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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5311, 3 April 1878, Page 2

The Evening Post of yesterday publishes a letter from Mr. John Henderson in reference to Messrs. Brogdehs’ claims, which ,letter, our contemporary says, was refused publication in the New Zealand'Times. This statement, although not. absolutely untrue, is caculated to produce ,an erroneous impression. When the letter was brought,to the Times office exception was taken to one paragraph of it as being too strongly, not to say libellously, worded, and it was suggested that the writer might use a milder' phrase, Whilst conveying the same meaning. , ,Thp messenger who brought the letter took it away, leaving us under the impression that he would communicate with Mr, Henderson on the point. With the exception of the paragraph referred to no objection was made to the insertion of the letter. Anyone who sees the original, manuscript will find the paragraph referred to marked. ■

It was expected that the jury yesterday would have made a presentment to his Honor. the presiding Judge, inmeferehce to the manner in which the evidence jin cases : upon which they had to find ori ignore bills was brought before them on the part of the Crown. In' reply to a question from his-Honor on'the point, the Foreman said the Grand Jury did not, wish to make a formal presentment, but they felt obliged to call attention to the incomplete way in which the cases were laid before them, and trusted that in the future there would be an improvement in this respect. We have been informed on good authority that a presentment was drawn up in the grand-juryroom, complaining strongly of the ; manner in which -the cases for the prosecution were fail beforethem, and in response to a remark which fell from his Honor when delivering his charge to them they intended to bring it under his notice, but a majority of the Grand Jury would not agree to the presentment as drawn up. The Grand Jury considered that the delay in the production of witnesses in some of the cases, and in others the entire absence of important witnesses, were very reprehensible, aud tended to prevent the due administration of justice. The Hutt County Council met yesterday afternoon, when the following tenders were opened for the lease of the Hutt toll-gate for twelve months :—l'. Bassett, £6OO ; A, Moss, £7SO ;J. Chapman, £BOO. The Council did not accept any of the tenders, it being agreed that the Board should keep this tollgate in its own hands, For tho Kaiwarra gate the tender of Mr. S. Greer, at £2525, was accepted. Mr. 0.-Thompson also tendered for this toll at £2200. A letter was laid before the Council from Mr. Cleland, asking for compensation for land taken for the formation of a road. The consideration of the matter was adjourned. until the next meeting. The import of the County Engineer, in reference to the new road between Kaiwarra and Johnsonville, was laid before the Council. The length was 353 chains, and the estimated cost £6OOO, the steepest gradient being 1 in 18. The Council took no action in the matter, in consequence of want of funds to carry out the work. The Council agreed that the several highway boards in the county should continue the management of the roads in their respective districts for another year.

Yesterday morning' a deputation of property owners at Oriental Bay, represented by Messrs. K. Hart, D. Wilkinson, and Wilson, waited upon the Minister of Public Works in reference to the encroachments on the foreshore in that locality, which were in contemplation in connection with the proposed patent slip. Mr. Hart pointed out to the Minister that when the city was first laid out on its present site, after the idea of establishing it at Petone was abandoned, a portion of Oriental Bay foreshore was set aside as a reserve for the use of the citizens. The deputation wanted to prevent any encroachment being made on the foreshore, which they desired should be kept for the purpose for which it was originally intended. Mr. Macaudrew asked if the residents at Oriental Bay wished to prevent the starting of an industry in the locality. Mr. Hart said they did not, and that so long as the foreshore of Oriental Bay proper was not encroached upon they did not object to the erection of a slip. Mr. Macandrew promised to take the matter into consideration and lay it before bis colleagues, and said the result would be communicated to the deputation. The deputation having thanked Mr. Macandrew then withdrew.

