News of the Week.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 6, 1 June 1883, Page 9

News of the Week.

Fbiday. The Premier of Victoria has telegraphed to the Agent-General instructing him to protest to the Imperial Government against the proposed deportation of the Phoenix Park informers to Australia. The tobacconists and others who are threatened with prosecution for Sunday trading intend holding a meeting and arranging to fight the matter. A young man named James Hagan is believed to have been lost in the bush near Upper Hutt while pigeon-shooting. He wandered away from a companion on Tuesday, and has not since been heard of. A fire occurred yesterday evening at the private residence in Here* fordstreet, Christchurch, of Fleming, hairdresser. The family were out for a holiday. Considerable damage was done. It is now considered doubtful whether Tynan, who offered to surrender to the British authorities at New York, is " Number One," as alleged. The wheat harvest in South Australia has been a failure. The average for this Colony is 4 bushels 131bs. per acre. Three bad seasons have now followed one another in succession, and agricultural matters are depressed. The Western Star reports the arrival, in Riverton, of Messrs. P. Bush and party, after a nine months' prospecting tour of the West Coast, as far north as Jackson's Bay. The party numbered three, all of whom are experienced miners, and, notwithstanding their pluck and experience of the hardships incidental to such a trip, the fruits of their labour are nil — they having found but little gold. They are, however, satisfied that a properly-equipped prospecting expedition would meet with success. Considerable public feeling is manifested in Auckland over the action of the trustees of the Costley bequest in giving directions for the sale of the landed estate. A public meeting of citizens is spoken of. The Mayor of Wellington has called a meeting of citizens to consider the conduct of the Canterbury railway leaguers in trying to have the £180,000 voted for the extension of the Middle Island Trunk line applied to the construction of a West Coast line, connecting Cbristchurch and Hokitika. Any proposal to divert the money from promoting the establishment of the Trunk line's terminus at tome point on Cook Strait, is opposed to the future prospects of WeiFive men, found with dynamite in their possession, at Liverpool, have been committed for trial. Baron de Lesseps, of the Suez Canal Company, requests the English Government to support the project for obtaining the land required for the construction of a second canal, promising in return a reduction of charges, and increased powers of control to England. The amusements of the Queen's Birthday were marred yesterday by rain, which seems to be general. The Dunedin Jockey Club's winter meeting, held yesterday, was thinly attended, owing to the inclement weather. The different events were won as follows :— Handicap Hurdle Race, Mr. G. Robertson's Wildboy ; Maiden Plate, Mr. J. Stephenson's Captain Webster ; Birthday Handicap, Mr. J. Stephenson's Taiaroa ; Handicap Time Trotting Race, Mr. C. H. Harding's Polly ; Novel Race, Mr. A. Owen's Clinkerina; Tradesmen's Handicap, Mr. J. Cotton's Adamant ; Hack Race, Mr. J. Stephenson's Eugenic ; Consolation Handicap, Mr. T. H. Dodson's Miss King. At Timaru the New Zealand Grand National Handicap was won by Mr. H. C. Adam's Kosciusko ; the Maiden Plate by Mr. A. Frisby's Captain ; the Hunt Club Cup by Mr. J. Pilbrow's Clarence ; and the Consolation Handicap by Mr. Rutherford's Commissioner. The results of the Wanganui Steeplechase meeting were as follows: — Wanganui Handicap Steeplechase, Mr. James Munn's Ruahine ;JSelling Steeplechase, Mr. A. J. Keith's Bugler ; Maiden Steeplechase, Dr. Connolly's Ngata r Grand-stand Steeplechase, Mr. H. Enderby's Mount ; Consolation Stakes, Lady Bab. At Takapuna, Auckland, Kalo won the Winter Oats and Birthday Cup Handicaps ; Paramena, the Selling Race ; Chandler, the Handicap Steeplechase ; and Maori, the Consolation. At the Heathcote races Luna won the Cnp and Larry the Steeplechase. Besides the diamonds entrusted to his care, Mr. T. A. Kelsey has taken with him to London a volume of poems by Mr. T. Bracken, for the purpose of having it published. The sum passed through the totalisators yesterday at the Forbury course was £3556. Two