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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5733, 14 August 1879, Page 2

A requisition has been sent round town for signature asking Mr. Walter Johnston to offer himself for election to represent the City. There are already so many candidates that it is difficult to estimate the chances of any one else who might yet come forward ; but it is well known that these are ticklish times from a political point of view, and therefore many people think it desirable that Wellington should be represented by old campaigners who understand the tactics of Parliamentary warfare. Mr. W. Johnston is now in the Manawatu district, and we have reason to believe that he will be returned to the new Parliament by his present constituents. But he is a man who does not address the House very often, and this requisition will serve to show his country supporters —who, perhaps, would like to see their member more prominent in debate—that his Parliamentary influence is both felt and recognised by those on the spot, who are often in a better position to judge of the hard work and good service done in the trenches than people at a distance can be. There is some talk of another candidate coming forward for the Welington Country Districts, whose chance of election is said to be a good one. In the report of the Liberal Association meeting published in our yesterday’s issue, two printers’ errors occurred. In the first place, Mr. Fisher, when referring to Froude, the historian, was reported to have said that that authority gave it out that two-thirds of the estates in England belonged to the “ Press." The word as written was “ Peers.” The other mistake, however, was of a more serious character, and one which is likely to bring down upon the aspirant for legislative honors the anathemas of all members of Parliament in general, and the malediction of the hon. member for the Lakes in particular. Mr. Fisher was reported to have said that “ unfortunately at the present time they had men who utterly misrepresented them, and worse than that, men who were utterly drunk.” Now, not even Mr. Fisher, red republican as he is, would be justified in making a sweeping assertion of this character against the honorable gentlemen. What he did say, and what he was reported (in M.S.) to have said, was that some of their members were utterly “ dumb but the printers, possibly knowing the habits of certain hon. members, mistook the similarity of the words in the written copy, for which we have no doubt they are perfectly willing to apologise to all who may consider themselves aggrieved by the mistake. A meeting of the Masterton Hospital committee was held at the Institute on Thursday last. The treasurer reported that the balance to the credit of the hospital was £l7B. A letter was received from the Institute committee offering the use of a room free of charge, also offering the use of illustrated papers to the patients. A vote of thanks was passed to the Institute for their kind offers, on the motion of Mr. J. V. Smith. It was resolved that a sub-committee be appointed to erect outbuildings in connection with the hospital at a cost not exceeding £6O ; also to expend £5 on garden seeds and planting. At the meeting of the Benevolent Society on Tuesday afternoon, it was announced that Mr. E. W. Morrab, Inspector of the Bank of Australasia, had forwarded a subscription of four guineas in aid of the funds of the institution. This is an example which, considering the low state of the funds of the society, and the great amount of destitution it is called upon to relieve, might well be followed by many of our townspeople. A large native runanga-house which has recently been built at Kaldrikiri, is about to be opened with some formality. The opening is to take place, we hear, to-morrow week, and a considerable gathering of natives will probably be in attendance. We learn that Sir W. Fox has presented the tribe who have erected the house with a handsome chandelier, to hang in the centre and, enlighten their deliberations. A number of Europeans will probably be in attendance, as the opening ceremonials are to partake of the nature of a festive gathering after the pakeha style. The event is looked forward to with considerable interest by the various native tribes at the different settlements on the coast, all of which will doubtle-s be well represented. Invitations have been sent to a good many settlers in the adjacent districts, and a pleasant social meeting of the two races is acticipated. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr. Mansford, three drunkards were dealt with in the usual manner. In the afternoon the case of Augustus v. Hyde, an absent apprentice, in which judgment had previously been given against the defendant, again came before the Court, the defendant not having complied with the previous decision, namely, that he must go back to his employment. His Worship informed him that in accordance with that decision, he must go back to his work, or he would have to go to gaol for fourteen days. In reply to defendant, his Worship said he would be still bound to fulfil his agreement, even if he underwent a term of imprisonment for non-compliance with the order.

