U.S.S. NIPSIC. TURNS BACK AGAIN. Apia, May 18.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 373, 1 June 1889, Page 3

U.S.S. NIPSIC. TURNS BACK AGAIN. Apia, May 18.

You will gets this letter by the 5.3. Wainui, aB the cutter to catch the mail steamer has already left. Ycm have had particulars of the first unsuccessful attempt of the Nipsic to reach Auckland. Now she has had to turn back again. In the hurricane her rudder and sternpostwere destroyed, her propeller bent and twisted, her topmasts swept away, and a good portion of her keel broken off, while she had several bad leak 3. Her smokestack was also gone, but 3ne was supplied with one from the Vandalia. A jury rudder had been rigged, and the other damages repaired as well as the limited opportunities ab Apia allowed. After her first attempt to reach Auckland farther repairs were made, and on the arrival of the U.S.s. Alert she was again despatched for Auckland, this time under the convoy of the Alert. The vessel left Apia Harbour on Thursday, the 10th inst. Misfortune dodged the Nipsic still, for the jury ruddei did not work well, and when about 200 miles from Apia it got adrift, and the Nipsic had to be stopped until it could be taken on board and repaired, this delaying her for over a day, when she made another stait. In spite of ibs being calm the Nipsic rolled very heavily, due in part no doubt to the loss of her keel mentioned above, and the engineers did not like this. She steered wildly and tbe steering gear was not proving reliable. These facts in addition to the remonstrances of the engineers, who evidently considered that the vessel was not in a fit state to make the voyage to Auckland, had some effect with Captain ' Mullan, and. he held a consultation with the captain of the Alert, and it was resolved to turn back. The return of the two vessels caused considerable consternation at Apia, the natives dreading lest they should be German warships, but their fears were allayed when the Stars arid Stripes were seen. Admiral Kimberly was not entirely satisfied with the return of the Nipsic, and from all accounts he did not consider it altogether justifiable. I understand that he obtained information from some of the lieutenants of the Nipsic, and this Captain JVJullan objected to, and after reporting to the Admiral, he asked to be relieved. To this Admiral Kimberly consented and appointed Lieutenant Lyon, of the U.S.s. Trenton, to the command of the Nipsic and sent her out the same afternoon under the convoy of the Alert. She has orders to proceed to Pango Pango Harbour, there to land her guns and take in coal. The Alert is to meet the Alameda oft Tutuilaand brine; in the despatches to Apia, returning to escort the Nipsic to Auckland. The two vessels were to be ready to leave Pango Pango for Auckland on the 23rd, but when they will reach your harbour is a problematic query, as it h ill all depend on how the Nipsic fares. Captain Mullan leaves for the United Spates by the E.M.s. Zealandia, which is due at Tufcuila on Saturday next, 25th inst. It is a great pity that the Nipsic had to return. The Admiral evidently considers her safe enough to reach Aucklai d in, but if one of the stiff gales that are continually blowing between here and New Zealand is met with I am afraid the United States wai-ship will fare none too well. Lieutenant Lyon has his orders and this time there will be no returning.

The report of the Australian Mutua Provident Society for the year 1888 deals with large figures. The annual revenue of the Society now amounts to £1,512,000, of which £1,016,000 comesfrom premiums, and £495,000 from interest. The accumulated fund has increased by £726,000, and now amounts to £8,169,000. In 1887 the new premiums were £103,000 against £121,000 in 1886 ; but last year they amounted to £126,000, of which £26,000 represented single payments. In the assurance branch the number of new policies was 9,518, representing a sum of £3,034,000 and the discontinuances were 4,520 policies, representing a sum of £1,562,000. The report, therefore, exhibits a large amount of progress. At the same time the amount of new business transacted has been decreasing for the last three years. In 1885 the new premiums were 19 8 per cent, of the renewal premium income. In 1888 the proportion was 11 per cent. A gentleman who travelled out from England with Mr Dillon writes : — The following questions which I put to Mr Dillon, with the answers given, may interest you : Question : Are you coming out entirely for your health's sake ? Answer ; I should not have left home but for that. Q : Did your imprisonment injure your health ? A : A great deal ; that is why I was released from Dundalk gaol after three months'continement. lammuch better now, and this voyage is working wonders for me. I shall stay about two months in Australia, and then go to New Zealand for a while. Q : Ido not quite understand the Plan of Campaign ; what is it ? A : The plan is a combination amongst tenants to obtain a reduction of rents. A reduction of rents has been obtained to a laige extent and confiuned bj r the Legislature. Q : Supposing Home Rule be granted what will become ot Colonel Saunderson and the 50,000 armed men he says he will put in the field to fight against ? A : I believe they will accept it as well as the rest, and I believe it is mere talk on the part of Colonel Sauntlerson : besides, they will find that their rights will not be interfered with. Q : Are you not afraid of a civil war in Ireland if Home Rule is granted ? Even the States have had to experience that. No ; lam nob afraid ot a civil war. Q : Would the death of Mr Gladstone affect you much ? A : Yes, it would be a terrible blow to us. No other man has such a hold on the English people. Q: Has the Parnell Commission helped your cause ? A : Yes, enormously. Nearly a thousand pounds have been subscribed to the Lord Mayor's fund for sending a number of trained workmen to the international exhibition in Paris, to in spect the exhibits and write descriptive and comparative reports upon them. At a meeting at the Mansion Hou.-e, it was decided that 75 representatives should be chosen flora nearly as many different trades The work now immediately before the council is the delicate task of selecting really capable men.