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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4227, 7 October 1874, Page 2

The s.s. Gothenburg, after making several voyages to Port Darwin, has been placed once more in the New Zealand trade, and arrived at the Bluff at daylight yesterday, after a moderate passage from. Melbourne, which she left on the 30th September. She would probably leave again in the course of the afternoon, and may be looked for here about Friday next. It is satisfactory to learn, from the telegrams she brings, that the last mail from the Colonies via San Francisco—that, we presume, taken by the steamship City of Melbourne—reached London three days before it was due. It is also pleasant to learn that the incoming mail via Suez left Galle three days before due date. It will be noticed that the Prince of Wales has become Grand Master of the English Freemasons, and that a very violent typhoon, accompanied by serious loss of life and property, has occurred at Hongkong.

During yesterday strong Bouthwost winds, with rising barometer, prevailed over the Middle Island, whilst stormy weather from north-west was felt at all Northern ports. At Wellington the weather had a very threatening look about 10.30 a.m., and shortly afterwards the wind came in fresh from south-west, accompanied by very heavy rain, which lasted about an hour. Later in the day both wind and rain abated very much, though the weather continued gloomy and had an unsettled appearance.

The State paper containing a report of the value and durability of timber indigenous to How Zealand will, we understand, bo published in pamphlet form, together with a report by Mr. Balfour on samples of woods shown at the recent Exhibition in London. When published, it will be, of course, obtainable from the Governmont Printing-office.

We are happy to learn that Mr. Foster, who met with the accident on the Ngahauranga road on Monday, is progressing favorably, and is likely to reach a state of convalescence sooner than was anticipated. Passengers by the Pacific Bailway breakfast in the Sierras with 20ft. of snow around them. Four hours later they find wheat 4in. high, and the next day see pear and peach trees in blossom.

By way of Sydney we-have some information as to the movements, past or to come, of some of Her Majesty's vessels in Australasian waters. H.M. troopship Adventure, Captain D'Arcy, is expected in Sydney from England, in October, with seamen to fill vacancies in the squadron, and also a number of boys. From thence she will proceed to Japan, and take on board a battalion of Koyal Marines who have been withdrawn by the Imperial Government, and then return home. H.M.S. Blanche is to arrive in Sydney from "Wellington on 15th October. H.M.S. Barracoota, relie\'ing ship to the Basilisk, will be at Fremantle about the end of October, and will go on to Hobson's Bay via Adelaide. The Basilisk left Singapore for England early in July. H.M. schooner Alacrity, for Havannah Harbor, arrived at the latter place on the 18th August, fifteen days out. H.M.S. Sandfly and American schooner Hally Jackson were in port. H.M. schooner Sandfly, frcm Sydney, arrived at Norfolk Island on the 11th July. She had dreadful weather on the passage, and was hove-to for four days. She lost her dingy and stern davits. She then proceeded to Auieteum, where she arrived on 19 th July.

The Melbourne Leader is about to follow the New York Herald —-but at a respectful distance—in attentions to the services in the churches on Sundays. It announces that, with the title of "Under the Pulpit," it is about to commence a series of papers which will comprise " the results of a Sunday visit of observation to the various churches in "Victoria." It adds, " While the tone of the papers will be strictly catholic, and their purport mainly descriptive, an effort will be made, to catch the tendencies of religious thought among us, and to arrange the impressions left on the mind of the writer by sermons, preachers, and congregations, in some sort of critical relation to the alleged decline of the influence of the local pulpit." Captain Francis Cadell was the first to introduce steam on the River Waikato, just as he had before opened up the navigation of the Murray in Victoria by the same agency. We now observe that he is preparing for an extraordinary journey of exploration in Northwestern Australia. Abandoning pearl-fishing, in which he has been for some time engaged, he is about to follow the large river Murchison from the sea towards its source, which is supposed to be in Queensland. He will take with him only a small party, and they will travel with horses.

