The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3598, 23 January 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1883.

We think Mr .Sutton was wrong when he stated, as chairman of the Hospital Committee on Saturday, that it seemed to him the hospital belonged to the General Government quite as much as the gaol did, and that the existence of the Committee depended on tho ipse di.'it of the Colonial Secretary. The difference between the two institutions—the gaol and the hospital—is this, the one was built and is maintained by the General Government, and tho other has been built and maintained by the public. Tho Government can have no claim to the hospital whatever. On a well understood agreement the Government were bound to subsidise the hospital to the extent of one pound for every one pound subscribed by the people and local governing bodies. This agreement has not been strictly kept by the Government, and hence the dissatisfaction that has lately been expressed. But a partial breach of agreement by one of the parties does not establish a claim to the institution by the defaulter. It may be perfectly true that the elected Committee has no legal status: but what status has the Government in connection with the hospital 'i The Committee at least represents the subscribers, whereas the Government only represents an agreement. It, would be well for this institution if the district were wealthy enough to do without; Go vernment aid altogether. Assistance, however, was proffered, not asked for, aud the pecuniary position of the several districts necessitated its acceptance. The General Government, in course of years, filched from the Provinces their means of existence, now doles out grudgingly the sums that could be expended to much better advantage had the old institutions been left with their revenues intact. The whole system of admiii'stration demands remodelling, and if the present Ministry arc unwilling or incapable of bringing about reform and simplification public clamor will force or create a new political combination to undertake the work.

The result of the Peninsula, election has been to place Mr Larnaeh at the head of the poll by the large majority of -IS") over Mr Donnelly, imd ")2'J over Bishop Moran. Mr Larnaeh, C.M.G., is a name that is well enough known in this colony, though it is five years ago since he sat in the House. It was Mr Larnaeh who, in 1877, moved a want of confidence motion in the Atkinson Ministry, and, defeating the Government, was sent for by the Marquis of Normanby to form a, Cabinet. It was then discovered that he had only been acting as a hedge for Sir George Grey, and the "Heaven-born Statesman" took the reins of office, giving Mr Larnaeh the portfolio of Minister of Public Works. Mr Larnaeh only retained his seat in the Cabinet five months, and was succeeded by Mr Mncaiidrew. In addressing the electors the other day somebody asked him to explain why he left the Grey Ministry so hurriedly, and this is Mr Larnach's reply, as reported in a local paper :—" While in tho performance of his duties as Minister of Public Works he received a telegram from Mr Macandrew stating that there was some doubt about the new loan floating, and that the Premier thought it desirable that he (Mr Larnaeh) should go home to assist in floating it. As he was desirous of getting out of the Government he thought the matter over, and subsequently went to Wellington to arrange the terms upon which he would go home for the purpose indicated. —(A Voice : "Name them.") By all means he would. He was not ashamed of them. He said it would necessitate the breaking np of bis establishment ; that ho would have to take his family home and remain at least a year there ; and that, as be did not want any files of accounts sent in ho would take .£2OOO, which would not pay his expenses, and Avould work in the interests of the Government in London for nine months." Mr Larnaeh is in favor of "separation;" of a land tax instead of a property tax ; and of eighteen years being the qualified age to vote. It is hard to say for what, public services he received the honor of C.M.G.

