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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5581, 17 February 1879, Page 2

His Excellency the Governor, it is understood, will take his departure from Wellington by the Ringarootna this afternoon. We observe that the Artillery Volunteers are ordered to parade at 2 o’clock, for the purpose of firing the parting salute. Although no programme has been arranged, we do not doubt that the citizens will take the occasion of personally wishiag a hearty bon voyage and kindly adieu to Lord Norraanby and his family as he leaves our shores.

At midnight of Friday last, or in the first minutes of Saturday, the Premier, it appears, was safely delivered of an opinion, still-born, on the state of affairs in Zululand. Mrs. Gamp was in a state of the greatest agitation, and “ worritted ” Reuter’s agent and others to make the interesting announcement to Sidonia and the “ Jingoes ” in Great Britain, as well as to the “ Empress of India forsooth,” and to the countless millions on tho globe. But as there was a difference of opinion as to the person who ought to bear the coat of the interesting communication, and as the blessings of a “ special wire” are confined to this Colony and to the present Government, the message was not immediately sent ; Sidonia, the Jingoes, the Empress, and the world are therefore still groping their way in darkness. The Premier may have been recently reading Mr. Pickwick’s celebrated instructions to Mr. Peter Magnus as to the mode in which the intended matrimonial proposal ought to be made to the middle-aged lady in the yellow curl-papers ; the “ opinions” appear to bear the mark of having been modelled upon the “ great” principles which his knowledge of human nature enabled the illustrious Pickwick to propound and apply on the occasion in question. The work of cleansing the reservoir was finished on Saturday afternoon about four o’clock, and the work of refilling was commenced. The water which rushed in for the first few minutes was of a horribly dirty character, we are informed, and a number of visitors present at the time were of opinion that if such was the nature of the water which generally found its way into the reservoir the clearing out process might be repeated day after day without the slightest effect on the water supplied through the service pipes. The truth is that nothing but filtration will do any good, and until filter beds are provided the public mind will not be satisfied. The cricket match between the Wellington C.C. and the Wanderers C.C. was continued on Saturday. Unfortunately, the game was not completed. Had it been, however, there is very little doubt but what the Wellington Club would have won, as they only wanted 16 to win, with three wickets to fall. The batting of the senior club was very much better than that exhibited by them in their first innings. Murray, a new member, played a very good innings for 30; Oowie, not out, 25; and Page, with 24, soon helped to pull the score up. The fielding of the Wanderers was very good indeed. The day was anything but pleasant, a strong westerly gale blew all the afternoon, rendering it very difficult for the bowlers to deliver their balls with anything like precision. Mr. Geerge North, of "sweep” notoriety, has incurred the displeasure of a good number of people in a very innocent manner. In order to let some of his constituents at a distance know of the lucky numbers in the £2OOO sweep he purchased 60 copies of a Wellington newspaper and sent them through the post. On Saturday last ho received a very indignant letter from Wanganui, intimating that it was adding insult to injury to be called upon to pay elevenpence postage on a newspaper which informed him of the fact that he had been an unsuccessful ticket holder. The fact was that the paper contained a tradesman’s handbill as an inset, and the postal authorities inflicted the usual fine for such an infringement of the regulations. In this manner the receipts of the Post Office Department for the current financial year will benefit to the extent of £2 15s. Mr. North will of course spend an additional ten shillings in sending letters of apology to the sixty who have been the victims of a contribution innocently incurred. The English mail arrived in the Hiuemoa about 5 o’clock on Saturday evening, the steamer having made a very rapid trip from Auckland. The mail was at once sorted, and country mails got ready for immediate despatch. The town delivery will take place first thing this morning. A much needed fall of rain occurred during Saturday night and yesterday in the city, and we have every reason to believe it was pretty general throughout the country districts, especially Porirua and Pahautanui way. It will do a very great deal of good. When the rain commenced to fall on Saturday night the gale of wind which had been blowing all the previous day died away. Yesterday there was a slight thunderstorm. The Rev. J. W, luglis preached at the Athenieum yesterday morning to St. Andrew’s congregation. The attendance was not very large. In the evening ho preached at Mr. Paterson’s Church, Willis-street, on which occasion there was a crowded congregation. At both services the Rev. Mr, Inglis delivered very stirring addresses. Mr. O’Brien’s company had a very good programme on Saturday night. “Meg’s Diversion” was well rendered. Mr. Haygarth as Jasper Pidgeon was good and natural throughout. He gave the country dialect with much accuracy, and made the most of his part. The lawyer and the farmer, Mr. Crow, were both nicely given, and Meg Crow was quite a success. The piece was heartily applauded. The popular and well-known play of “ Our Boys” was well acted, and was well received. Play-goers who have patronised the troupe will be sorry to hear that to-morrow is their last appearance before a Wellington audience. All those who have seen tho company are surprised that the house has not been better filled, and we are sure that if those who have not seen them take the opportunity presented to them to-night and to-morrow night they will be more than satisfied with the entertainment provided.