thousand people were present at a temperance meeting held last night at Auckland. Mr. A. H. Malcolm, merchant of Wellington, recently arrested on a charge of larceny as a bailee, has commenced civil proceedings for the recovery of £2000 damages against Mr. Charles Tricklebank, of Palmerston North, who laid the information. Sir William Fox complains that the members of temperance societies at Wellington reserve the wearing of their medals, sashes, and blue ribbons for their lodge rooms, and that the people of the town in question are too slack in the good cause generally. The North Otago Times describes the football match played yesterday between the Dunedin Pirates and Oamaru, as having been played in the middle of mud and water. It was, says our contemporary, a hard, wet, and muddy contest. The body of the boy Lilly, who perished on the Port Lyttelton Hills some time ago, and for whom repeated searches have been made, was found by a shepherd this morning near the place where the body of the boy Mason was found. A match, Town v. Country, played at the Dunedin Draughts Club last night, resulted in a victory for the town players by 10 points.

SATURDAY. There were 500 guests at the Governor's ball on Thursday night, among those present being Bishops Cowie and Luck. A scarcity of servants prevails at Christchurch. The LytteUm Times says :— " There is a great scarcity of farm hands, of whom a large number are wanted at £1 a week and found.. Female servants with good references are also in good demand ; of this class of servants there are many seeking employment, but there Beems to be a difficulty in obtaining the required recommendation from former employers, many of whom are getting somewhat particular -on this point, and prefer to put up with the inconvenience of being without servants rather than take them without a reference." The meeting held at Wellington yesterday on the Trunk railway question was largely attended. Sir William Fitzherbert insisted, that any diversion of the money allocated for the extension of the' Main Trunk railway would be a scandalous breach of the public Bay of Islands that the public works scheme and its debt of 22 millions had been accepted by the people of the Colony, and no deviation from this should be permitted. On the motion of his Worship the Mayor, seconded by the Hon. Mr. Martin, the following resolution was unanimously agreed to :— " That any diversion of the funds allocated to the construction of the Middle Island Main Trunk line would be improper, and at variance with the general scheme of public works." On the motion of Mr. John Duthie, seconded by Mr. N. Reid, it was resolved to send copies of the resolution to each member of the Legislature and Government. The Cromwell Argus says that the partridge and pheasants in the Hawea and Wanaka districts are being destroyed, or have actually been p"o by the poisoned wheat laid down for rabbits. Compensating in some degree for this unfortunate state of things, adds our contemporary, it is satisfactory to know that the red deer in and about Timaru Forest are thriving and increasing in numbers, herds of from nine to twenty having of late been seen. They are very Bhy and not easily approached. Mr. Grealish, of Otaria, was thrown from his horse the other day in crossing the railway line at Waikaka, and was found lying senseless on the rails by Mr. Ballintyne a little before the Clinton train was due. It is feared that the results of the fall may prove fatal. The town of Majunga in Madagascar has been taken by the French after a bombardment of six hours. A military post in the Sakalva country has also been captured, and the road to the capital secured. Great excitement prevails among the natives. Earl Granville has expressed regret, in the House of Lords, at the action thus taken. Archbishop Croke states that he will obey the mandate of the Pope. — Who ever suspected that he would not ? No mandate of the Pope is in the least likely to be unreasonable. The ceremony of blessing the banners to be use! in connection with the approaching coronation of the Czar took place at Moscow on Wednesday. Messrs. George and Jans Hansen, deferred-payment settlers residing near Garston, about ten miles from . Kingston, suffered a rather heavy loss on Friday morning through fire, says the Wakatip Mail. It appears that they had been busy threshing