The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News. TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1875.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1691, 20 July 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1875.

For the cause that lucks assistance, Kor the *rong that utieda rwi^xsia, *Eor the fxture in the distance, Aati tis mod that we c&s da.

In view of the approaching general elections, the present session of Parliament should not be allowed to pass without making some amendment to the system of Maori voting for the return of European members. At present the settlers in several important electorates are practically disfranchised by the overpowering block vote of natives, whose names have mostly been put on tho roll by electioneering agents ; and we believe it will be found when the new rolls are issued that the evil has been very largely increased in several important districts. The way Maoris exercise their votes is notorious. It is impossible to conceive of more open bribery and corruption than that practiced ab every election where the native vote is sufficiently important to justify large outlay. At the la3t contested Superintendency election, tobacco, flour, and other stores were spread out in front of the polling booth at Heleusville by the rivaleleetioneering agents, and bids in money were freely made and acacepted for votes. At Tauranga the corruption i 3 no less barefaced, and the natives are sufficiently alive to the market value of their privileges to hold out for the highest price, duch a system is no less, demoralising to the natives than it is unjust to the settler and injurious to the status and character of the legislature of the colony. In dealing with it there seems to be' only one effectual and equitable remedy : the creation of a Maori franchise, to be exercised in the election of native members only ; and the abolition of the na. tive right to vote for the return of European representatives. If necessary, the Maori members might be increased by two, although this step will be adopted' with extreme reluctance by members of the Assembly who have witnessed the manipulation of votes on every important division. We do not regard the past experience of Maori representation in the Assembly as a fair tent of what it might become by the creation of wide Maori electoral districts and a popular native franchise, under which the natives would feel that they had something more than the shadow of representation by men of their own race, entering into their sympathies and feelings, and understanding their wants. The present natiye members are practically the nominees of the Native Minister, and the Maoris, knowing this, take very little interest-: in their doings. Natives, with all thoir virgin simplicity, are not apt to mistake tbie shadow for the substance and they have a much more lively appreciation of the pakeha candidate's bread and tobacco than of Wi Katene's speeches. We think agitation in a matter like this should come from the districts which, have groaned beneath the burden and are best acquainted with its magnitude j we trust, therefore that steps will be taken at once to address the House by petition on the subject.

A KEBKEB interest is felt in Auckland in the proceedings of parliament this session than for many years past, and we have made such arrangements for reporting it as will, we believe,, give general satisfaction. In addition to continued participation in the news collected by the Press Agency and by our Wellington "own correspondent," Mr G. M. Reed is now in Wellington for the purpose of acting as special correspondent during the session and supervising the collection and transmission of parliamentary news to the Star. ;We have also arranged that our ample news-telegrams shall be supplemented by leading articles written in : Wellington, where the whole . facts and state of feeling are fully understood. These articles, no less than the telegrams, will reflect the progress of events at tha seat of legislatorial labour and turmoil, and they will be forwarded by telegraph, so as to appear while the subjects are warm and still under discussion of the House. It is needless to say, that such measures will be attended with very heavy and net directly reproductive outlay, but we shall be satisfied if they are .(effective, as we have no doubt they will be/in maintaining for the Stab the pre-eminence in the colony for newspaper

enterprise which has been accorded it, not merely by the public verdict in Auckland, but by an impartial contemporary, the Neio Zealand Times.

We learn that Mr Inspector Broham ha1? instituted an investigation into the action of Constable Axam, in using his baton, and finding his conduct not justifiable by the circumstances has punished and cautioned him. It is only just to the police to say that they are few in number and have to contend against widespread rowdyism in the city just now so that it is ino3fc important that they should be supported in discharging their duty.

