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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5737, 19 August 1879, Page 2

It will be remembered that when the sale of the reclaimed land was first announced to take place grave exception was taken to the course adopted by the Government in placing the auction in the hands of Mr. R. J. Duncan, when the sale might have been conducted by the Commissioner of Crown Lands without any commission being paid. However, when it was announced by the auctioneer on the evening of the day of sale that a sura of £99,144 16s. had been realised by his efforts, few persons were prepared to cavil at the one per cent, of commission which had been promised him. We confess that we were greatly surprised when the Hon. Mr. Thomson stated on July 18 that only £86,172 16s. had been realised, and we began to think that the Government would have done well to save the £996 of commission which we presume they paid to Mr. Duncan. The Government had evidently arrived at the same conclusion, because the further sale which was recently advertised and postponed was to have been entrusted to the Commissioner of Crown Lands.

On July 18 Mr. Thomson stated that there were no instalments in arrear ; on August 6 Mr. Waterhouse asked why Mr. Hutchison had not been called upon to pay the stipulated deposit of 15 per cent, on the purchase money for the section which he had bought. Colonel Whitmore replied that Mr. Hutchison had bid for section 4, block 3 ; that the price to be paid was £2178. “It was “ knocked down to Mr. Hutchison, but “ when it came to taking up the section it “ was found that ho had not paid the de- “ posit or signed the agreement.” Now it so happens that not only Mr. Waterhouse, but many others also, saw Mr. Hutchison sign for the land In his own name. Colonel Whitmore’s plea, therefore, that Mr. Hutchison bid for another man in Wanganui is altogether unsound. He bid for the land, it was knocked down to him, and he thereby became legally liable for the whole amount. But as if to make assurance doubly sura he proceeded to sign the agreement for it, not as an agent, but in his own name. The auctioneer’s course was clear, either he was bound to insist upon the 15 per cent, deposit, or to proceed against Mr. Hutchison as a defaulter. It appears that he did neither. If Colonel Whitmore’s statement is correct, “ That the “ Government never received any cove- “ nant from Mr. Hutchison, and they “ had no knowledge that he had taken “ the steps necessary to constitute a pur- “ chase,” then we can only assume that the auctioneer suppressed the information. So far as we can learn the present Mayor of Wellington is, as Mr. Waterhouse stated, “a defaulter to the Crown.” It lately came to our knowledge that a section of the reclaimed land had been privately offered to several gentlemen at a small advance of £2 per foot on the purchasing price. In reply to a question put to the would-be seller as to who was the owner of the section which he was offering for sale, he replied, “ What do you “ want to know for?” On reference to one of the gentlemen to whom the land was tendered, we learn that the section which was offered to him was the one which had been nominally bought by Mr. Hutchison. He pointed out the section referred to on the map of the relaimed land,- and said, “I am morally “certain that that is the section “which was offered to me by Mr. ——. “ I have no doubt whatever in my own “mind that that was the section.” The good faith of the gentleman referred to is unquestionable, and we believe that we are fully justified in assuming that his memory is accurate.

If the above information is correct it would appear that Mr. Hutchison bid for the land, and that it was knocked down to him at £44 per foot; that he was allowed by Mr. Duncan 1 , the auctioneer, to transgress the conditions of sale, which provide that “ the purchaser of each section “shall immediately on the fall of “ the hammer pay a deposit of 15 per “ cent, of the amount of the purchase “ moneythat Mr. Hutchison signed the memorandum of purchase; and that he at once proceeded to trade upon this unlawful concession, and to try to make money by land-sharking with Government property, to which he had no title whatever. No doubt the cleverness of the trick will commend it to many ; but we think that the gross dishonesty of the transaction must be apparent to all, if the facts be as we have stated, and as we have every reason to believe they really are. The outcome of the whole business is clear : In order to allow a bogus buyer to trade with Government land, on which he had not risked a shilling, by the connivance of the auctioneer, the Government was done out of a good purchaser at the time, and will also have to suffer the loss of all interest on the amount bid. Further, if any depreciation should yet take place in the capital value of the land between that date and the day of sale, the Government would have to stand the loss. We have thought it right in the public interest to investigate this matter, as it is highly desirable that all Government auctions should be conducted with perfect impartiality, and without fear or favor.

