NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1868, 18 February 1880, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[PEESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, February 18. The Barmaid Question. At the Magistrate's Court this morning five publicans were fined &2 and costs, for allowing barmaids to remain in the bar after 11 p.m. Several drapers were treated in a similar manner for allowing females to remain at work later than two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. The Magistrate intimated that, for the future, in glaring cases of a breach of the Act, he would inilict the full penalty of £SO. PORT CHALMERS, February 18. Middle Island Native ClaimsThe Royal Commission on the Middle Island Native Land Purchases commenced itß sittings hero to-day. DUNEDIN, February IS. The Nelson Meeting. Volunteer Hislop, of North Dunedin, and Q-unner Mitohell, of D Battery, have entered

for the Nelson Meeting, making eighteen representatives from Otago, besides Captain Muir, of B Battery. Storekeeper, Paxton, bas been attached to the staff. Fatal Accident. Peter Dymant, a Dane, has been drowned in the Shotover, through falling down the bank sixty feet. t. Otago Central LineTenders will be shortly called for the Newthorne section of the Otago Central line. INVERCARGILL, February 18. Sanitary. Two deaths from diptheria h&ve occurred. Volunteering. At the parade en Monday of the Rifle Corps only twelve out of a large muster voted for going to the Review at Christchurch. Dissatisfaction was felt at the accommodation likely to bo provided. AUCKLAND, February 17. Irish Relief PerformanceThe management of the Theatre Royal undertake to give a performance in aid of the Irish relief fund. Breach of Customs RegulationsAt the Police Court Ebenezer Hastwell and William Peck were charged with a breach of the Customs regulations by evading duty on a box of tea per ship Fernglen. They were fined in the mitigated penalty of twentyfive pounds. Skeleton Found. A skeleton found in the Kaukapakapa bush is supposed to be the remains of a man named Butter, loßt there twenty years ago. A pair of boots mossgrown and a piece of gold lace were found near the skeleton. Released CommunistsThe Auckland schooler Griffin arrived in the Manukau, from New Caledonia, with twenty-five Communists, whose terms have expired. Many had their passages paid by the French Government. When thirty-one days out the provisions gave out, and the vessel was supplied by the Loch Nagar, hence to Hobart Town, but those also failed, and the last drop of water was used up when Bhe approached land, and a case of wine was broached. The Communists by the schooner Griffin arrived in Auckland by the evening train. Eleven of them are political deportes, and the balance offenders against the criminal code. They have been amnestied by the French Government and their passage paid to Auckland. Accompanying the party are one woman, one child, and three girls, the wife and infant of one political deporte and the, daughters of another. The men are of various trades: Compositor, lithographic printer, butcher, baker, painter, writer and grainer, music master, and laborers. They are anxious to get to work at once. The political batch seem a quiet, intelligent, and respectable lot of men. Irish Relief Fund. The Irish Belief Fund amounts to £SOO. It is expected to reach £BOO. Cricketing NewsThe surplus funds derived from the last visit of the Ohristchurch cricketers is to be devoted to the erection of a pavilion on the Domain ground. NAPIER, February 17. Death by Drowning and Brave Attempt at Rescue. The eldest son of Mr Vautier was drowned while bathing off the Bluff to-day. He was with four companions, when a heavy wave carried him out. The whole four went after him and held him up for twenty minutes, when a rope was brought and tied round his body. The rope was too short to reach the beach, and the sea was so heavy that the strength of all of them was insufficient to drag the drowning boy ashore. They left him only after all signs of life were extinct. The body is not yet recovered. They required assistance before they could regain the shore. Their names were—Alf. Rich, John Begg, John Kindmarsb, and Richard Carter. Imported Rams. The Lincoln rams brought by the Eastern Monarch are both dead. WELLINGTON, February 17. Removal of Maori PrisonersA letter was received in town this evening from the Native chiefs assembled at Otaki, condemning the Government in removing the Maori prisoners without first giving notice of their intention to do so. NELSON, February 17. Hop Picking. Hop picking has now commenced, and from all sides the hops are reported as being abundant and of good quality. Civil Service ExaminationAt the late Civil Service examination of sixty-one who passed the junior examination, over one-fourth were from Nelson, fourteen being from the College. For the senior examination, out of thirty-one, nine were from Nelson. Irish Relief Fund. The Irish Relief Fund has reached about £250. KUMARA, February 17. Rifle ShootingLieutenant Munyard was the highest scorer in the competition just concluded for the representation of the local rifles at Nelson next month. WAIMATE, February 17. Irish Relief Fund. The sum of 300 guineas has been sent by telegraph to the Lord Mayor of Dublin by the relief committee here as a first instalment towards the Irish Relief Fund. TIMARTT, February 