The Observer.

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 67, 24 December 1881, Page 226

The Observer.

Sattjkdat, December 24th, 1881

The Christmas and New Year's special number of the Obsehveh, published on Friday next, "will contain a grand double page cartoon, -with portraits of all the newly-returned members for the Province of Auckland ; also, the Obsebver Sporting, Social, and Theatrical Almanac, an eight-page sheet, containing a vast fund of information never before published, besides views of the harbour and all principal buildings of Auckland. Further attractions of this extraordinary number will be stories by G . K. Sims, Henry Labouchere, C. 0. Montrose, and others, as well as a special sporting article on the A.R.C. Summer Meeting, and a full account of all the principal Christmas festivities. The [Russian cruiser Africa "was one of the mail steamers sold by the cute Yankees to a Russian agent at the time the British fleet, under Admiral Hornby, threatened to enter the Dardanelles and seize the lines of G-allipoli. The Russians paid dearly for their whistle. The project was to. fit out a number of smart cruisers to prey on the Australasian commerce, and levy a, black mail on the seaport towns. To man the vessels' '6o officers and 800 seamen were sent out, together with the necessary armament and material, but some of the arms were bought in. America. The crew were armed with the old, Springfield rifle, which has long ago been discarded in favour of more effective weapons. The revolvers are of American manufacture. All the newspapers have made the blunder of stating that the Africa carries 16 guns. Her real armament is as follows : — Four 6-inch guns of the Krupp pattern, made in St. Petersburg, and throwing projectiles of about lOOlbs ; . five Krupp 24 pounders ; and four Krupp 12 pounders—thirteen guns in all. Besides these she carries four gatlings for repelling torpedo boats 1 , and two torpedo tubes. All her armament is on her upper deck. The torpedoes are a Russian adaptation of the Whitehead fish torpedo, 24 feet in length. The engines are compound, of American make, and are said to be able, at a pinch, to drive the vessel at the rate of 13 knots ; bub this is probably an exaggeration. The Africa is efficiently officered, and well-provided throiighout; but there are several British cruisers in these seas which -would either sink or knock her to pieces in ten minutes. The crew "come mainly from the Baltic and the White Sea. They are short, thick-set fellows' and do npt strike one accustomed to the smart dashing appearance of British tars as being a particularly intelligent or formidable lot. The Africa might be dangerous enough, against the largest merchantmen' and passenger steamers, if she could long elude- the Australian Squadron, which is not likely. • . — -*. A small town, not a hundred miles from Taranaki, boasts, of a banking institxition. The office

is presided over by a sporting genius, who, for reasons too personal, may be called Mr Gilpin. In the same town there carry on trade as merchants and agents the moderately respectable firm of Scrapeall and Fotchit, whose' business was done through the bank. .For some time Mr Gilpin, in connection with some friends, had been dealing in merchandise— a rather unusual proceeding for a banker— and Messrs Scrapeall and Fetchit took exception to it as interfering with their legitimate trade, and laid the matter before Mr Gilpin's superiors. Aninvestigation followed, and the man of metal was advised to discontinue the merchant business and relinquish his sporting proclivities. There the matter was supposed to have ended, but Mr Gilpin bided his time. Messrs Scrapeall and Fetchit, in the course of their business with a new Auckland connection, had occasion to draw a cheque for twenty-six pounds some odd shillings to balance an account. The cheque went the proper course until it readied the bank, when, to the surprise of all concerned, it was returned with the letters " Jf.S.F." legibly written on it. Scrapeall and Fetchit, upon interviewing Mr Gilpin, were told that there really were not sufficient funds by three shilling* to "meet the cheque, and advised the firm to be more careful in future — an advice they Avere not slow to act upon, by at once removing their account. In reply as to why the cheque had not been referred to them before being dishonoured, the firm were told that it was " business." Scrapeall and Fetchit lost a good connection through the matter, but they now go the oilier side of the way.

