The Evening Star FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2557, 28 April 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 1871.

Judging from the tone assumed by some of the New Zealand journals, the present peaceful aspect of Native affairs

does not them. When there were wars and murders, and heavy outgoings for war’s damages, they had enough to do in the way of fostering alarm. They saw nothing for it but the raising df a vast standing armyvast, at least, for a thinly-peopled 'Colony like New Zealand. Mr Cracroft Wilson was anxious to import a lot of Ghoorkas, believing in his wisdom that to employ a barbarian force, against which the whole Maori race would have assuredly combined, would be better than to let the Natives weaken each other by setting Maori against Maori. Others —among whom were most of the members of the present Government were terribly alarmed at the withdrawal of the British troops. They had only just entered upon office, into which they were fortunately thrust in time to save the North Island from a wav of extermination. Without experience of the really hopeless character of any war waged by savage upon civilised man, if conducted by the hitter on principles suited to the circumstances, they were nervously alive to any hostile movement \ and almost abjectly sued for the retention of the ornamental regiment, which with arms finely polished and regimentals of the finest red, stood and looked on while the colonists won their victories. But necessity has no law. It is sometimes a rough teacher, and it taught the Government what was necessary. It taught them that the old Roman maxim divide et impera was sound policy, and that when once a tribe attached itself to the side of the colonists, there was henceforth a sore between it and the hostile tribes that would not be easily healed. With less than half the force actually in the pay of the Stafford Government, and with scarcely a skirmish worthy of any other name than a Maori hunt, tracts of country have been traversed that the Stafford Ministry were making vast military preparations to conquer. Our Constabulary, instead of being made up of drunken, dissipated refuse from all the neighboring Colonies, arc highly-disciplined, well-armed men of good character. Instead of armed bands, being placed under the command of officers who had discretionary power entrusted to them to levy war in their several districts, if it appeared to them there were hostile natives there, there is a unity of action under one head. Attacks are not allowed to be made on suspicion of hostile intentions, and consequently there is less temptation on the part of the Natives to band together for defensive purposes. The present Government has been charged with following in the footsteps of that which preceded it. The shallow nature of such an imputation is rendered plain by the result. Tito Kowaru, not withstanding his swagger, is no longer terrible, and will most likely die in his bed. Te Kooti, forsaken by his followers, is a fugitive in hiding. His sin is not wiped out—the record of his crimes stands against him. The persistent determination of civilised man in following out a purpose, will not allow of his sitting down with his wives to live unnoticed in some neutral tribe. But even if Kopata recovered from the effects of his late expedition, sHbuld succeed in tracking him to his hiding-place and securing him prisoner, there is no absolute certainty that he who now assumes that name, is the perpetrator of the murders for which it is sought to bring him to justice. We cannot be sure that the real Te Kooti’s body was not sent to sea in a pack-ing-case. No doubt, his successor, if such he be, has done enough to justify running him to earth : and the moral effect of bringing him and Mr. Todd’s murderers to justice, will not be the less through length of time elapsing before it is accomplished. Now, what will satisfy our grumbling contemporaries 1 They were frightened while there was war ; they are bullies now that we have peace. They would have sanctioned any amount of money for destructive purposes ; they could see wisdom in shooting down our darkskinned follow islanders. Saltpetre and brimstone has charms for them. They seem to look upon them with the same sort of awe as that with which Robinson Crusoe’s man Friday regarded a gun. Like him they worship what they are terrified of: but sugar and blankets ! bah! they are things for second-hand witlings to make a joke about. The law of physical force is with them a thing to be deified; but truth, forbearance, and kindness, are treated as if they were means unworthy of man in his conduct to less educated man. For once the strength of moral power has been proved. In the North Island, under the present Government, settlers can follow their occupation in peace; roads have been made, coaches travel uninterruptedly, the telegraph is extended, gold fields are developed; the Natives are taught to work instead of fighting, and our Middle Island revenues are not blazed away in gunpowder nor wasted in bullets: yet our contemporaries are not content!

Otago University.—The Council held a meeting last night, when business of considerable, importance was transacted. A letter was read from the Superintendent handing over the University Building ; from the Hon. Major Richardson, requesting the Council to accept the administration of the Scholarship founded by himinconncctionwi'h the High School, and to apply the annual proceeds of the fund towards enabling the successful candidate f r the scholarship to attend the University, which it was agreed to do ; from Mr. A. J. Burns requesting the Council to accept >a number of vo'umcs from the library of his late father —a gift made in accordance with the late Dr. Burns’ wishes. Mr. Burns himself pnseated to the bniversity library several volumes of New Zealand statistics, and o''her Parliamentary papers. Tn connection with the library, it wa.s stated that, at a recent meeting of the Commissioners of the Now Zealand bxuibition, it was resolved that a ponion of the funds in their hands should be expended on the purchase of books for the library to the amount of L3o—the purchase of the books has been entrusted to Dr. )■ coles. Sugg stions by the Profcsso’s as to the future wording of the University were adopted with some slight amendments.

