NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 78, 24 October 1874, Page 6

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

every citj in both islands the association is represented whUe SmoJt every town-no matter howsmaU-on the West Coast Cits brSeh Of course when we take into consideration the admiraWe prSles which are embodied in the Constitution of the Hibernian S v ='i^XS SX^SLS"-*- & ~ „,,?, Conc f b . and Moonlight Excursion which had been nnavoid. ably postponed from last month, has been definitely settled to take place on next Monday evening, the 36th inst. The prLmmme wS appears m another column, is a most attractive Llf with but few exceptions, being cntiTely different from those subm tted on a previous occasion. We need not again advert to^ the Tra£ worthy object for which it is sought to mile a fund and we are S sure that the response to the appeal made will be a Wy aSa generous one We need scarcely 1 We the tickets puxchS some weeks smce-though the date be incorrect-are stSl avSble for atT&mT^ Bt6a T r &olden A S e Se old jet? at 6.45 p.m. for the purpose of conTeying the Dunedin natrons renirn ing to town immediately at the termination of tKoncert The entertammentwill be under the peonage of His LordsMp the Most Eev. Dr. Moran, who has kindly consented to preside on the occasion. au S b ? « he ' Corom^del News' that a meetine of th. Church and School Committees was held on the 27th St^itb.tn« view of effecting certain necessary improvements and arUngements connection with both the church and school Tl fll n2? i "J that the church should be subscription being opened, one foiu-th the estimated expense wks sub scribed by those present It was resolved to open an accomit S church property wa 8 encroached upon by the fenJe ejected o{ m Randerson's property and it was decided to enquire into the same and if possible settle fcae matter amicably. Other matters WnecS 'w£h adjouS ° WCre dieCUß6ed ' after Vhich the cornS A meeting of the members o£ the Fourth Estate was held at the Provincial Hotel on Saturday evening with the view of es£blhhk£ ! ?i UTU T m thlß Clty - A Ur S e number of fche profesSou wSrf present Mr Leary, commercial manager of the < Guardian/Sg yS to the chair. Mr Humphries, of the 'Witness,' as one of tK n - veners explained to the meeting the objectsand aims of the pronSed institution in the course of wUch he stated that should tKE befavombletotheidea, he had been offered premises and auSJK sites for its establishment on the most advantageous term" iS 2°, aed J> , en , ter »*» definite wrft ngement» when the n^fes $ fiftj members had been received. Forty names were handed in by tS present, and from what we hav e since learned, a number fa? £Vi *Z of that proposed to start with has Bince been obtained. A mStS?of all intending members takes place this evening at tht PrSi2 Hotel, for the purpose of electing a committee, fnd maMngSSS ments in connection with the movement. """"ng arrangeIt is a subject for remark that the accidents which W» the result of falls from vehicles. Not long since mV Mala/haa iXn&V* B " cll - am^ ner; ridentßr identß and Clarke; during the early portion of the week Dr. HiuWmet with a serious mishap, from wblh he has not since recovered! ££ we also j learn that Dr. Stewarfc of the Lawrence Hospital, Sw' bin senously bruised through the capsizing of hia buggy wer a atoij

