News of the Week.

' , . ■ , ?—?; — - r „i ■ According the Timaru correspondent of, the Oamaru Times, Mr Paterson, 0.E., Dtmedin, has agreed ■ to ' undertake! the Rangitata Bridge: „ ■ , Letters of naturalisation have been issued ia favour, of Mr George Clarke, Settler, Otepopo, and Mr P. H. Engel, salesman, Dunedin. Mr Charles Nicholson, of Moa Mat, who was a candidate for the representation of the district of Wallace in' the General Assembly, has withdrawn in favour of Mr J. C. Brown. Preparations for commencing boiling down operations at the Victoria Sawmills, Tapanui, are now going on, and it is anticipated that a start will be made shortly. Mr, James Seaton, Portobello, and Mr William Marbin, Green Island, have been appointed Justices of the* Peace for the oolony. We are requested to state that six fowls were taken by the police on Tuesday from a well known thief in Walker street. The owner can have them by applying at the police station. The boats belonging to the whale fishery lately established by Mr Buchanan at Ikolaki, near Ak'aroa, have succeeded in cap. Turing a large whale, being the second captured by them during the season. An important discovery of gold is said to have been made in the neighbourhood of Tauranga. Should this report prove to be ooneot, ifc is stated that it wi'l have the effect of hastening the throwing open of the (Jhinemuri country. A good example has been set .by Mr George Walker, of Coal-pit Flat, Tuapeka, who has, according to a looal paper, planted on his property at that place several thousands of forest trees, consisting of ash, oak, spruce fir, blue gum, wattle, &o. The bridge over Salmond's Creek, Tokomairiro, is reported to be approaching completion. The parapet walls alone remain to be erected, and it is anticipated that the whole structure will be finished in about three weeks. Its span is 24 feet dear, and it is 14 feet in height. The following prisoners were reoeived into tho Gaol on Tuesday :— Patrick Scott, an old offender, sentenced to three months' imprisonment, with hard labour, for vagrancy, at Tapanui ; and Robert Henderson, com* mitted for trial at the next Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court, for perjury, in the Warden's Courb, Clyde, on the 31st ult. Lambing has commenced in the West Taieri district, where the lambs have, owing to the late fine weather, thriven well. In the Tuapeka district;, on the other hand, few of the earlier dropped lambs havo survived. In the latter district, also, a Lawrenoe paper reports that the price of sheep is steadily rising, and that a rise in the price of mutton may consequently be expected. The following was the state of H.M, Gaol, Dunedin, during the week ending on Saturday last : — Penal servitude, 27 men ; hard labour, 60 men and 11 women ; in default of bail, 1 man ; debtors, 6 men — total 94 men and 11 women. 10 men and 3 women wira reoeived during the week, and 9 men and 3 women were discharged during the same period. The operations at the deep shaft, Wetherstonos, have been temporarily suspended owing to the breakage of the horse-beam attached to the whim. A considerable quantity of water has in consequence colleoted in the shaft. A further Bum of LBO has been raised by Mr J. C. Brown in aid of the workings at the shaft, and it is hoped that the Government may now be induced to take the matter into its own hands. On Tuesday forenoon the diving apparatus was brought into use at PortChahnera for the recovery of a gold watch and ohaiu lost overboard outside the graving dook coffer dam, on the previous day, by Mr M'Kay, ono of the contractors. The diver, W, Black, who, we are informed, was for some time engaged at tho wreck of the Taranaki, went down two or three times, and ultimately succeeded in recovering the lost articles. A puVlio meeting, for the purpose of considering the Hundreds Regulation Act, wai hold at Tapanui on the 27th ult The ohair was ocoupiod by Mr Rodgors, and the meeting was addressed by several gontlemon, who expressed their alarm and regret at the passing of tho Act. A resolution expressive of these opinions was passed, as also was one oalling upon Mr Macandrow "to resign his trust/ Tho first number of tho New Zealand Matonlo