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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4228, 8 October 1874, Page 2

Major Atl somewliat perilous journey, chiefly on horseback, from New Plymouth. The business at the Police Court yesterday was confined to various charges against sailora, which were of an uniutc

The mail steamer Mikado, which may now be expected to reach Auckland from hour to hour, has on board a hundred and three bags of mails for this Colony. It is understood that this is the last mail which will come to New Zealand by this route under Hall's contract. It is possible, however, that arrangements may be made in Sydney, and that instructions may be telegraphed from thence to London, which will ensure the continuity of the San Francisco service.

During Tuesday the barometer continued to rise steadily at most places in the North Island, whilst in the South its movements were unsteady, with winds vai-iable in direction and strength, but generally 'from the south-west, throwing a heavy sea up on the West Coast of the Middle Island, where the wind increased to a smart gale about mid-day, continuing into the night, with a falling barometer on both coasts. The result was a difference of pressure, by 9 a.m. yesterday amounting to nearly an inch between the northern and southern extremes of the Colony. The appearance of the weather at Wellington yesterday afternoon was very unsettled, there being at tinier three distinct strata of clouds visible, the uppermost moving to the N.E., the central one apparently stationary, and the lowest moving to the southeast. Later in the day there were signs of a change of wind to the southward. Complaints are made, not without reason, that there is no board of instructions at w either the Ohau or Waikawa ferries. There used to be one at both ; but they have been washed away. The ferry at Waikawa is dangerous for travellers, and especially, for those who are strangers, owing to the shifting of the ford, and there being no poles or other marks to denote the crossing-place. The ferryman for Ohau states that he has nothing to do with the Waikawa, but there has been an understanding on the part of the public that ; he had charge of both. No doubt, the mention of the misunderstanding will be sufficient to cause the proper authorities to make the necessary arrangements.

The captain of the Waratah (says the Tribune) did rather a smart thing with the horses he had on board his ship. The crowded state of the wharf prevented him getting alongside to land them, and, not to save money, but from dire necessity, he. was obliged to adopt a somewhat hazardous mode of getting rid of the animals. Weighing his anchor, the captain slipped as near the Te Aro shore as prudence permitted, and there, dropping the horses into the sea, he left them to sink or swim. The poor brutes naturally chose the latter alternative, and landed safely, when they were taken to the New Zealander stables, where they now are. The wharf lessees are entitled to charge 4s. a-piece for equine imports, and this sum, multiplied by eighteen, the number of horses thus landed from the Waratah, was saved to Captain Fisher, and lost to Messrs. Jackson and Graham, all through want of the necessary wharf accomdation.

We take the following complimentary notice from the Otago Guardian of the 2nd instant': —" A very pleasing ceremony took place yesterday afternoon, at Bayley's Hotel, High Street, on the occasion of the presentation to Mri R. J. Creighton, M.H.R., late editor of this journal [and who is about to join the New Zealand Times], of a testimonial which had been subscribed for by the employe's of the Guardian. The testimonial consisted of a very haudsome and valuable graphoscope and stereoscope combined ; also a number of beautifully designed views. The stand bore an appropriate inscription, engraved on a silver plate. The presentation was made by Mr. R. H. Leary, the General Manager of the Guardian Printing Company. In proposing the health of Mr. Creighton, he paid a very high tribute of praise to that gentleman. He remarked that to Mr. Creighton was mainly due the success which had attended the Guardian. Many obstacles had stood in ,the way of its establishment, but these had been overcome, and to him alone was the credit due. He concluded by proposing long life, health, and prosperity to him (Mr. Creighton).—The toast was x drunk with great enthusiasm, the employe's giving three loud and hearty cheers. Mr. Creighton replied in appropriate terms, and said. that he should always treasure the most lively recollections of his many friends in Dunedin, arid in his new sphere of operations should always look with peculiar feelings of pleasure upon the Otago Guardian. (Loud applause.) He hoped it would long continue to maintain the reputation which it had now secured. He thanked them very cordially for the kind manner in which they had drunk his health. He then proposed the health of the General Manager, Mr. Leary, and said that he was in every respect the right man in the right j:>lace. Mr. Leary suitably responded.—Mr. Vincent Pyke afterwards gave " The Otago Daily Times and Witness Company." Responded to by Messrs. Humphries and Nichols.—Mr. Leary proposed the health of Mr. Canning, the late publisher of the Guardian. Mr. Canning responded in a few well-chosen words. The proceedings then terminated. Shortly before the abovementioned ceremony, another of hardly a less pleasing character took place, when Mr. Creighton was presented, by a few private friends, with a very handsome silver salver as a token of the high esteem in which they held him."