We regret to hear that Mr. Stephenson, the mate of the Hawea, who met with a serious accident on board that vessel on Monday last, under circumstances notified in our issue of yesterday, died that morning about 8 o’clock. Au inquest will be held this' afternoon at the Hospital. The deceased was between 40 and 50 years of age, and leaves a wife and family in the Old Country. He had been for some years in the service of the Hew Zealand Shipping Company, and bore an excellent character. It is said that he was about to return Home to bring out his wife and family, intending to settle permanently in the colony,. . At a meeting! of the Manawatu County Council at Foxton on the 25th ult. the following resolutions were adopted :—“ That the Minister for Lands be communicated with with a view to ascertain in what position the block reserved as an endowment for the Wanganui Harbor Board is at present, and whether provision is made for its survey and occupation.— That in the opinion of the Council the TainniKareae block of laud just surveyed is unfit for a special settlement on account of its swampy, nature,'and that this Council would recommend that sectional roads be made upon the block, in order to drain it, before the land is placed in the market for selection, and that this Council would undertake the work for the Government if a sum of money sufficient to do the work is placed to their credit.—That 10s. be paid to each member not residing in Foxton for each and every meeting that he has attended during present financial year.” Councillor Haloombe said he would move at the next meeting ‘.—“That in anticipation of the next general election, the representation of the different ridings be redistributed, so as to give two members to the Manchester ridings.” The annual meeting of the Wellington Football Club was held at the Star Hotel yesterday evening, when the following officebearers and new members were elected ; President, Sir William Fitzherbert, K.0.M.G.; vice-presidents, Messrs. Pearce and Buchanan; captain, H. Pollen; secretary, A. T. Bate ; committee, Messrs. J. Thomson, It. FitzGerald, Cowie, Davy, and Kerr; new members, Messrs. Kerr, King, Severn, Holmes, Roualdson, W. Hutchison, A. Nixon, Lundon, Williams, Somerville, Grant, Benjamin, and Walker. The consideration of the by-laws was postponed until the first committee meeting ; and the secretary was requested to communicate with the other clubs as to fixing the opening day for the 27th inst. It was also suggested that the principal clubs of the colony should be communicated with with the object of forming a Rugby Union Football Association for New Zealand, and for the purpose of subscribing towards the purchase" of a Challenge Cup, to be competed for by the clubs joining the association. This suggestion was referred to a meeting of the joint committees.

A correspondent writes to us complaining of the abominable stench arising from the drain in front of Dr. France’s residence in Boulcottstreet. He says the air is poisoned for hundreds of yards around, and asks if there is no remedy for these pestilential odors. Our correspondent commends this nuisance to the City Council officials, and gives it as his opinion that at the present time of the year these drains, reeking with filth, are calculated to spread disease and death in many homes in the locality. To meet the increasing wants of the congregation of St. Mary’s Church, Karori, it was lately determined to hold a bazaar as soon as possible, as a means of raising funds sufficient to add to the building. As, however, all the seats are let, and upwards of twenty additional sittings have been applied tor, the vestry have made arrangements for an advance, which will enable them to add a chancel, which is to’ be commenced immediately. To repay this, as well as to provide for absolutely necessary repairs to the tower, which is found to be in a dangerous state, it has been settled to hold the bazaar in Wellington in December. Subscriptions are being collected, and work commenced iu earnest; and it is hoped that enough may be realised to enable the vestry to add a transept also. Mr. Harrison Ord’a lecture last night at the Athemeum, on the “ Tabernacle of Israel,” was most interesting and practical. The speaker dwelt principally on the golden candlestick, and showed the typical and practical lessons to be derived from it. This evening Mr. Ord will give the last of this series of lectures, 1 hud it is hoped that the attendance will be large, ;! An opportunity will be afforded for Christians to contribute towards the expenses of these meetings. At the Resident Magistrate’s’ Court yesterday, before J. 0. Crawford, Esq., 8.M., Richard Perry, charged with vagrancy, was discharged with a caution ; and two persons charged with drunkenness were each fined 55., with the customary alternative in case of non-payment.

j-’ : .A meeting of the Education Board will be; held ...this morning at a quarter-past' eleven! o’clock. *■. > t '■: I- •'

