West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1868.

West Coast Times, Issue 907, 19 August 1868, Page 2

West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1868.

The arrival of the Knikoura at Wellington, with the Panama Mail, puts us in possession of European intelligence up to the 9th of last month. A portion of the telegrams has been anticipated by the Suez Mail. Nothing of much importance appears to have happened in English political circles since our former dates. In France, the financial statement shows a deficiency of 300 millions, with a floating debt of 962 millions ; and, as a necessary consequence, M. Mayne, the Minister of Finance, informed the Corps Legislatif that further loans were required. France shows no disposition to decrease her armaments, but at the same time 'the Government deiiien that there is any dauger of war. The old argument continues to be used — that strong Jinnies are potent peace preservers. The country, however, is growing tired of a system which, without* the glory of warfare, imposes the principal part of its burden.* on the unfoitunate tax-payers. Marshal Niel defends the Emperor's government against the charge of extravagance in its army expenditure, alleging that last year France could not have held her own against her neighbors, whereas at the present lime she is stronger than any one of them. However that may be, the Emperor gets the credit of having caused the vast augmentations to the various continental armies by the persistence he has shown

i:i increasing his own Were France to tike the leurl in disarming, or reducing her forces to the standard of 1864, it is generally believed that tha example would be followed throughout Europe, and the immediate effect would be the alleviation of the overwhelming burdens of millions of suffering men The furloughs which it is said are about to be granted to the Fifth Corps d'Armee cannot be taken as an indication of a chmge of policy. The leave of absence would le for a limited period, the men would bo at call at a moment's notice, they would continue to draw their pay ; and, lastly, the granting leave of absence to large bodies of regular soldiers, though never practised in Great Britain, is a recognised part of the French army system. It is questionable whether continental war, with all the horrors which inevitably would follow in its train, would not be preferable to the armed peace now maintained at so huge a cost ; for a campaign might be followed by fresh treaties and a real peace. Notwithstanding the suspicions andjealousics which the armaments of France are giving rise to, it is difficult lo understand what benefit would accrue -to France by drawing the sword. Meanwhile in another quarter —in Austria — the Government have already done what France is proposing to do ; thirty-six thousand of the standing army have received leave of absence ; but, as in the ease of the French troops, this cannot propei ly be called disarming. From America the news is of considerable interest. Tlie enemies of President Johnston are not satisfied with their recent defeat. Additional articles of impeachment have been presented against him in the House of Representatives by Thaddeus Stevens and Mr Williams, of Pennsylvania. The charges, as we gather from the rather meagre outline given in our telegrams, are, abuse of the patronage of his office iv erecting state Governments in conquered territories, and restoring forfeited property, " and other crimes." Unless something of a much graver character lies concealed under the last vague heading than is previously charged, the President can afford to laugh at his persecutors. Judging j from the tone recently adopted by many j of the leading American journals, the country has had enough of the impeachment; and ridicule is already being thrown upon its authors !jy influential persons who, but a short time since, were rabid in their denunciations of the President aud his doings. It is felt that he has at least acted with, houesty and unflinching energy in a crisis as difficult as that with which his predecessor had to contend. A more difficult, it may be ; for Lincoln's task was to conquer by force of arms, and Johnston's has bean to re-construct. That he has succeeded to an extent which, immediately after the conclusion of the war, would have been thought impossible in the time, must be accepted as a proof that the United States possess no citizen more patriotic, and no politician of more sterling ability than he. The American mob is fickle above the average, but the American nation is just, and the man who moro than others has aided iv living his country from falling a prey to a crowd of hungry adveuturers has little need to fear the machinations of a faction. Auother item of American intelligence will be read with interest, though tho source whence it c :nes forbids us taking it without a liui<* caution. " A Mexican correspondent" furnishes the details of a plan for the annexation of the Northern States of Mexico to the United States ; and it is said that the Governments of England, Franco, and the United States are agreed on the subject. The reason gik-cn for the desirability of the change ia plausible. Mexico owes much money, and there is little prospect of the Government being able lo pay. Iv consideration of hor Northern. States being ceded to the United States, the Federal Government would assume a liability to all the just creditors of Rlfxico. But there is a reason for this increase of United States territory which must commend itself to the judgment of every one. That portion of Mexico which passed under the proU'Ction of the stars and stripes would, before long, cease to be the refuge and tiomc of some of the very worst scoundrels on the face of the earth. Good Government would take the place of anarchy the like of which is not elsewhere to be fuund, and which has made uufortunate Mexico a by-word amongst the nations. Mexico under honest and capable rulers would present one of the finest fields for commercial enterprise in the world. Mexico ruled us it now is can never share in the progress which is seen on all sides of it. The American continent yields us yet another paragraph of interest. In the House of Lords, Lord Strathden has presented a petition from the people of Nova Scotia, againt-t the Canadian domim'on, and praying Parliament to allow them to leave the new Confederation. The reasons urged by the petitioners are not given, but they are probably those which were used to prevent the Confederation becoming Nan established fact. The principal one was that there was no sufficient community of interest between the various colonies of British North America to make their federation expedient. A large majority of the colonists held a different opinion, a id, whilst acknowledging that great powers should be vested in the local parliaments, were agreed on federation if only for purposes of mutual protection. The prayer of the petitioners will hardly be acceded to unless they bring forward something new and weighty in support of their wishes.

