THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1874.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1615, 29 September 1874, Page 374

THE Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1874.

The abortive attempt made on Wednesday last, at the session of the Church ! of England (Synod of the diocese of Waiapu, to organize a movement in connexion with that hody for checking the progress of intemperance, reminds us that the Church of England at home has taken the matter in hand, with considerable energy and promise of success. As recently as the 13th May last, the annual meeting of the Total Abstinence Section of the Church of England Temperance Society was held in the large room of Exeter Hall, the Rev. Canon Ellison, Vicar of Windsor, being .president. There were present a very numerous assemblage of the clergy Bishop Abraham (late of Wellington), the Right Hon. and Rev. Lord W. Russell, the Rev. Basil Wilbtrforee (Southampton), the Rev. R. M. Grier (Rngeley), the Rev. R. M'Guire, the Rev. S. Eardley, &c, &c, taking part in the proceedings. The report showed that very many of the bishops and clergy of the Charm were heartily re spending to the claims of Temperance by the formation of Parochial Temperance Societies: -that those branch societies were daily increasing both in number and usefulness. The whole of the Bishops had consented to become vice-presidents of the Society, Bishop Abrahams gave a telling address, in which he stated that he had been a total abstainer for two years, having felt it his duty as a Bishop to join the Total Abstinence Society. The Rev. Basil Wilberforce (son of the late Bishop of Winchester), followed, stating his conviction that stimulants given as medicine in diseases often caused the death of the patient instead of tending to his cure—that " he was convinced that people died because doctors gave them brandy." There are in connexion with this section 44 branch societies in the northern provinces, and 120 branch societies, comprising 20,329 members, in the southern provinces. Besides the total abstinence section above referred to, there is a moderation section in the Society, for the sake of such as are not prepared to abstain from intoxicants, but who deplore the evils of intemperance, and are desirous of doing all they can (short of personal abstinence) to promote the good work. Cannot the Church in this place follow the example .set at home, and establish a similar society? Ihe moderation branch would embrace the numerous class who, temperate themselves, see the fallen all around them, and deplore the wrecks made by alcohol, yet cannot see the duty of giving up what they seem to be able to "use without abusing." At the same time it would prove a nursery to the abstinence section, as it is quite impossible that any could seriously engage in the work of temperance reform without becoming speedily convinced that there is no effectual remedy for the evils of intemperance short of total abstinence. A very large end influential* meeting of the same Society had been held on the previous day, in Lambeth Palace. This was presided over by. the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of Lichfield and Gloucester and Bristol, and several members of Parliament were amongst the speakers. e According to the Southern Cross, Tawhiao has signified his willingness to allow the railway to pass through the native country for the sum of sixpence per lineal foot, or £132 per mile! This outrageous piece of pretension is, according to the Cross, the most hopeful sign that has appeared for many years. It is true that the terms are high; but if Tawhiao can only be induced to reduce them by two-thirds—to make it six pence a yard—nothing further remains to be desired. As the lending column of the Cross is looked upon as one of the duly-ordained channels through which the intentions of Ministers are conveyed to the public, we fear there is too much reason to anticipate that this demand—perhaps in a modified form—will be eagerly complied with by our Government. The modification suggested by tho Cross probably represents the Government's view of what is fair and reasonable. It should be borne in mind that any such payment would not be on account of rights of ownership, which Tawhiao does not possess, but simply in recognition of his royal authority ; leaving the claims of individual proprietors—some of whom do not recognize the "King" in any way—to be dealt with afterwards. From past experience of the Maoris, we are justified in inferring that these claims will be neither few nor light. If any reliance can be placed on Parliamentary returns, Tawhiao's present influence with the natives is nil, on account of his drinking habits, yet it appears he has only to make a preposterous demand of this kind for it to be seriously entertained by the Government. It is to be hoped that the Government will not thus add another to the list of humiliations to which they have subjected the Colony in their dealings with the disaffected natives, Our telegram from Tauranga to-day appears to reveal another instance of official bungling, and unless great care and judgment is exercised, awkward complications may arise. ■'♦ —— The steamer Victoria is expected to leave Auckland at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the 30th instant. Telegrams for the Australian Colonies or Europe, via Java cable, will be received at the Telegraph Office, Napier, for transmission to Auckland, up till 9.50 a.m. on that day.

