SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4411, 10 May 1875, Page 6

SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

A telegram received in Sydney-states that the Mikado, with the outward New Zealand and Australian mail, arrived m San irancisco four days before contract tune. It is evident that the difficulties originally found in keeping time have been overcome, and that regularity may now be expected, though the vessels employed were not built for the service, and, no doubt, could be improved upon. From a return in the Gazette of Friday, we learn that in the quarter ending on the 31st of March last, 97,6810z5. of gold were exported from New Zealand, the declared value of which was £391,177. Otago shipped the largest quantity, the value being £131,835. Westland shipped £79,111; Nelson, £100,171; Marlborough, £2766 ; Auckland, £73,991 ; and Wellington—nothing ! From the first shipment of gold from New Zealand, the total export has amounted to 7,697,6540z5., of the value of £29,968,193. In the quarter ending 31st March last, only 97,6810z5. of gold were raised in New Zealand, as compared with 108,917 ozs. in the corresponding period of last year. The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs must have experienced great satisfaction in seeing such results arising from his introduction of a training ship, as he must have done during his recent trip in the Auckland training ship, which was worked entirely by boys. When our insular position is taken into consideration, and the natural advantages which our coastal line affords, it is evident that our mercantile marine is of the utmost .importance; indeed, our commercial success depends entirely upon the facilities which we may possess for carrying freight to and from the colony. Speaking rougldy, there are 150 vessels registered as owned in New Zealand, the tonnage of which amounts to upwards of 33,000 tons, and which require over 2000 hands to navigate them. In addition to these are the fine ships belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company, which are at present not registered in the colony, but in all probability will be so shortly, and open lip an additional field wherein to draft those boys who have served their apprenticeship on board the training ship, and who may eventually become worthy members of an important branch of industry, instead of growing up in vice and depravity. Taken altogether,.it is one of those unobtrusive improvements which confer a benefit alike on the present and future generations. A sailor named Thomas Woolley McKenzie, who lately was a sawyer at Inangahua, and who had in his time been an hotel-keeper and a miner, drowned himself in a most determined manner in a waterhole, at Keefton, a few days ago. We are .much pleased to learn, says the Gisiorne Standard, that Sergeant Armstrong has received a substantial recognition of his services at the hands of Sir Donald McLean, through the representations of his commanding officer, Captain Gudgeon, The efficient state of the Cavalry Volunteers is such as to have called forth an encomium from the Defence Minister, who has testified his appreciation by presenting Sergeant Armstrong with a donation of £lO, a gift well earned and most worthily bestowed. , The House of Assembly is at present undergoing very extensive alterations. The old seats have all been removed, and it is proposed to erect three tiers of seats round the chamber. The seats themselves are of a much lighter description than those used last session, and .will materially add both to the comfort of members and to the general appearance of the House.

The following notice appears in Te Waka Maori of the 20th instant : —“All persons visiting the geysers at Rotomahana are requested not to deface them by breaking off portions of the siliceous deposit of the waters comprising the terraces, and pendent fringes which hundreds of years probably have been required to form,—Wx KebpA Rangipuawhe, Himiosa Te Kura, Wikieiwhi.—Te Wairoa, March, 1875.” Mr. St. John Akers attended on April 26th on the Registrar-General, to meet the members of the medical profession who protested against his being registered without producing the necessary qualifications. Dr. Diver was present on behalf of the medical profession. It was ultimately decided by the RegistrarGeneral that it was impossible to allow Mr. Akers to register his name without the qualifications specified in the Medical Practitioners Act. Mr. Akers then withdrew, expressing at the same time his intention of leaving the matter as it stood. The Registrar-General’s report on the vital statistics of Auckland, Thames, 'Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Hokitika, for the month of March, appear in Thursday’s Gazette. The total of the births was 279, and of the deaths 251. One remarkable feature, showing how fatal the mouth has been to children in Auckland, is that while the births