Tho P.N.Z. aud A.R M. Company's s.s. Kaikoura arrived at Wellington jesterday morning, bringing tho English mail via Panama four days before her appointod time, tho run from Southampton having boon ma'clo in forty-seven days. Wo bcliovo tins to bo tho quickest run on rocord. A general meeting of the Bharoholdors of the Maori Roserro Gold Mining Coaipaay

was held lust evening, at Lynoli's Swan Hotel, Wharf street, Mr R. Reaves in tho chair. The acting-manager, Mr Lynch, reported that , tho emu of £100 had been taken for scrip since last meeting, mid ho further reported that tho water-wheel, pump?, and fluming would be in working order on the company's olaiin at Woodstock in about ten days. The meeting waa then adjourned until to-morrow at eight o'clock. We beg to direct alienlion to the following i sales by auction, by Mr Gr. W. Binne.y, which will take place this day— Afc tho New Orleans Hotel, Revell-streel, at 11 o'clock, superior household furniture, billiard-table, and the stock of wines and spirits. At 12, at the New Orleans Hotel, in one lot;, the Lagoon Hotel, Arahura ; also a five-roomed weather-boarded house, together with the household furniture, &c, and a nearly now boat and oars. The rotura coacli from Greyinoufch arrived yesterday, at 5 p.m. Passengers — Mr Roberts, Sir M'Oullum, Mr Spenco, Mr Dick, Mr Hardtimes, and two waysides. We have to call attention to tho sale by auction to day by Messrs Carey and 0K1133, at 11 o'clock, of tho Coach and Horses Hotel, corner of Hamilton and Tailored sfcreetsj together with the household furnitiuv. Amongst the pussongors arrivod at Wellington by the P.N.23. and A.R.M. Company's e.s. Knikoura, are tho llig'it Rev. Dr Sul wyn, -Bishop of Liehfield, with. Mrs Solwyn and family, and fho Right Boy. Dr Harper, Bishop of Christchurch, with Mrs Harper and family. No. 2 Company of tho Wostland Rifles mu3lored for drill last ovening, under Lieut. Mco. Ou arriving in Weld street, between liovell and Tattered streets, the men were pub through, a variety of movoments by the drillinstructor, Sergeant Care}', the whole of which wore executed in a satisfactory manner. Thoy then marched to Htinseu'3 drill-room, whore they were dismissed. A miner waa brought into town last nighb from Fox's, in the Waimea district, suffering from a fractured thigh. It appears t lafc the man, in company with a mate, waa engaged in cross-cutting a log, when tho chuck slipped from under the log, which rolled over him and broke hu thigh. He was brought by his mates into Hokitika, and taken over to the hospital. A few members of the Light Horse und of the No. 2 company of Volunteers, assembled for a littlo target practice on the South Beach yesterday afternoon. They made fair shooting at tho two hundred and three hundred yard ranges. Volunteer Stovenson, of the Light Horse, scored tnonty-two points, and Volunteer Pringle, of Uio Rifles, 17 points. A meeting of the Light Horso Volunteers was held on Monday night at Han sen's Room, for the purpose of testing tho capabilities of certain members of tho company who aspired to becomo nou-cotninissioued officers, also to examine members for efficiency. Four candidates for tho stripes passed their examination with credit, the proving of several other aspirants being, on account of tho lateness of tho hour, postponed until Monday ovening next. Captain Carey wa3 in command. La3t night, afc ten o'clock, there was another alarm of fire. This time ifc wa3 a