NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 582, 1 May 1876, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Steeplechase. —We remind owners of horses that nominations for the New Zealand Grand National Handicap close at Warner’s Hotel this evening at 8 o’clock. Gun Accident,—On Friday an accident happened to Mr B. Collier, Moeraki Downs, while out shooting. The barrel of his gun burst, and wounded his hand severely. Tea Meeting. The anniversary tea meeting in connection with the Hereford street Baptist Sunday School will take place to-morrow evening. East Coast Bribery Case —Recent telegrams stated that a charge of bribery was about to be preferred against Oapt Morris for alleged bribery and corruption during the late elections We now learn that the case has been dismissed the Bench being of opinion that no proof of agency htd been established. The Speakership. A rumour was current several days ago that Ministers intended to nominate Mr Fitzherbert for the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives of the new Parliament. We are row able to state that the offer has been actually made. Mr Fitzherbert has not yet given a definite reply, but we believe.there is e\ery probability that it will be accepted. Presbyterian Synod. The opening services in connection with the annual session of the Presbyterian Synod, will take place at St, Andrew’s Church this evening, when the sermon will be preached by the Kev W S. McGowan, the retiring moderator. The Synod will meet for the despatch of business to morrow and Wednesday, at 11 a.m and 6 p.m.

Death from Suffocation at Lyttelton, —On Saturday evening a very melancholy occurrence took place at Lyttelton. A blacksmith in the employ of Messrs Hawkins and Co, whose name was John Norton, and who was generally respected in the town, was having supper with his wife and children, when he was choked with a piece of tripe. Dr house was sent for, but when he arrived life was ex inct. A Much-Needed Reform— lt is satisfactory to be able to record that at last, and after it had become a public nuisance, the police have cleared the southern side of Gloucester street of the cabs which congregated there. The cabs are now located on the other side of the street, where it is to be hoped in the interests of the public they will remain, L. is somewhat strange that only at the eleventh hour the police have discovered that they have the power to abate what has grown into a positive evil.

Canterbury Railways, A statement of the traffic upon the Canterbury Railways during the month of March appears in the Gazette. T 1 e tonnage of goods cairied was as follows : —Wheat, 9213 ; oats, 3364 ; barley, 2593 ; flour, 644 ; other agricultural produce, 379; coals, 3066 ; other minerals, 63 ; timber, 4229 ; wool, 688; general, 9808 ; total tonnage, 34,047. The goods carried in 1875 amounted to 21,737 tons. The passengers carried numbered 70,017£, as compared with 47,835 in 1875. The receipts were as follows : Merchandise, £16,139 9s 2d ; rents, £9O 2s 3d : wharfage, £l9lß 12s 9d ; passengers, £6805 LOs 5d ; parcels, £420 19s lid ; horses, carriages, &c, £139 9s lid ; tota 1 , £25,514 4s sd.

Timaru Breakwater. The Timaru Herald of Saturday contains a lengthy account of the meeting held there on the preceding evening to promote the commencement of harbor works in Timaru. Messrs Archer, Wakefield, Turnbull, Lane, Cliff, Green, Hammersley, a-d Jonas addressed the meeting. The following resolutions were carried, viz :—l. *• That a committee be appointed for the purpose of collecting statistics and information in support of a breakwater and general harbor improvements, to consist of twelve members with power to add to their number ; five to form a quorum ” “That the committee consist of Messrs F. Archer, James Bruce, H. Beifield, R. A Chisholm, G. Cliff. 11. Green, J. Mendeison, H. J. Scaly, J. H. Sutter, R, IT. Tate, K Wakefield, and Turnbull.” 3, “Thata de putation representing the district ho a-, pointed to proceed to Wellington on th< the meeting of Parliament to forward th objects of this meeting ; such deputation vo be chosen by the committee, and that tin members for the district be associated witl the deputation.” 4. “ That a subscription list be opened for the purpose of defiayinp the expenses attending the carryingjout oi the foregoing resolutions,” A vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding, closed the proceedings.