wheat, and, when knocking off on Thursday evening, had put through the mill two out of three stacks. On returning next morning at about 6 o'clock it was found that the mill and loose straw had been consumed by fire, the bagged grain almost totally destroyed, and the remaining stack was still burning. No direct evidence is at present forthcoming as to the origin of the fire, but there can be little doubt that it was accidental. The engine, which was uninjured, was insured for £130, and the mill for £220, in the National Company's offices. The grain was uninsured, and the owners estimate their loss on that at £125, and on the threshing mill, £100. A two years old girl belonging to Mr. N. Br&cefield, Totara Island, Pleasant Point, died on Wednesday morning from the effects of scalds received by her on Tuesday, when she fell into a pot from which her mother had just taken some meat. The Dunedin Trades and Labour Council held a special meeting at the Coffee Palace last night, where the city and suburban members of Parliament attended and answered several questions satisfactorily. The private residence, at Wellington, of Dr. Lemon, Superintendent of Telegraphs, has been lit with the electric light. The plant cost a little over £200, and it is believed the light will prove as cheap as gas. The opening of the South Dunedin Waterworks was celebrated last night by a supper at Hutching' s Workshops Hotel, where Mr. Mcßride, one. of the chief promoters of the scheme in question, was presented with an imitation, in gold, of the main valve as a mark of the engineer's appreciation of his services. According to a telegram receivedjby Mr. W. Watson of Dunedin, the weekly return from the Keep-it- Dark mine was 3150e. from 90 tons of stone. The lad Hagan, who was lost in the bush at Upper Hutt has been found in an exhausted condition. A. H. Malcolm has been re-arrested on a warrant from Palmerston North, charging him with larceny as a bailee, and has been remanded till Friday. Captain M* Arthur, of the steamer M'Gregor, was summoned today for having, on the 6th of April, carried a greater number of passengers in that steamer from Waitara than allowed by the certificate. The charge was admitted, but it was stated that an extra number of natives who came on board were not found out until after the vessel had started. He was fined 9s. and Is. for every extra passenger. The Ttiapeka Times hears that Mr. Perry, of the Gabriel's Tailing Company, in conjunction with Mr. Dewar, of Auckland, contemplates bringing forward a scheme for the purchase of the whole of the Blue Spur claims, with a view to working them on a large scale.

The following figures are taken from the agricultural statistics for New Zealand :— Number of holdings— freehold, 18,758 ; rented, 6,850; part freehold and part rented. 2,744. Land under crop — wheat, 390,818 acres ; oats for green f od or hay, 65,466 acres ; oats for grain, 319,858 acres ; barley, 28,146 acres ; potatoes, 20,488 acres. Estimated gross pi oduce— wheat, 10,270,591 bushels ; oats, 10,520,428 bushels; barley, 737,153 bushels ; potatoes. 104,581 tons. Quantity of last year's crop on hand when forms filled vp — wheat, 123,554 bubhels"; oats, 1 10,761 bushels ; barley, 5.D32. Captain J. M'Neill, of the lake steamer Antrim, was caught between some trucks at the Kingston railway terminus, on Monday, and severely shaken. He is progressing favourably. The widow of the engine-driver Meek, killed recently at the Dunedin terminus, has been allowed a gratuity, equal to six month's pay, by the Railway Department. Monday. Renewed persecution of the Jews has broken out at Rostoff, in Russia. The French have been defeated in Anam, and it is believed a rupture may take place between them and China. The Auckland coursing meeting was finished on Friday. Mr. Buckland takes the first prize of *30 ; Mr. Hogan second, of £20 ; and several prizes of less value will also be distributed. An explosion occurred in Peterborough, England, blowing up the sewer in the principal street. It caused great alarm, and is believed to be the work of the Dynamitist Society.