Writs were issued yesterday for the general election, and are made returnable on the 17th of September. Parliament is also summoned for the despatch of business on the same day. It will be seen that the Wellington Corporation Loan of £IOO,OOO has been placed in London by the Bank of New Zealand at £lO4, the highest premium ever obtained for any municipal loan. That of Lyttelton was recently placed at £lO2 7s. 10d., so that the comparison is very favorable to Wellington. His Excellency the Governor and the Hon. Lady Kobinson, accompanied by Captain Maxwell, of H.M.S. Emerald, returned to Wellington by the Government steamer Hinemoa, from Nelson, yesterday. The Native Minister left for Napier, Gisborne, Tauranga, and Auckland, in the Government steamer Hinemoa, yesterday after-1 noon.

Sir George Grey is fond of self-glorification, and particularly wishes all the new arrivals in the colony to understand that no great undertaking has ever been initiated in New Zealand without having first emanated from his fertile brain. Thackeray, in his lecture on the “Four Georges” has told us in his own racy style how “the finest gentleman in Europe” actually got himself into the belief that he was present at the battle of Waterloo, and that the success of that historical battle was in a great measure due to him, and that all the glory of it did not by any means belong to the “ Iron Duke.” From a charitable point of view, we must only try to believe that a similar craze has taken possession of the mind of the “ great Pro-consul,” iu all that pertains to New Zealand. On Saturday evening he look all the credit for having made the road to Wanganui. But this great “friend of the workingman" was very careful not to tell those who have recently come to Wellington the rate of wages paid to the men who worked on that road. We shall supply the omission : it may prove refreshing to this new friend of the working man. The rate of wages was three shillings per day I Old settlers remember well what was then paid ; but to the new comers this one grain of fact may be worth a whole pound of the Premier’s rhetorical fiction. Those working men, who may happen to be members of the well-conducted club which bears their name, would do well to study the early Blue-books and Despatches of the colony. If they would do this, their own good sense would enable them to judge how much the autocrat of that time was like to the demagogue of to-day. We have received the following communication from Mr. O. 0. Heiden, president of the Working Men’s Club :—“ Sir, —I saw a statement in your report of Mr. G. Fisher’s speech, at the Arcade, on Saturday evening, that Mr. Keiden, president of the Working Men’s Club, had promised to contribute a portion of the expenses of his election. I had a conversation with Mr. Fisher in reference to the election, but not in my capacity as president, for the time being, of the Working Men’s Club. I have always endeavored to keep anything like active political agitation out of the club, and I have therefore to regret that Mr. Fisher, in mentioning my name, should have coupled it with the position I hold in reference to the Working Men’s Club. Any conversation I had with Mr. Fisher was as man and man ; and I hope you will allow me space to say that, as I have hitherto been opposed to dragging the Working Men’s Club into either municipal or Parliamentary election contests, so I shall always do my utmost in the future to keep it free from anything which might tend to disturb that harmony which should always exist amongst a club whose members must necessarily be of every form of political and religious thought.— l am, &0., O. 0. Heiden.” Mr. R. B. Gore, acting-secretary to the New Zealand Exhibition Commissioners, has received the following telegram from the Exhibition Commissioners iu Sydney :—-“The following addition to the prize list was adopted yesterday by the Exhibition Commissioners : Sub-class 36 D—For the best bale of combing wool, iu grease, skirted, not weighing less than SOOlbs., the number of fleeces and weight to be stated.”

Captain Williams has withdrawn from the newly-formed Liberal Association, as will be seen from the following letter, which appeared in the Evening Post of last night : “All I wanted to say at the meeting on Saturday night was, that having attended three different meetings at the Arcade, having joined the ‘Liberal’ Association with the intention of being an active supporter ; but finding it was mere claptrap to deceive the people I wished to withdraw my name from it.” One of the most unsophisticated creditors’ meetings it has yet been our privilege to attend was held at the Court-house yesterday. No one seemed to know what to do, and numerous were the appeals to the DeputyRegistrar for advice. One gentleman did not appear to think it necessary to put in the usual proof of debt, and Mr. Wilmer explained that he could not take part in the meeting unless he did so. Some time later a similar question cropped up with reference to another creditor, when the aforesaid creditor inquired, “ What do you call ‘ proving ’ the debt i I appeal to the debtors ; that ought to be sufficient. Don’t you owe me the money ?” This new mode of “proving a debt" was received with roars of laughter from all present.