Meteorological.— A Wellington con* temporary says :—“ Captain Kennedy, the well-known and popular commander of the e.s. £asby. always observes one custom, which might be imitated by other steamer contains with much advantage to New Zealand meteorology. Captain Kennedy keeps a careful and minute meteorological register during his voyages to ami from Sydney, and immediately on his arrival here places it in the hands of Captain Edwin, In the case of. the present trip, Captain Kennedy’s register showed that the Easby had felt the full force of the southerly gale which recently was expected on the New Zealand coasts, but did not come. The storm-now proves to have passed close to the shores of New Zealand exactly at the time for which warnings were issued from the Wellington Meteorological Department.”

The Cooktown Diggings The Post states the Easby, on her last trip, took away no steerage passeng* rs bound for the Cooktown diggings. This, says our contemporary, is very different from the rush which at first was anticipated, and may be attributed to the discouraging information and sensible advice telegraphed by the Queensland Government. But for that telegram so fortunately being received just in time, probably at least five hundred deluded diggers would have left this port by the Easby if they could have obtained passages. The agents for the steamer had in fact sent down to the office of the New Zealand Times , on Saturday night, an advertisement to the effect that the ’tween decks would be fitted up for steerage passengers, when they were shown the telegram, on which, with commendable promptness, they at once withdrew the notice.

Typhus Fever in Westland,— The occurrence of a case of supposed typhus fever at Stafford has caused some alaim there. At the request of the Board of Health Dr Mauusell has visited the patient, and reports it as his impression that the case is one of typhus, and that he has already given instructions for the proper care and selusion of the patient, and for the use of the necessary disinfectants. The patient, says the Wese Coast Times, is a young lady who was lately appointed teacher in the Government school, Stafford, and who was taken ill immediately on arrival there. Dr Squires, of Nelson, states that she was not so situated before leaving Nelson as to acquire the fever, such not having existed there, and that she was well when she loft by the steamship Otago, by which she came as a saloon passenger. She was located with a family from whom she has received every attention, with medical aid; but as a measure of safety, the family will be domiciled elsewhere, and the Local Board will, no doubt, be otherwise guided by the medical officer in a case which is exceptional in the district or on the Coast. *

Football, —The second match of the Christchurch Football Club was played on Cranmer square on Saturday afternoon, and we were again pleased to see that a large number of players turned up. The sides chosen were North v South, Cashel street being the dividing line. Shortly after three o’clock the ball was kicked off, and it goon became apparent that the Southerners had the stronger team, the blues being compelled to act on the defensive during the greater part of the game, and although the Northerners struggled hard to defend their goal, they were unable to prevent the reds from getting two touch downs in quick sue-cessh-n, L. Hawkes o /tabling the first and G. Mathias the second ; but both kicks were unsuccessful. After this the ball was kept pretty well in mid ground, any slight advantage gained by the blues being quickly recovered by the excellent back play of the Southerners, until about hall-past four, when the Northerners were s’cwly driven back to their goal line, and E. Cotterill obtaining the ball kicked the first goal of the season for the reds. No other score was made before time was called, and the Southerners were declared winners by one goal and two touch downs to nil. The play taken all round was good, but we wish we could see a little more backing up among the forwards. Several good runs were male, which might have been turned to more account had the players been efficiently backed up, but no doubt this and other minor faults will shortly disappear when the men have got regularly into thtir work, and are able to keep up better with the ball.

Fatal Accident at Waiuku. Auckland.— The correspondent of the New Zealand Herald supplies the following particulars of this fatal accident :—“ It is my painful duty to report that a fearful and fatal accident has happtned to Sergeant John Hedge, on Friday evening, the 21st instant. At about four o’clock pm. the deceased left his home for the purpose of duck shooting, and proceeded to the Waitangi river, about three-quarters of a mile from his home. When he got tothe river, on which Mr Hocking’s mill is built, Mr Hedge met Mr Dromgool, and had some conversation with him about roads, fences, &c, for about twenty minutes. Hi then went a short distance up the river and fired at someduckc. Some of the ducks flow away, and he still kept his gun at * the present’ in case tney should come within range. They did net come. Mr Hedge then took down his gun to load the barrel he had fired. Mr Dromgnol started to go home when, a’most immediately, he heard a second shot, and on looking round he saw the deieas-'d’a hat falling, which had been blown off his head by the shot. Not then fearing any accident, he listened for a few moments and could heir nothing. He then went to see what Hedge was doing, when ho found him lying at full length on his back quite dead. Not more than a minute bad elapsed between hearing the n port of the gun, and his being where the deceased was lying. The deceased came to New Z -aland about the year 1860, in the ship Northern Bride, and has ever since resided m Waiuku. He served in the Waiuku Itiflu Volunteers in 1863 and the early pait of 1864, at which time the company was disbanded. In iB6O be joined the Waiuku Troop R.O.V, and has been an active memhn ev- r since. He. was one < f the best shots in New Zealand, both with the rifle and ;owling pi«ce. He was also one <f the leading members of the Waiuku Agricultural social ion, having been an active member -ir.ca its formation some ten years since. He was also an energetic member in the Waiuku Good T< mrlar l odge, and his kss will be very much felt Mr Hedge was universally r.-spent-d, and his death, has cast a deep gloom over the whole Strict. He leaves a wife and one child to mourn their loss. The fnn'Tai will take place this afternoon, at 2 p.m. The Good Templars and the Volunteers will take au active part in the procession,”