There is an old adage which advises a man not to holloa until ho is oiit of the -wood. When the telcgragh wires announced that Mr DeLautour had been defeated in the election contest by Mr MeKcnzie, a son-iu-liiw of Sir Dillon Bell, there was much jubilation amongst the Hallite party, and the Liberals were correspondingly crestfallen. Mr DeLautour is an exceedingly studious man, well read in Constitutional law and Parliamentary history, a fluent and forcible speaker, and one of Sir George Grey's most useful lieutenants. In an important debate he may be reckoned fully equal to any five ordinary men. It. now appears that the information telegraphed to Auckland by the Press Agency contrived somehow to mix the numbers up ; in fact, to put the cart before the horse. The Otucjo Daily Times states the result of the poll as follows : — Mr DeLautour 329, Mr McKenzie 301, thus giving the former a majority of 2S. The fact of Mr DeLautour's return has also been confirmed by telegraph. It is rumoured in well-informed circles that a certain influential monetary institution lias been urging the Premier to send a circular to all the newly-elected members of the House of Representatives with a view to testing their views on the question of a renewal of free immigration to New Zealand from the old country. .Should a majority of the circulars be returned pledging the members to support a vote for immigration, matters will be put in train in the Agent-Gene-ral's office. The scheme is perhaps intended to dovetail in with the Mammoth Land Speculation to which we referred a few issues ago, the prospectus of which was already printed. We saw a copy in the hands of that well-known individual, Mr " Oily Cooper," of Gisborne. The proposed capital was a million, and the project was to mop up a vast area of leasehold pastoral lands on the East Coast, and sell them on the deferred payment principle to intending emigrants in London and elsewhere. Among the names of provisional directors were Messrs James Williamson, P. Whitaker, Studholme, Rhodes, Sir William Mtzkerbcrt, the Clarks, and many other capitalists, members of the Legislature, and prominent speculators in all parts of New Zealand. — ♦ Mr Cooper, who is a man of somewhat sanguine temperament, appears to regard the proposed capital of £1,000,000 as merely an initiatory step, and the idea of converting the runs of the East Coast into speculative freeholds as only the preliminary to buying up the whole of the North Island, and turning its population into tenants of the Mammoth Company. The promoters of this extremely brilliant scheme do not altogether deserve the credit of originality. It has been going on for a long time in Ireland, and has made considerable progress in Scotland and some parts of England. The scheme certainly lins the merit of daring and thoroughness. It is doubtful, however, whether or not it will succeed. In the first place the earth-hunger is not entirely restricted to directors of big banks, lesseess of heavily-mortgaged runs, monopolists and speculators.. A very great number of the , common people, with a degree of obstinacy that j is altogether inexplicable to the above-mentioned I classes, manifest a singular longing to possess airi acre or two, so that even if the Land Monopolists \ find the requisite capital, they are scarcely likely J to induce all the existing freeholders to part with their interests. However, the prize is very tempting, and is worth the risk. « __ . It is also 'worth while to bear in mind that the- leases 6i many millions of acres of pastoral land fall in next year, and that the terms of their j

renewal or otherwise will be one of the most important subjects to bo dealt with b y the new Parliament. By some singular oversight this matter escaped the attention it deserved during the elections, and only cropped up incidentally. jSTow, from a perusal of the names of the provisional directors in the pi'ospectus which Mr Cooper showed to a few privileged individuals, we arc disposed to believe that a powerful organisation is being formed to exercise influences in and out of Parliament with a view to seeming the freehold of these runs on terms vastly advantageous to the runholders and their friends, but disastrous and dishonest to the whole people of the Colony. Some of the great monetary institutions and their offshoots and alter e</o have advanced enormous sums of money to the runholders, and might suffer heavy loss should any step be taken by a new Parliament, suddenly seized with a spirit of reform, to seriously change the tenure of the pastoral lands, and doubtless the Mammoth Land Company is intended to avert such a result. It remains to be seen whether or not Parliament and the people will tamely submit to hand over the greater portion of the waste lands of the Crown to a few favoured individuals, and to reproduce all the worst evils of older countries in this Colony. — «- •• Horr August Wilhehnj, the celebrated violinist, ivho is announced to give a series of performances in Auckland, is the son of a Doctor of Laws, who was at one time Attorney-General of Prussia, and is a native of Usingen, the former residence of the Prince of Jfnssau-Usingen. His mother was Charlotte Petry, a famous artiste. At seven, the now-famous violinist displayed" proofs of his genius, and thenceforth lib career was a succession of triumphs. He had the advantage of tuition under the most famous masters of Germany, and having been pronounced the second Paganini, at the age of 20 he began his tour of Europe. He visited Switzerland, Holland, Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, and finally returned to Prussia, where he was pronounced " The Great Maestro," and decorated with thirteen orders. In 1878 lie visited America, and in July of the present year came to Australia. The London Times pronounced him the " first violinist of the age,"*and other notices in the Continental journals are even more commendatory. The San Francisco Chronicle says, " Greatness is perhaps the quality which first impresses us in hi* playing, and it is a ' greatness ' all the more imposing because it is associated with the most perfect proportions in the art, intellect, the temper, the very person and demeanour of (lie man. When he stands before us, tall, shapely, nobly poised, with a magnificent head, afresh, open, handsome, winning face, a clear blue eye, a genial smile, a manner that is majestic from its very simplicity, we cannot help thinking of si beautiful and lovely giant." One woidd suppose from the " gush "of the above panegyric that it was written either by some enamoured woman, or by an enthusiastic and enraptured musical aesthetic. But let, that pass. The Sj/dnei/ Morn hi (/ Herald considers him " a giant in the musical art," and the Melbourne Arc/us " as the solitary chief, superior by common acknowledgment to all rivalry." Other Press notices are equally unqualified, and we have no doubt that there is such a musical treat in store for Auckland audiences as they have never before enjoyed in this city. Hen* Wilhelmj will be assisted by the eminent pianist and composer, Mr Max Vogrich, and the favourite mezzosoprano, Miss Marie Conron. Ilerr AVilhehnj's agent is Signor de Vivo, who arrived by the Kotomahana. The Signor will be remembered from his connection with one of the earliest opera companies in the colonies.

