THE Thames Advertiser WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9, 1874.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1853, 9 September 1874, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9, 1874.

It is very much to be regretted that so many technical difficulties have come iu the way of a fair settlement of the claims for contributions for expenses of pumping. The difficulty seems about as far off settlement as ever, and we think it a pity that an Act was not passed last session, by which the questions of fact—is such and such a mine benefited, and to what extent ? -could not have been brought easily and clearly to the test. As it is, we seem entering upon a sea of litigation, on which the goldfield may go to utter wreck. Things are about as dull as they well can be, and if, in addition to unprofitable mining results, enormous costs for litigation are piled on, a large amount of capital will be withdrawn from the field. Gold mining is not a fashionable kind of investment at present in New Zealaud. Land, and wool, aud commerce, are attracting all the capital seeking investment, and labour is also drawn in those directions. Aud capital will be still further diverted from quartz mining if vexatious and costly litigatious are the order of the day.

In the address of the candidates for the Borough Council last night there was a oharwiug unanimity on the points that tho Council had shown a disposition to bo extravagant, and that this disposition ought to be cuvbod. In view of tho prospoots of no endowments whatever coming to the municipality there does seem an urgent necessity for economy, This community, having for the most part, to pay large ground rents, cannot at present afford to pay heavy rates, and tho utmost possible . economy ought to be aimed at in carrying on the work of the corporation. On one subject Mr Kowe made a statement for which he has probably better warrant than more guess or prophecy, namely, that the foreshore endowments would be handed over to some body representing the whole locality, and not merely the residents within the borough. The statement was received with marked approval by the meeting, and as wo have expressed the same we are glad that there is a prospect of its being realised. There would be no objection, however, to a portion of the foreshore being secured for endowment of the borough. Probably our municipal arrangements will be considerably affected by the system of local government-. which is to be substituted for provincialism, and the corporation ought to make every effort to keep within its means.

His Honor the Superintendent, the Provincial Secretary, and Mr Holloway, the agent of the English Agricultural Labourers' Association, may be expected at the Thames on Friday. His Honor will examine into the proposals made with the view of immediately improviog the harbour accommodation, and we hope will take immediate steps to have something done. Steps ought also to be taken to determine a plan for a good and permanent harbour, which can be worked towards, and which the temporary means ought to be made to aid. We understand that it is proposed to visit the Upper Thames to enable Air Holloway to see that district, but his visit will be of little value if he has to tel that the district is jealously kept closed.

The adjourned meeting ef the Hospital Committee will be held at the Salutation Hotel today, when the report of tho sub-committee appointed to examine into the charges in connection with the case of Maurice Power will be brought up. We hope that the object of th e inquiry will not be lost sight of in the spirit of partisanship which has unfortunately arisen. The subject is of great importance to the welfare of the Hospital, and to the reputations of the surgeon and attendants, and the object of all should be a full and fair inquiry.

It will be seen that a meeting of the friends of Mr Maurice Power, " who may be willing to assist in getting up a subscription for him," is called for to-night at the Pacific Hotel. A great deal of feeling has been excited in reference to this case, but all parties must feel deep sympathy with Mr Power in bis irreparable misfortune, and wo have no doubt there will be a general disposition to assist him in the circumstances in which he is placed.

At the Police Court yesterday morning, James Fenton was charged with neglecting to keep his premises clean, and was fined 10s and costs. James Hendy was charged with a similar offence, and the evidence of John Brooks Mason, Inspector of A'uisinces, having been heard, he was fined 10s and costs.

An accident occurred yesterday, at mid-day, in the All Nations mine, by which a miuer named William Jones sustained injuries, to his leg and foot, He was working in 'the stopes, when a quantity of stuff gave way and Btruck him. It was at first feared that the leg was broken between the knee and ankle, and the attendance of Dr Lethbridge was immediately procured, Upon examination, it was found that no bones were broken, but the ankle appears to be sprained, and the foot is considerably contused and swollen. He was conveyed to his own residence.

The Art Union drawing for Mr Oalder'a handsome picture of the Kauwaeranga Gorge, came off on Monday night, at the Koyal Mail Hotel, Auckland, An illustration of the old saying, "Fortune favours the brave," was exemplified in this instance, as Mr Calder purchased a ticket in the drawing from a Mr E, T. Smith, who left the province a short time since, and won his own picture. Mr Calder'was offered £10 for his beautiful painting immediately afterwards by Mr Ballin, of Messrs Ballin Brothers, of the Thames, but refused to part with it, as he intends to exhibit it at the forthcoming Exhibitions at Dunedin and Sydney, where it will, no doubt, meet with the appreciation it deserves.—Gross.

The Alexandra correspondent of, tlie-iV. Z. Herald says:—"Some excitement has been felt at Te Kuiti on account of some suspicions that persons or conspirators have been sent up there by the Government to capture the murderers !Te Kooti, Tawhana, &c. .Te Kooti nearly killed a native whom he suspected had been sent up there for the purpose."

