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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 825, 26 September 1870, Page 2

The Gourlay Family were, at latest dates, performing in .Nelson. According to the Bruce Standard, farmers in the Taieri district (Otago), are anticipating a rise in the price of grain. Holders of oats are refusing 3s per bushel. From the Tuapeka Times we observe that the total abstinence movement is gaining ground fast in Tuapeka, and other districts of Otago. The Gridiron Hotel, Hokitika, was recently sold for £331. Over £3OOO had been spent on the extension and improvement of the hotel since it was first erected.

The Wairarapa Mercury, Sept. 14, says : Mr Coleman, from Napier, has been in tbe Valley purchasing store cattle to take to Ahu*. rid. We are informed that he wants 200 head, but owing to the spring feed coming on so well, owners are unwilling to sell. Tho Wairarapa, moreover, has been pretty well thinned of its surplus stock during the last winter.

A slight shock of earthquake was felt at Grey town at 445 p.m. on tbe 13th inst. A road steamer of 12-horse power, and calculated to cost £3OO, is expected to arrive at Auckland about Christmas.

The German residents in Wellington (says the Evening Post of the 13th inst.) held a meeting last night at the Empire Hotel, for the purpose of taking steps to raise subscriptions for the reliet of those Germans who will be sufferers by the war between France and Prussia. The attendance was not largo, but the sum of £l6 was subscribed at once, and lists were drawn out to be left at various places. Mr Hirschburg, a well-known resident of Grey town, not knowing what steps had been taken here, wrote to Mr JBCrull, urging him to lake steps for procuring subscriptions, and forwarding a donation of live pounds. The German residents of Hokitika have formed a club, the primary object of which ia. to afford assistence to those of their countrymen who may be overtaken by sickness or who are in distressed circumstances, and tho secondary object, the formation of a library and a singing class. We learn from the Mercury that Mr Vogel's Financial Scheme has received a new interpretation from the Wairarapa Maoris. They have got the report that Dv Featherstou haa mortgaged the whole of .New Zealand for six millions ; that he first wanted ten, but that the Q,ueen thought the security doubtful, aud would only advance the former amount for three years. Our dusky brethren say that she will foreclose at the end of that term, and complain loudly that this is a new, method of obtaining their hitherto unsold lands. Perhaps they will get up another petition protesting against tue unfair behaviour, and we. may yet see it printed in tiie Times with Mr Hadiieid's signature at the conclusion certify-, ing to correctness of the translation.