The imposture of fortune-telling -winch was so common in England until within the List few years, and even now is nofc quite driven out by the schoolmaster, is not unknown in Auckland. Some years ago there were one or two women who contrived to eke out a good living by imposing, 1 upon, credulous girls with flattering promises of future rich husbands and children in baskets-ful, after the style of the nursery talcs. The harpies were summarily dealt with by the police, and for sometime past nothing has been heard of professional fortune-telling in Auckland. Quite by accident we discovered the other day that there is a woman in Newton who does some business in that way, and whose occult skill is frequently invoked by young girls and even silly married women' in the neighbourhood. Her method is to tell fortunes by cards. In one case she succeeded in stirring up almost irremediable mischief in -a family by estranging a husband and wife. We are informed that she pretended to be | able to discern from the cards that the man was guilty of infidelity, and this so preyed upon the, weak mind of the wife that she has been a victim to morbid fits 'of jealousy, so that the household has been converted into a perfect bear-garden. Imposters of this class should know that by receiving money for fortune-telling they render themselves liable to severe punishment, and in cases such as the one. referred to above they may be proceeded against for slander.

There was something like retributive justice in the defeat of Mr E. Richardson for Ljttelton by Mr Allwright. It -will be remembered' that when the last Parliament was elected Sir George Grey was returned for two seats— the Thames and Clmstchuvch— defeating Mr Eichardson in the latter contest, It Avas understood that Sir G-eorge intended to resign the Thames seat in favour of his own supporters, but as the question of the legality of the dual election was raised he held both^ seats pending the settlement of the point by Parliament. Mr Richardson petitioned against Sir George Grey's election for Christchurch, and the matter Avas referred to a committee of seven, if Avo^ remember rightly. Up to about half -past one o'clock it Avas known in the lobbies that three of the committee held that Sir George Grey's election for both constituencies Avas perfectly in accordance Avith Parliamentary usage and precedent, and that ho had the option of resigning either of the seats, while three of the committee held the opposite view. The only member Avho had not quite made up his mind on the siibjeet Avas Mr Alhvright, the member for Lyttelton. While matters were in this state the committee adjourned for lunch, and in the interval the AvaA'erer Avas made all right by a promise from the Government of a special vote to the Lyttelton Harbour Board, of Avhicli Mr Alhvright Avas chairman. The committee met again, and by a majority of one decided that Sir George Grey's election for G'hristehurch ay.is illegal, declaring Mr Richardson, aa-]io stood next on the poll, the sitting member ; and that decision Avas supported by Mr Hall's majority in the House. Now comes the sequel to this' political trick, ■which has been condemned by the English and Australian Press, and shown to be contrary to Parliamentary usage by the election of Mr Gladstone for tAvo seats. Mr Richardson, at the late elections, oblivious to every feeling of gratitude, decided to stand for Lyttelton against his quondam friend, Mr Allrigh't, suffered defeat, and does not hoav grace the House of Representatives Avitli his presence. If this is not retributive justice, what is it ? — ■* _ Mr Si Coombes, of the Foresters' Arms Hotel in Albert-street, has called upon us Avith reference to the paragraph in last issue re Sunday trading at his hotel. He states that on the occasion of the fight in front of the hotel, which resulted in a police case, lie was more sinned against than sinning, as the culprit had not been inside the house or purchased a single glass of beer from him. Mr Coombes also asserts that Tie has frequently 40 or 50 boarders staying Avith him from Saturday to Monday, and naturally their passing in and out gives the place the appearance of doing a Sunday trade. He cannot, however, make these gentry stay in, or even prevent them from loafing about the premises if they have a mmd. On this point avc shall not venture an opinion, though it certainly seems to us that Mr Coombes is foolish not to study his own interests before other peoples'. However, Aye said our say on the subject last Avcek, and the only object avc had in recurring to it Avasto allow Mr Coombes to have his. A heartlessly cruel case of Avife desertion