17. Pastor ChiniquyThe Presbyterian Church to-night was crowded on the occasion of Mr Ohiniquy's lecture. DT7NEDIN, February 17. Mr Rolleston. Mr Rolleston arrived in Dunedin this afternoon. Fire. By the Milton fire yesterday afternoon the United Insurance Company lost £l5O. Imported Greyhounds. A number of valuable greyhounds from the very best strain of blood in North Britain, arrived to-day by the Te Anau. Among them are a slut with six new born puppies, four saplings, and six full-grown puppies. All of these dogs are by celebrated prize takers in the old country. Their owner is Mr Smith, an old Nelson colonist. Land for Sale. Additional extensive blocks of land are to be thrown open for settlement in Southland and Otago land districts. BALCLUTHA, February 17. Shocking Accident. While a reaper was engaged on Mr James Scott's farm, Waiwera, yesterday afternoon, the horse shied, and the tipper, a man named Duncan M'Keczie fell on to the knife. His left foot was cut clean off, a few inches above the ankle. INVERCARGILL, February 17. The Governor. His Excelloncy the Governor and suite passed through Invercargill this afternoon. On arriving at the Bluff, they embarked in the Hinemoa, and left for the West Coast Sounds. [FSO3I OUE OWN COBBESPOSBENT.J WELLINGTON, February 17. San Francisco Mail—New Arrangement. The Government has just succeeded in making arrangements by which the time of transit of English mails via San Francisco will be reduced by two clear days. This will be effected almost wholly by a Baving of time between London and San Francisco, reducing needless delays, &c. The steamers consequently will leave San Francisco two dayß earlier than announced in the time table, arriving in New Zealand two days earlier. Thus the mail will be due in Auckland every fourth Monday instead of Wednesday aB at present. A similar acceleration in the homeward mails, which will leave New Zealand two days later, arriving in London as at present time, will be effected. The new arrangements will come into force next mail but one. Mr BryceMr Bryce arrived this evening from Taranaki and Wanganui via Wairarapa. He leaves again about the end of the week. He reports all going on well. The Native Commission. The Native Commissioner, vice Tawhai, resigned, will probably be appointed during the Native Minister's present stay in Wellington.

TBE MINISTER EOE PUBLIC WOBKS IN OHEISTCHUECH. DEPUTATIONS. The Hon. Mr Oliver, accompanied by Mr Blair, arrived last night by express from Dunedin. This morning several deputations were in waiting to interview him at the old Provincial Chamber. SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL. The first deputation, introduced by Mr W. Montgomery, M.H.K., was that from the Sydenham Borough Council, consisting of the Mayor and Cr. Pavitt, referring to the railway bridge required to be erected in a line with Madras street. The Mayor of Sydenham said that frequent memorials had been sent both to the Government and railway authorities, aud that a sum of ,£7OO or o£SOO had been promised to be put on the estimates for the work. It was one of great public convenience, as at present a large number of people to the sonth were entirely cut off by the line. The Minister said he would take a note of the matter, aad communicate with the Mayor on the subject. The next subject was a Post and Telegraph office for Sydenham. The Minister said that this was a matter properly belonging to the department of his colleague, the Hon. Mr Hall, who would, no doubt, be disposed to consider the application favorrbly if made to him. The deputation next brought under the notice of the Minister the memorial of cei tain gatekeepers from the railway crossings within the Borough, and pointed out that the fences at the points referred to were so high tnat it was impossible for foot passengers to see the train coming. The Minister said perhaps the best thing that could be done was to lower the fence. He need not point out to the deputation that the strictest economy was necessar yin the public expenditure. However, now this matter had ksen brought before him, he would see what could be done. The deputation having thanked the Minister, retired. AKAIIOA RAILWAY. Mr W. Montgomery, M.H.8., had an interview with the Minister relative to a deputation from Akaroa respecting the Akaroa railway. It was decided that the deputation should wait on the Minister at 9.30 a.m. to-morrow. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. A deputation from the Chamber of Commerce, consisting of Messrs G. G. Stead (president) and A. C. Wilson (vice-president), were Introduced, and accompanied by the city members, Hon E. Eichardson and Messrs E. C. J. Stevens and J. P. Andrews. Mr Stevens said that the deputation had waited on the Minister with a view of bringing nnder his notice the opinion of the Chamber of Commerce and of the people of Canterbury as to the removal of the Railway Department from Christchnrch to Dunedin. The movement, he believed he might say, had caused considerable surprise, and the deputation would be obliged to the Minister if he could give the reasons which had induced the Government to take that step, and also to state if he would do so whether there was to be a centralisation of the department in Dunedin, and specially whether the payments to re made on railway account in Christchnrch would have to i>ass through Dunedin.

