The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1886.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3604, 19 April 1886, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, APRIL 19, 1886.

The promptitude with which Queensland annexed New Guinea nearly four years ago is commendable. Had no( this been done that vast insular territory would m all probability be now m the possession of a foreign power, and consequently lost to the British Empire Contrary to expectation the annexation did not at first meet with the approbation of the Imperial Government, anc a voluminous correspondence had tc take place between the Queensland Government and the Downing Streei officials ere the action of the Northerr Colony was ratified. The Secretary oi State for the Colonies, m a despatch tc the Governor of Queensland, alleged as \ an excuse for demurring m the matter that England was averse to the acquire' ment of further territory, and had nol additional pressure been brought upor the Home Government New Guinet would not now form a British depend' ency. New Guinea is, with the exceptior of Australia, the largest island oi the globe. Its Boil is exceedingly rich its timber is excellent, and its mineral! of varied descriptions inexhaustible Its shores abound with valuable pear shells, and its waters teem with' fish As far as explorations have been made there is every reason to expect thai New Guinea is destined to become i great country. Geologists who havi paid short visits to the island believe from the appearance of some of thi mountain ranges m the northern parti of the country that gold exists neai their base, and small specimens of th< precious metal have been already founc m some of the mountain streams Several large navigable rivers have beer discovered by explorers, and on th< banks of some of these there ' are largi tracts of level and fertile land. The island is everywhere clothed with the most luxuriant vegetation, cocoanut, betel sago, banana, bread fruit, orange, lemon &c. The natives, who are supposed to number upwards of three millions are well made, have regular featnres are intelligent and have black, eyes They are superior m stature to averagi Europeans, but have long and thin legi and the splay foot of the negr». Thi men build the houses, hollow the trunki of trees into canoes, whilst the womei cultivate the fields and make mats am pots. Like other savages, the triba natives aro frequently at war with eacl other, and great slaughter is the resul on many occasions. "With the exceptioi of the Maoris the New Guineaites an the most intelligent and bravest m thi Southern Hemisphere, and those o them who have been civilised anc christianised through the labors of thi agents of the London Missionary Society lead peaceful, useful, and m dustriona lives. Of late years a con siderable trade has been carried oi with New Guinea by Dutch, English and Australian vessels. Since thi island was ceded to Great Britah the trade has materially increased arid is still increasing. A Queens land steamer occasionally visits somi of the ports of New Guinea, wber< Europeans reside and trade with th< natives. There is also postal com munication between the island anc Queensland, and when the Europear settlers increase a telegraph cable wil probably be laid between Normantoi and Thursday Island, where residei the Government Resident and othei Government officials. The distauct between New Guinea and the neares point of Queensland is not more thai 150 miles. The European stores oi the island receive their supplies fron Queensland, and the price of ever] description of goods is said to be high When the population increases, compe tition m business will set m, and Nev Guinea storekeepers will be obliged t( lower their charges. For commerce th< island is well adapted, lying as it does on the highway to India and China and not far from the course of vesseli passing through Torres Straits. A former Premier of Queensland suggested some years ago that trade tc and from the island should be en conraged, and Captain Moresby, m hif report of the surveys made by him oi its coast, by order of the Admiralty made a similar ' suggestion. It is therefore, likely that m process of tim< New Guinea will play a conspicuoui part m commercial affairs. Under i modification of the land laws of Queens land, tracts of land for pastoral anc agricultural purposes have been selectee m New Guinea, and the occupatioi thereof by Australian settlers will sooi follow. Almost any quantity of land ij available, m various parts of the island and speculators have already made selec tions near where the bulk of th< civilised natives reside. The recent ap pointment of Mr John Douglas as Go vernment Resident at New Guinea if hailed with universal satisfaction. H< was for several