has been communicated to us by one of the relatives of the parties concerned. About eight weeks ago a young chemist named W., aged about 20, was married to a girl named Miss H., 18, the daughter of respectable parents. They had been married only about a month when it Avas observed that the husband Avas continuing hisAvalks Avith another young Avoman, a former flame of his. His wife visited the girl and taxed her Avith the impropriety of her conduct in keeping company Avitli a married man, when, to her astonishment, the girl produced a letter from Mr W. asserting that the reported marriage ceremony Avas a sham. The girl added that she had believed this statement, and in consequence had continued to receive his attentions. Of course a quarrel bctAvcen the husband and wife resulted. A few days later lie seized upon and removed a number of wedding presents which she had received from her mother, and presently he Avas himself noil est. The distracted Avifo made inquiries at his mother's house as to his whereabouts, and was told that lie had merely gone on a visit to the country for change of air, but subsequent inquiries led to the discovery that he had levanted by the Hero to Sydney. He has left the unfortunate wife without a shilling, and, to make matters Avorse, the property has been claimed by his mother. We believe that the police have been communicated Avith, and that there is every probability of the heartless scoundrel being ar-rested-on a charge of Avife desertion, and brought back to Auckland. ; ♦ Some of our readers may perhaps remember reading in the papers tAvo years ago about a fracas at Ohinemutu, in which an old woman named Robertson Avas forcibly expelled ; in fact, carried out by Maories from what AA'as then knoAvs an Isaac Wilson's hotel, but is now the stately and handsome Lake House. During our recent visit to Rotorua we heard full particulars of this case, and it is such a calamitous story and carries such an undoubted moral with it that .the relation in these columns cannot fail to prove of interest. Four years ago Mr.s Robertson was a widow, residing Avith her son and daughter at Tauranga and keeping two thriving boarding-houses, one for Europeans and the other for Maoris. At this time few persons in the district bore the reputation of being shrewder or thriftier. Her son, a man of about 30, kept a livery stable, and droA'e coaches between Tauranga and the Lakes ; her daughter looked after the comfort of visitors to the European lodging-house, and all three Avero supposed to have put by (as indeed they • had) a very tidy sum of money. Everything prospered Avith the family till the lease of Isaac Wilson's hotel, at Ohinemutu, Avas advertised for sale, when Mrs Robertson suddenly set her heart on buying it, and proceeded to the scene of action armed with a pocket full of money. At this period all sorts of sinister rumours were afloat Avith regard to the hotel lease. It was openly stated Wilson had already disposed of the lease to some person who had lent him money, and that Robert Graham had purchased it from the creditors for an old song. Young Robertson

heard the statements and warned his another not to pay clown a farthing for the place, but, -woman-like, she was obstinate, and on Wilson offering her immediate possession, she handed him OTcr more than £1200, and (as she thought) bought it. The poor woman's triumph was short-lived. Three days later, Eobcrt Graham's agent seized the property, and had her carried out. Shortly after the valuable furniture in the hotel was put up to auction and sold for an old song, and from that day to this Mrs Eobertson has been spending money like water, trying vainly (she says) to recover her rights. From what we can make out Robert Graham is not much to blame. He undoubtedly bought the original lease from creditors to whom Wilson had assigned it, and had a right to assume possession. We understand Wilson claims that the one he sold Mrs Robertson was granted to him as a cancellation of the one Graham holds, but this doesn't seem to be so or Mrs Eobertson would surely have obtained compensation of some land ere now. The. poor woman's state seems to us lamentable. Her hardearned money — the well- won reward of long years of toil, is pretty nearly all gone, for she has spent more than £3000 one way and another over the affair and there appears to be no prospect of even a penny coming back. Doubtless Graham would make terms with her if she would listen to reason but her present cry is " My £3000 or nothing." It is feared the trouble will affect her brain ere long, as she appears to be able to think or speak of nothing save this land bi\siness.

