The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1875.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1700, 30 July 1875, Page 2

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

FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1875.

»_ the cause, that lacks ssil stance, For the wr_n_ tliet needs l-esietsac*, *OT the fmtnii- In the distance, __d th* Bead that we can _»

To-night the Financial Statement will be made, and, if our information be correct, the Government intend practising upon the people of the North Island, a trick which will sink them to the lowest depths in the estimation of all right thinking men. It has long been known that some plot was being hatched, and that an effort would be made to spring a mine and take the opposition by surprise. The surprise cannot now occur. The opposition is fully on guard and the Government will be made to learn that the people of the colony are sick of sensational legislation, and weary of the way in which their Interest's are treated. They have seen too much of the spurious statesmanship which regards any trickery aa justifiable so long aa it can command a majority in the Assembly. The great changes imminent in the constitution of the colony, demand above all things frankness and simple honesty. The least indication of an opposite course will merely cover Ministers with contempt and defeat the end they have in view. Of course we can only in some respects conjecture what will be done to-night from the rumours afloat and if we are wrong the illtimed mystery of the Government will be alone to blame. The natural course to pursue would have been to bring down the Constitutional Bills, and when they had been settled one way or the other to bring down the Estimates,- which mußt be dependent to a very large extent upon the result of the Bills. The measure would then have been discussed fully on its merits and the decision whatever it might be, would have com- j

manded the respectful consideration of th people. Instead of this the Estimates will provide for all the usual services of the General Government as heretofore, and in

addition for the services now performed by the Provincial Govenments for the North Island. The Bill abolishing provinces will thus be made to apply only to the North Island after all, but itwill make a show of abolishing those in the South by permissive clauses, of which the South may, or may not, avail themselves at, some future time—as they think fit. The South will be secure by this means of its land revenue to the last farthing and be put into a commanding position whence it can at any time coerce the North if that Land Revenue be in the slightest degree threatened. Its members will probably lend a large support to the Government scheme if not disgusted with the mode in which it is proposed to force it through the Assembly by tacking it to the Financial Statement. It requires a very small knowledge of parliamentary practice to know that, so tacked, the discussion will be a farce. Each memberc_n only speak once in the debate and it will be utterly impossible for e\en the most accomplished debater to handle the whole finance of the colony and constitutional principles at the same time. Each is a great subject in itself, and each should be separately and fully debated. The general crowd of members will be lost between the two and be thrown into a maze. No Ministry would dare to pursue such a course as it is believed the present Government contemplate, unless they felt confident there was every prospect of a majority at their back. We are prepared therefore to hear that the Bills will be carried, but it will then be for the people of Auckland to ask of what that majority is composed and how it has beenobta ined ? If the vote be not honestly, freely, intelligently, and disinterestedly given, it will have no claim to the obedience ot the Auckland people. Endowments as delusive as the Capitation grant of 40s per head given absolutely five years ago only to be withdr awn the year after, will net tempt them. Wellington, with the seat of Government given to '* her, may acquiesce, Napier and Taranaki may receive what they consider a full equivalent. But Auckland will be the victim. Deprived of all direct control over her affairs, her representation in the Assembly continually at stake, and her people reduced to a position of dependance on the ether provinces, she must and will resist to the uttermost any measures which have not been calmly considered and recommended themselves to tbe good seese and good feeling of her people. They may re_t assured of the fidelity and the ability of their leader, and have in Sir George Grey a man sent by Providence for the occasion. Not to be daunted by foes nor cajoled by friends, with a great name at stake, with no personal interest to serve, and moved only by a hatred of class government, and an earnest desire for the welfare of the whole people, Sir George Grey may claim and rely upon the enthusiastic support of all who have the benefit of the province at heart.

