Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 698, 18 August 1870, Page 2

Local and General.

♦ Winter Readings.— The next of this series will take place in the Colonists' Hall on Friday (to-morrow) evening, when an excellent programme will be presented. Nkw Zealand Flax. — The Press of this morning contains the following information in a telegram from Wellington : — Mr Fox has given notice of a motion for the appointment of a Commission in England to test New Zealand flax. He proposes that an exhibition should be held daring the next session, and that £500 should be given in prizes to New Zealand competitors only. In 1871 an exhibition is proposed, at which £2000 in prizes should be given, open to all. The Commission is to be appointed here to draw up rules for the guidance of the exhibition. Northern Railwat. — Tbe centre line has been laid out from Addington station as far as Fapanui, and tbe levels will be taken this morning preparatory to calling for contracts. Sosnyside Lunatic Asylum.— We have received a copy of the third annual report on the above institution — by the Inspector, Mr J. W. Hamilton, and the Steward, Mr E. Seager. Manuka. — By private advices we learn that, at the latest date from Melbourne, Manuka was in fine condition. He is doing lots of hard, strong work, and his legs are perfectly fine. Theatre Royal. — Tuesday's bill was repeated last night to a good average house. To-night the two first pieces will be again submitted, the burlesque " Mary Turner " concluding tbe performance. Mail News. — With reference to the warlike character of the Paris telegrams in our San Francisco summary, it may be as well to note that, via Suez, we had later advices to the effect that peace was considered secured. Pedeßtbianism. — We learn that the challenge of Young Austin, the champion of Australia, to run any person in New Zealand one mile, giving 100 yards start, is taken up by Wm. Penticost of Rangiora, the race to come off in three weeks. It will be remembered that Mr Penticost took most of the prizes for running in the Northern districts at the sports held in the early part of the year. Scientific— The ".Anglo-Australian " in the European News says :— ln regard to scientific topics, an interesting communication was read at the Zoological Society on May 26, from Professor Owen, containing a series of memoirs on the " Dinornis,'.' with an account of the trachea and of some other internal organs of certain species of this geaus, together with a description of the brain and some nerves and muscles of the head of " Apteryx Australis." Rates. — Referring to the paragraph headed " Rates " in (yesterday's issue, in which Mr Fitzherbert is stated to have furnished to the House of Representatives some interesting statistics, supplied to him by the member for Selwyn, upon the amount levied by rates in the several districts of the different provinces, it is to be regretted that the hon. gentleman who is said to have compiled them did not proceed further with his investigations. The following would have been the result: — Canterbury, in 1867, £3676; in 1868, £8416 ; in 1869 (a year of £7597; exclusive of towns and municipalities. It would be curious to ascertain whether there has been a like progression in other provinces. Waimate. — A correspondent writes as follows: — On Saturday evening, 14th inst., at 9 o'clock, a public meeting, largely attended, was held to consider the following telegram sent from Wellington by Mr Studholme: — " Messrs Stafford and Jollie are trying to alter Gladstone electoral district, by throwing Waimate into Timaru, and Geraldine into Gladstone." The chair was taken by Mr J. Manchester j and warm speeches against the proposal were made by Messrs Studholme, Perring, Bruce, and others, who clearly showed that the effect would be to destroy wholly our political influence, as the bulk of the electors would reside in Timaru, the interests of which place were totally opposed to ours. The following resolutions were unanimously passed: — Proposed by Mr C. Perring and seconded by Mr J. Bruce— " That this meeting protests against tbe proposed alteration in the electoral district for the House of Representatives south of the Rangitata, and emphatically protests against a union with the Timaru district as an electoral area for the return of members for the House of Representatives." " Proposed by Mr J. Bruce and seconded by MrF. Gaitt — " That this meeting acknowledges with thanks Mr Studholme's attention inletting us know regarding this important change, and records its disapproval of the action taken by Mr Jollie without consulting his constituents." Proposed by Mr C. Perring and seconded by Mr J. Freeman — " That a telegram be transmitted with all haste to Messrs Studholme and Jollie embodying the foregoing resolutions." — The Rev H. Cooper j the newly-appointe&Home Missionary of the Waimate Church, o&ciated here in the schoolroom on Sunday last, the 15th, morning and evening. The congregation in the morniug was good. Steps were taken for the formation of a Sunday School and the erection of a church.