years Premier of Queens land, and his administration was £ judicious one m every respect. As i progressionist, few can excel him, anc his ability, judgment, and knowledge oi colonial affairs can scarcely be surpassed He has lately furnished a valuable reporl on New Guinea to the Government oi Queensland. In this document he recommends that the island should remain as a part of Queensland unti the former becomes populous enougl for a separate Government, and thai steps should be taken to colonise th< newly-acquired territory without delay He recommends further explorations; geological and land surveys, m certain parts of the island, naming the locali' ties. The Secretary of State for the Colonies has been recently considering a scheme of emigration from the Mother country to the colonies, and has addressed ft circular despatch to the respective Governors of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on the subject. . The thousands of people m the ' United Kingdom that are m the poorest circumstances, must emigrate, and as the Government,' according tc the Secretary of State's proposed scheme, will send them out free, large accessions of them to the Australasian colonies may be expected. New Guinea could absorb half a million of them, were it not from a dread of the heat of the climate and natives. There they could possess abundance of free land, which would yield profusely. The missionaries — Rev. Messrs Macfarlane, Chalmers, [and Lewes — have well withstood the

New Guinea climate for many yearß, , and do not speak of it as unbearable, as some suppose it to be. These ex- ! cellent and energetic men have accomplished noble work m the island. To their ardent labours is attributable ' all the Christianisation and civilisation effected amongst the natives, and . Queensland and other Australian < Colonies have gratefully acknowledged ; their good work. One of the missionr aries has been appointed to aid the s Government Resident m the adminil stration of affairs m New Guinea, and his services m that direction will, no t doubt, prove invaluable. The Rev. Mr . Macfarlane is at present m New I Zealand lecturing on New Guinea, and > the information he imparts is fully I reliable. He is unfavourable to the t immediate settlement of the island on a i large scale by Europeans, on the ground E that further explorations are necessary > with the view of ascertaining where , settlements could be best formed, and where the uncivilised natives would be . less troublesome. The explorations t should, he Bays, be vigorously and ext peditiously proceeded with, and when v completed every effort should be made . to people the island by Europeans. He i is convinced that a profitable trade with t the natives might be carried on m cedar, sago, and bech de mer. A syndij cate has been lately formed m England for the acquirement of land m New 1 Guinea, .and we shall soon.hear what the result of" their negotiations with the Queensland Government may be. t Evidently a great future awaits New t Guinea, as it awaited many other de- • pendencies of the British Empire m 1# their earliest stages. 3 i - 3 The Otago Daily Times has, very r properly, raised its voice against what 3 may, m our opinion, be deemed a 1 counterpart of a secondary South Sea . Bubble, which needs exposure. In l modern times, schemes lacking sure : foundation and stability have been i devised, and the public have often been i deluded thereby. It is therefore the t bounden duty of journalists to sound a , warning note m regard to such im- , postures. In America gigantic frauds 1 have beed perpetrated upon the public , from time to time, as well as on the i, Continent of Europe, and onr own i. nation cannot plead innocence m this s respect. New Zealand has of late years s attracted the attention of the United c Kingdom as a field for speculation, a and capitalists have not been slow m i making investments m the colony. 1 Some of these have succeeded and 1 yielded handsomeJdividendß, but others i have proved failures. This is ordinarily t the case m all speculations, but at the i present time when competition m all o departments of life is excessively keen, 0 it behoves those who possess wealth, nnd f who are desirous of laying out their 1 money to the best advantage to exercise c care as to how they do this. Safety y is what everyone looks to m all - financial concerns, and whatever is • likely to be attended with loss is i generally avoided. There are, how- , ever, instances m which men, easily b swayed by plausibilities, have plunged i themselves into schemes that have well 1 nigh ruined them, but notwithstanding, • there are always to be found ihcon--3 siderate and credulous persons, upon 3 whom deception is not difficult to 3 practice. Monetary wits and ad- - venturers play upon