News of the Week.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 24, 12 October 1883, Page 9

News of the Week.

Fmday. Intelligence to hand from Canton states that much alarm is felt by Europeans in that city on account of the excited and threatening attitude of the Natives. Fears are entertained that an attack may be made upon the European quarter, and gunboats have arrived in the river, and are in readiness to afford protection to Europeans and their property in case of necessity. Smith, the Phoenix Park informer, was recognised at Marseilles, where lie shipped for China. Sir Dillon Bell and Sir Saul Samuel attended the banquet given by Lord Derby, when Sir Dillon Bell, in the course of his speech, pointed out that the colonies assured a supply ©f cheap food to England. A little boy named Muller, son of Clans Muiler, of Manuka Creek (writes a correspondent of the TuapeTta Times) met with an accident of a serious nature on Saturday last, having received a kick from a horse on the side of the head, which fractured the skull in several places, inflicting a deep wound near the region of the right ear, and caused paralysis of the boy's right side. The little fellow lies in a precarious condition, not having spoken since the accident occurred. It is currently reported at Rome that His Holiness the Pope is seriously ill.— There is nothing in the report intrinsically incredible, but such reports have so often been false, that they are always doubtful. J The Cromrvell Argus say :— Work at the quarJz claims on the top of the Carnck Bange has been suspended nearly all the winter, but a commencement is now being made again. The Star of the East Company is pushing on with the tunnel, which is now in about 300 ft., and the manager expects to cut the reef in another 70ft. or 80ft. As the stone is known to be good as far as the reef was worked, it is to be hoped as soon as the reef is struck a fresh impetus will be given to quartz-mining on the range, which received so severe a blow by the fictitious excitement got up over the Last Shot Company By the way, the winding-up of the Last Shot Company seems a most interminable one. The local shareholders here have forwarded a large amount for calls, but neither the wages-men or anyone else have received any money from the liquidators yet. The Arrow correspondent of the Otago Daily Times reports as follows :— " The prevailing excitement consequent on the bpening season of the reefa has reached a height during the past few weeks to which it did not attain in any former year. Several old and abandoned reefs have been taken up and formed into companies the scrip jq which has changed hands at premium prices before anything had been done to the claims to establish their value Recently the prevailing excitement has been further utilised by placing upon the market scrip in a claim without a reef, or at best one in which the reef has to be found first ; and thus we have landed at last on the borders of the four peg system for the first time since the Macetown Teefs have been discovered. The ' four-peg system ' consists of marking out a claim by fixing four pegs securely in the ground, applying for a lease for the same, forming a company of 20,000 or 25,000 shares, and selling these for anything they will fetch. It must not be overlooked that the money is pocketed by the promoter and that none of it goes towards the openiag np of the claim Of course there is nothing ' wrong' in all this, so long as the investors are fully aware of what they are doing or what th^y are buying and it is to put the public upon their guard that this reference to the four-peg system has been made. It also may be added that the antecedents of some of the parlies who introduced this system are not so pure as they might be, and that intending investors cannot be too wary.— Preliminary arrangements are being made by several of the companies at Macetown to make a commencement with crushing. The Gladstone Company have agreed with the Public Crushing Company for the use of their battery tor three months, with thl option, of taking the machine for an additional period of three months. The Premier will shortly make a start with crushing at the Maryborough battery, and considering that the All Nations, the Lady Fayre, the Homeward-Bound, the Garibaldi, and several other claims are getting out stone for the mills it may be prophesied that by Christmas the Macetown reefs will have given a very fair account of themselves.