Replying to some of the late vfufair and unjust statements and comments of the Melbourne Age and Melbourne on the affairs of this Colony, the Otwjo Guardian of the 2nd instant remarks :—"When we censure a Melbourne paper for circulating slander against us, we can still less allow our own evil birds to escape castigation. There is a section of the Press in New Zealand which eagerly seizes every opportunity of defaming and degrading the country. In their blind hatred of a man who has done more than any other to elevate this Colony, they stupidly deal injuri-, ous blows to the Colony The dearth of news is an evil of such magnitude as none but a pressman can understand. But oven newspaper men should draw the line somewhere ; and, however puerile and wornout such matters as huge cauliflowers, doubleheaded ducldings, supposititious salmon, and premature partridges may be, any amount of indulgence in" that line would be preferable ' and' very much more creditable than the persistent copying of abuse of the Colony, such as; we now denounce."

The means of obtaining a thorough education are increasing in Wellington, both as regards public and private institutions. Te Aro Grammar and Commercial School is not behind in this respect. We observe that Mr. Curtis has engaged as resident assistant, Mi - . M. J. Smith, 8.A., formerly of London, and who bears very high testimonials. He has also, we learn, secured the services of Mons. E. Bourgeois, who arrived from Paris a few months ago,.and who will have charge of the French classes. Under the care of their new instructor it will be the fault of the Erench-studying pupils of Te Aro School if they do not learn to sjjeak the language " like a native." The experiences of His Honor Judge Richmond on his present visit to the West Coast have not been of the most favorable character, and should hasten the time when judges will not be required to travel on circuit. Tho West Coast Times of the 28th September thus narrates the adventures—and they were serious—of the judgo :—"When His Honor came he was landed at Groymouth instead of Hokitika, though the ocean steamer-was tendered here the same afternoon. He then, accompanied by Mr. John White, and Mr. Pitcairn, His Honor's Associate, came on here in an open buggy, through pouring rain and arrived thoroughly drenched, between two and three in the morning. It is only surprising that that journey was not followed by serious illness, for he has been for some time in very delicate health. After waiting a long time for an ocean steamer, the Tararua passed the port without waiting to be tendered, and he then was induced to take a passage in the Waipara, as she was only to call at Greymouth, en route for Nelson. Here his ill-fortune culminated, for that vessel was stranded on the North Spit, and the passengers had much difficulty in getting ashore. Everyone will, we, are sure, sympathise with His Honor in these troubles, and hope that they may not result more seriously than in enduring annoyance and discomfort that must of course be inseparable from them.''

Mr. G. Denton has now a quantity of heather seed for distribution, and anyone who has got suitable hilly land—not very difficult to find about Wellington—can obtain some on application.

We regret to learn that measles are again becoming prevalent .in town. Care should be taken to cote the first symptoms of the malady, and that the proper remedial steps are taken. As a precautionary measxire householders should see to the cleanliness of the outdoor premises, And that rooms should be properly ventilated.

It is stated at the Bluff that the first moiety • —£2so—of the bonus for the encouragement of whaling in New Zealand has been paid by the Provincial Government to Messrs. Nichol and Tucker, the owners of the whaling barque Chance, .which they lately sent to sea. The balance will be paid when she returns to port with oil. The Chance is the first whaler owned in Otago. Tasmanian prize fowls, it appears, are in good demand in New Zealand. One result has been a brisk trade in them at Hobart Town ; and another, that the bird " fanciers" of the illegitimate class have become too troublesome to the legitimate owners and breeders of fancy poultry. On these two branches of-the subject the Hobart Town Tribune remarks :—"Extraordinary prices have been realised for superior birds, on account of purchases being made for New Zealand fanciers who are desirous of obtaining some of the reliable stock known to be in the possession of our successful breeders. Mr. AValker recently sold two roosters for £4 each ; one the fine Dorkings that gained the first prize against the other formidable competitors at the late exhibition, and the other a Brahmapootra of great promise. In consequence of this flourishing state of the market, a regular system of robbery has been inaugurated, the operators in which will not touch a barn-door fowl, or a bird with a bar sinister in its escutcheon-—they confine themselves to such specimens as are of something like an approximate value to those which we have mentioned. Mr. Norman lost his well-known Brahmah cock off a roost where he was perched in company with other less distinguished members of the poultry family, none of which were disturbed ; and Mr. Giblin, of Providence Valley, has been robbed of a fine lot of Spanish pullets, which were highly valued by him, and promised to add to his credit as an enterprising exhibitor. We warn our friends who are engaged in that far from remunerative recreation of raising a superior order of poultry to keep a, sharp look out for the fastidious marauders."

