The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3716, 13 June 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1883.

A rum; that is generally adopted by guests i.s to say nothing if nothing good can bo said of their hosts. This rule has been quite lost wight of by one at loast of the visitors to Napier during the hitting of tho Anglican Synod. Nothing much that lie saw hero seems to have pleased our clerical friend, and his disagreeable recollections lie has choseu to publish in the New Zealand Church News. We may mention that tho Church Nows i.s published tit Christehurch, and edited by Dean Jacobs, who was also here during tho Synod. It is in the form of a diary that the correspondent writes, and this is what ho says:—"A word or two about the public institutions of Napier. Tho Hospital is nearly all that could bo desired. It is on high ground, and commands a lino view; tho buildings are new and well-arranged; the surroundings are bright and cheerful; the resident surgeon, Dr. Mcnzios, married but without family, is a benevolent and fatherly man of years and experience; the matron, Miss Ada Cobelt, "well-known for some years to the visitors of ilia Christehurch Hospital, chiefly in connection with the children's ward, is highly qualified by experience and kindliness for the position she occupies ; the patients are visited, as a rule, twice a week, and a fortnightly service is held by the Rev. Walter Welsh, assistant curate to tho Rev. Do B. Hovoll. It is but just to the last-mentioned gentleman to say, that the building of this hospital is, in a great measure duo to his earnest and persevering exertions. Tho place formerly dignified by the name of Hospital consisted, I am told, of two or three wretched'shanties, dirty, ill-ventilated, and swarming with otkei- than human occupants. Of the Lunatic Asylum a very different account must bo given. I l).ad no opportunity of personally inspecting _ Jt; } but, judging from the information I received from' gentlemen on whom I could thoroughly rely, it deserves to be characterised as a disgrace to the Government of the country. It is over-crowded; there is scarcely any attempt at classification; and it is in close proximity to tho #a«J, forming, I understand, ■ one building with it ; who can wonder that the per centage of tho recoveries is small '( Is it not a crying shame that poor lunatics, of all classes tho most to be pitied, are neglected because they havo no votes, because they cannot agitate, nor bring influence to bear on the country's legislators I- The public cemetery is a narrow strip of ground, pleasantly situated on the hill side, adjoining the Botanical Gardens, and at a short distance from the hospital. It is divided into two parts, one for the Roman Catholics, the other for the residue of people ; of the latter, a portion has, I believe, been consecrated, although there is no visiblo mark of division. Pew of the monuments I saw—l should say that I did not visit the portion reserved for the Roman Catholics—were of a distinctively Christian character; and candour conjpols me to add, that some of those I saw were among the most hideous violations of good taste in the way of monuments that I ever set eyes on." Speaking of St. John's Church services our critic says:—"Tho tone of churchnianship in Napier has been very low, but is improving. In point of reverential denieanonr in church there is certainly much room for improvement still. The people sit during , the collection of the offertory ; none rise up

when God's minister enters His sanctuary ; and, almost before tho last words of the Blessing have been pronounced, there arc unseemly signs and sounds of hurrying- to get away from tho House of Prayer." The St. John's Church congregation will no doubt bear the above strictures in mind and stand up when the offertory is being collected, and generally adopt all the newfangled fashions that have done more to fill tho Wcslej-an, Presbyterian, and United Methodist places of worship than anything else. The strictures passed on our Lnuatio Asylum are wholly uncalled for, but our clerical friend, it will bo seen, is quito propared to accept as gospel anything that is told him, and give currency to falsehood to pad up a column of rubbish in the Church News.

The agricultural statistics of the colony collected in February last, published in a recent Gazette, have been dissected by tho New Zealand Times with the following result:—" Taking tho totals, wo find that there wore 27,352 holdings of one aero and over, as compared with 20,298 for ISB2, being an increase of 105-1. Freeholds had increased by 102 G. The extent of land broken up, but not under crop shows a remarkable falling off, the acreage this year being 195,398, as compared with 248,552 last year, the difference being 53,154 acres. The whole of the decrease is .accounted for by the Middle Island, all tho provinces in tho North Island showing an increase. There were 30u,81S acres, and 10,270,591 bushels wheat as compared with 365,715 acres and 8,297,890 last year, giving a substantial increase of 25,103 acres and 1,972,701 bushels. Of oats for green food or hay thero wore f>5,401 acres, as compared with 01,431 last year. Oats for grain shows a most satisfactory increase of 76,471 acres and 3,595,580 bushels, tho returns for this year being 319,558 acres and 10,520,428 bushels, and for last year, 243,387 acr6s and 0,924,848 bushels. 'The area in barley was 28,146 acres, yielding 737,103 bushels, as compared with 29,808 acres, and 061,093 bushels Inst year, thero being an increase in tho yield of 73,070 bushels, although the acreage had fallen by 1662 acres. 20,488 acres planted in potatoes were estimated to yield 104,581 tons, as against 22,540 acres and 121,890 tons in 1882, the falling off being 2062 acres and 17,309 tons. 285,679 acres were sown in turnips and rape, showing an increase of 27,153 acros, and 22,840 in other crops, showing an increase of 17G2 acres. The total area under crop, exclusive of grassed land, was 1,133,295 acres, the figures for the previous year being 1,002,485, leaving a satisfactory balance of 130,810 acres—an area which is equal to upwarps of 2600 fifty-aero farms ; 61,051 acres yielded 75,764 tons of hay, thero being a decrease upon the preceding year of 7309 acres, and 11,317 tons. There wero in grasses, after having been broken up, 2,018,964 acros as compared with 1,771,875 acres, and in surface-sown grasses 2,303,598 acres, as against 2,166,194 acres last year. The former shows an increase of 247,089, and the latter of 137,404 acres. It is a remarkable fact that the provincial district of Wellington possesses more than half the area of land that has been laid down in grasses without ploughing, and that both show a slight falling off upon the previous year." The returns for Hawke's Bay show—Holdings, 1155; land broken up, 12,717 acres; wheat, 1148 acres, 2G,598 bushels; oats (fodder), 771 acres, oats (grain), 4372 acres 90,081 bushels; barley, 349 acros, 12,926 bushels; potatoes, 1146 acres, 3529 tons; turnips or rape, 1960 acres; other crops, 1034 acres. Total undor cro]), 10,786 acres. Hay, 9112 acres, 13,122 tons; grassed laud(broko"n up), 122,119 acres ; grassed land (surface sown), 576,363 acros.