— Nevertheless, it might be bard to define the end to be gained by the Society in meddling with sewage. An explosion which recently took place in a sewer at Paris was otherwise accounted for. But John Bull in a fight is an unreasoning animal. Messrs. Hunt and White are the successful tenderers for the Waihoa railway contract (formation only) from Morrinsville to Te Aroha, the price being about £13,000. The Lyttelton limes reports that the Onehunga iron has been tried by Mr. J. Hill, of Sydenham, who thinks that, when properly rolled or manufactured, it would be equal to the best Swedish. The Czar has issued a manifesto in one of his coronation proclamations announcing a qualified amnesty to the Polish insurgents who took part in the revolt of 1863, with partial remission of penalties, and arrears of taxation. No mention is made in the manifesto of constitutional reforms. Archbishop Croke, on his return from Rome, has met with a grand reception through the South of Ireland. Mackay's labour-recruiting in New Guinea has occasioned a bad impression in political circles. The Government have decided to accept the annexation of Southern New Guinea, and to convert it into a Crown Colony. Lady Mountmorres, Mrs. Blake, and Field, the wounded juryman, have each been awarded by Government £3,000 as compensation. The French forces in Madagascar have occupied all the northern ports, and the warships are reported to be shelling unarmed villages. At the wool sales 91,000 bales have been catalogued, and 7,000 withdrawn. Coarse merino and cross-bred wools continue a halfpenny per pound below the March rates ; but the price of sound combing qualities is improving. Messrs. Hamilton and Chapman, Dunedin, received on Saturday telegrams giving the following gold returns for the week :— Welcome Co., 3150z. of amalgam from 89 tons of quartz. Keep it Dark Co., 4500z. of amalgam from 198 tons of stone ; the retorted gold for two weeks amounts to 2060z. Dunedin Dredging Co., (Alexandra) 30oz. of gold for the week. Mr. Isaac Wilson, member for Kaiapoi, is dangerously ill at Wellington. The house of Mr. Campbell, carrier, Evans Flat, was burned down on Tuesday, owing, it is supposed, to the overturning by a cat of a kerosene lamp. Insurance £75. While fishing off Centre Island the other day (says the Western Star), Mr. Irwin, of the ketch Raven, came across a " monster of the deep," in the shape of a shark, measuring, judging by the length of the boat they were in, not less than 15ft. The fish had become entangled in the meshes of a net which had been cast, and in which it nearly came to grief. In the absence of means to despatch the monster, it escaped. The dredge Excelsior (says the Tuapeka Times) is still at work at Rae's beach, the proprietors being unable, owing to the lowness of the river, to get to their destination — viz., M'Cunn's beach. The Hope of DnnkeJd, which is still at work at Carson's beach, is on a ?ood run of gold ; this dredge is worked in three shifts of eight hours each. — We are indebted to our Waipori correspondent for the following itemsof mining news : — The Undaunted Co. are still working the surface-stone with very satisfactory results. The battery is now kept running full time.— Messrs. Cox and Clifford have a very nice cake of retorted gold as the result of their last monthly washuj.. — There is nothing further to write with regard to the quartz claims. In alluvial mining things are moving along quietly as usual. I hear that Messrs. O'Brien Bros, do not intend washing-up till November next. They are at present on a very good run of gold. For many years this party's claim has paid handsomely. It is reported that one of the purchasers connected with the alleged dummyism has instructed his solicitors to take immediate steps to obtain a mandamus to compel the Land Board to issue his license. Between 30 and 4« horses were shipped at the Bluff for Melbourne by the Tarawera on her last trip. At Christchurch an Interprovincial Freezing and Storage Company, with a capital of £50,300, is projected for the purpose of purchasing, freezing, and exporting native game, fish, meat, and general produce. '^ The Marquis of Queensberry, brother of Lady Florence Dixie, in a letter to the London Telegraph on April 21, appeals to the Eton gentlemen said to have been in the vicinity at the time of the alleged attempt on his sister, to come forward and make a full and direct tatement,