— At Skippers Mr. Fred. Evans, manager of Mr. Bullen's Phoenix claim, has opened on the stone from the new low level which commands 60ft. of backs. The stone is of excellent quality' and returns from it are expected 1o eclipse any formerly obtained! Ine fltone has been proved by adits and winzes to extend for a distance of nearly 9.00 ft., so that its quantity also is no mean one. boutHberg and party, too. are on very rich stone, but the reef is only very narrow as yet. The Gallant Tip are about making a start shortly. • Another tram accident occured in Sydney on the 28th ult A man whilst in a state of intoxication got in front of a motor and was killed instantaneously. The Mokihinui correspondent of the Wbstport Star gives the following— ''Messrs. Brown, Parker, aud party have completed the driving of the low level tunnel for the Bed Queen Company It is certainly very workmanlike, and will be the means of opening up a fine block of gold-bearing reef.-The Guiding Star claim has been driven on for a considerable distance along the line of a most payable reef. The gold is to be seen or felt in heavy " dabs." This magmficent claim might be well called the " Glittering Star."— The Mokihmui Company's contractors are making rapid headway with their work.-I believe the directors of the Empire claSaSipate hH v 63v 6 3 °P erations on * he P r °perty, and from its position it wiU be a valuable property— The South Pacific Company will at once wm bf^nl^-r ° D tbdr Claim ' and W^B *« ideations, thil SSJf £?£T ? ld . P r °Pf as they have several valuable water-rights 35f«fr ( ? le AWITA WITO T.T y much ' * Bbould Bu geest that this eta and the Southern Light should take active steps in erecting a

machine on the southern side of the river, and crush for the numerous claims in that locality.— Rough-and-Tumble R«efs, though | very good, are not attracting much attention from their isolated position, but as the intended road to Karamea will pass close, it will be the means of starting those." We clip the following paragraph from the Dunedin Stowing Herald, :— " In the course of an address delivered at Queenstown recently, by Mr. Henry Campbell, on the questions of the kea and rabbit nuisances, the lecturer said another pest to be watched during the lambing season was the seagull. It was a carrion bird, and when the ewe was weak and the lamb lay with its tongue out the cruel bird swept down and bit the end off it. Much loss had been experienced thus, and no doubt the fact accounted for the hitherto unaccountable death of many lambs." Saturday. The report current yesterday that the Pope was seriously ill is now proved to have been unfounded. It is announced from the Vatican that his Holiness is in good health.— Just as we suspected. Thomas Miller,. who arrived in Auckland by the British King, was found dead in the yard of the Blue Post dining-room yesterday morning. The medical evidence at the inque-t showed that death resulted from the bursting of a blood vessel on the brain. He had been drinking heavily, and fell out of a door on the first floor into a right-of-way. He leaves two children. The annual balance-sheet of the Canterbury Farmers' Association (Timaru), ju3t issued to shareholders, shows a net profit oa the year ending September 20, 1883, of 26£ per ceat. on the average paid up capital . The amount of assets over liabilities is stated at £14,904. t man . name d T « Millard, a veterinary surgeon, was killed by a fall from his horse near Geraldine, on Thursday evening. Mr. Murray Smith, Agent-general for Victoria, has written to the limes, in reply to Professor Dicey, and justifies the action of Mr. Service in excluding the Irish informers from Australia . He adds that colonists are determined t© prevent the Colonies from becoming the cess-pit of Europe. The latest intelligence from Madagascar is to the effect that the Hovas are making active preparations for the renewal of hostilities The French forces are stated to be numerically weak, and their position to be somewhat precarious. The failure is announced of Messrs. Suis and Sabeth, general merchants, of Lime street, the City. Their liabilities are set down at a quarter of a million sterling. Other failures are apprehended in London and the provinces, and an uneasy feeling prevails in mercantile circles. The Wellington correspondent of the Dunedin Morning Herald wires as follows :— The seerp* of Mr. Bryoe's demonstration at Kawhia begins to unfold itself. The purchase of the township is hardly en regie, and needs some further confirmation. Besides more land is wanted before a suitable or permanent settlement can be formed ; hence the present reeonnaisance in force. Why not irritate the natives into some overt act of outrage, and make a pretence for confiscation of the land ? The buoys in the harbour were untouched, and the removal of tne beacon or beacons was a very innocent act. They were erected without leave being asked on Maori land, where the Government had no more right to erect them than they would have to put up poles in the garden of a Dunedin citizen; hence the removal of the beacons would not be enough of itself. The natives must be goaded into something wrong, and perhaps the appearance of the Armed Constabulary on the scene may lead up to the desired consummation. But it is poor policy after all. The Emperor William of Germany has wired to King Alfonso that the insults offered him by the Parisians were directed against himself.