The late alterations have greatly improved the appearance of the old Odd Fellows’ Hall, and have transformed it into a veritable pretty little theatre, warm and genial to look upon, with good ventilation, and nil the comfort to be found at a place of entertainment of this class. The circle upstairs has been nicely fitted up, and so extended to the front in a circular form that it will contain about 250 people. The back seats will contain about the same number, and the chairs in front of the house will accommodate some 200 more ; so that the sitting accommodation may be put down at 700. The front of the circle has been very handsomely decorated, and an entirely new proscenium has been erected. The panelling at the back and sides of the circle has been made to resemble that in the other parts of the house, the whole of which has undergone a thorough course of renovation. A large quantity of new scenery has been painted, and every other requisite detail supplied, so that the Academy of Music may nowjbe considered to be complete so far as dramatic and other representations are concerned. It will be opened for the season by Hudson’s Surprise Party of male and female minstrels on Saturday evening next.

Mr. C. M. Crombie has resigned the secretaryship of the Wellington Jockey Club, as his other duties would not permit him to occupy the position any longer. This will be a source of regret to a good many of our sporting men, as Mr. Crombie has proved himself to be a thoroughly capable and energetic secretary during the time he has held that post, Mr. H. Lyon has been elected successor to Mr. Crombie, and the Jockey Club could not have made a much better selection.

Mr. Levin’s committee will meet at the Panama Chambers on Saturday evening, at half-past seven o'clock.

The public require to be cautioned against the indiscriminate use of what are known as patent medicines. On Tuesday night a little child in this city had a narrow escape from poisoning, by having administered to it a medicine which was prescribed for colds by a local chemist. The mother very incautiously gave the child more than the prescribed quantity, the result being heavy sleep and stupor, from which neither she n«r her friends could rouse the child. Emetics were administered without effect, and just before midnight the child was taken to the Hospital, where it was pronounced by Dr. Gillon to be under the influence of poison. The evil effects were, however, by this time passing off, the escape from death being a very narrow one. The bottle out of which the medicine was given was labelled "Balsam of Horehound and Linseed,” but as soon as it was examined by Dr. Gillon he pronounced it to contain laudanum. We wish to direct public attention to this matter, to show how careful people should be in administering medicines the component parts of which they are in ignorance of, and also the necessity which exists for greater care being exercised by chemists in labelling such mixtures properly, s» that when they contain poison the persons administering them may be made aware of the fact.