Magazine was published last woek. It is a highly oroditablo production, containing 48 pages of lotwir press, demy octavo, tilled, with information of interest to Freemasons, among whom it it intended to circulate It reflects eon ■idorablo credit on tho oonduotor, Mr C. do L. Graham, as well as on tho printers, Messrs Sonter and Stook, of this city. ' During Mr Wold's rooent visit to Ado- ( laido, ho had an intorviow with Mr Towlcr, < tho Superintendent of tho Tolegraph in < South Australia, with roforenoo to the pro- c posed overland telegraph betweon Adelaide j and Perth. Mr Wold is said to have entered i very heartily into tho projcot, and to havo i oxpresaed his willingness, so far as he wan i bio to judge from tho information boforo i him, to givo it v all tho support in his 1 | powsr, i

""'The T&MWfffi&ilikiii that Mr Bed* wood liaa accented' with Manuka' fox 1 the Melbourne* 'Clip.' ' The ' horse' will not'leave Kelson nil about -the 20th', of September, when he will be shijlped'by the Omeo. This will give him about nve~ weeks to recover the t effects of the voyage, as the Cup is ran for on lihe 4th November.' ."We understand that Manuka is looking as well as his best friends could possibly desire. It is not intended to , send Peeress up to Melbourne. ' ' A joint Btock company, with a capital of L2OOO, of which Ll6oohas been already subscribed, is, says the Oamaru Times, in course of formation, for the purpose of bringing in a water-race, some twelve miles in length, for sluicing purposes at the Marewheu.ua. We also had the other day the pleasure of inspecting a sample of gold from the proposed locality of the company's operations, which showed that a very handsome return may be expected. We are informed that some persons are in the habit of laying poison for dogs -within tho boundaries of the city. Thia is a very dangerous practice, inasmuch as fowls are apt to eat the poison, and people may thus be poisoned. We hope that steps will be taken, to put a stop to this practice before any serious consequences ensue. It may be added that people who pay a tax for their dogs have a ripht to expect protection for them. At a meeting of Court Royal, A. 0. F. , on the 2adinßt.. a handsome lever watch, with asuitable inscription, was presented by P.D.C.R. Bro. Haig to Bro. Q-. Butcher, the retiring secretary, in acknowledgment of the services rendered by him during the last three years. The compliment was duly acknowledged by Bro. Butcher in an appropriate speeoh, A convivial evening was then spent, m bidding farewell to Bro. Butcher, who is about to leave the province. The King natives are said to be dying off very fast of a malignant disease, supposed to be typhus fever, and to be caused by their disregard for personal cleanliness. The Alexandra correspondent of the Auokland Herald states that the natives are not yet: planting on the Uppor Waipa, and express their surprise at seeing the Europeans getting in their crops as usual, and give hints as much as to say, "You do not know what U coming, or you would not be planting." During the month of August, 153 persona, were apprehended by the police in the province. Of these, 132 were convicted and variously dealt with ; 2 were committed for trial ; 2 were remanded ; 4 were sent to the Lunatic Asylum ; 1 girl, being a neglected child within the meaning of the Neglected and Criminal Children Act, 1867, was sent to the Industrial School for seven years ; and 12 were discharged. Of the 132 convictions, 92 were for drunkenness and other minor offences. The Wellington Independent states that the telegraph line betweon Wellington and Wanganui will soon ba completed, and that the line will be opened for sending messages in about a month's time. Also, that the telegraph extension towards Taupo has reached as far as Rnnanga. Instructions have been despatched to Auokland to reconstruct the whole of the telegraph line hetween Auokland and Nzaruawahia. The surveys for the Shortland line are nearly completed, and tenders for poles will shortly be called for. With regard to Colonel Oargili's marriage, the Independent of the 2nd inst. says : — At St. Paul's Cathedral, yesterday, at eleven o'olook, the interesting ooremony of the celebration