It is somewhat surprising that there has been such little manifestation of public feeling respecting the abolition resolutions' of the Government. Considering the grave importanee.of the question at issue, and the magnitude of the interests involved, it might reasonably have been anticipated that the colony would have been agitated from end to end. But, contrary to all expectations a constitutional change so great that it almost amounts to the dignity of a revolution, has been silently assented to by the people of New Zeiland. With the exception of an approving meeting at Greymouth, ho expression of opinion has been given by the Middle Island, In the North Island there seen to have been a little more stir, but it has been confined to Auckland, always the noisiest and most grasping province of the whole.- Otago Guardian,

A coroner's inquest was held in Auckland on Tuesday afternoon, on the body of Elizibeth Macfarlane. After the jury had viewed the body, the following evidence wa3 taken:— Eliza Rice deposed tint she was the wife of Ostrich William Bice, but was not living with liim. She had known the deceased for five years, and they resided together in Mortonstreet. Deceased made her living sometimes by needlework, and at other times by prostitution. On Wednesday night she heard deceased calling for assistance, and upon going out found her lying on the green, a short distance from the house, perfectly helpless. Witness assisfcedher into the house, and when undressing her found several bruises on her right breast, and also on both arms. After being put into bed, she slept for some time, but awoke on Thursday morning early with a strong craving for drink. When first questioned, she said she remembered two men seeing her home, but subsequently stated that she had been alone. On '.Thursday, the witness administered some brandy to the deceased, but only in small quantities. On Friday she seemed to be somewhat better, but still had a great desire for drink, which was denied her, On Saturday, the witness not seeing any improvement, proposed to send for Dr. Kenderdine, but deceased strongly objected. On Sunday afternoon she was evidently much worse, and witness offered to send for a clergyman, but the deceased objected in very strong'language. Shortly before five o'clock on Sunday afternoon a change was noticeable in the deceased, and two young men were despatched for medical attendance, which did not arrive, and she died shortly after. Sergeant Sanderson came to-the house soon afterwards. Drink was probably the cause of her death, but she had been suffering for some timefrom asthma. The deceased was au inveterate drunkard. Witness had been informed that her husband belonged to the 14tlx Regiment.—Sergeant Sanderson stated that the unfortunate woman was well known to the police as a low drunkard and prostitute. The remainder of the sergeant's evidence was' corroborative of that given by the first witness. The jury returned a verdict to the effect "That the deceased died from the effects of excessive intemperance,"

If ever there was a time when members of the House of Kepresentatives ought to be satisfied with their £105 it is this year 1874. For the session just ending will have been the shortest on record, If the Assembly is prorogued to-morrow it will have sat exactly 56 days. Yet this very session, when the Dumber of days members have had to spend in Wellington has fallen from 92 to 56, is the time they have selected for increasing their honorarium by fifty per cent. For eight weeks' work they are coolly voting themselves £157 10s. In other words they are paying themselves for their services to the country at the rate of nearly £20 a week, or of upwards of £1000 a year. The self-interest displayed by such an appropriation is really somewhat scandalous. We are curious to see the division list, and to learn who they were that voted with tho ayes. There are men in the present House who are known to be in . needy circumstances, of whom it has been publicly said that theyidaro not passman Insolvency Act for fear of becoming it's first victims. Tlieir votes and iafluaneo must surely havo carried great weight. It must have been a happy moment for them when tho Houso conceived tho extraordinary notibn of increasing thoir pay by one-half at the very time that, tliauks to tho umvonlod brovity of the session, thoir oxpensea had been diminished by tlieQ-fifths.—Citiifci'fiujy Press,

In a leading article on Mr Yogel's proposition to abolish the Northern Provinces, the Bruce Herald says:—"We are aware that lie has been moat profuse in his protestations that the present resolutions do not contemplate the slightest' interference with the interests of Otago and Canterbury. But then we have in the past had so much of profuse promises from Mr Vogel, that never came to fruition in the shape they shadowed, that we are not inclined to put any extensive reliance on Lis protestations now. And, this being so, we have before us the fact that an attempt might be made at any time on the land fund of the Middle Island, in which the Ministry would have the advantage of a Northern block vote, and of certain discontented districts in the Middle Island itself. That is the point whence we have to fear danger, and it is a point whence, we may say at once, we have no present security that danger may not como."

In connection with its .report of the late fire in Dunedin the Daily Times suggests the advisability of introducing "peg-clocks," being a cheap and useful description of telltale clocks. These clocks will show whether the watchman does his duty of going his rounds, being not only a protection to the employer, but to the watchman who can, in case of misadventure, in so far as showing proof of going his rounds is concerned, be acquitted of blame. If the watchman does not pull down the peg every quarter of an hour, or any particular time to which (he clock is set, the clock records show the fact. These clocks are used in model gaols, factories, and all large establishments where night watchman are employed in Great Britain and Ireland,

In Picton a revenue of £80, and in Havelock £35 per year, is derived from fees charged for depasturing horses in the grass-grown streets,

Says the Wangaralta Star of Tuesday morning:—".ln the Wangaratta Police-court, a woman named Grace Duggan, alias Grace Qarnett Thompson, in giving evidence against Ellen Sullivan,-who was charged with larceny, made a rather startling statement in reply to Mr O'Lcary, who was retained for the defence. When asked how many husbands she had, she replied, ' Six hundred.' The worthy policemagistrate repeated the question, and received the qualified reply, ' well, .six hundred : sweethearts. 1 . Surely, if the woman,is not cranky (as we suspect), King Solomon himself will have to look out for his matrimonial laurels, and Brigham Young will be nowhere in the race. We can only use the sarcastic words of Tennyson with regard to her—'Oh! the wild charge they made, noble six hundred!'"