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Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1503, 4 December 1874, Page 2

Wo never interfere with anything which appears in the letters of our London Correspondent, preferring to publish them exactly as they are sent. They are usually exceedingly interesting, indeed we believe we have seen nothing more readable in the homo correspondence of any journal published in the colonies; and we believe "Anchovies and Toast " are very heartily relished by all our readers. Occasionally however, our Correspondent manifests a tone which we should rather see absent. The communication in another column affords an instanca in a praagr;<ph which we regret mars a letter which is in other respects sj interesting.

We understand that the Good Templars have felt it incumbent on them to expel from their order the gentleman that hanged Dyer. This is not sure yas it ought to be We do not profess to be acquainted with the sacred mysteries of the Order. It is possible for aught we knowto the contrary that in addition to the prohibition against the cup that cheers and inebriates there may be something prohibitory of ways in which men ought not to get a living ; but no one can say that the g ntlemen in question has not done good service to the State in ridding society of such a man, nor can we see that the act should be more reprehensible than the removal of any other nuisance which the organization of society may at once produce and demand the removal of. Indeed there is much that should commend this brother to the favourable consideration of the Order, for we are told that in preparation for the melaucholyduty which anxiety for the welfare of society imposed on him, he was moat assiduous in ministering to the spiritual welfare of the murderer, and that indefatigable as were the labours of the various clergymen this lay brother was not a whit behind. He therefore did his duty to the man when he could be of any service to him, and the mere fact of breaking his neck, when society and the law demanded retribution, cannot surely be a breach of the oath of the order which is the bulwark against intemperance, we think the brother has a good case in action for damages against the society for thus depriving him of his status ; and we hope that, feeling he has done the work of a good citizen and should not therefore be punished, he will demand in the open Courts that reparation which the law gives, for the injury done to his fair fame. A guard of honor to receive his Excellency the Governor on the occasion of the complimentary Citizens Ball, on Monday, is to be provided by the Volunteers. The guard is to be under the command of Captain Leßoy, and will consist of the Naval Brigade and the Hobson Company, with bands. The members are to assemble in the first instance at the Drill-shell, at 8 o'clock on Monday evening, and will march thence to the Choral Hall, for reception of his Excellency. Her Ladyship the Marchioness of Normanby will hold a reception at Government House to-morrow, at three o'clock in the afternoon.

A gentlemen just arrived in the colony advertises for pupils to take lessons in shipdrafting and laying-off. Judging from the plans and drawings which the adverti&er has submitted to our inspection, he must possess considerable ability, and should receive attention from those anxious to attain the art, as well as from <rar local ship and boatj_raiUU.li

We have already published the substance of a letter from Mr. H J. Smith, permaneno secretary of the Loyal Good Intent Lodge. We have this day received another, and if impudence is a necessary qualification of a permanent secretary to an Oddfellows' Lodge, the Loyal Good Intent Lodge is highly favoured in the possession of that genj tleman. But unless the lodge desires to lose the position it has gained in the estimation of Oddfellows and the public, the sooner it secures a thoroughly efficient and worthy secretary the better for its interests. There are lodges both in connection with Oddfellows and other Friendly Societies in Auckland, which are actuated in all their proceedings by that principle of benevolence, that forms the foundation principle of such Societies. But the great motto of the order " charity " is not fulfilled by the very sharp practice of enforcing every law and by-law that may have been broken by a distressed member in such a way as to deprive him of the benefits of the institution or rob his widow of funeral money. Yet we know ' that such things have been done in I lodges, and the pleadings of a poor ■ member reduced to the sorest distress by sickness, or the wailing of the widow a,od fatherless, has been ineffective in touching 1 the charitable hearts of " Permanent Secretaries," who make such institutions profit- ; able to themselves at least, even if they ; become a delusion and a snare to others j We have not been supplied with any explaI nation from the Good Intent Lodge, or its I officers, with reference to the case of the sick j member at Onehunga, who was alluded I to recently in our coiumus. From the first we I desired that no reflection, unwarranted by | facts, should be cist on the Manchester | Unity, which has borne a good name and | done good work both in England and the ! colonies, and it was only wich a view of

stimulating the members of this branch of the Society to further good works, and of allowing them an opportunity for showing what they had done and what they might be compelled by law to do, that we invited an explanation of the case in question Invariably, however, we find that

someone finding the cap fits puts it on his head, whether intended for him or not. This has been exactly lhe case with Mr. H. J. Smith, whose "charitable" representations have evidently been the means of closing the eyes and shutting up tbe hearts of the members of the Good Intent Lodge against the sick brother at Onehunga. We have made enquiri' s into the real merits of the case, and find that this tick member was formerly secretary in the society and an active member of the Good Intent Lodge for six years. Disease overtook him, and for weary months he has been unable to work, has fallen into poverty, and his lodge fees have consequently h »&vl__ that 1 ' • rights

become so mm overdue, a" us "g----under the Lodge rules have lapsed. We have known a precisely similar case in a New Zealand Odd Fellows Lodge, but a very diffcri-litcourse was pursued. Instead of exacting the pound of flesh, or closing their sympathies against the worthy and sick brother, the members subscribed among themselves and pai 1 his fees in order to enable him to claim benefits. This was "charity." Togivea man what be is entitl-d to by law is not

