The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1883.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2811, 26 September 1883, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1883.

The new Ministry are simply tbe old Minish'y with Major Atkinson as Premier and without Mr Whitaker. Mr Oliver, who for some time past has been a Member of the Executive Council without portfolio, now re-enters the Cabinet m a minor position. Otherwise things are as they were. This is precisely what was expected. It is, m fact, the only thing that could be done. There were rumors from Wellington on Monday that Major Atkinson was going to take m some new men with a view to giving his Ministry more strength m the country ; but we felt sure there was nothing m them. He really had no choice but to reappoint all his former colleagues. He dared not go outside of them, however much he may have desired to do so. They are a very weak Ministry, and extraordinarily unpopular. Yet if Major Atkinson had ventured to take m a single new inau, he would assuredly have precipitated a crisis. Not only would he have earned the bitter hostility of the man he left out ; but he would have made a host of I enemies m his party. We arc assured that no fewer than seven Government supporters count confidenly on receiving I the first vacant portfolio ; and if any one of those seven had been taken into the new Ministiy, the other six would at once have gone into violent opposition. This catastrophe has been averted by the appointment of the supernumerary, Mr Oliver, to a Cabinet office ; to which he manifestly had a sort of claim which the others had not. Tet, though Major Atkinson has got nut of his troubles so far ; and has achieved the object of his individual ambition m the Premiership, we cannot believe that he is at all satisfied with the prospect of carrying on the Government with the present Ministry. In the first place he has all the disadvantages of the system of Provincial representation m the Cabinet, with none of its advantages. He has men like Mr Dick and Mr Oliver, who have not a shadow of a qualification for office except that they represent Otago ; wbilifc at tbe

same time Auckland ia wholly unrepresented, and Canterbury is only represented by Mr Rolleston, who bates Canterbury just now, if possible, more cordially than Canterbury bates him. The Ministry practically are a Welling-ton-Taranaki Ministry ; and for that very reason must necessarily be entirely out of sympathy with the rest of the colony. There is not a single man among tbem who can pretend to the position of a colonial statesman, except Mr Bryce ; and be \a so exclusively devoted to native affairs tbatbe may virtually be left out of the account. Of the others, Major Atkinson is really the only one wbo is even fairly well known by the public of the colony ; and Major Atkinson is very far from being favorably known. It is certainly on odd, unaccountable state of affairs, when the Ministry consist almost entirely of men of no particular consequence anywhere, and of no colonial standing whatever. It is hardly too much to say that out of the seven Ministers, not three would be able to get a bearing at a public meeting outside of "Wellington, or their own place of residence. The peoplo at large scarcely know them by name, and do not acknowledge them as public men at all. They might safely go all over the colony m tbe pleasing assurance tbat no one would know tbem from commercial travellers. What is still more remarkable, they have no greater personal influence m Parliament than they Lave m the country ; and we cannot help thinking tbat Major Atkinson will find tbat fact very inconvenient. If Lc supposes for a moment tbat tbe Legislative Council are going to be led by Mr Oliver, be is greatly mistaken. Mr Oliver 13 a highly respectable man, and bo is not wanting m shrewd business capacity. He Las, moreover, a far more cultivated intellect than nine Legislative Councillors out of ten can boast of. But be is not a politician at all j nor bas be any pretension to tbe qualities of a leader of men. Everybody knows tbat he was only put m the Legislative Council to save him from being defeated m the election for Dunedin m 1S81 ; and, what is worse, he has not by any means fnlfilled tbe expectations which his friends, — ourselves among the number — formed of him at tbat time. We had an idea tbat be would make his mark m tbe Council m a quiet, practical way; imd would take the place formerly occupied by Mr Waterhouse, who was a man of much tbe