Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY,MARCH 14,1872.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1273, 14 March 1872, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. THURSDAY,MARCH 14,1872.

Jn quoting a paragraph from the Otago Daily Times relative to a suggestive characteristic of the press of the Colony, as now evident, —" That there are not more than one or two journals which refuse to admit anything into their columns disparaging to the present Government," —our morning contemporary, in this day's issue, takes occasion to remark that the case is similar with journals which formerly supported the Stafford but one or two of such journals '* persist in their former unmitigated admiration of Mr Stafford and his late colleagues." It goes on to observe that Mr Stafford possessed no more thorough-going thick and supporter than ourselves, and quotes a sentence from our yesterday's article to insinuate a change in our sentiments in this respect. We may remark in reply that we never were thick and thin supporters of any party, and our contemporary must know that we supported with all our ability what we believed to be for the good of the Colony in the policy of the late Government, we never scrupled to condemn what we havo designated as its shortcomings. We do not approve of the retaliatory style of argument, and it is seldom we descend to make use of it .5 but we cannot allow our contemporary's insinuation to pasts without referring to the thorough-going thick and thin support which it awards to the ISfative Minister arid Ins temporising policy, to the exercise of which, years ago, is to be traced much of the evil which has. befallen the Colony, and which necessitated the repressive measures of the late Ministry.

Sunday ljch March, being the anniversary of Ireland's patron saint, the members of the Napier Artillery YoJunteers intend, we hear, ushering in she day by playing a selection of juusic, appropriate to the occasion, between the hours of 10 ant| 12 on Saturday performance to take place on #io green opposite the Herald ©Bke*

The Rifle Volunteer Cadets commenced the firing for the second set this morning, but the inclemency of the weather put a temporary stop to the proceedings. Weather permitting, the competition was to have been resumed at 3 p.m. One of the smartest shocks of earthquake felt in Napier for some considerable time, occurred at about 7.15 last evening- The shock, though heavy, was but of brief duration. Its apparent direction was from N. to S. We understand that a small detachment of Armed Constabulary may be expected to arrive here by the s.s. Rangatira, from Wellington. They will probably be sent to Wairoa by the schooner Hero. It is notified in the New Zealand Gazette that the firing for the General Government prizes will take place at Ohristchurch. on Tuesday, 2nd April, and following days. The Tuapeka Times says :—A moa's skull, in an excellent state of preservation, was recently discovered imbedded in the banks of the Molyueux, twelve feet deep in the sand, in fiont of Mr Brighton's store, Roxburgh. Mr Manuel, of Coal Creek, has presented it to the Tuapeka Athenaeum. It will form a very fitting nucleus for the Museum which has been projected by the committee.

At Greymouth, the other day, Mr Fox said that that town bid fair to be the metropolis of the gold-fields of the Southern Island.

On the evening of the 27th nit., the members of one of the Auckland Rifle Volunteer companies gave a ball to their Captain (James M'Cosh Clark, Esq.,) in celebration of his recovery from a late accident. The affair was well attended, and passed off very pleasantl y. Colonel Harington has been inspecting the rifle range at Christchurch, prepared for the colonial prize firing, and has expressed himself highly pleased with it.

An Auckland telegram in the Evening Post, dated 7th March, quotes Caledonian shares at £8 ; Thames, <£s 7s.

