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Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1685, 13 July 1875, Page 2

Another illustration of Mr Frank B. Passmore's railway management is to hand. About a fortnight ago a lady resident at Onehunga purchased from Messrs. Winks and Kail some goods, to be sent by the five o'clock train same day, the articles being immediately required. The parcel was delivered at the station before five o'clock, as shewn i'rorn the fact that the messenger had returned to the establishment before that hour had struck, a fact that can be vouched for on oath if required, by a clerk in the establishment. On the lady enquiring for the parcel at Onehunga, on the arrival of the train same evening, she waa told that no parcel had come for her. About a week after, intimation waa conveyed to Messrs. Winks and Hall that the parcel had not been delivered, and enquiries and search were instituted after the missing goods. These were attended without success until now at the end of fifteen days it is discovered that the parcel has been found at the Auckland station, and the authorities refuse to give it up unless five shillings for storage are paid upon it. They further refuse to forward it to Onehunga unless freight is prepaid on it, and the five shillings for storage besides. There being no help for it, Messrs. Winks and Hall to-day paid the demand for storage, under protest, and have forwarded the package to Onehunga by carrier. It seems to us that it would spoil the effect of such an incident to offer one word of comment upon it. It is simply the result of the system conceived in the remarkable brain (?) of that paragon of managing engineers—Mr Frank B. Passmore. We don't believe it is the fault of the officers; they mu3t obey or take up the wallet and walk, and others, perhaps cheaper, will take their places. But if the intention were to utterly ruin the traffic on this line, we can scarcely conceive of any system or procedure better calculated to effect the object. And. yet for all this bungling the province must pay, and- in order to defray the salary of Mr. Frank B. Passmore, as well a3 the losses occasioned by his duffer management, money must be withheld from our Mechanics' Institutes and bridges and roads ; our goldfields must be left undeveloped for want of tracks, and our Provincial Treasurer must give a courteous "no" to every application, while a tyro is acquiring knowledge of railway management by experimenting on the corpus vile of the province.

The telegraph wires south of Napier have been down all day, which accounts for the absence of our usual budget of telegraphic news from all parts of the colony. Lommu* nication was re- established this afternoon.

An improvement is being effected between Queen-street and Elliott-street, at the corner by Darby's Thistle Hotel. A level road is here being made between the two thoroughfares, the filling in being supplied from Mr Crowfcher's allotment in Wellesley-street East. The worjk: costs the city authorities nothing, as Mr Crowther charges nothing for the stuff, and Mr Darby is paying for the levelling. Ahorse and cart went over the embankment this morning, but beyond breaking down about 10 feet of a fence did no damage.

On account of the Manukau bar being reported as breaking heavily, the s.s. Taranaki will be detained until six o'clock to-morrow morning.

"A Subscriber" sends us the following query: —"Has a horse ever run a mile in 1 mm. 35 sees, or under ?"—We believe not. The fastest time on record is that by Buccaneer—a mile in 1 mm. 38 sees. Drophantus won the Two Thousand Guinea Stakes in 1 mm. 43 sees. ; distance, 1 mile 17 yards j and this was considered remarkably fast time.

The gale was'felt] very severely last evening in many parts of Onehunga, and one large kauri tree, supposed to be fifty years old, was rooted out and cast across the road, near the residence of Mr Eastwood, so as to impede all traffic. Mr Eastwood and his neighbours and sons came forth with axes and saws, and in the space of two hours severed the branches from the trunk, and completely cleared the way.

We would again remind Volunteers of the fact that the old rifles are being called in to be replaced with Sniders. Captain Derrom oFthe Victoria Company, notifies that members who have not already returned their arms must do so at once to him, and anyone struck off the roll of the Company who detains arms after this notice will be proceeded against.