same calibre. But he bas not done so at all. He seems to have proved a complete failure, and we aro assured tbat he is at present by far tbe most unpopular man m the Council. He is totally wanting m tbat sauvity of manner, accompanied by real political superiority, which gave Sir John Hall, Sir Dillon Bell and Mr Whitaker, turn by turn, such a wonderful power over the Council. Men who have sat m that Chamber for ten, fifteen or twenty years, who know tbe public affairs of that long period like their A B C, and wbo hold a recognised position m colonial society, politics or commerce, not unnaturally look down on Mr Oliver, who is a public man of yesterday, and whose rapid elevation could not possibly have been achieved except under the stupid system of provincial representation m the Cabinet. We bear already tbat the Councillors are furious at the notion of being led by Mr Oliver; and that eoine of the moat powerful among them are determined to make tbe Government aware tbat they look on his appointment as an insult. Mr Oliver is, indeed, no more entitled to the position he occupies than any respectable business man m any town m New Zealand. Tbe Government will assuredly find it a very serious drawback to have lost their control over the Legislative Council. They will also, we believe, find themselves seriously weakened m tbe House of Representatives through Mr Wbitaker's retirement ; but we will defer our remarks on that point until another occasion. I

Drc.vkb.v.ykss.— The only occupant of the Police cells last evening was a uiun arrested on a charge of drunkenness. A'accin-atio.v. — A number of cajes m which parents arc charged with neglecting to havo their children vaccinated, are set down for hearing at the Resident Magistrate's Cmrt tliis morning. S.C. Hunt Clcb. — The annual general meeting of the South Canterbury Hunt Club will bo held at the Ship Hotel," on Tuesday next nt 5 p.m. Tho bnlance-shoct of the combined Hunt Steeplechase meeting will be read during tho evening. FISCATOKIAt. — As showing the scarcity of and proving tho valuo set on fresh fish m Timaru, we may mention that three hapuka wero yesterday sold at any average of 1 s 6d perlb, while several small moki realised from 3s to 5s each. Tho fish were caught close to Timaru. Rackcock3E Tnr/srEES. — A meeting of the Board of Trustees of tho Timaru racecourse reserve is called for 11.30 a.m. on Saturday next, at tho Ship Hotel. This is the ilrs't meeting of the new Board. We understand tho Timaru Tradesmen's Racing Club will take advantage of the meeting to make un application for tho use of tho course for Anniversary Day. RpAinijfG Damages, — Plasterers are making a pretty mess on the staircaso m tho Post-oflico Buildings, being ongaged m patching up a crack m tho ceiling over tho stair wcil. Another and more striking crack appeared ovor the doorway into tho telegraph operating room, and this is also being repaired. Tho nature of this damage would almost seem to indicate that tho building lias settled unequally upon its foundations. E.fonsn Cable News. — The following telegrams appeared m yesterday's Tress -. — " London, Soptcmber 21th. A public nicoting, attended by upwards of 60,000 persons, was held at Nowcnatlo on Saturday, at which resolutions were carried advocating the assimilation of the county and borough franchise. — At a meeting of Mr Paruell's supporters at Fullon, County of Carlow, spcoehos were uiado favoring an amendment being made m the Land Act. — A section of the Press is urging that steps should be taken towards tho repressing of tho National Land League." The Harbor Works. — Messrs Jones and Peters yesterday filled m tho gap cut m tho shelf on the south side of tho Breakwater, m one of tho former contracts. Two or three of tho foundation blocks on tho outside had subsided a little, and a spaco was consequently left between tho top of tho block structure and the undor aide of tho monolith. This wns the only weakness apparent m tho whole length of tho work, and it was so slight that it was not thought worth while to stop other work to attend to it, but a slack time having arrived this has been effectively repaired. Mr Philp, contractor for tho cross-wharf, commenced activo operations yesterday, and by night had the Bupporta of a staging for his pile-driver iiied. The breakage of the dredge has been successfully and cleverly repaired, and tho niachino was set to work again on Monday ; yesterday tho wharf was fully occupied by vessels, and tho Breakwater being üßcd as a roadway, the dredge could not be worked. In connection with tho dredging operations, it is worthy of mention that m obtaining shingle for block making and. other purposes during tho last

