The Evening Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 1874

Evening Star, Issue 3599, 4 September 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 1874

Our morning contemporary the ‘Daily Times has a most invaluable Wellington correspondent. Who he is, or what he is, we are not curious to know \ but that he is a man of genius is evident from the brilliant creations of his fancy. He has a special faculty, too, regarding particular individuals of note ; he watches their movements, dwells upon their words, learns their conversations, and penetrates their motives. Mr Stafford cannot walk the streets of Wellington but every motion of his body is watched; Mr Vogel cannot speak to Mr Stafford but eveiy word of their conversation is listened to. Mr Fox was at one time under this peculiar surveillance, but since he has devoted his talent to the temperance cause, he is not so closely inspected : his prestige, in the estimation of the Wellington correspondent of the ‘Daily Times,' has waned. This jewel of a correspondent is not confined in his efforts to these eavesdropping operaf ions. His genius is equal to all occasions ■] for more than once he has even anticipated the House of -Representatives in priority of information, and sfcfct c’opies of dottnafcnts to the * Daity

Times/ that had not the title to be called public property. Our readers will agree with us that our morning contemporary has obtained the services of an agent that cannot be too highly appreciated, considering the backward and forward opinions on political subjects that ornament its columns. It is convenient that so versatile a journal should be aided by a genius so well adapted to its needs ; for whispering tongues can poison truth, And constancy dwells in realms above. Diming the session of Parliament, the eminent qualifications we have alluded to were certainly exercised, but only acquired prominence on one or two special occasions. They are now brought glaringly into requisition, and, as in duty bound, our contemporary does full justice to its agent, by placing his contributions in a most prominent position. One of the latest discoveries was the detail of an alleged private conversation between Mr Staffopd and Mr Vogel, in which there was a delightful circumstantiality. Had the narrator been present at the meeting he could scarcely have been raoi’e explicit. Reduced to a scene in a play it might stand thus : Vogel (log.) ; Stafford, I’m in a fix : The cares of State oppress me, and the weight Of public works and public burdens too Are more than I can bear. Dear Stafford, Help me or I sink: I’ll give up power And leave to > hee the honor And the future glory of this land. Let me go Home, and sit thou in my place. Stafford : Not I: thy proffered honors I decline. I see in thee a dreadful cunning card, That, having placed the country in the mire, W ould make a scavenger of me to clean The dirty wheels of State, I’ll none of it. We might pursue the subject further j but we are not gifted with the brilliant inventive talent of the ‘ Daily Times’s ’ correspondent: and, unfortunately, the thing is not true, and we are unwilling to place ourselves in the position of the narrator in the story of the “Three Black Crows,” who laid himself open to the commiserating soliloquy of the truth-seeker— Bless me, how people propagate a lie! Many persons reading the paragraph at the head of the news column in the ‘ Daily Times ’ on Wednesday, would naturally accept it as an authoritative statement * believed in by the editorial staff; and perhaps may be inclined to excuse that journal, having given it insertion on the ground that they have a light to place confidence in the statements of a member of their establishment, whose duty it is to ascertain the truth of what he writes. We are quite willing to be charitable in the matter, and to admit that, notwithstanding past experience of the unreliability of many of the revelations of their correspondent, they might imagine that for once he was accidentally right. It is perfectly true there was enough to excite doubt and consequent hesitation in the character of the communication. It bore the appearance of a canard on the very face of it, and a canard of so mischievous and damaging a character as should have induced inquiry before publication. Even the innocent, unsuspecting faith of our contemporary, therefore, should have taken alarm before allowing a statement to appear that might seriously injure the status of the Colony throughout the world. There was, however, one way by which a desire to make the amende honorable might have been evinced. As all possible prominence was given to the falsehood, equal publicity should have been given to the refutation of it. Had the authoritative denial that appeared in last evening’s Star stood alone, it should have been sufficient to induce correction. But there is more than that. Both morning journals contain the same authoritative denial, furnished to the Press Telegraphic Agency, as appeared last night in the Star ; yet the ‘ Daily Times’ does not give it as its first or any local j it is merely huddled into the telegraphic column, where it may or may not catch the eye, while the leading paragraph is another brilliant hash, which we venture to say is just as reliable as that which has been so emphatically contradicted.