‘ It is notified that applications for shares in the Golden Point Goldmining Company (Limited) must be sent in to Mr. R. S. Ledger, the manager, on or be'fore noon on Thursday next, as the list will positively be’ closed on that day. A second match between Mr. Roberts, the billiardist, and Mr. Ames, was played at the Star Hotel last evening, the game being 600 points up. Mr. Roberts, who conceded 300 points to his opponent, won by fifty points, the time occupied being one hour and a-half. The line of tramway to Richter and Co.’s sawmills at the Terrace-end of Palmerston North having been found insufficient for present use, a second one is being laid dowu to take its place. It is also intended to have a siding at the same place, and the ballast engine Waverley has been at work all the week bringing in stuff to level the site. ■ ■

Messrs. J. H. Bethune and Go’s important land sale takes place this day at 2 o’clock, at their salerooms, corner of Featherstou and Brandon streets, as advertised in our columns, when a number of the choicest building al’otments in the city will be offered for sale ; also, valuable freehold and leasehold properties situated in Thorndon, and several first-class sections in the rising townships of Masterton, Feilding, Bunny thorpe, and Awahuri. A large attendance and keen competition may be expected. The “ Danicheff ” was repeated at the Theatre Royal last evening, and was received with great favor by the audience, who were most enthusiastic throughout its performance. Mr. .Dillon created a most agreeable impression by his able rendering of the part of Ossip. The character deserves to become a favorite one with him. Zakaroff, the scheming speculator, had an admirable representative in Mr. Musgrave, who looked and acted the part to perfection. The piece is one which affords an opportunity to each artist in the cast to stand out in relief, and it is only correct to state that they severally distinguished themselves by beipg perfect. Miss Pender' was extremely natural in her impersonation of Anna Ivanovna, and Miss Morgan likewise came in for a meed of praise due to her consistent representation of Princess Lydia. The Misses May, Bell, and Vernon, and Messrs. Graham, Poole, and Clinton added by their careful acting to the success of the performance. The piece is mounted in a manner which deserves to secure for it a run of several nightk It will be repeated this evening. The Manawatu Times, speaking of the recent sitting of the Native Land Court at Palmerston, says :—“ With the settlement of the. Aurangi Block has passed away all cause of dispute, and there is only one piece of laud on this side cf the island about which there can be any difficulty, and that is the Taonui Block, comprising an area of 3000 acres, which was sold by mistake at the same time as the Palmerston one. The Government, however, are quite willing to return the land, the only difficulty being to determine as to the partiticular individual natives who have a claim.”

Sir George Grey did not receive a brilliant reception at Invercargill, and we notice from the report of the Southland Times that the Municipal Council there are not lavish of the ratepayers’ money on political demonstrations. A Mr. McLean wrote to the Council, asking for a sum of £2 125., loss incurred at the Horticultural Show in gas burned upon the visit of Sir George Grey. The show had been a financial failure. Councillor Wade strongly objected to expenditure for an extra gas jet to do honor to a political party. He thought that those who desired to glorify any particular party should pay the piper. The motion to pay the amount was lost on the casting vote of the Mayor, but he suggested a. subscription by councillors of ss. each to the funds of the society.

