Interprovincial Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 811, 4 August 1870, Page 2

Interprovincial Items.

AUCKLAND. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] 27th July, 1870. Our law courts are still busy, principally with insolvencies and winding up of bubble

companies.

A collision between a ketch and a steamer took place during the night of the 23rd July, the ketch sinking almost immediately. Her crew succeeded in reaching the land. Of the steamer no word has yet arrived, as she was outward-bound at the time, and was expected to return to-day; and the wind, a stiff nor'-easter, may have delayed her. The ketch's men appear to have put the helm the wrong way—starboard in* stead of port. Lately a case bearing on the same subject was heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court, and the defendant (the master of the steamer Williams) was fined £IOO for risking a collision. An attempt was made in the Southern Cross to make it appear as if the fine was too heavy, but in my opinion it was not a shilling too much if the defendant was really guilty j and of his guilt, or that of those nnder him, the evidence left not the slightest doubt, except it was perjured, and that is a supposition not to be entertained without good reasons. Generally speaking, it ' is very difficult to get a true account of a collision. The crew of one vessel are almost sure to swear directly contrary to that of the other; each man appears to adopt the side of bis ship, and sees the case through glasses of the same color as his officers, skipper, or owners; and passengers' evidence is but lightly esteemed on nautical questions. What carried this case, and secured the judgment, was the fact that several nautical men were passengers, and were actually on deck at the time of the occurrence j and their evidence doubtless won the case. Two ex-skippera are not always on the spot with their eyes, open when an accident occurs, or, as in this case, just misses. The Eesident Magistrate was asked to be merciful in the matter of the penalty, but he well observed that had the collision taken place " who would have shown mercy to the unfortunate people on board the steamer?" whose chance of floating would have been so very slender. Yet the people on board the Williams swore positively that she did not change her course, and that if the Royal Alfred had likewise kept hers there would not have been any danger to either. But the Alfred's people, passengers too> swore distinctly that the Williams changed her course so as to cross the Alfred's bows, and nearly ran her down. Some people argue that if there was no "ru e of the road" at sea there would be fewer collisions, as if the uncertainty in which those in charge of meeting ships would be was. likely to ensure them not only each taking the safest course, but each always guessing correctly which side the other was going to pass. Is not such an idea absurd ? Is it not more correct to argue* if so many collisions occur when each party knows distinctly which side he ought to pass, how many more would happen if there was no right i course laid down by authority ? Those who have charge of passenger boats, have to some extent the lives of their fel-low-creatures in their hands* and should be severely punished when they risk, them unnecessarily, whether from jealousy, or stupidity. I recollect seeing something very similar ocour about twa years ago on a passage between Auckland.

and the Thames, one boat so jockeying the other as to leave her the alternative of risking a collision with the rival boat or ■with a reef, or stopping her engines j she adopted the latter course. To ine it ap peared an act of sheer mischief on the part of those in charge of the rival boat. Yet, if in either this case or the other a collision had oocurred, and the rival boat sunk, and most of her passengers and crew been drowned, doubtless the winning boat's people would have been able to prove that it was purely accident, or that the lost boat's people were in fault! The grand Vogel bubble startled even the Aucklanders, and for a few days they talked about it; meanwhile the Gross being directly under Vogel's control went in heavily in support of it j aud the Herald being in strict alliance with the Fox ministry followed suit. It would be difficult to prove which way public opinion holds; but as I have on many previous occasions remarked, the Auckland press does not always represent the public opinion of Auckland; and any person acting on the supposition that it did, would often find himself in the wrong box. With a large class borrowing is always popular ; mo that qu te possiby the borrowing policy might secure a majority in Auckland. The Evening News is now in altogether different hands from those which guided it a year ago ; a change which I have no doubt is equally beneficial to the paper and the public It has hit out freely against the ministerial scheme. The Evening Star has condemned the scheme one day and commended it another. The Thames Advertiser has opposed it, without giving any uncertain sound. Messrs. Wood and Gillies deserve credit for not allowing the ministerial resolutions to be passed offhand and unopposed. Their conduct ought to be remembered by all who look on the colony as a home for selves and families. That so many votes in favour of the scheme are to be found in the House, is a remarkable coincidence with the fact that so many seats are filled by men who have no stake in the country j not to consider.the further fact that so many of the members are now billet men.