A farther sum of £27 6s 6d has been collected in ChriStchurch for the sufferers from the floods in the Rhine. A correspondent of the Lyttelton Times records the death, at Rangiora, of Sir M.chael Le Fleming, the representative of an old Westmoreland family. He arrived in Canterbury by one of the early Bhips and took up a run under Mount Torleßse, naming it Easedale Nook. Sir Michael has led a retired life for years ; but many will still remember the kindness and helping hand extended to them by Sir Michael in the days of his prosperity. The Lake County Press says that the ravages of the keas among the sheep have already become more serious to the fiockowners of the Wanaka district than the inroads of the rabbit. The Te Awamutu Races were won as follows : — Hurdle Race, Eakau ; Maiden Plate, Welcome Day; Te Awamutu Handicap, Rewi ; Waikato Stakes, Victoria ; Publicans' Purse, Rewi. A tremendous cyclone passed over a portion of the State of Mississippi, reducing the towns of Wesson and Beanregard to ruin. Thirteen persons were killed and 75 wounded in Wesson, and 23 killed and 90 wounded in Beauregard. The Connecticut Arms Company have received an order from China for 250,000 repeating rifles, in view of the trouble with France [ overTonquin. Californian horses taken to the East are suffering from an undefined epidemic, the ravages of which are like scrofula in the human system. The favourite mare Wildflower has been attacked. Five cases of leprosy are reported in Chicago. The disease is also reported in New York. Medical men are of opinion it is spreading in the United States. Mr. Caleb Whitefoord, R.M., is to be the second member of the Rojal Commission of Inquiry into the management of the Dunedin gaol. The Freeman's Journal has a severe article on the attitude assumed by the Pope in connection with the policy of the Irish agitators. It asserts that his Holiness has been misled as to facts, and that he is acting in ignorance of the principles which actuate tLe leaders of the Irish agitation. Mr. Sexton, member for Sligo, suggests that a deputation should be sent to Rome to lay the details of the agitation before the Pope and to remonstrate with him upon the action he has taken. Egan has delivered an address at Chicago on the attitude assumed by the Pope in connection with Irish affairs. He asserts that the encyclical letter issued by the Pope is an unwarrantable exercise of the Papal power, and urges the Irish people to resent it. It appears that the encyclical letter issued by the Pope, forbidding subscriptions on behalf of Parnell, has so far had an effect contrary to that intended by his Holiness.— This and the two foregoing paragraphs are telegrams published in the Melbourne papers, and we do not know what the amount of truth they contain may be. We shall have to wait for some six weeks still for the Irish papers to bring us the true account of what this matter has, in fact, been. A fire occurred at Mount Eden at five o'clock this morning, and destroyed three two-storey shops and a dwelling-house, together with their contents. It originated in the premises of Thomas (chemist). Gardener's (butcher) and Sayers's (grocer) were the other places destroyed. The cottage occupied by Kirkman was injured. Surman, I who owned Thomas's and Gardener's shops, was insured for £400 in I the New Zealand office. Thomas's stock, furniture, and fixtures were insured for £250, and Kirkman's furniture for £65 in the same office ; Sayers's building, stock, and furniture were insured in the South British office for £50. A flood is feared at Wanganui. Tuesday. At the timber-yard of Mr. Bartlett, in Hardy street, Nelson, yesterday afternoon a lad named David Burns, in charge of a horse and dray, removed the blinkers from the former, and was about to feed the animal, which started. Burns held on to its neck for a few yards, when he fell, and the wheel of the dray passed over his chest. He was removed to the workshop, and spoke once or twice, saying, '• What will my poor mother say ?" He died directly after the arrival of the doctor, and about ten minutes after the accident. At the inquest a verdict of •' Accidental death " was returned. The Christchurch Diamond Company have resolved to increase the capital to £300 by the issue of 100 shares, for funds to secure a mineral lease for 21 years. An engine-driver named Richard Shaw, slipped at the Timaru Railway station on Saturday, and broke his leg. Major Atkinson, speaking at Hawera last night, said the opposition was disorganised because it contained at least two sections, one led by Mr. Montgomery, and