Hunt Club —The second meet of the season came off on Saturday last. The trysting place was the Prebbleton Hotel, and a few minutes after one a large field of horsemen were assembled. The going after the late rain was very heavy, and the majority of the riders came to more or less grief during the run. The hounds showed a great improvement in condition, and were well handled by F. Hedge and iiay. The next meet takes place at Kaiapoi, on Thursday, the 4th, when we have no doubt the Northern sportsmen will turn out in force. New Zealand Titanic Company.—The annual general meeting of shareholders will be held in Wellington to-day. The following is an extract from the report to be submitted : —“The directors have made careful inquiries as to the expense of putting the furnace in blast for one mouth, and they find it will cost between £4OO and £450, the resulting product being estimated to be worth more than that amount. As to the beat course to be pm sued under the circumstances, they do not feel able to haz ini an opinion ; they feel very strongly that the facilities for carrying on the undertaking at Taranaki were very much over estimated, and that a long period must elapse b. fore the enterprise could in any sense become a pay aide one. They therefore respectfully submit the whole question to the careful consideration of the shareholders, and will be guided entirely by their opinion ; limy can only express their own regret at having to make such an unsatisfactory repo’t on the subject.” A director will have to be elect'd in lieu of Mr Gibson, who has resigned and gone homo, and Mr I), Anderson succeeding him as chairman. Messrs Burne, Chew, and Cleland retire by rotation from the diiectorate, but are eligible and offer themselves for re-election. The appended balance-sheet shows that the capital called up is £16,446 (£6 per share on 2741 shares), while calls have been paid in advance to the amount of £8 3s, and £1919 6s 9d is still due on unpaid calls, a further sum of £33 5s 8d being due fiom sundry debtors. The overdraft at the Bank of New Zealand amounts to £IB3B 8s 7d, and sundry creditors have claims against the company to the estimated amount of about £B-16. Ihe principle items of expenditure have been as follows Furnace and building account. £10,426 14s 7d ; materials account. £2514 7s 6d ; salaries and wages, £2470 18s 6d.”