It is with much regret I learn that the ministry decline to make such an alteration an our electoral law as would make per nonation Jess easy than it now is. Fox is reported to have said that it is unknown in the colony, except at the Bay of Islands Fox is as far wrong as he was when he pledged his word not to expend more than $150,000 on native and defence purposes, and followed that by spending nearly double that sum. Here are persons who will carry an election by procuring the personation of twenty, fifty, or a hundred votes. I wish some of them were at Rangitikei, and opposed to Fox, so as to jeopardise his seat; perhaps he would then help to check such a system. But if we are to wait until a majority of seats are won by such means, we may then ask, will Satan cast out Satan ?

Commercially things continue very dull. The last heavy failure has doubtless increased the dullness. Men may well ask, Who is to go next ? When a man who rates as a leading man in the religious world continues striving and speculating with his creditors' money, until his assets are only about one-tenth of his liabilities, it is time to look aghast.

July 29.

The Taranaki having been detained until to-day I have time to add that there is no tidings yet of the steamer Tauranga, which was run into by a schooner on the night of the 23rd inst. Some uneasiness is naturally felt on the subject, but it is hoped sinhas only been delayed by the stormy weather.

The West Coast Times in an article upon that part of the budget referring to the payment of revenue to the Province, says: —The duties paid through the Cus* toms of Westland amount to more than £6 per head of the whole population ; ■whilst in the agricultural provinces, Canterbury, portions of Otago, Auckland, and others, the amount per head is not onehalf, as the population is, in a great measure maintained on the produce of its own labor. On the West Coast this is not so. The people cannot eat their gold, but are compelled to sell it or barter it for provisions or luxuries, on which heavy duties are imposed. Again, the former has no tax to pay on the produce that his land yields; but the miner has first to pay a direct tax in the shape of a miner's right, for permission to search for the precious jjjetal, and if he is lucky enough to find it,

is again mulcted in export duty before he can tuxn it to account. Our present object, however, is to prove conclusively, that the existing Government not only have imposed increased and unjustifiable taxation on the gold-fields of Now Zealand, but that in addition they are about to commit what is neither more nor less thau a bare-faced robbery on this country, by - substituting capitation allowance in lieu of the moiety of the Consolidated Revenue hitherto received. On another occasion we shall have more to say, but in the meantime most devoutly hope that the career of such a charlatan Government—not to use a much stronger phrase—may be abruptly checked by the vote of the Assembly, after the financial debate has been concluded.

The Daily Southern Cross, 29th July, says:—Yesterday was an eventful one for the Agricultural interest in this province. The double furrow plough made by Mr James. Wallace, of Otahuhu, was subjected to a public trial, on the Penrose farm, in the occupation of Every M'Lean, Esq., M.P.C, and proved a decided success. The two furrows were turned with the greatest ease and reaularity, with a draught of about 6wt.; and, in the same ground a single furrow plough would have registered about 4cwt. The ground was in as bad condition as could be, and the plough cut deeper than the ground had ever been ploughed before, but over these and other difficulties the plough completely triumphed. Not one of the many farmers who witnessed the experiments, but went away at their close astonished at the performance of the implement. Auckland has thus been the first province to start the manufacture of double furrow ploughs, an industry which will aid largely ere long to promote successful settlement in many portions of the colony. Amongst a number of returns laid on the table of the House of Representatives on the 7th ult., was one showing the quantity and value of coals imported into New Zealand since 1853. From this return, it appears that the total quantity of coals imported amounted to 696,632 f tons, valued at £1,340,030. This return muss show the importance of at once developing the coal deposits of the Colon}. Ho w this good work may be best accomplished it is difficult to say at once, but something ought to be done in this direction without delay. The Echo writes:—" Canvassing in a quiet manner has, we have been informed, been commenced on behalf of Mr. Vogel for a seat as one of the representatives of Dunedin in the coming Parliament. We hope for the credit of Dunedin and the province, the electors will scout the very proposal. Mr. Vogel's conduct has not been such as to make the electors of Dunedin select a gentleman resident in Auckland as their representative. We hope the citizens will be on their guard > We wonder if Mr. Birch is to be quietly shelved, and that he consents to act in such a subordinate position as a tool of Messrs. Reynolds and Yogel." Writing of the last " deadlock " at Ohinemuri, caused by the extraordinary action of the Native Lands Court, the correspondent of the Thames Advertiser thus concludes :—" Te Hira says that Mr. McLean has been fooling them altogether, but he will not allow him to fool him any more. So the drop scene Ohinemuri falls once more. Everything confirms mj views, written in my former correspondence, that the present Ministry is weak to childishness, and Mr. McLean has proved himself utterly unfitted for the office of Native Minister for the year 1870, and points to the necessity of appointing a gentleman of probity and honour, without possessing any Maori proclivities. The general election being near, will give the people the power of altering this state of things if they will; if not, why, their position in thraldom will be perpetuated. Let the cry be Abolish the Native department." An inquest was held at Coromandel, on Thursday, 21st ult., on the body of John Menk, a Swede, 43 years of age, who died suddenly on the previous day, on board the Lalla llookh. In evidence it was stated that the deceased, who had no friends in this country, and was of sober habits, had been for some time ailing and unable to work, and was about going to the Shortland Hospital. He left the shore at Coromandel in a boat, and was assisted on board the Lalla Rookh, but fell dead immediately on stepping on board. The medical evidence was to the effect that the cause of death was acute diseaso of the lungs. The jury returned a verdict of " Death from natural causes."

