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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5371, 14 June 1878, Page 2

The Singapore and Saigon cable ia repaired, and telegraphic communication with China restored. The special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to consider the kerosene question will bo hold at 3 o’clock this afternoon. The expected debate re the To Aro foreshore did not take place at the City Council last evening. Councillor Macdonald’s notice was called on at ten o’clock, but Councillors wisely considered that it was then too late to go freely into the matter, and it was agreed to postpone its discussion to Wednesday next at 7.30 p.m. We hear that proceedings have been taken by a leading solicitor here against a wellknown land and estate agent for a breach of the Law Practitioners Act in acting as a conveyancer without being enrolled as a barrister or ; solicitor of the Supremo Court. The penalty for such offence is a. fine not exceeding £SO. Messrs. Hastwell and Macarahavo sustained a loss in the death of a valuable bay horse, which was regarded as the pride of the team drawing the Poxton coach, during the last stage in : and out of Wellington. The animal was observed to be unwell on the journey yesterday, and was not pressed in consequence; but as soon as the coach arrived at the Nag’s Hoad stables, and before there was time for the horses to be uncoupled, the’one in question fell down dead. Mr. Jones, clerk to. the Hutt County Council, was in attendance at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday, for the purpose of acting for the Council in the event of there being any appeals against the assessment for Wainuiomata Riding. There were, however, no appeals for hearing. The New Zealand Insurance Company have placed one of their numerous fire ladders at Coker’s Occidental Hotel. The ladder is'sufficiently long to reach the top storey windows, A ladder has also been placed by the same company near the intersection of Cuba and Ghuznee streets. On Wednesday night, at about half-past nine, some larrikins threw a number of stones on to the roofs of two houses near the corner of Majoribank and Austin streets, and frightened the inmates very much. The throwing was , continued for some minutes, and a little boy ; and girl were nearly struck by a large stone. Wo aro inforum <l that Mr. Alexander Macdonald, of Awahuri, is willing to sell to the Douglas Company a portion of his property, but that the negotiation is not concluded.

The entries for the Melbourne Cup appear in another column. Hie Honor tho Chief Justice will sit in chambers this morning. No banco business will be taken until Tuesday.

Applications for shares in the D’Urville Island Copper Mining Company (Limited), will be received until the 15th inst. by Messrs. Beauchamp, Campbell, and Co. Mr. and Mrs. Walton, Mrs. Fitzwilliam, and Mr. Harry Stoneham will leave for Dunedin to-day, under engagement to Mr. Sibbald, at the Princess Theatre, in that city. We remind our readers that the Bijou Minstrel troupe, who are old favorites with tho concert-going public, will give one of their pleasing and enjoyable performances to-night in the Odd Bellows’ Hall. Songs, ballads, operatic choruses, farces, &c., will be included in the evening's entertainment. The proceeds of the concert will bo devoted to the funds of the Wellington Amateur Athletic Club, which are at a low ebb on account of the bad weather experienced on their annual fete day, Easter Monday. A crowded house may be expected, A boy named Leonard Hancock, about 11 years of age, was arrested yesterday on the the charge of stealing flvepence from Mrs. Davis’s premises, Cuba-street. This lad is supposed to have been acting in concert with others, who are also known, and will be brought up at the Police Court to answer the charge. This is the same hoy who was recently sentenced, together with several of his companions, to seven days’ imprisonment and a flogging in gaol, for robbery at a schoolhouse. Since the above was in type we learn that the youngster Hancock managed to give his captors the slip; but the police will in all probability effect his recapture in a few hours, when he will no doubt be kept in close confinement.

Mr. John Bryce, who for a considerable time was on the commercial staff of this office, died at an early hour yesterday morning of consumption. At tho latter part of 1877 he was advised to take a sea voyage, in the hope that it would improve his health, and he wasa passenger by the May to Hongkong. The trip appeared to benefit him considerably, hut while at Singapore, on the return voyage, he became very weak, and never rallied after that. When the May arrived in this port his condition was extremely critical, and his strength gradually grew less. Hejhad mads very many friends in Wellington, who deeply lamented his illness and his death at so early an age. Speaking for the management of this company, it may he said that Mr. Bryce always zealously and honorably studied the interests ot the office, and when his health compelled him to sever his connection with it, his leaving was greatly regretted.

The Licensing Commissioners for tho Manawatu District, with R. Ward, Esq., R.M., Chairman, have, at their recent quarterly sessions, made it a sine qua non for the renewal ot existing licenses, and the granting of fresh ones for new houses, that each hotel shall ho provided with two staircases leading in different directions. In many cases the renewal of the license was made conditional on the immediate erection of a second staircase, either within or outside the house.