BANKKDPxer.i— Mr Richard Davis- sat in Chambers yesterday. No creditors attending, the estates were 'declared vested -in the Provisional Trustee,'.in re John Hart, George Fuller, John Morgon, and William Kelland. In re Thomas Trevitt, the meeting was adjourned for a week. <vf6iß George Grey. — The " Anglo -Austra«ra," in the European Mail, says: — Sir George Grey has been unwell lately, the consequence of a severe cold caught at the Derby. He still talks of returning speedily to New Zealand, but as he has been constantly talking of this ever since he has been here, his friends are not very alarmed at the prospect of losing him just yet. Like many other eminent retired Colonial Governors, he doubtless feels painfully the comparative obscurity of his position here. He is obviously not satisfied with the inferior role he is doomed to play at home, and his ambition restlessly sighs for a wider field of action. Emigration from England to Australasia. — The " Anglo-European " in the European Mail says: — The question of cooperation amongst the Australian colonies in regard to a general scheme of emigration is being seriously discussed here. It is felt that at present they are literally cutting one another's throats. Some of the agents have been invited by Mr Monsell to give him their views on the subject. One thing is certain — that, in any scheme that may be adopted, the selection of emigrants must not be left to the Poor-Law Board, for in that case it would fall overboard altogether. I am glad to notice by the Sydney newspapers, that the New South Wales Assembly seem eager to revive emigration. It is complained that the colonies are depleting' this country of the best portion of our domestic servants and labourers, leaving us the refuse, and diminishing the productiveness of our remaining population. The powers of increase of the English race will bear a severer test than they are likely for many a year to come to undergo, and when one remembers the thousands and thousands of unmarried women still left us, one need not take much alarm on this ground. It is a matter of statistics, that more marriages take place in periods of prosperity than during " hard times," and emigration, by improving the position of those who remain, is said by its advocates to rather tend to increase the population left behind than otherwise. This is a moot point, on which I do not pretend to enter, and leave it to others to work out the problem. Prebbleton.— A capital little concert was given here yesterday, in aid of the school funds, by Messrs R. Parker and Appleby. We speak literally when we say it was " given " by those gentlemen, for they carried it ont with no assistance beyond that rendered by two boys from S. John's choir, Christchurch. Mr Parker's playing on the harmonium was enthusiastically applauded by the audience. He performed the Choral March from " Faust," a selection from " Les Huguenots," Rossini's/' Cujus Animam," and his arrangement of National Melodies, and, after the programme had been gone through, he also played, at the request of the audience, a brilliant orchestral march. Mr Appleby sang with excellent taste two of Balfe's charming songs " Come into the garden Maud " and " Thon you'll remember me," and Bishop's favourite ballad "My pretty Jane." He also joined Mr Parker in the duetts "Night is down the valley stealing," " The Army and Navy," and " All's well." Virginia Gabriel's pretty song "The skipper and -his boy" waß admirably sung by Master Gates, who has a very sweet alto voice, and who, with his brother, joined in the quartette " Isle of beauty." Mr Parker, being encored in the " Village blacksmith," gave his favourite, " Quiet sort of way," to the infinite amusement of the audience. Altogether, a very pleasant evening was spent, and the Rev. Mr Paige conveyed the hearty thanks of the audience to the gentlemen who had carried out the programme. so successfully. We understand that the receipts were very, satisfactory, and that other concerts will be given during the summer months in aid of Church objects. Lecture. — The second of the course of lectures on Natural Philosophy, in connection with the seminary for young ladies, Dampier Bay, was delivered by Mr Urquhart Macpherson, on Tuesday night. From what was said at the beginning of the lecture, r it appears Mr Macpherson takes every opportunity of impressing on the minds of the pupils the great importance of drawing out the latent mental powers by a judicious course of private study. He said if the