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Western Star, Issue 871, 16 August 1884, Page 2

Upon the House, assembling on Thursday according to arrangement, a communication was read from the Governor to the effect that it was then inconvenient for him to give a statement of his reasons for calling Parliament together. In consequence, on the motion of Major Atkinson, an adjournment till Tuesday was agreed to. The delay has been occasioned by the absence in Dunedin of the nominal Premier, Mr Stout, which prevented the new Ministry being sworn in. That ceremony, it is expected, will be performed to-day. Opinions differ as to the probability of the new Cabinet being able to command a majority. Otago and Canterbury will almost give them a block vote, but the other provincial sections of the colony are said to be strongly opposed to the unholy combination of Radical, Liberal and Conservative represented in the Cabinet. So strongly marked is this feature of the new Ministry that it is confidently expected that it will shortly be burst up by a species of spontaneous combustion, even if it escapes destruction by other and more constitutional means. If their policy recommends itself to the House, however, and the various antagonistic elements in the Cabinet agree to sink their individuality and join in the effort to give effect thereto; it is possible that no immediate opposition will be evinced, as there is evidently a desire amongst a large section of the House to give them a chance either to prove their incompotency or initiate such legislation as will help to raise the Colony from its present stagnant position. Sir George Grey will have none of Sir Julius on any terms whatever, and as indicative of the feeling of abhorrence with which he views that gentleman, he has bid Mr Macandrow a solemn farewell, designating him and Mr Stout as renegades to the Liberal cause, and declaring that political friendship between them is no longer possible. Sir George has since “felt” Major Atkinson, with the almost certain result that the forces of these two whilom bitter political opponents will coalesce in opposition to the’ Stout-Yogel Government. Such are politics ! While speculation is rife with all sorts of conjectures as to the position of the Ministry, we can only await the development of events for the true solution of the political problem, which may yet undergo most unlooked for complications.

A meeting of the Otautau Town Board was held on Wednesday evening last. Members present; The Chairman, Messrs Henderson ) Gilchrist, and Quin. Tho following tenders were opened for formation of footpaths;— Contract No. 1; .1. B. Ford, £7B 2s ; Thomas Thomas, £75; Denis Hart, £59 2s. No. 2: Woodward and Co., £80; J. B. Ford, £6B; Denis Hart and Co., £52 ss. On the motion of Mr Henderson, tho lowest tender in both cases was accepted. Accounts amounting to £l3 15s were passed for payment. Mr Henderson moved that a committee bo appointed to inspect road Icadintr from Otautau to Main Bush; committee to consist of the Chairman, Mr Gilchrist, and the mover, and to report at next meeting. Carried. The Board then adjourned until Wonnosday, 27th inst.

A scratch football match will take place to-day on tho Club’s ground, between sides chosen by Captain and Secretary, The following players represent teams : —Captain’s : Stirling, Robertson, Brown (2), Lee, Reid, Cuff, G. and T. Howell, Moffat, Roderiquo, Beer, Lyons, Mills, and Mirrielces. Secretary’s : Strack, Rcyling, Daniel (2), Pankhurst, McNaughton, R. Howell, Hunter, Cogr.n, Williams, Tall, Stewart, Fullerton (2), Stevenson, and Winton. Members arc requested to attend, as the return match with Invercargill will take place next Saturday. Play commences at 3 o’clock.

In reply to the secretary of the local Blue Ribbon Union, Mr T. W. Glover wrote on Thursday:—“ It will be impossible for me to visit Riverton. I am very sorry, as I w mid like fo have done so, but foun 1 tint I had to start at this enl, and mast get through to start from Auckland fo r San Francisco hy September 16th. I can therefore only go to a few of the piincipul centres.” A telegram from him yesterday road : “Impossible. Have fixed Gore Tuesday, and begin Dunedin Wednesday.”

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Athenaeum Committee was held in the Library omThursday evening. The members present were: Messrs J. McDonald (President, in the chair), Fullarton, J. Ireland, Don, Mills, Petchell, Hancock, Burns, and A. Ireland. The claim of R. G. Peters for cost of wig (£2 10s) lost at entertainment given some time ago in aid of the Athenaeum funds, was considered, and after hearing Mr Booth’s statement regarding the matter, from which it was gathered that there were grave suspicions that the article had been stolen from the hall, it was decided that the Committee pay same. It was resolved that “ The Scotsman,” weekly edition of the “London Times” and “ Hai'per’s Monthly ” be added to the list of periodicals, and that the “Home News” be discontinued. The irregular receipt of the “ Contemporary Review ” was called attention to. A sub-committee was appointed to procure a newspaper reading stand.

The following Australasian items are to hand per the To Anau : —The case of the girl Rosanna Plummer, who recently murdered her infant, has been considered by the Executive, and sentence of death commuted, as it was shown she was not in her right senses at the time of the occurrence.—A disturbance occurred in the Domain, Sydney. Mr Smith, of Tichborne notoriety, and Captain Jackson Barry had a wordy conflict. They were surrounded by three or four thousand persons, and Barry was rushed. —A batch of Egyptians from Port Said were landed from the steamer Ocean at Adelaide. They are unable to speak English, and are quite destitute.—Three sup. posed New Caledonian escapees have arrived at Cooktown, after suffering great privations. They will be brought up at the Police Court.