St. Augustine’s, Waimate. A very successful parochial gathering was held in the Temperance Hall on the evening of Thursday, the 27th April. Dnpropitious as was the weather, the attendance was very large. A bountifully provided tea was followed by a musical entertainment, in which solos, glees, instrumental selections, &e, followed in quick succession, the programme being so full that encores, though repeatedly and vigorously demanded, could not be responded to. The meeting was presided over by the Rev C. Coates, who commenced by reading to the audience a telegram which he had just received from the Rev W. A. Pascoe, of Hokitika (late curate of Waimate), expressing his good wishes for the success of the evening. After the audience had testified their hearty appreciation of this kind attention, the chairman proceeded to introduce the Venerable Archdeacon Harper, whose appearance at Waimate was hailed with universal pleasure. In the course of an interesting address the Archdeacon dwelt on the good effected by social gatherings such as that at which they were assembled, and in illustration of his remarks told a good story and read another in verse. Short readings were given by Mr F, Teschemaker, the member for the district, and by the chairman. Amongst the vocalists wete Mesdames Kinnear, Boss, Valk, and Thompson, Miss Cane, Miss Margaret Cane, Miss Cochrane, and Messrs Ward, Bruce, Price, and Drury. The glees were rendered by members of the Waimate Choral Society. The instrumentalists were the Misses Cane, Studholme, and Moorhouse, and Mrs Ross. The National Anthem brought to a close a most enjoyable evening. The Eeefton t TRIKE.— The Herald of the 22nd ult gives the following account of the termination of the miners strike at Reefton:—“ Pursuant to a resolution passed the other evening at a meeting of the men on strike, and others interested in their cause, members of the defence committee, accompanied by a great number of men, proceeded v'-sterday to the Ajax, Cement lown, and the Energetic for the purpose of remonstrating with those men who were doing some outside work for some of the companies who had indicated the contemplated reduction, and to request them, in a peaceable manner, to join the strike. In most instances the men willingly complied to the wishes of the deputation and left off work, those again who wished to work were left undisturbed to continue their operations. Notwithstanding reports, undoubtedly false, circulated to the contrary, the whole prqceeding passed iff in a most orderly manner, no coercion in any case having been offered. During the afternoon members of the combined committee met the local directors of the Keep it-Dark, Hercules, and the Golden Ledge Companies, when the said directors resolved to resume operations at the old rate of wages, viz £3 10s a week ; work to be commenced tomorrow morning. So that as far a i those companies are concerned the strike is at an end, the men having gained the the day, which tbey deserved lo do, as without adopting any harsh or reprehensible measures, they still remained firm and determined not to accept any reduction whatever. The Energetic, Crushing Company, and the Ajax are the only companies in which the strike still continues, but it is confidently hoped that as soon as the outside directors learn the result of the conference here, they will no longer persist in their demands, and thus push matters to extremes, but will also resume work in their mines on the old terms.”

Land in the North Island—Commeriting upon certain remarks of the Governor regarding the poor quality of the land between the Waikato and Hawke s Bay, the Herald says:—“There is no dis-gui-ing the fact that there is an immeme tract of country in the centre of this island that is utterly valueless for purposes of settlement, and that, with few insignificant exceptions, there is not an acre of good soil between . the boundary of this province ai d the confines of the agricultural distric s of the Waikato. It is for the possession of this dreary waste of pumice stone, however, that the (jovernmf nt, in i|s wisdom, has expended no inconsiderable gum of money. Land Purchase Commisni’ssioneriSfcavo been busily employed in that direction, and if the Maoris have not received ary very large sums :s payments on account, the time of salaried men has been liberally enough spent. TUo