these, and disas--1 trous results to the simple-minded i frequently follow. It is an old Baying 1 that " experience teaches fools," but i the world of folly is bo extensive, and 9 of so varied a character that this lesson r is but still imperfectly learned. Even j after incurring serious losses," people of t sanguine business expectations somei times repeat their blunders, and thus i make shipwreck of their means. i Hundreds of instances of this inj cautiousness m commercial affairs . might be adduced were it necessary. - The Bankruptcy Courts testify to the 7 facts that over speculation, and'com- ) panics formed on problematical bases, ; should be shunned. The City of , Glasgow Bank was at one time con- , sidered to be upon an unquestionably 3 substantial footing, , and shareholders L and depositors never dreamt of its . affairs being m the rotten state m > which they were, till the bank - suddenly and unexpectedly stopped 3 payment with ruinous results. A l company disignated " The Otago "Wool- , growers Company (limited)," is about , to be formed m England, and the pros--3 pectus thereof appears m the Dunedin 9 papers. The nominal capital is set i down at £100,000 m 25,000 shares of - £4 each, of which £1 per share is to be 1 paid on application and £2 on allot--1 nient. The names of the directors are l given, and Mr IJaunceloL D. Nicol, one i of the vendors, has consented to continue i the management of the company m New , Zealand. The Company propose to - graze, under pastoral license from the j Crown, upon 243,810 acres with 3000 - acres of freehold. The runs are situated - m the districts of Wanaka and Waka--3 tipu, Otago. The vendors are, according 3 to the prospectus, Messrs Hogg, - Hewison, Nicol and Co., Dunedin, who i are prepared jp accept the Bum of i £65,000 for these extensive runs, in--1 eluding stock, of which amount £50,000 E is to be paid m cash, and the balance . m paid up shares. Only a few copies b of the prospectus have reached New E Zealand, but ithas been freely circulated ; m England, where the operations of the 1 company, as regards the obtaining of 1 shares, are to bo carried on. On cxi amination of the ' prospectus, it is t easily discovered that it involves » Bhady transactions, and that daylight . honesty is kept m the back ground. , It indeed bears close analogy to some i of the wild schemes of England, and is - evidently intended to entrap those who } have surplus money at their disposal. » " The profitable and progressive " nature > of the business to be secured by the I Company is elaborately tabulated m the i prospectus, but no hint is given of the ■ disastrous backwardness which has i hitherto attended the Company's affairs l m Otago, The English public is led to s believe that the runs m question carry , 25,000 sheep, and a large number of > horaes and cattle, whereas from returns [ from the present occupiers of the i country m "Wanaka and "Wakatipu, i there are only 5000 sheep grazing on it rat present. The prospectus states, i though somewhat vaguely, that artificial L grasses, grain, root crops, and fruit I grow on the runs, which are spoken of i as " extensive and fertile lands," but I the truth is that the greater part of the - land is unfit, for crops of any kind, as , well as for woolgrowing. A profit of » 18 per cent, is expected by the Company, j

who are to acquire an' additional tract of land of 30,000 acres, which would bring up the total area of the runs to 273,810 acres. The country ia 6000 feefc above the level of the sea, and what is worse, it is so overrun with rabbits that it wpuld exhaust the nominal capital of the Company to clear them off. The runs are also infested with keaß and wild dogs, and thousands of sheep have been destroyed by these. The prospectus teems with misrepresentations, and the audacity of itsframers cannot be too strongly denounced. The commercial credit and good name of New Zealand being, to some extent, involved m this outrageous scheme, it is but right that credulous English investors should be made aware of the attempt that is now being made to obtain money from them for a most questionable concern. The fraud should be exposed m England, so that English capitalists might not be deceived m colonial securities. Th» annual meeting of ratepayers of the Mount Peel Road" district is to be held on Saturday, the Ist May. The Geraldine Rifles went into camp on Saturday evening for three days. The site chosen for the camp ia on the fiat at the back of Mr Glass' shop. A good muster paraded. In another column, under the heading of " sporting," will be found very interesting matter, which should prove moßt acceptable to lovers of horseracing, cycling, and boating. The Timaru Naval Artillery will parade this evening at Messrs Gracie and Co.'s yards, m full