The Academy of Music, under the management of Mr. it. W. Cary, was opened last night with an excellent performance, and a crowded audience did honor to the occasion. The entertainment was a complimentary one to the lessee, and that gentleman has no cause to complain upon the score of want of patronage. The prologue, which had been written by a gentleman connected with the Press, was read by Mr. J. B. Steele, its sentiments being greeting, descriptions of the various entertainments which will be produced there —“ in music, drama, dance, and song to make the hours fly swift along”—and entreaty for patronage so unlimited that no vacant seat might e’er be seen in the hall. The reading of the prologue being concluded, the programme was gone on with, the entertainment being of a most enjoyable character. The performers were mostly members of the Opera Company, and such gems as 11 The Spell is Broken,” “Sainted Mother,” “O mio Fernando,” and other selections from soma of the best musical works were produced. Madame LeCouteur, Mr. and Mrs. Florence, Miss Leslie, and Mr. Browning were in excellent voice, and encores were repeatedly demanded and responded to. Mr. Morgan's harp solo, “ The march of the men of Harlech,” was rapturously encored. There Was one exception to the otherwise complete enjoyment of the evening, and this was when the gentleman who essayed “ Let me like a Soldier Fail” appeared on the stage. He undoubtedly possesses a good voice, and one that with careful training will ultimately do him credit, but the effect of his singing was marred by facial contortions which it should be his study to avoid. Offenbach's opera “ The Chelsea Pensioner" concluded the first part of the programme, and the “Bose of Auvergne,” by the same author, brought the entertainment to a close, A similar entertainment will be given this evening by the same performers. Mr. Cary is to be congratulated upon the success which has attended the opening of this place of amusement, and we predict for the Academy of Music a successful career. A football match between the Wairarapa and Wellington clubs will be played on the Basin Eeserve on Saturday afternoon, play commencing at 3 o’clock. The visitors will leave for Wellington by the first train on Saturday morning. As this is, we believe, the first visit of a Wairarapa football team to this city, the match should be of great interest to all lovers of the game. At a committee meeting held last evening the following players were chosen to represent Wellington ; —Berry, Campbell, Cooper, Oowie, Davy, Galbraith, Lynch, K. Leckie, Morrah, H. Pollen, Stewart, A. Thomson, J. Thompson, Warbrick, and Wright ; emergencies, Rule and A. W. Leckie; umpire, G. Campbell. The Central Fire Brigade were out last night for practice under command of Captain Moss, when some new hoses, just imported by the Corporation for the Brigade, were tested, the result being satisfactory. The following are the returns of the number of holdings, &0., in Victoria and New Zealand, to which reference has been made in our leading columns ; —Victoria : Number of holdings over one acre in 1878, 45,448 ; number of adult males, 253,341 ; number of adults to each holding, 5*6 New Zealand : Number of holdings over one aero in 1878-79, 21,018 ; number of adult males, 122,640 ; number of adults to each holding, s’B. Mr. H. Santley, the agent for the Hudson Surprise Company, is busy making arrangements for the appearance of that troupe. They will make their first appearance here in the Academy of Music on Saturday evening.

Mr. Greenfield’s address to the electors of the city, and Mr. Brandon’s address to the electors of the Wellington Country Districts, are published in our advertising columns. The Wairarapa Daily learns from reliable authority that the tender of Messrs Bennett and Potts, Carterton, has been accepted for the construction of the Greytown branch line of railway. The contractors intend commencing work on Wednesday next.

The funeral of the late Mr. Duncan Fraser took place at Marton on Saturday, and was attended by a largo number of friends —about three hundred—the majority of whom (according to the local journal) were nearly related to the old gentleman.

At a meeting of the parishioners of St. Luke’s Church, Masterton, held on Monday evening, for the purpose of electing a member to represent Wairarapa in the Synod, it was unanimously resolved that Mi. C. D. Barraud should represent them in the Synod. There appears to be no scarcity of employment for labor in Taranaki. From the report of the Harbor Engineer we learn that over a hundred and fifty men are now employed on the works at the Sugar Loaves, who are paid from 6s. to 7s. a day. A correspondent of the Taranahi Herald writes :—“ It is a curious coincidence that when Sir George Grey was Governor the natives designated him a 1 rat,’ as he was not straightforward, but was always burrowing underground.” A recent speech by Mr. Gladstone in the House of Commons was listened to in the laboratory of the Royal Institution, the sound being conveyed by telephone. We are given to understand (says thq Rangitiled Advocate) that Kiwitea will vote almost to a man in favor of Mr. Walter Johnston, the settlers there being satisfied of, that gentleman’s ability and desire to represent them faithfully and well. A ship canal through the Peninsula of Florida; from Mantanzas Inlet to the head of navigation on the Suwanee river, to unite the Atlantic with the Gulf of Mexico, is proposed. The length of the cut is 75 miles. The distance by this route would be about 1000 miles less from New York to New Orleans than the route now sailed.