of the marriage of Mies Kate Featherston to Colonel Curgill, of Dunedin, took place. The wedding was atriotly private, and only a small number of Dr Feathorston's oldest friends were present on the occasion. The sincere wishes of every inhabitant of the prorince of Wellington for her happiness will acoompany Mrs Cargill to her futuro home. A OMe of considerable importance to licensed victuallers was decided at tho Resident Magistrate's Court on Mond ay. M essrs Marshall and Oopoland sued a Mr M'Ewen for the value of five casks whioh the defendant had bought from a Mrs Riordan, of Port Chalmers, to whom the plaintiffs had sold beer contained in the casks in question. The point raised was whether tho casks had beea sold along with tho beer. The Magistrate dooided that they had sot, and gave judgment for tho plaintiffs accordingly. We regret to learn, ■aya tho Taapoka Times, that the Genoral Government nave resolved to dispense with the servioos of the Chinese Interpreter stationed here. This is a matter in whioh tho goldfields members should have been consulted, as it is itnpouibio to deal with our constantly increasing Cbinoao population by means of only one interpreter. The Provincial Interpreter is stationed at such a distance from core that his travelling oxpeusoe will amount to a vory largo sum, not to mention tho annoyance and delay nocewitated by having to await his I arrival. A ootrespondont of the Tuapok* Proa •tates that ho h%s lately roado a wrios of oxperimonte with tho viow of testing the chemical proportios of lignite ashet in relation to their effects on tho toil Tho result in every oaie has boon that tho fertilising juioes of tho land experimented upon w«ro completely destroyed, and tho toil boeam« utterly •terilo. Thin may powribly account for oco*•ional failure in tho growth of garden •oodt in ctsei where no other oanw v apparent, and nil who havo gardens would do wall to kwp far from their bordors much a destructive agent as lignite ash is prored to be.

,-, prajnefcourfc in Bankrup toy, on Monday. Cer- • uficates of <'disohaige T we're granted to Uphn , 'tf.ghtiugale and Geo/ge Myers. 'The Application of Andrew Baker, ,lats ,hotelkeeper, Ownaru, #as postponed for a fortnight, f or tHe production of evidence j and in .the case ot , Hugh Muir, baker,, Dunedin, His Honour , to suspend the certificate for two 1 months. '„,.",'; t,, , ,'' , „ ' The construction .of „the telegraph, line between Wellington , and t Wanganui, is reported .to, be , progressing rapidly, .the wires being on the poles from Wangamu to the Ringitikei. Like, the, buffaloes on the, line of the Pacific Railroad telegraph; the bullocks on fchs> Wangahui line have contracted a habit of ' rubbing ( themselves against the poles. ' thereby considerably impairing their stability.; ' . ,- , An illustration of the haphazard , way in which military operations were carried on under' the 'late Government, is afforded in Colonel Whitmore'a lately published instrnotions to Colonel Lyon with regard to the Ngatimara- expedition. ' After describing the route to be taken by Colonel Lyon in order to' 1 Effect a junction with 1 Major Brown, Colonel Whitmore goes on to say : — "After meeting 1 , your fuppJies will be exhausted, but we 'are led to believe that; abundance of - cattle, maize, and potatoes and pigs will be found there. Tito (Cowaru, much dejected and short of ammunition, is somcwliere about there, and it is with the objeot of bringing him to book that this expedition is set on foot." Mr Peyton. Jones, Warden of Westbury, Tasmania, has addressed a letter to a Launceston paper in which he gives some information "that can be relied on" regarding the movements of the, Flying Squadron, shortly about to visit these colonies. Accor J ing to his statement, after making allowance for six days' detention in conse- ' queuce'of the accident to the Cadmus, the squadron may be expected to arrive at Melbourne on the 18th November ; at Sydney on the 4fch' December ; at Wellington on the 27th December j and at Lyttelton on the Bth January. After a week's stay at the last named place the squadron will leave for Japan direct. No mention iB made of Port Chalmers in the programme. . The inhabitants of