chimney on firo ab the Dan O'Connell Hotel, South Rsvell street. When the flames were iir3fc perceived a few strokes were given on fcho alarm bell, and sonic members of tho Brigade at onca turned out with tho hook and ladder apparatus, and having ascended tho roof quickly extinguished tho firo. An inquest was held yesterday afc noon, afc the Hospital, befora Dr JBcswick, District Coroner, on the body of John White, a chemiol, lately of tho Waimea, and who had been taken to the Hospital by the police on Saturday lust. After hearing the evidence of Drs Ryley and Derniofcfc, the jury returned a rerdicfc of "Died from apoplexy, brought on by excessive drinking." No. 2 Company of Rifles under command of Lieutenunfc Moe, assembled for drill last evening at Hanson's Room. After proving the Company, they were marched to the open space at the junction of Weld and Eovoll streets, whew Sergeant Instructor Carey put them through several Battallion movements, from the halt, march, and on the double, all of which were dono very well, considering that some of them were quite new to the men. After an hour's sharp drill thoy returned to fcho room, where their memory was refreshed with a littlo plaloon and manual exorcise, which has beeu neglected of late for tho nioro sfcirrhtg drill of tho floi'J. LieuLouaufc Moe read a letter to tho Company from tho Adjutant appoinfciug Saturday next for monthly parade. The roll boing caUed, to which thirty-seven names answered, the men were then dismissed. A few remarks concerning tho antecedents of tho magnificent Lion now being exhibited afc tho Princess Theatre, by Senor Fernandez, may not prove uninteresting to some of our readers. Wallace, as he is becomingly named, was in 1857 trapped in South Africa, about 300 miles N.E. of Orange river, by three hunters — two Dutch boers und a mulatto — who had boon engaged by a Mr Cartwrighfc, agent for the English Zoological Society to catch a lion of tho species to which Wallaco belongs. He was tnkon in a pit fall, together with his mate, a remarkably fiuo young creature, tho age of the animals at tho timo of their capture boing about four years. They wero then convoyed to Natal, where 6ome disagreement arose about their price, and they wcro .eventually purchased by an agenfc of Sonor Fernandez, and forwarded direct to Melbourne, whore that gentleman was then exhibiting other zoological specimens. Just eleven weeks elapsed from tho timo of their capturo until they arrived in Victoria, and throe days later the Sonor performed with them before a large audience. They afterwards travelled through Victoria and New South Wales, and for a long time held a place in Mr Coppin's zoological collection in G'romorne Gardens, Melbourne. About three years ago fcho lioness, which had given birth to cubs ou several occasions, diod in whelping, and her pluco in tho lion's don was supplied by one of her offspring the presont lioness. From MvCoppin tho animals again passed into the possession of Scnor Fornandez, who brought them over to Now Zealand in November last, and has Binco been exhibiting them with marked success at all tho chief towns of the colony. Wo are assured by tlio Sonor that Wallaco is tho only lion of his species in captivity, and he is said to bo fcho largest of any specimen to bo found in any zoological collection in tho world, and wo can readily believe the assertion, whioh agroeß with our experience, for wo never viewed n larger ov ono so htmdsotne.

