News of the Week.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 16, 7 August 1885, Page 11

News of the Week.

FBIDA.T. In the House of Representatives yesterday, on the question being put that the House go into Committee on the Mines Act Amendment Bill, the Hon. W. Bolleston said the Minister of Mines should give the Hoii^e some explanation as to the course that was to be adopted on this bill with reference to gold duty and other matters. Mr. Pyke said there was nothing in the bill about the abolition of gold duty ©r miners right. He thought it was quite time the gold duty should be abolished, not as a matter of revenue but of justice. He would, however, like to see a small duty retained simply for statistical purposes. The Hon. W. J. M. Larnach said the gold duty reduction would come before the House at a future time. With reference to the reduction of licenses, he found that during his travels on the wesit Coast the universal cry was that those licenses were too high, and the Government felt bound to take some notice of those representations. The House went into Committee on the bill, which passed with several additional clauses. The Government received a letter from General Steward by the v ranciBo ° mail stating that the Nordenfeldt guns ordered by the Colony are in a forward state, and are of a superior class. They are expected to be shipped to the Colony shortly. They have also received information that the 12$-ton guns for the Colony are much stronger than Ihe same class sent to Australia, and that a large quantity of amumtion and other war material ordered by the Colony has been shipped. Mr. J. A. Blake, who represented Waterford in the House of Commons for 15 years, was entertained at Auckland by the local branch of the Irish National League. He returns Home by the Eimutaka. Archbishop Moran has presented the Propaganda with his valuable geological collection. Before returning to Sydney, Archbishop Moran will visit Ireland, for the purpose of recruiting 40 ecclesiastics for Australia. The Bishop of Wellington, who is at present on a visit to Rome , has submitted to the Pope a proposal for the division of his diocese, bo as to create a new diocese for Canterbury. The proposition has been referred to the Sacred College. The death is announced of Sir Moses Montefiore, Bart., the well-known Jewish philanthropist. Saturday. In the Legislative Council yesterday, the Hon. Dr. Grace moved that, if the condition of the SeaclifE Asylum is so deplorable as described by the inspector, immediate steps should be taken to put it in an efficient state of repair. After a short discussion the motion was agreed to. In the House of Representatives, replying to Mr. Seddon, if the Minister of Mines will withdraw the present regulations relating to prospecting for gold and rewards for the discovery of new goldfields, with a view of issuing new regulations of a more practical character, the Hon. W. J. M. Larnach said he would refer the matter to the Goldfields Committee. Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reading of the Fisheries Encouragement Bill. He said the bill was brought in to encourage the moat important local industry ia the Colony, as New Zealand had the most valuable fisheries of any other country. He pointed out that enormous shoals of fish were to be found on the coasts of both Islands, and he thought an immense source of wealth could be obtained from preserving these fish and canning them for export. The bill proposed to give a special bonus for exporting tinned fish. The idea of the bill was to open it to all classes and to encourage the fishery round Stewart's Islands. He thought they should endeavour to carry out the provisions of the bill, as the question of bonuses for this purpose came to them with very high recommendation. The fishing trade he pointed out was an enormous one. The value of the fisheries of the United Kingdom was three millions annually. He hoped the House would pass the second reading. The motion for the second reading was carried on the voices. The following resolution was passed unanimously by the Farmers' Club at Sef ton, near Amberley :~ " That this meeting of the Sef ton Farmers Club, representing a large section, of the farmers in this district, is of opinion that the terms now proposed for the construction of the West Coast railway are satisfactory, and that such aa opportunity for commencing such an important Colonial work should not be lost ; and also that a copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to the member for the district." Speaking at the annual dinner given by the Lord Mayor at the Mansion-house on Thursday night, the Marquis of Salisbury stated that he hoped before long England and Russia would arrive at a peaceable conclusion to the negotiations now in progress on the Afghan frontier question. Monday. The inauguration of the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition was effected at Wellington on Saturday afternoon, at half-past 2 o'clock, before an immense assemblage of ladies and gentlemen, including Cabinet Ministers and Government officials. The weather was all that could have been desired, and though the sun did not favour the ceremonial with its full radiance, nevertheless the day was clear, fine, and invigorating. Indignation is expressed in Christchurch at a rumour from Wellington that Canterbury and Westland are plotting to throw Nelson overboard in the matter of the West Coast railway. The chairman of the Railway League emphatically contradicts this statement. A public meeting at Sefton passed a resolution endorsing the action of the Government concerning the railway. The Standard contains an article violently attacking Lord Randolph Churchill, whose ignorance and incapacity, the writer declares, are ruining the Conservative party. Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, representative of the Government in the House of Commons, has assured' Mr. Murray Smith, Agent-