The Auckland Evening News writes:— " Mr. Vogel may send home, as we are informed he did by the last mail, copies of his financial statement by the hundred, with letters of instruction to the Commissioners, as Mr. Fox tells us he did, as to how they are to deal with them. But neither members of the Stock Exchange nor Her Majesty's home government have such short memories as to run the least risk of forgetting what the Commissioners have already said as to Messrs. Vogel and Fox's intentions. On the contrary, this has been adopted, both by one and other, as the ground of a definite course of action, And, apart from the wildness and impracticability of the scheme embodied in that statement, what will they be likely to say, if they ever take the trouble to read it ? Is it unreasonable to suppose them saying, 1 there is no dependence to be placed on the word of these people? They stick at nothing. To ward off temporary inconvenience, tbey would involve themselves land us in all sorts of future difficulties.' In one sense, we deeply regret the necessity for this unfavorable view of the case. In another, we are rather rejoiced at it. We shall be saved from disaster and ruin in spite of ourselves. The holders of the purse strings at home will never allow us to plunge ourselves into debt and difficulty to any such extent as is now contemplated, if we were even seriously to attempt it. Mr. Fox's vision of British capitalists saying,— * Here is a colony whose reproductive worth is twenty millions, we can safely lend them ten millions,' —is the wildest of chimeras. Far more likely are they to say,—' Here is a man talking of borrowing ten millions for New Zealand, who, two or three years ago, wished to see |the credit of the colony so destroyed that it could not borrow another sixpence.' " We (Nelson Mail) have been shown the new notes that are about to be issued by the Bank of New Zealand, and which are really excellent specimens of artistic skill., On the left hand tide are two engravings within circular borders, the one represent ing Mount Eguiont in the distance, with two Maories clothed in mats in the foreground, and the other being the Bank — namely, a thoroughly New Zealand scene, with a volcano in eruption in the background. In the centre of the £1 notes are the words one pound on a green ground, the colors being different in each description of note, the fives being buff, the tens light brown, and the twenties lavender.

We take the following from the Evening Post, July 25 : —" A letter, ostensibly signed by four Maoris, appeared in the Independent of Saturday, headed ' Maori reply to European Slanders.' The letter professed to emanate from the JSgatiporou tribe, and was an indignant denial of the assertions made in some newspapers that the ' friendly ' natives are not quite the most reliable individuals in Christendom., Had the Maoris themselves asserted their loyalty, and denied that there was any foundation for the suspicions entertained of them, it would have been well j but the letter to which we allude is so palpable a sham that it cannot delude the veriest new chum. It is neither more nor less than an attack on Colonel Whitmore, in which. European spite and malignity is clothed in the garb of Maori periphrasis. Every line of the letter bears evidence ol its being European composition —spontaneous, or mauufactured to order; and thoiagh it may suit very well to print in Parliamentary papers, or form an enclosure in the Governor's despatches to England in Now Zealand it can only excite contempt and disgust at the paltry dodges which some people can stoop to for the sake of injuring a political opponent." The Alexandra correspondent of the Daily Southern Cross writes:—" The King natives seem determined no business shall be done with them in their territory. A half-caste sent up some £30,000 worth of goods by a native for sale at the Kuiti, but he was not allowed to sell any of them, for they stripped him of them ; yet the very same people arc constantly coming here with their produce for sale, such as pigs maize, &c. I wonder how they would like to be treated in the same way here. What is sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander." Affairs seem to be particularly dull in Hokitika. We learn from a contemporary that some of the best shops in that town in the best business stands, with dwelling premises attached, including counters, fittings, &c., cannot find tenants at 12s a week, having formerly been let at from £4 to £6 per week. Even the local chimney sweep has been compelled to leave, and seek his livolihjod in Grey mouth.