Mr F. Sutton, M.H.R., proceeds to Wellington on Saturday. Mr Graham L. Greenwood has been appointed Sheriff for the district of Poverty Bay. Mr Allan McDonald, M.H.R., addresses his Wairoa constituents in Mayo's Hall to-night. -4 Tlio weather at "Wairoa is very severe, there being licavy frosts every night, and ice a quarter of an inch thick in the morning's. The. Returning Officer at noon to-day officially declared the election of Mr H. P. Cohen to the office of councillor for the South "Ward of the Borough. Mr Thomas Powdrell's name has liotbeeu omitted from the new Commissioner of tbo Peace. Tho absenco of his name from our telegraphic message was duo to an oversight on the part of the sender. In the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning, before Captain Precco, R.M., John Robinson was fined os and costs, with the usual alternative, for being' drunk outside tho Supreme Court building yesterday. Mr Rawson, C. E., in the service of the Government, has been appointed an assistant to the staff of Mr T. H. Carr, district engineer. Mr Rawson ivill reside at Woodvillc, superintend the building of the bridge over the Manawatu rivor, and complete the survey of the railway lino from Tahoraite. Captain Preeco, in his capacity of Trust Commissioner, gave notice in the 11. M. Court yesterday that tho following deeds submitted to him for examination would be certified to if no objections were lodged within tho next five days :—Conveyance of undivided interest, Mainiena Tini to Henare Tomoana, Mangatcretere East, containing 20-17 acres; ditto Ilenaro Tomoana, Manacna Tini, and others, to Frederick Nelson, Mangatoretcre 7n, containing 1916 acres. It is to be hoped that, when the now railway station at Napior is erected, it ■will • include a branch post office. It would be a great public convenience if mails were despatched by every train. As it is now a shipment of goods can be sent by the midday train to Hustings, but the letter covering tho invoices has to bo sent as a parcel, and charged for accordingly. There should not only be a branch post office at every railway station, but one in the guard's van as well. Mr F. Pell has rosiguod his position in the Napior Artillery Volunteers. Mr Pell's resignation will bo a hovgvo loss to tho company. He has been a volunteor for twenty years, and connected with the Artillery for ovor half of that period, as a commissioned officer, and through his thorough acquaintance with his duties lie has for a long time past been selected to act as Adjutant in this district. He has boen a painstaking, smart, and efficient officer, and a jsualous volunteer, and it will bo very difficult to fill his place.

A few devout individuals assembled last evening at about a quarter - past seven o'clock on the street immediately in front of the Provincial Hotel, and, after a hymn, one of their number addressed tho two or three people who wore attracted by the unusual occurrence, and invited them to tho AVesleyan Church, where they were promised "good would bo done them." Very few seem to understand what all this parado meant. It may, however, bo pre- 'L sumed that, if tho Salvation Army pest has> not already spread to Napier, the way is boing prepared for it. At the fortnightly meeting of tho Napier District School Committee, held last evening, - plans wore received from tho Board's architect for certain proposed alterations to to the school grounds and for erecting a gymnasium. The Committee decided to invite tenders for the "W.oi : k ; to be sent in before next meeting. A communication from the Education Board notified that the annual examination for scholarships would commence on Jury 2nd, and that the midwinter vacation would begin on June 2!Jth and terminate on July 13th. The remaining business was of a routine character. After the railway accident at Paki Paki some time £go, when the train ran into a quarry siding, Mr Suttpn strongly urged, upon the Government the desirability of Inning all the railway stations put' jjito either telegraphic or telephonic communication with each other. Tho result of Mi , Button's representations was that at both Te Auto and Kaikora telegraphic instruments were suppliod, and at both stations, we understand, there the instruments remain untouched, and, probably, unpacked, To whose fault this neglect of public interests is due wo do not know, but it is rumored that tho Telegraph and Railway Departments are not in accord. The civil sittings of the Supremo Court will commence to-morrow at 10 a.m., when the civil action Begg v, Tyue Avill be heard.v In tliis case the" parties interested liaytf agreed to dispense with a jury, and it will consequently be decided by His Honor the Chief Justice. On Friday the special jury case Newton v. Burke will be commenced* and the hoaring; will probably occupy two days. Another special jury case, Peddle v. Stevens, has been fixed for Monday, and on

Tuesday His Honor purposes proceeding to Gisborno to hold the circuit sittings there, calling here on his return to take the remaining civil actions on the calendar, namely, James Irvine and Alexander Davidson v. Robjohns, and Blackburn v. Northern Insurance Company. Luna has run her last race (says Society), and won it in the bargain. Mr P. Butler's game mare has retired from the Held of battle, her win at Heathcotc being the finish of active service. Lima will now go to the stud. She will be turned out on Mr Oram's farm at Kaiapoi, and will probably be shortly put to Albany.