We have been requested by Mr. George Thomas, to call attention to the close of the sale of drapery in the estate of Mr. Fisher, merchant, late of Nelson. The sale will be held this day, and to-morrow, on the premises, next door to the shop of Messrs. Lyon and Blair, Lambton Quay. The sale is advertised as one without reserve, and the stock being new, and of a useful character, no doubt the attendance of buyers will be as large as during the first portion of the sale. OTAGO. A tri-weekly evening p>aper is about to be commenced at Oarnaru. For the post of city bathkeeper,.lately advertised, there Were only thirty applicants ! A survey has been completed of a branch railway to the Tokomairiro coalfields, but there seems to be some dissatisfaction in the district as to the direction the line is proposed to take. The traffic returns of the Southland railways show that in the month of August there was an increase of a hundred per cent, as compared with the corresponding period of last year. The investigation into the causes which led to the loss of the seaman James Green overboard, was commenced on board the barque Oneca on the 30th September, by the American Consul, Mr. Driver. The proceedings have not been made public. Dodd, the second mate, is still under police surveillance. At the last meeting of the Waste Lands Board, sajs the Times, Mr. Eeid proposed that all .land that has been submitted to auctionand knocked down, but ou which the deposit has been forfeited, the purchase not being thus •completed, should be declared land of special value, and be advertised immediately for thirty days before it becomes open for sale. The object of the proposal was to prevent cases like the following from taking place. A sale is advertised, people come in from the country, and the land is sold to some speculator at, say £3 per acre. On this a deposit of 10 per'cent, is paid down. People go away under the impression that the sale is completed, but instead of that, the purchaser allows his deposit to be forfeited. No one knows that it is forfeited, and the former purchaser gets a friend to put in an application for him at £1 an acre. There being no second applicant for the land on the same day—no one knowing it is in the market—the land is sold to him in the ordinary way, without going to auction, at £1 per acre. The purchaser, by forfeiting the ten per cent, paid on the fall of the hammer, gets the land for £1 an acre—being perhaps onehalf or oneihird of the auction price. The Chief Commissioner said he had never heard of a case in which this plan had been followed; but Mr. Reid and Mi'. Clark thereupon remarked that such cases had come under their notice. Mr. Keid's motion for making lands .on which the deposit had been forfeited land of. special value, and giving thirty days' intimation of their being again open for sale, was unanimously agreed to. The flockowners announced-a few days ago that the rates they would pay for shearing this season would be somewhat under the amount paid last season. The shearers, on their part, have held a meeting at Hampden, and fixed a rate for which they will work, It was proposed, and seconded, and carried unanimously, that the rate of shearing should be £1 per hundred for ordinary sheep and £2 per hundred for rams ; stud and paddock fed sheep to be as per agreement. It was also agreed that the shearers of Moeraki district co-operate with the shearers in the other districts in the Otago Province to form a Shearers' Union. Also, that not more than one learner, be allowed on the shearing board to every ten shearers, and that the learner pay £1 into the Shearers' Union fund. Other minor matters were discussed, and the meeting adjourned. The Acclimatisation Society have recently turned out about ninety pairs of Australian minahs, forty pairs of Australian magpies, and a few pheasants and quail. It is to be hoped that these birds will not be interfered with, as some of the last turned out were, by mischievous boys, who it is stated used to amuse themselves by catching the birds before they had sufficiently recovered from the effects of their long imprisonment.