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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3096, 31 May 1881, Page 2

At Messrs Kennedy and Gillman's sale of fruit to-day apples brought from 2d to 2|d per lb., and pears from 2£d to fifd per lb. We learn that the Napier Artillery Volunteers will shortly be supplied with new carbines in the place of the present unserviceable and defective Snider carbines.

The arguments of counsel on the matter of oosts in the Boojum and Sir Donald collision case, which were .fixed for hearing today, have been postponed until Monday next.

Mr W. Parker, senior, has been recommended by the Public Works Committee to the appointment of Receiver of Rates. In Mr Parker the Corporation has secured the right man for the right place.

The Inspector of Nuisances for the Borough has been instructed to rigidly enforce the pan system, and to see that all cesapits are abolished and filled in. To carry this out another night-cart or two will have to he employed. The Union Company's steamer Taiaroa is making an extra trip up the coast with cargo. She left Dunedin last night, and will call at Lyttelton, at Napier, arriving on Thursday or Friday next, and at Auckland. We trust this is a recommencement of the bi-weekly service along this part of the coast, and have no doubt it will be continued if sufficient inducement offers.

In reference to the formation of the Red-clyffe-Omahu road, we are glad to learn from the Chairman of the County Council that, since yesterday evening, he has received a guarantee from the Bank of Australasia for the whole of the amount of money required, it having been a eertained that the native chief Renata will o-tribute his proper share. The Chairman has consequently issued instructions to the road overseer to prepare the necessary specifications, and the work will be let out by contract without delayA nasty accident occurred to Mr W. Provis, of Messrs Kinross and Co.'s, last evening, which might easily have proved fatal. He waß taking some letters round to the s.s. Kiwi about 6 'oclock, and in passing from the breastwork to the steamer—it being dark at the time—he stepped short, and fell between the vessel and the piles. Mr Ackroyd, the engineer, was luckily standing near at the time, and sprang down on the fender with a rope, and helped him up before the vessel closed in again on the wharf, otherwise he wculd have been inevitably crushed to 'death. Mr Provis received some very nasty bruises on his shoulder and knee in his fall, and it is expected he will be unable to get about for some days to come. The telegraphic summary of news received via San Francisco mentioned the arrest of the Grand Duke Nicholas for complicity with the Nihilists, and his imprisonment for life in the fortress of Dranburg. This royal prisoner is cousin to the present Emperor of Russia, being a son of the Grand Duke Constantino, who was brother of the late Emperor, and second son of the old Emperor Nicholas. The late Emperor was never on friendly terms with his brother Constantine. In his earlier lifo as Admiral, Constantine had the audacity on one occasion to arrest his elder brother for which he himself was placed under arrest for a considerable time by his father. From that time there was enmity between the two brothers, and now the son of one has been found guilty of plotting against the throne of the son of the other.

The very appropriate recognition of the Artillery Volunteer Band's services is to be made to-night in the form of a dramatic entertainment, the proceeds of which are to go to the fund for the purchase of new instruments. The dramatised version of the " Rose of Castillo " is to be produced, in which Messrs. Edwards, Gilpin, and Monteith will render some of the beautiful solos in this well-known and popular opera. Prior to the performance the Artillery Band will march to the Spit, and accompany the Spit Fire Brigade to town ; at the top of the Shakespeare road the Napier Brigade will join the procession, which will then proceed to the Theatre. The entertainment is under the patronage of His Worship the Mayor and Corporation, the Artillery Volunteers, and the two Fire Brigades. _ A bumper house may consequently be anticipated.

Lord Granville has long been credited with the ability to say a " neat thing," and it ia thought that he achieved, a special success in this direction in the way in which he disposed of Lord Lytton in the Candahar debate recently. " I remember a noble friend of mine," said His Lordship, " who fell overboard from his yacht. Dreadful anxiety followed, and the boat was ordered to be lowered. Before it could be done his dog—a magnificent Newfoundland dog— jumped into the sea. The sailors cheered. In three minutes the dog triumphantly brought back to the vessel, not my noble friend, but his cap, which was the first thing he had been able to find. I cannot help thinking that ray noble friend the late Viceroy has acted the part of that noble and intelligent animal. His whole policy fell into the water, he jumped in, and laid hold of the first thing he could, which was the

question of Candahar. This discovery seems to be more agreeable to him than the gold-laced cap was to the dog. 'This also explains why he recom mends a motion which does not commit your lordships either to retain Candahar or to retire from it."