adult population of civilised communities were asked why it was they had not improved their mental faculties to a higher degree in youth, the reply would be, in ninety cases out of the hundred, not through want of time or lack of talent, but through inattention they, were not impressed with the importance of the Bubjecfc. He held up to view the lives of many of the matrons of ancient Rome as worthy patterns of example, dwelling especially on Cornelia, wife of Semproniua Gracchus. Of this lady, who devoted bo much of her time to the instruction of her two sons, it is said that when visited by a frivolous lady of Campania who displayed before her all her costly jewelry, and asking a sight of hers in return, she left the room and soon returned with her two .sons, Tiberius and Caius, and said, " These are the only jewels iof which I can boast." The subject of the lecture was the laws of force and motion, which were very, minutely elucidated, comparison and computations of the various forces were given ; and inertia, though not a force, illustrated. It was demonstrated why the use of the ancient battering rain in warfare had given place to the more powerful cannon ball ; and the history of the ram traced from the time when said to have been first ÜBed by Pericles at the siege of Samoa, under the engineer Artemon, about 450, 8.C., through the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman Emperor, Vespasian, and his son Titus, up to the time of the discovery of gunpowder.

Postal. — Ab on last occasion, only a very limited mail came by Suez. Thebulk of the correspondence, and nearly all the newspapers, will come by the San Francisco mail. The Airedale, -with the Southern portion. of this mail, may be expected to reach Lyttelton this afternoon. Ash let Road Board. — This Board held its monthly meeting on the 13th instant. Present : Messrs Cunningham (chairman), Banks, Barker, Cone, and Free. Minutes of previous meeting read and confirmed. For convenience of persons in attendance, tenders for work were then opened and considered : — No. 1. Wallers Road, Banks and Mowatt, 3s 6d per chain (accepted). No. 2. Grey cutting, west-bank, Richards and Hodgson, £6 10s; G. and H. Fisher, £11 15s ; E. Philpotts, £12 ; E. Nohilty, £5 10s (accepted). No. 3. O'Connor's cutting, E. Philpotts, £6 ; G. Barwell, £5 (accepted) ; G. and H. Fisher, £8 10s. No. 4. Round Hill Road, G. Barwell, 4s Id per chain ; Banks and Mowatt, 3s Gd ; Richards and Hodgson, 3 3 9d ; Calvert, 15s ; G. and H. Fisher, 3s B£d (accepted) ; Philpotts, 4s 6d ; each work to be completed within a month. Further communications between the chairman and the chairman of the Kowai Road Board were considered. The chairman reported the appointment of Mr A. Hodgson as assessor, and that he had entered on his duties; remuneration, £10 ; also, that the Provincial Treasurer had paid last portion of allocation into bank; also that the following works were certified: Carboy's Road Howard's Road, Brady's Road, Joyce's Road, Brady's culverts, Carr's Bridge, all of which were ordered to be paid. Collector of rate paid in balance, less 7s, uncollected on whole rate. The thanks of the Board were tendered to him for assiduity in his office. Resolved that legal opinion be taken with reference to entering on private property in certain cases, for drainage purposes. Resolved that each member of Board note every obstruction to drainage of roadß in his division, and call attention of chairman to same. Chairman to take all legal steps to lay roads dry. Memorial considered for formation of Chapel Road, also for White Rock Road, also for certain improvements on Eastern Brady's Road. The chairman was requested to advertise in the usual way for — Ist. Extension of Bush Road, east of Joyce's ; 2nd. Chapel Road, from Pattrick's Gate to junction with main road and culverts ; 3rd. Improvements in eastern boundary road. Collector paid his per centage. Other accounts and works certified to amount of £51 3s 7d were paid. Meeting adjourned for a month. Colonists in England. — The " AngloAustralian" in the European Mail s&y a: — At every step you take in London at present yon meet old colonists, who seem to have gravitated to England in multitudes this year. Some intend to settle permanently here, others only to have a look round and go back to whence they came. Whatever their object, there is no mistaking them. They have a jaunty, independent air, and a nonchalant manner of talking that immediately identifies them. Although their pockets