Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5426, 17 August 1878, Page 2

Heave lias been granted to the Colonial Treasurer to introduce Bills, on Tuesday next, to impose a duty upon the net income of jointstock and other companies and a tax on land. The second reading of a Bill to impose an excise duty on beer and a Bill to alter and amend the Customs Tariff Acts of 1866 and 1873 has been fixed for Tuesday next. Steps are being taken by the Government with a view to effecting a I’eorganisation of the volunteer force of the colony, and the Hon Mr. B.dlauce expressed a hope yesterday that a report on the subject would be ready for presentation to the House in a few days. It is not the intention of the Government to increase the capitation grant during the present year. When the House was discussing a question yesterday with reference to the reception of petition 3, Mr. Swanson made some observations as to the phraseology in which all petitions were couched towards the end. Petitioners always asked that honorable House “to take their cases into its favorable consideration, and youv petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray/' but he presumed petitioners cursed hou. members quite as frequently as they prayed for them, whenever they found that the prayers of their petitions were nob awarded favorable consideration. Mr. Barff is a good friend to the gentlemen who have to discharge such onerous and responsible duties in the House of Representatives under oftentimes most trying circumstances. The hon, member always says what he has got to remark in a loud, clear voice, and he threatens to compel every other hon. member to do likewise. Yesterday be complained of some hon. members mumbling their words instead of speaking out so that people could hear them, and declared that it was his intention in future to move that the words spoken by hon. members be taken down. The Speaker expressed a hope that Mr. Barff would not carry his threat iuto execution. Sir Dillon Bell made an “ explanation’' in the Council yesterday with reference to the report in this journal of the hon. member’s speech on the motion for the production of despatches from the Secretary of State. Sir Dillon’s explanation is given in his own words, which, it may be hoped, will satisfy him. Wo may be permitted to remark, however, that the hon. gentleman said again and again that his Excellency should have no opinion of Ids own whatever in public affairs as regarded this colony, —only that of his advisers. Sir F. D. Bell laid great stress on this very point. We are therefore at a loss to perceive how he can justly complain of his utterances being compressed into the sentence used in the report, viz., -that “the Governor should not allow his own opinions to influence his public actions as regarded the colony.” This may be “ nonsense” to Sir Dillon, but it is the sense of what he said for all that.

There was a charming unanimity in the Council yesterday over the Executive Councillor Bill, The measure, a short one of throe clauses, provides that the Governor may appoint a member of the Legislative Council, not holding any Ministerial office, to be a member of the Executive Council. The person so appointed is not to receive a salary, and his appointment is not to be considered an infringement of the Disqualification Act, 1875. The necessity of a second Minister in the Council was agreed to on all sides. The tea meeting held on Thursday evening .at theschoolroom in connection with the Congregational Church, Conrtenay-place, was in aid of the Sunday-school, the object being to provide increased accommodition for the scholars, whose numbers are greater than the present building can hold. A correspondent has favored ns with the following additional particulars relative to this gathering, to which we referred iu our issue of yesterday A good tea was provided, and the room was tastefully decorated with flags, ferns, and leaves. At one end of the building appeared bunting on which, in well-formed letters, appeared scriptural sentences appropriate to a Sunday-school meeting, Mr. ,T. G. Holdsworth occupied the chair, and with the Rev. W, H. West and Mr, T. Potter addressed tho meeting with much earnestness. A report was read showing that since tho formation of tho school in 1875 it had largely increased iu numbers, even to such an extent as to came the teachers to suggest the building of classrooms on to the schoolroom to accommodate the scholar.-*, and help was solicited from all interested in the welfare of the school. During the evening the anniversary hymns were sung by the scholars and others present. Tho meeting was terminated at an early hour, having been much enjoyed by all. Yesterday Mr. Pyko presented -a petition from Catholics in Otago and Southland, praying that Catholic schools should be put on tho same footing as State schools iu regards to grants of money from tho public funds.