the other, smaller, but more compact, by Sir George Grey. Sir George Grey added to confusion by assuming the leadership of both when it suited him, and simply passing Mr. Montgomery on one side. Anyone knowing the two men and their positions in the House, and the country must be aware that this would continue so long as Sir G. Grey was in the House. He could assume the leadership whenever he chose. The speaker gave the programme of the approaching session as follows : — The Government would bring in a number of consolidating bills and social measures. There would be the Abolition of Entail and Settlement Bill, a Bankruptcy Bill, and a bill to deal with married women's property on the same lines as the English Act, and a number of other bills, to which he need not specially refer, in continuation of the policy of last session. A large amount of social work was sure to be gone through. The Governor arrived at Napier to-day, where he was accorded an enthusiastic reception. A man named Samuel Peterson broke his neck by a fall from a ladder on Thursday, at Mr Gooodman's farm, Green Park, Canterbury. Charles Fleming has been charged at Christchurch with setting fire to his father's premises. Mr. Duncan, in addressing his constituents at Pukeri last night, said be thought it was only fair that a percentage of the revenue contributed by Roman Catholics should be returned to them to aid their schools.

Wednesday. the activity of Sergeant Bist. The offender was a Maori, described as a Wesleyan local preacher, living at Kennedy Bay, Auckland. He has been in the habit of selling spirits to Maoris and busbmen. The Magistrate considered the offence thoroughly proved, and fined the prisoner £20 and costß (£8). The glove contest for £500 came off at Sydney on Monday evening between Foley and Miller, but after two hours' boxing the match was drawn, Foley's friends having rushed the riDg. Mr. Julian Thomas, better known by his ■norn de plume " The Vagabond," will deliver a lecture in Dunedin on Monday evening. An American female M.D., recently arrived in Auckland, intends to deliver a course of medical lectures there. Mr. Grealish, of Otaria, who was thrown from his horse the other day, and badly hurt, is making favourable progress towards recovery. The Nelson Mail reports the following rather amusing case :— An " infant " sold a shilling whistle each to three of his comrades. Payment therefore not being made, the " infant," acting on his own responsibility, went off to the Court and took out summonses against them, said summonses costing 4s each, in addition to which it is alleged that a ten shilling bet between the plaintiff and defendant depends upon the issue of the trial. Matters now began to look 'serious, and the " infant," or his father, sought legal advice. The result was that, over a table groaning with the weight of numberless law books, a hard battle was fought between Mr. Pitt, who argued that the " infant " was entitled to sue, and Mr. Bunny, who stoutly maintained that he was not. Between - them they contrived to give the Magistrate something to think over, and he decided to adjourn the case for a week, in order to give him time to consider his ruling on the point rafted. The Bruce Herald relates the following :— A young man from Ireland arrived here scarcely five years ago, and settled on the Tokomairiro Plain. He obtained employment as a farm servant, and being a first-class hand could always command good wages and obtain constant employment. By means of hard work, assisted by shrewdness and tact, he has beeen enabled to accumulate sufficient capital wherewith to purchase a full-sized Marshall threshing-mill, engine, chaff-cutter, and all other accessories, and is evidently on the high road towards attaining an excellent position. Thursday. Mr. Bedmond, M.P., has arrived in Melbourne. He has declared that his mission to Australia has been more successful than he anticipated. The population of Tipperary are organising a demonstration in favour of Archbishop Croke, who was recently rebuked by the Pope for taking part in political affairs. — A statement concerning whose truth we have strong doubts. The Emperor and Empress of Russia have been safely crowned with magnificent surroundings and an almost barbaric splendour. After the ceremony the Czar went through the city where he received an enthusiastic ovation.