Okarita seem to have been reduced almost to a state of starvation owing to the bar being closed. The West Coast Times says :— There was only one ton of flour in the place to feed 450 people. There was not a single pound of tea. or butter, a candlo, or a pint of kerosene in the place. The late rains, however, will no doubt have broken out an entrance, and the Waipara would arrive in the very niok of time, if all went well with her. The price of potatoes, when last obtainable, is quoted at 28s per cwl. ; butter, under similar circumstances, 3a per lb. ; beef do, Is 3d per Ib. ; , tea, 3s Gd ; coarse sugar, 9d. From these i quotations it would appear that the Okaritiaus must be doing pretty well to be able to meet expenses. The specimens of auriferous quartz lately reported to have been found near Timaru, appeia-, after all, to have been "salted." The Press of Wednesday says :—: — Major Hornbrook and Dr Haast returned to town last night, from a visit to the alleged Goldfiolds in the South. We have been informed that the result of Dr Haaat's examination has been very unfavourable, in no instance gold having been found. The ground in the Orftn Gorge has been abandoned in disgust by those who went there, as from the state of the country, the occurrence of a goldfield is impossible. On Pudding Hill Dr Haast found no quartz reefs, but only sandstones, partly changed into flinty hornotone or ohert, but with no aigna of gold in them. The only god shuwn to him had evidently been rubbed upon the stone. The Port Chalmers Resident Magistrate's Court was on Monday occupied for two hours and three-quarters in hearing two charges against George Kingston. The first was a ohargo of an assault with intent on Mary Erriugo, a married woman ; the other of a common assault on fcho saino party. The firat 0080 was heard with closed doors, and after the evidence was taken the Bench decided that the information must fall to tho ground, as the ovidonoo generally as to the intent was not clear onough to conviot. The ooors were thou opened, aad prisoner pleaded guilty to tho charge of having commonly asiaulted Mary Krridgo on tho morning of the 4th instu Tho Bench, in giving their verdict, cantioaod Kingston at to his ennduot for tho future, nnd fined him L 5 or 14 days' imprisonment. Tho presiding justices wore tho ' Mayor, D. RoHo, Esq., Captain Thornton, and Dr O'Donoughuo. Another warning of tho pernicious effects on oKmnto of tho indiscriminate destruction of forests, ia given by the Ballarat Star. That journal says : —Too cxpericncei of past yeara in Viotoria, New South Wales, and south Australia, has shown, for tho moat part, a gradual doolino in tho amount of annual rainfall, if wo eliminate tho occasional violent downpourings which aro attendant upon tho increasingly largov area of earth baked with tho sun's rays, and c»n*iug special electric*! disturbance. If wa take Bnllarnt as a tort ot •veratfe for other interior dist Hot* ot Viotoria, wo find that ainoo 1863 tboro has been a more or leaa rogular reduction of tho amount of rainfi.ll from 37 27 inohos in 1863, to 17*23 inches in 18H8. During the past •even months of tho proaent year, and including two of the ordinary wetteafc, the amount only •hows 11*20 iuohM,

■Hiss HbnouV j the. Superintendent! >tXi rived ♦»{ "Port * Chalmers toyfafo Alhambra on the 2nd'Jnst. *On his leaving the vessel a. -salute, of, three 1 guns* wa« fired 'from the howitzer of the Naval Volunteers. ■After spending a • few. minutes . at| the Port, during which time he made an inspection of the, graving dock works, His Honour was oonveyed to his private residence by one of , the pilot boats. Messrs Birch, Mervyn, and Howorth, M.H.R.'awere also passengers by the Alhambra, and proceeded to Dunedin in the Golden Age.' The DO, Chinamen who arrived by the Gothenburg on her last trip, reached Waipori about a fortnight ago. That'place, says the Tuapeka Times, .appears- to be in high favour with John, whose good opinion of a diggings is one of the best^ certificates that can be obtained. The new importation intend going to the Lammerlaw — a locality much fancied by practical miners,' but .which has as yet been very imperfectly prospected. For some time over sixty Chinamen