The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-22 00:00:00

PUBLIC PETITIONS.

The tourteenth report on public petitions has just been
issued. The same subjects which predominated in the
former report reappear in this one. The number of peti-
tions in favour of the Ballot reach to thirty-six,
with nearly 17,000 signatures. The ladies who
are ambitious of possessing the franchise have
succeeded in representing their claims pretty strongly,
for they have presented sixty-five petitions with 4,335
signatures. When we come to the ecclesiastical
department we find that the advocates of
opening the British Museum and similar institu-
tions on Sundays, are sadly outnumbered by their oppo-
nents. The former send twenty-seven petitions hearing
2,105 signatures; the latter 433, with 51,462 names. In
this division come the Irish Church petitions. Against
the bill there are 1,969 petitions, with more than a quarter
of a million of names ; in its favour there are 136, with
50,000, besides others for alteration. For and against dis.
endowment there are many more. The temperance party
have been advocating their cause with vigour.
Besides twenty-four petitions for prohibiting the
sale of intoxicating liquors on Sunday, there
are 208 for an alteration of the law of licenses, and
116 for a restriction of the sale of liquors. In favour of the
Permissive Prohibitory Liquor Bill there are 178 petitions,
with more than 10,000 signatures. The New Law Courts,
as might be expected, have produced a good many appeals
to the wisdom of Parliament. The Carey-street site has
300 supporters, who send a joint petition ; the Thames
Embankment has 204, who send two petitions in its
favour.

TILE LABOUR QUESTION IN POLYNESIA.

Some terrible revelation are coming out respecting the
atrocities committed by captains in the act of " recruiting "
these poor islanders in the southern seas, under the British
flag and the license of the Queensland Government. A
case has just come to the knowledge of the authorities of
Sydney which compelled them to put the law in force
against the offenders. The captain of the Young Australia
and one of the crew stand committed to take their trial
for the murder of three natives of one of the New Hebrides
group of islands. The supercargo, who is also implicated
in the affair, has been caught at Melbourne, and is coming
up. Briefly, the particulars are as follow :—The vessel
mentioned, chartered by a Sydney firm, sailed in Septem-
ber last or thereabouts with a cargo for Fiji. The cargo
being discharged, a raid was pr)posed among the New
Hebrides islands for " niggers, as the Polynesians are
called, to work on the newly-established plantations at
Fiji. The vessel was five weeks gone, and when it re-
turned landed 230 natives, including six women, some-
thing like £1,200 having been cleared by the transaction.
The vessel returned to Sydney. While here, intelligence
was received from Fiji, which was made known to the
Government. It appears that during that voyage off the
island of Palma, three natives were forced on board, who,
breaking open the hold in which they were confined,
fought for their liberty, and were shot down and tumbled
overboard by command of the supercargo, and under the
silent sanction of the captain. The vessel was just on the
point of starting again from Sydney on another expedi-
tion when the captain was arreste3.

LAW AND POLICE.

~_ _- 4

THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.—On Wednesday, in Vice-
Chancellor James's Court, a case arising out of the
American civil war was heard. The American Govern-
ment called upon Mr. M`Rae, the agent in England of
the Confederate Government during the war, to account
for large quantities of goods and money sent to him by that
Government, and said to be in his possession at the time
of its dissolution. Mr. M`Rae's counsel denied the charge
in Coto, and said that he was sent to this country simply
to negotiate a loan, and to see that interest on it was duly
paid. The whole correspondence between the Confederate
Government and its agents skewed the utmost desperation
as to means. The Vice-Chancellor reserved judgment.
PLAYING SKITTLES.—On Wednesday, a beerhouse-
xeeper, named Durnford, carrying on business in one of the
villages of Suffolk, having been fined by the local magis-
trates for permitting playing at skittles for beer, appealed
to the Court of Queen's Bench. The Chief Justice and
Justices Mellor, Lush, and Hayes held that playing at
skittles for beer was gaming within the meaning of the
statute, and affirmed the conviction.
FRAUDS BY A RAILWAY CLER K.—A young man,
named Colvin, was brought before the Lord Mayor on
Wednesday on several charges of obtaining money on false
pretences. He had been a clerk 'in the employment of
the Great Northern Railway, at one of their goods sta-
tions. His duties were to call upon customers and receive
payment for the carriage of goods. Having
been dismissed the service, he continued to
make these calls, having provided himself with
blank forms of bills, twenty-four being found in his pos-
session when apprehended. He used to look over the book of
invoices of goods from the country at King's-cross,on the
pretence that he was expecting a parcel from the country.
By this means he obtained particulars of the charges to be
made. He was committed for trial.
WORKSHOP REGULATION ACT.—On Wednesday, a
Marlborough-street, two cases came before the magistrates
for a violation of the Workshop Regulation Act
at West-end milliners. In one case, it was
said that the workpeople were not required to
work beyond the proper hou;s. Mr. Tyrwhitt said
that the Act was n'ended to protect workpeople
against themselves, as well as against their employers.
He imposed a fine of 40s. in each case.