New Z- aland Sahara is not yet completely acquired ; gome of it is bought, and the rest remains under negotiation. When no good land is offering, the Taupo or Lake district is very useful ro f ill back upon, and to figure in a blue-book acreage and not quality of soil appi an to be the desideratum. Of the seven millions acres of land, said to have been acquired, or under negociation for purchase, under the far seeing policy of the present Government, it would be interesting to learn how much of the country is fit for settlement, and how much of it is comprised in that silent and barren desert, the thought of which has made such a lasting impression on his Excellency.’’ The Ohau M a eider —Recent telegram i from Wanganui inform us of the arrest of a man in that district on suspicion of being the Ohau murderer, and of his subsequent discharge, his personal identity having been proved. The Wanganui Chronicle gives the following particulars of the arrest:—“Shortly after midnight on Saturday, Inspector Atchison and Sergeant Reid reached Wanganui, bringing with them a man who was arrested in Marten, and who is charged with being 1 lie perpetrator of . the Lake Ohau murder. According to the proclamation lately publish'd. off-ring a reward of £IOO for the arrest of the man Martin Cunningham, the features, build, complexion, height, and even the tattoo marks correspond with the same particulars by which the accused could be fjescrib d. Me gives his name rs Harry L<e, 'Join Adams, and Gipsey Bill, under emil ar-.d all of which he has by his own account-at different tinns been recognised. Ho acknowledged having been in gaol more than once, but insists that his present arrest is a case of mistaken identity. He name out (o the colony, as he says, by the barque Gec’ong. braving been assisted to emigrate by a friend, who advised him to proceed to the Dunstan diggings, shortly after the rush to that goldfield took place. He admits having been in the Mouth Island, but uenies having been more than twenty miles from Dunedin during his stay in UnSouth. Lately the accused has been working in the bush, in the viciniiy of Maiton, and he was apprehended at dusk on Saturday evening by Sergeant Reid and constable Hargood, when in his whare. When made aware of the nature of the errand of the police, his composure appeared considerably upset, which circumstance, however, could not be wondered at, and might have been observed in any other person similarly dmated. No attempt at resistance was offered, the accused permitting himself to be secured and brought into town on a led horse, without opposition. The only man who it is believed can positively identify the veritable Martin Cunningham has been communicated with, and will proceed to Wanganui by the first opportunity. It will be remembered that about a mouth ago a singular story appeared in the newspapers to the effect that the tracks of the presumed murderer, Martin Cunningham, had been seen on the trenches and banks of Ihe leftbranch of the Cascade river, and that shortly thereafter this strauge man was seen by several of the settlers, but whenever an attempt was made to approach him he rushed into the scrub and escaped. This wild-look-ing individual was believed to be the identical Martin Cunningham, especially as the concurrent circumstances appeared strongly to favor that supposition-. If this was really the outlaw and murderer, it is morally impossible for the man lately arrested at Marlon to be the same individual, as he has betn in the vicinity of that township since shortly after the commencement of the New Year.” Completion op the Otago and Westland Road.—The West Coast 'limes refers as follows to the completion of this work : “ The completion of the work of opening for traffic another of the few mountain passes between the East and West Coast—namely that by the Ilaast —is an incident worth noticing. It is now a number of years si. ce the pass was explored by the gentleman whose name it bears, or even since Mr Vincent Pyke made his memorable official journey overland from Otago, or since Mr Docherty and other non-official explorers followed westward by the same route ; and advantage of the knowledge acquired by their explorations cannot be said to have been hastily taken. It was only during a recent session of Parliament that the Supertendents of the three provinces of Otago, Canterbury, and Westland, arranged that the route should be opened, and, even in the interval since, the progress of the work of forming the track has been slow Mr Hutcheson’s section of the work on the Otago side was, however, completed some time ago, and now we leirn that the line on the western watershed as far as the mouth of the Haist, has been sufficiently completed to admit of through traffic. It is stated that Mr Clapcott, who has been waiting to biing through cattle to his run on the Clarke river, has brought through the first of his supplies for his station hands, and, no doubt he will soon follow with stock for the run and far Jackson’s Bay. The latest information as to the progress of the work has been received by the engineering department from Mr Snodgrass, who is in supervision. Writing from the Haast on April 4th, he reports that he went up with Mr Clapcott, and examined the work on the western side commencing at the end of Hutcheson’s track. At that point the aneroid gives 500 ft, and thence the track ‘ contours ’ down a steep spur to the flat on the Haast, about half a mile above the junction of the Burke. For thirty chains it is formed four feet wide, and the grades are not good, having in some places an inclination of twenty-eight degrees down to fifteen degrees at the best, but it appeared equal to the part of Hutcheson’s woik that was seen, and from the nature of the cutting—soft slate—the footing is very good. It was then about being finished and improved, and the road maker, Mr Thomson, has since come to the Haast. Mr Snodgrass had been engaged on the second bluff for the grta f >‘r part of the month, having had forty chains of road to form, and then light scrub and shingle to his camp at the time, which was situated eighteen miles up the river. Am le more of bush work would bring him within four miles of the Clarke, and that he would finish in a fortnight. ‘The road,’ he says, ‘will then’—that is a fortnight from the 4th of April— * be available for stock.’ The river from the bluff to the Clarke, he states, runs in two channels, and can be forded on foot, and, though several places on the bluff require to be improved, a pack horse can pass easily. For these improvements he was retaining his six men, and had sent to Jackson’s Bay for stores, dynamite, and blasting tools. Practically, however, the track is now opened, and the fact cannot fail to have early and beneficial effect upon the prospects of the southern part of the province.”

