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Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1480, 7 November 1874, Page 2

The decision of our worthy Resident Magistrate in the Ferndale case yesterd ay is provoking a good deal of comment in shipping and mercantile circles of the city. Without entering into the details of the* special case, which are irrelevant to the point at issue, Mr Beckham has ruled that a sailor discharged iv the ordinary way —that is to say, before Mr Rowe, the Customs shipping clerk —is not legally discharged, because the papers have not the signature of the shipping master, who is in one case Mr Hill, the Collector of Customs. We presume on the same principle Mr Howe has no legal power to ship seamen, so that we have to face the astounding fact that not one of the sailors shipped or discharged in this port for years past has been legally shipped or discharged. Here is a fine opening for the lawyers in all future shipping disputes where the hands have joined or left ships in Auckland. But is hot Mr. Beckham in his decision at variance with the Board of Trade directions, printed on the authorised forms used at the Custom-house, bearing the official Btamp of the Home Office ? It is there stated that, as attesting the discharge, must appear appended the " signature or initials of the Superintendent, Consul, or Officer of Custems before whom the balance of wages was paid and the release was signed." There is no mention of the shipping master being the only person qualified to ship or discharge. We cannot help thinking that Mr. Beckham has made a mistake.

Really, now, " X.X." deserves toremaia a bachelor all his life for treating the friendly note of " Miss Maude Mary Jogarty" in last night's Stab in the following ungracious and ungallant manner :—" Sir, —I see by last night's Stab some gentleman (?) has, under a lady's signature, presumed to chaff me for advertising in all sincerity in your widely-spread journal for a wife. Perhaps your correspondent is one of the favoured few, and has a dozen of young ladies at his beck and call; or, perhaps, is a tall , handsome fellow, and. prides himself on his many conquests. Now, sir, I am not one of those highly endowed creatures. I said in my advertisement that I was only five foet four, and I might have added a very timid ybung fellow ; bashful in the extreme, and could no more think of making love to a young lady openly than fly in the air. My friends have told me I will never get a wife, and I am determined to have one. Neither this person's unkind letter, nor your unfeeling introduction will deter me from making an effort. . While I am writing I will politely request you to erase my name from your subscribers' list, and any further advertisements I may wish to insert will be given to the morning papers, which, I am sure, will admire my determination.—Yours, &c, X;X."—Maude had better take that half-crown she was going to spend with Mr Backlell, and invest it in loHie-sticks for the ardent and indignant swain. The weekly statement of the Auckland Provincial Lunatic Asylum ending Saturday, November 7 :—Remained last state, 142 ; admitted since, 2 ; discharged since, 1; died j since, 0. Remaining at present: Males, 90; { females, 53; total, 143.

Mr Cooper's lecture last evening at the Young MenV, Christian Association on *Kfe4id pWiiiody" *Ma kigel* *Jtended His Honor the SupeHntto3e n trt. Sodiiced the lecturer with a few well-tuned remarks on the influence of sacred mfcaic. H?al ß oWred to the music of nattlre, which had a powerful influence on themind of men. Musi/was th 6 spontaneous expression of tha aoul under every circumstance of Me. Mr Cooper then delivered his lecture, which was fuli Pof poetic thought, and in many parta extremely eloquent? It was also historically xnstructive ia referenced mttSitf ii» diftrwrt ages and among different sedte and people^ 5K choir gave able assistance with musical examples, while Mr Lambert presided at the harmonium. A Vote of thanks was proposed by Key P H. Cornford td thd Chaitman Mr Cooper," Mr Lambert aad the choir, seedttdtid by Dr Purchas, and carried by acclamation. A sample of cucumbers may be seen in the wiudow of Mr Robert Biewin, next to Mr Sibbln's auction mart, which surpasses in length anything of the kind we have witnessed. They are two feet and two feet three inches in length, beautifully ribbed, and are known to gardeners as the " Marqms-of-Lorne" cucumbers. These splendid specimens were grown by Mr Pace, of Mount Eden, from seed imported from the nursery of Messrs Veitoh, nurserymen, of Kings Road, Chelsea, near London, where Mr Brewin was employed for many years. We have seen cucumbers grown at Chatsworth, and in the market garde/is around the English metropolis, but none of these were equal in growth to those we have seen today A sample of Lome's, but of smaller dimensions, was sent to Her Majesty from the Chelsea Gardens, who graciously named them after h«r Scotch son-in-laW, the heir of the house of Argyle.

1 One of the saddest occurrences in connection with immigration is that Where the friends of an expected arrival have Watched and waited perhaps for years for a re-union with a near relative they had left behind ; the time has arrived when the absent one is in a position to embark ; welcome letters are received naming the ship in which he has set sail; favouring breezes bring the vessel speedily to her destination ; eagerly the friends of the new comer hurry to the ship, but only to find that the hand of death* had marked him a victim, and the sea had become his grave. Such a distressing case there was in connection with the Hydaspes—a young man eagerly looking for his father applied to the- Star office on the arrival of the ship to ascertain the particulars of her voyage, and the first name that caught his eye on looking down the passenger list was that of his parent; but, alas, on the list of those who had died. A presentiment had told him that ib would be so, and his forebodings were thus strangely and sadly realised.