The Lunedm Ihoral Society's first concert of the new season will be given in the University Hall to marrow evening. The oratorio selected i-i Sir Michael Costa’s “ Naaman," aud from what we can bear, the performance promises to be very successful The only case heard at the banco sitting of the Supreme Court to-day was that of Gunn and othirs v. Macdonald and another, argument of demurrer. Mr James Smith appeared for the defendants, iu support of the demurrer; and Mr Macassey for the plaiutiffs, in support of the declaration. His Honor reserved his decision. A meeting of the cricketing community of Wellington, called for the 27th ult., for the purpose of considering what steps should be taken towards the improvement of the ground for the forthcoming tseason’s play, was attended by ouly four persons, two of whom were reporters, although there are supposed to be two crack elulS in that town. At a congregational meeting of the Port Molyneux Presbyterian Church, held on Friday, £Sth ult,, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr James Paterson, seconded by Mr Shields, that the time has arrived for the erection of a new Church building. A building committee was appointed to co-operate with the office-bearers of the Church, with authority to collect subscriptions and obtain plans and estimates. The police cases at the Resident Magistrate’s Court were this morning d eposed of by the presiding Justices (Messrs Ward and amsay) with unusual promptitude and speed. Several cases were set down for hearing, and all v. ere got through iu a marvelously short space of time. It has been a matter of complaint for same time back that he business of the Court has been uuneees--arily and tediously protracted, and it was a ■ abject of congratulation to have the chargesheet so summarily gob through.

In the Ulster * Weekly Nows * we observe tho I'ejKfrt of a jjolitte cOitrt case lu which a

charge was brought against a girl fifteen years of age of illegally pawning certain stolen articles of clothing. The girl’s employer suggested to the magistrate that he might use his influence to have accused sent out to New Zealand, as she would be safer there than to remain where she was at present. His 'A orship seemed to approve of the idea, for he recommended that a free passage should be procured for her by her father. A notice appears in the ‘ New Zealand Gazette’ of the 27th ult., received from the Government of Victoria, prohibiting -the importation into Victoria of grape vines or grape vine cuttings. No reason is assigned for tlm novel procedure. Most probably it will be justified on the plea that the vines of the country may be protected against infectious disease, but the true reason in that pro-tection-ridden Colony may be sought in the more likely heavy stocks of some nurserymen who are ear-wigging the Ministry. We are pleased to hear that the Saturday half-holiday is likely to be successfully carried out by one c-ass of the community. A deputation consisting of Messrs C. F. Greenslade and J. id. Anderson waited yesterday on the different master-malsters of Dunedin, and found they were all unanimous in allowing their malsters to close the malthouses in future at I p.m on Saturdays This consideration will, we are sure, be highly appreciated hy the malsters, and their employers’ interests are not likely to suffer in consequence. But very few engagements were effected at the Immigration Barracks to-day. Cne or two married coupes obtained situations, at good wages. One girl was engage las a nurse, at 4s per week ; a boy to attend horses, at ss; and a strong young man, as farm servant, at the high figure of LSO a year. Great inconvenience has been occasioned in many instances by members of families objecting to be parted, even when most favorable terms are offered. The single men ex Otago, ab mt sixty in number, were brought to town and taken to the Princes street Depfit to-day. The following particulars of the circumstances under which Mr James M'Gregor, of Matatawa, lost his life, are given by the ‘Wanganui Herald ’‘lt appears that a large number of young men were in the habit o going to some very broken ground to shoot cattle, and although they had been warned by settlers to be very careful, as on such ground an accident of the kind may easily happen, they pursued their sport in the same manner as before. Yesterday afternoon they were out, and in the excitement of the hunt there was a great deal of cro-s firing. The deceased was missed after a time, and, on search being made, was found dead, a bullet haviug passed through his head. It is p-sr-haps a fortunate thing for the peace of mind of those who were out with the party, that nobody appears to have the slightest idea as to who fired the fatal shot. ” Mr W. Field, sen., of Woodville, writes to the * .South Australian Advertiser ’ of the 6bh July, asking, “ Why shoot horses with broken legs ?” and he expresses his astonishment that, so far as he has hoard, no veterinary surgeon has ever attempted to set the iez of a horse. After referring to the less sustained by Mr Crossman through the death of his entire horse Champion in this way, he goes on to speak of the complete success that had attended his own treatment of a ram’s broken leg and a horse’s, and though the latter always went a little lame, for stud purposes he was as good as ever. He concludes by expressing a “hope that any person who may read this, who is owner of valuable horses or mares, will not be foolish --■nough to have them destroyed, merely because they happen to have a broken leg!"

