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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4226, 6 October 1874, Page 2

A BOOK, that has recently been written and published by a M. cle "Varigny, Minister of Finances and of Foreign Affairs under His Majesty King Kamehameha tlio Fifth, of Hawii, can scarcely fail to be of interest when we consider the probability that there is of Fiji being annexed, and becoming the nucleus of a Polynesian empire for Great Britain. Mons. do Varigny tells how, in the Legislature at Honolulu, as in one much nearer home, " purely local questions have an especial interest for the electors. The construction of a road or of a bridge, legislative measures favorable to the products of the soil, the amelioration of the means of transport, and the diminution of Customa duties, are the objects of their constant preoccupations. Assured of tho necessary liberties—such as the uncontrolled right of public meeting, absolute freedom of the Press and of conscience, they debate and discuss their interests in public assemblies, and the choice of their candidates varies according to the necessities of the moment." But the most interesting portion of his book relates to the abilities of the late King to reign as a constitutional sovereign. When it was proposed to deprive the lower orders of the population of the franchise His Majesty spoke as follows : —" Are the rights of the people imperilled ? No. The electoral franchise is a privilege in the first place, and a duty in the second; but it is in nowise an absolute right. In a constitutional government the people ought to be consulted; but what people ? Is it composed of tho vicious, the ignorant, and the improvident classes? Or is it the intelligent classes who should be appealed to ? "Who are those who were entitled to exercise the right of control ? For his own part, he should frankly speak his mind. Universal suffrage cannot coexist with the monarchy, and a republic is tho last logical word of universal suffrage. Ho could no more believe in the stability of a monarchy on a republican basis, than in that of a republic on a monarchical basis. A choice must be made between the two, and upon this point the choice of the immense majority of the nation had been long ago determined, and so effectually had it been settled that the most ardent partisans of universal suffrage had not dared upon a single occasion to show that they were acting in consistency with their own principles." His Majesty's remarks might have been delivered in the English House of Commons by Mr. John Stuart Mill, and have acquired force thereby. It is humiliating to add that the

death of the King was caused by sleepiulsiout of doors whilst under the influence of the wsel oil he had partaken of whilst drinking |w rum. m There is a probability of the English via San Francisco arriving in New Zealand? this month with tolerable punctuality, and of its distribution throughout tho Provinces without much delay. The Mikado, with the London mail of the 25th of August, left San Francisco punctually to time (12th or 13th September). She cornea from Honolulu direct to Auckland, and the Luna is waiting at Onehunga to bring the Wellington and Southern mails, while the Murray is under contract to take those of the West Coast. We may anticipate hearing of the Mikado towards the end of the week.

Captain Edwin was also right when he forecast, in the early part of the past week, that the fine weather which the public of Wellington hare enjoyed for two or three days would not last beyond Sunday. Yesterday morning was very fine, but the wind soon began to blow somewhat strongly from north-west and west, clouds of dust blew about all day, and about six o'clock a sharp squall of wind and rain was experienced, followed by showers during the night. Verily, fine weather in the " Empire City" is seldom obtained, and when it does come is of short duration.