Death op Mr Seager, Wellington. —The Fast of the 27th ult, says:—“We regret to announce the death of Mr Seager, the master of the Mount View Lunatic Asylum, which took place at two o’clock this morning. The late Mr Seager assumed the charge of the Lunatic Asylum at Karori in 187--?, the previous master and matron having been dismissed for ill-treating the patients. Mr and Mrs Seager soon brought about a salutary reform in the management of that institution, and soon afterwards when the patients were transferred to the Mount View Asylum, it was placed under their charge. During the period in which he had charge of the Asylum ho was assiduously attentive to his duties, and did all he could to provide for the comfort and ameliorate the condition of the unfortunate creatures placed under his care. In private life he bore an irreproachable character, and was much esteemed by his personal friends. A few months ago his health began to give way. A severe attack of neuralgia in the head, accompanied by general debility, for a time laid him up. There were one or two rallies, but the illness always returned, and within the last day or two it was understood there was little hope of his recovery. The deceased was 55 years of age. It is noteworthy that his father and brother both died at exactly the same age of 55. Deleaves a widow and family, to whom we offer our deep sympathy under their bereavement.”

The Colima Commission,— The following is the report of the commission appointed by ihe Otago Government to report on the causes which prevented the Colima from entering the Otago heads on the 3rd of April Dunedin, 22nd April, 1876. His Honor the Superintendent of Otago. Sir— On the 20th instant, we received notification from the Provincial Secretary's office that your Honor had appointed us a commission to inquire into and report upon the causes which led lo'the steamer Colima not entering the Otago harbor on the 3rd day of April, 1875. Accordingly, since receiving that notification we have met several times, and l ave taken the evidence of Captain Shackford, of the s s. Colima, who aided our enquiry with all frankness and courtesy ; also of Captain Thomson, the chief harbor-master, Mr Pilot Kelly, and Mr Simpson, the Harbor Board’s engineer, all of whom gave us freely the information in their power. We beg to enclose with this letter the the minutes of the evidence taken by us ; and we have now the honor to report the conclusion we have arrived at thereupon. It would appear that on the 3rd day of April current the mail steamer Colima arrived off Otago Heads at 7 a.m, and was at once boarded by Pdot Kelly, Captain Shackford placed the ship in his hands and under his responsibility to take in, telling him she was drawing 21 ft lOiu of water. Unfortunately there was that day an unusually low neapfide, having only four feet of rise and fall, so that no more than 22 feet could be expected at high water on the outer bar in the usual channel, and there was in addition a very heavy and dangerous sea breaking on the bar. Pilot Kelly, therefore, with the concurrence of Captain Shackford, determined not to attempt to take the ship in that day ; which conclusion was fully borne out by Captain Thomson, the Chief Harbour-Master, who boarded the Colima later. It was then suggested that by trimming the cargo the ship’s draught could Vie lessened one foot, and that by waiting ti.l the following morning a more favourable bar and tide might exist, and the ship might theu r easily enter ; but as there could be no certainty of the sea falling by the next morning, and as Captain Shackford required the Colima to be the next two days in harbour in order to prepare for the outward voyage, he deemed it advisable to leave Otago at once fpr Port Lyttelton, and he did so leave. From the evidence of Mr Simpson it would appear that the soundings lately taken by that gentleman confirmed the opinion of Pilot Kelly on the 3id instant as (o the depth of water on the bar. We find therefore that the causes which prevented the Colima entering the harbour on the day in question were an unusually low tide, an extremely heavy sea, and the great draught of the ship ; and we consider that sound judgment was exercised by all concerned in the course adopted. We are satisfied also that it was the desire of Captain Shackford that his ship should have entered Otago Harbour had it been possible It may not be out of place for us to remark that on this occasion the s.s. Colima, having a full supply of coal on board for the voyage to San Francisco, besides other dead weight, was drawing within 6in of her greatest draught, which is 22ft 4in, and that a few days later, after discharging at Lytielton 200 or 300 tons of coal, and emptying the water from her boilers, she drew only 18ft 6in. The evidence discloses that in ordinary weather there is 23 l t of water on the bar in the usual channel at high water, and that in very fine weather an entrance is available by the north channel for vessels drawing 2-lft Yet it might be better if mail steamers requiring immediate entrance to the harbor were to regulate their lading so as to have a draught to some extent less than the water which can be calculated on at the heads at present in average weather and tides. Your Honor will observe a suggestion made both by Captain Thomson and Mr Simpson in their evidence, that by the use of heavy iron hairows applied occasionally to the outer bar the depth of water available in that channel could be increased from 22ft to perhaps 24ft. Should it be necessary, in view of the steamers belonging to the California mail service and the other vessels of great draught of water constantly visiting this port in future, to deepen the bar, we think this suggestion well worthy the attention of the Harbor Board."