Considering the very unfavorable weather, there was a large attendance at the Princess’s Theatre last evening, when Mr Smith’s Combination Troupe gave another of their enjoyable entertainments. The performance was, perhaps, the tnos' successful yet given by the troupe, each item being enthusiastically re-demanded. Airec was again the main attraction, his hazardous performances on the high-swinging trapeze being loudly applauded. Owing to its dangerous tendency, Airec is the only performer in the world who attempts this risky feat. The efforts of Val Vose. the ventriloquist, and of fci e l*e Castro family’were well received. At the close of the entertainment Mr !>e Castro thanked those present for the patronage extended to Mr Smith, and announced that thin evening would be a grand fashionable night, and that the younger athletes would appear for the first time on the treble trapeze. Them will be an afternoon performance for the benefit of schools and families to-morrow. From the telegrams which have reached us from the various parts of the Colony, it would appear that more immigrants have arrived ill (*-ew Zealand during the past week than in any similar period since the ini'istion of Mr Vogel’s policy. At Port Chalmers the arrivals were Corona. nine l .y-ei»ht days from the Docks, with 496 souls, equal to 3904 statute adults ; Otago, ttk-hty-three days from Crave end, with 36 > souls, equal to 2934 statute adults ; Tweed, seventy-nine days from London, with 680 immigrants ; Parsee, eighty-fism days from Glasgow, with 446 immigrants—total, 1,985 fouls. At Lyttelton St. Laurence, 101 days from Gravesend, with 404 immigrants ; Cathcart, seventy-nine days from the same port, with 481 ; Canterbury, eighty days from Glasgow, with 400; Carisbrook Castle, ninety days from the Start, with 400 -total, 1,375 souls. At Wellington :—Strathnaver, eighty-six days from London, with 391 immigrants; Enterprise, 124 days from London, with 410 immigrants—total. 801 smls. Thus at the three ports—Lyttelton, Wellington, and Port Chalmers—! here have arrived within five davs no less than 4,161 Government immigrants. , narrow escape from drowning occurred in the Port Chambers harbor last evening. Eight of the passengers by the > stage proceeded down in a watermen’s boat, and upon going alongside the ship three of them stepped out of the boat and went on board, the other five immediately rushed to the side and caught hold of the ladder, and though the waterman in charge entreated them to step on the ladder they would not stir, and the boat consequently took in water over the gunwale and capsized, leaving the passengers hanging on to the ladder. These were immediately taken on board the ship the two watermen being left in the water! As soon as the accident was observed lifebuoys were thrown from the ship. One waterman succeeded iu getting hold of one, and the other waterman by this time had managed to get on to the bottom of the boat. He was soon picked up and put on board the Caroline, where change of clothing was suppned to him. The watermen desire to express their thanks to Captain Clyrnar and the officers of the ship Caroline, aud also to those on board the Otago, for their promptness and kindness in attending to them. The Timarn * Herald ’ gives the following account of the mutiny which occurred on board the clipper Lip Cathcart, from Londori, which 481 Government immigrants, which arrived at Lyttelton nn Sunday afternoou : “ e-orne of the crew having during the night broken into the forehold, broached the cargo, and got drunk. One of them was brought aft and placed in irons; another having attempted to nscue him, was a ! so taken iu charge, but while securing him the first prisoner escaped to the forecastle; Capt. Crawford and the officers going forward to recapture him, were prevented from doing so several or the cww, who made u*o o!

