duty of tho meeting to appoint two auditors. Mr Andrew Hart, tho present auditor, is a candidate for re-election. — J. S. Gibson, Chairman ; D. M. Boss, Secretary." The audited balance-sheot was read, of which tho principal figures aro given m. tho above report. The election of three Directors re-

suited m ilcsnvs N.Tapling, J. Jackaon and J. Meikle, the retiring Directors, being reeloctod, on the motion of Air Oabitcs, seconded by Mr Shears. Messrs A. Hart and W. B Quinn frero, on the motion of Mr Jackson, elected Auditors to tho Company. A letter fromMessr3 Tnpling and Watson, received by the lust English mnil, was then rend. It was m reply to one sent by the Company suggesting certain alterations m the internal fitting of tho s.s. Timnru. In the concluding port of their letter, Messrs Tnpling nnd Watson informed tho Company that tho Tessol would bo ready for launching about the ond of August. This being all the business, the meeting adjourned, a voto of thanks to the Chairman being passed previous to doing so. lZxai.isii CUblr Nutts. — The following special telegrams appear m a contemporary : — " London, July 29th. — News from the Cape states that Usibepu routoil Crtewayo after half an hour's engagement, but this disturbance implied no desire to create a difficulty with tho British.— Seventeen more dentils from cholera have occurred among tho British troops at Cairo.— The Pall Mall Gaztlle draws attention to, and contrasts the heavy balnnco of imports over exports m Queensland. — The Orient steamer John Elder has arrived at Plymouth with her cargo of frozen meat m excellent condition. — The French at Hanoi made a sortie, capturing seven cannon. — The Cliineao Government liavo explained that the massing of their troops on tho frontier is for the purpose of expelling the Anamite rebels. — A Hadical Deputy m tho French Chamber has nccused the French railway companies of the wholesale bribery of Deputies. Ho refused to give the names. Tho matter has created considerable sensation. — Tho Pope's health is improving." " July 30th. It is calculated that the number of killed by tho disastrous enrthquake experienced on the island of Tschia is 3000. Tho western portion of the island suffered tho greatest damage, and that side is said to be completely ruined. Ischia, the capital of the island, escaped injury. Many of tho chiefs of Roman society have been killed. — A man named Terry lias crossed from Dover to Calais on a floating tricycle. — Fifty-one deaths have occurred among tho British soldiers m Egypt from cholera. — Cherif Pasha has consented to execute the British sanitary j scheme." : SYNOPSIS OF NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. I K. Kennedy— Will hold a »ale of draper}-, horsecovers, wagon, etc., at Fairlio Creek this day. Harbor Board— Publish By-law lo be considered at a special meeting on 9th August. ' A. M. Clark— lnvites tenders for ploughing, sowlnj, ' &c ; also (or cutting and burning gorsc. Land Transfer Act — One notice. • In Bankruptcy— Re J. I>roudfoot ;W. 11. William*.