Two hundred and fifty pounds damages have been given, in the Exchequer Division t in an action for compensation against Messrs. Ind, Coope, and Co., for injuries sustained by the plaintiff owing to the carelessness of one of the defendants' drivers.

An Italian writer says that modern millionaires are nowhere in comparison witsome of his codritrvmen, as follows : Marc Antony spent £200,000,000 merely sowing his wild oats; Nero gave £20,000,000 in presents to his friends ; Hellogebalus gave a dinner that cost £20,000; the toilet of Agrippina on a special occasion footed up to £300,000, and her box of jewels at home was worth £40,000,000.

Two magnificent cornels are prognostic cated for neit year by ah . Indiati writer} who; according to the Times of India announces that thepe heavenly bodies will be visible from Ist April to 12th June, wiH stretch across one-fourth of the heavens, and they occupy 2,025| years in their revolution, and that they eolipse the brillianoy of the mid-day sun, and form the original Light of Creation the light with which the Genisis of the world opened ; thus fulfilling all prophecy, and settling biblical chronology beyond dispute.

An interesting ravine, in which natural ice remains througout the summer, is attracting local interest at Newtowii> New Jersey. lb lies at the foot of Blue Mountain, is several hundred yards long, from 10ft to SOffc deep, with cavas and clef ts in the rocks, filled with ice. The shade at the gorge is described as very dense, .the sun apparently never penetrating it. The parapet of the like the Paliaadea of the Hudson, is *■■ nearly perpendioular, and rises about 400 ft above the ravine, through which a current of cold air sweeps constantly. The thermometer whioh registered in the nineties in Newton, marked 38deg. at the bottom of this gorge —too cold for one to remain there any length of time. A few feet from one end of the gorge a spring; of tbe most delicious sparkling water bubbles up. It tastes slightly of iron, and is very satisfactory to the thirst. The water in this spring stands at 34deg. The owner of the farm on which the gorge is found says that it is much resorted to for ice, so that by the middle of August but little remains except in the cave 3 and deeper holes.

A writer on celestial chemistry, in the latest number of the Edinburgh Review, discusses Mr Norman Lockyer's theory of the evolution of the stars based upon the classification of their colors proposed by the Roman astronomer, Father Secjhi, jußt before his death, nearly three years ago. By means of the spectroscope, Father Secchi separated the Btars into four classes; First, those shining with a white or bluish light; second, yellow stars; third, stars of a reddish tint, with a peculiar columflar spectrum; and fourth, blood-red stars. Mr Lockyer thinks that these classes represent successive steps of progress in stellar existence from vigor to decay, the whitest and brightest stars being presumably the hottest and the youngest, while the reddest are the coolest and the oldest. This theory is criticised on many grounds, and reference is made to the change of color in Sirius, the dog-star, as disposing of the view that a rosy tint indicates steller decadence. If that view were correct, Sirius oughinow to be ruddier than in ancient times; whereas there is clear historical evidence that this star, which is now brilliantly white, was redder than the planet Mars only twothousand years ago. Lady Colley took with her from Maritzburg a headstone for the grave of her husband. It is said: "It is beautiful in its simplicity, but it is one that we trust will be supplemented by a memorial from Natal in memory of the brave gentleman who so ably directed her affairs." It is a plain cross, about three feet from the low pedestal on which it is placed, and with a simple kerbstone to enclose the grave. There is no ornamentation whatever — even the plain black lettering is but what the humblest of the community would employ. The following is the inscription:—ln memory of Sir George Pomeroy-Colley, X.C.5.1., 0.8., C.M.G-., H.M. Commissioner for S.E., Africa, Major-General commanding forces, born Ist November, 1835, killed in action on the Amajuba Mountain, Sunday, 27th Feb., 1881." On the right side are the words— " This cross is placed here by his wife," and on the left side of the stone—

" O ! for thy voice to scothe and bio.', What hope of answer or redren, Behind the veil, behind the veil!" A Natal paper says: —" We understand that the body of our late lamented Governor will be allowed to remain where it now lies, it having been his wish that, should it be" his fate to die on the battle-field, he should be buried where he fell.—Graaf Reinet Advertiser.