The Timaru Herald publishes the following extract from a letter written to a friend by the Hon. Mr. Stafford before his departure for England;—“As the hour .of leaving approaches I feel much depressed. Though only proposing to be absent for some two years, the fact of resigning my seat seems to me like breaking my connection, both politically and socially, with the laud I have so long been bound up with and interested in. There the best years of my life have been passed, all my aspirations formed, and my children born. In short, there every tie : existed which binds a man to a country. I can never again form such ties, and what appears to be a rupture of them, even if but temporary, is a cause of sadness to me.” The Manawatu Times relates the following amusing anecdote ;—“ It is a' bad rule that will not work both ways, and a joke is never so good as when it is double shotted, and rev coils upon the perpetrator. The following occurrence, for the truth of which we can vouch, is too good to be lost, and consequently we rescue it from oblivion by giving it a place in our columns. A party of Palmerstonians lately paid a visit to a neighboring township, and on getting on board for the return trip, their departure was witnessed by a host of friends, amongst whom was the local rßsculapius. Before the first mile had been covered it was found that one of the horses had cast a shoe, and a return was necessary. While the animal was being shod, it was suggested that, a messenger should be despatched to the man of medicine, telling him that Mr. was lying in the hotel in a bad way, a similar story being forwarded to his late companions. As the worthy doctor entered the room, he found the invalid stretched on a sofa, his head supported by one, while another held a glass of water to his lips. Never stopping to inquire the cause, but jumping to the conclusion that an upset had taken place, the medico felt the pulse, worked the arms,, and performed other pantomimic performances peculiar to the profession, and after some consideration ordered the patient to be removed to bed. Scarcely had he so delivered himself than the sick man sprang to his feet, which of course was the signal for a perfect volley of laughter, to which none contributed more heartily than the supposed invalid. So far so good—the merriment was general, always excepting the doctor ; but when he gravely stated that, joke or joke not, he bad been sent for, and should certainly send in his bill for his professional fee, one ringing note of laughter was then missing, and much as it was enjoyed, the joke was not considered worth a guinea.” The Mail says : —“An object that should commend itself to the people of the Lake Wakatip District is that of prospecting for a new goldfield. Something is wanted in that direction. Mr. H. Homer, well known in connection with the Lake Harris track, as well as the Greenstone road to the West Coast, returns to his old hobby. He is convinced of the existence, not far from the western shores of Lake Wakatip, of a goldfield, besides other mineral deposits. It would be well it the community at large assisted in this object. The expense would not be great—say £SO, to equip one or two parties—and if the residents were unanimous, the Individual contribution would be trifling in comparison with the prospective gain. If Mr. Homer were successful, the Government reward would of course fall to his share. The south-western portion of Lake County is all but a terra iiicognita, but fioiu what little we can learn, it is well worth further inspection, and we therefore trust that the present favorable opportunity will not be lost.

Judging from appearance, says the Mannwatu. Times of Saturday last, the: carpentering trade must have a busy time of it at Sandon. Everywhere additions to buildings and new erections greet the eye, amongst the latter the most conspicuous being the Bank of New Zealand and the new Junction Hotel. Mr. Oakley, the proprietor, has shifted the old building bodily back, and upon its site is now erecting a fine commodious two-storied building, which-wiE not only be a great acquisition but an ornament to the town. The Sandon flour mill is now completed, and the machinery, which has been supplied by Mr. Murray, of Wanganui, was to be in thorough working order on Thursday. ' We may therefore be able, to state in , our next issue that operations have been commenced, and themill grinding the produce of the district.

.. Mr,. Wright, the travelling representative of the well-known American firm of G. W ight and Col, of New York, who is now engaged in completing the New Zealand portion of the large directory which the firm is about to issue, has left with us a copy of the map which will be presented to each subscriber. The map is nearly six feet by four, and contains one side a map of the world on Mercator's projection, with the various rondo™ geographical divisions, distinguished by colors. Ihe map shows the course of geographical discovery, mail, and sailing routes, telegraph and railway lines, prevailing ocean currents and various other matters of interest; in the margin the vital statistics, capitals, and area of different countries; reigning monarchs, their natal date,. and date of ascension; population of chief cities of the world, Governments of North and South America, last census of America, plans of the city of New York and Chicago, time in principal parts of the globe, flags of all nations, views of the Centennial Exhibition Buildings, and a great variety of other useful information. On the other side there is a new illustrated countv railroad and distance map of the United States and the Dominion of Canada, compiled from the Government' surveys up to 1877 ; a panoramie view of the country from New York to San Francisco, views of Niagara Fall the big trees of Calaveras, Yosemite Valley, Oapitol at Washington, Mount Vernon, White Mountains, and a list of the Governors of the States and Territories, and other information. In short, the map combines in itself all the most useful information to be found in the ordinary maps and a first-class directory ther. _ Those persons who desire to secure a place in the directory may leave orders at the Occidental Hotel, where Mr. Wright is now staying.

