West Coast Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1886.

West Coast Times, Issue 6129, 2 February 1886, Page 2

West Coast Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1886.

Often as it bas been found necessary to denounce those vicious propensities which are all classed under tbe heading of " larrikinism," and though various measures hare been proposed for the abatement of the evil, it seems to be rapidly increasing. In tbe larger towns of Australia, from annoying old men and women and generally becoming a nuisance to all with whom they are brought in contact, they have developed into criminals of the worst description. A few days since news of an attempt to rob a Melbourne suburban bank under arms w»b reported, Not twefre months

ago a robbery under Somewhat similar circumstances took place. The lawless- j neSs trhioh is generally overlooked in a young lad aveutually becomes ingrained, and he develops into a hardened of Ifcqmal. A commencement of repressive measures should be made as soon as symptoms of vice are detected. We do not advocate destroying the natural high spirits of youth, but they should be trained to find a vent in what are healthful exercises. Athletic sports in the day time and gymnasiums and reading rooms at night, would be of great use ia inculcating a healthier tone amongst the young. It may be urged tbat it is nobody's business to interfere, that tbe laws punish criminals, and the police are appointed to see the laws carried out. Iv our opinion it is quite as much the duty of the State to adopt measures that will arrest crime as to punish criminals. A criminal involves a heavy loss to the community in the very duties that are entailed in punishing him ; from that point of view then, if no other, it pays to prevent men from reaching tbe criminal stage. The establishment of volunteer cadet corps should he encouraged as well as any other movement that will give boys and young men a healthful occupation during their idle hours. The State has said tbat every child between certain years of age must have mental training either at schools provided by its own machinery or else at similar establishments conducted by private enterprise. The moral aud physical training of children is quite as necessary for the well being of the country as their mental culture. These do not bring; any diversities of opinion and are consequently free from the difficulties attendant on the introduction of a system of religious teaching. All men agree on the general principles of right or wrong, all admit the good results of sound physical training. What would be easier, then, than the further education of the youth iv the manner indicated? It is true the expense of such an undertaking might be u r ged, hut this would not be such a grave consideration as the constant increase of the criminal class. The legislature which exercises a fatherly interest in our doings by preventing us playing " Yankee Grab," limiting our speculations in sweeps to £5 and decreeing that no consultations are to be held, should surely find little difficulty in adopting measures to repress the most dangerous vices. The thought has just arisen that legislators who are fond of airing fads and imposing measures to do some intangible good are the last ones from whom we may expect good serviceable enactments.

With the law as it now stands, magistrates could greatly check the evil if they properly fulfilled their duties. How often have the police brought offenders to justice and had-the scant satisfaction of seeing them dismissed with a caution ? Of what use is it tbat the police catch the delinquents when the magistrates let them go ? In this very district we have had repeated examples of the same mistaken clemency. When tbe law ceases to have any terrors over, wrong doers, it is time active steps were taken to render it again of service. How many cases of robbing orchards have been brought under notice, sometimes undertaken with the connivance of adults, and yet nothing has been done. The police have a most invidious position to maintain. Blame attaches to them for every wrong that is undetected, and yet they have the greatest difficulty in obtaining information from the persons I injured, and in getting a verdict from | the bench. This is a question that directly affects all, and no opportunity shsuld be neglected for adopting remedial measures by promptly punishing tbe wrong doer, and affording means for a bettor outlet for his energies.

His Worship the Mayor telegraphed to the Minister for Public Works on Saturday as follows:—" Would be glad to know if you hare decided how the balance £4000 is to be spent, aud when tenders are likely to be called, great indignation now at uncertainty and delay." He received the following reply yesterday afternoon:—" In reply to your telegram of thirtieth ult., instructions have been given to call for tenders for the bridge over the Arahura river as soon as possible* this will absorb the whole of the balance of the vote, and will in fact considerably exceed the vote, so that nothing more can be done at the Hokitika end at present.

The County Chairman, accompanied by the members for the district, and the County Councillor?, leave by coach this morning to meet the Governor. On arriving at the town boundary they will be welcomed by his Worship the Mayor and Borough Councillors. The Volunteers and Friendly Societies will be drawn up in front of the Town Hall, the former acting as a guard of honor. His Excellency will probably be fatigued after his long journey and esteem a little quiet the best complimeat that can be paid. Those whose loyalty is particularly effusive will be able to display it to-morrow.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court yester day, before J. Giles, Esq., Coroner, and a jury of fire; of whom Mr J. R, Hudson was chosen foreman, an inquest was held on the remains of the infant son of Mr Jones. After hearing the evidence of the mother of the deceased and of Dr King, the jury, without retiring, returned a verdict of death from concussion of the brain, caused through the child falling off its bed some few days ago.