An attempt is about to be made in Melbourne to open up a direct trade between that port and Antwerp. A large quantity of the Australian wool sold in London is taken by German purchasers, and it is proposed to load a ship in Hobson's Bay with a cargo of wool for the German market. It may be added, as a proof of the extending trade of Victoria, that a cargo of sugar—the first—has just arrived in Hobson's Bay, direct from Guadaloupe in the West Indies.

We have before us the Australasian Sketches for the present month. It contains several fine pictures, and amongst others one which is quite an artistic triumph, "The Mayor's Fancy Dress Ball : Trying the Effect." The principal plate, however, is " Hunting in Victoria," a spirited Bketch of a kangaroo chase, in which the usual incidents of a fast run over awkward country are not wanting. The only portrait given is that of the late Hon. J. H. Barrow, of South Australia, which is an extremely good likeness. "The Meat Market, Melbourne," of which there is an exterior view, is one of those institutions for which the capital of Victoria may be said to be remarkable among modern cities. " River-side sketches," near Melbourne, are blotchy and not quite satisfactory. There is considerable humor, however, in " Artistic Notes in Riverina," in which some peculiar phases in Australian station life are depicted. On the whole the number is an interesting one.

The Newcastle papers report a case in which a young woman, nineteen years of age, was charged before the Waratah Police Court with " assaulting and beating" a young man of twenty-five. The defendant had heard that the complainant had been " talking about her in the pit," and slandering her good name. She challenged plaintiff with the offence, which he denied, and called her a blackguard. She at once " went-at him," threw a cup at his head, and knocked out two of his teeth. The defendant was fined in a mitigated penalty, and costs. Verily the young cornstalks in the coal regions ai'e growing up after the manner of their prototypes in " the black country." A grand anniversary regatta is announced to take place on the River Derwent, at Hobart Town, on the 20th of January next, to commemorate the first discovery of the Island of Tasmania byTasmauinl642. The prizes offered are large enough to be attractive. Tor one race, to be rowed in four-oared string-test gigs, of any length, and open to all bona fide amateurs who do not gain their living by manual labor, a first prize of £IOO and a second prize of £2O are offered. Then there is to be an Intercolonial Champion Race, which will be open to all who have not within three months of the regatta day plied for hire as licensed watermen. The first prize is £IOO, and the second £35, and they are to be competed for in fouroared boats without outriggers, not exceeding thirty feet in length, not more than four feet five inches in beam, and not less than fifteen inches in depth. It is anticipated that Victoria and New South Wales will send representative crews. Perhaps the young boating men of New Zealand would also like to dip their oars in the clear fresh Derwent on such an occasion. TARANAKX The Ship Hotel at New Plymouth has been disposed of to Mr. Uncles, of the Imperial Hotel, for £IOOO. HAWKE'S BAY. The first dray-load of the new season's wool has reached Napier. It was from the station of Mr. R. D. Maney, at Omahu. Fifty laborers are advertised for, for the railway works. The settlers at Meanee have over two hundred acres of potatoes planted this season. Fears are entertained for the safety of a man named Robinson, a drover, formerly of Meanee, who left Wairoa for Mahia a few days ago, and has not since been heard of. A day or two after starting on his journey, Robinson's horse and dog returned to Nuhaka, and it is feared that in passing round the base of the ITreti cliff, Robinson must have been caught by the tide, and probably drowned. AUCKLAND. A new evening paper is to be started, under the control of Mr. Jones, the proprietor of the Waihalo Times, and formerly of Jones and Tombs, of Christchurch. The funds are provided by subscription among what is known as the Macfarlane Party in that city, and the object is less to supply a public want than to put down the Evening Star, which, however rash occasionally, has secured a strong hold on the public by its outspoken vigor. Of course it has made many enemies, and as it does not appear to have acted in its strictures with any regard to the wealth or position of those whom it has attacked, they resent the impertinence, and propose to crush it by opposition. An estate of twelve thousand acres in the Piako, belonging to Mr. T. B. Gillies, has been purchased by Mr. Murray, M.H.R. WESTLAND. A lady in Greymouth is reported by the Grey Star to have engaged one of the new arrivals as a general servant, who, the first day, at dinner sent up potatoes in their skins. The mistress explained to the help that she would need to conform to the customs of the country and peel the vegetables before boiling, but to the lady's great surprise her servant exclaimed —" Spile the praties ! Is it ; never—l'd lave first." And she was as good as her word, and there is now a vacancy for a plain cook in the house of our friend. The "Great Empire Derby Sweep" on the Melbourne Cup, has been drawn at Hokitika. The favorite—Goldsborough—fell to that lucky individual, H. Sharp, who pocketed £IOOO by a lucky venture on the same race when The Quack won. He offered a share in five tickets that he held to more than one person, but without success, till Mr. L. Kirwan accepted his"o£fer and handed over the three notes, which will very likely land hini in a partnership of £500,1