there amounted to 46, the deaths were not less than 92, and of these 66 were of children under five years of age. At the Thames, while the births were 27, the deaths were 17 ; in Wellington, 46 and 38 respectively; in Nelson, 18 and 13 ; in Christchurch, 48 and 44 ; in Dunedin, 88 and 42 ; and in Hokitika, 6 and 5. The proportion of deaths in a thousand of the population showed Auckland to be the least healthy of the seven towns named, the proportion being 7'03 ; Christchurch was next on the black roll, its proportion being 4T7 ; Wellington stood third, its figures being 3’50 ; while Nelson, Dunedin, Thames, and Hokitika followed, the capital of Westland being the most healthy of the seven. There were 18 more births in February, than in the preceding month, but the deaths were 73 more, and exceeded by 111 the deaths in any month in 1874. Of those who died, 143 were males and 108 were females. The. oldest was a female aged 84, and the oldest male was aged 75 —both belonging to Wellington. Of the causes of death, in'every 100, the percentage for zymotic diseases was 53'78 ; local diseases, 22'71 ; constitutional and developmental diseases, each 10'76 ; and violent deaths, P 99. Measles carried off by far the largest proportion of victims. The average temperature in the shade was : Auckland, 65'3 ; Wellington, 61'2 ; Nelson, 69'4 ; Christchurch, 58‘4; Hokitika, 66'6; and Dunedin, 55'9.

Another instance of advancement in local manufactures is to be seen in the Victorian coach-building establishment of Mr. H. B. Cockbum, in Molesworth-street. Among the various descriptions of vehicles is an American buggy, built expressly for country travelling. It is exceedingly strong and at the same time light. It is expressly built to order from the Wairarapa, and will be despatched to its destination on Wednesday. All the workmen for the different branches have been selected from the Melbourne factories, and the results of their efforts are worthy of inspection. The outside framework of the Thomdon baths is now finished. The approach to them cannot at present be commenced, as it is dependant on the reclamation of land which is about 150 ft. distant from the outer work of the baths. The contractor will soon commence filling in, and when .this is accomplished—which is expected to be during next week—there will be a pleasant place for a morning’s bathe. No dressing-rooms are to be built this season, as there are only two months more during which the weather is suitable for bathing. The following tenders were received by the Public Works Department for the construction of a wharf at Newcastle (Ngaruawahia), Waikato : Accepted—John Briton, Newcastle, £1373. Declined—John Taylor, £I4OB ; W. and 6. Winston, Auckland, £1771. _ The New Zealand Gazette contains proclamations by his Excellency delegating to the Superintendent of Auckland the Governor’s powers under the various Acts affecting the goldfields, the Waste Lands Act, 1858 ; The Lunatics Act, 1868 ; The Public Health Act, 1872 ; and The Prisons Act, 1873. During the month of March the estates of thirteen persons who died without leaving wills were placed in charge of the Public Trustee. The largest was that of John Hartley, Dunedin (£800); the smallest that of Thomas Ashcroft, Coromandel (under £5). John Owens, Black’s, Otago, left £4OO ; and Jos(s De Silva, of Moa Flat, Otago, left £3OO. The other estates ranged between £SO and £ls. Two of the deceased were drowned, and one killed in a gravel-pit, •