threatening briguaye. The captain, finding that the mutineers would not listen to reason, came aft, and after deliberation with the officers, armed himself and went forward the second time, and finding the doors of the forecastle closed, demanded admission. Previous to this, part of the crew had left the mutineers. Those within refused to open the doors, threatened the captain, and said that they meant shortly to be masters of tha ship. Finding arguments useless, the door on the starboard side of the forecastle was, in spite of much resistance, partly forced open with handspikes, and the captain, again warning the mutineers, fired three limes amongst them; th ea of th-m being wounded by this means, an entrance was effected and the mutiny quelled, the ringleaders and two others being placed in irons.” Another Home ship, with immigrants, sailed up to the Heads this morning, an I her signals were run up as the Pariee, from Glasgow, whence she sailed for this port on June 11. She has 44(3 immigrants, equal to 312 i statute adults. Subjoined is a list of their several occupations Farm laborers, 22 ; ploughmen, 15 ; general and domestic servants, 47 ; nurse, I ; laborers, 12 ; miners, 12 ; joiners, 5 ; blacksmiths, 8 ; shoemakers 4 ; bakers, 4 ; masons, 4 ; stone-cutters 3 • engine drivers, 2 ; engine men, 2 ; engine hreman, 1 ; railway laborer, 1 ; hammer men 2; cabinetmaker, 1; Hater, Ipainter, 1 ; plasterer, I ; tailor, 1 ; dressmaker, 1 ; plumher, 1 ; housekeepers, 2 ; machinist, 1; shepherd, 1 ; calenderer, 1 ; moulder, I ; fish curer, 1 ; farm servant and flesher, 1 ; farm servant and mi’ler, 1 ; brickmaker, I ; dyer and laborer, I ; shepherd and butcher, 1 ; hollow ware moulders, 2 • farm servant (female), 1, Of these immigrants, 24 have been got through the AgentGeneral, and 288$ through the Otago Home Agency. 1 h 1 - authorities are finding great difficulty in finding accommodation for the both barracks being now well filled ; and it is probable that the passengers of this ship, as well as those of the Tweed, will have to remain on board for at least a week. The ‘ New Zealand Gazette ’ of the 27th ult. contains a return of Money Order and Savings’ Bank transactions in the Colony for the quarter ended 30th June. The number of offices open is 98, being three more than last year. The number of money orders issued was 15.741, involving the sum of L 67.189, against 153,292 last year. The most numerous transactions were in Dunedin and Christchurch, the respective numbers be ng—Dunedin, 3,821, L 16.81 3; Christchurch, 2,676, LI 1,769, Auckland stands next in amount, 2,306 orders having been issued for L 9.601. In Wellington more orders were issued for less money, the numbers being 2.387, L 9.534 The business done at the other offices was comparatively unimportant; The money paid on orders followed pretty much the same order as to amount, excepting Christchurch. The returns are Dunedin, 2 553, L 11.420; Christchurch. 1.203, L 5.05 6; Auckland, 2 241, L 9.666Wellington, I.SIB, L 7.082; while Nelson figures somewhat prominently in this column, 1.4,103 haviug been paid on 824 orders! In the Savings’ Bank Department there seems to be a gradual accumulation. In the quarter of 1573, 1,905 accounts were opened and 942 closed. In 1874 the number opened was 2.567, and 1,3)6 were closed. In 1873 the amount of deposits was L/ 146.420, and tbe withdrawals L 103.158. In 1874 the deposits were 1.171,743, and the withdrawals 1 ..160.836. It is noticeable, however, that during this year the difference between the deposits and withdrawals is only about Lll.ooo, while last year upwards of L 43.000 was allowed to remain in the Bank. It is to be presumed that more profitable use ean be made of the money. As in the case of money orders, Dunedin and Christchurch stand at the head of the list In Dunedin the deposits were L 47,321, and the withdrawals L 42.354; in Christchurch—deposits L 41,907, withdrawals L 35.529 ; Wellington —deposits L 24.594, withdrawals L23,4!)2; Auckland—deposits L 18,830, withdrawals LlB 333. On the Thames the withdrawals exceed the deposits by L 1,472, in Nelson by L 1.424, and in Hokitika by L 2.402. Whether these figures indicate change of investments or change of scene is hard to determine : probably the latter. The inspection of the Dunedin Naval Brigade has been postponed till Thursday next. A meeting of the members of the Win. Johnston L.O.L. will be held to-morrow evening. We are requested to direct attention to° the sale of the township of Burnside, to be held by Messrs Driver, Stewart, and Co., at their rooms, Rattray street, to-morrow, at 2 o’clock. In the Colonies we are too prone to look to old forms of industry for means of living and thriving, without turning attention to those for which they are peculiarly adapted through climate and soil. To grow tomatoes at Home, and manufacture a delicious sauce from them would not pay, simply because the temperature of Great Britain forbids it. Tbe Middle Island, even in its most genial seasons would not warrant extensive cultivation of the tomato, but the North Island seems to be adapted to it. Mr Olson’s tomato sauce inanu™ctory has gradually extended so much that 100,00) bottles have been sold since last February. Seven acres are planted with the tomato, and the yield is almost incredible. We are informed that three large shipments of bottles are en route for Auckland to supply the needs of the coming season, and that, in all probability, more will be needed, as the demand is great even in the Australian Colonies, where the tomato reaches perfection. The chief difficulty Mr Olson experiences is the “ bottle obstacle,” an impediment which entails enormous expense.