,vcek, Messrs Jones and Peters hare met with i stratum about two feet thick, which is mostly sand. Such material lias nover beon met with beforo m this gravel pit, and the supposition is that tho sand, it being similar m character, 13 somo of that thrown over tho Breakwater from tho dredge. The shoreward movement of this sand ought to case the minds of those who feared tho snnd would find its way round the Breakwater. Finn. — About a quarter to throe this morning a fire broke out m a detaehod lean-to shed, near tho produce stores of Mr David Stuart, m Strathallan street. By tho timo tho Brigado arrived it had got a good hold, but they soon made Bhort work of it. Tho shed was pretty well destroyed, however. There wus nothing mit but. some bits of rubbish, old sacks, etc., and the fire appeared to have started among these. Those who were first on tho ground after the alarm was given observed that tho door of the ulied was open, but whether it had beon left so tho night before wo cannot say. Nothing wns observed ut the time to account for tho fire. Throwing vp the Si'Onoe. — A caso upon which a good deal of timo has been spont by the Resident Magistrate was brought to a conclusion yesterday m a somewhat ignominious manner. This was tho caso m which Messrs Miles, Archer and Co., as agents for Mr K. 11. llhodos, sued a farmer named Davis for £91 odd. Tho plaintiffs caso was heard on the 4th inst., and then defendant's counsel questioned tho Court's jurisdiction. -After argument on the point, Ilia Worship adjourned tho ease to cnablo him to consider the question. Some (lavs afterwards he announced that he had come to tho conclusion that ho had jurisdiction and would proceed with tho case, and last Friday it was arranged that the case should be taken jesterday. The defendant, we understand, was m Court on Friday and heard the arrangement made. Yesterday tho case was called early m the day, and defendant not appearing, it was put lower down the list to give him a, chnnce. In the afternoon it was called on again, and defendant not answering to his name, tho suit which m its first stops was so hardly fought was brought lo a close by a simple "judgment by default." Tklequai'ii Communication with Faiblie Crekk. — A correspondent writes asking if we can inform him whether it is the intention of the Government lo extend the telegraph lino to Fairlie Creek when railway communication with that township is established. He points out that a very largo number of accidents have occurred on tho railway between Pleasant Point and Albury iv the past, and tlmt they are aho likely to occur on the extension to the Creek. Without telegraph communication, considerable delay may be expected to tako place m sending relief trains to tho as^istanco of those that may come to grief. We cannot, of course, answer our correspondent's question off-hand. Wo hope, however, that the Telegraph Department, or the Railway Department, whichever ha 3 tho duty imposed on it of erecting such lines as the one m question, will lose no timo iv carrying out tho work, for owing to the situation and configuration of tho country between Albury and iairlie Creek, breaks m communication by rail and road must be not unfrequently apprehended. A Strange Loss. — A contractor living nt Now Plymouth, named Boswell, recently became bankrupt, and m describing his losses to tho first meeting of his creditors he told of a curious loss of £300. Ho stated that he was m Wellington and had taken his passage to New Plymouth, and cent his luggage on board, but missed his passago by & few minutes. In his portmanteau, which he had sent on board the steamor, ho had £300 m notes, hidden m a pair of socks, and these ho had put m a pair of boot 3. Having missed tho steamer ho telegraphed to Picton and to Nelson, to the purser, instructing him to deliver the luggage to a Mr Newman nt New Plymouth, ami lie telegraphed to a Mr Bennett, at Now Plymouth to look out for it. When he got home, of course somo time after the (learner hud called, ho found the portmanteau had been delivered. On lifting it up he thought something was wrong, and he found it had been opened, and the money was all gone. He did not commuuicalo with the Polieo because he could not proTe anything, and he was " afraid if lie kicked up a row about it ho would bring nil his creditors on him with a rush," but he spoke to other persons