NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2500, 12 April 1882, Page 3

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Papanui Coubsing < T.TJB —The meeting called by the above club last Monday evening to receive nominations for its first (fixture of the season, on April 18th, was adjourned till Monday evening next, same time and place. HaobeyPabk Footpaths.—The pathways of Baglay Park are badly in need of shingling, large pools of water slanuing in various parts of them, and their condition is doubly noticeable at this time, as the Exhibition attracts more pedestrians than usual. The Qovebnob. — His Excellency the Governor and his private secretary left at 1 p.m. to-day by tho Hineraos. Oamtbbbuby Okphanaob — The master of the Canterbury Orphanage wishes to acknowledge the receipt of £3 3j from the North - Canterbury Caledonian Society. YoliHHTbeb Vagaries. —The longer our gallant defenders are away from their mothers’ apron strings, the wilder and more capricious are their actions in Christchurch. At one o’clock this morning the staid inhabitants of part of Manchester street were horrified at observing half-a-dozen warriors, arrayed in nocturnal garments only, scudding along the roadway like white fleecy clouds before the moon. One, more adventurous than the rest, skipped along to the corner of Lichfield street, where he was accosted by a sturdy guardian of the peace, and threatened ■with instant durance vile unless he at onoe returned to quarters. Yesterday and to-day the trophies struck to commemorate the Exhibition have been much worn by the volunteers, who term them the “Parihaka medals.” This forenoon thirteen soldiers paraded Cathedral square, headed by a well-known Oamaru man. Tho three in thevan carried light Japanese fans. Then came tin whis’le men, hornblowers, and beaters of tiny boy drums, the roar of the band being brought up by a player on a kerosene-tin. The music was hideous, recalling the discordant strains of the heathen Chinee, but small boys seemed to derive much satisfaction from the idiotic display. Without wishing to reflect too harshly on the frolics of young men away for a holiday, it may not bo amiss to remind them that they would do well to remember that tha privilege of wearing her Majesty’s uniform, so far from encouraging unruly license, should keep them alive to the responsibility attaching to good citizenship. Boys will bo boys, it is true, bnt they need not . -he larrikins.

Anotheh Candidate fob Waeanui.— Mr Samuel 0. Jolley is another candidate for the Wakanui seat. He addresses the electors of Kyle, at the Kyle schoolroom, this even-

St. Stephen's Ohuboh, Ashbubton, 'Easter services were held at this church on Easter Sunday, both morning and evening, but owing to the bad state of the weather the, attendance was very poor. The services were conducted by the Bev. Mr Scott. The church •waa very prettily decorated.

Oetewavo and Zcmiabd. The “ Natal Mercury" o( December 28th say#: A 1 public meeting wee held in the Trafalgar Hall on Friday evening, to take into oonaidorotion the subject of the threatened return of Oetywayo to Zululand. The meeting, which was attended by about 300 persons, wa. addressed by both the member, for the borough, Mr Harry Esoombennd Mr John Robinson. The following motion was carried by a vory large majority ‘That in the opinion of this meeting the return of Oetywayo %,o Zulu nd would be attended with results most disastrous to the colony of Natal and to the natives of Zululand and south-east Africa; end this meeting emphatically approves and unhesitingly endorses the action of the Legislative Council in protesting against the possible restoration by the Imperial Government of Oetywayo to Zululand.' An amendment to the effect that Oeteywayo’s return to land, under certain restrictions, was desirable, was supported by about fifteen hande. Chief John Dunn paid a visit to Durban at the beginning of the week, and was interviewed by a representative of the Frees. Mr Dunn says that peace prevails in his territory, as it has done ever since the settlement. When asked what would bo the effect of the restoration of Cetewayo to Zululand, Chief Dunn replied that it would turn the country upside down, and put it in a far worse condition than it is. He affirmed emphatically that, so far as he and his people were concerned, Oetywayo should not come into Zululand across the Tugela, and that, having possession of the country, he meant to stick to it. Chief Dunn seems to have no objection to the Imperial Government annexing the whole country and leaving Oetywayo to rule the northern portion while he retains his present territory with the Umhlatoosi as a‘buffer,’ as he terms it, between himself and Oetywayo. Chief Dunn says he would not give up his country to anybody without what he considers fair remuneration.” The same paper states that ‘‘there is a rather serious amount of sickness among ths troops in Natal at present. No fewer than forty seven men of the Inniskilling Dragoons were lately laid up at one time by enteric fever at Newcastle. At the camp at Richmond Road and among the 97th Regiment at Howiok a similar proportion of sick oases exists. Major- General the Hon. Leicester Smyth will reach the city from Cape Town at the end of the month to establish the military head-quarters in South Africa,”