A correspondent of the Southland Times has been taking notes in Wellington. In common with others he notices the wonderful commeroial activity of the place. The figures he mves as the price of land in the business portions of the city are tolerably correct, indeed frontages have brought even higher prices than he mentions. Owners of property at Kilbirnie, however, will be surprised to learn that they paid from £4OO to £BOO per acre for their sections. Our visitor says “ There can be rio doubt that Wellington just now is the most prosperous town in the colony. The wharf la loaded with merchandise. There is activity and bustle in the streets, indicating briskness of trade. Good business freeholds command high prices, £ll6 to £125 per foot is asked and paid readily. There is so little land available for business purposes that people are forced to go up on the hills for sites. I went this afternoon to a place called Vogeltown. It is rugged broken ground, and must stand at an altitude of 800 feet above, sea level. It was sold some time ago in quarter-acre sections, and realised £l3O per acre. I also visited a place called Kilbirnie, which lies in another direction, and not quite so near the skies.' It fetched from £4OO to £BOO per acre. -he land -adjoining Vogeltown is expected to realise £SOO to £BOO an acre now. Land speculation is the mania of the place. The people seem to have got over the earthquake scare, as several large buildings have been recently erected in brick, notwithstanding the fact that money-lending associations have declined to make advances upon such shaky security.” The Bendigo Independent has been at the trouble to make the following, interesting calculations iu reference to the war- indemnity demanded of Turkey : —“ In the first place, it represents—round numbers being calculated—-one-fourth of' the English National Debt. In regard to the English National Debt, it has .been proved that there is not enough coined money in the world to pay it off. The amount is £750,000,000. Consequently, to pay the war indemnity : required' of Turkey, at least one-third of the world's coinage will be required. The indemnity represents almost to a fraction four times the amount of gold produced iu the Australian continent daring the last 25 years. The amount asked for represents, according to the value of Bendigo gold, no less than 50,000,0000 z., or, say the product of all our mines -for one hundred years to coine, calculated on the average returns of the goldfield during the past five years. The weight of such a quantity would be IS6OJ tons, or, in other words, a load equal to that which 2000 horses could draw from Sandhurst to Castlemaine in one day. The actuarial mind is lost in calculating such figures ; but enough can be gathered from them for us to be thankful that we are not Turkey, and that our near neighbors are not the Russians. Calculated on the population of Victoria, it would represent a tax of £250 per. head for every man, woman, and child in the colony.” The warden of the Raveuswood goldfield, in northern Queensland, reports that during the month of February mining and' business matters on that field progressed satisfactorily, and several claims, which had previously been barely payable, showed better crusbings. The warden visited Rochford lately, and found that portion of his district very dull, owing to the temporary stoppage of machinery. The mundic stone obtained from the Hadleigh Castle lease, which has lately only yielded loz, to the ton, is now crushing 20z., and a general revival is expected at Rochford when the mill resumes work. The population there is not above 70 or 80 souls. The Kirk diggings, five miles from Rochford, are nearly deserted ; but there is a good mill there, and the owner hopes to work a claim he owns (the Morning Star lease) to good advantage, and introduce improved machinery. The escort left last month, but the bank has IOOOoz. in hand. 'Eleven protection areas were granted during February, but no fresh claims were laid off. From Maryborough, Victoria, comes the strange statement that large quantities of live shrimps, and even fish, have been caught in the deep levels of the Try Again Aline at Timor. To all appearance a regular subterranean river runs through the claim. Thesame correspondent states that the fish In the Deep Creek, at Carisbrook, are curiously affected, from some cause unknown. They are floating on the surface, evidently stupefied, and are easily drawn ashore by means of sticks or rakes. The Russell correspondent of the Auckland Herald, writing on the 18th instant, says:— “ The schooner Magellan Cloud is being dismantled. Her try works and all surplus stores are being taken ashore, and she is chartered for a six mouths’ cruise amongst the islands, she being found too small to pay, though Captain Irvine brought her iu full last trip after the humpback season. It is a wonder some of the Auckland merchants do not get a ship to suit whaling, for Captain Irvine is a most energetic and experienced whaleman, and has been very fortunate in getting fish. He lost some of the sperm whales through the vessel being too small to cut them in. I venture to say had the Auckland Whaling Company had such a man, they would not how have been wound up. With the whales at our very doors, and considering the late success of the American whalers on our coast, it is a wonder our merchants allow such an opportunity to pass, in not having a try for the golden harvest.”