II is notified that a final dividund of (ltd. iu the JJ- will be payable on and after Wodnesday next, at Mr. Carroll’s olhoo, to creditors iu the estate of Edmondson, Sellar, and Co,, wine merchants, Wellington. As previously announced, Hr. and Mrs. Hoskins and company will open a short season at the Opera House this evening, when we have no doubt tho theatre-going portion of the public will give them a hearty welcome. Tho “Herioua Eamily” and “111-treated Trovalore ’’ are the pieces selected for to-night.

A meeting of the "Wellington Philosophical Society will be held at 8 o’clock this evening, when papers will be read by Drs. Hector, Bailer, Curl, Mr. Macklin, and other gentlemen. Messrs. Blundell Brothers, proprietors of the Evening Post , have engaged Mr. D. M. Luckie as editor of that journal. Mr, Luckie is a well-known, experienced, and able journalist. At one time he was editor and part proprietor of the Nelson Colonist, subsequently editor of the Daily Southern Cross, and is at present editor-in-chief of the New Zealand Herald. Mr. Luckie’s numerous Mends in this city will be glad to hear that he will shortly becoins a permanent resident amongst them. We understand that Mr. Hugh Thomson, the present editor of the Wellington Evening Chronicle , and previously on the *talf of this journal, is about to start bi-weekly newspaper at Waipawa, Hawke’s Bay, to be called the Waipawa Hail. Mr. Thomson .is a practical printer, and a journalist of many years experience. We wish him every success in his new venture. . The following opinion has been given to the Corporation by Mr. Travers in reference to the rights of the owners of property abutting on the To Aro foreshore as to access to their properties ‘ — fi Wellington, August 16.—X am of opinion that the owners of property abutting on the foreshore have a right of access by water (luring high water, and partly by water and partly by land during low water to their property, and'that this right of access could not legally be talcen away from them without supplying them with other means of access, or compensating them for the loss of access. The value of the access by water, &0., as above, as against access solely by land, assuming a street of the usual width to he formed along the boundary of their land, would be the point to he settled upon any question of compensation arising. In case, however, all access was taken away, I am of opinion that the property owners would be entitled to measure their claims to compensation by estimating the loss they would sustain by tile removal of whichever mode of access would be most valuable, and this on the ground that the only access which could, in the present circumstances, he given in exchange for that which would be taken away, would be by an ordinary street in a city.—(Signed), W. T. L. Travers, City Solicitor.”.

In reference to the annexation of the Island of Socotra, an Australian exchange says : —For reasons which are not at present easily ex* plainable, but which are obviously of a strategic character, the Imperial Government has annexed to its Indian possessions the unfertile island of Socotra, which formed part of the domain of the Imaum of Muscat. Probably we shall learn by-aud-by that, as a great army and navy rendezvous, or as a very useful coaling station, Socotra is of immense value to the Empire. For our own 'part wo would not take a present of it, but doubtless Lord Beaconsfield knows its value better, and it seems that at present he does pretty much as he pleases with the British Empire, and there’s no use contradicting him. In Chambers’ Cyclopedia, Socotra is described as an island in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa, HO miles north-east of Cape Guardafui. It is seventy miles long, fifteen miles in average breadth, has an area of upwards of 1000 square miles, and from 4000 to 5000 inhabitants, mostly Bedouins. The surface consists for the most part of a table land of from 700 to 800 feet high, and low plains skirt the northern and southern shores. All the streams of the island, with the exception of a few rivulets, are dry at a certain season ; but rainwater can be obtained by digging a few feet below the surface. Owing to the somewhat unfertile character of the soil, most of the districts are more adapted for pasture than agriculture ; but grain, fruits, and vegetables are grown in the eastern districts. The aloe plant and dragon’s blood-treo are the chief commercial protlucts. Some live roots of shamrock, from the Hill of Tara, Meath, were brought out by the Chimborazo to Melbourne, and landed in healthy condition. Mr. F. Sidey will sell at the Arcade to day, commencing at ** o’clock, an t entirely without reserve, a quantity of tools, furniture, 20 pairs fowls, and sundries. The usual weekly sale of horses, vehicles, &c., by Messrs. Laery anti Campbell, at the Nag's Head yards, will take place this afternoon.