are generally, it is to be supposed, pretty well lined, they are not particularly free with their money, and generally, as the saying is, " look at a shilling before spending it." It is a phenomenon as old as the hills, that it is generally the men with considerable means who are the most " canny" and careful in pecuniary matters, for they have a stake sufficient to excite the exercise of any economical talent they possess; and on the other hand, the vast class of individuals with, so to speak, " nothing at all," are aa a rule reckless in their expenditure as fair as it goes. Hence, soldiers and sailors with " a shilling a day" spend more in proportion to their incomes, than Rothschilds or Barings. The Grand Stand at the Derby was thickly sprinkled with colonists. There might he noticed exGovernor Sir George Grey, and on the course were Dr Featherston and a crowd of folks from Australia and New Zealand too numerous to mention. The melancholy thing about the otherwise happy ' class of successful returned colonists, seems to be that they are restless to a degree to interfere with true enjoyment ; and their desire to be noticed and lionised in ever so small a way exhibits itself oppressively, and bursts out disagreeably under disappointment. Their wivesare infected with the same idiosyncracy, but have the tact and the good taste to show it less. Probably the circumstance that in many cases they have been little kings or queens in their own colonial spheres, has unfitted them for playing what is vulgarly termed " second fiddle," at home. Some amongst them are inclined to show too plainly also, that they estimate their fellow beings pretty much by the size of their respective moneybags; and such expressions as "he has £7000 a year at the very least ;" "he has made a pretty good pile," crop up every five minutes in their conversation. As a rule, too, they are not reading folks. They have ordinarily been too busy with their material interests to bother themselves much with more intellectual matters. But in spite of all, there is an originality about them that is attractive, and if they are self-satisfied, they are usually very good-humoured. What sort of a race will the Australians he r a hundred years hence ? Judging from those who at present visit England, if their national cha» racteristics, so to apeak, go on developing, they will have much of the mercurial temperament of the French, possess great sensitiveness, but less of robust mental energy than the inhabitants of the mother country. Such speculations, however, are neither here nor there. . : Meeting.— A meeting of unemployed was held in Cathedral - Square, yesterday afternoon. Mr Me»in was moved to the chair. Mr E. J. Wakefield (secretary to the committee of the unemployed) read the report of the committee appointed at the former meeting. The report stated that an office had been rented next Moir's Hotel, and a register opened of those out of employment. On the 12th inst., 80 registered their nameß; on the 13th, 14; on the 15th, 6; on the 16th,

9; and up till noon that day, 1; making a total of l io. The following are the tradM and occupations: — Labourers, 77 ; gardeners, 6; gardener and groom, 1; gardener and coachman, 1; groom, &c, 1; ploughmen, 5; journalist, 1 ; tinsmith, 1 ; blacksmiths, 2 ; jobbing smith and engine driver, I; car* penter, 1 ; miners, 2 ; mineral borer, 1 ; stone mason, 1; storeman, 1; chemist, 1; brickmakers, 2 ; bricklayer, I ; cooks, 2 ; French polisher, 1; iron moulder, 1. Out of these, two labourers and one blacksmith had found employment since they were enrolled, the latter (34 years old}, haying been four months out of employment, with a wife and six children. Taking into account, the wires and children of the married men, there were between 400 and 500 souls in Christchurch alone dependent on chance jobs or public or private charity for their living. The list of names did not represent all those who were in want of employment, for there were many who did not like to come forward and register their names. Out of the 110, one labourer, aged 56, declared that he had had little employment during four years, and had a wife and five children, some of whom were partly or occasionally employed. The time out of employment of the remaining IQ9 varied from a week to nine months, the average being 54£ days. £2 6s had been contributed to pay the rent of the office (8s per week, in advance) and defray the cost of advertisements, stationery, newspapers, dray for platform for first