The Nelson drapers have resolved to close their establishments every Thursday afternoon for a half-holiday. Advices from the Southern Cross Petroleum Company's works state that the shaft is now down 237 feet, the sinking being easy. The Wairoa Harbor Board election is fixed for February 12th. The returning officers conduct the election free, as the Board has no funds for such a purpose. At tho sale by Messrs Banner and Liddlc to-day the totalisator by Hayes and Jenkins brought .£2ll. The other, by Brown and Co., brought .€37. Mr Cohen was the purchaser in each case. The School Committees of Gisborne, Hastings, Napier, Clive, and Porangahau, have nominated Mr J. D. Ormond, Mr S. Locke, and Captain Russell to the vacant seats at the Education Board. In an article on Sir Arthur Gordon's despatches on native afairs, the Auckland Herald calls our late Governor a "measureless liar," and declines to call him a gentleman, so refers to him as "that official." At Melbourne, on the Bth instant, Captain Underwood was the recipient of a silver claret jug and salver from the officers of the Rotomaiiana, on the occasion of his leaving the service of the Union S. S. Co. According to the Registrar-General's last volume of New ' Zealand statistics there is "one beggar" in the colony, and Nelson is given as the dwelling place of that person. The Nelson Colonist somewhat anxiously inquires, who is it ': For the convenience of their town customers the Union Steamship Company intend to establish a branch office at Napier. The new branch will open on the Ist February in those premises recently occupied by Messrs Cross' and Smyth in Browningstreet. Says the Auckland Herald of the I.7th instant: —"The Spiritualists have been interviewing the late Hugh Aitken Hamilton in the spirit world, and he, they allege, has given them full details of the occurrences which took place on that eventful night on which ho died." We have received from Mr Kirkcr, local branch manager for the South British Fire and Marine Insurance Company of New Zealand, one of the company* combined blotting pads and almanacs for 1883, formin<>- the neatest and most useful article of its class that lias come under our notice this season. We remind intending visitors to tho ram fair to-morrow that, in addition to the ordinary trains, a special train will leave Napier for the Hastings show ground platform at 8.-10. a.m., returning to town at G. 30. p.m. Refreshments will be provided on the ground by that'cxcellcnt caterer, Mr D. B. Watt. The following weather forecast from Captain Edwin, taken in Wellington at 1 p.m., was received by Mr Wilkie this afternoon: — Bad weather approaching from north to east and south-east. Glass fall again soon, and wind backing. Heavy sea after twelve hours, and very heavy rain after sixteen hours. Mr M. R. Miller informs us that, as the Hawke's Bay agent of Messrs Goldshrough and Co., Melbourne, he has received a telegram from them stating that Messrs Anderson and Co.'s Merino wool from Te Haroto station, brought lid per lb at the last sale. This may be regarded as very satisfactory intelligence. The monthly inspection of .the Artillery and Rifle Volunteer companies takes place this evening in front of the Athenaeum at a

quarter to eight o'clock. Absentees will render themselves liable to a fine under the new regidations. Captain Garner requests all persons desirous of enrolling to attend the parade and the meeting of the company that will afterwards be held at the Criterion Hotel. A correspondent wishes to know if there is not one of the persons elected to the Committee who could or would undertake the position of secretary to the School Committee, as there was but the paltry sum of some £305 12s -Id spent during the past twelve months, and the salary for accounting for same is £20, which is above the usual five per cent. The Fire Brigades Reception Committee held a final meeting last night, when accounts were rendered and ordered to be paid. The balance-sheet showed a. small amount to the good after payment of all expenses. A letter was read from Mr J. Buchanan, M.H.R-, enclosing a cheque for £5, and expressing regret at not having been able to attend the banquet to the delegates. Mr G. Scarfo, who has held the office of secretary to the Napier District School Committee for the past four years, felt himself constrained, from pressure of private business, to resign the appointment, and to decline nomination for a seat on the Committee on the same grounds. The new Committee, after considerable discussion last night, decided to accept Mr Scarfe's resignation, and tendered their thanks for his past services. When Bishop Moran was before the electors of tho Peninsula recently he expressed himself in favor of State aid being granted to Catholic and Protestant (denominational) schools, but when Mr Mcßride asked the candidate whether he was in favor of a similar concession being - granted to the Frccthought school at the Lyceum, the Bishop, with strange inconsistency replied, " I do not know whether the gentleman means to insult mo or not. But I will answer his question, and will say I am not.'' There are now thirty male patients in the Hospital, and the male convalescent ward, or dining-room, is converted into a sleeping ward. The male ward was built for thirteen, but there is sufficient air, allowing one thousand cubic feet to each person, for twenty-one patients, its present number. This, with six in the dining-room, and three in the private ward, which is used for ordinary cases whenever