have b6en at work on the Deep Stream, and have been very successful. One old man, over fifty-seven years of age, left for China recently^ carrying with him a considerable sum, earned during a two years' residence on the Waipori. This man wa3 one of the party who bought Wylie's old olaim. Some of the tradespeople have profited considerably by the recent influx — one having done a great stroke by hiring out to the Chinese a newly-erected stable as a sleepingroom, at the rate of 6d a head each night. The attention of wool- growers is invited to the following extract from Messrs Willans, Overbury, and Co.'s circular, received by the last English mail :— " Tho system of hot-water washing, which has been so extensively adopted during the past season, in almost all tho Australian colonies, is' bringing many well-known and favourite flocks into disfavour [ with buyers. The heat of the water opens the staple of all but the finest portion of the fleece, aud imparts to the wool a harshuess of touch and curliness of fibre to which manufacturers strongly object. It therefore becomes a question for the consideration of growers how far it is for their interest to continue a practice which not only fails to improve the appearance of their wool or to enhance its value, -but must at the same time seriously diminish the weight of eaoh fleece." The following description of Tauroa, the chief of the prisoners confined on board the City of Newcastle in Wellington Harbour, is given by tho Wanganui Herald :— Tauroa is a gentlemanly savage, bland, and with as much of the bonhommie as would serve for a drawing-room entertainment. His appearance has struck several officers with surprise, and created a feeling of respect and a disposition to be lenient. This fine old Maori gentleman, who no doubt indulged in a little Pakeha after Moturoa, had the unbounded confidonce of Mr Booth before the beginning of the war, and was lately listened to with marked respeot by the authorities at Patea. Influence has evidently been exorted in his behalf, for the ex-Native and Defence Ministers have several times, since their retirement from office, interceded for him and his hivpu. A meeting of the General Road Board was held on the 2ndinst. at the Provincial Government Buildings. His Honour, the Deputy Superintendent, was in the chair ; and Messrs Reid and Duncan were also present. It was resolved that the Board recommend that in all cases tho assessment be levied on the annual value, as being the most just and leaßfc expensive method. Applications to lovy i-Ates wore granted to the districts of Helo:i3brook, Roslyn, Caversham, Beaconfield, Mount Royal, Halliday, Pine Hill, Portebolio, Green Island, North East Valloy, flikhcliff, Waikari, West Taieri, Anderson's Bay, Tomahawk, Mornington/Walton, Teanerake, Totara, Clydevale, Maungatua, Waiwera, Taieri Beach, and Cranbourne. A new road district for Owake Flat, Catlin's River, was granted, aad an application for one at East Hawksbury refused. Permission was granted to Totman and party to miw on the Ferry Road at the Toviot. Sovoral appointments were made and other minor matters disposed of. Mr Yates, draper, George street, informs us that a tiro v.v discovered on the promises ftdjoii ing his own about 10 o'clock on Saturday night. It appears that his attention wm called by Mrs Yates to a smell of Bmoko, which at that time ho imagined to be onnsed by the back-drought of the chimnoy, the wind being high at tho time. On closing his shop, howovor. he found the smoke proceeded from tho adjoining building. Ho then left hia shop and looked through the window of the noxt Bhop, whon he »aw that the floor was on fire. He immediately informed a constable, who happened to be passing, of the faot, and despatched his son to the proprietor of the ondangerod premieet, Tho constable and Mr Yates thou broke open the door, and found that if they had been half an hour later the whole block would in all probability have been in flame*. It appears that the lire was oauaod by • piece of livo coal ot wood haviaq fallen to the floor from tho fireplaoo, which was altogether unprotected. Wad it not been for tho promptitudo dtoplnyod by Mr Yates, aenous oontequoncca might bavo enaued.