— So we said ourselves. It is intended if possible to hold a large Volunteer review at Wellington in Easter. The Colonel in command of the district will wait on the Defence' Minister on his return from Kawhia to ascertain what assistance may be received from Government. Monday. As reparation to Spain for the insults offered by Parisians to King Alfonso during the recent visit to Paris the official journal announces the authenticity of the apology which was made to the King of Spain by President Gre>y, in the name of France, on the 29th ult., and which was subsequently published by the newspapers. Mr. W. Redmond passed through Grey mouth yesterday for Ahaura, where he delivered an address last evening He leaves for Reefton to-day. The Waiareka Dairy Factory, which will commence operations in a few days, will give Ud per gallon for milk, a price equal to Is per lb for butter. " The inquiry into the sinking of the Austral was continued on Friday, when evidence was taken that the captain justified his emptying the ballast tanks, and that he was mistaken in neglecting a warning previous to the listing during the coaling. The court in their decision found that the captain should be censured for leaving the deck in charge of a fireman, and found the chief engineer free fron blame. The Court declined to deal with the certificate of the master and chief officer, owing to the peculiar circumstances surrounding the sinking of the vessel. It is announced that General Thebaudin has resigned his position as Minister of War in the French Cabinet. A cablegram has been received from the Shaw, Savill-Albion Co. stating, in reference to the new steamers they are now building, that the speed of the vessels has been considerably increased, and that the steamers will be faster than anything that'has yet been in these waters. A twenty-four hours walking match, between Edwards ard'Scott was terminated at the Garrison Hall, Dunedin on Saturday, evening The winner was Scott, the local man, who had walked 111 miles. Edwards having done 104 miles, 480 yards. Several of our contemporaries criticise unfavourably the sentence in the Koy case. The Southland Times, for example says :— "What

was wanted* m our humble opinion, in a case like this was a sentence that, marking the action of which the older Boy had been found gcilty as highly criminal, should inspire the youth of the Colony with wholesome dread, and make the lives of all those employed ou railway engines safe—safe at least from shots discharged with stupid recklessness from points of their daily journeys. The boys of the Colony, on the other hand, now know that they may amuse themselves at a dangerous and exciting"' pastime, and that if they be fourteen years old and commit_manslaughter they will be s^nt horns to their fathers, and if twenty 1 that two months' imprisonment without hard labour will expiate the offence. We cannot bring ourselves to believe that this is a wholesome lesson for our youths to have learnt, and that it will be productive of any but the most mischievous results. Tuesday. Mr. W. Redmond left Ross on Saturday last. He lectured to a large audience on Friday night on the workings and objects of the Irish National League, and was loudly and frequently applauded during his address. At the close of the lecture over £40 was subscribed in the hall, and the amount was afterwards increased by £70. The proceedings were orderly throughout. It was resolved to establish a branch of the League at Boss. • M^V J< E< Bedmond . M.P., delivered a lecture on Monday night in the Theatre Royal at Auckland on " Home Rule, " to a large attendance. The proceedings were orderly. He stated that his brother would probably lecture in Auckland on passing through here en route for Sydney. A branch of the Land League was formed, ana subscription lists opened. v A fatal accident occurred at Gladstone on Sunday. The youngest daughter of Mr. Robert Rowe was driving the milking cows to their paddock, and being away longer than usual, a search was made, when she was found dead, with her skull fractured. It is supposed that the horse rolled over or kicked her after she fell off the animal. It is alleged by Upjohn, the executioner of Burns, who was banged in the Ararat Goal (says the Argus), that the condemned man, just before being taken on to the scaffold, made a statement to the effect that be had murdered eight men— five in Victoria and three in New South Wales. Upjohn states that while strapping Burns' arms behind his back he asked him if he had anything to say whereupon the latter made the confession referred to. No other conversation took place. The sheriff and the