THE Thames Advertiser SATURDAY, SEPT. 12, 1874.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1856, 12 September 1874, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser SATURDAY, SEPT. 12, 1874.

Perhaps it is only naturally to be expected that Mb Honor the Superintendent should mauifest a little feeling when municipalities, which are part at least of the system which is to succeed provincial institutions, come to him asking for''money, and ; when Anybody hints that things are in an uncertain and transition state. ' But we think that he is grossly in the wrong in his impatience, and that the in*, conveniences and inconsistencies which no doubt exist are the best possible argument against the provincial system itself. Mr Williamson seems to think it wrong that the municipality should : ask him for money at all. He says that the Council voted £1,500 for this year to nourish the infaut municipality, and leaves it to be inferred that when the money voted is done, the municipality must find funds for all its wants. By that time, however, things all over the colony may be in quite a different position, and we may have neither Provincial Councils nor Superintendents to ask for favours. But if things remain as they are, the Provincial Government will have to give grants to the municipality for ever, and for this very simple reason, that the Provincial Government gets the whole of the goldfields' revenue, whose purpose is to provide for goldfields' traffic, a very large proportion of which is carried on within the borough. This makes a quite irresistible claim. The roads over which' goldfields' traffic passes must be maintained, and to whom are' we to look to supply the money but to those who receive the gold duty 1 The borough asks no favour, and does not expect to receive any, from the rest of the province. It simply asks what it is entitled to, that is, that a part of the I l goldfields' revenue, bearing some proportion to the amount of goldfields' traffic the streets have to bear, should be devoted to their maintenance, and as the demand is just, the Superintendent will have to satisfy it, if things remain as they are for half a century to come. The municipality is in quite a different position from the Superintendent when he goes to Mr Yogel with his hat in his hand, and gets £40,000, and then £2'i,000, out: of pure charity and compassion. If the cost of the municipality ought to have been counted before it was started—if the fact that it has come to the Superintendent is decisive against it—then the fact that the Provincial Government of Auckland cannot goon at all withoui special grants, ought to be decisive against it. But, as we have shown' the two cases are different, as we at the Thames ask only for what ;the Superintendent is bound to give us, namely, our own special taxation, which, according to the statement made by Mr Yogel in moving his resolutions, will, in the contemplated changes, be secured to us, and will not be manipulated in Auckland. The money voted to the municipality is not to be looked upon as a generous gift on the'part ot the Provincial Government, especially as the Superintendent clogged it with conditions that part of it should be devoted to purposes which ought to have been' undertaken out of other funds, such as straightening: the mouth of the Karaka Creek.

Ia making these remarks, we do. not forget that Mr Williamson has, ia former ,time 3 especially, shown a 5 disposition to be liberal, so far as the Thames is concerned. We hope;this disposition will still be manifested,: and that nothing savouring of jealousy of those institutions which undoubtedly will survive and supplant Provincialism, will be allowed to interfere with his natural disposition to encourage useful public works. We should: like to part with Provincialism, and with his Honor as Superintendent, on the very best of terms.

Mr Holloway, the delegate of the English •Agricultural Labourers' Onion, who is at present on a visit to the Thames, having accompanied the Superintendent, ■ yesterday inspected several of the batteries and mines. He was accompanied by Mr Aitken, Resident Engineer, and expressed himself somewhat astonished at the magnitude o£ the works undertaken on the field; Mr Holloway had seen quartz reefing in Reefton, but the plants and batterioa in that district are insignificant in comparison with those he saw yesterday, Mr Holloway also visited Parawai, and subsequently inspected the Shortland Saw Mill Company's fine plant. • _ ■

The steamer' Southern]Oross,' in command of Captain Holmes, arrived at Tarartt yesterday with a cargo of lire alack consigned to Messrs Banks and McHardy,

His Honor the Superintendent and Mr Shf.eban will be engaged in office business today, appointments having been made for several deputations. It is prohgMe that they will proceed up the river on Mis|iy afternoon, and return to the Thames again on Tuesday. We are informed that the wholesale butchers at the Thames are to raise the price of meat on Monday. The price of butcher's meat has already advanced considerably, and if this further increase is to be made it will fill heavily on large numbers of people. It will probably induce many to become vegetarians against their will, but if it has the effect of breaking the mouopoly which has been formed' by the only purreyors of live stock at the Thames, it will have a beneficial result. Sufficient inducement ought if possible be offered to other traders to step in aud break up a monopoly which, while it presses heavily on all classes of the community, is disastrous to the poor. The price of butcher's meat in the province of Auckland is much higher than in the Southern provinces, while wages, as a rule, are much lower.