A very sad accident occurred yesterday forenoon. Mi - . F. Foster, chemist, Manners Street, was riding on the Ngahauranga Road, in company with a young lady. They were going at a pretty fast pace, and at a turn of the road suddenly encountered Dr. Taylor, who was driving into town, and also going at a quick rate. Mr. Foster was unable to get out of the way, and Dr. Taylor could not avoid a collision, the result being that one of the shafts of the trap struck Mr. Foster on tho right leg be'ow the knee with such force that the bone was not only broken but the limb ahno»t cut off. But for Dr. Taylor's aid Mr. Foster would have bled to death. He was brought into town to his residence in the course of the day. Drs. Grace and France attended, and it was at once seen that the limb must be amputated, and it was at once done. Much sympathy is expressed for the sufferer under the peculiarly painful circumstances of the case. These Smiths are a troublesome as well as a numerous family ! One of them gave the savans a scare the other day, over the Moa. By many that wonderful bird was supposed to be as completely a thing of the past as the wolf is in England, or the snake in that green island from which St. Patrick banished it for ever. Others had a suspicion that somewhere, in the remotest fastnesses of the interior, the hermit bird might still linger, " Monarch of all he surveyed." A wag among the Smiths, to please the latter, caught a mother Moa and her " ae wee bairn " —only the latter was five feet high—in the solitude of Browning's Pass, which we take to be somewhere on the border line between Canterbury and Westland. By the strangest misfortune, however, the lucky captor of the "precious pair" has lost them on the way down to Canterbury ! What a misfortune to science, the Moa, and Smith ! It is true there were some who doubted the story—but then there have been doubters from the beginning of time. We had a suspicion, and in chronicling the discovery remarked " if true " —but suspicion is ungenerous. If Smith had the Moas, he has lost them—the more's the pity. If he has only been playing a joke upon- the savans, let them revenge themselves on the back of Smith, when they catch him, with a Moa's leg-bone. The pioneers of the Colony are rapidly passing away. Day after day, of late, we have been called upon to record the demise of men who early ventured their fortunes with those of New Zealand, and Wellington in particular ; to whom the Colony owes much ; and whose memories should ever be green. Intelligence came yesterday from Napier conveying the news of the death of Mr. Catchpool, one of the oldest survivors of the early settlers. He came out to Wellington in one of the pioneer ships, and proved himself one of the most enterprising among the settlers. He was practically connected with the Press in London, but seeing no opportunity here to enter into his own profession he gave his thoughts in another direction, and a steam flour-mill was the result. He afterwards became attached to the Government as an officer of the Customs in Wellington. In conrso of time he was removed to Napier, as Collector of Customs ; and latterly he has lived in retirement. His wife died some yeara ago. The Wanganui papers report the death of another old settler, Mr. Walter John Morrison, who succumbed to inflammation of the lungs. Before the breaking out of the last war he was an officer in the Provincial Survey Department. On the war breaking out in 1860, we learn, he was appointed a captain of the militia, and when the military settlers were raised, had a company given him in that force. On his term of service expiring he settled on his land at Patea, where he remained till the Tito Kowaru outbreak took place in ISOB, when, after serving for a short time in a military capacity, he took up his residence at Wanganui.

A petition is in course of signature in Wauganui, praying for the pardon of Alexander McDonald, whose case has been referred to repeatedly in these columns. It sets out the circumstances under which McDonald was sentenced to be imprisoned for three years at Wellington, and then proceeds to say " that many circumstances combine to your petitioners to feel deep sorrow at the heavy punishment which has fallen on the unfortunate man." These circumstances are then described. They relate to his close connection with a certain tribe of Maoris of Manawatu, with whom, " rightly or wrongly," he was associated as an adopted member ; it is stated " that in that capacity he has always endeavored to secure by legal means that which he believed to be the rights of his friends of the Maori race; yet, nevertheless, your petitioners verily believe that he has had much at heart the peace of the country and the safety of the lives and property of his fellow-settlers, your petitioners ;" and the petition then goes on to assert that in certain matters which disturbed the mind of the prisoner, acting for tho3e whom he represented, " there did undoubtedly exist just cause of complaint, whilst in respect to other of the subjects there is to the present day a conflict of opinion." The petition further says that, considering these circumstances, the degradation the prisoner has undergone, the anxieties and sufferings of his wife and family (there being eight children), and the state of the prison, the petitioners hope fervently that His Excellency, before his departure from the Colony, will show grace and clemency to the prisoner. We concur in the prayer of the petition.