Miss Lizzie Morgan must have been highly gratified last night at seeing such a large audience as assembled at the Theatre Royal on tho occasion of her benefit. The musical portion of the programme, as printed, had evidently been selected with great care, but, unfortunately, a number of gentlemen who promised to assist failed to appear, the consequence being that the whole of the programme was sustained by Miss Morgan, Mr Cary, and two gentlemen amateurs. Miss Morgan sang “Little sweetheart” very sweetly, and was vociferously encored. Mr. Cary’s rendering of the “ British Lion” was highly appreciated and deservedly encored. The two gentlemen amateurs sang their respective songs tolerably well. Scenes from the “ Hunchback,” by Miss Morgan and Mr'Sara Poole, were very well performed. The performance concluded with the comeditta “La Chalet,” in which Miss Morgan, Mr. Sam Poole, and Mr. David Clinton were most amusing, and kept the audience in roars of laughter. During tho entertainment the Artillery Band played several selections in a very creditable manner. Sir Julius Vogel’s rejoinder to Mr. Lo we and Lord Blachford, on the consolidation, as opposed to the dismemberment, of tho Empire, in the Nineteenth Century, is characterised by a breadth of view which contrasts advantageously with the narrow outlook of the two writers whose statements and arguments he controverts. Accustomed to survey the question from the circumference of “ Greater Britain,” the New Zealand statesman has a much truer conception of its magnitude, and of the magnificent possibilities which are involved in Imperial federation, than is exhibited by the other disputants, whose range of vision seems to be bounded by the “ silver streak” which separates England geographically from the rest of the world. The Imperial sentiment appears to be much stronger indeed in the mind of the colonist than it is in that of Mr. Lowe, who has been so long'a resident in the mother country that the range of his sympathies and aspirations seems to have become contracted, or in that of Lord Blachford, whose temper may have been soured perhaps by official worries in connection with tho various colonies, —Melbourne Argus, A Queensland paper writes:—“Means have recently been found for still further increasing the usefulness of the Hon. T. Elder’s camels in far northern stations with which he is connected. The exeriment of using them for draught purposes has been tried, and recently two teams of six camels drew loads of 5J tons each from Beltana to Port Augusta. The plan adopted is to yoke the animals together something after the manner in which bullocks are coupled. It is intended shortly to despatch three other teams, with one man only in charge of each. It has been found that tho camels thrive and breed well in the northern country. The: number originally imported several years ago was about a hundred. The greater part of these died, the land by its comparative richness presenting too great a contrast to their native soil. There are how-, ever, about 400 of their descendants at Lake Hope, Umberatana, Beltana, and other stations in the far north, and the race seem to be thoroughly acclimatised, and quite free from liability to premature death. Mr. Elder’s representatives have recently lent several of the animals to squatters for expeditions to the country on the Western Australian border, the McDonnell Ranges in Central Australia, and elsewhere.”

The Cooktown Courier, referring to the departure of the Pride of the Logan, schooner, for New Guinea, mentions a report as current that the captain had threatened to shoot some Chinese, who were among the passengers, as soon as he got out to soa. The Courier, while expressing its disbelief in the statement, goes on to say “ that if emigration to New Guinea attains any proportions, it will bo the bounden duty of the Queensland Government to take steps for the protection of its colonists, and for the preservation of law and order in these waters. A small gunboat, or the ‘converted’ Spitfire, promised to Cooktown last year, ought at once to ho placed at the disposal of the authorities here, properly armed and equipped, to be ready for use in any emergency. The presence of such a vessel would be a cheek on the filibustering or buccaneering propensities of any of tho ‘ hard crowd ’ that are safe to find their way to the new country, and would serve as a protection to tho well-diapoaod in the ovont of any difficulties, either by reason of the hostility of the New Guinea natives, or on account of disturbances between tho explorers themselves, or of disasters by wreck. Should anything unfortunately arise to call for the intervention of armed authority, there is no means of interfering or communicating with New Guinea, except by one of the small boats at present in use hero by the pilot • service. The original reasons that obtained from Cooktown the promise of a largo sea-going pilot-boat have not lost any of their force, and they ought to weigh with the Government to have tho Spitfire made ready as soon as possible ; but now that the colonisation of New Guinea has actually commenced, there are still stronger reasons either that a vessel with a strong crew, well armed, or, as before suggested, a small gunboat, should be stationed here at once.”

A now and rather ingenious weapon, says an exchange, has recently been patented as “Davis’s Combination Sword," which is tho ordinary regulation cavalry sword, with a sixchambered revolver attached thereto. The steel scabbard is cut in sections with stop hinges, which fold up in the form of a rifle stock, and fasten to the sword hilt by a simple slab and catch, the whole forming a short repeating . carbine, or without tho scabbard, a sword and revolver in one- and the same weapon, which might be advantageously adopted by mounted police and colonial irregular corps. There might, however, bo drawbacks to its employment by cavalry ci masse, for the simple reason, that the weapon, unless handled with the greatest oaro, might prove more deadly to friend than foe.