ENGLISH AKD FOREIGN. THE WAR IN EUEOPE. We continue our extracts from the News of the World, 11th August s It is said that the French are throwing a bridge over the Rhine, near Kehl. The Times hints that English intervention is probable in case of the Prussians losing strength. , It was reported in London on the 4th ot August that Count DeComment Laforce had arrived as a special messenger from "Due de Grammont to assure the Government that France will respect the neutrality of Belgium, and it is added that he met with a cool reception. • Five companies of the Prussian army are mainly composed of Poles. There were reports, on the 6th August that | the Emperor Napoleon was ill. An officer of the Union Club, of Berlin, has \ accepted a large wager offered by M. Thomas, i of Paris, that the Freach will be in Berlin on i the 17th August. l It is rumoured that England will send two . frigates to the Tiber to protect the Pope. , Germany makes the dethronement of the Bonapartes its ultimatum. A correspondent endorsed by the Times as trustworthy and neutral, gives the following interesting details of the battle of Saarbrucken : "The French made some prisoners; but captured no cannon; they lost 40 killed sad 60 wounded. The French force in battle is estimated at 30,000, and the Prussians at only 6,000. The artillery won the fight; there was but little infantry "and no cavalry engaged. It was the 59th "Prussian regiment and not the 50th as before reported, which was engaged in the battle. Three companies of the 40th held their graund against the French until the latter's force had fully developed their strength. The small force of Prussians then retired. [Saarbrucken was retaken by the Prussians on the day following its capture by the French, the loss on both sides being heavy."] On the 18th July, the New York Tribune's London correspondent telegraphed as follows —Not a word of M. Thiers' remarkable speech [in the French Legislative Assembly] was allowed to reach England by telegraph. There has been a systematic scheme afloat to deceive Europe about public opinion in France respecting the war, and deceive France about the opinions of Europe. Telegrams to the English papers during the last week have misrepresented the tone of the French independent press and suppressed manifestations against the war. This press censorship was never more active and unscrupulous. In spite of its first favorin" France, the English press now, without exception, charge France with the responsibility of the war. It appears that after Grammont's declaration a demand was made for the despatches. Ollivier, after refo&in* to send them, was compelled to admit that France had finally declared war on account of the Prussian despatch communicating to Europe m Courts the King's refusal to receive the French ambassador, and that this despatch, thus made the basis of the war, had not been ssen by any French Minister. The Government had, in foot- declared war on what purported to be an abstract of that despatch supplied by two French spies, whose names were withheld when war was announced. The Left refused to join in the shouts of the majority. When the majority voted an extra war credit of five hundred million francs, the Left again sat silent. Tliisrs, after declaring his love for his country, and his patriotic determination, when war should be declared, to grant to the Government the means of conquering, said : "Our onjp duty is to reflect. The resolution you have just adopted is the death of thou sands of men in one instant. I beseech you to reflect. Bethink you of the Bth May, 1866. You refused then to hear me when I sought to show you what was about to happen. Let that recollection persuade you to listen now. The principal demand of the Government has been conceded by Prussia. My conscience tells me I fulfil a duty «n resisting imprudent passions and representing soberly the country s interest. Is this a time for you to break the peace on a mere susceptibility ? You are shedding torrents of blood for a question of form. Iffhadthe honor to govern my country, 1 should have wished to give it time for reflection and recollection. I regard this war as an imprudence, and its occasion as ill chosen - After the despatches upon which the declaration was made had been repeatedly demanded and, after refusal, Ollivier said : " I will read two despatches, but not the signature, for our agents would be sent away.'' He then read a part of one despatch, confirming the refusal of Kine William to receive the French Ambassador, and two despatches from French agents abroad, giving the substance of Bisntarck's circular. The circular itself O liner did'not pretend to produce. He concluded by savin* • "We go 10 war with a light heart, and confident in our army. We will tell the whole truth. What we could not enda. e was the communication to all Europe of the rejection of our Ambassador- ail the more sigrwfucant because done in the most courteous terms " Thiers replied to Ollivier, saying : "It is a blunder to make war with Prussia. She ought to have been attacked when she declared to unite the German States. I hen war would have been legitimate, and we would have been sustained. _ Prussia has also committed a great fault in negotiating with Spain ; yet Prussia wished peace, and we have war. If we had still to require the reiectim of the Hsbeiizollern candidature I should still be with you. You had not only obtained your point, but you nad the form and substance of both. Yet you say Prussia has not yielded in form, and we have been insulted. Public opinion will turn against us. The journals of Europe will be against us. Prussia would never have assumed this candidature. It would have been madness.