clergyman who had been attending Burns were present, as well as one or two warders. Nothing led up to the alleged confession, except the direct question which Upjohn put. This is Upjohn's account. On the other hand we have received a telegram from our Ararat correspondent which throws grave doubt on the story. He says : " The sensational statement regarding the alleged confession by Burns to the hangman, Upjohn, has no foundation whatever. I made fresh inquiries at the gaol to-day (Wednesday). I find that Upjohn never saw Burns until after the sheriff and gaoler had entered the cell, and had Burns spoken at all to him they must have heard. " A revival of the anti-Jewish agitation in Russia has occurred, and noting has taken place in several towns. Dr. O'Doherty and Mr. Macrossan represent Queensland at the Irish Convention next month in Melbourne. Parleying between the French and Chinese Governments, which has been proceeding for the past month, has been suspended, ihe efforts which have been made to arrive at an amicable settlement of the dimculty in connection with the occupation of Anam having proved fruitless, B The Nihilists have sentenced the Czar to death. A party of four Tapanui bicyclists rode to Dunedin yesterday a distance of 100 miles. ■" A bad coach accident occurred yesterday morning. The brake gave way when the Reef ton coach was coming down the twelvemile Hill. John Mitchell, the proprieter, and two passengers were very much hurt. Two horses were killed, and the coach was smashed to pieces. Further particulars state that Mitchell was driving, the regular driver being inside. On the box seat were Mrs Temperley, Miss Kilgour, and Mr. Gellatly (commercial traveller for Messrs. A. Briscoe and Co.); whilst inside, besides the driver were a lady, a jockey named Saudy, and a Chinaman. Those inside escaped comparatively uninjured, and those outside escaped miracnlously. The coach fell on Miss Kilgour, but she sustained only slight injuries. Mitchell is very much cut and bruised, and has his collarbone broken. He got on his feet after the accident, but soon fell down The place is usually known ,as Deverey's, or Twelve-mile, and is a very dangerous spot, The passengers agree that but for Mitchell's presence of mind in steering his team up against the bank all would have been precipitated into the creek. Bishop Cowie, in his opening address to the Auckland Diocesan Synod, referring to religions instruction in the State schools, deplored that a number of Christian people do not recognise the importance of such instruction. Over 3000 of the carcasses ex the Mataura were condemned on Saturday. A Parisian paper accuses Commodore Erskine of arrogant behaviour towards the agent of the New Hebrides Company, and it urges the French Government to take energetic measures. Wednesday. £225 was taken at Mr. Redmond's Auckland meeting. A bazaar in aid of the Wellington Convent has been very successful, upwards of £800 being raised. A chess tournament with living pieces has yet to be played. MC^ 011 Donnel| y has been appointed coadjutor to Archbißhop Much discontent prevails throughout Spain at the apology of president Grevy, which was given as reparation for the insult offered by the Parisians to King Alfonso. ..». lt Mr iß - re P° rte< * *:D: Da ta good gold-bearing reef has been discovered near Waipawa. The news requires authenticating, but gold-bearing stone is being shown as taken from the reef,

It is announced that General Saussier .has been, appointed to succeed General Tbebaudin as French" -Minister of War. ~a * 5 4 lexa ° d er Hiibner, who recently was Austrian Ambassador to Pans, and has been making a tour of Australia, will leave Melbourne for the Bluff to-day. o rt n rt Theßtatement made in Terence to the Mataura'a mutton, that dOOO more carcasses had been condemmed. was .incorrect, itff f il Oy ?r amed , Herberfc Neillgot his headjambed by a patent lift at the New Zealand Meat Freezing Company's establishment, and received injuries likely to end seriously. Thubsday. a n^lCX't *v B g am ? n * was amongst the passengers yesterday from Auckland for the South by the Taiaroa. . , M. Ferry has issued instructions to the French commander at lonqum to push on operations against the enemy with all possible n??vi« a £ d V wP let^. tbe ol r cn P ation and the subjugation Zl v k lags M <l a i Gkl J as possible. The British residents at Tamatave are complaining bitterly of the severe treatment to which they are subjected by the French authorities. The Times considers that the high-handed action of Mr. Service with respect to the Irish informers has increased the difficulty of punishing crime in Ireland. process sSTe^ Oredat WeUin S tono * Saturday night, and It is now officially announced that General Campenon, and not ueneral Saussier, has been appointed to succeed General Thebaudin as Minister of war.