A Presbyterian Church lias been opened at Tararu (Thames*.) An Alexandra (Waikato) correspondent of the Auckland Herald reports the discovery of gold at Pirongia. The Greyrnouth Argus state* that the Premier purposes sending, in the course of a few weeks, draft copies of the Education and Permissive Bills, which will be again brought forward by him in the House of Repi'esentatives, to public bodies, and to such public men as take an interest in these questions. A race between the steamers Wellington and Nebraska, from Wellington to Lyttelton, has taken place, and resulted in an easy victory for the Yankee boat. Both s tea me is left Wellington at 4 p.m. on the 7th inst., and the Nebraska reached her destination at 6 a.m. on the Bth, the Wellington not arriving till 9 a.m. The distance between the ports is about 175 miles, so that the Nebiaska averaged over 13 knots an hour. According to a telegram in the Evening Post, '«Oapt. Harding, of the Nebraska, says ho ran the Wellington out of sight in three hours. This is confirmed by the passengeis." Some interesting information respectin<* liquor legislation in the State of Maine is given in one of the New York papers. Nearly twenty years have elapsed since the first absolute prohibitory Act wa> passed, and though repealed two or three years afterwards, it was re enacted in the following year. The civil war introduced great laxity in the administration of the law, which was foi some time ,openly and flagrantly violated, but in 1867 a different state of things was introduced by creating a State constabulary expressly to suppress the liquor selling. This procedure caused no less than two thirds of the 3000 liquor-sellers to abandon the business, and the rest have been under discipline ever since. The sale of intoxicants is not, however, wholly suppressed in the State any more than other vices agaiusfc, which the law is directed ; but the change effected is said to be most remarkable. Public, and particularly native opinion, it is believed, is entirely favorable to the policy of prohibition*

According io the Evening Post, ihe total number of civil and criminal cases for the Wellington district heard in the Magistrate's Courts during the year 1871 was 1,549. Tn 1867, four years ago, when the population of the city was less than it is now, the number of cases disposed of was nearly 2,000. The Evening Post, March 8, says:— "At about midnight last night the loud ringing of the tire bell alarmed the city, and it speedily became known that Mr Charles Seager's foundry was on fire. The engine of the Wellington Brigade was immediately taken to the scene by the printers of the Independent office, and soon afterwardsthe 'Central' engine, drawn by Inspector Atcheson, Sergeant Monaghan and otheis, was also on the ground. This latter one was throwing water on the fire within four minutes of its arrival, but the hose of the ' Wellington' engine having become twisted and tangled some time elapsed before it'could be got to work. Meanwhile the crowd did good service, and before long the flames were got under completely. The five, which was in the moulding shed at the back of the yard, is supposed to have originated in consequence of some sparks fiom the furnace chimney lodging on the roof. Fortunately very little damage beyond the destruction of the roof of the workshop was done before the flames were extinguished/'

Messrs Bailliere & Co , of Melbourne, have succeeded in procuring in Hull a complete file of English papers from 1799. The file is composed of Hie Morning Chronicle from 1799 to 1820 and then the Times takes up the continuance. The journals are bound in volumes, and most of them have already arrived in the colony, A few volumes have to come to hand to complete the dates from 1799 bo 1871. As showing the difference in journalism of the past and ihe present, we may mention that the account of the battle of Waterloo in the Morning Chronicle takes up only about a third of a column. After the account of the battle follows a list of killed and wounded, occupying nearly a column. The whole matter is coinpressed into a space that to us of modern days seems incredible. Many a column would would be now occ'ipied with so important a battle as that of Waterloo Our forefathers were, however, compelled to be satisfied wilh what they could get.

Auckland papers notice with regret the removal by death of a very old colonist, Mr. James Kemp, of the Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, in the 75th year of his age. The New Zealand Herald says-.—" The deceased gentleman, who' was a native of Norfolk, England, came out under the auspices of the Church Mission, having arrived in this country in 1819, as one of the early band of missionary pioneers, to assist in proclaiming peace and goodwill to the yet benighted New Zealander. and had thus been over fifty years an uninterrupted sojourner in this island. This mission, undertaken at that early date, was one of no ordinary character, and it would seem that the same Providence which led these men to devote their youthful energies to the good work, had also armed them with resolution and nerve to face the trials which lav before them. This resolute spirit and undaunted courage was especially conspicuous in the character of the late Archdeacon Henry Williams, who, as their recognised leader and counsellor, never evaded the path of duty. Whilst carrying out the general objects of the mission, Mr Kemp's practical knowledge of medicine enabled him successfully to devote a part of his time in alleviating the sufferings of the natives, while many of our wounded soldiers and sailors remember with gratitude his personal attendance and good offices during the disasters in the North. To many of our citizens he has likewise been favorably known, and on the political events of the day his judgment was considered to be sound and his views liberal. Several of his colleagues have already passed awa y —a few yet remain* —and whenever the incidents connected; with the early settlement of this colony shall be placed on record, the names of the early missionaries—linked together as. they are bv the hallowed associations of the past—-will, we doubt not, be held in veneration bv generations to come,''