A case of interest to footballers will be tried before the Resident Magistrate this morning. It will be remembered that towards the close of the football season last year a lad had his leg broken by one of the players during the match. The father of the boy has summoned the player for damages. Counsel have been employed on both sides, and a number of witnesses have been subpccnaed. A new lighthouse has been erected on the extreme point of the eastern breakwater at Lyttelton, close to the entrance between the breakwaters. It is a fiftb-class fixed dioptric licht with an argand burner, and was lighted for the first time on Thursday night. It shows red.

An exchange.says the diamond drill now at work at the Sutherland Estate, George’s River, is working in the most satisfactory manner, a depth of over 900 ft. having been bored in a little over two months. The strata passed through so far is sandstone, and hard conglomerate. The drill at Newington, on the Parramatta River, will resume its boring in a few days. A depth of 1312 ft. had been bored when operations were knocked off for a lime for want of rods and lining tubes. The drill at Gympie, Queensland, is also working well. A diamond drill is also at work at Messrs. Young and Lark’s warehouse in Moore-street, Sydney. Preparations are also being made to put down a deep bore-hole at the back of Moore Park. The strata through which this machine will have to bore will be drift sand and water.

The Thorndon bell rang out an alarm of fire about half-past two this morning. The Central Brigade turned out, but after driving round Thorndon Flat nothing of the fire could be seen.

The disposal of two inebriates constituted the business at the Resident Magistrate’s Court on Saturday. Detective Smart arrested a man named Wm. Hart yesterday on suspicion of stealing one £5 note and a £1 note. He will be brought before the R.M. Court this morning. The total value of Westland gold exported from Ist April, 1857, to 31st December, 1878, is £9,028,603, representing an aggregate of 2,280,3440 z. One of the lads belonging to the Telegraph department narrowly escaped being drowned yesterday. He was playing on some loose timber close to the breastwork, when he missed his footing and fell into the water. Fortunately a man named Firth observed him and pulled him out. The writer of “ Under the Verandah ” in the Melbourne Leader discourses as follows with reference to Mr. Bowman, a barrister who appeared first on behalf of the Crown in tho prosecution of the men charged with aiding and abetting the Kelly gang, and subsequently accepted a brief for tho defence;— The versatility of the actor who on alternate nights could satisfy a critical! audience by his impersonations of Hamlet, Salem Scudder, and Mr. Affable Hawk in the Game of Specution, would pale before the protean skill of the common law barrister. Two weeks ago we saw Mr. Bowman in the role of the stern upholder of law and justice, when with fervid eloquence he urged upon the Beechworth bench the necessity of remanding the men arrested upon suspicion of aiding and abetting the Kelly gang. He dwelt upon the gravity of the charge upon which they were incarcerated, and strenuously urged the difficulty in procuring the evidence needful for their conviction. East week Mr. Bowman’s engagement with the Crown having ceased, he appeared under a new management in a diametrically opposite character.. As counsel for the same prisoners, he made up as the indignant protector of oppressed innocence. He found that the accused were illegally in custody, that the charge against them was trivial, that the police had no evidence to produce, and bullied the police magistrate because he thought the circumstances of the case warranted a further remand. No doubt Mr. Bowman acted strictly in accordance with professional etiquette in taking a brief for the other side when his services were dispensed with by the Government, but from a moral point of view it does seem strange that the mare endorsement of a tee should have the effect of transforming a double-dyed criminal into a victim of spotless purity.