The Wellington correspondent of the “Otago Daily Times” interviewed all the Otago members he could see on Wednesday with the object of finding out their opinion of the Stout-Vogel Ministry. Referring to our local member ho says :—The next group lire Messrs Hirst, Fergus, and Yincent Pyko, The member for Dunslen is not at all sure. He won’t vote to turn (he Government out because a Minister of Mines has not been appointed. “ Stout is about us much fit to be Premier as ” But the rest of his sentence is interrupted by the member for Wakatipu. “Wait till we see their policy,” lie ays; “ when I know that I will tell you whether I can support them or not.” Mr Hirst has no doubt at all about it. “I told my electors I believed in Atkinson when it was possible that a good Misistry might bo formed from the Opposition ranks. Now' that we have got a bad one it is reason the more that I should stick to my colors.” Here Mr Richardson, of Mataura, approaches with a butch of telegrams in his lunds from constituents congratulating him upon his appointment as Minister of Public Works. It appears that the Press Association put no initials to the names of the Ministers, and some of the bumpkins of the Mataura

jumped to conclusion that their representative must be the man. Not quite so easy is the descent to Avernus. Mr G. F. Richardson is the fourth of his name who has been elected to the New Zealand Parliament. One achieved great distinclirn, a second has more than once held Cabinet office, and a tlrrd was generally recognised os a useful member. No doubt the member for Mataura will follow in their footsteps. At present he is a trifle antagonistic to the Ministry, but I think, he will support them.

At last meeting of the Bluff Harbor Boar

fihe following resolution was carried unanimously, on the motion of the chairman (Mr J. G. Ward) >— “ That the Boarl take steps to o' tain another endowment of land of sufficient value to enable it to borrow up to £IOO,OOO for prosecuting necessary works and carrying on the business of the port.” During the discussion it was stated that there was a proposal to blast the triangle rocks, and also to build a graving dock, with the view of rendering the Bluff equal to any of the olher four largest ports in the Colony.

The local business transacted at the Land Bo.ird meeting on Thursday was as follows

The Chief Surveyor, in forwarding maps of sections in blocks 8 and 11, Longwood district, recommende 1 that they should be offered for cash and deferred payment alternately.--It was agreed to ask the surveyor who surveyed the land to furnish a report of the quality so as to classify it, there being a lot of swamp indued in the blocks.—The Ranger reported favourably on the following sections the owners of which could capitalize or complete purchases: —J. Finn, section 132, Wairio; F. A. Gordon, section 17, block 5, Longwood j T. Hazletl, section 198, Taringatura ; Jas. Witt, section 631, Hokonui; Jas. Gailahsr, section 163. Wairio ; R A. Simpson, section 5, block 5, Longwood.—Degan and PliilHj s, Longwood district, asked a concession in regard to their firewood license. As at present they paid £6O a-yeur and survey fees. Hav-

iner been put to considerable expense by laying a tramway, they wished to be charged so much per cord.—The Board agreed to adhere to the original agreement, there being noway of checking the number of cords cut. —On tho motion of Mr Dennistoe, leave of absence was grin tod to Mr Hirst during ill's Parliamentary session, and the Board adjourned.

Mr T. Bracken, the lute member for Duvedin Cen'ral, was pres n,tod with a purse »*f 175 sovs. on Wednesday on the occasion of his permanently leaving Dunedin for Wollingto i. The Independent Order of Oddfellows and the N. Z, Enginedrivers and Firemen’s Association a ! so made presentations of Diamond jewellery tor Mrs Bracken.

The third and most remarkable match of the tour has been completed between the Australians and an All-England Elovcu. The first was a draw ; the second was won by tho Englishmen by an innings and five runs ; tho third has ended in a draw in favor of the Australians. The All England team is composed of tho following: Dr W. G. Grace, Lord Harris, Hon. A. Lyttelton, Mr W. W. Road, Mr A. G. Stool, Barlow, Barnes, Pcato, Scotton, Shrewsbury, and Ulyctt. Tho Australians went first to tho wickets, and before they were all disposed of they put together the magnificent score of 551, to which Murdoch contributed 211, Scot, 102, McDonnell 103. The Englishmen in their first innings made the excellent score of 316, . and requiring 206 to win, followed on. They put together 85 for the loss of two wickets when the match was drawn, want of time rdeveuting its completion.

William Hitchcock, a very old resident of this district, suddenly “joined the majority ” on Wednesday, at the residence of his son, Waimatuku Flat, at the ripe age of 73 years. After dinner he complained of feeling unwell, and suffering from pain in the region of the heart. He lay down, and expired in about half an hour. Until he lay down he had no* complained of illness, and had always enjoyed good health. Mr McCulloch was communicated with as to whether an inquest was necessary, but under the circumstances he did not think there was occasion for any further enquiry into the cause of death. The Rev. 0. S. Ross, of Anderson’s Bay, has now finally severed his connection with the church there. He proceeds to Melbourne on the 21st inst., and after a stay there of some nine or twelve months we understand that the rev. gentleman purposes returning to Otago.

Opening Otautau Athenaeum —Thursday, 21st inst. Tenders wanted lease Otautau Public Hall. Funeral notice —late 'William Hitchcock. J. 0. MeArdell, auction sales t Thornbury, Wednesday 27th Aucusl