dress uniform, for the chief purpose of having the uniforms inspected. We remind sporting men that the nominations for the all aged and puppy stakes for the S.O. Coursing Club's first meeting of the season, close this evening at Mr D. M. Bosb 1 office, at .8 p.m. Messrs Palliser and Jones' employees filled m another monolith on Saturday afternoon, tho work being completed about 4 o'clock. Tho sea was exceptionally calm, and the weather bright and fine, so that operations were carried out under the happiest auspices. It is proposed to get up a concert m aid of the Waimate County Hunt Club's funds, which will be held either at St. Andrews or Waimate. Mr Boyle, of Otaio, has the matter m train, and his name is ft guarantee of the excellence of the entertainment and of ita ultimate success. Tho dredge Progress came to the wharf on Saturday m order to have the broken spur wheel taken off and placed m a truck on th« wharf. The Priestman dredge was employed to do the lifting. After the necessary unscrewing, etc., the wheel was safely landed on the wharf. An advertisement m another column calls attention to the prompt manner m which the Australian Mercantile Union Insurance Company has settled at least one of the claims upon them resulting from the late disastrous fire at; Waimate. This company was the first to settle up, forwarding their cheque immediately upon the proofs being sent m. A serious fire occurred on Mr A. Copland's property at Otaio about a mile and a half from his private house. The fire was discovered m a shed wherein were stacked about 500 bushels of wheat, which had just been threshed. Tho origin of the fire is unknown. There is no insurance on the grain and about £20 on the shed, so Mr Copland will be a heavy loser. A lecture will be delivered m the Pleasant Point inßtituto to-morrow, for the benefit sf tho institute, by the Rev. George Barolay. He will take for his subject, " Progress m Politics : Evolution m Matters Constitutional, Parliamentary, Representative, and Electoral." As the price of admission is reasonable, we hope to hear of a good audience. We have been informedthat some larrikins are doing mischief m a gentleman's garden, situated near the Football Club's grounds. Wo hope the practice will bo put at end to at once, as the club will, no doubt, lose tho use of the ground if this is not done. It would be as well for the police to be on the watch and make un example of anyone they catch, which will no doubt bo a warning to the others. At the close of his sermon last evening the Roy. W. Gillies, of the Presbyterian church, shortly referred to the sad catastrophe that had befallen the passengers and crow of the s.s. Taiaroa, at about the hour his congregation were engaged m devotional exercises lost Sabbath week. Mr Gillies most feelingly spoke of bereaved relatives and friends, and of the poignant loss they had sustained by the much lamented Bhipwreck. We understand that Mr Alpheus Hayes, of Waimato, who has recently repurchased the briganlino Lady Mabel from Messrs Macpherson, Filmor and Co., has entered into a contract to convey some two thousand tons of stone from Oamaru to Apia, the capital of Samoa. The stone is to be used for the construction of a Roman Catholic cathedral at Apia. The Lady Mabel, it will be remembered, was formerly owned by Mr Hayes, and was built to his order m Nova Scotia m 1883. She is a fine boat, well found, seaworthy, and a very fast sailer. In addition to conveying the stone to Apia, she will be used by Mr Hayes m tho produce trade, Bailing from Oamaru. Preparations for the encampment of the Temuka Rifle Volunteers, m tho Temuka park, were made on Saturday. Six bell tents were erected on the eastern Bide of the pavilion, and on Saturday afternoon members of the corps were engaged getting things m trim. In the evening mombers marched to tho camp, from twenty-five to thirty men going under canvas. A church parade was held yesterday morning, the corps marching to St. Saviour's Church, where servioes were oonducted by the corps' chaplain, the Rev. Mr Hamilton. We understand the catering has been entrusted to the able hands of Mr H. Lee, of the Crown Hotel. The requisition which we stated on Saturday was being taken round Temuka the previous day for signature was duly presented to Mr K. F. Gray, Chairman of the Temuka Town Board, who has been pleased to proclaim Saturday next a public holiday m Tomuka. This is as it should be, for it will allow all the mombers of the Temuka Rifles who intend .going to the Easter encampment at Oamaru to get away from the Thursday night to the Monday night. Most of them are tradespeople, and without a holiday had been proclaimed they would not very well have been able to have left business on that day. Wbat is more, as Saturday is understood to be tho " big day " at Oamaru, their ! friends who otherwise would not have been able to get away will now be able to run down to Oamaru by the excursion train and spend a pleasant day. We understand nearly every volunteor will avail himself of tho holiday, I and go down with hia corps. ,