Mr Stead said that the Chamber of Commerce had had one or two interviews with Mr Oliver's predecessor on this subject, and they had always expressed a wish to consider the interests of the colony at large in the matter of railway management instead of merely those of Christchurch alone. If it were for the interests of the railway as a whole that the department should be removed to Dunedin, the Chamber and the people of Canterbury were perfectly prepared to have this done. They had given Mr Macandrew, Mr Oliver's predecessor, statistics which showed plainly the state of matters, and he (Mr Stead) would briefly quote these statistics, which showed that the money earned by the. railways north of the Waitaki_ considerably exceeded that south of the Waitaki. From these statistics the Minister wonld see that from July Ist, 1878, to December 28th, there was carried on the lines in the district north of the Waitaki goods to the amount of .£79,638 19s Bd, and passengers to the amount of .£57,212 12s 7d, or a total on account of goods and passengers of .£136,851 12s 3d. For the same period the revenue derived on lines south of the Waitaki was, from goods .£53,237 19s 8d; passengers, .£50,935 16s 7d ; or a total of .£104,173 16s 3d. For the period between July Ist, 1878, and June 30th, 1879, the revenue derived from goods on lines north of the Waitaki was ,£110,613 2s sd, and from passengers .£66,113 15s lOd ; or a totai of .£176,756 18s 3d. On lines south of the Waitaki for the same period it was as follows : Geods, .£82,505 10s 2d; passengers, .£72,988 10s 6d j or a total of .£155.494 9s Bd. Thus the total revenue earned between July Ist, 1878, and Jnne 30th, 1879, was as follows : —District north o? Waitaki Goods, .£190,282 2s Id; passengers, .£123,326 8s 5d ; or a total of =£313,608 10s 6d. For the district south of the Waikato it was, goods, .£135,743 9s lOd; passengers, -6123,924 16s Id; or a total of -6219.668 5s lid. The grand total earned was -6573,276 16s sd, out of which, as he had Bhown, .£313,608 10s 6d was earned by linei north of the Waitaki. He also desired to quote to the Minister statistics showing the value of foreign and intercolonial exports from the ports of Lyttelton and Port Chalmers for the twelve months ended 30th June, 1879, and the aggregate tonnage and number of vessels, exclusive of those in ballast, leaving those ports during the same period. From the port of Lyttelton the exports had been —New Zealand produce (exclusive of gold), £1,536,755; other colonial, British, and foreign manufactures, -698,433 ; or a total of exports for the year of -61,695,194. From the port of Dunedin during the same period the exports had been —New Zealand produce (exclusive of gold), -81,136,185 ; other colonial, British, and foreign manufactures, -678,862 ; gold, .6451,144 ; or a total of -61,666,191, including gold. The tonnage leaving the two ports respectively during the year had been —Lyttelton, 105 ships, with an aggregate tonnage of 57,481 ; Dnnedin, 66 ships and a tonnage of 42,746. The figures he had quoted showed that a very great deal more business was done [in Canterbury than in Otago on the railway, and the gross takings on the railway in Canterbury were far larger. For these reasons they failed to see the necessity for the removal of the Commissioner and staff to Dunedin. It had been said that the railways round Dunedin were in a state of disorganization. That might or might not be the case, but he would desire to point out that these railways could just as well be retrnlated by the Commissioner if the offices of the stores, engineers, and cashiers remained in Christehurch. These were the reasons which had induced the Chamber of Commerce to bring the matter before the Minister with a view to elicit, if possible, some information as to the reasons which had induced the Government to take the steps they had. As he had stated, the desire of the Chamber was to see that done which would be the best for the interests of the Railway Department and the colony as a whole. The Hon. E. Eichardson said that the two gentlemen who had spoken had pretty well exhausted the subject. So soon as ho heard of the step proposed he had interviewed and written to the Minister on the subject, strongly protesting against the step, as the Minister recollected, no doubt. He might say that he was informtd that the number of people who were under orders to leave for Dunedin, exclusive of the Commissioner, was sixty. These people naturally felt very much agrieved at having to remove and! put their property in the market. Some consideration would have to be shown to them, and no doubt would. The people of Canterbury naturally looked upon the removal, not only of the Commissioner, but all the staff, as a step in the direction of the centralisation of the railway system in Dunedin, He trusted, therefore, that the Minister would consider the arguments adduced by the deputation. The Minister said that it was pleasant to him to hear that the desire of the Chamber of Commerce of Canterbury and the Canterbury people generally was for the interests of the department and the colony generally in this matter. He felt sure he need not assure them that anything he had done in the way of interference