West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1878.

West Coast Times, Issue 2785, 6 March 1878, Page 2

West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1878.

At the moment when the war storm threatened tp bui;st over Europe, a" calm, whether temporary or not, has succeded. Peace between Russia and her prostrate foe has been signed. The meagre and disjointed cablegrams which have been received from Europe, throw but little light on the exact terms of peace. For Turkey, indeed, there was no option but to accept them, however harsh they may be. Probably they will include the cession of Batoum, Kars, and of «i blice of Armenia, as well as the autonomy of the Christian provinces lately uuder Turkish rule. The opinion of Europe must have been expressed as strongly as diplomacy would allow, against the inordinate demands of Russia, otherwise it is impossible to accoant for the modifications which that victorious Power has, we are told, consenled to reake in her original demands. The Turkish fleet, which is much coveted by Russia, is to remain, it may be presumed, in the hands of the Porte, unless a secret arrangement has been entered into, by which the war ships are to be ceded at some future time, more or less distant. The cablegrams which announced the sale of the fleet to Englaud cannot have been founded on fact, otherwise it would have been since confirmed either directly or indirectly. Other concessious have been made by Russia, and in consequence, a great deal of the uneasiness which has prevailed iv Europe since the commencement of the Russo-Turkish war must now be allayed. The comparative moderation of the terras of peace may be dve — in addition to the expressed opinions of the European nations to which reference has been made — to the direct counsel of Germany, and perhaps in some measure to the attitude of England, which was at the last moment decided enough. It is to be regretted, if we are to credit the best informed journals in England, that more determination was not shown by Earl Beaconfield's government earlier in the war, but it is certain that the obstacles thrown in the way of decisive action by large and increasing peace party at Home have been to a great extent the cause of the indecision perceptible in the action of England. The London World wrote as follows when the European

situation was alarming, pointing out the danger to England if war wore declared :—": — " If war j§ th,p doom of England, enormously increased taxation, and prices fixed at prohibitory points, would gp hand in hand. There would he najsery, starvation, and emigration on ft scalo as yet uudreamed of. There might be worse than this. The 'penny loaf at eight pence might produce riots and disturbances oven among the peaceable and onler-loving En»li<li masse". Our whole social and political system would be subjected to a strain of such unprecedented severity that its capacity to bear can only be conjectural. The farmers would at first be gainers, for the value of wheat and grain ofiill kinds would speedily rise. But the gulf which used to separate t»wn aud country interests is now almost completely filled up, and the divorce that once existed between commerce and agriculture has been annulled. With (he exception of a short-lived pecuniary •rain accruing to the farmers, it is impossible to mention any class, save newspaper proprietors and holders of certain foreign scrip, who could derive any advantage. The country laborer, like the city artisan, would be confronted by starvation. Prices would rise and wages would fall. We should be assailed on each side by sinister rumors, of urban disaffection and agrarian rising. The faeas would swarm with Alabarnas, and the effect of these, and. of the emigration movements that would take place from this country would bo to turn the tide of prosperity back to America. It was not so much the Alabama business which lost the United St»tes its carrying trade ou tho hi»U seas us the unwisdom of the United States' legislators iv fixing a virtually prohibitivetariff for iron — not seeing that out of this material the carrying ships of the future would Lo made. There are signs that American statesmen have recognised their mistake ; and the recognition of such a mistake, coming at a. time whi-n England was a belligerent, u'ouM i>e to give the United States commercial pre-eminence among the nations oi' tht: world. Lastly, there are the consequences which war might, have upou the political party that declared it. A Conservative Administration might enjoy for a short while ihe fierce glory of a ' spirited policy ;' but, when that, period passed away — when tho master minds ol Conservatism have disappeared — who shall say that the condition of tho Conservative party might not be that of the mingled stupor and delirium which is the sequel of the drunkard's debauch ?" There is no doubt that this picture of the miseries which would be suffered at Home in the time of war, is somewhat overdrawn. But thero is enough truth in it to make us thankful if the Mother Country has escaped, for a time only it may be, the dangers aud uncertainties of a struggle which would have strained her resources to the utmost.

The Kanieri Prospecting Association will meet at Ilausen's, Post Olßce Hotel, at eight o'clock this evening, when it is to be hoped there will be a large attendance.

The Harbor Board have consulted their solicitor with regaid to tho approaching election for a member in the room of Mr W. Todd, resigned, and in consequence of his advice and opinion, the advertisement which appeared recently, announcing an election has been withdrawn, 'llie election for the vacancy in the Harbor Board is notiGal in another column. It will take place on the 22nd instant, as previously announced, with the alteration that forms of nomination may be obtained on or before Wednesday, the 13 th instant, from the Town Cleric's office.

