SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1892. Nearer Home.

Manawatu Herald, 28 May 1892, Page 2

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1892. Nearer Home.

The distance now travelled by our ocean steamers from Auckland to London via the Straits of Magellan is some 11,599 miles, and this space is covered in some forty-two days. We are always predicting that the science of ship building will so improve, that even this short time will soon be decreased. From our Amerrican files it is most satisfactory to learn that a shortening of the passage by eleven days is most probable without any alteration being made, either in the build of vessels or the construction of their engines ; the time will bo caved by shortening fch« iMmw to b<3 trftvewtd by wine

8137 miles. Such a prospect is ofj the utmost consequence to every settler in this . colony, as it necessarily means the material reduction in the cost of freight both inwards and outwards.

The Nicaragua canal has changed from a visionary to a practical stage. Most elaborate estimates have been made by distinguished engineers, and the cost has been stated at thirteen million pounds. Briefly stated, the line of the canal will be from the Pacific ocean at a point called San Juan del Sui 1 , aft opetiittg into the immense lake Nicaragua, thence through the lake and from it to the Atlantic ocean at a point called Grey town, by improved rivers to be supplied with locks* The Work has been commenced, and to show its possibilities it has only to be mentioned that a rise of 150 feet is all that is necessary and that the locks proposed will give each a lift of over thirty feet. The cost of building the canal, with harbours at either end, would not cost more than Canada has spent on all its railways* and with this difference, that in the one case the railways have been built to make the country, whereas it is known that a remunerative revenue is awaiting the canal. It is shown that the canals in connection with lake Superior have locks which collectively lift a vessel 600 feet, so that 150 feet rise is really nothing. It ha 3 also been shown that there is not a single heavy piece of work needed on this route for which a heavier work has not been executed elsewhere. The engineers therefore have nothing new before them ; the question is one of pounds shillings and pence. We can only hope that in this they will experience no difficulty.

Notice is given that a date has been fixed for the complimentary concert to be tendered to our late townsman Mr J. K. Itussell. Tickets are now for sale, and a plan of the reserved seats can be seen at Messrs McMillan, Rhodes & Oo>

The Committee have decided not to reopen the State School on Monday.

The old bui ding, once the Foxton Family Hotel, but now replaced by a far superior one, is to be sold by auction on the second of Juno.

Jnat so. A newspaper called The Worker is published in Queensland, and a correspondent to its columns, writing upon the establishment of a similar paper elsewhere, thus unoonsoiously explains its bias by saying : — " And it will dearly put before the workers all the vices of the capitalists and the virtues of the workers !"

Our true Liberal Premier is thought to be more than ' liberal ' by The Worker, as it states : — " Maoriland is straighter going socialistically than any of the other colonies—that is so far as the governments are concerned," and that is as far as socialism has got in this colony.

The Argus says it is from the consumers' point of view somewhat alarming to learn that the prospects of the supply of fat stook in the Melbourne markets have never during the last 20 years been worse than at present, and that extraordinary high prices may be looked for during the coming year, apart entirely from any effect that the raising of the border duties may have. The crisis which forces both the Australian grazier and meat consumer is only the very slightest degree of the fatal consequences of the stock tax proposals. It is almost entirely due to the fact that for the first time drought has been experienced over all tho grazing areas of Australia.

At the inque t touching the death of the son of Mr Scoble MoKensie, M.H.R., the jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased accidentally broke his neck while swinging. Mr Mackay, formerly headmaster of the Wellington College, has bought a large property oa the Mountain road at Midhurst. The Mataura Ensitjn, writing on the oontemplated invasion' by General Booth's "submerged tenth," says :—" Nobody doubts the efflcaoy of conversion. It may make th 9 drunkard sober, the dishonest honest, the vioious virtuous, but it won't teach a person reared in the slums the way to make a living off bush land in New Zealand, and if he cannot make a living he must aither fall baok upon the community or upon his own vicious ways. Thi§ has been recognised, and when the crowds went to hear General Booth lecture, and it became fashionable to attend his levees in the afternoon, it was always on the understanding that this colony was not to be the corpus vi l e upon whioh the experiment was to be made Every law, human and divine, decrees that punishment cannot be vicarious. The countries whioh havo produced this incubus must remove it."

