NEWS OF THE DAY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2216, 24 April 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

On behalf of the Union Steam Shipping Company and their clients the National Mortgage and Agency Company we have to tender our readers an apology for the nondelivery of our supplements during the past three weeks. The supplements were duly contracted for in the other colonics, and they should have arrived here, had faith been kejit, nearly two month’s ago. The contractors for some unexplained reason allowed about a month’s delay to occur in the shipment. They were forwarded by one of the U.S.S. Company’s steamers, which arrived in tire colony about three weeks ago, but from causes which wc intend to have investigated, they have apparently been miseanied. The National Agency Company has been telegraphing in various directions for them dining the past few days without result,and in what particular part of the world they arc at present —whether in a New Zealand ~,,,.1- il. • 1 1. L. » L _ T

the steamer in which they were despatched —it is impossible to say with certainty. Wc can hcaitily sympathise with those of our readers who have taken an interest in the fortunes of the young gentleman who was “ Married to an Actress.” It is a serious thing to suspend a serial at an interesting part, but from the explanation wc have given our readers will perceive that the Union Steam Shipping Company and their agents are alone to blame for their disappointment and our loss and inconvenience. V.'c invite special attention to the sale of valuable suburban sections and cottages which takes place at Messrs Jonas, Hart, and Wildic’s rooms on Thursday next. '1 he properties comprise residencies at Sandietown, Pleasant Point, Attenborough, and Failie Creek. As the value of land and houses in these localities is bound to improve rapidly as soon as the colony recovers, the chance for investors is a particularly favourable one. The sale commences at 2 p.m. Apropos of the Moluoiu-c Exhibition, the “ Argus’ ” London correspondent, writing on Feb. 27, remarks: —Matlx-is at Home in connection with the Exhibition arc stated to be progressing very favorably. Italy, it is said, wilt have the huge number of 1100 exhibitors. Deigium has voted PJOOO for expenses connected with her 170 exhibitors. Several Commissioners state that they believe Die Exhibition will be a far liner one than that at Sydney. Airangements for the allotment of space arc being' made by Mr Geoigo Collins Levey, assisted by Mr 'Alight, of tiie ih-itish Royal Commission, wiio, by Hie way, will probably look after arrangements in .Melbourne on behalf of it. About f-ioOexhibitoisha ve been informed that space has been allotted to them, and only some 10 or 12 have been refused. All the allotments will be completed by March o, and Mr Levey expects to be able to get away by April Ist.’’

The following interesting passage appears in the address of the chairman at the meeting of Die Rank of Now Zealand ;—A reduction in the extreme rates for deposits which had been forced upon us in the past lias been effected dining the half-year, ami this, witli the more active demand for money, affords a prospect of a more profitable use of our large resources, the effect of which will, I hope, be made apparent in our next balance sheet. In view of contemplated further taxation, it may be well that I remind shareholders that we already pay in duty, on circulation and on propeity, considerably over .t’looo per annum, and although wc fully recognise the obligations of colonists to provide for cuircnt liabilities, it behoves us to sec that the incidence of taxation docs not too severely press on local institutions.

In a recent lecture Mr I’rcccc mentioned the fact that Professor bell and himself had carried on a conversation by means of the telephone through a coil i(.•presenting a distance of I«VKX) miles of telegraph line, hut without tire defects incidental to an actual wire carried on posts across coimtiy. Experiments have been made recently in America, with tire ordinary telegraph line:-:, in order to test tire actual capabilities of the telephones. The distance was 110 miles, and although there were a few interruptions owing to the swinging of the wires in the wind, conversation was carried on with case, the enunciation of the words being perfectly distinct. Tire experiments were made at a time when few, if any, messages were passing on wires in close proximity, and they established the fact clearly that for all practical purposes the telephone will soon supersede the ordinary telegraph instruments on lines of moderate length, and possibly altogether in cases whore it is possible to isolate the wires throughout the whole circuit.

A committee consisting of His Worship the Alayor, and Messrs Jonas, (libson, Evans, (hanger, and Captain lain has been formed for the purpose of collecting exhibits for the Melbourne Exhibition. The same gentlemen acted in this capacity in connection with the Sydney Exhibition.

The German war ship llismark now at Auckland has received instructions to sail for Valparaiso, owing to disturbances there affecting German interests.

We cordially endorse the following sensible remarks concerning the Property Assessment Act, which appears in the ‘‘ Mananawatu Times” of April 17 : We do not approve of those measures which are obliged to fall back upon the people to prevent their becoming a failure, and we must say the Property Assessment Act appears to be of such a nature. It h; by no means fair to ask a man to assess his own greatness, nor is it just to compel him to give information which will be used against him. We arc quite aware that there arc conscientious people who will give a fair and honest return of the various items which compose their worldly wealth, but wc regret to say that they arc sadly in the minority. The conscience of man is a peculiar commodity, and it will be found that those who would shudder at making a deliberately false statement, generally manage to ;effect their object by a little mental logic which satisfies all scruples. Although the Act only contemplates taxing those persons who arc possessed of property of a’ greater value than £SOO, still it is incumbent upon every person in the colony to go through the necessary formula of making the necessary returns and statement, and the man * whose worldly possessions arc upon his back must sign a true statement of his estimate of their value were they submitted to auction. If the Land Tax has been found to be unworkable, wc arc very much afraid, its successor will not ju’ovc to be an improvement upon it.

