West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 1882.

West Coast Times, Issue 4131, 12 July 1882, Page 2

West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 1882.

The lamentable murder of Lord F. C Cavendish in Ireland, naturally caused a profound sensation throughout England, but; the feeling: was intensified in those places where the deceased gentlemon was most intimately known. The testimonies to his excellent qualities are full and undeniable, and, it is evident, that bis untimely end prevented him from assuming a place in the highest political sphere in Great Britain. We have received, through the courtesy of the Rev. Mr Gillam, a copy of The Barroiv Times of May 13th last, which contains long notices of the career of the murdered Secretary for Ireland. It appears that his early training was especially designed to fit him for public life, in which so many of the scions of the great Whig House of Cavendish have distinguished themselves. His entrance into Parliament was in 1865, when he was returned for the northern division of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and so firm was the confidence of the electors in him, than whenever he was opposed afterwards, he was invariably returned at the head of the poll. In Barrow where he was best known he was most esteemed, for the local paper remarks that those " who were brought into direct personal contact with him, were not only inspired hy confidence in his practical wisdom, but they were attracted to him by his unfailing good humor and kindliness of heart." He was & wise administrator, and in all local matters at Barrow he took an active practical interest, discharging every duty he undertook with conscientiousness, and not merely in a perfunctory manner as too many highly placed persons at Home are in the habit of executing public trusts. His latest public appearances in Yorkshire were at Middlesborough on October 6, 1881, when he presided to celebrate the jubilee of that town, and on the 7th and Bth of the same month during Mr Gladstone's memorable visit to Leeds. The following estimate of Lord Cavendish's character, is quoted from the Leeds Mercury, and it is fitting to quote it in order to show how undeservedly and cruelly he met a horrible death :—: —

A man more incapable of making enemies than Lord Frederick Cavendish cannot be conceived. He was by nature shy, but, as all who saw much of him know, most amiable. His intelligence was large, his knowledge of men and things wide, his sympathies thoroughly popular, his judgment clear and sound. He was clear from excitability, but was frank while thoughtful. He had travelled and formed his own opinions of all he saw, and these opinions, though decided, were charitable. The very impediment observable in his utterance illustrates, by the resolution with wbich he contended against it, never suffering it to prevent the full expression of his views on subjects of social, educational, or political interest, bis conscientious sense of duty. His tastes and habits were simple. All his near relatives loved him, and there was, we believe, no one out of the Premier's immediate family who had more of the affectionate confidence of Mr Gladstone. He was the devoted husband of a gifted wife. Such is a faint picture of the man who crossed to Ireland as the representative of a policy of conciliation, and who had not landed twelve hours before, in tbe midst of his strength and hopefulness, he fell mangled and dead beneath the daggers of cowardly and fiendish assassins.

The Public Works Statement was delivered last evening, by the Hon. W. W. Johnston, Minister of Public Works, and was, by the courtesy of the Government, telegraphed to the newspapers oi the Colony as early as possible. Its length, however, and the consequent late hour -when it was finished, compel the exclusion of the latter portion until to-morrow. Meanwhile the first portion appears in another column, and the proposals of the Government, with regard to the allocation

of the three million loan, are briefly as follows : — Railways £1,650,000 Purchase Native Land ... 200,000 Roads Open to Crown Lands... 200,000 Public Buildings 300,000 Nominated Immigration ... 200,000 Roads and Bridges 100,000 Do. north of Auckland ... 100,000 Goldfields 100,000 Harbors 100,000 Telegraph Extension... ... 50,000 Total £3,000,000 The only amount proposed to be allocated for railways on this Coast appears to be £100,000 for Greymouth — Reefton, extension towards Reefton. Whatever crumbs from the other votes may fall to Westland, south of the Teremakau, must evidently be of microscopic dimensions, for the expenditure will extend over a period of three years. The statement contains a promise that the Mikonui Tunnel may be proceeded with after investigation, and tbat tbe Kumara Upper Dam will be made at once. It is also probable that the Hokitika Harbor Board will obtain a further grant.

Some telegraphic news, both cable and interprovincial, correspondence and other matter is unavoidably held over until to» morrow.

A cablegram to hand late last night states that the telegraph line between Suez and Alexandra is supposed to have been cut for war purposes, and it is feared the line through Turkey has also been cut.