Mr. Ward, R.M. of Marten (says the Wanganui Chronicle of the 10th inst.), “ met with an unfortunate accident while engaged in his magisterial duties in Palmerston last week. On leaving his hotel for the Court House Mr. Ward stepped on a box that was placed as a step at the door. The box was rotten and gave way, causing Mr. Ward to fall through, spraining his knee so severely as to cause him great pain during the remainder of the time he was engaged on the bench in the Manawatu District. We believe the sprain has become worse rather than better,'probably on account of Mr. Ward not being able to lie up, and we regret to learn that Mr. Ward is now an invalid at home.”

The Otago Daily Times announces that Mr. Donald Reid, lately member for Taieri, intends to commence business as an auctioneer. It says :—“ We have no doubt that many of our readers will be interested in observing by our advertising columns that Mr. D. Reid, late member of the Taieri, is putting on his armour ‘as a knight of the hammer.’ Many there are who have felt inclined, like ourselves, to warmly comment sometimes on various of his political actions ; hut we do not hesitate to say that there is no one in Otago who will not heartily wish him success ill his new career. We would farther venture to say that ho will feel more peace and happiness in the new career than he has found in the thorny paths of polities. The life of an auctioneer seems a very jolly one, if we may judge from the contented, genial, rubicund countenances which they hear, and we sincerely hope that through abundance of sales Mr. Reid may become one of the heartiest of the whole jolly crew.”—We cordially wish Mr. Donald Reid success.

The New York correspondent of the Boston Herald thus writes of accomplished female thieves in that city ;—A few days ago a woman was found dead in a house which contained a vast variety of stolen articles. She was by no means poor, hut she preferred to live alone and indulge without restraint her mania for pilfering. A large number of flowerpots, containing dead plants, were among the plunder, and it was evident that she had a special pleasure in thefts af a floral character. A great variety of miscellaneous goods was also found, and also a number of pictures. It was learned for the first time that this woman had a rare gift at this craft, for she had escaped all the consequences of a crime which was her daily practice. Less fortunate is the gifted Minnie Watson, who has just been sentenced to four years at Sing Sing. She, however, instead of taking the petty role of a shoplifter, had gone in for bountiful hauls of cash. Her method was to obtain a situation in some hotel or wealthy family, on which a levy would be made as soon as possible, and her disappearance might be the first thing to occasion suspicion. Minnie was the most successful thief of her years. From one family she took 2500d015., and soon afterwards, while working at a hotel, she carried of 3000 dols. Among her thefts was a recommendation of character belonging to another servant, and this gave her great assistance. Last year her hotel pilferings were nearly lOOOdels., but they will be suspended for a while by her residence at Sing Sing. I mention this because New York has the most eloquent, accomplished, and refined thieves of any city in the world. Gentlemen of exquisite dress and the most courtly manners operate in jewellery stores and similar places, while women of aristocratic manners and splendid appearance patronise the fashionable shops. Both of these classes do what they can in both stages and railway cars. This city never before contained so many interesting and beautiful thieves as at the present day. These classes have a secret knowledge of each other’s work. They'meet occasionally in a festive manner, and sometimes hold halls in which each one must wear some article of plunder. They are also on good terms with the police, who never would have arrested Minnie Watson had she been able to pay her quota of blackmail. Everybody is now compelled to exercise close vigilance, and hotels, boarding-houses, and stores are continually robbed. It is supposed that notwithstanding the care taken at the opening of “ the Women’s Hotel,” a number of the thieves entered by means of forged tickets, and made some handsome hauls.

The Cologne Gazette gives an interesting account of the Berlin Housewives’ Union, now in its fifth year. It has a newspaper for the treatment of all questions of interest to housewives, household economy, health, education, and food ; a co-operative store which supplies 4000 families, turning over £28,630 per annum, and making a profit, all expenses paid, of £450; and, to improve relations with domestic servants, a Eree-Plaoe Agency, which has in four years supplied 16,000 persons with employment. Every year there is in connection with this agency a distribution of prizes for length of service, the prize for having been five years in the service of a member of the Union being a diploma and a brooch. The Union has also its benevolent fund for the assistance of poor members in the education of jtheir children and otherwise. We have been requested to call attention to Messrs. J. H. Bethuue and Co.’s sale of freenold land to-day (by order of tho Registrar of tho Supreme Court), at their rooms, commencing at 2 o’clock, and consisting of sections at Pakuratahi and Palmerston North and a town acre in Stauley-street, Te Aro.