Mounted Constable Plack of Timaru, has been transferred to Waiamate, vice Mounted Constable Wall, who succeeds him here.

At Wakefield, in the Nelson district, on Thursday, an inquest was held on the body of Mr Melville Scllon, a run-holder, well known a few years since as a crack encketer. The verdict was that he died iro;n apoplexy. It is said that deceased, whilst riding to his home from Wakefield on the night of the 21st, was seized with a lit of apoplexy, and died by the roadside, whore he was found breathing his last. In reply to a communication from the Government, the Auckland Cattle Hoard recommend the temporary jrrohibition of the importation of Cattle from the Australian colonics. They have also decided to request the Government to allow clean certificates to be given for cattle the same as for sheep.

The superintendent of police in Chicago recently issued an order directing his odiccrs “ to notify the proprietors of all saloons and restaurants in their respective districts, where thieves, vagrants, and disreputable characters resort, that if they persist in harboring, entertaining, and becoming hail for such characters, his Honor the Mayor will be requested to revoke their licenses forthwith ; and it will he the duty of olliccrs to report and recommend the revocation of the licenses of such places, in all eases where the facts warrant and the interests of good government justify such revocation.” The “N. 0. 'Times” suggests that a similiar regulation should be brought into operation in Oamaru.

The Education returns for the South Canterbury district for the quarter ending March , ! !1, shews a high)}- satisfactory condition of a flails. There arc 2'.l schools with 70 tcachois, and 5 sewing mistresses under the control of the Hoard. The attendance on the roll at the beginning of the year was iiOdd, and at the end of Lite quarter, J,;Jtii, shewing a gala of off. The working average attendance is •TITS, and the strict average 22df. A perusal of the return shews that in almost every instance the attendance at the different schools has imp: o ved.

The .1! awera coi respondent of the “ Post ” tclcgiaphcd at the beginning of the week: —• I hoar that the celebrated Sullivan, of the Kelly-Purgc&s gang, has again turned up, having been discovered amongst the unemployed on the Plains, fie was recognised by one who had seen him in prison at Dunedin. Although he protested it was a case of mistaken identity, the men made him understand that he must leave the camp, which lie did the next morning, travel 1 ing northward. The “ Akaroa Mail” concludes an article on Puller's ease as follows: —“In the ease of Purler, the most damaging evidence was the discovery of blood on the clothes of the prisoner. The verdict of the jury, we imagine, must have hinged upon the question whether the blood stains were caused in tiro way suggested by the accused, or whether the evidence of the medical experts was of any value. In acquitting the accused they have said in effect, wo prefer the assertion of a criminal of the worst and blackest type to the united testimony of several medical gentlemen, who, unlike the accused, had no interest in the ease beyond furthering the ends of justice. The Chinese do not seem to get over their antipathy to the steam-engine. Our readers will remember that the first line of rails laid down in China was ruthlessly destroyed and now we arc told that there is no prospect whatever of a railway being made in any part of the Empire, and tire Imperial Maritime Customs, along with the Imperial Hoard of War, is once more engaged in organising a winter mail service between the

capital and Shanghai by the linmble medium of donkeys. It is expected that the donkeys will run the mails through in 12 days, and, with an adequate supply of * carrots, there would seem to be no difficulties in maintaining a regular service, if the donkeys are not arrested, as they were last year, by the irate authorities of Shantung. Hidioulous, and even shameful, as is this expedient to maintain communication between the capital of a great empire and its leading cities, whoso rulers have not the excuse of ignorance, it is better than nothing, and the Chinese Government will probably receive the devout thanks of the foreign Ministers at I’ekin for their unwonted energy in this matter.

The abundance and quality of the pastures this season is making a very flattering impression on some of our butcher's shops. One of the choicest displays that we have witnessed for some time was exhibited last evening, at Messrs Peacock and Oeancy’s West kind IJutcliciy. The beef, which was of very superior quality, was fed on Mr J. Blackwell’s estate, the mutton and veal were grown by Messrs Kellan and .Archer icsjreetiveiy, and the pork by Mr Hassell.

At Christchurch yesterday a deputation from the Local Industry Association waited upon the Commission on Native Industries, and among other things urged the advisability of planting the railways with hickory, oak, ash, elm, etc., and the simplification and cheapening of the patent laws. Nothing heats the retort courteous ! The Mayor of Christchurch has replied to a Jrequest for subscriptions tothe Howland Hill Memorial that in consequence of the great demands upon the people of late, the idea cannot be entertained ; and if any were collected, the money should be devoted to a fund for old post ollicc servants in the colony. Sir William Fox appears to be getting it right and left. Everybody is anxious that he should get hack to Parliament. We suggested his return, because it might gratify: his vanity, and lie could hardly spoil a bad mixture. The N. 0. "Times” urges his election so that the House of Representatives may not be like an ill-furnished circus, without a good clown.