The Sydney Mail says : —A Chinaman's logic like his tricks, may be peculiar, but it at all events is equal to the reasoning that has been employed by stump orators of late against the defamed race, A large number of our Asiatic citizens met on Saturday afternoon to protest against the wholesale charges of wickedness levelled against them, and their demeanor and language was such as would become any set of men desirous of returning good for evil. The indiscriminate attacks upon the person and character of the strangers has aroused them to protest. And who will say they are not justified ? For industry, frugality, and benevolence they are not surpassed by Europeans. As traders they are trusted, and the confidence reposed in them is seldom betrayed. Even in their evil habits the Mongolians have not proved worse than their European neighbors. Those who attended the meeting professed astonishment at the evil deeds and customs of their countrymen in Sydney, which have been recited to their dishonor. Their oblivion is inexplicable, except on the old saying, that one must go from home to hear news. Setting odious comparisons aside, it cannot be denied that there are scores of Chinese abodes in this city which would be all the better for an application of the Bradleyian lesson and the philanthropists preaching ; and it is remarkable that amongst a people where there is such a strong fellow-feeling of race or kinship, the respectable half should not know how the other half lives. If the knowledge the former has now acquired be turned to good account in improving the morals and habits of the rest, they and the Europeans will live all the more happily together. The Poverty Bay Standard points out a new difficulty in local self-government in the following terras:—“ In the County Council at its last sitting Mr. Wi Pere’s notice of motion,— ‘ That the Council cause to be translated into the Maori language the by-laws of the county, for the guidance of the natives,’ lapsed owing to the absence of the mover ; and Mr. Locke’s motion, —‘ That all notices within the control of the council affecting the natives of this county, be published in the Maori language,’ was discussed at some length, much after the fashion of playing ‘ Hamlet ’ with Hamlet omitted. With regard to the first ef these it is a pity that some councillor present did not take the matter up ; for the necessity there is for the natives to become practically acquainted with the laws under which they are governed, is made more and more apparent every day, and particularly do we find this necessity illustrated now that they have a representative of their race in the Council. As it is, every word has to be translated to the member, and although from the nature et things this cannot be avoided altogether, the printing of the bylaws in their own vernacnlar would largely tend to decrease the difficulties under which the natives labor, in working out their destiny in accordance with the usages and practices of European institutions. We trust the matter will not be allowed to drop altogether.” The San Francisco correspondent of the Dunedin Times writes as follows:—“I need not shook your readers by any recital of crimes this month, although I have only too much material at hand. Men and women appear to have given themselves wholly over to the devil. The cool way in which murder is planned, the cruel mode of execution, and the paltry excuse or consideration urged in defence, would astound any one not accustomed to such details. In this respect American society is certainly retrograding at a rapid pace. The other day a mob of cattle-herders in Nebraska had ' a difficulty with two farmers. They attempted to arrest the farmers as cattle-thieves, and in the fight one man was shot. It was a fight for life for the unhappy farmers. They were taken by the sheriff, captured by a band of masked men, bound to a tree, and slowly burned to death—lndian fashion. And now their perfect innocence has been established. This is a sample. Details are hot wanting to make other cold-blooded murders and lynching vie with even this in atrocity. But I forbear," ‘Si How many persona would you think were drowned in the inland waters of England and Wales during the year ? We see inquests every day in the papers. They are so frequent that they are hardly noticed. Yet most people will be surprised to discover that nearly 2700 persons are drowned in our rivers, canals, or lakes. Of these the majority are lost in rivers, about one-third as many in the canals, and 600 in lakes and ponds. And yet children are so seldom taught to swim. The following letter from Sir J. Vogel relative to tenders for supplying brimstone to the gunpowder factory at Madras has been addressed to the Colonial Secretary, and is published in the Gazette ; 1225 owt. is required : —Sir, —I have the honor to enclose form of tender for supply of brimstone which Colonel Childers, who kindly assisted me in my inquiries with respect to the manufacturing of gunpowder, has been good enough to send me, thinking it possible that a supply of that article may be obtained from New Zealand, I observe that steps have been taken for opening up the deposits of sulphur on White Island, and I trust y that the promoters of that enterprise may be in a position to send in satisfactory tenders. I therefore forward the enclosed form, with a request that the matter be brought under the notice of those whom you think would be prepared to deal with it.—l am, &c., Julius Vogel.