At the Town Hall last evening, a very large number of townspeople assembled to wish farewell to Mr William Todd. The Mayor was voted to the chair, and S'tid he felt gratified to see so large an attendance for tho purpose of bidding adieu to Mr Todd. He was pleased to flud that the tank had been allotted to abler hands than his own to make the public presentation which was about, to be made to a most worthy citizen. From his business relationship with Mr Todd, lie felt that it had been wisely decided to entrust any remarks which might be made to better hands than his own He had pleasure in calling on Mr Button. Mr Button said the duty which had fallen to his lot was moßt unexpected, lie had not -been made aware of it until after entering the hall. It vrm a painful, yet a pleasant duty; painful in so far that one who was so highly esteemed wm» about to leave Hokitika, but pleasant and gratifying that it was to convey to that gentleman the highest public appreciation und regard for his character and conduct as a public and private citizen. Hu was asked to present the substantial testimonial he held in his lmud, a purse of sovereigns, as a token of esteem and regard for their departing friend, Mr William Todd. All present were aware of the esteem in which he was held. He had succeeded a much beloved and genial friend, Mr Binncy, whose shoes he hud well filled. As a private and public citizen, Mr Todd was sc.irccly equalled. In private life he had been foremost in anything that was good or charitable, and in public life he had hold the highest positions in our public assemblies. Like Whittington of old, he had been thrice elected Mayor. He had been in the Provincial Council of Westland and in the Provincial Executive. In the Lands Board, the Board of Education, and raauy other positions he had acquitted himself with honor and gain to the community and credit to himself. There were too many good men leaving us of late, and we could ill afford to lose Mr Todd. He was generous and kind hearted in the extreme, and he (Mr Button) felt that he only reiterated the feeling of all present when he said he wished him long life and prosperity wherever might be his lot. As a m,ark of their confidence and love he had much pleasure iv presenting the purse with over a hundred guineas aa a souvenir of their love and affection for a generous and deserving friend. Mr Todd, who was fairly overcome by the presentation and the genuine applause which followed, and which lasted for some considerable time, said it was too

much for him to undertake to return thanks in the manner he would like. The kindly disposition towards himself ho had not in reality realised until the pas,£ few days. Its consummation this evening Jfajrly took him aback. He had no wish to speak of himself. Pie regretted exceedingly leaving the Coast, after a tun years residence, lie though); brighter days were in future for Hokitika. In fact he felt confident of this from the recent prospects of the silver mine, and likewise the Taipo reefs to the nojth, and the lithographic quarries to the south. What he had dpne to contribute to its progress was nothing, beyond acting the part of n good citizen to the best of his ability. He thanked them from the bottom of his heart for the handsome gift tendered him. It would ever live in his rememberance, aud this night, he could only depict, as oue of the sunniest spots of his life. At the conclusion of Mr Todd's remarks there was immense applause, and on the call of the Mayor three hearty cheers were given for Mr and Mrs Todd and family.

After Mr Todd was publicly presented with a purse of sovereigns at the Town llall, a number of his friends met. at the Empire Hotel, where the departing guest's health was drunk with the utmost enthusiasm. Several gentlemen expressed themselves '■ sorry to part " with Mr Todd, and among other toasts drunk was that of his successors in business, Messrs F. A. Learmonth & Co., which was toasted with tnqst hearty good will, aud responded 1o by Mr Learmonth and Mr Wade. That Mr Todd carries with him the hearty good wishes ot the whole community, no better testimony need be recorded than that of the public meeting, and private assemblage which followed last evening.

There was no police business at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. The followiug debt cases were decided by Mr Price, R.M.: — Davidson v. Lewis. £3 19s; a judgment summons; no order made, defendaut having uo means; Levy v. Munyard, £4 8s 6d; judgment by default for the amount; Speuce v. Smith, £20 Us 6J; judgment by consent for the amount clnimed; Reid ;ind Co. v. Appiebce, Treasurer of the Westland Racing Club, £23 8s; adjourned till the 12th iust. There was no other business.

A sample of quartz obtained from the Enterprise claim at the Taipo, is on view at Mr Linneinanu'sshop, iv Revell-street, soulh. The quartz is plainly gold bearing, au>l is worth}' of inspection by all who are interested in the future of the Taipo, a district which, we regret to say, bus never received so much attention as it deserves. Judicious enterprise in the direction of opening up the Taipo reefs is almost sure to mccc with a golden reward.