In consequence of the Tisit of his Ex» cellency the Governor, the meeting of the Harbor Board, called for this evening, will be postponed.

A recent Gazette notifies that the Post Office hitherto known as " Haast River," will for the future be designated " Okura."

A Mr Gladstone, brother of the great statesmen, is the possessor of large strawberry and other fruit gardens in Aberdeenshire. Owing to the depression amongst the manu* faclurers in Scotland, the market for these delicious fruits bas been very much reduced. To find a profitable outlet he proposes visiting New Zealand, to learn from Mr Blunck how to make the pure, wholesome, pleasant wine?, for which the Hokitika manufacturer is famous. Lord Salisbury, who is a great admirer of Blunck's wines, will accompany him.— Advt.

If people would only exercise more judg« pent than credulity, they would take nothing into the system, but what, like Wolfe's SoHNArrc, Us value by iti effects, —Advt.

The forthcoming banquet at the Town Hall, in honor of the visit of his Excellenoy the Governor, which takes place to-morrow evening, promises to be largely attended, and as the number of tickets to be issued Is limited, all those intending to be present would do well to make early application for tickets to Mr W. D. Banks.

Members of the Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows are requested to meet at the lodge room this evening at six o'clock, to assist in the reception of the Governor.

The First Westland Rifles will parade in front of the Drill Shed this evening, at six o'clock, for the purpose of forming a guard of honor on the arrival of his Excellency the Governor.

Neither young Batty nor King, the fisherman botb, of whom are oiisßing from Greyruouth have been .heard of. It ia supposed that King met with an upßet in the river, and the boat either filled or drifted away. The Dispatch was away all Saturday night and Sunday, returning to Greymouth on Sunday night, and saw no trace of him . One of his scullb was found on the north beach broken, and the other on tbe south beach, near the hospital. Of young Batty, the Argus a«yß it is supposed that he fell from the bridge into the river, striking his head on some of the timbers in his descant. He was a good swimmer, and unless injured, could easily have got ashore ; hie bat has been found on the north beach, The most touching thiDg ia connection with this unhappy affair is that he was shortly to be married to an estimatable and amiable young lady. He had been of prudent habits, owned some 20 head of cattle, held a life policy of £400, and had made a will in which he bequeathed to bis betrothed a liberal portion of bis worldly store.

St. Leon's Circus will return from Ross to-day and give a farewell performance in the camp reserve this evening with an entire change of programme.

A correspondent complains that young men were bathing in the surf in front of Mr Heinz's workshop at half-past four on Sunday afternoon, thua preventing ladies from enjoying a walk on the beach. They migh l surely chose an hour whan less people are about.

Admiral Tryon will probably leave Wellington for Hobart on Tuesday.

The following applications for patents have been gazetted; — Edward Luscombe Evanai of Adelaide, fora self-acting and self ..setting rabbit trap. Henry Wheeler, of Auckland, for a screw nail and awl pointed nail. David Ranken Shirreff Galbrakb, of Auckland, for an invention for the extraction of gold and silver from ores of the same. John Rule, of Auckland, for an invention for submarine work. John Hart, of Cliristcburch, for an invention for washing clothes. Orreou Simeon Ellitborp, of Melbourne, for improve* meats in reapers and binders (4 applicationbeing from William Deering, Chicago). John Stalker, of Tinwald, for an invention known as Stalker's Sheaf Elevator. Robert Ferdinand Soffler, of Hamburg, for an invention for preserving fresh cow butter. Thomas Gager, of Christchurch, for an invention for a lady's and gentleman's waist belt.

A correspondent of an Auckland paper writes: -"I have several times read of carnivorous animals being choked by their prey, through its being too large, &c, but the following rather strange affair occurred here yesterday. Noticing one of several ducks that we keep in this nursery sticking by itself, I called attention to it, thinking it had been injured accidentally. No one could account for it. At last one of the children said a locust was killing ifc, and an older brother, going to examine, found a locust sticking underneath the duck's tongue, and eventually this would have killed the duck had not relief come, as the locust bad cut aud irritated the root of tbe tongue in trying to release itself, until the duck wns about choked. A correspondent wrote to you how fond blackbirds are of the shellsnail. I think ducks the best of the feathered tribe to keep snails under. They don't wait to beat them on a stone, but just swallow them alive as faßfc as they can pick them up."