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE.-At the Westminster Police.
court, on Wednesday, Mr. Irving was charged with
stealing a number of tickets belonging to the
Metropolitan Railway Company. A clerk at
the South Kensington station proved that the
prisoner had committed the offence, and a porter stated
that he found the tickets on the line. Prisoner said he
was drunk when he took the tickets. Mr. Arnold
remanded the prisoner, and refused bail, there being other
charges against him.

Lord Stanley of Alderley is seriously ill, and his
condition causes much anxiety to his family.

Mr. Thomas C. Bowie, nephew of Mr. Reverdy
Johnson, was killed on the 31st of March by falling
into a cellar in Kansas city.
THE JUDGESHIP OF THE IRISH LANDED ESTATES
COURT.—The Dublin correspondent of the Telegraph says :
"I believe I may say with certainty that Mr. Barry has
accepted the vacant judgeship of the Landed Estates
Court. The rumour is that he will be succeeded as Soli-
citor-General by Sir Colman O'Loghlen."
FORGING TELEGRAMS AT NEWMARKET. On
Thursday last some scoundrel at Newmarket forged a
telegraphic message in the name of George Everett, to a
friend, Mr. W. Cosby, of Birmingham, whereby the
latter gentleman was plundered to the extent of £lOO.
Fifty pounds is offered to anyone bringing the offender to
justice. It is understood that Mr. Everett is already on
his track. The name of Locket, the well-known "tipster,"
was forged by the same hand on the same day.—Bell's
Life.

As DRUNK AS LORDS OR AS DISORDERLY AS
BISROPS.—Dr. Sandwith, of Kars, who contested Mary-
lebone at the general election, and is still mentioned as a
candidate for the borough, seems to have a rather singular
idea of the behaviour of bishops. At a meeting of the
Liberation Society, held recently at Manchester, the
doctor had occasion to rebuke some roughs .who were
making a noise in the corner of the hall. In order to con-
vince the disturbers of the meeting of the most supreme
contempt in which he held them, he told them that if he
had come there as a perfect stranger, he might possibly
haVe mistaken it for a meeting of Convocation, and he
should certainly have supposed that the Bench of Bishops
was sitting in the far corner of the room.

MAORI ELOQUENCE.--At a banquet recentlygiven
to his Excellency the Governor at Littleton, Mete Kingi,
oue of the Maori members spoke as follows :—" Saluta-
tions. There are no Maories here present. The Governor
brought me here, and I have seen great things here.
When the Governor went to Wanganui they did not do
him honour. I was the only one that gave him a dinner.
(Laughter.) I gave him. a fowl and a glass of wine.
I have many titles. lam teacher of religion, assessor, a
general member of the house ; l ut I was told I should be
a son of the Queen, and lam lying under her feet. I will
always be a soldier of the Queen. You European per.ple,
I tell you if Tee Kooti and Tito Kowara are ,killed there
will he peace, but if not there will be strife. (He sing a
song.) This song is my affection for you." Mete Kingi'u
next animated peroration may perhaps take the shape of a
New Zealand war dance. .