required, makes up the thirty males. The sooner the committee get the new wing up the better. The Star of the 17th instant narrates the capture of a whale in Oakley creek, Whan district, near Auckland. Our contemporary says:—"The strange visitor was spied in very shallow water and making for Oakley's creek. Boats were ordered out, and were directed to keep behind the whale, so as to direct its course up the creek. The tide receding, the monster (getting into. the wrong channel) became beached, and was secured with a few slight accidents to the men. The fish measures 7o feet in length, and will give a good yield of oil. About 33 years ago a. whale of much the same dimensions was captured in this locality." The Tauranga Fire Brigade must be in a queer state. From a late issue of the Bay of Plenty Times we learn that, at the fire there the other day, " owing to the manner in which the apparatus had been kept—in different parts of Mr Ashcr's premises—the fire engines did not arrive on the scene of tho conflagration until all urgent need for their services was at an end. Even when they did arrive, the Brigade was not in its full strength, only half-a-dozen members manning one engine, and those showing a lack of discipline and want of drill. The water obtained for the one engine was insufficient to keep it going, a precarious supply being procured by buckets, etc., from wells and tanks in the vicinity." The same nuisance that was complained of last summer and the summer before has manifested itself again. We allude to the indecent conduct of persons battling at the boat sheds on the banks of the Tutaekuri river. There is no possible objection to urge against the practice of bathing, it is both healthful and necessary this hot weather ; but, when persons bathe in full view of a public road, it should be expected of them that the commonest rules of decency shorld be strictly observed. Bathing costume, such as every one is compelled to wear at public baths," is cheap enough, or even a, towel can bo made to answer tho purpose. The police have no desire to put a stop to bathing, and it is hoped that those few remarks will bo accepted as a warning. Parents living in Napier are often subjected to the anxiety caused by their children thoughtlessly absenting themselves from their homes. * We are constantly hearing of some one or another having lost a child, of distracted mothers and anxious fathers. Fortunately the children turn up again safe and sound after working off surplus energy by camping out, but tho grief and alarm are none the less severe during the period of supensc. Much sympathy was felt for a family in Napier yesterday owing to the report that one of tho children had been missing since Sunday morning, and it was feared he was drowned. The boy. it seems, had walked out to Puketapu, aud camped out, and was finally found on board the Silver Cloud, which he wanted to join in any capacity suitable to his years. Amateurpcrformershavc not unfrequently blamed us for giving truthful criticisms of their efforts in both the dramatic, and musical arts, and an idea seems to have possessed some of our local aspirants for histrionic fame that in no other town in New Zealand are amateurs so hardly dealt with as in Napier. To dispel any such ungrounded belief we append one or two extracts from a critique published in the Patca Mail of a performance by the Musical Society of that district of Gilbcrd and Sullivan's opera "Pinafore." Our contemporary says, of the gentleman who represented Captain Corcoran, " Upon the consummation of all his hopes, when Sir Joseph handed him his bride, the emotional sentence " Oh joy, oh rapture," he rendered very like "Mine's brandy and soda." The character represented was unemotional and expressionless in the extreme." In another paragraph in the report Aye learn that " the musical conductor had a trying time ; the despairing looks thrown, towards him from soloists and chorus singers was at times ludcirous. Evidence of careful teaching and repeated rehearsals was plainly noticeable." We cannot recollect having ever written anything more severe. A deputation of Maoris travelled round Bulls and district yesterday, (says the Advocate of the 11th instant) soliciting from the storekeepers, publicans, and settlers contributions in kind and mouey towards providing a grand feast by the promise of which they hope to entice his august majesty KingTawhiao (Avho is fond of a big dinner) to visit Bulls in the course of his travels. The deputation state that "oA-er 2,000 men" will accompany the King, and by the visit the storekeepers and publicans must reap a splendid harvest. " If the King and his party do not come," said one speaker, " avc will return everything avc have received." This is a good joke. Fancy the Maoris returning a barrel of beer, a keg of rum, or a case of tobacco, or, in fact, anything that would assist to make up a jollification Avhen they got the materials on the cheap. Quinine is an alkaloid found in the bark of trees belonging to the Cinchona or Peruvian bark 'family, and is one of the most valuable febrifuges and antipcriodics knoAvn to medical science; while incorporated Avith iron tincture it has no equal as a tonic. Pure quinine and iron may be obtained put up in bottles of any size to suit customers at Professor Moore's 'Medical Hall, Waipawa. —Advt. A pure stimulant wisely medicated with tonic and alterative vegetable agents is Avhat the weak and feeble need, and it has been provided in Wolfe's Sciinaws, the purest spirit in the world. —[Advt.]