For some time past strange noises have been heard proceeding from an old uninhabited building in Chancery Lane, once familiarly known as fche " Lion and Lamb," and the dwellers in the immediate .locality have been considerably alarmed night after night, as they listened -with breathless attention. It wad even suggested by one person of sturdy proportion, known as " Peter," that it was a ghost, but then, as another intimated, ghosts make no noise, and noises were heard like to the cry of a child and the whistle of a mouth organ. As these noises continued, it wafl thought desirable to get into the place and catch the ghost, if possible, when a bystander remarked that; ghosts were not tangible, bat simply moonlight creations on dead walls. It was further suggested.that the police should be informed of the circumstance and perhaps Constable Mulville might collar the spirit of the night and drag him forth into the presence of,justice. The police, however, treated the matter very lightly and did not care to move, as there were several inebriates at hand. One of the women, braver than the rest, forced open the side door, and rushed in head foremoat, but could detect no ghoat. Others followed, and after a close search the ghost was discovered and the death-blow ejiven to the ghostly superstition of Chancery Lane. On opening an old dilapidated cupboard, out rushed a half-starved black cat into the open air, and beneath the broken stair was discovered the remains of several gaspipes upon which Pluto might have played to Proserpine as the night winds blew. The mystery therefore was cleared up ; the cat and the pipes had been the innocent cause of the hideous noises, and the denizens of the Lane slept last night calmly in the slumbrous arms of Morpheus.

The Annual Moveable Committee of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Manchester Unity, was in session when the last mail left London. A resolution was passed after great discussion to the effect, that from and after the Ist January, 1877, any member getting married must obtain a medical certificate from the Lodge Surgeon that hia wife is in sound health. Any member not obtaining such certificate will not be entitled to the funeral money in the event of his wife's death.

The body of a young girl was fouad last week in an oven in the house at Bagneres, where she was a sesvant. It was at first believed that a murder had been committed, but from the post mortem examination and a strict judicial investigation which took place, it appeared that she was a victim of an extraordinary religious hallucination. She had been worked to such a state of fanaticism by the recital of the lsgend of Saint Colombo, who was said to have thrown herself into au oven, and by that means had her soul transformed into a dove, which was placed on the spire of a church in Rome, that the unfortunate girl resolved to imitate the act. She appears to have risen in the middle of the night, and having lit an immense fire in the oven, thrown herself into it, and she was, of course, soon burned to death. Several days before her immolation she had distributed her clothes among her friends, saying •she was going to enter a convent and had no further need of finery.

, The pollution of rivers in England by the manufactories along their banks has become a serious master. Chemical works and dye houses are the worst poisoners of the water. A man who fell into the river at Bradford died from swallowing some of the liquid. The Clyde is described as emitting malarious effluvia, the Mersey as almost unbearable in its stench, and the Bourne as thick and yellow. The few fish that live in these streams are unfit for food. English sanitarians are trying to devise some plan for rendering sewage and refuse innocuous. We learn that it was Mr John May, not his brother Joseph, who was so severely gored by a bull on Saturday. His brother Joseph came to the rescue. Both young gentlemen are sons of Mr Joseph May, M.H.R., who .imported the bull. The monthly inspection parade of the Victoria Company and Auckland Scottish Volunteers will take place this evening in the Drill-shed, at half-past seven o'clock—, the former under the command of Captain Derrom, and the latter of Captain Mowbray. The One-Tree Hill district ratepayers held their, annual meeting yesterday at the Junction Hotel, Mr Bilkey in the chair. The balance-sheeh shewed the receipts to have been £309 6s lOcl. Mr T. A. Brown moved, and Mr Downey seconded, "That the rate for the year be one half-penny in the £," — Mr Ferguson moved, and Mr Wall seconded, "That the rate be one penny in the £." — The original motion was carried.—The following gentlemen were elected trustees : Messrs Mayj Brown, Wall, Downey, and Hare. Messrs Bilkey and Marks were elected auditors. Messrs George May and Thomas Ferguson i*ere elected fence-viewers.'--This closed the business. • We have received a letter from Mr James Donaldson under the heading, " Down with Popery," in reply to a letter on the Orange Society, which appeared on Saturday last, but it is not desirable to continue the controversy. We shall therefore exact payment as advertisements, for all further contributions on the siibject. The Roman correspondent of the Journal de JBruxelles writes that in the course of a conversation which he had a few days' ago at the Vatican with one of the Pope's medical adviser's, that gentleman said to him : "Undoubtedly he is 84 years of age, and his deportment, walk, and features announce old age. But his sight, hearing, memory, intellect, vivacity- of repartee, are those of a man in fall vigour. His health is good, and resists incessant work, misfortunes, and vicissitudes -which would bring down an ordinary constitution- He is, in fact, in perfect health, has no infirmities, and may still live for many years. I muat also declare that he submits himself willingly to our prescriptions, which he did not formerly. Last week he was bled, as he always is at the changes of the seasons. His medical advisers follow the old practice, and he has not had to complain of it." The Eden Terrace ratepayers held their annual meeting last evening at the Eden Vine Hotel, Mr James Kead in the chair. Mr Smith proposed and Mr C. Spragg seconded, " That the rate be one penny in the £ on the value to sell." An amendment was proposed by Mr Boucher and seconded by Mr Wrigley, " That the rate be one halfpenny in the £," which was carried by a majority. Messrs Watson, Wrigley, E. Spragg, J. Reid, and James Stokes were elected trustees. Messrs Heighway and Suiter auditors, and Messrs William White and James Poulter, fence-viewers. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded, the meeting. A writer in the London Lancet says that a great deal of hacking and hemming and coughing in invalids is purely nervous or the result of mere habit, ris is shown by the ; frequency with which it occurs while the >atient is thinking about it, and its comparative rarity when he is so much engaged that there is no time to think, or when the attention is impelled in another direction,