A man named William Bird met with a severe accident yesterday, by which the thumb of his right hand was shattered. Bird was in the employ of a man named Vincent, breaking stones near Albert-street. He was, at the time of the accident, assisting Vincent in putting back the wheel of the dray which had come along with unbroken stones. The ground was very soft. Bird took hold of the wheel, and in turning it round his thumb got jammed between the body of the dray aud the wheel. The bone of the thumb was broken, and the sinews much lacerated. He was taken to the Hospital, where he now remains for treatment.

A skeleton was found yesterday on the beach, by James West, who is employed by the Borough Council in making the road. While digging a trench below high-water mark, near Mr Pulleine's house, between Sealey-street and Richmond ■ street, West came upon 3 a skeleton, which was lying under a piece of wood. Information was given to the police, and a constable was brought before the remains were disturbed in any way. - When found, the ribs were standing, but as soon as touched, the whole fell to pieces. The body was lying about north and south, two or three feet under the surface. The most curious fact is, that the leg bones were found, not in their natural position, but laid alongside the body. There have been several bodies found on the beach since the goldfield was opened. The natives say that, many years ago, a canoe full of people was upset in the frith, and that the bodies were washed ashore and buried in the sand, as they were strangers to this district, and not connected with, the natives resident here. Whether tlie' skeleton found yesterday was the remains of one of this party cannot, of course, be determined,

We beg to remind our readers that the band of the Thames Scottish will perform in the Tararu Gardens this afternoon a selection of music. The members of the Thames .Cricket Club will also assemble at Tararu this afternoon for practice.. -•*

The Magnet Variety Troupe will perform to-night at the Theatre Eoyal on the occasion of a benefit tendere fto John McLiver, one of the most popular members of the troupe. The programme, which appears, elsewhere, is both sensational and amusing, and we have do doubt Mr McLiver's numerous friends will muster in force,

The Academy of Music will he opened tonight by Miss Maggie Knight and Johnny G-ourlay's Company, who intend performing here for a short season prior to the departure of Mr flourlay from the colony. The. company has been furnishing a series of entertainments in Auckland, which appear to hive been highly appreciated. Some of the artists are already well, known to Thames audiences, especially Johnny Gourlay and Mr Launcelot Booth. Mr tfourlay performed here some few years ago with the other members of the celebrated Gourlay family, and as a comedian and vocalist gained an excellent reputation. Miss Knight, although not, a stranger in the province, has been absent in Americi for several years, and has received very favourable notices from the Auckland press for her style of singing and her excellent comedy powers. The programme announced elsewhere gives promise of a very excellent .evening's entertainment. Two comedies, "The Rights of Woman'.and ",The Wonder of the World," are announced, in addition to which there will be a musical melange. In the course of the latter Miss Knight ; will give several Butch impersonations and songs. Mr Gourlay will sing " Eichard the Third" and "Jones's musicil party;' 1 and Mr Booth,will sing a loc*l song on Gtrahamstown topics, 1 We have no doubt there will be a large audience on the opening night, and that the talents of the company will draw good houses during their stay at the Thames.

Mr J. Esdaile writes as follows in Wednes> day's Poverty Bay Times" Would you please make known through your columns, for the benefit of travellers journeying overland to Ohinemuri, and that it may obtain the attention of the officer whose province it is to attend to the matter, that the second crossing over the Ohinemuri river is now, to horsemen, quite impracticable, and exceedingly dangerous ta anyone trying it. , The landing ought to be twenty yards higher up the stream than \yhere it now is, and an hour's work with a spade would do all.that is necessary. A telegram to the natives at Ohinemuri, I should think, would lead to its at once being done." ; j

The next outward mail. ™ San Francisco is announced to leave Auckland," according to the Official Postal Guide, on the 28th instant, but under the existing state sf affairs, thircannot be depended upon. The Suez outward mail leaves Wellington on September 27fch.

