The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1883.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4609, 12 October 1883, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1883.

In the face of recent disclosures made in connection with the internal management of the Government Assurance—in every sense of the word—department, we cannot refrain from referring to the now notorious behaviour of those connected with its management. Some few years ago the department found in one of its Southern agents a genius ; this agent had charge of a small Southern district, and proved himself a good officer by the sums of commission he drew for new business done. He was appreciated by the commissioner of the department—who by the way wi-3 pitchforked into his billet as a reward foipolitical services' rendered while writing for the press, and as it was said by those who, committed the job of his appointment, because he could use his talents as a writer in advocating the cause of the department over which he was placed. Well, having appreciated the genius, the worthy Commispioner by a genes of act? promotes

step by step the agent, giving him by degrees control over larger and larger areas in the colony, until at last he obtained it over the whole, and extending his emoluments at the same time, until the respectable sum of a few pounds under £3000 is received by this agent—or rather inspector of agents—as one year's salary. This matter oozing out, and some of those insured in the Government Office feeling that their profits were dwindling somewhat ky such payments being made, moved in the matter, and awkward questions were asked in the House, which were referred to a Committee, and even after that, attempts were made to burke enquiry, imd keep matters from exposure, but this could not be done. The foregoing is in e\\ conscience bad enough, but putting on one side the insinuations made regarding all sorts of collusions and combinations, the most monstrous part of the arrangement is to come : It appears that while the matter was being enquired into, and while the various assertions—not to say charges—made against the department were being investigated, the peculiarly appointed Commissioner had the supreme audacity to enter into an arrange* ment with this much-favored agent or officer, very much on the same lines as that complained of, for a further term of two and a-half years. Whether this was done with the connivance of the Minister —Major Atkinson—or not, hath not yet transpired, but we must presume that unless this Commissioner has some hold on his position, or over his superior, he would not dare to fake such a step as he has taken without the Minister's approval having been first obtained. Of course, if the act is to be placed to the credit, or rather discredit, of the hon. the Treasurer, the Commissioner must be held blameless; but if, feeling a security in his position, and a confidence that his action would be ratified, he has acted in a presumptuous and improper manner, his conduct is deserving of the severest punishment. It is a monstrous thing that a civil servant should fly in the face of Parliament and defy it, as appears to have been done in this cace, and something should be at once done to ascertain how this suspicious looking affair stands, and to punish those who are guilty of improper conduct as their actions merit. The public generally and those insured in the Government office particularly, will, very naturally, want to know all about the little games which appear to be going on between those in charge of this wonderful department, and that they have every right to demand such knowledge, there is not a particle of a doubt. We hope that the matter will satisfactorily and speedily be cleared up, and if any purification • requires to be done, some Hercules will be found to cleanse the Augean stable.

The New South Wales Gorernment has entered into a contract with the Orient Co. for a fortnightly mail service between Sydney and London, by which mails for the United Kingdom will be forwarded regularly. This service is in every way suitable for the requirements of this Colony. We ham that a time table will be issued shortly. The following are the dates for leaving Melbourne: October 19th, and November 2nd, and 16th ; ais riving in London, November 27th, and December 11th, and 25th.

Thb following talegram wes posted at the Corner this afternoon from the New Prince Imperial:—" ISOlbs specimens, 9th stope, No. 2 section west, No. 5 level.— &. S. Glakk." These was a good house in the Academy of Music last night, considering the boisterous we ither, to witness the first presentation of "Ten night's in a bar room," by the company now appearing there, and we must congratulate the company on the success which attended the performance of this moral drama. The evil results of orer-indulgence in liquor were forcibly shown. The points in the piece were well brought out, and apparently appreciated by the audience. The same play will be repeated this evening with the addition of the extravaganza " Magic Toys," and such a programme should secure a large audience. The "Shaughraun" is announced for presentation to-morrow evening. Two boys, one named H. Driver, aged about 14, and another aged about 18, named K. Kneebone, were charged by the police this morning with discharging crackers in Pollen street. The first named admitted the offence; was lectured by the Bench and discharged, and the second, who attempted to shew that he had not discharged the firework, waa told by the E-.M. that he was old enough to know better, —with the smaller boys such things were done more for fun than mischief, but with older lads there was more mischief than fun in their acts. Kneebone was fined 5s and costs.