about it. He produced somo of tho telegrams he had sent about his luggage, and the creditors appeared satislietl of the truth of his story. A Disukputadlb Cokstadlb. — An Auckland paper says : — Constable Dodd, who left Auckland by the etcamerZealandia "to enjoy the legacy which had fallen to him, and to pursue his studies to qualify himself as a doctor of medicine," was fortunate m not having notified his intention, or ho might have been interviewed by more sorrowing friends thanhc would care to meet. His washerwoman is bewailing a, very bad debt, hia tailor laments his inability to recover for that slnbornto suit of clothes, and oven his messmates wonder when numerous small loans may be refunded. Ono astuto jeweller, who " got a hint," interviewed Mr Dodd on board the steamer, and, although he was unable to obtain tho price of an elaborate set of gold studs, he obtained the studs themselves, and is tho only one amongst numerous creditors who had beon able to get restitution from tho wily Dodd. A* Erratic Tcsxei. — An American contemporary thus describes a pieco of tunnel work which bafllod the excavators from tho samo cause as that which gavo so much trouble m tho St. dot hard : — " Tho phenomenon of a tunnel so filling itself up us to resist all efforts to open it is reported from Virginia, Nevada. In Castle District, at a point about five miles north of that city, is a tunnel that may be called an ox-tunnel. It was run about four years ago into tho ei:!e of v steep hill, and was originally about 40ft m length. When m about 16ft., the tunnel cut into a soft, swelling clay, very difficult to manage. After timboring and striving against tho queer spongy material, until it hod been penetrated somo 25ft, tho miners gavo up the fight, as they found it a losing game. Being left to its own devices the tunnel proceeded to repair damages. It very plainly showed that it resented tho whole business, as its first move was to push out all tho timbers and dump them down the hill. It did not stop at that, but projected from tho mouth of the tunnel a pith or stopper of clay tho full sizo of tho excavation. This came out horizontally somo Bft, asjthough to look about and sco what had become of the miners, when it broke off and rolled down tho slope. In this way it has been going on until there arc hundreds of tons of clay at tho foot of the hill. At first it required only about a week for a plug to como out mid break off, then a month, and so on, till now tho masses are ejected but three or four times a year." Tub Dangers of tub Labor Trade. — By tho last mail, Messrs Couplaud and Co,, of Auckland, the owners of the brigantino Oumaru (says tho Herald) received from tho master, Captain Goodman, an account of his cruise to the Solomon Islands and Now Britain, which shows how much cure has to bo exercised. Tho Oamaru obtained aovonty-five men from the island of Malatta m tho Solomon Group, and on the 22nd May anchored m a lagoon a fow miles to the southward of Coleridge Bay. At six o'clock p.m. the vessel was discovered to bo on firo. All hands vero called, and it was promptly extinguished. It was found to have started m a coil of rope under tho floor of tho emigrants' deck. It was set on ilro by some of tho recruits, and as they began to show signs of being troublesome, sn armed watch was kept night and day. On tho 29th of Juno camo to an anchor m Coleridgo Bay. Here obtained forty-eight recruits m eight hours, all able-bodied men belonging to a village on tho mountain range dividing Coleridge Bay from Quiros Harbor, tho seeno of the Borealis and Janet Stuart massacres. At four p.m. a canoe came alongside, and commenced to pass a number of tomahawks and axes to tho recruits on board. They were mado to take them back, and the canoo was ordered off from the 6ido. Shortly ifter, two recruits from tho south end of tho island came off, and stated that tho new ro:ruits had asked them all to join them m an uttack on tho vessel, tho boats to bo attacked jn shore at tho same time. Recalled the boats on board, hoisted them up, turned the recruits all below, and set a double armed watch. At midnight one recruit cama on 3eck and sprang clean overboard, and struck for tho chore. The reet of tho now recruits