Mr. George Hunter, we are glad to be able to state, has so far recovered from his late indisposition as to be able to attend to business again. As will be seen from a notification in our advertising columns, Mr. Hunter has lost no time in calling a meeting of his friends and supporters, which will be held this evening at the Exchange Buildings, Old Custom Housestreet. '

The conduct of a prevaricating witness was rather severely commented upon yesterday by Mr. Mansford. The witness gave his evidence in a straightforward manner at first, but upon being cross-examined he fenced with every question, repeating the questions as they were put to him, and taking some time in considering his replies. At length Mr. Mansford told him plainly that at first he had looked upon his evidence as being truthful, but during the cross-examination he had very much altered his opinion. In the fine weather rather afavorite task with visitors is to ascend the Flagstaff Hill, and in view of the approaching spring, it might be suggested that a seat of some sort should be placed on the summit of the hill, on which such climbers might rest themselves after their ascent, and view the beauties of the bay and the surrounding country. At the present time the absence of such a seat is very much felt. One might be placed on the spot indicated at a small expense, and would be doubtless appreciated by the many visitors to our Flagstaff Hill.

Be-building has at length been commenced on the site of the late fire in Manners-street. A re-commencement was yesterday made with the Te Aro branch of the Bank of New Zealand, which will doubtless in a short time assume the appearance it wore before the fire.

A party of marines and blue-jackets yesterday proceeded to the butts for the purpose of engaging in a friendly rifle contest. After some very good shooting the blue-jackets came ofi the victors.

Mr. Robert Parker has determined to repeat his concert on Friday evening, in consequence of the wretched weather which prevailed having kept a number of persons from being present when the concert was given last week.

Mr, Mason will address the electors at the Taita this evening. On Wednesday he will meet the electors at the Lower Hutt; on Friday, at the Upper Hutt ; and on Saturday, at the Wainuiomata ; each evening at half-past seven o’clock.

The Wairarapa Daily is responsible for the following ; —"Hutchison, of Wellington, declines to run in conjunction with Fisher for the Assembly. He follows, we presume, the golden rule of self first, and party second.”

Mr. Carter’s address to the electors of Wairarapa is published in the local journals. Amongst other things, he states that ha is an advocate of manhood suffrage, but is opposed to representation based purely on population, as that would tend to throw the balance of political power into the hands of the electors of large towns, to the detriment of the country districts.

A meeting of the members of the Wellington Liberal Association will be held this evening at the Foresters’ Hall, at eight o’clock, for the purpose of receiving the report of the committee, and transacting other business. All members are requested to attend. The Masonic Brethren are informed in our advertising columns that two Past Masters will attend at the Masonic Hall, Bouloottstreet, this evening, and also on the two following evenings, for the purpose of issuing cards of admission to Master Masons of any Constitution, who may be desirous of being present at the installation of Brother Julius Toxward, as Eight Worthy Grand Master of Freemasons (E. 0.), for the North Island, which will take place on Saturday next. A reporter from this office went to the committee meeting of the Wellington Liberal Association last evening, but he was informed that it was of a private nature ; so that we are unable to furnish any particulars of what transpired. Messrs. T. Kennedy Macdonald and Go. sold the equity of redemption of two shops belonging to Mr. McCredie in Lambton-quay, together with 25ft. frontage to the Quay, and 33ft. to the Terrace, for the sum of £l7O, to Mr. E. W. Mills. The property in Webbstreet fetched £BSO, inclusive of mortgage and over-due interest; whilst the property in Lambton-quay, having a mortgage over it of £4OOO (on which the old Club premises stood), fetched £IOOO. Three town sections in Awahuri fetched £lO each. We are compelled to hold over a letter from Councillor Logan on the Wainuiomata watersupply question.