A slight but unmistakexble earthquake shock was felt in Napier at 5.25 p.m. on Friday. , • The weather since our last has been hot, windy,and oppressive. Highscorching N.W. and W. winds have prevailed, sweeping the dust in clouds along our streets, and causing general discomfort. Several debt cases came before the Resident Magistrate on Friday. The only case of any interest was Topping v. Tracey and Brennan, claim of £3 18s 6d, value of certain oat-sacks. Brennan, since the issue of the summons, paid half the claim, but the defendant Tracey disputed the liability. Plaintiff supplied the defendants, who were contractors, living on Gough Island, Avith provisions. Coals, oats, and potatoes were delivered in sacks, and from time to time plaintiff took away the-empty sacks. The sole point disputed was whether he re-possessed himself of his oat-sacks. Defendants' witnesses stated that he re-possessed himself of empty sacks of all descriptions'; but plaintiff, while admitting that he had always taken back the coal and potato sacks, stated very positively that he never took any of the oat-sacks, and that he had only received twenty, with which he had credited defendant.—Judgment was given for plaintiff for balance of claim, with costs, 9s, Major Atkinson has resigned his seat in the Taranaki Provincial Council and Executive. A heavy flood was in the river at Greytown, Wairarapa, yesterday morning, which has destroyed a good deal of f enei ng. and damaged one or two houses. The coach iu consequence could not get through to Greytown. A New York telegram of the I9th September reports a sanguiuary disturbance at New Orleans, where the white population ousted Governor Kellog, and installed a new Governor. President Grant upheld Governor Kellog, and the rioters submitted. The British expedition for the observation of the transit oE Venus arrived yesterday at Christchurch. having come out in the ship Merope. The party consists of Major Palmer, R;E., Chief Astronomer and Photographer, Lieut. H. Crawford, R.N., Assistant Astronomer, and three non-commissioned officers of the Royal Engineers. They bring a large equipment of instruments,observatory huts, and other apparatus. The site for observing the transit will be selected when the party have viewed the various locations. The selection is left to Major Palmer, who will probably fix a site uour Christchurch. Mr Walter Turnhull has intimated to the Governors of Wellington college his intention to endow tho institution in perpetuity with £I,OOO, for the purpose of endowing scholarships and prizes. He suggests that these should be appropriated to two scholarships of £25 each, open to matriculated students of the New Zealand University attending Wellington college, and two annual prizes, .£ls and £lO, to be given at the annual exhibitions; the first to the most proficient student in all branches of education ; aud the second to the most proficient in mathematical aud natural science. The Daily Southern Cross of Saturday draws attention to an announcement from its Raglan correspondent, to the effect that Tawhiao has resolved to permit railways to be constructed South of the confiscation boundary, upon the condition of Government paying the natives sixpence for each lineal foot of railway made into the Maori territory—this payment being at the rate of £132 per mile, or £l7 10s per acre. The Cross considers the demand high, but thinks it might be made to cover a yard of railway instead of a foot, and looks upon this resolve on the part of the Maoris as a final cessation of opposition to railroad and bridge making, and urges the Government to embrace the opportunity to make arrangements with the Maoris, as to details. The Cross con siders this the most hopeful news received for many years. The Auckland Evening Star says:—His Honor Mr Justice Richmond has recently given a sentence which should raise hitn in the estimation of every man and woman in the colony. A publican was brought up at the last Criminal Sessions held in Nelson charged with the murder of his wife. The evidence adduced at the trial shewed that prisoner and his wife (who was not in a very sound state of health) had lived together in a most miserable way» constantly quarrelling, and it is supposed that in one of these disputes the prisoner had beat her in such a way that death ensued. The poor creature was found lying dead with various bruises about her body. The jury set aside tho charge of murder and, brought in a verdict of man. slaughter. In these days when brutality to a wife is considered by the law one of man's privileges, and an occasional death allowable under special circumstances, one might have expected a sentence of two years at most, that being about the extreme penally meted out by many administrators of the law, but Mr Justice Richmond gave a judgment which should strike terror to the hearts of wife-beaters. Hesaid the guilt of the prisoner miidt be plain to all who had heard the evidence. But for his age the sentence would have been greater than he should pronounce, which was that prisoner be committed to penal servitude within the colony for 15 years. The offence of wife-heating, which is one of the most cowardly and unmanly in the whole catalogue of crimes, seldom meets with its deserts. We very inuch prefer a highway robber who occasionally puts a bullet through his victim to the sneaking '" respectable" wife-beater who takes advantage of tho weakness, helplessness, and forgiving nature of his wife to ill-treat her. We trust that Mr Justice Richmond's example will be followed by all our colonial administrators of the law.