Tits Auckland Fire Brigade last year cost the city £1000, of which the Insurance Companies contributed £350, and the estimate of expenditure for the ensuing twelve months is £700, equally subsciibed by the Insurances offices and the City Council. For this large sum it will be generally agreed that we ought to receive some more tangible good than any we can yet point to. Every allowance, however, must be made for the time necessary to organise a brigade, and get the members into good practice, and we hope Mr Hughes' second year as Superintendent of the Brigade, which is just commencing, will change the feeling of the public towards the brigade. We believe Mr Hughes has not yet had a fair trial, and until that is accorded him the public should sutpend any decided opinion. In our Christchurch telegrams to-day appears a brief account of a fire in that city, which was promptly extinguished by the Fire Brigade. From it, we learn that the first steam fire engine was at the scene of the fire 12g minutes, and the second 15 minutes after the first alarm. The fire was then in its earliest stage, and was readily got under. This is what a fire brigade might and should do ; in Christchuich it is done regularly, and why not in Auckland? We learn that the represen. tatives of the insurance companies met the

Brigade Committee of the City Council t his week to discuss matters connected with the brigade and various amendments in the regulations were made, particulars of which we shall no doubt learn when the report i 8 brought up at the City Council. We understand, however, that the tenor of them is that the boundary on the east to which the brigade will be required to go in case of fire, shall be extended to the Exchange (Barrel) Hotel, Parnell, and that both sides of Karangahape Road—the city boundary—shall also be in. eluded within the defined radius. Members of the brigade (without the city engine) may attend fires still further away, and the insurance companies guarantee to reward them for any effective service, but the city will not be held responsible for the expense incurred. As no proposition from the suburban boards has been received to secure the services of the brigade, the arrangement defined by these conditions is as liberal as the interests of the city ratepayers would permit, if we are to understand that they include attendance at fires occuring in the shipping, which really form part, and a most important part too, of the business of the city. It was, we believe, also resolved that a Hook-and-Ladder Company be formed, and the sum of £80 was voted for that purpose. The salary of Mr Hughes is to be partially recouped by his employment by the Corporation in the office. The operations of any fire brigade in Auckland will necessarily be unsatisfactory until a good water supply is provided, and we must, on that account make reat allowances for the non-success of the brigade. But there is ample room for improvement in point of promptness and discipline, and we hope Mr Hughes will succeed in effecting such reform during the coming year? as will justify the large outlay now being incurred on behalf of the brigade.

We have received the following appeal on behalf of the sufferers by the disaster to the cutter Hero, which we commend to the attention (especially by the seafaring section) of our readers) : " Sir,—As a friend of the late Captain Doble, having known him for many years, alio*" me to ask you if you will kindly ask through your paper if anything can be done to assist the widow and orphan children, who are left utterly destitute by the sad affair. I believe, if the circumstances were only made known publicly, the many captains and seamen who knew Doble (and the public, also) would willingly contribute for the benefit of his widow and children. Doble has been sailing out of this harbour for the last eighteen years, and, for some years back, bas been struggling through great hardships to support his wife, who is very delicate, and to bring his large family up respectably—the oldesj; of whom is thirteen years, and the youngest two months old, in all six of them. For many'years he has had a great struggle, for as soon as he got a boat it was either sold or changed hands, and then he had to walk about a long time before he got another. The wife and family are destitute of everything, having no money or goods. Yours, &c." We learn that subscription lists are open at Messrs Combes and Daldy's ofhce and other places in town, and we shall be glad to receive and acknowledge donations towards the same good object. The circumstances have been fully made known to the public in previous issues and there can be no doubt that the case is a mo-t deserving as well as a very distressing one.

We learn that Mr. Robert J. Creighton, M.H.8,., representing the district of Eden, has telegraphed to his proposer and seconder, asking whether in their opinion the majority of his constituents would desire the abolition question determined this session, or deferred until after an appeal to the constituencies. The reply was, we ;believe, unhesitatingly, that the question was one upon which the voice of the electors should be heard, especially in view of the fact that this is the last session of the present Parliament.

Judge Strange, of Madras, has recently been converted from Christianity to Buddhism. The judge went from England to India an earnest Christian, and when not attending immediately to the dutie- of his profession sought to convert the heathen Hindoos around him. Singular to relate, his investigations of the Hindoo religion led him to adopt it as superior to Christianity, and he now declares the whole substructure of the latter faith to be a humbug, the New Testament to be a fraud, and the earthly existence of Jesus himself to be doubtful. It is extremely probable, however, that the sudden stampede of the English judge to the Hindoo camp will not have the effect of destroying the Christian faith, or of even shaking the confidence of those who have made a lifi test of its beneficent doctrines.

The Phrebe, which sailed for the South yesterday, conveyed to Wellington the first of the new Government steam launches built by Messts. Eraser and Tinne. The Pba.be being the only steamer which can carry these launches, the other two for Dunedin and Christchurch will be taken together if possible next trip.