One of the most remarkable shooting matches ever attempted in this country was begun on Wednesday at the Westminister Aquarium. Dr. Carver, the American marksman, and Mr Scott, a well-known pigeon shot, have undertaken to shoot at 20,000 glass halls, the competitor making the highest score t© receive £600. The match will last ten days, 2,000 glass balls being'trapped', each evening. The balls were tnrown from two traps in succession, and the competitors shot at 100 balls each alternatively. In the first round, Mr Scott broke 92 out of the 100, and Dr. Carver 95. From eight o'clock to twenty minutes to eleven, Dr. Carver managed to break 940 balls out of 1000, and Mr Scott 935 out of 1000. The rounds ran pretty evenly throughout. In the second, Mr Scott broke 93 out of 100, and Dr. Carver 96 ; in the third, Mr Scott broke 93, and Dr. Carver 99 ;in the fifth round however, both men managed to smash lOO'glass balls each, a feat probably unparalleled in the history of shooting. The beet time was made by Dr. Carver, who broke his 100 balls, Bingle rise, in smin. lOsec. and 100 balls both rising at once in smin, 40seo. It has been calculated that before the contest oloses 3cwt of powder will have been expended, one ton of shot used, and two tons of glass shattered.—At the close of Thursday evening's shooting the men tied, having broken 1909 out of 2000.—London paper.

The eminent historian, Dr E. A. Freeman, when recently lecturing on ' the Study of History' at Birmingham, spoke in the following terms :—" While any very wild notion in natural science is laughed to scorn, not only by men of special knowledge but by the public at large, notions equally wild in historical and philological matters are treated quite gravely and aro called matters of controversy. Those who believe that the sun is only three miles from the earth are a class which may be counted on our fingers, and when they put forth their doctrines they are laughed at, not only by astronomers, but by the general public—that is to say, the general public has learned astronomy enough to see the folly of the doctrine that the sun is only three miles from the earth. But there is a large body, which puts forth a large literature, whose members gravely believe the doctrine of Anglo-Israel, the doctrine that the English nation is of Hebrew descent. This doctrine stands exactly on the same scientific level as the doctrine that the sun is three miles from the earth. It ip just as little entitled to a seikms answer as the other doctrine is. But the doctrine of Anglo-Israel is treated quite gravely, it is looked on as a matter of controversy, a difference of opinion. An attempt to treat ethnological folly as the astronomical folly is treated, would he thought by many cruelly unfair. Has not the Anglo-Israelite as much «right to his own opinion' as a Kemble, a Stubbs, or a Waitz ? Thuß the general public judges of our subjects, judges often, we think, wrongfully, but still judges, and judges with a fuller conviction of its own fitness to judge than it shows in the case of the natural sciences."

The Gaiety Operatic and Dramatic Club at tho Theatre Royal to-night in "The Rose of Castillo " at 8.

The annual meeting of tile Licensed Victuallers' Association, to-night, at the Empire Hotel, at 7.30. Messrs Price and Innes have just opened a new lot of clothing and men's shirts. Messrs Blythe and Co. have men's heavy Crimean shirts at low prices.

Mr Charles Helander has taken the Farndon Hotel, and solicits a share of patronage. tiostj a retriefer dog; registered No. 821. Messrs Brooking and Dohson advertise a, number of valuable properties for sale. Tha members of the F Battery Volunteer Artillery will parade in front of the Post Office to-night at 7.30. The half-yearly meeting of St. John's Branch, H.A.C.8.5., will be held on Wednesday, Bth June. For sale the Rechabite Hall, EmersonStreet;

A meeting of the L.0.L., No. 5, will be held on Monday, 6th June.

Messrs. Murray, Roberts and Co. have for sale produce, farming implements, &c. A number of new advertisements appear in our "Wanted" column.