PROTECTION OF NATIVE INDUSTRIES. We [Nelson Examiner] have received the follow ing letter from a politician of eminence, who desires us, for evident reasons, for the present to withhold his name. It is, we believe, his intention to coalesce with the Fox-Vogel Ministry in the event of the success of their present policyWhile we do not wholly coincide with his sentiments, we think them worthy of consideration :

Sir, —As a thorough going Protectionist, I am as much grieved by the course you are taking as I am comforted by that of our faithful Colonist. Indeed I have but one quarrel with the Colonist's politics, and Mr. Vogel's budget. Neither go far enough. However, I know that the small end of the wedge must be got in first. Verb. sap. Of course it is quite right to tax labouring men, and diggers, and the mercantile classes to secure a market for the farmer. But surely, sir, the labouring men have a good right to complaiu that the Government encourages immigration, in other words is cheapening labour, the only commodity they have for sale. If native produce is to be protected, are human beings, the noblest product of the soil—who dare dispute it—not to be protected ? Or, sir, will Mr. Vogel venture to affirm, that human beings cannot be produced in New Zealand ? The very stones, which the children are for ever throwing, will convince him of the untruth. Indeed, sir, I would on this ground, prohibit all machinery, for it is evident that the work to be done would employ more labour if steam thrashing-machines and ploughs Wv-re prohibited. Why protect the farmer, nay, allow him to introduce machinery duty free, and leave the labourer out in the cold ?

It is evident, too, from your own columns, and those of your contemporaries, that we have literary talent in our midst — mute, inglorious Miltons, Shakespeares, and Maeaulays—(l was sorry to see your contemporary this morning, quoting the last named foreign author). Why allow books and journals to be imported from the old countries, which possess a manifest superiority over ours in all literary appliances. Is this fair to native talent? I myself, sir, am only deterred by our tn.irket being flooded with literature written and printed in England from bringing out a work of perfectly Encyclopedic character, '• Upon the Nature of Things in General, and Other Subjects." This work, I have reason to believe, would be greedily purchased and read by the New Zealand public—were not the foreign trash admitted duty free! Then again, sir, we import bishops, clergymen, schoolmasters, judges, and lawyers, all duty free. Why should we not place a prohibitive duty on them, and distribute these billets amongst ourselves ? I might have been a judgo or a bishop, if imported articles of that nature had been excluded by our tariff. Nay, sir, I would go further. I do not see how our commuuity is profited by keeping money in the colony, if the said money goes away from Nelson to Canterbury or Otago, or if gentlemen from Wellington are thrust into our Post-office and Custom house. Why not keep our billets and our money to ourselves ? Why purchase Canterbury cheese, and Otago oats when a moderate duty would enable Nelson farmers to produce these articles ? The only attempt, and it is mainly passive, to protect us, is due to the much-abused Pro- , vincial officials, who keep our wharf in a condition which makes importation next to impossible. All wnarves should be destroyed, and all shipping forbidden to enter Blind Bay. That were thoroughgoing Protection. Again, sir, will you, after reading the noble quotation in this morning's Colonist, persist in opposing increased and increasing indebtedness? Has England flourished in consequence of its debt, or in spite of it ? Is not England to this very day the poor man's paradise because of this debt ? Do you pretend to wish to see the labouring classes of this colony better off than those of our mother-country —of Wapping and Mile End ? Do you or do you not desire that we may have speedily enacted a counter-part to the English poor Law—the Magna Charta of mendicity ? Do you call yourself an Englishman, and not desire these thing's ? And are not they iu great part owing to that glorious National Debt ? Or would you pretend that the cases of New Zealand and England are not parallel ? Why will you not, like Burke, in the Colonist, look to the gigantic strength, that will enable us to bear any burthen, and not, Cassandra-like, stare stupidly at the burden we are asked to take up ? Does not all colonial experience teach us—an argument, no doubt, held in reserve by the Colonist —that the readiest road to prosperity is fraudulent bankruptcy, accompanied by provident settlements on your wife ? Would you deny this royal road to wealth to the country of your adoption ? Tuink, sir, of the pickings of those £10,000,000, and support the Government. Tbe arguments in favour of protection are so powerful, that they have converted the Colonist instanter. Are you so dull that they have not the slightest effect on your besotted intellect;? After this exposition of my sentiments, you will no doubt permit me to subscribe myself,

A little girl, sent out to hunt for eggs, came back unsuccessful, complaining- that " lots of hens were standing around, doing nothing,"

South Sea Island Labob.—lt is dated in an Auckland paper that the lawless conduct of the South Sea Island labor seekers has got the native inhabitants of those groups into a state of great excitement, and has rendered any attempts at fair trading extremely perilous.