A petition to the General Assembly is in course of circulation praying that hotels may be opened "by law on Sundays from one to three o'clock in the afternoon and from seven to ten at night.

The water of the springs at Waiwera which bas been proved to possess remarkable curative proi>erties, has been subjected to analysisat the Provincial Laboratory with the following result:—" Provincial Laboratory, Auckland, July 19, 1875.—Sir, —The following is my report on the water forwarded by you from the Waiwerawera Hot Springs : — The water is perfectly clear and colourless, is without odour, but has a decidedly saline taste. Analysis : Chloride of sodium (grains per gallon), 123.82 ; do calcium, 7*10; do. magnesium, 1.36 ; caibo nate of calcium, 1 60 ; do. magnesium, .22 j do iron, phosphates, .43 ; silica, 1.61. Total saline matter, 135.94.—(Signed) James M. Tunney, Provincial Analyst.—lt. Graham, Esq."

The Auckland Battery and Band will meet this evening in the new Drill-shed, under command of Captain Burnsj for their usual inspection, after which the members will proceed to the election of a lieutenant in the place of Lieutenant Mclntyre, who has given in his resignation.

The members of Number 3 Company Auckland Rifle Volunteers are informed that the monthly Inspection Parade vrill be held at the new Drill-shed, on Thursday evening next, at half-past seven o'clock, in undress uniforms and without arms or accoutrements.

What has come over our contemporary the Cross ? Somebody has been napping. In today's issue appears half a columii of the Union Bench Goldmining Company's report, presented, it is stated, at the annual meeting held at Corornandel on Jane 30. If our contemporary will turn up his issue of twenty days back, he will find the full report of the meeting held; not at Co?omandel, bub in the Insurance Buildings, Auckland.

There were some sports consisting of horse-racing and foot-racing held in Mr Bilking's large paddock at Onehunga yesterday. They cannot be said to have been a success^ as the weather waa execrable, and as a consequence everything was Hat stale and unprofitable. About eighty persons were present, whose general opinion was that they were sorry they'd come. The following are the -results of tae various contests : —Pony Race :Mr Moore's Jenny, Ist; two others started. 100 yards Foot Race : Donovan, Ist j two other competitors. Ssttlers' Race : Mr Moore's Jennj, Ist. Three starters. One mile Foot Race : Donovan Ist; three others nowhere. Hurdle Bace jMr Henwood's chestnut mare, Ist; three others ran.

A new service of sacred song, by the school choir, will be given this evening, with readings, by the Rev. G. H. Turner, in the United Methodist Free Church, corner of Pitt and Vincent-streets, at half-past seven o'clock.

At the monthly inspection parades of Victoria, Hobson, and Scotch Volunteer Companies this evening, marksmen for the past volunteer year, will be presented by Major Gordon with the muskets and stars for good shooting.