" Index" takes exception^ to the practice of advertiping sermons. He says : "So that instead of there being a demand for preachers there is a demand for congregations to sustain an overcrowded ministry. Wherever competition thus arises there is an evident deterioration of quality and loss of high and noble endeavour. It co&ts no humiliation to-day to acknowledge that preaching must be adapted rather to please the popular taste than to purify the public conscience. So preached Mr Edger on Sunday evening last, and that his statement is true a glance at the morning papers will prove. Ministers seem to cry their wares like rival auctioneers at a mart. Their advertisements are huddled together with business announcements and enquiries for btray goats, and capital is made of the dreadful end of a wretched criminal. Theatrical managers, in order to draw a house, announce the production of some startling play with a sensational title. So the ministers take their cue from.them. — Yours, &c, Ikdrx." We by no means hold with our correspondent's mode of reasoning. So far from regarding the practice of publicly announcing sermons through the recognised medium for obtaining publicity we think it rather an evidence that the pulpit is coming more into sympathy with the age. The very fact that such means are necessary for accom plishing the object which the pulpit has in view is a most potent reason (ho long as there is nothing wrong in the practice itself) why they should be employed. Comparisons such as our correspondent draws are not very logical. He might as well tell us that because theatrical managers (who by the way are about as well able as any one to judge of the best way to get at the feelings of the people) eat beafhtcak or do anything else that the general run of mankind are in the habit of doing, therefore clergymen should abstain. There is no extreme of absurdity to which eh ialai reasoning might not lead.

"A Boy under Thirteen" has his little grievance like the rest of ua. He says :— v. I was rather surprised on entering the room of the Albert hotel, to enter for a boys' race under thirteen, to see boys about sixteen' entering fox the same race. Myself and others turned away with fright at seeing' such long - legged boys under thirteen. The gentleman at the book never seemed to take any notice of age nor size, but down with your sixpence, and your name, that will do. Sir, that don't give others nor I justice."

Divine service to-morrow (Sunday) at Newton Kirk by Rev. Dr. Wallis. Morning : " Daniel's Propheoy of the seventy weeks ;" evening :" The Duty of Confessing our Faults."—Lome - street Hall, by Samuel Edger, B.A. MorniDg : "Religious Education;" evening: ''The absurdity of hanging criminals."—Beresford Congregational Church, services by Rev. R. Laishley, of Melbourne.—Baptist Church, Wellesleystreet, P. H. Cornford, pastor. Morning, " Christian living ;" evening : " The dignity of human nature." —Anniversary services Onehunga, morning, by Rev. T. W. Davies, M.A. ; evening, Rev. J. Warren.—Afternoon service in the open air at 3 o'clock, near; Noah's Ark, Freeman's Bay.—Services at the usual honrs at United Methodist Free Church by Rev. G. H. Turner; at Edwardesstreet by Rev. W. Tinsley, and at Sheridanstreet by Mr Booth.

The School Committee of Auckland East met I pursuant to public notification last evening at the Young Men's Institute, Wellealey-street, to take into consideration the application for'exemption to the'payment of the Education Rate. Those who proved to the satisfaction of the Committee they were unable through poverty to pay the rate will be recommended for exemption. The remainder of the cases were adjourned until Friday next for further enquiry. The committee desire it to be known that they will meet at the same place each Friday in the present month to consider any additional application for exemption. The first grand cricket match of the season is to be played on the new ground in the Domain on Monday, entitled: England v. the World. The following are to be the sides : —England Messrs Rees,. Mumford, Ctohon, Cotton, Clifton, Dufaur, Robinson, Mills, Jordan, Paul, Garland. World : Messrs Buckland, Yates, Russell, Gleeson, Davies, Dacre, Connell, Mowbray, Horan, Mooney, Nolan.

The; steamer Manaia will leave Auckland for Coromandel at 4 p.m. tomorrow, returning from Oorotnandel on Monday morning as per advertisement. ' • ■ ■ s*

A moonlight trip by the fine saloon boat Takapuna, leaving the North Shore at 7;30, and the Auckland wharf'at eight o'clock, is a fitting termination to the day's enjoyment and we have no doubt will be very largely taken advantage of should the weather prove nne. A first-class band has been engaged for the occasion. ; '

We have been requested to correct an error evidently typographical, which appeared in the report of Mr Sheehan'g speech'in to day'g Cross and,is calculated to mislead. Mr bheehan said that 85 per cent, 'instead of 35 per cent, as statedjin the Cross, ot the education tax after payment of expenses of collection would be available forfleducational pur-! pOSeS.: < - ; i r , l :f V