We have been waited on to-day by a Mr. C. Gutry, who, moved by a sense of warm gratitude, "desires us to express his indebtedness to the Waiwera Hot Springs and to Mr Ptobert Graham He tells us: "I called at Mr Graham's office and explained how much 1 was suffering from rheumatism, and that the doctor in the hospital could do nothing more for me ; and that I had no means. Mr Graham at once and kindly arranged that I should stay at; the Springs for three weeks free of charge. I have now returned to Auckland, and wish publicly to thank Mr Graham for his generosity and kindness, and to state that the cure effected in my case is like a perfect miracle.—C. Gutry."

It is whispered says the Otdgo Guardian thht there is a probability of Sir Julius Vogel putting in an appearance before the end of the Parliamentary Ee&siou. A knowledge of the cruel reports that have been ciiculated here during his absence has determined him to confront his enemies without delay and at all risks to his health. We give the ) umour as it has reached ourselves, without vouching for its authenticity; but the source ■whence it originated is of such a nature that there is good ground for accepting it as correct.

We have had an opportunity of testing the quality of the " Craiglee jams," now on sale by Messrs. Hoberton and Co , and just imported from Adelaide. The consignment includes apricot, raspberry, gooatberry, strawberry, cherry, marmalades of orange, quince, apple, and ginger, jellies of apple, quince, grape, peach, and damson, damson cheese, Orleans plum, magnum bonum, greengage and blucgage. If taste and flavour are the proofs of excellence, these Adelaide products are excellent, for nothing could be more delicious. Not only must the fruit have been fresh acd carefully selected, but the sugar, which is usually the defect in imported jams, bas evidently in this case not been selected on principles of stringent economy. We believe that if articles of this class continue to be imported, people will become Jess inclined to go to the trouble and expenbe of making their own jams for home consumption. Whether this is or is not a desirable result is another question, but really these jams of Eoberton's appear to supply the want complained of by fastidious housekeepers.

The ratepayers of the Grafton-road district will hold their annual meeting this evening in the Carltoli-road school room for the parpose of striking a' rate, electing auditors and trustees ; aiso, two fence-viewers ia accordance with the Act of 1874.

A young man in Illinois complains of the disadvantages under which he is doing his courting, Me says he usually meets the object of his affection on the neutral ground of the parlor, with the old lady in one -jorner, the old gentleman in another, and a big dog under the melodeon.

List night cloned the first quarter of the Auckland Gymnastic Club, 1875. During this time there have been 33 practices, at any of which the largest attendance has been thiity, and the smallest three. The total attendance of members has been 423, and visitors 34. —T. Hopkins, honorary instructor.

A horrible practical joke was perpetrated under the cover of All-fools Day in Paris on the Ist of April hat. A family, while quietly dining, had just finished a' roast of veal, when the door-bell rang. The wife asked her husband to go to the door, as the servant bad gone' on an errand and would not return for some time. The gentleman opened the door, when a messenger handed him a letter, which he opened and read as follows: "Sir and Madam: I have just learned that that which I have cortked as veal is a portion of the butcher's little nephew whom his uncle has assassinated and cut up into pieces. I dare not return to the house. — Marie." Mary was the servant. The lady uttered a cry of hoiror whilst her husband nearly fainted, and the four children screamed at the top of their voices. The neighbours rushed in, and af'er the first moments of stupor were passed, they concluded that it was but a miserable trick which the author had perpetrated, profiting by the servant's absence. The lady is now seriously ill from the effects of indigestion. Complaint was made immediately to the commissioners of police and the unpleasant jest is beiug actively looked into.

The Kemuera Highway Eoard have done a good permanent work along the north side of the main road up as far as the chain bar, having formed a level pathway, and constructed crossing places opposite the entrances to the various properties, beneath which six inch drain pipes are laid, so that the water course will not be interfered with. This work has given a pleasing regularity to the appearance of that side of the street, and will, no doubt, be highly appreciated both by holders of adjoining propeity, and those conpected with the new Presbyterian Church.

The members of the Loyal Good Intent Lodge, 1.0.0 P., M.U., are summoned by Mr H. J. Smith, Permanent Secretary, to attend a special meeting on Friday evening next at eight o'clock sharp.