Dame Europa’s School. This pamphlet is the work of Can n Pullen, of Salisbury. Of its author, it was related that ho tried to sell the copywright for a guinea, and could not succeed. The pamphlet was then publish'd under an arrangement that the author should have a third of the profits, and 20,000 copies having been sold, the profits must be over L 2,300. New Map of Milton.—Messrs Mills, Hick, bister, and Co. have published a very handsome map of the township of Milton. It is on a large scale with the wards, str ets, and different sections distinctly marked. I n the margin arc lithographs of various public buildings and stores. The whole is got up in an exceedingly neat style, and rail c s great credit ou the publishers. New Books.—Among the new works just received at the Athenaeum, is one entitled “Travel in the Air,” by James Olaister, I sq., F.R S. The work embodies the teri.al experiences of this aeronan"-, an-l, being enriched with a large number of illustrations, is a valuable addition to our library. Princess Theatre.— “ Mrs. M‘Oc-

gor’s Li-vee ” was played last night in its entirety, wi hj the success that accorded to it We have so often spoken in praise of this, the best of Mr. Gourlay’s performances, that wo have nothing further to add. This evening is set apart for the benefit of Mrs, Gourlay, on which occasion Mr Gourlay will t-ko the character that first introduced him to an Edinburgh audience, that of Horval in Home’s play of “ Douglas,” Miss Carry George sustaining the part of Lady Ban loiph. This wi 1 be followed by the “ Valet de Sham,” the chief character in which will also be tsken by Miss Carry George. The entertainment will conclude with an extravaganza, c dled “ Pretty Mary,” in which the whole of the Gourlay family will take part, introducing some of the most popular airs, melodies and dances of the day.

Strange Occurence. —An “ Argus” telegram from Sydney on the 14th says : A melancholy occurrence took place last night. A young lad, about 12 years of age, nephew of the Mayor of Sydney, was amusing himself with fir arm 5 ', and accidentally shot the daughter of Dr. .Icnkiu l . 'Die boy, frightened at what be had done, immediately made for the Bush, and has not since b-en seen, tbou-Ji every effort is being made to discover him.

The English Pedestrians. —The practices of the English pedestrans in Christchurch attract large crowds. Of Bird, who it will be remembered has made a match against time to run 20 miles in two hours, the Press of the 20th inst., says “ he took a spin yesterday »f eight miles over the ground. He was in heavy training costume, and the time made must be considered very good, considering that he is not yet in form, and that this is only preliminary training. His time for the eight miles run yesterday, as stat d, in heavy training costume, was a fraction over 6 mins. 4 secs, per mile We understand that the backers of time are very confident of his inability to do the distance, so much so that they have offered to double the stake; and on the other hand Bird is equally confident of doing the distance in the time and having something to spare. Caution to Mothers.—An occurrence to k place recently (says flic Christchurch Pruts) which mothers will do well to guard against. It appears that a child of Mr Mannings, of Oxford terrace, in playing with a green covered col'ar box chewed and swallowed a portion of the paper covering. Shortly afterwards the child exhibited all the symptoms of poisoning, retching frequently, and also being very drowsy. An emetic was promptly administered, and after continued retching for some time, the chi'd recovered. The paper has been analysed by Dr. Coward, and is found to contain arsenic and copperas in quantity sufficient to cause death in a child of tender years ; and there is very little doubt but that if an emetic had not been promptly given, fatal results would have occurred in the case referred to. As collar boxes of the kind spoken of are very common in almost every family, it is necessary that extreme caution should be used in leaving them within the reach of children.

Remarkable Phenomenon. The p.s. Duke of Edinburgh had a narrow escape from destruction on Friday night, when .between Bream Tail and Wangarei Heads. Captain Farquhar gave the following particulars of the affair to our reporter : —“ The vessel was midway between Bream Tail and Wangarei Heads, and the night was dark as pitch, illuminated, however, at short intervals by vivid flashes of lighting. The vessel was in the midst of a heavy squall, when the

attention of myself, the mate, and passengers, was directed to a meteoric display high in the air. It rapidly descended, increasing in size as it came down, leaving a brilliant tail behind it, illuminating the atmosphere all around it. As it approached the vessel, it had all the appearance of a red-hot mass of iron, and seemed to be about the size of a large cask. It made a loud hissing noise, and threw out showers of spaiks in all directions, whilo the air was filled with a strong sulphureous smell. When some hundred yards above the vessel we all for the time felt unable to speak or move, fearing that it would fall upon our deck. Had it done so the vessel must have been wrapped in a sheet of flame, and have sunk instantly, Fortu-

nately, however, it desceuded into the water, about 100 yards ou our beam, to the .relief of alk fn striking the water a loud hissing sound was emitted, and then a’lwas wrapped in darkness as before.” It will thus bo seen that the vessel had a very narrow escape from the falling meteor, which, by Captain Farquhar’s account, must have weighed very many hundredweights”