with what had formerly prevailed was done Eolely in the interests of the public, and was perfectly free from any local considerations whatever. It must be in the recollection of the gentlemen forming the deputation that when Mr Conyers was first removed from Dunedin to Christehurch, it was a merely temporary measure, as the Canterbury railway system was then much further advanced than that of Otago. Since then, however, the Otago railway system had increased, and the lines had boen extended from Dnnedin to Christehurch in the North and to Invercargill in the South. It therefore became apparent that the advantages which the railway system of Canterbury enjoyed by the presence of the Commissioner were required to be extended to Otago. The system of railway management generally and tha whole matters connected with the lines was much better than that prevailing in Otago. The state of the lines conveying into Christehurch, and the station buildings and yards at Christehurch and Lyttelten wore in striking contrast to those existing in Dnnedin and Port Chalmers. To these matters since his residence in Christehurch he (the Minister) believed that Mr Conyers hid paid particular attention, and as alterations of an extensive kind were about to be made in this direction in Dunedin ; it seemed to be necessary that that city should have the benefit of his presence, which had proved to be bo great a boon to the system of railway management in Canterbury. Again, under the present state of matters from the extensionof the lines, Dunedin had become far| more central than Christchurch. Though this -was so, the removal of Mr Conyers to Dunedin must not be regarded as permanent, nor as indicating

that the whole management of the railways in the Middle Island was intended to be centralised in Dunedin. What was in his (the Minister's) mind in this matter wai to sectionise the whole line; each Eection to be under the control and management of a resident officer, and inspected by an officer responsible to the Government. So far as he could see the question of comparison of the trade done on the line between the districts EOuth and north of the Waitaki did not to his mind affect the question. The real point wa3 this : The railways_ to the south required far more minute attention than they had had hitherto, and also it waa necessary that they should have what had been possessed by the Canterbury railways, the advantage of the residence of a person acquainted as Mr Conyers was with the building of stations and the planning of station yards. With regard to the removal of the working staff under the Commission referred to by the Hon. Mr Richardson he (the Minister) did not attach much importance to that, in fact he did not think it came into the consideration of the question at all where the staff was located. A certain portion of the staff must be near the chief to carry on the work, but he attached, no such importance as appeared to be done here to the removal of the staff. If the gentlemen of the deputation would consider the matter for a moment they would see that the management of the railways had nothing whatever to do with where persons attached to the staff resided. As he had said he attached no importance at all to the question of where the persons of the staff lived. He might say he was surprised to see in one of the papers here.that a number of officers of the staff were to be removed. Mr Conyera, in conversation as to his removal, certainly mentioned some officers whom it would be necessary to remove, but nothing was decided upon. That being so he was quite open to consider the matter in the same light as Mr Stead had stated the Chamber of Commeree and the people of Canterbury were prepared to do, viz., what was best for the public interest, and that alone. He did not know that there was any other point npon which the deputation required an answer.

Mr Stevens said that the deputation then understood that, with regard to the removal of a large number of the staff, the Minister would reconsider it. The Minister said he attached no importance whatever to the place where these people resided. It did not affect railway management at all, and the only reason he could see for the strong feeling on the part of the Canterbury people waa the removal of so many mouths to feed from Christchnrch.

Mr Stevens desired to point cut to the Minister that it meant more than that. If the pay office were to be removed to Dnnedin, considerable inconvenience would be felt in the promptitude of payment of accounts for persona under contract to supp'y certain stores, &c, to the railway department. The Minister would see that this was a far more impottant matter than the mere question of the removal of so many consumers from Christehurch. The Hon. Eichardson said that the fact was that the accounts would have to go to Dunedin and thence through to Wellington before payment was made. A case occurred ye=terday in which an account had been lying for some time owing to the department being in transitu. It seemed to him incredible f hat it should be necessary for accounts, eay under contract for Eupply of Btores, to go from here to Dunedin. This, he might say, had very greatly intensified the feeling on the matter.