Mistakes at the Mint —A history of the British coinage would afford some amusing instance* of mistakes on the part of the Mint authorities’ The most recent example is not so striking as that of the “ Godless florin,” on which numismatists place a price far in excess of its nominal value, but is interesting in its way. After being in circulation seme years, it has fallen to the lot of Mr Mac George, of Glasgow, to discover that the quartering* on the shield of Britannia on the existing bronze coinage are wrong. The device on the shield ought to be the same as that on the national flag—that is, the English cross of St. George, with the St. Andrew’s cross or saltire of Scotland side by side with the Irish saltire. The Scottish cross, however, has by some oversight been omitted, and a new issue of coins is about to take place, remedying the defect. These coins will bo distinguished by the Mint mark “H” on the reverse. This “ mint mark” indicates, wo believe, that these coins are struck at the branch mint at Birmingham under the superintendence of Messrs Heaton. Soma recognition of his discovery is duo to Mr MaoGoorge, whose initial might not urn worthily have figured on the new coins. Perhaps, however, it is the intention of the authorities to reward his heraldic zeal by appointing him Herald in Ordinary to the Mint. One cannot help reflecting how fortunate it is that the cross of St. Andrew and not the banner of St. Patrick was the only omission. In the latter event there would have been another addition to “ Ireland’s wrongs,” unless, indeed, the accident had not been seized upon by the superstitious as an omen of that complete withdrawal, not only of St. Patrick’s banner, but of his land, from the Union which in certain quarters is openly advocated,—“The Colonies and India.”

The Valley of Death.— The Valley of Death, a spot almost as terrible as tho prophet’s valley of dry bones, lies just north of the old Mormon road to California—a region thirty miles long by thirty broad, and surrounded, except at two points, by inaccessible mountains. It is totally devoid of water and vegetation, and tho shadow of a bird or

wild beast never darkens its white, glaring sands. The Kansas Pacific railroad engineers discovered it, and some papers, which show the fate of the “ lost Montgomery train/ 1 which came from S»uth Salt Lake in 1850, guided by a Mormon. When near Death Valley, some came to the conclusion that the Mormon knew nothing of the country, so they appointed one of their number a leader, and broke off from their party. The leader turned due west, and so, with the people and waggons and the flocks, he travelled for three days, and then descended into the broad valley whose treacherous mirage promised water. They reached the centre, but only the white sands bounded by scorching peaks met their gaze. And around the valley they wandered, one by one the men died, and the panting flocks stretched themselves in death under the sun. The children crying for water, died at their mothers' breasts, and with swollen tongues and burning vitals the mothers followed. Waggon after waggon was abandoned, and strong men tottered and raved and died. After a week’s wandering, a dozen survivors found some water in the hollow of a mountain. It lasted but a short time, and they all perished but two, who escaped out of the valley and followed the trail of their former companions. Eighty-seven families, with hundreds of animals, perished here, and now, after twenty-two years, the waggons stand still complete, the iron works and tires are still bright, and the shrivelled skeletons lie side by side. The King Cohhtbt.— The following letter from a gentleman long resident in the Mokau district to a friend in Auckland was recently published in the “ Herald I came down right through the King Country lately. I stopped at the leading kiangae, and the feeling is in favor of roads, &o. The Natives (Maniapotoi) are astonished at a section of pakehas bolstering up Xawhiao. The Natives say that Tawhiao can have nothing to complain of, because he refused a kingdom and an annuity from Sir G. Grey at Kopua. Wahanui will not support Tawhiao in closing or delaying the opening of the country. The proposed railway line is very level, and there is plenty of timber and stone (principally lime stone) for building and ballasting. The lino from Te Awamutu to Waitara will be constructed for £SOOO per mile. From Te Awamutu to the Mokau it will be constructed for less than £4OOO per mile. You are (both sides) all adrift as to who is opening the country. It is neither the Government nor the officials —the truth is, Wetere is the man. I told you last April that Wetere had broken away from the King at Hikurangi. Well, ever since that he has pushed the matter of opening the country to his utmost, and he deserves whatever credit there is in the affair. Tawhiao would not have dreamed of giving up his guns last Juno had he not been deserted by Wetere previously. I know this is a fact. In truth Tawhiao had a paper at Hikurangi (1831) for all the chiefs to sign, handing over their lands to him, and it was Wetere that tore it up and burst the bubble. Bewi and Wetere are working together. The land in the King country is good land, and for about twenty miles south of Kapua it will bo fit for plough and agriculture, but from there to Mokau the land, although good, is not level for ploughing. It will make good sheep runs, and carry heavy stock. _ The Lower Mokau is entirely valueless for either grazing or agriculture, being so broken.

Destitute Patients' Belief Fund —On Saturday last a meeting of the committee of the above fund was held at the Hospital, when it was determined to hold a fancy dress ball in aid of the fund during the mouth of May, probably on the Queen’s Birthday. The arrangements for the ball are left in the hands of Dr. Frankish, the chairman of the staff, and Mr Bell, the steward of the Hospital ; and as the object for which the ball is projected is one which will commend itself to all classes of the community, no doubt there will be a crowded attendance. The committee have alrtariy received a large number of applications for ticke's, and in view of the ball several intending visitors have already selected their drosses. Messrs Joubert and Xwopeny have, with their usual liberality, granted the use of the art gallery free of charge for the ball, and the Austrian Band has been engaged. His Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon and Lady Gordon have signified their intention -of being.present.