A meeting of the Orange Soiree Committee will be held in the Protestant Hall, Newton, thia evening, at half-past seven, when every member is requested to return the tickets not sold.

The " Flying Dutchman " was the title of the piece produced last evening at the Prince of Wales Theatre, but which bore no resemblance to the 'story of Marryafc; in point of dramatic merit it was a complete failure. The character of Van der Decker was well played by M;ss Rosalie Duvalli, and so was Leslelle by Miss Heloise. Lucy was also cleverly portrayed by Miss Maggie Knight; the other characters, with the exception of Pepper-coat, c 7o not call for special remark The scenery was good and the phantom ship across the troubled waters fairly repre sented, but we must protest against the introduction of expressions of a highly offensive character. The continued allusions to his satanic majesty, and the brimstone element, were unnecessary,and together with the constant "gag" might well and profitably be dispensed with. We are glad to notice that "Black-eyed Susan" will be substituted to-night with "Corsicau Brothers," co that the public may expect something of a better character than the " Flying Dutchman" for their money. Mr. Collier apologised for the scenic effects on account of the scenic artist being employed night and day on the production of a pantomime for Thursday next. To the Editor : Sir, —Will you be kind enough to correct an error in the report of the football match—Parnell v. Ponsonby— which appeared in your yesterday's issue ? At the opening of the match Ponsonby was represented by eleven players, not fifteen as stated; and as the stragglers of each side joined in as they arrived on the ground, the the numbers were pretty evenly matched throughout. It was not till within the last half-hour of the match that Ponsonby had their full complement; and as Parneil also had their full complement, Ponsonby did not enjoy the advantage that the report says they did.—l am, Ac, F. A. Jones, secretary Ponsonby Football Club. — [Our reporter maintains the accuracy of his report, and is prepared to verify it by the testimony of several witnesses, including himself, who counted the numbers.—Ed. E S ] On the principle of giving the other side, we publish the following relative to the assault by a constable :—Sir,— As a lover of law and order, allow me to say a word on the police case against Thomas Cleary as reported in the SeraU of to-day. It does not appear that the use of obscene language was deniedl nor was the charge of striking the constable rebutted ; but the friends of the accused denied his having been drunk— to my mind this makes the case of the prisoner so much the worse, —aa he could not plead drunkenness as an excuse for his foul language and violent conduct. But sir, there are too many who seem to think that a policeman is a fair mark for rough usuage, and will quietly stand by in mobs of 20 or 50 like a lot of cowards, while one or two drunken vagabonds are doing their best to cripple for life a public servant, whose task is at all times a difficult one. lam no advocate for the indiscriminate use of the truncheon, but, considering that policemen are flesh and blood like ourselves, I am often astonished at their forbearance.—Yours, etc., Fair Play. An instance of a woman's deep seated affection for a worthless husband was witnessed this morning in the vicinity of the Police Court, which almost moved the constable, to whom the pathetic appeal was made, to tears of sympathy. The poor woman was decently clad, and bore the character of a hard-working woman, and the burden of her tearful story was, "lVelost my Willie;" Her story which we give as nearly as possible in her own words were these : "My dear Willie, he was too fond of drink, and when the drink was in his noddle he was very stupid ; but when his noddle was clear he was as good a fellow as ever lived and would work like an ' hoss.' I tell ye, Constable Williams, when I first met Willie in the Shetland Isles, he was as smart a young man as yourcelf, now ; but the drink, it is all owing to the drink, otherwise we should have had never an angry word. Willie has been on the drink, for a fortnight, and spent everything he had in drink, even to the shirt on his back, and on Saturday last because I would not give him a pound out of my hard earnings, he said he would run away and off he went and I have not seen him since. Oh, Willie ! Willie ! I drove thee away from home, and perhaps now thy body ia lying at the bottom of the Waitemata or rolling out to sea. I would give five pounds if I could only see him once more and feel his living body in my arms." Here the poor creature sobbed passionately and began to quote several scripture' texts, while the constable tried in vain to soothe her by promising to make every enquiry after her l| lost Willie."

We regret to learn that Mr "Willian Stone, son of Mr C. J. Stone, is lyiDg- dangerously ill with typhoid fever.