The next ordinary meeting of the Levels Eoad Board is to be held on Monday, the 3rd May, at eleven o'clock. At noon on the Bame day the annual meeting will bo held. Meaßrs Clinch, and Lloyd, contractors, of Temuka, the successful tenderers for the Geraldine drill-shed, made a start with, their work on Friday afternoon, and expect to get it out of their hands m about six week's timo. As we have already given a description of the proposed building, it is quite unnecessary for us now to go into details, except to mention that the building will be 100 ft long by 40ft wide, with. 14ft studs. The present contract is only for the erection of the shell, it having been decided to put m the -floor, and fix up the inside fittings at some future time. When . it is finished the drill-shed will add con-/ aiderably to the architectural appearance of the township, and will come m very handy for concerts and other amusements, .. .. .. One or two slight inaccuracies occurred m, our report of the. meeting of the Geraldine Eoad Board published m Thursday's issue. In it it was stated that Mr Deßeniy had" 5- " called the attention of the board to ,a mii-! ', take as to the road diversion- at-Kakahu.'* What he said was that Mr Budd and others had stated he (Mr^DeKehzy) hod asked for • the Boundary Road at Winchester to be thrown open for traffic after having promised" that he would not. He denied having asked for it to be thrown open, -which, denial tie , board thoroughly bore out. Mr Flatman, waß also stated to have said that tho fullesi ■■ penalty of the law should be inflicted on those who had cropped roads miming through private property. It should have read that he "thought persons cropping thoso roads' should bo compelled to fence them m.": We; , also stated that the Geraldine County Council agreed to the tarring of the Orari Bridge; it should have been the Geraldine Bridge; - The ball held m the Oddfellows' Hall, Geraldine, on Friday evening, under the ■■ auspices of the Geraldine Eifle Volunteer^ passed off with great eclat. There was ah ,- very large assemblage, tho room being' qulti« ■•* filled. The new scarlet uniforms of "the officers and men were shown off to great ad- ;' vantage by the pretty dresses of; the l&dies, the -whole presenting a very brilliant and animated- scene. The hall, had,been most' tastefully decorated for the occasion. Numerous wreaths were plaoed on the wall*, ■''. and were surrounded with bayonets, rifles, fernery, and evergreens,.'and had : a very pleasing trad beautifying effect. Private Ferguson performed the duties of M.O. most efficiently, and the music was provided by the Messrs Savage, of Aehburton, with cornet and ■ piano, and Miss Savage with the violin. Mr D. McHraith, of the Bu»h Hotel, had the catering, and did it m right royal style. Dancing was kept up with great spirit till well into the small hours of Saturday ii morning, when the assemblage broke up, and. everyone wended their way homewards,' after, having spent .a most enjoyable night. .'.:, .-.:■ A most successful entertainment m aid of ' the Seaview Sunday school was held m the schoolroom on Thursday night last. The entertainment consisted of two parts and was given by the Timaru Wesley an Choir. The first part, whioh was sacred, consisted of anthems, and selections' from Esther? Tha gloria, from' Mozart's il2th .t Mass,: by the;:< choir, and solos from Messrs, Warrington and. . Gilchrist, and Mesdames Holdgate and Ellis, were given m such.a manner as to drawfrom the audience rounds, of applause... A .short ,-• interval for refreshments then followed, after which the second part (secular) was,commenced by a piano, solo, by Mr Robert Hold- ■•- gate. This was followed by songs from Mr Warrington, Miss Musker, Mr Gilohrist, Miss Warrington, duet by Messrs Ellis and .. Warrington, songs by Miss Musker and Mr Warrington, all of which were executed with, great precision and effect, and tho performers were greatly applauded. At the conclusion , MrW. H. Wake, m a neat speech proposed a very hearty vote of thanks to the choir for ' ' their trouble incoming out to give the con- ■. ■ cert. This was seconded by Mr Cookson and ' carried with great acclamation. Mr Bard, tho choir's very able conductor, responded, and the entertainment closed by all singing the National Anthem. An adjourned ordinary meeting of the Levels Road Board was held at their offioesj Main Road, on Saturday morning. ' Members present —Mr W. Moody (chairman), and Messrs 0. N. Orbell and W. M. Sims. The. meeting