embankment. The old saying, "misfort ines seldom come alone" has been oft times verified, and it -would seem that there is a certain period when accidents, like other ills, become epidemic. The Albion with the Suez mail arrived on "Wednesday morning her letters were delivered in Dunedin seven days in advance of contract time, or on the day on which she was due in Melbourne. By it there is English news to the 13th instant, and for the first time we have European events eight days after their occurrence. On the arrival of tho at Melbourne, Mr Vogel, the Post-master General being still in "Victoria, promptly made arrangements with Messrs M'Meckan. and Co., to have the New Zealand mails forwarded by both the Albion and Tararua, the former carrying those for Otago and Canterbury ; the latter starting three houre afterwards with the mail for "Westland, Nelson, and Northern ports. Mr Vogel also applied to Messrs Bright Brothers, who courteously agreed to detain the Hero at Sydnsy, to allow time for the Wentworth to carry the Auckland mails. The Hero will probably leave Sydney with those mails late on Saturday evening, the 17th inst. Although Mr Russell has come to an understanding with the New South "Wales Government as to the Californian mail service, it has not yet been reduced to writing. Mr Russell returns to New Zealand by the Hero. The Macgregor has been, chartered for Californian service, and is to call at Auckland for mails. The following incident may appear amusing to those who read it, but it contains a moral for all unfortunates placed at the mercy of rapacious landlords. Some few months since a well-known resident of the town 4 the possessor of some land in the vicinity of KenBington, determined to take advantage of the high rentals ruling, and erect dwellings thereon. Scarcely had the timber been on the ground when one of the houses in prospective was taken at the respectable figure of 14s. per weet, tho knowing owner clapping on twenty-five per cent, to allow for contingencies. When the building was finished, the tenant had scarcely taken possession of the premises when he was favored with weather which quickly improvised an artificial lake, and effectually barred egress and ingress without calling into requisition the service of sea-boots. Availing himself of the first opportunity of getting ashore, he hastened to acquaint the landlord with the unenviable state of affairs. He had, however, to return satisfied with an expression of sympathy and regret from that individual. In the course of time the weather abated, and the sufferer discovered, through the splits in the floor, that the flood had gone down, and that the grass was visible in its place. Again he repaired to town, and on informing the proprietor of the double fact, a smile illumined his countenance as he observed: " Oh, then in that case the 1 rent in future will be sixteen shillings!" Anxious to know whether he had been indebted to the dispersion of the waters, or the increased facility afforded for admiring the landscape for the enhanced value of the tenement, he wished for some further information. This he was afforded with more promptitude than satisfaction, as he was informed that the rent would be not sixteen but eighteen shillings. The unfortunate querist hastily beat a retreat, depriving himself of the pleasure of wishing the speaker "good evening," fearful lest that courtesy should cost him another two shillings. The worst of it is that although he could leave the landlord, he cannot the house, but Bince then he forwards the eighteen shillings, and keeps clear of that man. The news brought by the Albion is of an unusually tame characters, no incident of note having occurred, the intelligence of which has not ben anticipated by the Mikado. For once the telegraphic columns are, happily, conspicuous for the absence of those calamities and catastrophes which generally form the principal and most numerous items. "We learn that the present occupant of the "White House does not intend to seek re-election for the Presidential Chair, but feel rather doubtful of the veracity of the report. President Grant, although he has ruled the United States for a double term of office, is none the less popular at the present day than he was eight years since, even when he appeared before the people, as the victorious commander, his laurels stilj. green and his achievements fresh in the minds of the people. The report may be true, but we question if any opponent would have a better chance in a contest, and it is unlikely that a man of General Grant's energy and activity, would, while yet in the prime of life, voluntary resign the position to which his abilities have raised him, and which he h*s hitherto maintained with such credit. The following telegram, dated Brisbane, 29th xilt., which appears in the Sydney ' Freeman's Journal,' of the 16th inst., should be read with interest and profit by intending visitors to the Palmer rush: — " News hus been received from Palniersville of the holding of a large public meeting, at Stouey Creek, of the representatives of the various camps. Bishop Quinn presided. The following resolution was passed without dissent: —' That, in consideration of tho present condition of the gold ileius, of the arrival of a large number of men from the south, and of the inevitable danger of a famine during the rainy season, which is fast approaching, this meeting deems it its duty to ensure publicity for the following facts: that there is no alluvial mining at present, except what lios been already worked; that a majority of the diggers aro not earning wages; that many are not making rations, a considerable number are in a worse position; that the quartz reefs cannot, as worked, afford lucrative employment until machinery is on the ground; that the present rate of charges for provisions is exorbitant, seeing that they cannot be procured for less than an ounce of gold per man per week; that the present prices for rations at the principal eanipd are —flour, 3s per lb ; sugar, 8s 6d per lb ; tea, 7s per lb ; salt, 2s 6ci per lb ; jam, 3s 6d per lb ; potatoes, 4s per lb; rice, 3s 6d per lb ; blucher boots, -which can be bought for 5s in Brisbane or Sydney, 30s to 3os per pair; that supplies being forwarded from Cooktown and Townsville are unequal to the present wants of the population on the gold fields ; and that large numbers of miners are leaving the diggings ior fear of a famine during the rainy season."