Reference has already been made in these columns to a money-lending dispute at Tauranga between a barrister and a doctor. Thanks to the courtesy of a friend in the district, we are now enabled to publish an account of the case from shorthand notes taken in Court. The story is so instructive of itself that comment becomes needless. The only remark it seems necessary to make is that the local journal, ■which is supposed to report all Court business impartially, deliberately suppressed the case. " Case heard at Resident Magistrate's Court, Tauranga, on Ist December, 1881, before Herbert W. Brabant, R.M., Henry Langstaff Forster, solicitor, versus Alfred Stevens, surgeon ; claim, £12 10s (promissory note), interest at 8 per cent, to date of payment, and 21s solicitor's fee. R. S. Forster deposed : Some months ago Dr. Stevens came to me and said, as I had advertised that I "would advance loans from £10 upwards, would I lend him some money? He tormented me for upwards of an hour. He said he was a professional man . and a brother, and as such begged me to lend him the money. I said I did not lend in this way, as I had only adopted this to introduce me to the public. I asked him what furniture or security he had, and he said he would soon shew me. He went away and brought back some surgical instruments, a silver watch, and a jewel. I told him I could not advance on these. He bogged hard for the money, so I asked him what interest he would give. I afterwards told him I would do it for £2 10s at three months. I gave him my cheque for £10, and he gave me the promissory note (produced) for £12 10s at three months. He told me he wanted the money to send a telegram to England. Cross-examined by defendant : I repeat that you bothered me for an hour for the money, and on your beseeching me as a professional man and abrother I lent it to you. I would have lent you the money on a promissory note withoxit any security. I have not a pawnbroker's license. Dr. Stevens deposed : I went to Mr Forster's office after reading in the Bay of Plenty Times an advertisement in reference to his lending moneys from £10 upwards. I asked him to lend me £10. I deny having bothered him for an hour. lam much surprised at him saying this, and other statements he has made. I told Mr Forster I had no property, and offered him my watch. He was not satisfied, so I went home and brought some other things — a box of surgical instruments and a bracelet belonging to my wife. I gave these to Mr Forster as security, and he then lent me £10.. He asked me for a promissory note, and, thinking that I was dealing with an honourable man, I gave it to him. When it became due I went*to him, and he threatened to sue me. I contend he refused to lend me the money except on the watch, instruments, and bracelet, which is a breach of the Pawnbrokers' Act, and he cannot recover. He charged me 100 per cent. If a low London money-lender charged 60 per cent., or even 40 per cent., he would rather creep into a hole than appear in a Court. Mr Forster (excitedly) : You have acted in a most ungentlemanly and improper manner. Did I not offer to return half the interest ? . Dr Steven3 : You said that if I paid the money back before the date of the promissory note you would return the interest pro rata at 100 per cent. You called the other day and asked me if I had received, the summons, which annoyed me very much ; and you then said yon would expose me and shew me up.

This closed the case for defendant. Mr Forster addressed the Court and said : I lent Dr Stevens the money on his promissory note, but I accepted a deposit of the articles he left, I did it solely on account of the abject craving way he asked lor it, and on account of his being hard up and beseeching me as a professional man and a brother. I charged him a heavy rate ot interest, as I did not know him. When I saw him last lie said I ought to be ashamed of it, so 1 brought this case to show I was not ashamed. No professional gentleman should be ashamed ot what he does. Mr Brabant, in giving judgment, said that if Dr. Stevens thought a breach ot the Pawnbrokers' Act had been committed he could lay an information, but he could not then consider it. There was no law to hinder a man charging as much interest as he liked, provided the rate was agreed upon at the time. Judgment would pass for £12 10s (amount claimed) and costs of Court. Dr Stevens asked if the Court would order Mr Forster to return the watch, bracelet, and surgical instruments, as he had judgment for the promissory note? Mr Forster said the Court could not order him to give them up, and he meant to issue a distress warrant and then hand these goods to the bailiff. He would promise to give Dr. Stevens a month to pay the money in ; and, moreover, would not claim the solicitor's costs (21s). Dr. Stevens then thanked Mr Forster ironically, and the next case was called."