Advices from Rome represent that the Jesuits are endeavouring to induce the Pope to remove to Malta. The passage in the Emperor's proclamation to th 6 army, predicting that the war would be long and arduous, produced depression and uneasint ss throughout France, The neutrality of England will be difficult, and, perhaps, impossible and dishonorable, should Holland and Belgium bo involved in the war. It is reported that Don Fernando, of Portugal, has accepted the proffer of the Crown of Spain. It is said in Berlin that the failure of the intrigue of the Empress Eugenie to marry her neice, the Duchess of Alba, to Prince Leopold, is the real source of the present trouble between France and Prussia. The father of the Duchess is now in Madrid, drowned in debt, and generally despised. GENERAL NEWS. The weather in the United States has been intensely hot lately. Sixteen fatal case 3of sunstroke are reported. A lady of title, the widow of an Irish peer, we are told, was recently among the recipients of out-door relief at Lambeth Workhouse. Specimens of some beautiful plants have been recently introduced from North America, and many are of peculiar merit. The Inman Company's steamer City of Paris, which arrived at New York from Liverpool and Queenstown the other day, had on board one of the largest mails ever carried across the Atlantic. No less than 288 sacks of mails were landed, and 171 were despatched on June 28 from the Post Office at New York, by way of the New Jersey Central Eailroad, lor San Francisco. A large portion of this unusually heavy mail would be, upon its arrival at San Francisco, reshipped by the new Australian route to Melbourne, New South Wales, and New Zealand. " Viator " writes to the Times as follows: — "Having just landed from a return voyage to Melbourne, I have during the voyages made the discovery why so very few newspapers and books sent by post to Australia are received by those for whom they are intended. It : s because the mail bags containing newspapers are made a kind of circulating library to the passengers, and although some papers, pamphlets, and magazines are, after being read, returned to the bags, a very large number ave otherwise disposed of. Hence our friends complain they are forgotten, and say we never send them from home.'" Upon this a contemporary remarks:—"lf 'Viator' is to be credited, the wonder is not that people write home from Australia complaining of ir regularity in the receipt of newspapers, books, and magazines sent out to them, but that they receive any at all. 'Viator' was bound to have named the ship in which he witnessed, as he alleges, tlrs proceeding, or at all events the line to which she belonged. We have always been given to understand that on board the P. and O. mail steamers it was a physical impossibility to do anything of the kind. As regards what are known as ' ship letters,' transmitted by other than mail packets, we are not aware of the means by which tampering with the mail is guarded against. It is imperative on the Post Office authorities to make a public statement on the subject. ' Viator,' both for his own sake and on public grounds, ought not to continue annonymous " An explosion of gas occurred on July 8 in one of Messrs Staoier & Co.'s collieries, Silverdale, Newcastle. Nineteen bodies have been discovered, and at least a dozen persons are still in the damaged works, all of whom are expected to be found dead. A tatal accident by drowning occurred at Jersey on the afternoon of June 28 to the Hev Edward Heale, minister of All Saints' Church, in that island. The deceased gentleman went to St Aubin's sands to bathe, when he was seen to disappear. Assistance was im-. mediately rendered, but when ho was got out of the water life was quite extinct. Deceased was subject, to fits, and it is presumed he had beea seized with one while in the water. He leaves a widow and a large family to mourn his loss.

On -June 28 a fire broke out in the hosiery factory of Mr William JBridgett, Woolpack Lane, Nottingham. The premises were four storie9 high and very old, having wooden floors and beams throughout. The fire began about the centre of the building, spread with great rapidity, and before even the hand fireengine could be got to work, the flames had burst from the windows and the roof. Ere the flames were got. under, the factory had been gutted from floor to floor. Mr .Bridgets, is partially insured. The damage is estimated from £IO,OOO to £20,000.

On June 20, Mr T. Taylor, of Wakefield, one of the county coroners, held an inquest at Aberford, on the body of Edmund Cotton, who was killed at the JParlington Hall Rifle Eange, while Colonel G-ascoigne, of the Leeds Volunteer Artillery, was having some private practice. Deceased was seventeen years of age, and was employed as a gardners' laborer. The deceased had marked for the colonel five or six times, and seemed to know the duty. On the day in question, however, during the firing he left the stiield without the signal, and was found shot through the body. The jury returned a verdict of " accidentally shot." Queen Isabella, of Spain, has proclaimed her abdication in favor of the Prince of the Asturias, under the title of Alphonse £ll. Full of fa\tb, she says, in the future of Spain —solicitous, for its greatness, integrity, and independence —grateful for the support of those who were and are attached to her —forgetting the affronts of those who do not know her —for herself she asks nothing, but would obey the impulse of. her heart, and the loyal seutiments of the Spaniards, by confiding to their honor and noble feeling the destiny of a traditional dynasty and the heir of a hundred kings,