Tho following extract from a private letter reoeived ia Oamaru from a gentleman in AuokUnd, is pub»»hed by tho Oamaru Tinm :— •• Unfortunately insUnoes are not wan log whero muwionanee have been hucksters and tradora ia lands ; asd, while preaching religion, have been keeping a

shar> look-out for their pockets,; "paying for fencing cv©m ( with Bibles sent-cutrby^pteopTe" at home. I can give ( an, instance of, thw so¥t of thJo'g. A cerfcainmissionary, whose name I do hoc choose to give, informed his congre gation on one occasion^ daring 'morning service A that he had just received a bale of ibeattti ful white duck and another,of , blankets, "he was' 'prepared to dispose of unusually cheap I ,' &b. A little boy, son of an old set-, tier, was the only white person present, and he was evidently unnoticed until too t lal?e. A rfew dfays afterwards, this boy w,as asked by the Eoissionary if he knew what he had told the'Maarid/to; whic'h"he'replie'd that he knew all. and was astonished to'near a missionary talk of trade and gospel together; whereupon the latter coloured up, and promised the boy some tracts, to ensure his secresy." , The . process of dressing thoroughly the phormium tenax — freeing it alike from' gum and htisk; without injuring 'the fibre,' in an expeditious' manner— must, Bays the Weilington Evening Post, be considered as solved at length, and to the province of, Otago is due the honour of having done so. Mr John Boothi a Yorkshire manufacturer, residing in Duiiedin, has obtained a patent for a machine on a new principle by which the fibre is completely cleaned. Specimens of theflax dressed by it somewhat resembling white silk, 'may be seen at the Museum. The principle of the machine is simply ' Scraping on a spring surface, the spring surface being a fixed roller covered with indiarubber.. Tho machine is capable of dressing ten blades (five leaves) of flax at one time, and docs it as fast as it oan be fed, tho motive power for driving it being only about half-a-horse power. Machinery to wash, wring, and dry in one process, can also be applied. Owing to there being no indiarubber works in this or tho adjacent colonies, the machines 'must necessarily be made in England, and a gentleman now in Wellington is about to proceed to Euyland by the mail for the purpose of getting some made. A correspondent, writing from Moeraki, states that on the 25th ult. a settler ia that district found the body of a man lying in that part of tho 'uish there known as Frenchman's Gully. He at once gave intimation of the fact to the constable stationed at Hampden, who with several other men immediately proceeded, to the spot. Tho body when found was lying on the right side, the left arm being slightly behind the back. The skull' was quite bare, and those portions of the legs and arms which were not protected by the clothing, were in an advanced state of decomposition. On the pockets of the doceased being searched, there were found in them a card case containing two visiting cards, bearing the name of " Leond. Murray," a hair comb, a nail brush, and an envelope addressed to a Mr Fulton in Canterbury. Two pocket; handkerchiefs were also found, one of them, together with a white felt hat, being found lying beside a stump close to the body. The dress of the deceased consisted of a dark coat and trousers. Some hair was also found lying near. It had apparently been of a Bandy colour. The body was removed to Hampden, where an inquest was held on it by Mr T. W. Parker, R.M., the District Coroner, after which it was buried in the Hampden Cemetery. The citizens of Auokland have for some time past made loud complaints regarding tho state of the footpaths in that city. They appear, however, to be more fortunate than their fellow colonists in Dunodin, inasmuch as a material, which is described as being *' invaluable as a cement for gravel w»lks or footways," is stated to have been found at tho Bay of Islands, where it can be had for the trouble of digging it. Regarding this Bubstnniie, the Auckland Herald says :— We have heard it described variously as tho basis of the finest kinds of fusible and hardeuinc; earths, felspar, and other learned namns. It is found mixed with clay and gravel. Whero mixed with gravel it is a concrete of tho hardest kind. Differently from aspbalte, the hottest sun hardens it, It oan be blasted like aquarry stone, picked and melted. It is confidently stated that for a pavement it is the most durable material than can be found in any part of tho world. It will wear down to the thickness of Bhoe leather. It is always clean, and if properly laid, tho water would flow off it constantly. We are informed that there is a vast field of this matarial on tho ground of tho Bay of Islands Coal Company, and on land lying contiguous. Might not an experiment bo tried in this direotion ? A level, permanent, and olean publio footway is a vitat Baring.