The internal Government of the Province of Nelson does not appear to bo in the happiest state. The powers are divided against themselves, and the results necessarily are unsatisfactory. The Grey River Argus is naturally interested in all that concerns the welfare of Nelson, and ill a late number it asks, " What has become of the Government of Nelson ?" Our contemporary goes on to remark understood that the Superintendent and the Provincial Secretary have returned to Nelson after an absence of some months from the scene of the duties they draw liberal salaries for not performing, and as yet there is no indication of any of the many great benefits they were to effect for the Province while at Wellington. All they have succeeded in accomplishing for the good of Nelson simply amounts to nothing, while they have been eminently successful in making an exhibition of themselves before the whole Colony, and in holding up the Executive and its mode of conducting public business to the contempt and derision of the Parliament, by their unseemly bickering and childish recriminations. It must be admitted Mr. Curtis did good service by using his personal influence, which is very considerable, and utilising his official position, which is of still greater weight, with tho General Government, in furthering the.objects the Greymouth Harbor Improvement deputation had in view during their recent visit to Wellington. But it is questionable if this new born interest taken by the Superintendent of Nelson in anything relating to tho progress of Greymouth, hag not been awakened as much by a desire to

teach his dogmatical Treasurer that he is not going to have it all his own way abroad, as well as at home. There is no doubt, and it is only what may be expected, that Mr. O'Conor's sympathies he in the direction of Westport and its welfare, and for that reason, if for no other, Mr. Curtis would join the opposite side, and .endeavor to forward the interests of the rival \own of Grey mouth." There was no quorum, and consequently no meeting, of the Education Board yesterday. Mr. Oake;-, the successful contractor for the Pukeratahi portion of the Wellington and Masterton Railway—the amount of which is £61,9/9 19s.—ha3 signed the necessary bonds at Wanganui. We observe that Mons. E. Bourgeois, teacher of French, notifies in another column that for t'. e convenience of his pupils he has removed to Mulgrave Street, opposite Brown's Hotel.

We notice that Mr. Eugene Beda, the undaunted and hard-working one-legged gymnast, is about to proceed by the ship Conflict from the Bluff to San Francisco.

The Rechabite soiree which was held last night in the Odd Fellows' Hall was a great success. Headings, recitations, and glees occupied the first part of the evening. Dancing commenced at ten o'clock, and was continued until an early hour this morning. A specimen of that pretty marine curiosity, the sea-horse, was picked up on the beach near New Plymouth during the late storm. It was nine inches in length. These animals are said to be not uncommon on the East, but very rare on the West Coast of the island.

We regret to see that Miss Aitken's reception in Napier last week was of a chilling nature. The local papers remark that the Hall was nearly empty. This is attributed partially to the late successful season of the English Opera Company. "Nevertheless," it is remarked, " a poor house at this season by no means implies that Napier cannot appreciate the talents of Miss Aitken."

This week, says the Wairarapa Standard, one of the oldest and most enterprising settlers of Greytown, Mr. M. Hirschberg, has been to Wellington to register two new townships, one at East Greytown, the other on Morrison's run, which have recently been laid off on his land by Mr. E. W. Butler, C.E. Another man (says an American paper) has been guilty of working ten hours a day to support himself and family, in Brooklyn. But he was promptly hit on the head with a hammer, and instantly killed, by a " Society man," so he will not trouble any more. The idea that hungry and ill-clad men, women, and children have a right to work ten hours to get money to buy food and clothing, was exploded long ago!

Among the more serious incidents of the late flood at Wanganui was the drowning of a poor little boy, the son of one of the lately arrived immigrants. He was tempted by the sight of the driftwood going down the stream, and, when attempting to get a piece ashore, was drawn out into the flood. He rose to the surface three times, and called to a brother who had been in his company to save him, but help was impossible. Another death had evidently taken place in the river above Wanganui, for a body was seen in the water of the river passing under the bridge. It was mentioned lately that the police of Sydney had taken proceedings against some boys, under an English statute as old as the days of the Charleses, for playing at cricket on the Lord's Day. In Dunedin the police have also been active as to Sunday work, and it certainly cannot be said that assisting to build a house on a Sunday is a work either of necessity or mercy. The police took that view of the matter evidently, for a few days ago they summoned a carpenter for " working at his trade on the Lord's Day." Mr. Barton defended, and addressed the Court at length upon the applicability of the English Statute to this Colony. He contended that there was locality in the Statute, and it did not reach New Zealand. His Worship differed in his opinion, and while deciding that the law was quite applicable, dismissed the case in consequence of it being the first of the kind.