Messrs Allen and Thompson notify to the public that they have commenced business as plumbers, &c, in the premises lately occupied by Mr Busby, Shortland-street.

An old, old bachelor, upon reading that " two lovers will sit up half the night with only one chair in the room," said it couldn't be done, unless one of them stands or tits upon the floor. And such painful ignorance pretty plainly indicates that he has never been there.

§§§The British survey of Palestine makes rapid progress. The last place indentified is Bethabara, the ford of the Jordan where John was baptized. An account of this will be given in the next quarterly pamphlet of the Palestine Fund.

The monthly inspection parades of the "Volunteers cf the Auckland district ordered to assemble in the Market House, and the Cadet companies to assemble in the St. Matthews School houses will parade in the new Drill-shed on the dates and in the hours before mentioned and in the same order.

The third quarter commenced at Salisbury House educational establishment, Mount Albert, on the Ist July. There are a few openings for boarders, and the healthful situation and admirable accommodation of the establishment offer special advantages for pupils. \

A correspondent writes from Naples :— The Campo Santo Becchio, the great charnek house .of Naples, contains three hundred and sixty-five pits under a wide-paved square. Every evening the stone which covered one of these pits is removed and the common dead of the city for the day are thrown into it, without even a winding-sheet to cover them. The old man, the young child, the rough lazzaroni, and the tender maiden are dropped in together in one indiscriminate mass, quicklime is thrown in to consume the bodies, and the pit is sealed for another year, to be opened at its close.

There is a whisper in the clubs that Mr. Gladstone has somehowbecome very poor, and that' his retirement was to a large extent brought about by the fact that the loss of his income as Premier rendered it impossible for him to keep up that state which a party leader must, equally with a Prime Minister, maintain. Probably this rumour is based upon the immediate revolution in the statesman's domestic affairs which followed his resignation of the leadership. He has not only given lip his mansion in Carlton Terrace, but has sold his large and important collection of articles of art and virtu. This collection of articles was the result of a great deal of care and study, and is full of interest.

Twenty-one letters of Robespierre, said to be^of a startling nature, have been found among the manuscripts in the French national library.

The fact that the successful tender for the San Francisco mail service came witbin £50 of the private tender of the A.S.N. Company, deposited with the Sydney Government, has led to considerable discussion in commercial circles in Sydney.

Lime kilns are to be erected at Whangarei Heads, by Mr John McLeod.

The Government has definitely decided to propose G. M. O'Korke, Esq., M.G.A., »s Chairman of Committees, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr Seymour. Mr. O'Korke resigned office in order to become a member of the Cabinet. He is unquestionably better acquainted with the duties pertaining to the office tban any member of the Assembly, and will receive the tupport of both sides of the house. In this do:t;:LL.iii.ition at least the Government has shewn considerable prudence, as Mr, O'Korke's election was certain whether nominated by the Government or not.

The members of the Auckland Volunteer Fire Brigade held their usual monthly meeting last evening at the Albert-street Station. Mr Edward Hill wag admitted an honorary member, and five others were proposed for active membership. Captain A. Fargie was elected foreman of the hook-and-ladder company in the place of Mr Piper, who had resigned. Mr Superintendent Hughes informed the men that their next monthly practice would be on Monday evening next when he hoped tosse every member present

The leading characters in the Beecher scandal have not suffered in a pecuniary point of view from the unenviable notoriety into which their names have been brought. Mrs Tilton has been supplied with means to op; n an extensive boarding-bouse for summer resort at Cornwall - on - the - Hudson, to be patronised by the cream of Plymouth society ■md such unregenerated outsider as pay their way in. Bessie Turner has been tendered several enoagemtnts at popular theatres, while every lecturing agent; in town and country has been boring Tilton to accept his services for the coming Winter's campaign. Be the verdict as it may, an enlargement of Plymouth Church is projected with a proportionate augmentation of the pastor's salary.

