UNION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 3960, 12 October 1880, Page 2

UNION.

The most sensible remark that has been made in connection with the visit of the Australian cricketers to England is that of the London Times, that Buch interchange of friendly visits between the Mother Country and the colonies does more towards preserving the unity of the Empire than a host of legislators could effect in that direction. The great mistake that is commonly made in this matter of union is that of giving too much attention to legislative schemes, and too little to those social expedients on which so much depends. People forget that legislation will do more harm than good unless it be well timed ; that is to say, unless there be some acknowledged want which it is intended to supply, such, for instance, as the appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Thia enables colonists to get the benefit of the highest legal ability in the Empire in the decision of difficult questions, and also furnishes the colonies with an impartial tribunal for the decision of questions which might otherwise lead to such collisions as that between Chili and Peru. Now, it is impossible to do anything towards Imperial unity by legislation unless there-be some clearly defined colonial want to be supplied, and the supply of it can be made to subserve the purpose of such unity. By forgetting this ' politicians often waste time and ingenuity, which might be usefully exerted in another direction — that indicated in the Times' comment on the cricketers' visit, for instance.

Judge Richmond remarked the other day at Auckland that "in no country in the world has greater respect been shown to law than in the United States of America." This has long been to a few a recognised fact, but so great was the prejudice in the English mind against American institutions and the American people up to the time of the Civil War, that it was thought by many no good thing could emanate from the States.

The organ for the Christchurch cathedral is to be built by Messrs Win, Hill and Son, of York Road, London, at a cost of about £1500.

There is a stargazer in the city of Dublin who predicts that the world is to be des- j troyed by fire before the end of the present I year. lie does not give ua as long a reprieve as Mother Shipton, who fixed the end of .the world for next year, but he exempts Ireland from the general conflagration, no doubt on the principle that that country is already as hot as it can be. A new journal, The Craftsman, devoted to matters connected with Freemasonry, will shortly be issued in Christchurch. Urged on by the promise of a "go" of whiskey, a scavenger of Chester has just crawled for 200 yards through a 2ft. sewer literally choked up with filth. He nearly lost his life in the performance, and emerged I minus the greater portion of his clothes. See what it is to be spiritually minded. A meeting of the creditoi'3 of Francis Loudon, of Foxton, was held in Wellington on Thursday last. Mr Carroll, one of the trustees, occupied the chair, and said the meeting had been called at Mr Loudens demand, to consider an application for the discharge of the debtor. Mr Christie, representing the Colonial Bank, expressed himself determined to oppose the debtor's discharge, as the latter had given the creditor no assistance whatever to get a dividend out of the estate. Mr Edwards also spoke strongly against the debtor, and would oppose the discharge, on the ground that he had neglected to supply proper accounts to the trustees. The creditors would not get a farthing in the £. Mr Harcourt said the debtor's affairs were completely muddled, but there was no proof of dishonesty or fraud. Mr Christie moved, "That the debtor's discharge be suspended for two years." Mr Edwards seconded. Mr Hunt thought it would be belter to give the debtor another month to see what he could do. He moved, "That tho meeting be adjourned for a month." Mr Harcourt seconded.^ Mr Edwards said the debtor disputed claims to the extent of upwards of £9000, and admitted only £400 to be due. The debtor said, if he did not get his discharge he would simply be thrown a charge on the country, as he had a family to support and could not get employment until he was discharged. After some further deliberation, the meeting agreed to adjourn for a month. — Post. The half-yearly election and installation of officers for the Loyal Wanganui Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., took place last evening, when the following members were elected and installed :— N.G., Bro. Paton ; V.G., Bro. R. Blythej Secretary, Bro. Jno. Wright; Elective Secretary, Bro. May; R.S. and L.S. toN.G.. Bros. Callingham and Dyke respectively; R.S. and L.S. to V.G , Bros. P.G. Rainbow and P.P.D.G.M., Jeffcott; Guardian, Bro. McElwain, jur. During the evening a very interesting event took place, being the presentation to Bro. P.P.D. G.M. Bamber of a handsome and complete set of Past Officer's regalia. Bro. D. D. G. M. McElwain, on behalf of the lodge, read the following address :— " Worthy Past Provincial Grand Master, Brother Thomas Bamber —•We take the opportunity of thankiug you for the lively interest you have taken in any matter for the good and welfare of our lodge at a sacrifice of your valuable time, and we trust you may long continue to render us that assistance with your able control and advice you have hitherto done. — We also take this opportunity to present you with this set of regalia as a mark of our respect and esteem, and we wish you may live long and die a good Odd Fellow. We are, &c, The Members of the Loyal Wanganui Lodge, No. 4738, 1.0.0. F., M.U. Bro. McElwain in presenting the regalia made a few appropriate remarks, which were suitably responded to by the recipient. We clip from a Wellington paper the following particulars of the stabbing case on board the Madeleine :— At the R.M. Court | this morning, before Mr Mansford, Stephen Baker was charged with unlawfully attempting to stab Thomas Smart. The circumstances were briefly reported yesterday. The prisoner was cook on board the schooner Madeleine, and the prosecutor was employed on board the same vessel. It appeared from the evidence of the latter, that at about 11 o'clock yesterday morning he went to the galley and asked the prisoner for some tea. The latter refused to give him any, and some words ensued, which ended in the prosecutor asking the prisoner to come outside on the deck. They then had a few blows, when the prisoner caught hold of the prosecutor, dragged the prisoner to the galley with one hand and proceeded to reach for a knife. Prosecutor got away, and prisoner went into the galley. He came out again, and Smart noticed that he had one hand behind him. Witness asked if lie had a knife, but he made no answer. Presently, on getting a favorable opportunity, prisoner "made a rip " at him with the knife, but, fortunately, the prosecutor was able to ward off the blow. Prisoner then chased him round the deck with the knife until some by-standers interfered. The evidence of John Adair and James Gordon, who saw the fray, having been taken, prisoner was formally committed for trial. From a conversation which occurred between a native interpreter and some of the natives who had just returned from Dunedin, there is little hope of the imprisonment of the natives in Dunedin bearing any salutary effects. The interpreter told the natives that he hoped they had learnt a lesson by their recent imprisonment, and that they would now settle down quietly on their land and not interfere with the Europeans, for if they again broke the law they would be more severely dealt with under the new law which had been brought into force, One of the .natives said he did not care for the new law, aS it was made' by the Pakeha ; if it had been made by Te Whiti he would obey. He further said that if he were imprisoned for thirty years, he would still obey the commands of Te Whiti.— Taranaki Herald. A meeting of cricketers desirous of forming a Cricketing Association for the county will be held this evening at the Victoria Hotel. Mr W. P. Guthridge, agent for Messrs Levin & Co., Wellington, notifies that he is prepared to make advances on the growing clip of wool. Mr J. E. Wilson's Banshee has been scratched for the Wanganui Stakes. The Government inspection of the two local Rifle Corps was held last evening. Major Lockett inspected the companies, and expressed himself as being highly pleased with their appearance. Both bands were in attendance and after the inspection headed their respective corps and marched round the town. The Patea Mail says :— " Taranaki has altered its tack. After ridiculing and reviling Wanganui for daring to dream of harbor for foreign trade, Taranaki now compliments Wanganui on her energy and efforts in that direction. Wanganui rises to the fly and swallows it. This must be good fun forschool-boya."— That it is so for certain children ffho ought to be at school the foregoing paragraph proves. "Punch "thus addresses tho Australian cricketers : — Australian lads, ye 're a leathering lot. Your team has no "tail," and seems proof against "rot" ! Your batsmen a capital average tot ! Your bowlers aye commonly well on the spot ? Our " cracks " seem all catching it awfully hot. (Nine runs in two innings " the Champion " got ?) Yorkshire you've " scumfished," now Gloucester you've "shot. ' You have licked us all round, and the prospect is not An encouraging one to Briton or Scot, And — drinking your health — Mr Punch would ask, "What! Can cricket in England be going to pot ?" (Mr P. sigheth, and solaceth himself with a " deep, deep draught " of iced Hatfield.) It has been decided not to hold an inquiry into the late fire at Mr Duthie's, the cause of the disaster having been ascertained beyond the shadow of a doubt. When the fire was first noticed it was in a cupboard or safe close to the kitchen chimney, and the conclusion we stated in our first notice that the disaster was similar in origin to the Rutland fire, has been borne out by subsequent investigation. The brickwork dividing the range from the woodwork of the cupbaord