The inaugural meeting of the New Zealand Reform Association was held in Auckland on Thursday evening, in the Choral Hall. The chair was taken by his Worship the Mayor (EL Isaacs, Esq.) There, were on the platform besides the chairman Mr.W.' L. Rees and Mr T. B. Sillies, M:H.R, Captain Daldy, in proposing the first resolution in favour of abolishing provincialism throughout the colony, said:•> The members had not got any cut. and;dried programme to, submit, but tbey wished to come before the public for the purpose of allowing them, through that body, to disseminate their -i views -on the v political/-'questions of the .day. throughoutithe entire colony. The different provinces at present were uu« equally and unfairly represented; and, as an instance,; .he might', mention that Taranaki, with its small population, elected three members of the tfouse ; of. Assembly, whilst the Thames, with' all its large interest, only had one representative. It might be said that the Thames could take "care of itself, and that its population could ask .that further representation should be accorded them, but this was beside the question, . The, New .Zealand Reform League would ask' for' more equal representation throughout the entire colony, and he felt sure that no man in the country could tell him upon"what system "or "upon what principle the represent ition of the different provinces in New Zealand, was founded. A Mr J.M. Shera proposed " That the members of the Reform League be enrolled on a yearly subscription of ss, and that an Executive Council be elected by the members as soon as thjL members have been enrolled."—The Chairmair said the numbers and members of the Council would be the members of the League, when once one hundred names were enrolled.—Mr Black said he would like to see Mr Thomas Russell, the Hon. James Williamson, and Mr Henry Chamberlain elected members of the Association, and give of their abundance towards it 3 support. Inferring totho meeting, ' the Cross flays '.'The speakers delivered , their messages fluently and with ease, and the burden of the song of each was 1 abolish the provinces North and South.' The sentiment was echoed by the repeated approval of the meeting, which also received with applause the'statement of Mr Shera (who spoke vigorously and well) that the abolition J of the North Island pro-, vinces would add to, the requisite, 'power for abolishiag the whole. Perhaps among the most notable and impressive statements made at the meeting was that offered by Mr Luik— who doubtless had certified his facts beforehand —that in the two province! of Canterbury and Otago no less than 14| millions of acre 3 ouaucl, 1 wero leased as sheep runs," .

-a, f-T - r -- We quote the following from Thursday's Wailcato Times: —" We understand that Major Jackson, M.H.R., intends to address fehis constituents at an early date. We are glad 1 that the gallant Major at last considers his constituents worthy of consideration. Has the approaching general election anything to do with the member's condescension.—We regret to learn from the police that no tidings of the body, either living or dead, has been received of John Frederic, the puutman at Ngaruawahia. There can be little doubt but that he has been drowned, and the flooded state of the river has prevented his body being discovered, The ; Cross, referring to the visit of Mr flolloway, the agent of the Agricultural ' Labours' League in England, to the Thames, Bays;—" On the return of Mr Holloway it is hoped that he will give some expre-sion of his views regarding the position and prospects of the principal mining district in the colony for sustaining and providing suitable work -for a

further influx of immigrants."

The Wellington correspondent of an Auckland paper says: -There is no truth in the statement made by the Thames Emmy Star, that Mr O'Neill intends to resign his seat,— The Premier and Dr. Pollen go in the' Luna 1 to Auckland on Saturday. After arranging telegraphic matters with New South Wales, Mr Vogel will, there is little doubt, go home as Colonial Treasurer, to arrange the four million loan.

It'is worthy of notice as a siga of the way in which the electric telegraph briugs the ends of the world together, that the announcement iu the first columns of Monday's Times, of the birth, on the 11th June, at Teheran, in Persia, stoo'd between two similar notices of births in London on the same day,

The House of Apanui (writes our Wliakatane correspondent) progresses towards a speedy conclusion/ Theltev. S. M.Spencer has paid us a passing visit. He is an old settler in these parts, and says that this house is by far the finest specimen of Maori work of the sort he has ever seen in New Ze.land. A more detailed description is due to this elaborate structure, but I must defer it for the present,—The road making on the line of road between this village and the fort at Te Teko has been to a great extent at a standstill since the wet winter months came upon us. There has only been in progress the portion between this Tillage and the native school house, the heaviest portion of which, consisting of that through an obstinate swamp, and orer land subject to freshes from the Wainui-te-whara Btream—is on the verge o f completion. It is a most satisfactory piece of workmanship, and has been diligently pursued by the detachment of the A.O. stationed, iere. The further portion of the road, between the Whakatane river, above Poroporo settlement, and the Raugitaiki river at Te: Teko is, in the dry land portions, now ready for traffic • There are, however, about two miles of tery wet swamp intervening, which will have to remain unfinished till summer. -Two bridges, it is understood, will span these two considerable rivers, and thus Te Teko will be brought within a few hours' ride of Whakatane—some 13 or 14 miles It wanted not, however, the completion of this road to awaken the hospitality of Captain Preeee and his comrades, for last week they entertained a numerous company—principally, from Whakatane—at an evening party, on the occasion' of the launch of a handsome large whaleboat, constructed wholly by the members of the Native Contingent.—A B. Times.