A return published in the Provincial Gazette on Wednesday, shows that in the quarter ending March Slut, 252 vessels, of 49,348 tons, entered the port of Wellington, as compared with 226, of 48,345 tons, in the corresponding period of 18?4. From a return published in the Provincial Gazette, of lands sold in the province o£ Wellington during the month of March, we see that in round numbers 14,246 acres of land were disposed of ; and that £13,901 in cash and £3O in scrip were received in payment. A large sale of town property has been effected. Mr. John Plimmer disposed of the Waterloo Buildings block, with its extensive frontages to Lamhton-quay, Hunter-street, and Custom-house-quay (including the old Noah’s Ark and wharfage rights), for the sum of £12,500. The purchaser was Mr. Jacob Joseph. It has been currently reported during the last few days (says the Wairarapa Standard of the 10th instant), that instructions have at last been given for the survey'of a railway line through the central portion of the Wairarapa. There appeal's to be little doubt that the vessel lost near West Wanganui Inlet was the schooner Melbourne, of Melbourne. The stern of a vessel with “Melbourne” on it, has been washed on shore at West Wanganui, and the principal keeper at Farewell Spit lighthouse has found a pocket-hook that apparently belonged to Captain lladcliff, containing two unsigned bills of lading, dated November last, for a quantity of palings to be taken from Circular Head to Wamambool and Fort McDonnell in the Melbourne. Mr. E. W. Morrah, formerly manager of the Bank of Australasia in Ballarat, and more lately of the Sydney office of the bank, has been promoted to the post of Inspector of the branches of the same bank in this colony. A sad and singular occurrence happened at Pencarrow Lighthouse on Monday evening, April 19, which resulted in the death of Mrs. Hendle, wife of one of the lighthouse-keepers. Mr. Hendle kept the first watch on the evening of the day named, and while attending to the lamp Mrs. Hendle came up to make some trifling inquiry preparatory to going,to bed. Having received an answer, she proceeded down the staircase, hut .incautiously missed her footing and fell from one landing to another. Mr. Hendle’s attention was first attracted by hearing his wife call out “ Oh,” and on going to her assistance he found her insensible. Shortly after being removed to her house she revived, and became so much better that on Tuesday morning she resumed her household duties. Under these circumstances medical assistance was not sought, but toward evening it became manifest that the fall had caused internal injury. Mr. Hendle took his watch at the light, but about nine o’clock he was called down to see his wife, who expired shortly afterwards. The coroner was notified of the occurrence, but an inquiry into the circumstances was not deemed necessary. The report of the directors of the Wellington Patent Slip Company, presented at the annual meeting held on the 29 th April, is as follows : —“ The slip dues for the year have not equalled the anticipations of the board; on the other hand, the receipts from other sources show an increase. An arrangement has been lately entered into with the representative of Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co., under which a certain number of their vessels will he taken on the slip in each year. The directors purpose to commence building a vessel in a short time, hut difficulty has been experienced in obtaining the requisite supply of timber. Debentures to the amount of £3OOO have been disposed of in Wellington, and£4oooworth havebeeu forwarded toMessrs. Mathesou and Co., the London agents of the company, for disposal in England. On receipt of the subsidy now due from the Provincial Government, the directors recommend a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum. -Two of the directors, Messrs. W. H. Levin andJ. E. Nathan, retire by rotation, but being eligible, offer themselves for re-election.” During the year, vessels representing a tonnage of 6971 tons have been taken up on the slip. The balance-sheet gives the revenue for the year as £6024 2s. Bd., made up of the following items : —Subsidy to 31st March, 1874, £2295 12s. 4d.; subsidy due to 31st March, 1875, £2450 ; slip dues, £742 ss. 9d.; profit on repair of vessels, &c., £417 Os. 6d. ; rents, £47 15s. ; profit on stock, £7O 19s. Id.; J Qg The estate of Mr. T. Mullins, of the Hutt, has been assigned to Messrs. T. W. Young and E. H. Hunt, as trustees, for the benefit of creditors.

A strong and handsome yacht of about 7 tons measurement has just been finished by Mr. Berg, boat-builder, of Courtenay-Place. She has been built as nearly as possible on the lines of the clipper yacht Garibaldi, and, like that smart craft, she carries an iron centreboard, which is no less than 7ft. long, with a drop of sft. 6in. Her length is 27ft. overall; length of keel, 23ft. 6in., with a safe breadth of beam of Bft. sin. Her mast, including the topmast, neither of which is stepped, will be 37ft. high, and her sails are made of American drill. She is to the order of a party of young gentlemen, who. have christened their pretty craft the Flirt. Without doubt she will be as creditable to her owners as she is to her builder.