Public Works, Nelson. —The Colonist of the 21st reports: —We are glad to learn that the mission of His Honor a the Superintendent to Wellington has been successful wirb respect to certain public works in this Province. The Ministry, we hear is prepar-al to support in Parliament the scheme for the railway from the Brunner to the coal mine to the port; Mr Blackett and Dr Hector being appointed to decide ou which side of the Cfrcy river the line shall be formed. This will, we presume, necessarily open the question of annexation of the Greymonth district up to the Teremakau, a measure which, we believe, must be be speedily carried through. Ministers have also resolved to support the railway from Nelson to Fox Hill, which last year the Upper House ren dered abortive. They will fin thcr, we be’ieye, advocate a loan for establishing gas-works in Nelson ; and also for an extension of the waterworks for the city. The necessary loans for these two latter sche es will be secured on the rates, so that the other parts of the Province will incur no liability for these loans.

The Northern Railway. —Mr E. G. Wright’s tender for the erection of the bridge over the river Styx has been accepted by the Provincial Government. Wo understand that the tender of a Dunodiu firm has been accepted for the Waimakariri bridge. The amounts will be advertised shortly. — Lyttelton Times.

Literary Pursuits of the Armed Constabulary is tmk Tau;>o Dlstkict.— We gather from the Hawke’s Bay journals that the gentlemen compos n, f tl e Armed Constabulary in the Tauoo d strict, amuse themselves by issuing MSS journals. It appears that there are tlnce, which bear the comical titles of TheGridiro i, The Mosquito, and The Grindstone. These manuscript papers, so states the Hawke's B<n/ Times, excel as a specimen of literary and artistic skill anything of the kind tiie editor has ever met with. The Grindstone is written on white foolscap, surro m led by a border in red ink. The text is adorned with numerous illustrative sketches, some of which, attached to the initial letters, are perfect gems, and would bear compar sou with those in any English magazine. The number the editor saw contained an account of the ascent of Tongariro, illustrated with beautifullyexecuted water color draw ngs of the reentry and a map of tin country, besides minor .“ketches illustrating the misa Iventurcs of the party. Thu Gr ndstone lias al»o a cartoon where a youth labelled “ Public Opinion” appears to be presenting Miss Grindstone with an apple, a la Paris, while two lival beauties, named respectively “Mosquito” and “Gridiron,” seem much incensed at the award. “ Mosquito ” seems to have been a thorn in the side of the editor of The Grindstone ; fur in a tail piece we find him (apparently irri'ated beyond endurance) tran-fixing the ha; less insect on a pen, previously sharpened to extreme fineness on the “ Grindstone.” We should imagine that the journals would well repay to re 1 Tint, especially if the articles a e all as interesting as the ascent of Tongariro, published in The Grindstone.

A Mystery in t the Calendar.—ln th s year there will be fifty-three Sundays, but only fifty-two weeks. Nowhere during the year does Sunday come oftener than once in seven days. The first week of the fyear begins with Sunday, and so do all the other weeks. This may appear mysterious ,'t first, but by consulting the calendars for 1871 and 1872 it will be seen that the last week of

1871 begins with Sunday, and has a Sunday following it. As two Sundays cannot come together, the year 1872 begins with Monday, and, it being Leap Year, Sundays will occur once in seven days thereafter. The arrangement will place Sundays at the cud of the week instead of the beginning, and is a complete theological triumph for the Severn b Day Baptists, This complication of the calendar is supposed to have b>-en p’aiinned by the Jews, who, on account of their superior education, were entrusted with its revision. This explanation is not to be binding upon anybody, nor to conflict with any person’s constitutional privilege of universal toleration.

Gas in Wellington.—We learn from our exchanges that the Wellington Gas Company lit up lor the first time on Saturday evening last, but without making any very brilliant contrast; and what difference was observed in the illuminating powers ol gas and kerosene was decidedly m favor of the latter. The gas was no doubt good enough, hut unfortunately it was mixed with too much air—at least that seemed to be the general impression.