NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 524, 22 February 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

City Council. —In addition to the notice of motion in our report, Cr Jones will move—" That a resolution bearing date the 14th February, minute No. 2 passed by this Council as a revote of ten pounds to the lire police be rescinded." The Normal School,—The Minister of Education invites applications from duly qualified persons willing to form the teaching staff of the Normal school. Applications to be sent in on or before 13th March. It is intended to open the school on 3rd April. SWIMMI V G BATHS.—Y"8 r erday, at tin meeting of the City Council, it was stated that the cifly surveyor had selected a spot on the river Avon, just above Lane's Mill, a« the most suitable for swimming baths. Cr Hawkes, who brought the matter forward, gave notice of his intention of moving at the next meeting on the subject. The spot chosen is central, and the baths, when erected, will be a great boon to the citizens. Akaroa Wharf.—On Friday a large steamer coming in towards the wharf, caught one of the piles of the jetty and gave it a shake. As the provincial engineer was on the spot at the time, it is to be hoped the Government will be reminded that the wharf greatly needs improvement, and should be extended further into the stream to allow vessels to come in with ease at low water, and to discharge quiokly,

Sunday School Tea Meeting. -The annual tea meeting, in connection| with the United Methodist Free Church Sunday School, will be held this evening in the church, St. Asaph street.

Horticultural Society.—The autumn show of the Canterbury Horticultural Society will be held on Tuesday, 29th instant, at the Music Hall. The Cavalry band will be in attendance. The annual dinner will take place on Thursday, March 2nd.

Oamaru Harbour Works—The North Otago Times, of the 18th instant, states that on the previous day the contractors finished another of the foundation blocks for the wharf, and if good weather holds, it is hoped they will be able to commence building the upper portion in a fortnight from this date The Ministry.—As has been already reported by telegraph, a reconstruction of the Ministry has taken place. The Gazette of February 15th, contains the resignation of the former Executive and the appointment of the new one. The Hon Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G., is Premier, Colonial Treasurer, Postmaster General, and Commissioner of.. Telegraphs; the Hon Sir Donald McLeao,)K.C.M.G., is Native Minister; the Hon 1 Daniel Pollen is Colonial Secretary ; the Hon Edward Richardson is Minister for Public Works ; the Hon Harry Albert Atkinson is Secretary for Crown Lands, Commissioner of Customs, and Minister for Immigration ; the the Hon Charles Christopher Bowen is Minister of Justice and Commissioner of Stamp Duties. Accident in Dunedin. The Daily Times gives the following particulars of the fatal accident which happened in Dunedin on Friday : An express driver named William Wise, residing at Caversham, met with a melancholy death yesterday. He was engaged removing some things from Mrs Snowdon's house, Canongate street, about ten o'clock in the morning, and when at the corner of Elm row and Cano r gate street the horse backed, causing the wheels to block. A person who was in the front jumped off, but the horse and vehicle went over a ten feet embankment, turning a somersault, and carrying deceased with it. When extricated he presented a shocking appearance, and Dr Brown, who was soon on the spot, pronounced life to be extinct. Deceased was a married man of sober, industrious habits, and leaves five children. It is a strange fact that, when leaving home in the moTning, after reading the account of Mr G. F. Reid's death, he observed to his wife, " There is no telling who may be the next." An inquest will be held on the body at noon to-day, Storm Signals.—lt is satisfactory to know (sayß the New Zealand Times) that recent interruptions in telegraphic communication between these islands has shown that storm warning forecasts can be made in each independently of the other, and with considerable success ; but this can only be doue by an almost unremitting attention to the daily changes reported, and even then the forecasts cannot be as correct as when reports of the state of the weather throughout the whole colony are available. Late experience has shown that it is possible to issue warnings in advance of any heavy gale, unless it be advancing with unusual rapidity, and this no doubt could be to some extent provided for by extra reports from the more exposed positions. During the time of interrupted communication forecasts were frequently issued to North Island stations, and the heavy gales which visited Poverty Bay district during the last month were anticipated at the outset, but the accident to the telegraph line prevented any further attempt to send warnings in that direction. The Hon Mr Reynolds found on his return from Otago that similar investigations of the weather reports for the South Island should be made ; and we have been informed that the result has shown that forecasts of considerable value can be effected there also, provided that the same care and vigilance be exercised as has been found necessary in this part of the country.