A London journal— The Colonics —devoted to the interests of the Colonies, has begun the publication every month of a table presenting an abstract of the climate simultaneously existing in all parts of the globe. That for January last, published in August, has reports from—among otherplaces-—London, Port Louis, India, Singapore, Sydney, Falkland Isles, AVest Indies, Toronto, Newfoundland, Manitobo, and British Columbia. The table gives the temperature, maximum, minimum, and average ; dew point, humidity, rainfall, days of rain, cloud, &c. The editor says :—"lTrom some unexplained cause, which we greatly regret, our applications for assistance from the directors of the meteorological systems of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand have met with no response except from the energetic Director of Sydney Observatory. We yet hope to receive favorable replies from the gentlemen to whom we have written, but at present we have no offer from the following Colonies and towns : Queensland, Victoria, S. Australia, W. Australia, Tasmania, Wellington, N.Z, Christchurch, N.Z., Borneo, W. Africa, British Guiana, and Jamaica. Meanwhile we have been favored with recoids for the later months of the year from Mr. Dickson, of Auckland ; but as we have not received January from him we are reluctantly obliged to go to press with no record from New Zealand." AUCKLAND. During the late gales some of the largest trees in the Domain were blown down. One fine manuka tree was nearly two feet in diameter. Tt is with regret, remarks the Southern Cross, that we have to announce the death of Haora Tipa ICoinaki, the principal chief of the Ngatipaoa Tribe, which took place on the 25th ultimo. This old veteran of the real Maori type was well known to many of the leading colonists and officials as a loyal man, distinguished also for his bravery, as he was truly honorable in all dealings. The deceased chief is believed to have attained the ripe old age of eighty years. Mr. DeLias, the lessee of the Prince of Wales Theatre, has succeeded in securing the services of Mr. F. M. Bates, an actor of considerable merit, and having an English and Colodial reputation, for three nights only of next week. Mr. Bates, with his talented wife and company, have just finished a successful tour of the Australian Colonies, and he is now, we believe, on a visit to New Zealand with the view of spying out the capabilities of this Colony to support a good company for a season in each Province. OTAGO. Mr. J. A. Keekie, of Totara Park, Anderson's Bay, having purchased Mr. James Morris's property, has refused the sum of £2500 for 32 acre 3 of land.

The snow was eighteen inches deep in the Arrow Flat this -winter. The past winter has been tho most severe ever known in the locality, much more so than at Cardrona, on the other side of the Crown Kango.

The 'lib. loaf is at present selling in Arrowtown at 7d., with firewood at 50s. per cord. At Queenstown the price is Bd., with firewood at 375. per cord. Plour costs £lO 10s. to £ll per ton in the Wakatip and Arrow districts.

All Chinamen are not of the " heathen" type. Messrs. McDougall and Smith, auctioneers, &c, have had a Chinaman in full charge of their Btore at Matatapu for above a year past. They have found him to be a young man of excellent character, true to his trust, and very correct in accounts. He is studying hard to master the English language, and he writes a legible hand. Two hundred bushels of Wakatip wheat have lately been sent to Melbourne as a trial shipment by a Queenstown firm. The opening up of railway communication with the Bluff in course of time has led the enterprising firm referred to to adopt measures for ascertaining the value of Wakatip grown wheat in the Victorian market, with a view to its export, so soon as this fine wheat-producing district is placed within easy reach of a port of shipment.

The proprietors of the line of coaches on the road from Invercargill to Dunedin announce that on and after the 28th Sept., the service will be tri-weekly, a coach leaving Invercargill every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. It is also announced that a new bi-weekly service will be opened between Clinton and Tapanui on the 14th of October. The fine station known as Wantwood, in the Hokonui district, lately the property of FitzAVilliam Wentworth, Esq., has been sold within the last few days to P. R. Coughan, Esq., of Victoria, for the sum of £90,000. There are about 30,000 acreß of freehold land, with valuable improvements, upon the station, and a small proportion of leasehold, with 30,000 merino sheep. The Bruce Herald says :—" We learn that within three''weeks' time the permanent way will have been laid, and the engine will be running between Tokomairiro and a point within a short distance of the Clutha Ferry. Under these circumstances it is worth while to consider whether the public convenience might not be very much consulted by opening the section of the line we have indicated, for passenger traffic at least, by an arrangement with the Messrs. Brogden. A firm of city merchants brought an action at the B.M. Court against the captain of the ship Hindostan for electro-plated ware, valued at £23 ss. 2d. The box, when opened, on the vessel's arrival, was found to contain, not plated ware, but bricks and a j>iece of granite, neatly packed. Defendant said the box was stowed in such a position that the sailors could not possibly have got at it, although they obtained a quantity of spirits from another part of the Bhip. The Magistrate deferred judgment.