A country settler started for Auckland yesterday to be present at tbe Court case respecting the sheep, but having imbibed too freely only reached as far as Newmarket, and spent the remainder of the day teaching boys tricks with pennies, and holding forth on the purpose of his coming to town, but looking himself very much like a lost sheep. As night came on he retraced his steps to the country, having thrown no light upon the sheep dispute.

Rev. Samuel Edger, 8.A., will commence a course of lectures, on Sunday evenings, "On Making Home Happy." The first will be delivered on Sunday next.

At Mr. Buckland _ Remuera Sale yesterday, there was some first-class beef, most of which came from Wanganui, and was in good order and condition. There was a plump little Hereford beast, which sold for £14 15s ; a few steers from the Waikato, the property of Maoris, sold at £10 10s each. Prices duriDg the sale varied from £7 10s to £1. _ 10s. One of the Wanganui bullock., in high condition, dropped on reaching the yards, having sustained some injury, and was removed from the pens. The show of sheep was excellent, and the prices obtained very fair— from 208 to 31s each; they were half-bred Southdowns, considered to be of the best kind for butchers,

Mrs. Christine Toen", the only lady saved from the Schiller, having recovered Eomewhat from the shock on her nervous system, relates to a lady correspondent the following incidents of the shipwreck : She said among the passengers was a lady who had a beautiful little boy, he was everybody's pet on board, and would be seen playing all day long with his mother or other ladies and gentlemen. After the steamer had struck the rock, the lady, with the boy in her arms, rushed frantically upon deck, and fell upon her knees before a sailor. " Save me and my child, for God's sake, save us! I am rich, immensely rich, save me, and thou shalt be wealthy and without cares for ever. I will give thee enough for all thy life. Thou need not be a sailor then—only save me and my child." A big wave swept over the deck and carried away the rich mother, her beautiful child and the poor sailor. Another lady on board had a little girl about three years old who looked like an aDgel. The mother being mostly sea-sick, would not allow anybody to take the child away out of ber sight. Many ladies offered to play with the child on deck, but the mother always objected, on the grdund that the child might "be hurt or even fall overboard through carelessness or oversight. Her child in the water! The bare idea would already make her mad. When the catastrophe came the mother rushed on deck with her child on her arm and at once jumped into the sea. The idea of seeing her child in the water had made her mad. Mrs. Toens further said: "We had a great many handsome children on board, whose gaiety amused everybody, and though childless myself, it almost breaks my heart to think that not one of them has been saved."

A remarkable case occurred in the R.M. Court to-day. The evidence shewed that the defendant, rather than pay the debt for which he was sued, had filed his schedule, paid a solicitor, £5 ; but afterwards allowed the petition to lapse. The Court considered that he was in a position tojpay, and gave the Court had no alternative and gave the defendant his choice between immediate payment or retirement to Mount Eden for six weeks.

A match at football between the Auckland and Ponsonby Clubs will take place to-mor-row on the Metropolitan ground, next Choral Hall, at 3 o'clock. Auckland team: J. Henderson (Captain), Russell, Gudgeon, W. Caverhill, G. Carter, H. W. Henderson, W. Philson, Hedley, Abrams, L. Dacre, H. Whitaker, C. George, W. Woon, F. Sharland, Cussen, Barton. Ponsonby :F. A. Jones, Fairburn, Townshend, Yates, Dignan, J. Wilson, O'Snllivan, Haultain, T. Macky, Sutton, W. Jones, Hemes, Gleeson. J. Macky.

The Pakuranga hounds meet at thef Harp of Erin hotel at 10*30 a.m. to-morrow.

Another tussle in prospect—more scrimmages to be endured—embraces more hardy than fond—to come off on Saturday afternoon, in the Domain, between the Parnell and Grafton football clubs. Play to commence at 3 o'clock. Parnell players will be Messrs. Coates, Blaydes, Haultain, Woodhouae, Roberfcshaws. 2, Peacocke, Beale, Casfeelli, Mowbray, Russell, Gossett Junr., Yon Tempsky, Tonks, and T. Philson. Grafton :— Snodgrass, Whewell, Burgess, Nolan, Jones, R. Mason, Rose, Ewen, Orchard, Bodle, Copland, White, Moss, Green, and W Mason.