A. numorously attended mooting of the members of the Otago Liconsed Victuallers' AssooiHtion was hold on Tuesday at tho Ship Ina, the prosidont in the chair. Tho Committco brought up tho following report, which was unanimously adopted :— " In presenting their quartorly report, your Committee have great pleasure in assuring you that tho »ffairt of tho Association aroma very prosperous »tato. Financially the Association is in a good oondition, having over L6O to credit in tho Bank, after waking diaburnemonta for stationery, printing, and Undor-BporeUry J a salary for the laat quarter. Your Committee have framed certain resolutions Soaring upon the objects of tho Aoaowiv tion, which will be submitted to you for your consideration. In conclusion, your Committoo hope that the aflVura ot the Attaoct*tioa will ttill continue to prosper." Several now mombrra woro proposed, balloted for, and ele ted, A deputation wm appointed to wait upon His Honour tho Superintendent, having reference to tho objoota of the Awodation. A letter wm read (rom tho Secretary of ibo Victorian Lioenaed Victuallers' AMOoiation, forwarding * copy ol tho

rules of -thafc-AssooiatioriFwlbich was received, aM"or<leredto btf acktio^^g^orwitterthanks. Several* other unifupdrtant mfettars Sftere disposed of; aod,- after i a^vote .of thanks to theChairman, the meeting separated. 'i- (The 'conduct of (.the Government in Major Browa's ", Breach, of >^rj,viloge " case is criticised by the Canterbury Press, of the 2nd mat., ia the following terms, :— The matter oannot be left'as it is. Tha course taken, by Mr Fox is at direct variance with the practice/ at' homej and -with* that which has hitherto been pursued ia the government of the colony. . . Mr Fox's claim is carried to a length that entirely subverts the freedom of' the Legislature. >He expressly declares thatnojoneih the receipt of pay from the Government can be allowed to vote against it ; in other words, that the Government has a right to the vote <of -every member of the House who holds any kind of salaried office. According to that-," any ' member^ in Major Brown's position-would, have to chin ge his political opinions wjth every change of Govern, meht. ' There are also sixteen militia officers in the House, every one of. whose > votes} were they, placed on,pay, r wpuld t on Mr Fox's principle come under the control of the G;overamenfc; 'The thing 1 is' monstrous. It is turning representation into a farce, ., If any. member is so situated that he cannot vote as he judgeß;right ; or,'j7hioh',,comes to" /the same thing, if he canlegally be mulbted in professional rank or emolument should his vote give oflfance to the Government of the day, then he does not fully represent his conßtituents, and has no business to be in the House at all. The opening of, the building recently erected at Caversham as a "Presbyterian meet-ing-house and' church, was celebrated on Wednesday evening week 1 by a public soiree. The attendance was Very large, * about 300 persons being present After the tea, which was provided by Mr R. K. Murray, Mr J. Sibbald was called to the chair; In a few introductory remarks,, he referred to the kind assistance which had been.; freely given in aid of the work, and then called upon Mr It. A. Lawaon to read the report. That document stated that the want of a Presbyterian meeting-house^ad been much felt at'Caversham, and that i the Sessions and Deacons' Courts of First Church and St. Andrew's Churchhad been very desirous of supplying it. When, therefore, the congregation of St. Andrew's decided, to erect a new church for themselves, it was resolved to remove the old building to Caversham. In this work the Session and Deacons' Court of First Church heartily 1 co-operated, while those within the district readily accorded their assintanee, so that the work was harmoniously accomplished. The site on which the building was re-erected was generously given by Mr John Anderson. The property is held in trust by the Deacons' Courts of First Cmirch and St. Andrew's Church, . until a separate congregation iB formed in Caversham, when it will revert to them. After thrt report had been read, the meeting was briefly addressed by the Rev. Mr Thomson, after which, as also at intervals during the evening, an anthem was sung by a choir composed chiefly of ladies and gentlemen from First Church, under the leadership of Mr Thomas Stewart. After ft short interval, and service of fruit, a 1 number of clergymen and other , gentlemen who had bean detained at the meeting of the Presbytery then being held in Dnnodin, arrived, and short addresses were delivered by the Rev Messrs Watt, Sutherland, Stuart, Blake, Johnston, and Gillies, and also by Messrs W. H. Reynolds, E. B. CargiU, and John Gillies. A local committee was then appointed to co-operate intho management of the building. It was also intimated that service would, as far as possible, be held every Sunday afternoon, at thr*e o'clock, and that the collections then made would bo devoted to seating and otherwise improving the building. After the noual votes of thanks had been accorded, and acknowledged, the meeting separated, a very pleasant evening having boon epen's