The eighth number of Hansard having appeared, we turned to look for Sir G. Grey’s wonderful Financial Statement. The following is what appears :—“Sir G. Grey delivered the Financial Statement. [As the honorable member was apparently reading the Statement, and as Financial Statements had always previously been supplied to Hansard, the reporter in the gallery did not take notes. The Statement not having been supplied, and no report having been taken, there is no record of it.]” We may mention that we had made arrangements to have the Statement taken in full, but as we learnt that Sir G. Grey had prepared no Statement, the few unimportant introductory remarks which lie made were only given in a coniienaed form. Our great Premier and Colonial Treasurer certainly distinguished himself upon the occasion. The “ Loafer in the Street,” writing in the Christchurch Press on the subject of positive farewell engagements and appearances, makes the following remarks in reference to a wellknown New Zealand actor :—“ When the aged Cincinnatus, at his country’s call, emerged for the third time from the privacy of his eight-acre allotment, the local papers of the period I have little doubt slung out paragraphs indicative of their approval of the disinterested course followed by the old gentleman. So, to come to our own times, when that theatrical veteran William Hoskins, impelled by the requests and implorings of thousands of New Zealand playgoers, consented to appear once again, I think he should have had more than a passing notice.

As the worn war-house at the trumpet's sound Erects his mane, and neighs, and paws the ground, Disdains]the ease his generous lord assigns, And longs to rush on the embattled lines. So Hoskins, our plaudits ringing in his oar. Can scarce sustain to think our parting near. He can’t sustain it for any length of time, and so the long sweet hours which bring us all things good, invariably bring us round again to “ That last ‘ben.’ which never is the last." To use a quotation, which will bo tolerably familiar to Mr, Hoskins, under such circumstances, ‘ parting is indeed sweet sorrow,' and I’m only panting to know when he is to take his next farewell, and we are to part again." Mr. Jackson will address the electors of the Lower Hutt this evening, at the Odd Fellows’ Hall ; on Thursday, at the Upper Hutt ; on Friday, at the Taita ; and on Monday, at AVainuiomata.

Mr. Greenfield's sub-committees for Lower Cook Ward and Te Aro Ward will meet this evening. The same gentleman’s general committee also meets this evening. A final meeting of persons interested in the visit of a Wellington Provincial football team to Christchurch will be held at the Star Hotel this evening, at 8 o’clock. All persons possessing subscription lists are particularly requested to attend the meeting, and bring whatever sums they may have collected. The second lecture of the series initiated by the Wellington Young Men's Christian Association will be given this evening, at the Athemeum Hall, the subject being "Egypt, Ancient and Modern,” which will be illustrated diagrams. The lecturer will be Mr. J. H. Twentyraan, of Christchurch.

Oliver Wendell Holmes is said to have used but one pen for all his literary works from 1857 till last September. Adaughterof Nathaniel Hawthorne has completed her first novel, which will shortly commence appearing in the columns of the Boston Courier.

Mr. A. P. Graves has in the press a volume of “ Irish Songs and Ballads." Most of these songs and ballads, if not actually composed to the music of the Irish airs, owe to them their prime impulse and complete character. Benefits of late appear to be the order of the day. One is to take place for Madame LeOouteur and some other members of the late Opera Company on Thursday evening next in the Arcade. An excellent programme has been arranged, and no doubt there will be a good attendance, as a very considerable amount of sympathy is felt for the company in the unfortunate circumstances under which they have been placed. The tickets for the entertainment are already going off rapidly, about 150 reserved seats having been already engaged. Mrs. Cotterell, Mr. Cary, Mr. Hollister, and a number of our best amateurs, have promised assistance. The opera of “II Trovatore ” will be given in costume, and will be preceded by a concert. The Naval Brigade band will play some selections, and Captain Johnson has taken over eighty tickets for the members of the corps. The Mayor, the captains of the fire brigades, and a number of leading citizens have promised to be present. A woman named Elizabeth Chiloott, who had been living with a man named Robert Haynes in Abel Smith-street, fell off her chair into the fireplace on Sunday evening, while reading the newspaper. Haynes at once placed her in bed, and sent for Dr. Tripe, who on arrival pronounced life to be extinct. The police were at once communicated with, and an inquest will be held to-day at 11 o'clock, at the Victoria Hotel, Abel Smithstreet. Deceased had been drinking for some time past, and is suppose to have been afflicted with disease of the heart. She was a widow, and bad been living with Haynes for about 12 years. They had not been a happy couple, and it is only recently that Haynes was bound over to keep the peace against the deceased. They have, however, to all appearance been lately living together peaceably, Mr. Izard will open the election campaign for the Wellington Country Districts at Pahautanui to-morrow evening. He will meet the electors at Ohariu, on Thursday ; at Johnsonville, on Saturday ; and at Kaiwarra, on Monday. Eight o’clock is the hour fixed for each meeting.