THE INTERCOLONIAL CONFERENCE, ("From tlae Cromwell Argus.J Another, and by far the most important subject in the debate was our intercolonial protective duties. With the formost thinkers in the colonies and the world over, protection is becoming unpopular. A little light in the midst of much darkness is a precious thing. We thank the Conference for calling attention to the protective, and in some cases prohibitive, duties which are seriously interfering with our colonial trade. They have gained the right path; the thing is to follow it in its leadings to an emancipated commerce and free trade. Protection is dead at the heart of Great Britain ; it is a shame and a sin that it should live in any of its distant members. The surplus productions of one colony here cannot be sent duty free to the unsupplied wants of another. Our policy ought to be directed to the point of shortening the distance as far as possible between the producer in one place and the consumer in another, and the cheapening of the charges of transit all the way to the lowest possible figure. Instead of which, wherever nature has conferred an advantage on one people over another, the surplus thence arising is shut out from all the rest. Oar very sensible statesmanship, by its protective policy, forces it to remain there, to rot there ; or if sent to the nearest colonial market, the tariff charges raise the cost to the consumer, so that the trade languishes and becomes unprofitable. The natural gifts of heaven, meant for all, are a local incumbrance —a burden to a few rather than a blessing to many. Wheat in Adelaide, wine in Victoria, fruit in Tasmania, are like Nature's hand in the margin, kindly stretched out; and the straight finger is directing them to open markets and free interchange. The one cry which is heard the loudest from all the producing classes in this colony is for cheapness in the labour market: the demand of the protectionists is for dearness everywhere else, which simply means poverty and distress to all those who have nothing but labour to sell, and all other things to buy. Cheap labour and protection cannot, ought not to co-exist: they mutually conflict at all points and everywhere they meet. If by a suicidal tariff, we insist upon doubling the cost of all the necessaries of life to the working consumer, is it not heartless to ask him for the only article he has to sell at such a low price as he cannot render it at without privation to himself and all in dependence upon him ? Cheapen his mode of living, and he will supply the markets of New Zealand with labour, which above all other things is most needed, at a reasonable rate. Free trade in the old country was a radical reform successfully applied to long-standing monopolies. We have adopted the alternative, and it is leading us into all kinds of wrong ways, and is preventing our sister dependencies from going in right ones. The long list of charges to be exacted from the producer before he can reach the consumer, and realise upon his productions, ought to be protection enough to home industries. There are the expenses of land and sea carriage, commission, damage, delay, insurance, retail profits, and other incidentals, which, when taken together, constitute a law of protection in themselves ; and to add another charge in the shape of a duty, is to Jiang a millstone about the neck or commerce. Protection may secure benefits to the units, but the thousands must suffer loss. Iu support of this gigantic clog to colonial progress, the exploded literature of a whole generation of protectionists is ransacked and furbished up, and a rehearing is demanded for it by our shallow statesmen. " Protection to native industry " and a demand for free trade set in together some thirty-five years ago in Great Britain. The former was in possession, and had ail the advantages that possession gives: free trade for eleven years had only commou-sense theory to recommend it; and the battle was fought with this disadvantage, till 1846. Within the above period England has nearly doubled its wealth, and nearly doubled its revenue ; and now our second-rate lawgivers send us to England, whose wealth, they say, is reason enough for her free trade policy. But this is like inverting the order of things: it is looking to the grand result of free U'ade as the only safe reason for adopting its principles. America was one of rite nations of importance that raised the dead body of protection, healed its wounds, and gave it permission to live; but it has proved to them, " the man of sin," '* the ruot of all

evil." It laid the foundation of strife between North and South, and has written on the " iron page" of history a leaf red with the blood of a million of their brave people. Protection forced the States of the South to deal with the merchants of the North, to pay higher prices than in the British market for an inferior article, on shorter credit, and with houses of far less established reputation. This political "blunder led on to other evils, which ended in a civil war. Slavery helped, but it was an after-birth: protection was the firstborn, the Esau that sold the inheritance of free trade. These Colonies are committing themselves to the same mistake : one against another. We want population; all say this. Some say we want protection. If these two wants are concurrently supplied, the labor market must be overstocked. Cheap labor will become a necessity: the starviug poor will be under-bidding one another toonake flesh and spirit stick together. The native producer will be able to set his own price upon his productions. Protection will shut the importer out of the market, and thus a monopoly will be possible in favor of a few, and a fierce fight of competition among the thousands. We are immigrationista to the backbone ; but so long as we are so hopelessly overgoverned and tax-beridden, the immigrant has no fair chance amongst us.