The proprietors of the Melbourne Age have been served with a writ, at the instance of the Hon. Alexander Fraser, for having, at the request of the lUmtrated London Ncics, copied into the Aye an advertisement announcing the decease of the Hon. Alexander Fraser's brother in the Holborn Worichouse, and commented on it as calculated to seriously damage the reputation of the colony in the person of a Minister of the Crown, who also drew £3OO a year as 3 member of the Council during a twelve month’s absence ’in Europe. Damages are laid at £IO,OOO, ... f

Mr. H. Milner, of Lougbeach (says the Lyttelton' Times of. April. Ist), has been fortunate in having one of the finest crops of oats grown in the county of Ashburton this year. From 28i} acres of land of a swampy nature, virgin soil, ploughed only once in August and Sep. tember and sown in October, Mr. Milner has realised a total of , 1640 bushels, or a fraction over 59 bushels per acre. ' In some places the yield was.over 100 bushels per acre, and the whole crop had suffered by shaking from strong winds to the ; extent of three or four bushels per acre. The oats were of the short tartarian kind. Considering, the dryness of the season, the yield is a most remarkably good one.

We (Queenslander) learn that Mr. W. H. ..Traill, , who for acveral Veal'S- past has-been * connected with the Press. of Queensland, has. received the appointment of editor, of the . Sydney Mail, and will very shortly assume its duties.

The Hawke's Bay Herald hears that while the census papers were being delivered to the natives at Rotorua and the X.ake district recently, some of them expressed themselves to the effect that the taking of the census was merely for the purpose of ascertaining how many -Maoris could be obtained to proceed to England to take up arms against the Bussians.

Erom the Manawatu Times of the 30th nit., we learn that there were sixteen candidates for the office of clerk to the Manawatu County Council, and that the choice fell on Mr. McCulloch. The salary attached to the office is £l5O a year. The following tenders for ferries were accepted :—Lower Gorge, G. Boyd, £7O ; Eoxton, J. Hillary, £lO5.

A large number of liberty men, of all ranks, from the Japanese man-of-war, says the Queenslander, were to be seen in all parts of Brisbane on Thursday. They visited many of the places of business, and were evidently filled with the greatest curiosity as to the merchandise to be found therein. They scarcely elicited the amount of attention from citizens which might otherwise have been expected, as their uniform and manner are very like those of the British tar, and have evidently been copied from that immaculate type of the seaman. They are small but hardy, and extremely active looking men, who look as if they could do good service at their guns, if the engagement were one of long shots ; at close quarters we would suppose a British sailor to be a match for an indefinite number of them.

A series of frightful murders have been committed at St. Jean du Gard by a man named Emile Dumas, The assassin is twenty-eight years of age, and has only been married ten months. He had been in the habit of quarreling with his wife and her relations, and the crime was the result of a dispute which he had with the latter a few days ago. Going to the house where his father and mother, two very old people, lived, he attacked them with a hatchet. Taking advantage of a moment when Ton mother was bent over the fire attending to her cooking, he struck her a blow in the neck with his deadly iusti ament, which almost severed the head from the snoulders. Turning to the old man, he treated him in a similar manner, and then disfigured the bodies with a knife. Proceeding to his own house, after having taken precautions to prevent the crime from being discovered for the moment, Dumas concealed himself and awaited the arrival of his brother-in-law, whom he stabbed in the groin, but fortunately without a fatal result. Uh next victim was his wife. She had run up to him when he was engaged in a struggle with her brother, and was struck down by a series of blows from the same knife which had ’ wounded her relative. The poor woman did not survive the murderous attack above a few minutes. After accomplishing these crimes "Dumas took refuge in a barn, where he was discovered by the police. On being confronted with the corpses he expressed. no repentance or regret for what "he had done. Dumas has since succeeded in hanging himself in the prison at Alois.