The indomitable courage which characterizes most efforts made in the cause of science has received few more striking illustrations than that exhibited during the recent fatal balloon ascension in France. Some of the notes written by the aeronauts at great heights and thrown out of the basket are found to be stained with blood thumb-marks. It is supposed that the wiitera moistened the thumbs in folding or turning over the sheets of paper, and that the blood was oozing from their lips.

The longevity of toads is again undsr discussion, owing to a discovery made near Orsay. In digging up a garden some workmen unearthed some terra-cotta vases, which they at first supposed to contain treasure. On breaking them, however, two live toads were found clad in green velvet. This strange attire showed that they must have been at least 20C years old, and an ancient treatise on magic and demonology mentions that, at the beginning of the seventeeth century, sorcerers dressed up toads in this manner for the achievement of certain charms. " Under the Gaslight" was again represented last; evening at the Prince of Wales Theatre to, if not a large, an admiriDg audience. The scenery and effects were very striking, and the performance generally was commendable. This evening a new sensation wiil be introduced entitled "Nobody's Child," to consist of three acts, in which Mr. Collier will appear as Joe, the hero of the drama, and Miss Stephenson as Patty.. We understand that this play is above the average merit of light dramas, and possesses many striking illußtratioiiS of life. On Friday evening, this established company have determined to give a grand compltmenta y concert to Mr. Dt. Lias, the lessee, in acknowledgement of the appieciation in which that gentleman is held by the members of the compaßy, " not only as a gentJeinan who has honorably fulfilled all his engagements with them, but who has treated them always with every courtesy and consideration."

The following is the return of sick treated at the Provincial Hospital for the week ending i-aturday, July 10. 1875 :—Remained last return, 87 ; admitted since, 13 ; discharged, 12 ; died, 1 ; remaining, 87 ; males, 73 ; female 3, 14. Arrangement of cases : Zymotic, 30 ; constitutional, 7 ; local 28 ; developmental, 4 ; violent, 18. One death occurred duriDg the week, viz , A. L., male, aged 24 years, on July 5, of peritonitis. Thanks are returned to Mrs. Kinder, St. John's College, per favor of Dr. Goldsbro', for a parcel of old linen ; and to an anonymous frieud for a similar contribution.

To the Editor : Sir,—Mr Joseph Tole, in the Baptist school at a meeting of ratepayers, stated tint the Ponsonby and or Dedwood district would not be pleased if they got four angels and an archangel for a Board. Now, since the Board is formed by proxy voters, they have one angel of the Wesleyau body, two of the Presbyterian body, one of the Episcopal church, and the archangel is of the Church of Rome, as he polled tbe highest. Mr Tole said he had been trained as s gentleman, and had received a liberal education, and knew how to behave. My remark on Mr Tole's statement is that a gentleman of position is not zealous in proclaiming it, but upstarts are always vindicating their respectability. It takes the watchful eye of a bulldog to look after these proxy men. — A. Black. •-P.S. In to-day's Cross 1 see Mr Tele c peaks of his morality. If he had attended the meetings of the Board as custodian of the Ponsonby or and Dedwood ratepayers, an account of their monies would be produced showing how it was\ spent. Mr Tole was five months a member, daring whioh he never attended a meeting.

A meeting is called for Wednesday evening at Darby's hotel, Shortland-street, for the purpose of receiving the subscription lists on behalf of the widow of the late Mr P. Sweeney, and to consider other business.

At the Westminster Palace Hotel, in London, mosquitoes have recently become a great nuisance. At last a small pool of green, stagnant water was discovered near the building. This was removed, and the mosquitoes at once disappeared, and have not since returned.