was originally about 3£ inchps thick, but to enable a hot water pipe to be taken to the bath room," the brick work was cut away until not more than an inch and a half remained to protect the woodwork. By some means or other, whether by earthquake or a knock in the cleaning of the range, the thin piece of brickwork gave way, leaving a hole some three inches square. This hole led directly to the woodwork of the cupboard, and a fire became only a matter of time and any slight exciting cause. This was given on the evening of the disaster. The servant new to the house, wishing to put out the kithen fire before retiring to rest pushed in the dampers. The smoke and heat being thus prevented from passing up the flues to the chimney found vent through the hole mentioned,, and gradually found its way about the house. Mrs Duthie noticed the smoke and asked the servant the cause. The girl replied that she had pushed in the dampers to put the fire out. Mrs Duthie thon instructed her to pull them back and let the fire burn itself out in the grate. The dampers were accordingly pulled back but the damage no doubt had been already done. The woodwork predisposed to fire from the intense heat, must have caught fire aud smouldered away until a good hold was obtained, and thon broke out in active flame. The lesson to be learned from the disaster may be of good service to other householders. At the conclusion of the parade of the Wauganui Rifles on Monday evening a general meeting of the Company was held when it was decided to form a cricket club, the name to be the Wanganui Rifles Cricket Club. Captain Watt was unanimously elected President, Mr Lacey (Captain), Mr H. Bush (Hon. Sec. and Treasurer), and Messrs Aamodt, Rodwell, Cameron, Moore, andPawson, members of committee. The subscription was fixed at 5s per annum, and a sub-committee appointed to purchase material. A challenge will be sent to the Union Club to try conclusions at an early date. With reference to the complaints regarding the difficulty of carrying out the processes issued from the R.M. Court, in which a certain R.M. was the defendant, and which was the subject of a local in the Herald, it is now ascertained that the worthy R.M. in question had been arrested on another warrant, which necessitated his filing his declaration of insolvency. It is presumed that J. M. is no longer a R.M. Bravissimo ! The la3t new act of the administration is to tack on Wanganui to the Taranak ipolice district. This is the official act of Mr Bryce who is the Ministerial head of the department, the same Mr Bryce who, in conjunction with the Herald, fought for twelve years against the dominancy of the city of Wellington. Of course his independence has been exchanged for the privilege of being associated with a party in office, the leaders of which party he denounced in the severest terms only two years previously, but we never thought it would have turned round upon himself to betray the interests and independence of Wanganui by tacking it on to the tail of Taranaki. This is the strangest act of all this extraordinary somersault in politics.