The Christchurch mail arrived yesterday morning, says the West Coast Tones of the 2nd of October, that, but for the bad weather, should have arrived on Saturday last. We have already borne testimony to the energy that the contractors showed in the face of vast difficulties, but to get the mail through was even a harder task than anticipated. A great deal of the way the mailman was compelled to carry it himself, the track being such as to prevent horses being of any use. Yesterday afternoon the coach, with last Tuesday's mails, arrived safe and sound, and this morning, communication being once more established, everything will go on as usual. Comparatively fettle damage, we hear, has been done to the road; but the promised repairs progress very slowly indeed. The following strange epitaph appears on one of the gravestones in the Hokitika Cemetery. It is certainly an anomaly as emanating from the Mends of anyone deceased : " Memoria in iEternia of Ellen, second daughter of Thomas and Christina Newhouse, of Preston, Lancashire, England, passed into everlasting rest, 10th day of September, 1873, aged fifty-three years, caused by a cancer, aud inflicted upon her, 7th day of January, 1872, by a person the law denominated her husband. For this brutality she sought justice in vain at the R.M.C., H." Several verses of poetry then followed, ending with " His demonial ruffian soul is indelibly branded with the terrors of the state. Justice yet for the sister dear our lives and souls we ever consecrate." The Hokitika Leader of the 20th ultimo says that this extraordinary epitaph was removed by the Borough Council as trustees of the cemetery. It is still in the possession of that body, and there is, we hear, a possibility of proceedings being taken against the person who put it up. It is rather singular that the publication of the scandalous production in a newspaper should be the first intimation that the trustees received of its existence. We are told that, though not exactly superintending its erection, one of the Borough Councillors was present at the time, and saw nothing objectionable in it. Whether this were so or not we cannot positively say, but should hope such a state-nent is a mistake. The Times says :—A very welcome addition to harbor appliances has arrived, in the shape of some Boxer rockets, short and long, complete with all the necessary primers, port fires, and rocket staffs. These have been very kindly supplied by the Victorian Government to the Provincial Government of Westland, through the good offices of Captain McLean, of the Otago. They are procured from Home by our Victorian neighbors, and are very expensive necessaries. Their value in cases of shipwreck can hardly be estimated, and in thousands of instances they have been the means of saving valuable lives in all parts of the world. This may readily be imagined when it is stated that they will carry a line to a stranded vessel fully 800 yards, or very little short of half a mile. Should they be needed here they will no doubt prove as effective as elsewhere, and the very fact of having them at hand is assuring. The thoughtfulness of Captain McLean, and the courtesy of the Victorian Government, deserve the best thanks of Westland in the matter. CANTERBURY.

Awamoa, the beautiful estate of the Hon. Matthew Holmes, is fast assuming a park-like appearance ; the pines and cypresses are spreading outwards and upwards, while the spruce thrives vigorously. Mr. Holmes' stud herds of Durham cattle are very choice this year, promising to excel all previous ones. His horses are in prime condition for the coming show, and his sheep are the embodiment of excellence.