Husbands who are desirous of severing the marriage tie by flight, are sometimes painfully made aware of tbe difficulties tha t surround that method of procedure. The Auckland Bell tells of a portly dame who rushed on board the Eotnmahana just before she was leaving the wharf, in search of her faithless spouse. The vessel had cast off and was getting fairly under weigh, when^ to the astonishment of the spectators, she came alongside again. The cause for the return was to obtain the clearance papers, and whilst tbese were being fixed, the woman made her husband gather up his things, and escorted him up the wharf amid the badinage of the spectators, whose sympathies were evidently not with the faithless deserter.

It is reported from the North Island that in many of the country districts the apple and pear fruit are falling from the trees, owing to the prolonged drought. This is a serioua loss to Bmall settlers who principally live by fruit growing. There is scarcely any effectual remedy for the retention of the fruit on the trees till fully ripe, although attempts are to be made to that effect by digging about the root of the trees, and covering tbe turned up soil with bone dust and saturating it with water. Fruit is expected to be scarce and dear this year.

A species of grub, of an apparently de» etructive nature, is attacking the apples in the Waikomiti district, and renders that fruit unmarketable. The insect seems to select the apples that are more advanced in ripeness, in preference to others, for its operations, as if endowed with instinct in that direction. It is believed that to the prolonged drought may be attributed the ravages of this insect, and that if copious rain fell it would utterly disappear. A continuance of dry weather is known to bare generated fruit grub both in Auetralia and New Zealand.

Mr J. F. Edgar, of Cambridge, has been appointed editor of tbe Tuapeka Times.

A Lady's Wish — "Oh how I do wish my Bkin was as clear and soft as yours!" said a lady to £i friencL You oau easily make it so," answered the friend. "How?" inquired the first lady. "By using Dr Soule's Hop Bitters, that makes pure rich blood and blooming heath. It did it for me, as you observe." Read.

Mr Greenwood Deutisf, will visit Hokitika shortly.— Advt.

Cured of Dkinkino. — "A young friend of mine was cured of an iusatiable thirst for liquor, that had w prostrated his system that he was u-.able to do any business. He was entirely cu r td by Am. Co.'s Hop Bitters, It allayed all that burning thir e t, took away the appetite for liquor, made his nerves tteady, and he has remained a sober and steady man for more than two years, and has no desire to return to his cups," — From a leading R, B, Official.

After the burst of sympathy for the suf* ferers at Stratford, conres tne newa of repeated quarrels between the' New Plymouth and Hawera relief committees. The bone of contention seems to be the extent of damage done. The New Plymouth people say an attempt is being made to sponge on the colony, and that the number of people left destitute is greatly OTer-estimated. The total loss is variously calculated at from two to ten thousand pounds. The Wellington Post and Times have bad a passage at arms^ which seems to have arisen through tbe latter paper's ignoring the former's contri" bution of £100 against the very moderate amount it raised. The Times has been taking Hawera and New Plymouth to task for displaying a feeling of jealousy, comi menting on which the Taranaki Herald loftily remarks:— « About this jealousy that everyone is talking about, we would ask — What has New Plymouth to be jealous of at Hawera, an inland town? If they said Hawera was jealous of our advantages, we being a seaport, there might be some sense, but it is supremely ridiculous to talk of being jealous of Hawera."

Mr Beetham, M.H.R. for Wairarapa, the accomplished Atkinsonian whip and genera' supporter of Mr Sntter's attacks on goldfields, has addressed his constituents (says a contemporary), in a style we could not have credited unless we had seen it in print. Under the benign influence of the Major tbe Wairarapas have been granted £60,000 (let us be exact, £59,735), through tbe machinery of the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. Mr Beetham ignores all this, and piteously says that this year they are only to get £690. After the immenße haul they have got already they should be thankful to receire a copper.

During 1885 the amount received for pilotage at the port of Auckland was £1478.

Young trout have lately been seen in the Turakina river.

Coughs, Colds, Bronchitis, &c, are quickly cured by ÜBiog Baxter's " Lung Preserver." This old-established medicine is pleasant to the palate, and highly extolled by member? of the medical, legal, and clerical professions. For testimonials Bee fourth page. Sold by al J patent medicine vendurs. List of wholesale agents is given in advertisement. — Advt.

Tic-Doloureux, Toothache, or any other neuralgic pain speedily yields to Baxter's Anti-Neuralgic Pills. — Advt.