A requisition to Mr. O. L. Maclean, solicitor, Bulls, signed by 60 ratepayers, is published in the Rangitilcci Advocate, together with Mr. Maclean’s reply, in which he states that he intends coming forward as a candidate for the Eangitikei district. A peculiar case was tried at Normanby before Captain Wray, R.M. H. H. Jackell, a member of the A.C. Force, was charged with horse-stealing. It appears that he had been drinking at Normanby on last Sunday week, and about eight o’clock he went to the hotel stables and took out a horse with saddle and bridle on it, belonging to Mr. W. Biddiford. He then rode to Waihi, and told the sentry that the Ministry were out, and that he had got a telegram from Mr. Ormond to proceed at once to Parihaka and capture Hiroki, at the same time asking for the loan of a £l. He then rode off, but passing the redoubt at the Waingongoro Bridge ha was challenged, but to pass this he made use of his inventive faculties, and concocted a story to the sergeant in charge, to the following effect :—Colonel Roberts orders double your sentries, keep all men under arms, tell Sergeant Strachan at Livingstone’s house to take possession of the bridge. When asked if he had any writing to that effect he said no, orders were verbal, and that he had at once to go on to Opunake. It was a frightful night, raining and hailing all through, but the Constabulary turned out to the supposed orders, and were marching about all night, and up to next day, when an orderly came from Waihi, and not until than did they find out it was a shameful hoax. The man was captured at Opunake about 3 o’clock on Monday morning on a charge of horse-stealing. He was discharged on the grounds that there was not sufficient evidence to prove felony. I believe he is to be conrt-martialled on a charge of desertion and giving false alarms. The Standard is sorry to hear that it has been found necessary for Mr. James Merson, of the Lake Ferry Hotel, to be admitted to the Wairarapa Hospital, owing to very severe illness.

There are 40 civil cases set down for hearing at the Kesident Magistrate’s Court to-day.

In our advertising «olumns will be found a notification from the Wanganui Equitable Laud, Building, and Investment Society.

An effort is being made in Halcombe to raise a fixed sum toward the maintenance of a Presbyterian minister. His field of labor will probably be between Feilding and Halcombe. Last evening Dr. Newman addressed a number of the Wellington electors at the Athenaeum. The meeting throughout was a very orderly one. A report of the proceedings appears elsewhere. The Chaplin-Osborne combination, at the Theatre Koval last night, appeared in a more favorable light than they had done on the two previous evenings, a play of more sterling worth and, consequently, of a character in which the various members of the company were better able to display their abilities, being presented. Buhver Lytton’s grand tragedy of “ Richelieu” was the play, which drew forth all the powers of the company. Mr. Chaplin’s rendering of the character of the plotting Cardinal was an able one, fully sustaining the reputation which he has earned as a high-class actor. Miss Osborne, as Julie de Mortimer, was all that could be desired ; while Mr. St. Laurence, as the Chevalier de Mauprat, rendered his difficult p irt in such a raauuer as to establish himself as a favorite with the audience. This evening the “ Merchant of Venice” will be produced, and “ Hamlet” is announced for Friday evening. It was reported in Feilding ou Saturday (says the Jtanyitikei Advocate) that a suicide had taken place at Iviwitea. The unfortunate mau, whose name we could not ascertain, was one of three brothers, and had been suffering from some form of fever. His state was such that he required watching, but managed to get away during the night, and next morning his body was found in an adjacent creek. A very old settler has recently died at New Plymouth. The Taranaki Herald says : —“ We regret to say that within the last few months several of the early settlers have passed away, and on Monday another followed in their wake, Mr. John Perry having died at the advanced age of eighty-four years. Mr. Perry arrived here in one of the first emigrant ships—the Amelia Thompson—on the 3rd September, 1841, and continued a resident in the place during thirty-eight years. He had a large family, some of which are living in various parts of the colony—two of his sons in Wairarapa, and a daughter in Wanganui, who arrived here yesterday in time to pay the last tribute of respect to her father. Mr. Perry—in 184 S —made an attempt to smelt the iron sand, and was encouraged in his work by Sir George Grey, who promised him a lease of the beach if his experiments were successful. Although not bringing the smelting to a decided success, Mr. Perry, to his death, believed that ‘it was bound to come all right in the long run.’ Mr. Perry’s illness was short, for it was but last week he was walking down the town. On Wednesday he was laid up with an attack of bronchitis, and ou Monday succumbed under it. Mr. Perry was much respected by all who knew him.”