I Thkee were only three cases heard in the R.M. Court tO'day. J. B. Mason, as trustee in the estate of W. F. Mason, recovered £6, i 193 6d and costs against H. Collins, for money lent, and goods supplied. The judgment sntnmons case of Farrell Bros. v. Sandes, in which Mr Miller appeared for the plaintiff, resulted in an order being made for the payment of £7 16j 6d within fourteen days, or imprisonment for one month. The third case , was Alley v. Nutter, which occupied the Court some time. The case bad been postponed from the previous Court day to enable the plaintiff to shew that the goods, the value of which was sued for, had been supplied on the defendant's account. A witness swore that he had been employed by defenI dant, who had stopped a portion of his wages for food supplied to him. He did not know who found the food, he believed the cook to the party was paid by defendant. It was urged for the defendant that be was the servant of Mr Hickson, of Auckland, who was cutting up Mr Alley's property, and lie had not "ordered, nor told any person to get the goods. Mr Hickson has the money in hand, and it is his liability. There were disputes between Alley and -H".ekgon, and the latter would not pay the

money. The defendant swore that he had been employed by Hickson to survey Alley's land, and brought Alley a letter from Hicfeson; he was employed at a salary, and the men on the survey were employed by Hickson, who also employed a cook for the party. Bid not interfere with the food for the men, and gave no authority for its purchase. He had mentioned to Mr Alley that he was a servant of Mr Hickson, and had no power to maKe alterations in the survey. Employed the last witness on account of Mr Hickson, and paid him with Hickson's cheque. The monay deducted from the men for food is now in Mr Hickson's hands. Mr Hickson admits the liability, but saya he has & set-off agaimt Mr Alley, and thus retains the money. Had told the cook where to gel provisions.-— The plaintiff stated that Mr Bickson had never told him to fcupply the survey party with provisions, nor had Mr Nutter said that Mr Hickeon was to pay for them. The Bench said that Mr Nutter sent men for the goods, and deducted money from wages to pay for their food. If any arrangement existed between Nutter aud Hickson, ifc was not disclosed to Alley. Judgment would be given for the amount claimed, £9 133 sd, and costs, £5 12s.

Oapi. Edwin telegraphed to the Harbormaster to-day to the effect that the glass would rise, and the weather become much colder. A mtjmbeb of the young trout being hatched ac Opotiki have been killed by a water rat. We would warn our local acclimatises to prevent any such occurrence taking place with the fish in their charge. The local Registrar had quite a field day in the Police Court this morning. No less than eight offenders were summonei for non-com-pliance with the law relating to registration of birth and vaccination. In ane cr.se only, viz., that against J. Donnelly, for omitting to register the birth of a child within the prescribed time, was a fine inflicted. The defendant pleaded that his wife had obtained the neces3a>y form, and filled it up, but hsd forgotten to lodge it with the Eegistrar. The fine waß Is and costs. In all the other cases, which were for not having children vaccinated, the law hf.d been complied with by having the children vaccinated, or a postponement of the operation had been allowed, and the Eegistrar withdrew them. Mb J. D. WickbuMj of Auckland, late of the Thames, was assaulted by a man named Harrison, who acts as agent for Mrs Dr Potta, owing, it is said, to Mr Wickham refusing to divulge the name of a writer in the " Entr'acte," of which he is the printer. Harrison and two persons named Aspinall and Millett, who accompanied him, were ordered into cuatody. The passage particularly complained of is the following:—" I Buppo3e I shall be told that it's no business of mine, but as everything's a barber's business, I have no scruple while shaving to administer a cut to the female doctor, or whatever she li\es to c.:ll herself (she can't be a woman in the best, highest, and purest sense of the word) who is lecturing in "another place," a3 they say in the House of Commons at Home. This—what on earth shall I ( .11 it ? hybrid, perhaps, for it is certaia'ly no man by it 3 appearance, no woman by its modesty, and not evcu a thoroughbred croß3 by its Beitiments—is lecturing to-night to married couples, that is to say, to men accompanied by women, or boys accompanied by girls, on "Husbands and Wives.". I'm not particularly moral, for a barber must listen to all his customers have to say, and amuse them in their own way, but I do think thi3 creature has been given rope enough, and it is full time thet an American diploma should nd longer be allowed to be a cloik for American indecency in a British colony.