The District Court was occupied all day yesterday with bankruptcy business, which, although his Ilouor Judge Wcston sat until six p. m, was not all gone through. The Court will sit again at half-past nine this morning, when the session will be concluded. Decisions iv tho two sly-grog appeal cases from Kumara will be given thia morniug. Wo have it seem 3 been uuwitti i,:ly led into a mistake in announcing the holders and their whereabouts o£ the lucky numbers in Tonk's Nos 1 and 2 Sweep.", In the fiist sweep Messrs Gase.oigno and Co., Waimate Couuty, take the principal prize, Messrs Morrison and Shields, Recfton the second, while the third one goes to Christchurch. In No 2 sweep Mr Charles Dowsing, Rceftun, takes the highest amount, a local company under the assumed. name of the "Free and E'isy Company" the second, and Messrs Heaphy and Greenland, Grey mouth, the third. As the error in No 1 sweep, stating that Mr Charles Lyons, Inangahua Valley, is tho winner, is likely to be widely distributed, it is deemed advisable to correct it at once so as to spare disappointment. — Argus.

Mr Benjamin Hall, carpenter, dropped down dead iv the street at Blenheim.

A shark was recently captured at Riverton, Southland, without a backbone.

At the aunuul meeting o£ Rcchabitcs at Nelson the report showed an increase of 280 members throughout Now Zealand Cuuttal District.

A man named John Bhickall, lately employed on ths schooner Ruby, has bven found drowned iv Wellington harbor.

The North Ofcugo Times says* — Notwithstanding the croakers of the Colony, we have still something to congratulate ourselves upon wiien we hoar of ship following shin to the old country with cargoes valued at from £100,000 to 40,000 each, aa hts lately been the case.

It is understood that a new morning penny daily paper is shortly to be started in Wellington. It is to be called The New Zealander. Tho uaniu is not new, as-The New Zealander, an Auckland journal, was iv past years published, owned, and edited by the late Mr John Williamson, once superintendent of Auckland.

A woman named Mary Wilson, escaped recently from the lock-up at Palmerston (Otago), in men's clothes. She was recapturod at Ilumpdon. She is charged with theft.

The Wellington correspondent of the Melbournu Argus, writing on the EJucation Bill, .says:— lt is now no secret that the Bill, which is now an Act, and for which th'j lion. Mr Bovven received such credit in Parliament, was really drafted by Mr Hislop.

The last number of the Gazette contains a list of officiating ministers within the meaning of the Marriage Act. The colony possesses 185 of the Church of England, 61 of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, 56 of the Roman Catholic Church, 47 of the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland, 67 Wesloyans, 14 Congregational Independents, 10 Baptists, 14 of the Primitive Methodist Connection, 12 oC the United Methodist Free Churches, 7 of the Lutheran Church, and 4 of the Hebrew Congregation.

The Rev. Dr Gervase Smith, of London, who was a passenger by the '• Rotorua " to Aucklaud, is regarded as oue of the most eloquent platform speakers and preachers of the day, and many who have heard him in the old country are looking forward with great pleasure to his approaching visit. He was President of the VVesleyan .Conference two years ago, and took a leading part in the Metropolitan Chapel Building Scheme — to which fund, it will be remembered, Sir Francis Lycett contributed £50,000 to be

devoted to building fifty places of worship in London. Dr Smith is travelling partly fqr his health, and is accompanied by Mrs Sjnith. A Railway Fire Brigade is about to be established at Christchurch. A man named Henry Granger, steward of the brjgantiue Augusta, has been drowned at Ilokiauga, Auckland. The natives have stopped a survey north of Monihaka, near Wauganui. Twenty schemes have been submitted for the Cluistchurch Water Supply. There are a great many labourers with families out of employment in Nelson just now, and the Mail wonders how they manage to live. The wife of the Hon. John Johnston, of Wellington, died on February 23rd, aged 64 years. Another old Wellington settler, Mr Duncan Neuin, died on February 22nd. A settler on the bauks of Jacob's liiver in Southland, having secured a rabbit alive,' tied a small flask of gunpowder to its tail, having first put an ignited fuse into (he end of the flask. He then stopped up all the holes of a burrow but one, into whioh bumy was let loose. Iv a few minutes a io>ul explosion took place, and when the Lutjw was examined, s> large number of labbits were found dead. At Picton, a man named John Hubberly, has beeu committed for trial at the Supreme Court on a charge of inciting oqe Itobert Sullivan, feloniously, unlawfully, anil nwiciously to set fire to a certain dwelling-hmlie of Archibald Ruff, situated in the town of Ficton, wit-h intent to defraud the Nation il Insurance Company. The house was insured for £100. The report that good auriferous ground has been struck near Brown's Terrace, on the Charleston road, about four miles xrom that township, has been confirmed, and if a sufficient supply of water can be found Available a good many claims wiil be taken up there within a short time. Tha locality is between the forks of the Totara river and aud to the left of the main road after passing the Blue Spur from Costcllos. Some change in the proprietorship of. the Inangahua Herald i 3 projected, a half bhat-e interest being offered for sale. A man, supposed to be Powell, who escaped from Nelson Gaol in 1876, has been arrested at Recfton by Constable Williams, who asserts positively that the piisoner is the long wanted man. This the prisoner denies, and stands remanded for further evidence. The Inangahua Times states that Mr John D.nvson lms repurchased his ]ate hotel premises from Giluier Uros., and will entci into possession shortly. The figure is said to be £3700, which includes all improvements erected upou the premises by Gilraer Brothers. Dray traffic has at last been accomplished between Westport aud the Lyell township. Judge Larrcmore, of New York, has decided that wedding presents are given to the bride, and not to the bride and bridegroom jointly. Mr Coppock, formerly connected with the Press in Auckland, was found on a recent da to iv Watson's Bay, Sydney, with his skull, arms, aud left leg fractured, and with other wouuds. He had evidently falleuupon the rocks from the cliffs. The Melbourne Church Messenger 5B5 B in a puzzle .-iboufc the falling ofE iv the i&sue of marriage licenses in Victoria. Hard times and pull backs are the cause. It is stated that teu members of the United States Senate are printers by trade. The Couucil of the English Episcopal Church in Victoria have assented to a proposition from the bishop that five clergyman should be obtained from England, at a salary of £300 per annum each. Among the latest novelties in jewellery, the German manufacture sleeve buttons, each of which represents a full sized Colorado beetle. A new asylum for infants has been inaugurated in Melbourne, the object being to lake care of infants at a Binall charge, so