The following particulars relative to poor Stitt Jenkins, the “ Poet Laureate of Victoria,” as he was often called, and whose will in rhyme was recently published in our columns, are furnished by the Sydney correspondent of the Otago Daily Times :—“ While following the faithful occupation of storeman in the warehouse of Dalgety, Ibbotson, W. S. J. had at all times congratulatory verses for every important event, from the introduction of a novel wool-press to the anniversary of St. David’s Day ; and there was no occasion on which loyalty could be proclaimed that his pen did not flourish. In latter years he became an enthusiastic Liberal in the ranks of Mr. Berry, and when that well-abused statesman attained power, succeeded Ricciotti Garibaldi as private secretary to the Treasurer. But the Laureate soon experienced the truth of the warning, ‘ Put not your faith in political princes,’ for he was soon ousted by Mr. Berry’s son-in-law, and being a sanguine disciple and a firm believer in his master, the awakening from his dream brought about a shock from which he never recovered. If we can pay no other tribute to his verses, it can be said with truth that there was a rough ring of sincerity in them, and that he never wove them for a bad purpose.” Referring to the opposition to Major Atkinson, the Jtanyitikci Advocate remarks ; “ Another candidate is in the field for Egmont, in the person of Mr. Felix McGuire, who has lately been created a J.P. How men like him and Sherwood presume to stand against representatives of the stamp of Major Atkinson, it is difficult to understand. A Patea telegram states that it has been publicly stated that a second paper will be started in Carlyle, in the interests of G. F. Sherwood’s candidature. The new journal will probably be an offshoot of the Wanganui Herald, as Sherwood has been a blind worshipper of the ex-Colonial Treasurer, of whom the former is a political protege. Now that two local candidates have come forward, the return of Major Atkinson is assured. Of the two others, Mr. McGuire is far and away the better man, and will doubtless receive considerable support. Sherwood has too many political axes to grind to obtain much confidence ; and then the ex-Treasurer’s patronage will damn any small chance of success he might otherwise have had. People know that all he is being put forward for is to worry Major Atkinson ; and they will naturally resent such a piece of officious impertinence, by giving all their support to their late member.”

The Bombay Catholic Examiner learns that Archbishop Steins, S. J., late Vicar Apostolic of Calcutta, has been nominated to the Episcopal See of Auckland, vacant for the last four years, since 1875, when Dr. Orolce was translated to the Archbishopric of Cashel. The New Zealand Freeman's Journal says “ It may be remarked that the title of the new Bishop of Auckland is that of Archbishop, although the See to which he is now appointed still remains episcopal. Cases of that kind occur but occasionally. Leo XII f. is another case of the same kind, for when appointed to the See of Perugia, he had the title of Archbishop, and was known as Archbishop-Bishop of Perugia.”

“ Atticus” in the Melbourne Leader writes : —“A neat little fraud has just been discovered in England. A substantial London firm was in the habit of buying Hamburg spirit in bond, racking it off into Martell’s casks, and sending it to Australia as Martell’s brandy. It was observed by the authorities that the firm bad issued bonded entries for so many casks of Hamburg spirit, and had issued export entries for the same number of casks of Martell’s brandy. An examination was made, the fraud was discovered, and the firm was fined £IOO. If this is the sort of spirituous liquor our taploafers have been imbibing, no wonder that intemperance is one of the chief factors of insanity in Australia.” At a recent meeting of the Boston Microscopical Society, Dr. A. M. Blodget read a very interesting paper on curare, the South American arrow poison, which is now used to render lower animals unconscious during surgical operations. It has been found, Dr. Blodget asserted, that curare produces insensibility without interfering with the functions essential to life, and supplies a need that the medical profession have long felt, in that it does not require watching when administered as do ether and chloroform. Birds are more profoundly affected than quadrupeds, and reptiles are poisoned for a much longer time than birds. It is generally administered hypodermically in exceedingly minute doses. The duration of the paralysis produced seems to depend upon two factors—the activity of the circulation and the rapidity of the elimination. In some oases a frog will recover in five hours, but in others the action will last for days. In one case a frog was eleven days before he woke up, aud then he recovered the full use of his faculties in a few hours.