The British Registrar-General has published his annual report of births, deaths and causes of death in London and twenty other large cities for 1874. Of these, London is the most healthy, the death rate being only 22 per 1000, and the excess of births over deaths 44,788. It is worth noticing that the death rate advances in almost every case, as the density of population increases. Thus, in London there are 45 persons to each acre of space; in Edinburgh, 47; in Manchester, 82 ; in Liverpool, 98 ; in Glasgow, 100. The respective rates of mortality are • London, 22; Edinburgh, 23; Manchester" 30 ; Liverpool, 32 ; Glasgow, 31.

The Newmarket Literary Institute is making strides in the right direction, chiefly through the exertions of a few busy individuals who are not disposed to leave this peaceful settlement entirely in the dark. A meeting will be held this evening in the reading room, to appoint a president, vicer presidents, and a committee. Subsequently a miscellaneous entertainment will be held consisting of ballad, recitation and music! We trust the people of Newmarket will do all in their power to aid by their intelligence and sustain by their subscriptions, a society which is calculated to effect so much good in a literary, political, and moral point of view.

The British Government find great difficulty in obtaining shipwrights to work on the many vessels now in course of construction. The effects of the great panic a few years since, during which jthouaandß of this craft emigrated to Canada and America is now being felt.

Our own correspondent at Napier writes:— " Provincial Government has been assumed a phase fortunately it has not in any other part of the colony. Under the regimfroi the present Government, it has ceased ( to be a Provincial, and merged into a personal form. The province has kept almost a close reserve, a.nd now Mr Orniond is Superintendent, Provincial Secretary,' Provincial Treasurer, and General Government Agent combined. Does the Superintendent of the province require aid from the General Government ? Tiie General Government Agent generally •ids the Superintendent. Does the .Agent had thas his hands want strengthening ? The member for flawkes Bay, where the lines have fallen to him in pleasant places is generally found willing to support the member for Chve. The result may be summed up in a few words. The province has been denuded of its lands at a nominal price, five and ten sfrlliDg3 an acre, and the elect while far a3 general settlement goes, ib remains a wilderness. In the general acquisition of lands, no adequate reserves have even been made for purposes of publicutility. The Hospital and Asylum have scarce an acre endowment and the Municipal Council have had to take refuge in the Supreme Court where the Town Clerk can transact his business without standing "pipiDg" at the street corners.

A sad accident happened in Melbourne between three and four o'clock on a recent Sunday afternoon. Mr. O. Huffman, tobacconist, 126, Bourke-street East, went out with bis wife, leaving his child, Christian Hoffman, aged two years and a-half, in charge of the servant. While they were out the funeral the volunteer Sydney Smith paas-ed, ani the cbild, attracted by the music of the band, climbed upon a table near an open window in a room upstairs, over-balancing himself, and ftll head first upon the {>averuent, 20 feefc below. The unfortunate child was picked up covered with blood, and was taken to the Melbourne Hospital, where ib was found that compound fracture of the skull had been caused. The servant was bewildered and could give no account of the occurrence, but the above is the supposed explanation.

The Darjeeling Neios hears from Patna that another of the miscreants who were guilty of the murder of defenceless and helpless Europeans during the mutiny has been tr;ed at Chumparan, and notwithstanding the lapse of time, found guilty. Tbe scoundrel in question was a duffedar named Daiil Khan, in the old 12th Cavalry, stationed at Segauli, under the command of the late Major Hoimes, and with a few others incited a portion of the regiment to mutiny. Major and Mrs Holmes were out driving in the evening when this occurred, and Lalil Kbau, with some five other troopers of his own stamp, followed and foully murdered them. They cut the major's head off, and threw the bodies into a ditch; and on return to the station, Dalil Khau took command of the regment, turned it out on parade, and exhibited the Major's head to the men. He then sot fire to the bungalow of Dr. Gardner, tbe medical officer of the regiment, and inurdored him, his wife, and one of his children. Another child, a giri, was saved by a jemadar of the regiment, who brought it to the magistrate at Motihaii. The regiment, with the exception of some seventy Cobulee and Punjabeee troopers, who remained faithful, marched to Lucknow, and joined the rebels there.