with a yell inado a rush for tho deck. They were forced back at tho cutlass point. A boat was lowered, nnd after a desperate fight brought the runaway on board. At 4 p.m noit day a light breeze sprang up. Left the bay for Isabol Island. Three of the recruits, who could , speak English, edited that they intended to . have served us as thoy did the Boreali?, but we liad got them instead On | July 18th, at 6 p.m , found the belaying pins , nil drawn out of tho racks round the decks, and stowed forward. A plan had been laid . witli tiie shore natives to coino off m canoes ' nnd insist m attacking the vessel next day, . whoa tho boats wero away and the crew aloft bending sails. Kept them below next day, with mi armed watch over them, while the , brmt.i wcro nvrny. Sailed next day for Suva. Arrived m Suva August 30th, all well, all hands having been armed day and night for - over siitv days, tho Coleridge Bay natives being sullen, brutal and obstinate m couduct he whole timo on board. Ri:vi'.NOH is Sweet.— The Baw/ces Say Herald tolls tlio following etoiT of a biter bit : — "A Mr Flynn, an old identity, and small storekeeper, sometime sineo had a'confounded nuisance of his m tho shape of n. straying mare "and fo.il impounded, by order of Mr \V. Rathbone. Mr Flynn paid the releasement money, and resolved to keep his eyes open. On iv recent Sunday two of Mr Bathbone's horaos were being driven to paddock when they skittishly broke away, and iw tho Fates would have it, ran into Mr Flynn'a paddock. This was n chanco the owner of the mare and foal did not neglect, and, although, the driver of the horses went on the land to get tho straying animals off, he was ordered to 'depar-r-rt' unless he would pay 5s por head poundnge fees. He ' depar r-r-ted,' and the hordes wero afterwards led to the pound by Mr Flynn. Tho above came out m evidence when the ease was heard, Mr Flynn naively admitting that lie would not have impounded the horses had they not belonged to the ' un-neighborhke neighbor who pounded my Polly.' He wns informed that his act of impounding was illegal, and that he must pay the 10s demanded for pound fees and paid under protest, together with 10s expenses and v lawyer's fee." A Stkasi Cathedral on the Amazon. — There have often been missionary ships and (loafing churches, but it has been 'reserved for tho Catholic Bishop of Para and Amazoims to propose to combine the two by building a large missionary church to ply with steam upon the Amazon. The following glowing account is given of the Bishop's suggestion: — The floating church will bo dedicated wholly and exclusively to missionary purposes. It wiil be built by tho most skilled artificers of Europe and superbly decorated and adorned. Tho rarest and most precious woods with which the Amazonian Tatley abounds, fine m grain, and varied m color, will wainscot the sacred interior. At one end will shine forth the altar, with its gilded reredos and glittering tabernacle, containing the Most Blessed Sacrament, and surrounded with the usual ornaments and tapers. This new floating cathedral — this " Basilicanaval " — will, of course, possess it j pulpit and confessional, its organ and baptismal font, and all the ornaraonts of church furniture requisite, not merely for the decent, but even for the solemn and splendid exercise of Catholic rites. In tho lower portion of tho ship a suitable room or cabin will bo prepared for the Ordinnry of the diocese, and a sufficient number for tho priests attached to the missionary ship, as woll as the usual accommodation for tho necessary sailors and naval officers. Tho whole structure will be dedicated, as soon as completed, to the Blcased Sacrament, and will be called Christopher (or Christ-bearer). I Propelled by steam and drawing but littlo water, it will curry tho zealous missionaries along the great natural highway to the most distant parts of the country — as far as Bolivia and Peru, Ecuadar, and Columbia, and Venezuela, and even to tho more distant European colonies of Ouayana. The dulcet sounds of the swelling organ, accompanying tho soft, sonorous chant of tho priests, Trill spread OTer the tranquil surface of the river, and give notice of the approach of Christ, ambulans super aquas. From timo to time the good fathers will stop at convenient place?, where the people will be collected to receive instruction and exhortation, whero the children will bo baptised, and where all who desire it will have an opportunity, now scarcely ever afforded, of going to confession and holy communion. Mass will be celebrated with much pomp and circumstance within the hallowed precincts of the anchored church, nnd all will be invited to attend. After a time regular stations will probably be formed from one extremity of the gigantic river to tho othec, which will bo visited at certain stated intervals.