Tlu; Pall Mali Gazette says :— ** Every man of the reinforcements last despatched to South Africa was provided with a bandage for binding up wounds, and a large number of the bandages have, it is stated, been ordered for future issue. The idea of thus supplying each soldier with the means of roughly dressing or binding his own wounds or those of a comrade was, we believe, first put into practice in- the Austrian army. During the late operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, however, it was found that it is of comparatively little use to provide materials unless the men have been previously instructed how to use them. In the campaign in the occupied provinces men on several occasions bled to death because no one on the spot knew how to apply a bandage as a tourniquet ; and equal ignorance was displayed when other dressings might have been applied, to the great comfort of wounded men. Although, therefore, providing men with the materials necessary for bandaging wounds is undoubtedly an admirable precaution, it would be well to supplement it by giving every soldier some instruction in their use. The English line soldier has abundance of spare time ; some of it might be profitably employed in learning how to apply such simple dressing as can be given in the field to different kinds of injuries.”

Iq the course of a recent sermon delivered by him in Melbourne, the Rev. Thomas Jones, remarked that, for his part, he attached but little importance to the introduction of the Bible into our State schools. During a forty years’ ministry, he had never yet met with a single person who spoke of any good impressions derived from so-called religious or Bible teaching in day schools ; but hundreds had admitted to him that they owed their conversion to the teachings of the Sunday-school, and the example and influence of home. Mr. Jones eloquently and earnestly appealed to his hearers to depend upon these natural and proper channels for the religious instruction of their children, and t» leave the State schools to do their proper work, which was to give a secular education to youth, and to train thc*m for the secular duties of life. For teaching the higher and holier duties, he claimed that they should depend upon the parents, the minister, and the Sunday-school teacher. Have you in Hew Zealand (asks the Sydney correspondent of the Otago Daily Times) a Matrimonial Chronicle I We have, and ic is to Tumut, a remote southern town, we are indebted for this phenomenal specimen of journalism. Its prospectus is addressed to those “ with no one to caress or to be caressed by,” and it is proposed to ameliorate that state of things by “ rendering every assistance to persons contemplating matrimony, and to treat of such subjects as will tend to make home happy.” On referring to the official directory, I find that at the last census the population of the district was 3321, while there were but 16 marriages in the year, which, from a caressible point of view, is not much. A couple of advertisements —there are eight iu the first issue : five for wives and three for husbands—will suffice to show the value of this matrimonial medium :—“ Wanted, a Catholic husband, by a servant girl, sixteen years old, and has saved £2OO, She is not very good-looking, but I defy anybody to be a better cook or housekeeper.” 4< Wanted, a wife, by a young mau in the country with a home and £SOO a year.” Messrs. Lvery and Campbell will hold a sale of 1000 sacks of oats, this day at II o’clock, at Plimmer 1 * wharf.

Messrs. Plimmer, Peeves, and Co. will hold a sale of produce at their stores, this day, at 2 o’clock. Messrs. J. H. Bethune and Co. will hold a sale of furniture and fancy goods at their rooms, this day, at 2 o’clock.

Mr, George Thomas will hold a sale of wines, tea, produce. &c., at his rooms, this day, at 2 o’clock. . Mr. Francis Sidey will hold a large sale of furniture at the Arcade, this day, at 2 o’clock.