At the meeting of the Piafeo County Council on Wednesday the Te Aroha Tratnway Committee in their report stated that the tramway is now complete, the locomotive wa3 finished, and would be in position on the 15th inst. The Committee dwire to record their high appreciation of the services of Mr Adams engineer, to whom the success of the work is due. The Committee recommended " a universal charge of 3s 6d per truck from the mines to the battery, each truck containing 1| tons; that a further and final sum of £1500 be required beyond the amounts already passe d/ The total coot of the tram* was is estimated at £17,500.

A meeting of the creditors of James Hosie, storekeeper, of Owharoi, was held on Wednesday in the Supreme Court House, Auckland, Mr A. D. Bennett in the ohaiv. About a dozen creditors were present. The debtors liabilities were stated at £1,707 7s, the largest items being the following :—Bank iof New Zealand, £500; John Buchanan, £180 j Brown, Barrett and Co., £170; McArthur and Co./ £170; N.Z Agricultural and Mercantile Agency Co., £120; Shera Broa., £110. The assets were set down at £1,800, made up as follows:—Stock in-trade, £800; "Eadical gold mining lease £500.; book debts, good, brJ, and d übtful, £300; house and store, £200. Mr Geddes of Brown Barrett and Company, informed the meeting that he and Mr Buchanan had taken possession of the estate and he made a general report to the meeting with regard to the debtor's affairs, as they had been acting as trustees under a deed of arrangement that did not mature. After some discussion Mr Goddes was elected sole trustee. At the Land Board meeting, held in Christ* ohurch yesterday, several parties applied for licenses to proipeot for gold, and one applied for a lease: the last informed the Board that he had discovered a gold-bearing reef. All the applications were deferred.pending the return of Mr Baker, Chief Surveyor, who has gone to the head of tha Rakaia, where it is stated the reef, bearing gold in payable quantities, has been discovered. A MANtTFAOTjTBEES' Association has been formed in Dunedin. The noticea with regard to the sale of the Kawhia township will be issued in a few days. ; The Dunedin Gaol is in trouble again. Afc tke Police Court yesterday, in the charge of insubordinate, conduct brought by Ghioler Phillip3 against prisoner Tait, for whom counsel appeared, Mr Watt, E.M., dismissed the case on the ground that the coaduot of the prisoner could not be regarded as aggravated. His Worship, addressing the prisoner, said :—"lt is my opinion that as a matter of law I must dismiss tbe information, but if you had appeared before me in my capacity of Visiting Justice I would have thought it my duty to punish you at once. As you are before me in open Court,; where I can only hear an aggravated offence, which is not disclosed in the charge, I ditjmiss the ca3e, not on its merits, but because the charge is not sufficient to give a B.M. jurisdiction in the case as an aggrarafed pri on offence. . x

A Wish Deacon.—"Deacon Wilder, I want you to tell me how you kept yourself and family so well the past season, when all the rest of: us have been sick bo much, and have had the doctors running to us bo often." " Brother Taylor, the answer is very easy, I used Hop Sittera in time, and kept nay family well, and saved large doctor's bills. ]four shillings' worth of ib kept us all well and able to work all the time, and I will warrant it has cost you and most of the neighbors £10 to £100 apiece to keep sick the same time. I faulty you'll take my medicine hereafter," See.

At a meeting held yesterday, at Lyttelton, it was decided to hold the BegatU on the Ist January, and a committee was elected to make arrangsments. A iad named Lynham was killed at Ternpleton, Canterbury, yesterday morning when trying to prevent a horse bolting. The shaft of the cart he was driving struck him behind the ear, and death was almost instantaneous. The British Queen, Captain Green, arrived at Port Chalmers from London yesterday, after a passage from Plymouth of 45 days 7 kours 55 minutes. She brings 507 souls for all parts, 147 of whom ara for Titnaru and Chrisfcchurch, and these left by special train at 5 o'clock last evening. The ateamer'u draught when she crossed the bar at thre ■ quarters flood was 21 feet aft.. There were two cases of scarlatina shortly afCer leaving Plymouth, but the disease was prevented from spreading. Wb BBiiiEVfi that if every one would use Hop Bitters freely there would be less sickness and misery and misery in the world, and people are fast finding this out, whole families keeping well at a trifling cost by its use. We advise all to try ifc. Read.