The fastest steamer in the world:—i'uch is the title claimed by her builders (Messrs Thornyeroft Church wharf, Chiswick), for a boat just built to the order of the Government of India, for service for the Orissa Canal:— The dimensions of this extraordinary little vessel are—length, 87 feet; beam, 12 feet; draught of water, 3 feet 9 inches. The speed conti acted for was twenty statute miles per hour. The hull, the working parts of the engines, and the propeller (Thornycroft's patent) are of Bessemer steel, and the woodwork of teak; The official trial of the boat was made on March 14th under the inspection of Colonel flaig, U.K., chief engineer of the Bengal Irrigation Works, and the results were—with tide 25-18 mile 3 per hour; giving a mean speed of 24-15 miles per hour. In another official trial it was shown that the boat could keep up a speed of 22 miles per hour without losing steam, These speeds are extraordinary enough in themselves, but when it i 3 considered that they are attained by a boat only 87 feet long they become absolutely wonderful, and far beyond anything ever before accomplished The value of s«ift steam launches as torpedo boats is acknowledged, and alreaby various foreign Governments have ordered boats from Messrs Thornycroft's yard.

The following story comes from Ireland:— Two men had a quarrel in a liquor shop. They adjourned outside to settle the dispute- The first man being from Connaught, immediately seized a lump of stone and let fiy at the head of his opponent, who dipped his head and missed the stone, which went through an expensive plate of glass window, and did much damage. A magistrate was called upon next morning to determine which of the two should pay the cost, The evidence clearly showed that the aim was a good one, and that if the second man had not dipped his head he would have been struck. "Therefore," said the magistrate, "hemust pay the damages, as it is certain the first man didn't intend to injure the window, and the window would not have been injure 1 if it had not been for the act of the second man "

There is unquestionably a great deal of unknown and unrelieved suffering in the world. If want of sympathy and difficulty of finding relief add muck to physic il distress, it is sad to think of the new field of woe on the largest scale, which Dr. Struthers has discovered in hitherto unexplored regions of pathology. In siudjingthe osteology of whales, he has discovered that they are very liable to rheumatism. He has seen many examples of rheumatic ostitis in whales of different kinds. It has been said that animals are not subject to disease until they are brought into connection with man, but this fact contradicts the theory. It is the more remarkable, seeing that whales are less subject than man to variations of temperature 'J'he cold-water treatment does not seem to be efficacious in the cure of the disease,— Journal of Chemistry.

A 'writer in the Fie Pamienne is now publishing a series of sketches which he claims are' .faithful portraitures of American life We translate a chapter, in which he tells,how he visited a young American lady to whom he had been previously introdaced. _" One evening says he, I found Alice alone ia the parlour. Her cousins had started ;out on a walk with her beaux, I was surprised to notice that she wj3 not in her usual elegant toilette; and when I asked the reason, she said she was warm and tired. ' Let ua go to Hoboken,' I proposed. 'The fresh air from the water will do you good)' 'No !' she replied,. ' Will you go out and take some roast oysters and a lobster salad?' 'No, lam not hungry.' • Well, then,' I suggested, ' let us go to Millard's and have an ice.' 'No, I tell you,' she said. 'But wait! If I should go out with you, what wonld the whole affair cost, including the supper, the theatre, and all the usual expenses?' ' 1 hardly know,' 1 answered ; ' besides, what difference does it make?' 'It's of no importance. Come on, please, and don't worry yourBelf about my purse.' 'Just listen to me,' said she;' you would spend about fifteen dollars. Now, instead of going out, let us remain at home, and take a cup of tea, and you can give me the fifteen dollars-'"

Alfred Tennyson haß written an ode on tbe arrival of the Duke of Edinburgh and his brido in England, in which he pictures the hews travelling over the mighty empires of Bussia and England The golden news along the steppes is blown, And at thy name the Tartar tents are stirr'il; Elburz and all tho Caucasus have heard; ' And all the sultry palnij of India known, Alexandrowna! The voices of our universal sea On capes of Afrie as on cliffs of Kent, The Maories and that isle of continent, And loyal pines of Canada murmur thee, Marie Alexandrowna! 'We Buppose that tbe Europe m colonists of New Zealand are not poetic enough to be introduced into such a composition, and perhaps it might he as well to mention to the poet-laureate that neither Maories ildr Europeans have troubled themselves very much about the matter.