as to eruble to mothers to earn their own living. The Sydney Morning Herald criticises unfavorably Mnrcus Clarke'3 School IlisKory of Australia, us containing many mijstateinentsand other defects. On a recent date (writes a correspondent from Italy) four men and six women st^u-t^d from Falroaa, PiedoionL, to proceed to r> /c olives at Fontnne, but when going acrojs the ' mountains they wero overtaken by i\ tremendous snowstorm, iv which the women peridhod with cold. The six frozen corpses were afterwards conveyed to Ormea. Victoria is losing some oi its best men from its political list :— Sir James M'Culloch, in :i letter addressed to the Warrnarnbool Standard, In which he intimates his intent ion to resign his soat, staf.es that ho is thank ml for the generons confidence reposed in him by the people of tb.e district. He adds • — " The immediate future of the politics of 'ho Colony is anything but bright ; however, I doubt not the preseat unsatisfactory position of affairs will pass away, when the constitueucies have profited by the suffering which must inevitably come on all classes if the course now pursued by the Government is coutinued." While Mr Forbes, of the Daily News, aad Dr Carriole, of the Scotsaian, have beeu decorated by the Czar with the Cross of St. Stanislaus, Mr Boyle, of the Standard, has been expelled from the Russian army and Eoumania. The principle of utilising an old iron steamer by sheathing her with wood (says the Sydney Morning Herald) has been most successfully carried out by Mr John Yule. The priuciple i 3 not modern, but advantage in this instance has been taken to increase the accommodation. The Emu was built some 38 years ago, of the usual form then in vogue — that is, with the ordinary stern ; this has been carried out in length 18 feet, allowing of the vessel's true lines being brought out, forming what is generally termed a two ended craft, thus giving both a lighter draught of water and greater deck space •, her boiler power has also been increased considerably, the engineering work having been performed at Messrs Mort and Co.'s establishment. The results of these alterations combined are that the Emu is now

the fastest boat pn tfye Param^ta Rirer, with an inprease of a fourth Jn deck space and a saving of fully one-half };he former consumption of fuel. Altogether she has been turned out iv a most satisfactory manner, and will doubtless provp remunerative to her owners.

The gigantic whalo captured in February last in the Gulf of Taranto, Italy, has been subjected to a critical examination by Professor Capellini, who, in a report lately published, states it as his opinion that the whale is of a species hitherto uuknown to science, and he has named it JBaJosna tarentina in allusion to the locality of its capture. This unlooked-fpr discovery of a new species of huge marine animal, taken in connection with the alleged appearance of another "monster" a short time later, and in the neighborhood, as vouched for by the officers of the royal yacht Osborne, h regarded as a strong argument in favor of tho existence of unknown huge marine living objects, such as are popularly indicated by the name of " seaserpents." The opinion is gaining ground in Italy that the sea serpent of the royal yacht was some creature usually living at the bottom of the sea, but disturbed by submarine volcanic phenomena.

Wars will never cease ; nations are warring oue with the other ; the various sections of society war against each other ; every political friction has its common enemy ; and man, whether in isolation or in congregation, is warre i with and attacked by a horde of destroyers in the shape of diseases and sicknesses, whose name is bgion. But happily an unmistikeable peacemaker is at hand, the most frightful diseases succumb to those unfailing and invaluable medicines, c Ghollau's Great Indian Cures," which can be had of G. Mcc, Chemist, Itevellstreet.