The race between Arnotfc and Better, over 128 yards hurdles, did not come off, says the Chroniole, as the latter failed to put in an appearance. The deposit was accordingly forfeited.

" Black Douglas," the notorious criminal, who died in Bendigo Gaol ou the 16th inst, was a terror to the early eolonistß in the " fifties," especially to diggers going to Melbourne. He was born in Bristol, England, and lived to the age of 75. He devoted himself to prize fighting at first, and afterwards to bushranging. When he died he was serving a short sentence for vagrancy. The infant son of Lord Hopetoun was baptised at Scots Church, Melbourne, on Sunday, the Ist May, being christened " Charles Melbourne." The baptism was performed with water taken by the Rev. H. N. Wollaston from the Eiver Jordan. The friends of the late ir Morell Mackenzie propose to raise a fund to commemorate the life and work of the great specialist, which fund is to be applied to the extension of the building of the Hospital for Diseases of the Throat, iv Golden-square, London. It is thought probab'e that Mr Bruce, who previously represented Rangitikei, will be induced to stand for that constituency in the Opposition interest. The contest for the Rangitikei seat will show how much the country electors aye in favour of the Premier's socialise ideas At twelve minutes past noon yesterday a smart earthquake was felt here, precede by a loud rumble. |

It is said that the Government desire I > run Mr Arkwright for the l.'angUikni seat, vacant by the death of Mr Macarthur. A* he i« at present in the Old Country hi-; nomination wilt have to ba ag>v»<l to by

The Government will ba pleased. The Masterton Assembly of the Knights of Labour have passed a resolution thanking the Ciovcrrinieht tor the interest displayed in the working classes by the appointment of a Minister for Labour.

Mr J. H. Cock in thanking the President of the Chamber of Commerce ior, his able and interesting, BddresS; said there was ftlfe&dy a cool chamber in the cellar of the Harbour Board building, and that the question of obtaining refrigerating machinery had also been slightly considered by the Board, but no action had yet been taken in that direction* Mr Jdhii Stev&ns is inehjiohed as a likely Candidate for the itangitiki seat. The new Governor, Lord Glasgow, is expected to arrive in Wellington on Friday next. .A Bill legalising the use of the t'dt&lteator in Victoria Ms been read the first time in the Legislative Assembly. The Press says : — We are informed, on the very best authority, that the surplus for the financial year ended March 31st, amounted to £165,000. The London Standard regrets that English journals should have encouraged the morbid desire for the details of Deeming's outrages, his trial and his execution; The paper characterises Deeming as a vulgar ruffian and tilt) viUst of criminals.

'the negroes of Boston are said to be forming secret societies and manufacturing bombs in order to deal out revenge for the lynching of some of their race some months ago. The Russian Government has agreed to advance 75 roubles to each needy emigrant who goes to Baron Hirch's colony. By the latest mail steamers we have received fresh supplies of the most fashionable and seasonable dress materials at Te Aro House, Wellington. We have opened out a nice variety of Dress Tweeds in a variety of patterns and colors in both single and double widths, from 6s 6s to 25s the full dress length at Te Aro House, Wellington. We have also a very good selection of plain Colored Dress Fabrics in all the favourite materials and colours, such as Drap Hombourg, Feules, Serges, Amazones, etc., and in the fashionable shades of Beds and Navy Blue at Te Avo House, Wellington. , We have some handsome specialities in Single Eobe lengths such as the new Diagonal Tweeds with camel hail' mixtures from 29s 6d to 45sj the Cheviot Tweeds with Vioura Stripes and Checks 31s 6d to 455, the Aberdeen Tweeds in Checks and Fibras and the Khedive Tweeds in Oriental designs at Te Aro House, Wellington. We are also selling Colonial Dress Tweeds very freely, our selection having been very judiciously made from the best mills, and in order to ensure a good variety of choice, intending purchasers should without delay send for patterns to Te Aro House, Wellington. We have the pleasure to announoe the arrival, ex Tekoa, of our second direct shipment of seasonable and fashionable drapery, comprising 17 cases and bales for all departments, these goods being bought at Home at the very close of the winter season, and sent on by cargo steamer ; every possible expense as well as all intermediate profits being saved. We are thus in a position to offer our customers such value as is not Usually met with. We invite inspection of the goods, and comparison of the prices at the Bon Marche\ Ross cfe Sandford.— Advt.