Two centenarians died in London in one week lately.

The largest number of men employed by one firm in England is 56,000. The employers are John Taylor and Sons, and the men are engaged mining. More than 16,000 families, averaging five persons each, are still receiving aid in a greater or less degree from the Chicago Relief Committee.

A farewell dinner was given to the Earl of Belmore on the 151 h ul't, at St. Paul's College, Sydney,, by the members of the Church of England,—his Honor Sir Alfred Stephen* G>& y C.J.,. being in the chair.

It is stated in a Paris journal that petroleum can be converted permanent solid, which will burn without liquifying, and may be preserved in a firm mass for any period of time. The process is not given,, ami is said to be secret.

Air as a motive power has been successfully applied at Brunswick, Maine. The air is compressed by a water-wheel, and connected through a two-and-a-half inch pipe under ground three-quarters of a mile, and furnishes the motive agent for an engine at the railway, station, used for sawing wood. A Wellington paper says : —" Wm. Seed, Esq., Inspector of Customs, re turned by the last trip of the Nevada from an official visit to the Navigator Islands. Mr Seed was instructed by the Government to proceed to the Navigators for the purpose of examining and reporting as to their suitability as a mail station, and generally whether it would be advisable for the Colonial Government to recommend to the Imperial Government the annexation of this interesting group as a dependency of New Zealand, on account of its commercial position." The Auckland Evening Star says : We warn Professor Haselmayer that if he causes a rise in the price of peaches, we shall hold him responsible. He v-as again down on the wharf yesterday and amusing himself in extracting shillings,, half crowns, and half-soverigns from these fruit, in the presence of tbe Maoris ; the consequence was that- on his endeavoring to purchase a kit of peaches, he was met with a flat refnsal r and on no account would the natives part with such golden and .silver-bearing fruit."

Tt is greatly to be regretted (says the Bruce Standard, an Otago paper) that so little attention is devoted to the extirpation of noxious weeds, and to prevent their spread. What with sorrel, thistles, cape weed, and docks, the cultivation of land will soon become a matter of difficulty. But in regard to the extraordinary increase of docks in the cultivated crops of this and other districts, wo do noc feel surprised when we notice the utter carelessness of the settlers in allowing them to shed their seed on the banks of creeks, to be spread by floods over adjoining fields : and — will it be believed I —we have again and again seen manure heaps covered with magnificent plants of this kind, in full perfection of seed."

The Nelson Examiner says :—On the 17th of August, the member for Collingwood, A. S. Collins, Esq., moved in his place in Parliament for a return "showing the number of appointments made in the various departments of the Civil Service of the colony, the amount of their duties," from the 30th of June, 1870, up to the date of motion, being for a period of thirteen and a-half months. The return has just been printed, and was received by us last week from the Government printer, with other Parliamentary Papers. The total number of appointments made during the period stated was 317. Many of these, however, are country Post-office appointments, vith small salaries, but others aie too well paid permanent offices. In the Public Works Department, the appointments number thirteen, with aggregate salaries amounting to £,7055; and in. Land Registry Department, the appointments number thirty, with gross, salaries amounting to £10,425. _ Ti><s- - salaries of the persons appointed are £30,260, without calculating thefees received. This is not bad for thirteen months.' patronage, and goes a long.- : way to explain the popularity of the | Government with certain classes of the--1 community.