The Rev. Mr Tomlinson will preach at St. Mary's, Parnell, on Sunday next, on behalf of the funds of the Home Mission.

We have to acknowledge reeceipt by the Taranaki from the Government printer today, Parliamentary papers relative to immigration and the correspondence between Mr Voo-el and the Agent-General, reports of officers in native districts, on native schools, land purchases, asylums, surveys, university and Savings Bank.

A working man's wife writes : " Sir, Would you be so kind as to allow me a little | space in your very useful paper to see if I can get any information when things will get better in New Zealand, or when an honest working man will be able to lift his head above the water? It seems to me that the Government wants all honest, hard-working men rooted out, and a set of downright rogues in their place. Whatever is the use of bringing so many chaps to our shores with so many useless good-for-nothings, while our own people cannot find employment. Mr. Editor I don't think it light at all for the Government to have so many contractors and sub-contractors. It would be much better for Government to give poor men a chance by getting a contract for themselves. I shall never forget the sight I saw a few weeks ago, when passing a catting in Auckland lately, poor men working below a burnins; sun and the sweat pouring off them, afraid to straighten themselves for those horrid subcontractors. Oh ! poor slaves, they only want the whip. Their money is hardearne"d but very easy spent; not like the old country where one teaspoonful of sugar would sweeten a cupful of tea, but here it takes three or four. But it is not in sugar alone but everything else. Adulteration is the rule of the day here. When will roguery end ? The poor man has to suffer for all. The devil seems to be doing great work ; he seems to have the be3t buildings in Auckland. May his reign be short. He seems to me to be ruling the sea too. I was told by a very respectable person that came out in the Forfarshire that the Rev. Mr. Wilkinson was shamefully used because he was a good young man. But lam glad to say the four weeks he ha. been here his noble preaching has drawn him many warm hearts I wish him every success. Auckland wants two or three like him, and I am glad he has so good a leader as the Rev. Mr Turner."

To the Editor: Sir. —I do not know whether I am right or not but I desire to call the attention of the city authorities to a very great obstruction on the footpath (a very narrow one too) in High street, outside the doors of hotel kept by Mr. Darby, Shortland and High streets. From what 1 witnessed last night I feel satis tied if the obstruction is not removed, a jury will very probably have to decide one day a case of manslaughter against the authorities for allowing those steps to obstruct the pathway. My duty often brings me up and down that street, and the broken nose I witnessed last evening caused by coming in contact with those steps caused me to call the attention of the powers that be to the nuisance. —I am, Sir, A Citizen.

programme for the farewell night of the Hibernicon Troupe to-morrow at the City Hall appears in our advertising columns and comprizes a selection of the company's best songs. The old favourites " Come into the garden Maud." "The harp that once through Taras Hall" and "The Death of Nelson" rendered by Messrs Baker would be sufficient to make the vocal part of the ettsrtainment spe-ial'yat.ractive. But with the other pieces announced, the bill is the best one that has been offered for a long time. New scenery of Ireland will also be introduced.

To facilitate the cases in the Resident MagistratesjCourt; F. D. Fen ton, Esq., sat today in the place of Mr Beckham, who is still in a precarious state of health. Mr Fenton stated that it was twenty years since he had filled that position, and he hoped, on that account, that gentlemen, would bear with him, aud adjourn such cases as could reasonably be adjourned until Mr B.ckham should be sufficiently recovered to resume his duties. The causes in the District Court are postponed until the 9th August.

A correspondent writes calling attention fci the practice pursued by some poulterers of plucking fowls while alive He thinks the police should look into it, and so do we.

At the annual meeting of the Manurewa Highway Board Mr. J. M. Mook, Chairman, the balance-sheet shewed receipts from rates, £30 ss. 2d. ; Government grant, £36 ss. 4d. Total, £66 10s. 6d. The report was adopted, and Messrs. J. M. Mook, W. McLauchlin, W. Maskrey, R. Brown, and Martin elected trustees for the ensuing year ; Messrs D. White and Hil s auditors.

We observe by advertisement that the "Invitation" night in connection with Mr J. Brown's part singing class will be on Thursday evening, the sth of August, instead of Monday, the 2nd. The usual practice on Monday will take place.