Land fob G-basses.—The success of grasses being largely dependent on the; condition of the soils, we may be excused for directing attention to the subject. A firm seed bed is "as essential to rye-grass, and more so to prairie-grass than to wheat. In all of these cases the roller or the land* presser is more serviceable than the harrow, and that fact is not recognised by one farmer out of twenty. The work of preparing land for grasses cannot be commenced too soon after harvest, if ploughing or deep-working be intended. But the latter will be the better for neither the one nor the other the same season the grass is to be sown. Deeply worked for the previous crop, we would work it no more than slightly harrow it to get rid of any weeds that may have germinated since the crop was taken off. HOW TO DESTROY THISTLES. The Journal of the Mew York State Agricultural Society states that a farmer had a field, about thirty-five years ago, completely covered with thistles ; he cut them and not one ever revived. This curious fact led him to a long series of experiments to discern if the particular date at which they were cut might not explain the phenomena. For many years, therefore, he has cut the thistles, marking dates, and watching the results. He practised this cutting every day in the season except Sundays. For four years past he has cut them on August 15th, 17th, 18th, 20th, and 24th, and not one has lived. His reasoning us to their destruction is, that at this period the pith is not full in the sta'k ; that rain and moisture settle in the stalk, and they rot to the root. This is certainly worth a fair trial. If by the simple observance of certain dates the roots of the thistle will die, and thus prevent numbers of plants from springing up, the world has gained an invaluable blessing. It is an experiment that will cost little, and in any event the thistle will be cut off. These facts should not be lost sight of by our Now I Zealand farmers.

Shampooing- a Sailor.—-William Gill, a sunburnt, hardy mariner, was charged at the Thames Office the other day with baing drunk and disorderly, and wilfully breaking a looking glass and a glass water bottle, the property of Mark Goldstein, a hairdresser, of Well street. The prisoner, who was more than " half-seas " over, roiled into the barber's shop with a formidable beard like a shoe brush stuck beneath his nose, and a head of hair resembling a bundle of well tarred and stiff oakum, on which he had been in the practice of wiping his hands during a long voyage to Melbourne, Cochin, and other places and back. The sailor demanded a shave and shampoo. The barber essayed the difficult task of making an impression on the well cultivated and hardy beard and tarry mop of the mariner, and with the aid of a strong lather of hot water, soap, and salts of tartar, managed to penetrate the beard, spoiling half-a-dozen razors, and to shampoo the sailor's head of hair and tar, and turned him out like any " von gentleman." The inebrieted son of Neptune was, however, not at all pleased with the change, and swore that the barber had spoiled his figurehead, and made him look like a halfstarved monkey in a fit. In vain the barber protested that the sailor was so vastly improved in appearance that he was fit for the drawing room of the most polished court in Europe. The sailor swore he would be revenged for the transformation, capsized everything in the place, and bi*oka a looking glass and other things. He was secured by a police constable and taken to ihe station. He now expressed his regret, and said he was a homeward bounder, and was to be paid on April 23. The magistrate advised the barber not to shampoo a drunken sailor again, and fined the defendant Is., and ordered him to pay 7s. 6d. for the damage he had done.

The Alleged Cruelties at Tahiti. —We (Southern Cross) learn on good authority that in compliance with the urgent request of the Tahiti Cotton Company, a French commission has been appointed co inquire into the allegations made by disappointed and unprincipled persona against the company, Some time ago, a dan Francisco paper, we believe, published a sensational story written by some person who is supposed do have run away from Tahiti with money which did not belong to him, and against whom it is said the Cotton Company issued writs, but without avail. The unfounded statements, however, which this man had furnished to the San Francisco paper, were copied into the. American .Press, and so made their way to Europe; and in Auckland the sensational story was incautiously re-publiahed from the Australasian in an evening contemporary. We understand that the local representatives of the company have now been authorised to commence an action aganist the proprietors of the paper in question, laying the damages at £4OOO. la addition to this step for vindicating the company, a French commission will sit shortly at Tahiti, consisting of a general, a judge, and a commissaire, to enquire into tha whole matter. As regards the action against our contemporary, we think he is deserving of sympathy, seeing that he could not have re-published the article with any malicious intention* Indeed it was only after careful inquiry, and having satisfied ourselves that the allegations against the company were without foundation in fact that we excluded the article in question. The error of our contemporary was in inserting the article without due inquiry,.