Seren miners and residents of Queenstown have joined together to form a party to proceed to the Palmer early next year. Meanwhile they have despatched one of their number to report upon the rush, and, should the report prove favorable, the others will be ready to follow him after the rainy season or otherwise, as they may be advised. Several other parties are being made up in Queenstown to leave for the Palmer after the rainy season, about February or March next. The first-born male child in Queenstown is now eleven years of age. The town was named on New Year's Day, 1863, by Mr. Cameron, who wanted a license for the All Nations Hotel, afterwards opened by him, and who called a meeting for the purpose of naming the town. Many names were proposed, including New York. Standing upon the top of Mr. Black's anvil, Mr. Cameron proposed that the town should receive the name it has since borne.

No less than 740 tons of flour were milled in the Wakatip Flourmills alone, last season.

The various runholders in the interior districts of the Province have agreed to pay at the rate of 17s. Gd. per hundred for shearing this season. Last year the rates were 20s. in the northern portions of Otago, whereas they were from 15s. to 17s. 6d. in the southern; but men are more plentiful this year than last, and as shearing in Australia is also earlier, larger numbers of shearers from that quarter will arrive in November than formerly, so that the terms proposed by the runholders in the Dunstan district will probably be the highest offered in the Province.

An unusual point came up during the hearing of a charge of fraud at the Besident Magistrate's Court. The accused had asked a well-known fancy goods dealer in town to cash a cheque for him, and this he immediately did. Accused made no representations whatever, and the cheque, when presented for payment, was dishonored. Mr. Turton argued that the accused must be discharged,' as there was no false representations either by word or act. In both the information and Statute the words " false pretences" were used. His Worship did not seem to hold very decided views on the point, and adjourned the case to allow him to look up the authorities. Sub-Inspector Mallard mentioned that he took part in the prosecution of a case some ten years ago, when the facts were the same, and a conviction was obtained.

The mail service between Clyde and Queenstown is now conducted by Messrs. Ord and Parsons, the firm consisting of Mr. Ord (late o£ Puerua), and Mr. Thomas Parsons, so long located in Tokomairiro. The service is being conducted with much greater regularity than under any previous contractors, and in the smartest time known on the road, and the consequence is that the new firm are getting the golden opinions of the travelling public and residents of Queenstown. No accident whatever has occurred on the line since the new firm commenced, and only on one occasion were the mails delayed behind time, and that only for twenty minutes, through the breaking away of the road at Morven Ferry, when a buggy was procured from Arrowtown, with which mails and passengers were taken on. " Observer " writes to the North Otago Times as follows:—A rather novel and interesting pugilistic encounter took place at a certain boarding-house in Oamaru a day or two ago. The house in qxiestion is principally patronised by men working on the railway, one of whom, on receiving his wages, went to the landlady and paid half the amount which he owed, declaring that this was all the money of which he was possessed. A day or two afterwards it reached the ears of the hostess that the defaulter was spending money freely, and " forgetting dull care" in his cups. Irate at his duplicity, she immediately sought him out, and demanded payment in full. Her just demand not meeting with a suitable response, more energetic measures were resorted to. Casting aside her hat, and rolling up her sleeves, the angry woman commenced an attack, vi et armis, declaring that she "would shake it out of him." And she did. Displaying a good deal of science, she blackened both his eyes, and after a few rounds he surrendered and paid his debt. If every landlady would follow this example, there would be few defaulters. We should'nt think think there would be any.