The Minister said that arrangements might be made by which both places might be served irrespective of the residence of the staff. He would desire to point out that if the paymaster remained in Christehurch the eame argument might be adduced by those in Dunedin. The matter should receive consideration, and he thought the people of Canterbury would agree with the Government, that the arrangements made were for the benefit of the colony at large. . Mr Stead desired to reply to the remarks of the Minister with regard to Mr Conyers. It was true that Mr Conyers when Superintending Engineer of the Otago Bailways was temporarily removed to Christehurch. After_ this a new office was created, viz., the Commissioner of Eailways for the Middle Island, and Christchurch was selected as the seat of his office. If the Government considered the railways as a whole, they would see that the greatest amount of work was done on the Canterbury line. Then, again, the grain season would be on shortly, and it would require the greatest care to keep the lines from being choked, and therefore it seemed to him that the proper place for the head of the railway waß where the greatest amount of business was done. The Minister had said that Dnnedin was more central. True it was bo as regarded Invercargill, but Christehurch was a most important terminns, and if the Minister looked at the map he would see what a large number of lines converged into it. He further wished to show that, though the removal of the aubdepartments was not in itself a great matter,, when they came to consider it meant simply the losing of the management of the railways entirely from Christehurch. The Minister said the removal of Mr Conyers had been accomplished, and he would desire to point out that all the arguments adduced by Mr Stead would apply with greater force to Dunedin. Besides this, he wished to call the attention of the deputation to the fact that these sections were under the control of officers responsible to the Commissioner ; and, as a matter of fact, Mr Conyers interfered very little in the business of the sections. Therefore it seemed to him that the removal of Mr Conyers was not so important as the depniation and the people of Canterbury seemed to think. What the Government wished to do _ was to afford the people of Otago the opportunity of enjoying the same amount of convenience in the railway system which existed in Christehurch. This was what Mr Conyers could effect, and he hoped the Canterbury people would look at it this light. Be desired to say that in dealißg with this matter he had only in view the general interests of the railways, and not in any way to pander to the local jealonsies of either city. Mr Stead deprecated on behalf of Canterbury any jealousy whatever. If the removal of Mr Conyers was necessary for the reorganisation of the Otago railways the Canterbury people wonld have no objection whatever, but he must say he failed to see that good cause had been made out for the removal of the entire department. Mr Stevens desired to ask what were the views of the Minister as to the Addington workshops. He supposed they would be used for doing the work for the sections north of the Waitaki. SsThe Minister said this was the case. All the buildings would be erected and all the tools imported placed in position. Indeed everything would be done for the placing of the Addicston workshops in a position Eecond to none in New Zealand. There need be ro fear of a centralising policy being pursued with regard to the Addington workshops. Far from it. The policy to be pursued would be quite different. The Addington workshops would be placed on a footing equal tc any in the colony. The Hon. E. Eichardson detired to bring a matter under the notice of the Minister wLicli had been suggested by the question of Mr Stevens. As the Minister would recollect, last year the question of scarcity of trucks had been pressed upon the Government, and they had promised that steps should be taken to supply 1200 additional waggons, so as to meet the increased demand which -was sure to arise duriug the grain season. Ho wonld like to know from the Minister if anything had been done to meet this. The Minister said that when the crop was observed to be likely to be very large he communicated with Mr Conyers on the subject, and on his last visit to Christehurch he had instructed the engineer to have waggons put together at once, and not to lose a day. Mr Conyers had explained that he thought the department could cope with the demand, but he h<d also rented from the Dunedin Waggon Company all their available waigons—some 300,—which wonld be added to their present stock. Mr Stead Biid that he did not think the department would be so able to cope with the traffic. Last year over a million bushels of wheat had to be carried, and this year there would be about two millions, and oats and barley had also increased to twice the quantity. Last year, though the railway worked night and day, it was as much a» the department could do to gpt the grain away, and many blocks occurred. This year, with double the amount to be carrie,!, and only a small addition to the trucks, it seemed to him probable that the railway could not cope with the traffic thm arising. It would be seen that this season it was most important to growers to have their grain in the English markets at the earliest possible date. The Minister said ho trusted that the department would be found equal to the strain likely to be put upon it. The Hon. E. Richardson brought under the not-"ce of the Minister the desirableness of establishing a train running between Dunedin and Chri*tehurch at ordinary speed, leaving in the afternoon, and having the American carriages turned into sleeping-cars. If this were none, it would enable a daily post to be established between the two places, and also enable business men to despatch their work with less loss of time than now. , . The Minister said this wa3 a mr-st important question, and one which would receive his most attentive consideration. Regarding the transformation of the American carnages, he thought it would be better if such u tram were established to have carriages built specially for sleeping cars. __. . . The deputation having thankea the Minister for his courtesy, then withdrew.