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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5734, 15 August 1879, Page 7

Referring to the opposition to Major Atkinson, the Rawjitikei 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.”

One of the organs of “ the great Liberal party,” the Otago Daily Times, observes : “ The threatened dissolution is a veritable coup de theatre. The surprise which is general in the country was evidently felt by the House, and we question whether Sir George Grey, himself, remembering his failure with the Marquis of Normanby, was not as much astonished as anybody at the fact that his advice to dissolve was accepted by the Governor. That the Premier, when his game had grown desperate, was able to play such a card, undoubtedly gives him an immediate increase of prestige, whatever be the ultimate verdict of the constituencies. There is some risk, indeed, that the unexpected action of the Governor will be popularly attributed to the Grey influence, or canstrued as a quasi approval of the Grey party, to the disparagement and detriment of their opponents. Such a notion is, of course, intrinsically absurd. The Queen's representative would bo departing utterly from constitutional right and usage in employing the prerogative of the Crown to further the interests of a party. No one knows this better than Sir Hercules Robinson, and no Governor that we have ever had would have been less likely to forget it. The supposition that the spell of Sir George Grey’s influence has bewitched his Excellency out of his political common sense is quite too ridiculous for discussion. The fact is that Sir Hercules happens to be peculiarly well posted up in the questions of constitutional law which are started by a Parliamentary crisis, and with reference, in particular, to the right of a defeated Ministry to obtain a dissolution, was in possession of authorities and precedents furnished by his own New South Wales career, which we have no doubt have entirely governed his action in this instance.”

A meeting of the Masterton Hospital committee was held at 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. The Lyttelton Harbor Board proposes to bring telegraphy largely into use f»r the connection of its various departments. The contemplated service, according to the Lyttelton Times, is from the offices in Christchurch to those in Lyttelton, thence to the signal station, thence to the Godley Head Lighthouse, and thence across the mouth of the harbor to the pilot station, Little Port Cooper. It is the last link that has presented the difficulty. The distance from side to side at the water line is a mile and a quarter, and Mr. Lemon, who was consulted in the matter, unhesitatingly expressed the opinion that none of the ordinary wires used in telegraphy would fill the requirements of the case. He suggested, however, that the old Cook Strait cable might be utilised, there being pieces of it which, when spliced, would give a total length of 3500 yards ample for the purpose contemplated. The weight of the cable is about ten tons per mile, and it contains three lines of telegraph wire, properly insulated, so that each of the wires could, if required, be used separately. The Harbor Board has decided to make application to the Government for this cable, and if it is obtained there will be no further difficulty as to the connection of the various stations. In all probability a telephonic service will be established, and if so it cannot fail to facilitate harbor operations.

A very old settler has recently died at New Plymouth. The Taranaki Herald says : 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 1848 —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 on Monday succumbed under it. Mr. Perry was much respected by all who knew him.”

A peculiar case was tried at Normanby before Captain Wray, R.M. H. H. Jackell, a member of the A.O. 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. Riddiford. 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 He then rode off, but passing the redoubt at the Waingongoro Bridge he 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 Opuuake. 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 then 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 court-martialled on a charge of desertion and giving false alarms.'