general for Victoria, that the Colonial Federal Enabling Bill will be passed during the present session. Louis Riel, the half-breed insurgent, taken prisoner by General Middleton, has been examined by medical experts, who pronounce him insane. It is announced that the Government have resolved to proceed with the construction of an entrenched camp in the Pisheen Valley, in Afghanistan. Speaking in the House of Commons, Lord Randolph Churchill announced that railway material is being accumulated in Quettab, in case it should become necessary to extend the line in the direction of Candahar. Tuesday. Authur Cox has died in the Auckland hospital from injuries caused by a kick in the loins sustained while playing football at Te Kopuru. The blow caused so little immediate" inconvenience that Cox resumed play. The injuries resulted in gangrene, of the bowels, terminating fatally. Cox was 26 years of ape. Samples of Coromandel lead are to be sent to Spain and Wales to be tested. A large public meeting at Sheffield, Canterbury, unanimously passed a resolution in of accepting the West Coast railway proposals. * . The Bight Rev. Dr. Walsh wai consecrate 1 Archbishop" of Dublin yesterday, by his Eminence Cardinal Mdran. The House of Commons has had under consideration for some time past the question of the better protection oE young, girls, and a measure for that purpose was the subject of a protracted debate on Friday night. Eventually the age up to wbioa girls axe protected was raised to 16 years. It is believed that Russia will keep the Zulfikar Pass question open until the next general election, when they will endeavour to throw discredit on the Tories in regard to the present negotiations. The trial of. the insurgent Louis Riel was concluded on Saturday, when the jury found the prisoner guilty, but recommended him to mercy on account of the weak state of his mind. He was condemned to be hanged. Wednesday. In the House of Representatives yesterday, Sir Julius Vogel moved the following, resolution :— " That a Select Committee be appointed to consider; the question of the construction of the East and West Coast and Nelson Railway, and to make a recommendation regarding the same, with power to call for persons and papers ; three to be a quorum j td report in 10 days ; the committee to consist of Major Atkinson, Captain Fraser, Messrs. Garrick, Hursthouse, Macandrew, Menteatb!, Mitchelson, Stewart, and the mover." He thought the evidence! of approval in the districts of Canterbury, Nelson and Westland should convince the House that the railway was desirable and should be made. He thought the opposition of the other districts to the railway , was a very short-sighted one, as the construction of the line, opening up communication between Canterbury, Nelson, and West Coast would be of benefit to the whole Colony. A good deal had. been heard as to the compound interest which would result from the guarantee of £97,000, but it was altogether misleading. He went into the cost of the construction of the railway as follows :—Estimated cost: Springfield to Brunnerton, £1,767,600; Nelson to Brunnerton, 1,361,600; Total cost East to West Coast and Nelsoo railway, £3,130,000. Estimated traffic : Springfield to Brunnertoa, £88,375. Less working expenses —say, 66 per cent, of traffic, £58,327. Net profit (on 95 miles of railway), £32,548. Besides yielding £88,375 of direct revenue, »s above estimated, the construction of this railway would also create traffic to the extent of— say,£44,ooo on the lines already constructed beaween Timaru and Waikari. Taking tbe half of this latter sum as profit — which would be a reasonable estimate- the total profit arising out of the construction of the line from Springfield to Brunneiton might be fairly estimated at £30,000 and £22,000, equal to 62,000. Estimated traffic: Brunnerton to Belgrove, £37,500. Less estimated working expenses, 33,750. Net profit (on 150 miles of railway), £3,750. Besides this profit there would also be the profit arising out of the additional traffic which would be created on the existing lines at Nelson and Greymoutb. Estimating this traffic on the same mileage basis as for the railway from Brunnerton to Belgrove, it would amount to £700,000, and the half of this, as in the case of the Canterbury lines, might be estimated as net profit. The total profit for traffic on and arising out of the construction of the Brunnerton to Belgrove railway would therefore be £3,750. Half of £7,500 equals £3,750. The total net profit, direct and indirect, arising out of the construction of the whole line from Nelson to Springfield and Brunnerton would, therefore be not less than £50,500. The motion was supported by the Hon. B. Richardson and Messrs. Smith and Holmes and, conditionally on tbe rejection of Messrs. Meiggs' proposal, by Mr. Dargaville. It was opposed by Sir George Grey and Messrs. Sutter, Pyke, Fisher and Downie Stewart. Major Atkinson moved the adjournment of the debate, which was carried, and the House rose at 12.45.— Replying to Mr. Seddon, if the Minister for Mines will furnish the various schools of mines and mining committees in the Colony free of cost with a copy of Professor Black's report on bis tour and lectures on the goldfields in tbe Middle Island, alo with copies of tbe report by Mr. H. A. Gordon on the mining machinery, etc. of Victoria and New South Wales ; also with copies of the annual report on goldfields in New Zealand, the Hon. W. J. M. Larnach said tbe Government would comply with the request. Replying to Mr. Seddon, if the Minister of Mines will this session give effect to his opinion as expressed in the Mining Statement, by placing on the Estimates a vote for increased water supply on the gpidfields, and if the Minister during the recess will give effect to the recommendation of the Goldfields Committee, session 1881, by sending to America some competent person to report on the most approved methods of hydraulic sluicing, quartz-mining, gold workings, and the most improved appliances for crushing quartz and extracting gold therefrom, and to report on silver and copper mining in the United States, the Hon. W. J. M,

Larnach said the Government were considering the patting of a sum of money on the estimates ; and as regarded the second question, it would involve a large expenditure, but the Government would consider the matter during the recess. M De Giers, Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, has been granted two mouths' leave of absence, and will pay a visit to Bohemia. An outbreak ol cholera has occurred at Marseilles of a serious character. Upwards of 20 cases are reported as ending fatally daily. Thursday. In the House of Bepresentatives yesterday Mr. W. F. Buckland resumed the debate on the Bast and West Coast railway proposals. The motion for the appointment of a committee was ptit, and lost on a division by 34 to 27. Twenty-six members paired— making fortyseven against and forty in favour of the motion. ° The Afghans have moved considerable reinforcements to the Zulfikar Pass. Russian 'forces continue to arrive at Penj-deh. The Marquh of Salisbury made a statement in the House of Lords on Tuesday night on the Russo-Afghan frontier situation. Lord Salisbury informed the House that the question of the occupancy of the Zulfikar Pass was still unchanged, Russia dissenting from the contention put forward by the British Foreign Office on the subject. His Lordship added that it was not the intention of her Majesty's Government to modify the existing agreement with the Ameer so as to provide for the occupancy of a position in Afghanistan, bat that at the same time the fortification of the Indian frontier would be vigorously proceeded with regardless of other Powers.