The regular monthly inspection parade of the Napier Artillery Volunteers was to take place on Clive Square at i o'clock this afternoon. The regular monthly inspection parade of the Napier Rifle "Volunteers and the Volunteer Cadet Corps was held this morning on Clive Squaic. The weather was favorable, and there was a good muster. At the of the drill, Sergeant Blake, N R.V., was presented by Major Withers with a new Snider rifle'' and 100 rounds of ammunition —a prize for his marksmanship in the District competition. Volunteer Stubbs, N.R.V., was also presented with a first class marksman's badge, Major Withers at the same time paying him a high compliment regarding his efforts to improve the rifle practice of the corps. There is a probability of our Volunteers being armed with Snider rifles at an early date—as soon, in fact, as the Government have decided as to the best manner in which to distribute them. The Luna, which left this port last night for various places along the East Coast, was the bearer of some twenty tons of potatoes for distribution amongst certain tribes of natives. In anticipation of the forthcoming class-firing, the Napier Rifle Volunteers will, v\c hear, commence rifle practice next week. In the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning one case of drunkenness was dealt with in the usual manner. It is just twenty years to-day since gold was first, discovered at Ballarat (Victoria.) A petition signed by upwards of 2000 parents and guardians of nearly 6000 children of various denominations, attending the schools of Otago, has been transmitted for presentation to the House of Representatives, praying that the present education system of Otago may not be interfered with. We (Evening Star) are informed that several petitions from different districts have not been received. The Duneclin Evening Star, says : It is not improbable that one effect of the Victorian tariff will be the establishment of a direct trade between the mother country and Tasmania. Of late years that island had drawn most of its supplies of European manufactures from open stocks in Melbourne ; and at the 'same time Tasmanian exports necessarily found their way tr.rough the same channel to Europe, and here also some profit accrued to Melbourne. But as it is the policy of Victoria to cut up our inter-colonial trade, root and branch, the Tasmanians —small blame to them— will naturally make an effort tp revive and extend the direct commercial intercourse of their colony with Great Britain.
We learn from a contemporary that Mr Bird, Inspector of Telegraphs, has arrived at Hokitika for the purpose of laying out a line of telegraph to Ross, one of the most important mining townships in Westland. There appears to be a prospect of the Picton and Blenheim railway being commenced before long. Assurers in the Australian Mutual Provident Society are petitioning the General Assembly to grant the same privileges as under the Government system. The "> Auckland Whaling Company " has been gazetted. The barque Albion was to have left Auckland on her first whaling cruise on the 31st ult. According to a Tasmauian paper, there are upwards of 140 public houses in Hobart Town. Mr. Macandrew has tabled a motion in the House of Representatives for making the Middle Island one Province under a Lieutenant-Governor, the present members to be a Legislative body for the new Province. He also proposes rhat the Legislative Council for the Colony shall be elected for ten years, with a property qualification of not less value than free from incumbrances. The Thames gold-iields would appear to be going a-head. The New Zealand Heiald in the latest issue states "that the gold-mines show no falling off in the yield of the precious metal—that, on the contrary, ite prospects are improving ; that trade is healthy ; and that credit is good." The above information is for " readers at. home." The Evening Post, Ist ins*., «ays : The debate in the House yesterday brought out the fact, which seemed scarcely to receive the attention, which it deserved, that the Executive actually discussed among themselves the advisability of suppressing the Comptroller's report, instead of laying it on the table of the House, because it happened to contain matter which they considered might damage them in the opinion of the House and the public. A more serious matter we have seldom had to notice. The Comptroller is not an officer under the Ministry, but is appointed by the House to act as a check upon the Ministry. His duty is to stand impartially between the House and the Executive; and if it had not been contemplated that something he might have to say, do, or write things unpalatable to the Ministry of the day, his appoint in en lis unaccountable. The piesent Executive have so acted as to compel him to make, in the proper dis charge of his duty, a statement by no nieans pleasing to them, and the public should well note the consequences, The suppression of the obnoxious statement is considered, desired, and at length only undone through fear, while Ministers, smarting under the check given them, seek to persuade the House that the office of Comptroller is useless, and should be abolished. And their arguments in support of the abolition are singular, being neither more nor less tha'n that they, by unscrupulous disre gard for honor and common honesty have been able to set at nought the safeguards which the Comptrollers Act have drawn around the public purse. Perhaps the Act requires amending to the extent of rendering fraud and dishonesty in Ministers impossible; but perhaps Ministers requiring such extreme checks should not be left in positions that present to them irresistible temptation. A machine has recently been perfected in London, with which a writer, using a pen in the usual manner, can at the same time produce a duplicate so small as to be invisible to the naked eye, yet so distinct that a microscope will reveal every line and dot. A most useful application of the apparatus will be for the prevention of forgery, as private marks can be made on notes and securities, legible under microscopic power, but which no imitator could see or even suspect the presence of The inventor, a Mr Peters, states that the entire contents of the Bible can, with the help of this machine, be written twenty two time* in the space of a »quare inch,
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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1113, 6 September 1871, Page 2
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1,067Untitled Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1113, 6 September 1871, Page 2
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