We leam that two of the three lodges of Odd Fellows in Wellington, the Britannia and the Wellington, contemplate amalgamation, and that' the preliminaries have been arranged for the union, which in all probability will be consummated shortly. The Britannia is the oldest lodge of the order in New Zealand, having been instituted some thirty years ago, and through it the dispensations for the orders subsequently created in Auckland, Dunedin, and other cities of New Zealand have proceeded. By uniting, the expenses of management will be considerably reduced, and it will be possible to establish a dispensary, and to obtain the services of a doctor who shall be a member of the order. The Antipodean Lodge —the third of the order in Wellington—holds aloof from amalgamation; but as union is strength, it also may possibly see the way by-and-bye to join the others, and so make one strong lodge of the order in Wellington.. The Metropolitan Hotel, Molesworth-street, was formally re-opened on April 19th by Mr. Osgood, who has again assumed the proprietorship. It is well known what an entire change can be effected by an almost unlimited supply of paint and paper, but few would be inclined to believe that the present light and tastefully decorated apartments have not been entirely rebuilt, so great is the change in their appearance. The interior of the whole establishment has been arranged with the utmost care for the comfort of those who may be desirous of obtaining accommodation. In addition to possessing one of the most beautiful views of the grand harbor of Wellington which is obtainable from the city, it is, on account of its elevated position, always free from dampness and foul air. It is needless to take the rooms seriatim, since without exception they are as completely comfortable as money and situation can render them. One great addition is the large bathroom to be erected within easy access of all the bed-rooms, which will be fitted up in keeping with the rest of the house. There is one room specially known as the “honorable members’” room, and, in truth, a stranger might fancy himself within the precincts of the House of Assembly itself, so great is the supply of the inevitable blue books, statistics, parliamentary papers and such like. As far as the culinary branch of the establishment goes, it is, we fear, too good to last in a small city like Wellington. Taking all things into consideration, the Thomdon residents and the public at large may well be congratulated on the return of one who has done so much to raise the class of Wellington hotels, and that too, in many instances, at a considerable personal sacrifice. Many old friends and well-wishers gathered around the convivial board yesterday, and one and all expressed great satisfaction at the present arrangements, and before leaving joined heartily in wishing that Mr. Osgood might meet with liberal patronage. Mr. George McLean has been elected to the House of Representatives by his old constituency of Waikouaiti, by a considerable majority over Mr. Rich. We are certain that all Mr. McLean’s old political friends will receive the intimation of his election with pleasure,

It is anticipated that railway communication with the Upper Hutt will he possible by the end of August next. The Palmer diggings are effecting a steady decrease in the mining population of Otago. The following is a return, furnished by Mr. Monteith, of the number of patients in the Provincial Hospital, during the month of April ;—Admitted—Males, 18 ; females, 5. Discharged—Males, 13 ; females, 2. Died— Males, 4 ; females, 2. Left in Hospital— Males, 33 ; females, 8. Total in Hospital, 41. The births in the borough of Wellington, registered during April, amounted to 60, the deaths to 30, of which 15 were of boys and 15 of girls. 7 of the deaths were of children under one year; 5 of children, one to three years; and 18 of adults, of whom one was a female, aged ■ sixty-nine. Zymotic diseases caused 14 of the deaths : of these, measles caused 1 ; scarlet fever, 1 ; typhoid fever, 6 ; diarrhoea, 5. Constitutional diseases caused 3 deaths; one of these was from phthisis. Local diseases caused 10 deaths, including 3 from heart disease and 2 from bronchitis. 2 deaths (infants) were attributable to developmental diseases, and 1 female, an adult, died from the effects of burns.

We' regret to announce the sudden death of Mr. Carter, an old and much respected officer belonging to her Majesty’s Customs, which took place on board the barque Sunbeam, on the afternoon of May 3rd. The deceased, who was a tide-waiter, was engaged in his ordinary duties on board the Sunbeam. He was writing at the cabin table along with the first officer (Mr. Gorrie)and another gentleman. Within five minutes of his death, he appeared to be in the enjoyment of good health. Mr. Gorrie states that he suddenly observed Mr. Carter’s head to fall forward on Ids chest, but he thought he was only seized with a fit of coughing. Becoming alarmed at the symptoms shown by Mr. Carter, he came to the conclusion that it was a fit he was suffering from, and he gave deceased some brandy, and unloosened his collar and wearing apparel. Medical assistance was at once sent for, and Dr. Tyghe, of the Edwin Fox, was in attendance within ten minutes from the time Mr. Carter was taken ill; but unfortunately his services were not required, as life was found to be extinct. The news of his sudden demise quite startled those who heard it on the wharf, as deceased had been observed walking about only a short time previous to his death. The deceased leaves a wife and two sons to mourn his loss. By the barque Sunbeam, from London, a rather novel importation for the Native Department, through the Agent-General, has come to hand. The powerful East Coast tribe, the Arawas, have always been loyal to the Queen, and in the native wars lent valuable aid, in the field and otherwise, to bring about submission to her Majesty and the tranquillity of the country. Apparently, they desired to have among them some visible evidence of the powerful but far-away Queen under whose banner they had fought, and accordingly a request was preferred that a bust of her Majesty should be procured for them, and the Native Minister promised that such a bust should be presented to them. Dr. Featherston was communicated with on the subject something like twelve months ago, and he gave the commission to an Italian artist in London, whose name is not mentioned in the correspondence, but who is described as young, talented, and rising in his profession. The instructions were that the bust should be of life-size, hut the artist has taken the usual liberty of improving upon, or at least altering, the idea, and has given her Majesty somewhat colossal proportions. The bust is carved in wood, apparently beech. It is a copy from one which has been made familiar to the colonists by photographs, and gives a very correct likeness of the Queen. The features are admirably carved, and the likeness is unmistakable. Anyone who has seen her Majesty cannot hut at once perceive the admirable portrait the artist has achieved. Her Majesty wears a small gilded crown, and holds in her hand the sceptre of the realm. The Queen wears the royal collar, and the stars of the orders of the Garter and the Thistle, and other insignia of royalty. These are all well carved. The hands, however, are much too large. It is possible, however, that the artist found some difficulty with his wood, and having succeeded so admirably with the face, both full and in profile, did not care to run the risk of spoiling his work by cutting the hands smaller. There is a happy air of dignity in the countenance, together with that peculiar look of matronly love which distinguishes her Majesty. The bust is to be forwarded to the Ngatiwhakaue hapu of the Arawa tribe at Ohinemutu —one of the most important branches of the tribe. Correspondence from the East Coast reports that "White Island is very active. Dense volumes of smoke are ascending. The Hon. Dr. Pollen was a passenger by the Luna on April 30th for Lyttelton. He has since accompanied his Excellency the Governor to Dunedin, and while in Otago will in all likelihood visit the interior settlements. The English mail via San Francisco, due here on the 28th instant, was delivered at an early hour on Thursday, April 29, by the s.s. •Taranaki. The Wanganui Herald of Saturday states that Kuapeka, the highest mountain in the