meeting, &c. The report concluded by asking those who were able to do so to contribute something to meet the necessary expense of continuing the register, &c. Mr Wakefleld denied a statement that had been made, that any of the amount collected had been privately appropriated. Mr Moorhouse had been written to on the subject of the unemployed, but he had not answered the letter that had been sent him before going to Wellington. It was moved by Mr Hearn, seconded by Mr Crane, and agreed to— "That the report be adopted, with thanks to the committee for their gratuitous attendance and exertions." It was moved by Mr McPherson, seconded by Mr Findley, arid carried — " That the unemployed here present, for themselves and for the far larger number in the province unable now to attend, and for the wives and families of the married amongst them, respectfully solicit the genuine sympathy and aid of those more fortunately situated, especially by donations, ho we 1 ver small, towards defraying the unavoidable expense of a legitimate and orderly agitation to obtain employment at a reasonable wage for the greater number of working people now in distress for the want of it." Mr Wakefield moved— " That all those willing to join the committee are invited by this meeting to do so by attending the Chairman of this meeting, the Chairman and Secretary of the committee and Messrs Findley, Dan Branigan, Wm. Cooper, and Sorten to the Government Buildings, where an immediate interview with some members of the Government has been appointed for a deputation, who are requested to call their attention to the resolutions of this and the former public meeting, and to the report now adopted, and to ascertain 1 from them what are their intentions with. regard to the number of labourers to be taken on for tha projected railway works, , and if funds are in the hands of the Government for the purpose, bow soon employment will be offered ; and whether, other circnmstancea being equal, the number in family and length ' of time out of employment will be considered in giving a preference ; the deportation to report to. the . committee in publio outside the Government Buildings, immediately on the termination of the interview.'* Mr McPherson said he had written to Mr Wood, asking him to attend the meeting, but he declined to do bo. The motion was seconded by Mr Patrick Kelly, and agreed to. j The proceedings terminated with a vote' of thanks to the chairman.— Immediately after the meeting in Cathedral square, a deputation proceeded to the Government Buildings to have an interview with the Deputy-Superintendent, and Messrs Jollie and Wynn Williams, in the Old Council Chamber. On the return of the, depo* tation, Mr Wakefield reported to those assembled in front of the Government Buildings, that the deputation was very courteously received ; that the members of the Government expressed astonishment at sach' a state of things as was shown to exist, and had no idea that so much distress prevailed. Coming to the main question, the finding of employment to those in want of it, The Government had ample funds to construct the railway as far as Kaiapoi. at. all events ;. the money was lying in the bank at. 6 per cent., but the Government couldn't give out con-tracts-until arrangements were made with the owners of land along the line. A copy of the Act must be sent to every landowner. Landowners must get three weeks' notice; and had then to declare whether they would go to arbitration or a jury, or come to terms with the Government. Therefore the Government could not enter into anything except the survey of the line for a month at all events. It was the intention of the Government to give out the line in small contracts, but it would be for contractors to make arrangements . with the. mejn. required. The Government distinctly said that they, would not send for any more labour so long as a large number remained unemployed. The Government had put surveyors to work, so as tQ get on with the line as quickly as possible. They had appointed to meet the deputation again at 12 o'clock next day or such other time as was -most convenient, after having communicated with Mr Duncan (the Mayor) with a view to 'seeing whether some temporary employment could be found for those willing to take a reasonable wage and who were in distress. The Government, without forgetting the interests of employers, had shown every disposition to listen to the claims of the working men. The proceedings terminated with cheers for Mr Wakefield.