His weight is that of an average sizt-d bullock, 800 lbs, his hoight at tho wether 6 four feet two inches, whilst from the tip of the nose to the extremity of the rump he measures rather moro than eight feet. Tho lioness, although smaller, is of goodly proportions, and, taken together, a finer couple aro not to bo found out of their native wilds. A correspondent of the " Nelson Examiner" relates the following incidents in the debate on Mr Fox's motion : — There have been any quantity of little speeches, tho two most doterving of notice being tho3e of Patterson, tho Maori, nnd Timothy Gallagher, Esquire, oue of the representatives of the Province of Nelson. In those days of philo-Maoriism, I must of course giro precedence to tho oration of the native, who in one terse sentence struck directly at tho root of constitutional government. " One thing I have thought of," so spoke the honorable gentleman, "If I vote with the GoTernmont how will it affect me? If I go with the Opposition what good will ifc do mo? This ia my thought." You may think I am putting words into bis mouth, but I ao3uro you such is not the case, and refer you to tho pages of "Hansard," where you will read his speech and find that my quotation is correct. Mr Gallagher spoko iv tho regular " Will-auy-one-tliread-on-the-tail-of-my-coat" style. I should like to send you a verbatim report of his speech (which convulsed the House with laughter), but it was too long. I must therefore content mysolf with supplying you with one or two extracts. He gave his ideas of what he thought the proper policy to be pursued. He would at once abolish all Provincial Governments, his chief reason being that, for crossing the Buller River, a toll of Is was levied at tho ferry for a horsemau, and 5s for a dray — a state of things that ought not to be. In another place the road was so bad that " nob even a bird could fly over it !" Ho had tho temerity to criticise Mr Foi'a and Mr Boll's speeches, and concluded, amid roars of luughtor, by saying, " I know I have no chance of obtaining position or emolument from either tho General or Provincial Governments, and, therefore, I shall give my vote conscientiously." There's a model member for you ! The " Westport Times" of the 14th instant says :—": — " Wo yesterday stated, as a rumour, that Mr Kynnorsley had tendered his resignation as Commissioner on this Coa9t ; we have now such authority as to be able to state it as a fact. When it is officially announced we shall have more to say about it; but in the meantime can only reiterate our regret that such is the case. It is intended, we believe, to get up a monster testimonial from the miners of tho Coast, which, will take both a substantial and complimentary shape — avast amount of sovereigns made from Wosfc Coast gold at Sydney, being fixed as the former, and some five or six thousand signatures to an address the latter." At the conclusion of the evidence given at the Coroner's inquest with respect to the burning of the Presbyterian churches at Wanganui, fcho Jury returned the following verdict: — "The jury after maturely considering the evidence brought before them, are of opinion that the fire originated from some undefined cause, and that it was the result of an accident rather than design. Tho Jury wish particularly to stato that Mr Lamont [the contractor for the new church building] is entirely exonerated from all blame." Yesterday's " Grey River Argus," refer- j ring to t he tidal wave in Lyt.telton Harbor on Saturday last, and speaking with reference to Groymoufch, says :—": — " Afc the time, tho weather here w;ia beautifully fine, tho sea smooth, and no unusual ri3o took place in fcho river ; but iv tho evening a sudden v'hq of several feet ' was observed to take place iv a few minutes, and as rapidly to subside. We have this on tho authority of a number of persons whose veracity wo can rely on, but whether or not their imaginations wero excited by the news from Lyttelton, wo cannot say. That some nautical phenomena aro afc work was proved yesterday morning, when a slight shock of earthquake was distinctly folt here afc about 9.50 a.m. In the Telegraph Office the .operator was marking the time when the shock occurred, when he got word from tho Hokitika station that it had been folt there, and a similar notice was afterwards received from Christchurch. Thero ia no doubt that tho earthquake bas been felt throughout the whole of the island."

"Wo take the following from last evening's •' Despatch" : — Cobb and Co.'s coacli left for Chriatchurch this morning at six o'clock. Passengers — Mr Matthias, Miss Blair, and ono wayside. The coach for Greymouth left Cobb and Co.'s olllce to-day at noon. Passengers — Mr Pizzey and ono wayside. The Inspector of "Weights and Measures returned from Okurita on Sunday, in the steamer Yarra. We understand that the ma-jo;-ity of tho weights ond measures m that district were found to be in a very defective slute. Before the Inspector left all these defects were rectified. During his stay in Okarittt; Mr Davis occupied an ofllco adjoining tlie Kesident Magistrate's Court. A large number of very solid piles, intended as a foundation for the Volunteer drill-shed, aro being put down, with, great care, in the Camp Reserve. There is every reason to bolicre that Uiis building, when completed, will be of a substantial character, and well suited for the purpose for which it is intended. This morning, shortly before 9 o'clock, thp fire beil'at tho Southland Restaurant rang out an alarm, in consequence of a chimney at the New Orleans being on fire. The bell at the Fire Brigade Kail was not rung, and the brigade did not, consequucnlly, turn out — indeed, it was well that they did not do so, as tho fire in tho chimney was extinguished almost as soon as it was disc >vered.