was held for the purpose of considering matters relating to the West Town Belt. A memo, was received from the Timaru Borough Council setting forth details of payment of maintenance of the town belt since January, 1883, which showed —Payments to General Government for labour m improvements by the hard labour gang, £86 16s ; to. cost of culvert, £56 6s 6d j cost of pipes, £1 j lighting during improvements, 4s j labour m repair and improvements, £50 10s 2d ; total, £144 15s Bd. 3ho council called on the board to pay half cost (£72 7s lOd) of this account. After a slight discussion the board decided not to recognise the claim m its present form. After looking at'plans of tbo belt, members decided that it would be better for them to meet councillors on the belt, and discuss on the spot what work was really needed, and fix on the best plan for carrying it out. Monday the 3rd May was fixed on as the day, and 3 p.m. as the hour of meeting, when, to quote the words of the chairman, the board and council "will have it out." The board then adjourned. The football match on Saturday, between teams chosen by the Secretary and Treasurer; of the club, proved very interesting, and was' won by the latter's team by one goal and twelve points to the former's four points. The game was commenced at three o'clock. The goal for the Treasurer was secured by Macintosh, the touch-down being scored by Fish. Macintosh, Fussel, W. Wood, and G. Wood got other tries for the Treasurer, but no goals eventuated. For the Secretary, W. LeCren and Wake got each a try, but S. McLean, who was entrusted with the kick, failed to score. The game through- | out was a very fast one, the forwards playing up well. The excellent passing was quite a» feature of the game, and we hope to see it yet more freely indulged m. G. Wood, Fish, Laurenson, Gabites, Vallange, Macintosh, Hughes, Watkins and Stubbs played well for their respective sides. —The members of tho Temuka Football Club opened their season on Saturday afternoon by a scratch match. The game was played m the Temuka park, Sideß were picked on the, ground by the captain and vice-captain* (Messrs Volvin and Homes), and alive an. exciting game, the match resulted, m. a win for the vice-captain's side by two goals ano>two trys to one goal. Some excellent play was exhibited on both sides, and the member*, show every promise of giving a good account of themselves m foreign matches during the.-, coming season.

Thus the New Zealand Times of the 14th inst. : — The operation of " proving " a document m the course of a lawsuit is a difficult but apparently necessary one, and probably many will remember the long and tedious argument* which took place m connection with "proving " documents during the Waring Taylor prosecutions. Yesterday the question of "proving " a telegram came up during the hearing of a. case m the Supreme Court. The contents of the telegram had been depoßod to, and were known; but the counsel for the one Bide remarked to the learned gentleman, on the other side that the telegram would have to be " proved" buforo its contents could be deposed to by the witness then m the box. Thereupon the other lawyer pointed out that the telegram could only be proved by getting the original from Auckland. His Honor smiled, and .presently the whole difficulty was surmounted by the witness saying that he had " communicated " with, the other party to tho case. Highway Bobbery Almost, to sell the poisonous, drunken, purging' stuff as medicine to honest men, innocent women, and harmless children to weaken and destroy their systems and health, when pure harmless Hop Bitters can be had that cures always and continually at a trifliDg cost. Ask druggists or physicians. Bead [Adtt.] " You Don't Know Their Value."—" They oure'd me of biliousness and kidney complaint, as reoommeilded. I had a half bottle left, which I used for my two little girls,' who the doctors and neighbours said could not bo cured. I am confident I should have lost botn of them one night' if I had not had the American Co.'s Hop Bitters m my house to use. That is why I say you do not know half the value of American Hop Bitters, and do ,not recommend them highly enough." See' [Advt.] SYNOPSIS OP NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. Jas. A. Graoie— Sell sheep at the Waahdyko Yards on the 22nd mat. William Davidson — Has removed to Jonas and Bourn's buildings. . Jas. Finlay, Makikihi — Tenders wanted. Pleasant Point Institute — Leoturo to-mor-row. W. Bioketts, watchmaker — Will be m town shortly with spectacle* for sale. \ • Timara Naval Artillery — Parade at Messrs Graoie and Co.'b Yards at 7.30 p.m. tonight. !. H. Potter — Acknowledgement. ■ ■ Geraldine Boad Board— Election notice., Wanted— A' gentleman boarder, apply at this office. ■■.■■■■.