Considering the unpropitious state of the weather last evening, and the strong counter attractions elsewhere, there was a very good attendance at the Academy of Music, when Hudson’s Surprise Party made their second appearance, and gave another most enjoyable performance, which was throughout received with the greatest possible favor. The comic element introduced by Messrs. Hudson and Wallace was fully appreciated, and caused great merriment. The various items of the programme were all rendered in excellent style, and as upon Saturday evening, the entertainment was from first to last of a highly successful character. To-night will be the last of the present programme, and tomorrow there will be an entire change ; and as the stay of this company is to be a very short one, there will no doubt be another good attendance.

The gloomy fortress of Peter and Paul at St. Petersburg promises to play a prominent part (says the London Globe ) in connection with the revolutionary movement in Russia. Founded by Peter the Great, it early began an evil career as the State Prison of the unfortunate Oesarevitch Alexis, whom, rightly or wrongly, posterity believes to have been done to death by the hands of his despotic parent. Afterwards it became the regular place of detention for prisoners of State, and, perhaps, for one hundred and fifty years, the cells have never been without their complement of inmates. In Catherine’s reign the dungeons were more than once so overcrowded that whole batches had t> be removed by boat to the Schlusselburg fortress, higher up the Neva, just as at the present moment swarms are nightly smuggled away from its grim interior and despatched in hooded carts to Siberia or Saghalien. As to the number of victims that have lived and died within its limits during the century and a half of its existence, nothing with certainty is known, and probably the world will always remain in ignorance of the Bufferings of the unfortunates who have rotted in its noxious underground vaults or perished in the lower cells during the frequent inundations of the Neva. Random estimates has placed the number at 20,000 individuals, but this can only be a guess. In winter roads across the ice connect it with the "Winter Palace opposite, and in the summer a sloop-of-war is mostly anchored in the river to preserve communication between the fortress and the imperial quay. While the army remains loyal to the Czar the fortress will always keep the city in subjection, as from its portals could issue at any moment a force sufficient to quell the fiercest street revolt.

McCarthy, the recently captured chief of the Umzizi tribe, a tributary of the great Gwazi people, was a draper’s clerk in Limerick (says an exchange) in the year of the Fenian rising. He had a relative, a constable of police, who warned him that his name was on the Castle books, and that if he wanted to preserve his liberty he had better leave the country. McCarthy fled to the South African diamond fields, where he prospered, making two profitable investments in London. He also contributed some readable sketches of the diamond fields to the Loudon Globe. Somehow or other he picked up with the natives, and being of a bold, adventuresome disposition, and already reduced to a half savage state by his occupation, he ended by joining the IJmzizi. When the chief of that tribe died, McCarthy was elected to the position, which he secured by killing, in a single combat, half a dozen

pretenders. Pie made an effort to introduce Christianity, but failed. He has a white wife, daughter of a rich Boer, who eloped with him pome time ago. The lady’s father would be glad to receive his son-in-law, but the Irish ICaffip refused to desert his adopted people. It is feared it will go hard with him on courtmartial, for McCarthy, as a combination of Fenian and Zulu, can hardlv enlist the friendly admiration of his captors.

Messrs J. H. Hethune and Co. will sell bv auction, this day, at their rooms, at half-past one o’clock, a consignment of choice plants, shrubs, and fruit trees, ex Talaroa. from the well-known nursery of Mr. James Mason,Newmarket, Auckland. The shipment comprises a general assortment of nursery stock of the best description, which will be sold without reserve.

Mr. Francis Sidey will hold a sale of shop fronts, doors, &c., at the Arcade, this day, at 2 p.m.