Some doubt having been thrown upon the bona fides of our telegrams recently published, respecting the disagreements between Westland members, it ia necessary to point out that similar information to that which we gave our readers on the subject, appeared in the Grey River Argus. We have the utmost faith in the truth of the reports, and neither a bogus telegram nor a vague paragraph, can be taken as valid contradictionsAs for the County Chairman's denial that any squabble occurred to 7iis Jcnoivledge, it may well be asked whether Mr Dungaa was present at a committee meeting of members of Parliament? The County Clerk, who is not at Wellington at all, had as much chance of assisting at the " scene " as the County Chairman had, and probably knows neither more nor lesa of the particulars of it. The information published in the West Coast Times came from the very best authorities — the members themselves. The following telegrams to the Greymouth Star, presumably written by another member, further confirm our account: — " At a meeting of Westland and Canterbury members, another scene took place between Messrs Weston and FitzGerald, and Messrs Fi(z(rerald and Seddon, and altogether, the West Coast members are an exceedingly unhappy family." " The Coast members are all sixes and sevens, and it is almost hopeless to expect that they will work together. This is mainly owing to the personal dislike that exists between Messrs FitzGerald and Weston. The division of the Coaat members on a party question ia likely to be wider than is supposed,"

A. largely attended meeting was held at the Occidental Hotel last evening, to oonside the advisability of introducing the electric light in Hokitika. The Mayor was in th cuf»ir, and resolutions were passed affirming the desirability of ascertaining the cost of the electric lighting system, with a view to its introduction locally. A large committee was appointed to obtain the necessary inf or~ mation, and in the event of the information being favorable, to canvass the town for support to the undertaking. We regret our report of the meeting is crowded out of this issue, in consequence of the length of the Public Works Statement, which reached us at a late hour last evening.

Messrs Wade and Spence will sell in the mart, this day at 11 o'clock, 25 cases of oranges; also, immediately after, ex Alert and Wanganui, on the Wharf, potatoes, wheat, &c.

A meeting of the Hokitika Local School Committee was held last evening, to consider the question of appointment of assistant teacher, for which there were four applications. Mr Dixoa, the head teacher, was present, on the invitation of the Chairman. After the applications had been considered, Mr Hudson moved, and it was carried unanimously, that the Board of Education be requested to invite fresh applications for a male or female assistant teacher for the Hokitika School, applicants not to be under twenty-one years os age, and to possess at least a class E. certificate, or a certificate of another colony of equivalent value; the Chairman to endeavor to make a temporary arrangement for obtaining a teacher qualified to take the sth standard, until a permanent appointment could be made. The Chairman, before the conclusion of the business, mentioned that the head teacher had suffered in health recently, from his late overwork, and as the weather had been so very bad during the first ten days of the present holidays, the children had no opportunity of enjoying themselves. Under all the circumstances it was desirable to extend the holidays for a week. On the motion of Mr Jack this was agreed to. The application received for the position of assistant teacher, were very reluctantly set aside by the committee, on account of the extreme youth of the appli. cants, and to their being unable, (not being of age) to obtain the necessary Class E certifioate. At first the committee thought of appointing two of the applicants as junior assistants, instead of one assistant teacher. One of the young ladies selected, however, declined to accept the position. In the present circumstances of the school it is essential that the assistant teacher appointed should be qualified to take charge of the fifth standard which, with the sixth, Mr Dixon has been instructing during the last month or more. The work has been too severe for him and his health has suffered in consequence.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Frank Bird, R.M., the case of Ouimette v Hankins was adjourned. Hall v Benyon, claim £13 4s for dividend payable under deed of arrangement- Mr Lewis for plaintiff . Judgment for the amount claimed with costs. There was no other business.

We have to acknowledge receipt of the Post and Telegraph Guide for July.

Telegraphic mails for the Australian Colanies via Russell, per liiagarooma, close

at Auckland on Wednesday, tbe 12th inst., at 2 p.m.

A telephone station is now open at Makatoka, County of Waipawa.

At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Medical Association, held in the Dunedin Hospital last week, the following gentlemen were elected office bearers for the ensuing year -.—President, Dr Maunsell ; vice-presi« dents, Drs Copland and De Zouche; secretary, Dr Stenhouse ; treasurer, Dr Batchelor ; librarian, Dr Brown; committee, Drs Gillies and M'Caw, and Professor Scott.

Mr C. M. Gray, having written a letter to the Christchurch Press on " "What we spend on Drink," has had it reprinted . The amount which is consumed on alcoholic drinks is according to Mr Gray, on the increase. The

value of the various beverage 3 consumed in 1880, was £2,138,507, which in 1881 increased to £2,533,677, showing an increase in the value consumed of £395,170.

The case oE Bailey against the Union Bank, at Dunedin, involves tbe question how far a bank is justified in repaying to a married woman money deposited by her. The husband seeks to recover the money from the Bank.