Sudden Death of Mr G. F. Reid.— The Punedin Evening News of Wednesday last says :—"We are sorry to have to record the sudden death of the abovenamed gentleman, who was snatched from our midst at 12 o'clock today most Middenly. The deceased gentleman came down to his business this morning the same as usual and nothing out of the common was noticeable. At 12 o'clock however, one of the clerks of the establishment, on going upstairs in the warehouse, found his late master lying dead on the floor in one of the offices. At first it was supposed he was not dead, but the fearful reality was only too soon found out. Mr G. F. Reid arrived in Otago from India about nine years ago, and succeeded his ;brother, Mr J. Reid, of Corner Bush, Waikouaiti, as forwarding agent and general merchant. He was one of the most enterprising men in Dunedin, was very liberal, and in an unostentatious way raade many gifts to persons suffering or in poverty, and was well liked in all circles of society, and his loss will be severely felt by those who knew and esteemed him." From the Guardian we learn that an inquest was held on the body on Thursday. After the evidence had been heard, the Coroner stated there could be no doubt but the deceased had died by his own hand, and in that case it only remained for the jury to decide as to whether he was sane at the time, or in a state of temporary insanity. Upon that point they had the testimony of the witnesses, and he would leave the case in their hands. In a few minutes afterwards the jury found that the deceased had died from the effects of strychnine taken by himself whilst in a state of temporary insanity, and a verdict was returned accordingly.

His Excellency and the Natives.— The Wailtato 2%mes states, on good authority, that the Governor intends to visit the Waikato. " The occasion," the Times consider?, " will be one that, if availed of, may tend largely towards bringing to a happy solution such feelings of suspicion as still linger in the minds of the King natives, and may do much towards lifting the cloud of isolation which, as the result of such feeling, hides the better qualities of either people from the other, and perpetuates the barrier of race which, in the interests of both, ought long since to have been thrown down. That there is a decided wish on the part of the more intelligent of the natives to come to a more cordial relationship with their white neighbours there is good reason to believe. They are settling down permanently to peaceful pursuits, are cultivating large tracts of land, and it is no insignificant fact that the Kihikihi storekeepers are continue lly receiving orders from natives for the supply of agricultural implements. They Bre, too, more and more adopting our habits and fashions r becoming consumers of luxuiies, such as potted meats, preserves, tinntd fish, and other delibaoies, and it is no ancbmmon

occurrence in the nearest European settlement, Kihikibi, to see on a Sunday a number of well dressed Maori men and women walking about and amusing themselves. They mix freely with the settlers, take part in our public sports, and, in fact, give practical evidence that tie aukati of a boundary line is not altogether so congenial to their feelings as some would have it believed to be The coming occasion will be one on which much misunderstanding and misconception may be cleared up. It is not for the Governor, the representative of Royalty, to visit the King at Te Kuiti, neither will the latter risk the loss of caste or mana which such an act would entail, in coming down to one of Ihe Waikato settlements to meet his Excellency and the Native Minister. There is no reason, however, why a course should not be decided upon which will meet the wishes of the representatives of either race without compromising the dignity of the one or the other. A meeting might be arranged upon the border line, and, if such could be done, with we believe the happiest results for both Maoris and Europeans, and the general progress of the North. It was no uncommon occurrence in the early history of the American colonies for the then Governors, representatives, as those of the present day here, of British Majesty, to meet in some forest glade the great Indian chiefs with whom they had been at issue, and there in solemn conclave smoke the pipe of peace, and ratify new treaties of friendship and alliance. And why with a more intelligent race, with one which, with as favoring circumstances, might run side by side with our own in arts, war, and science, in mental culture and moral and social development, we should hesitate to take the same course it is hard to see. Our own position is such that we could well afford, if we were sure of being as generously met, to take the first step forward with out-held hand. Ba this, however, as it may be, it is to be hoped that out of the projected visit to Waikato of the Governor and Defence Minister, some such meeting as we have referred to may be arranged which will lead to more mutually cordial relations between the two races than at present prevail."