North Island, the summit of which has hitherto been considered inaccessible, has been successfully ascended by Mr. E. Richards, who accomplished his difficult task without a companion. As Mr. Richards intends giving an account of his journey, it would be unfair to publish particulars now; but we may say that he left a mark on the top which, should the mountain again be ascended, will prove his statement. The 11th of March was the day on which Mr. Richards reached the summit.

By the arrival on Sunday, April 18, of the barque Edwin Pox, from Loudon, the colony j receives a valuable addition of 259 souls to its population. The new arrivals appear to be up to the high standard of the immigrants who have lately come to New Zealand, and have arrived in port free from disease. The Health Board boarded the ship and inspected the immigrants on Sunday morning, and everything being found satisfactory the ship was passed as clean. Several friends of the passengers boarded the ship during the afternoon. More purchases of first-class horse stock have been made in Melbourne for New Zealand. Presto, by Panic out of Louisa, has been bought by Mr. Holley, of Canterbury, for shipment to New Zealand. The Australasian says : —“ He is a horse with great size, power, and fine action, and if used with half-bred mares, should soon make a name for himself at the stud as a sire of upstanding carriage horses. He is a well-bred horse too, almost own brother to Melbourne, the latter being by Panic out of Myth by Kelpie out of Miss Louey, Presto’s grauddam. As a racehorse, but for an accident he would have been quite at the top of the tree.” We also notice that Mr. Holley has bought Marmion, by Panic out of Barbelle, by Peter Wilkins, who will be shipped in company with Presto. The building of a town hall is about to be commenced in Carlyle by a public company. A brass band is also to be formed, a sot of instruments having been presented for the purpose by a townsman, Mr. James Southby. Patea is evidently determined to go a-head.

The New Zealand Herald of the 19th instant says ;—“ Platinum has been found from time to time in the neighborhood of Wanape, some twenty miles south of Ahipara, a settlement near the North Cape, and also in the mountain ranges near the Canadian settlement of the Ohaihau. Several- parties, we (Coromandel Mail )a,xo informed, are prospecting in'the bush in this neighborhood, and amongst them are Mr. Mann, late of Coromandel, and Mr. Stovin, the latter of whom it is reported, though we cannot vouch for the correctness of the rumor, has discovered both platinum and rubies. The country away to the far north, however, is well known to bo rich in minerals. Silver ore was some time ago found near the estate of Captain Burleigh, K.M., which on assay yielded 4ozs. of silver to the ton.” One of the latest reports from Ohinemuri, circulated on the Thames, is the following : “A miner named Stuart brought down 221bs. of soft pipeclay-looking stuff, which yielded 57ozs. of gold. Ho declines to point out the place where he found it, as he is still engaged in tracing out the'reef.”