"charity," and to throw a man off completely when he most needs assistance,

merely because he is poor and in sore distress, is inhumanity. We arc aware that the Lodge rules empower this sharp practice, but it is not Oddfellowship to take advantage of them ; and although this seems to have been done in the present case, we should be sorry to believe it has been done with the consent of the whole of the lodge members, and that no assistance either hy private sub_ scription or distress vote ha< b;en granted. The cricket match" Auckland v. North Shore, which was begun at Ellerslie on Saturday last, will be resumed to-morrow at the North Shore. This match it will be remembered is the first of the season played between these clubs. The scoring on Saturday was not over good, the Aucklanders having obtained only 57 ; while the North Shore scored GO for four wickets. The players go over in the one o'clock boat, and play will be commenced at I.'AO. p.m. sharp. It is to be hoped that all those members of the Auckland club who took part in the game on Saturday will show up punctually, oth«.-rw ise the match will be a gift to the .North Shore. Mr McCormick, shipwright, who wa 8 reported as missing, has called at our office this morning, and states that when he went to the Kaipara he did not anticipate being away more than two or three days. He called upon a neighbour who occupies an adjoining house, and asked her to look after his little girl, and left ample moans for her support He did not, however, mention where he was going. His protracted absence led to fears on the part of neighbours that some accident had befallen him, and one of them seeing the child living alone, asked her to go and stay with them, and shewed her very great kindness. In a place like Auckland where there are so many accidentaldeaths, such circumstances very naturally created alarm ; and it is fortunate that in this case the fears were unfounded The bankruptcy case of George Thorne, jun., was called on this afternoon, at halfpast one o'clock, and made a trifling advance. The public must he heartily sick of it, so we wll coitent oun-elves with this bare announcement. Great consternation was spread among the officials at Government House, yesterday morning, just befoie the ceremony of swearing in his Excellency took place, owing to its being discovered at the last moment that there was not a single copy of the Eible on the premises. In hot haste a messenger was sent to the Northern Club, but the secretary was away, and no one else could be found te say where the desired book could be found. A proposition was, we understand, made that Reed and Brett's almanac should be used for the oath to be sworn upon, but the Chief Justice, although he allowed everything in that volume was as true as gospel, had grave doubts a3 to the legality of the substitution. Fortunately a copy of the Scriptures was found just in time, and the oaths were properly administered. Mr Rainford, the popular bass singer, will return to Wellington at the conclusion of his engagement with Madame Goddard, when it is proposed by a number of musical amateurs to tender him a complimentary concert. His present engagement will probably extend over four or five weeks. At Plymouth, on September 30, a Mr Thomas and his wife went to a lawyer's office to get a deed of separation executed. Wnilst there Thomas suddenly cut his wife' throat, and then his own, before any person could interfere. Both of them died instantly. The scholars and friends of St. Mary's Sunday-school, Parnell, were treated last evening to a magic lantern entertainment the same as was exhibited in the recent Sundayschool Union Industrial Exhibition, and which afforded a pleasant evening to the attendants. The young people especially were delighted with the scenes and explanations by the lecturer. The proceeds will be devoted to the purchase of new volumes for the school library. At the meeting of the Board of JEducation yesterday, Messrs Haultain, Luckie, Prime, and Doctor Campbell, were appointed a committee to arrange for the public examination ofthe pupils of the Auckland Grammar school. It was also decided that the Christmas holidays should commence on the 18th of the present month, and close on the 18th January of next year.

We have two pigeon messages from the steamer Taranaki, which left the Manukau yesterday containing telegrams, which passengers desire to be despatched to Wellington and JNelson. These have been duly forwarded. The messages add : " Weather fine ; water smooth. Mr. Passmore is on board."

The next inward Sues mail left Galls ft. Australia sa the Slut ultisae.

Weave received the following for insertion :-j-"To the Editor of the Star : Sir,— Id your ißSue of last evening it is stated that you are assured that certain articles which appeared in the " Nelson Colonist " with j reference to unjustifiable personal attacks j made upon me, proceed from my hands. I Without offering any defence of myself here, I perhaps I may be allowed space sufficient to say that the statement has not the slightest foundation ; in fact, I knew nothing what•l ever, directly or indirectly, of the articles or 1 either of them, or of their existence, until I saw them in the paper named ; neither had I any hand in their production. —I am, Sec, D. M. Luckie, M.H.R. for Nelson city, Auckland, December 4, 1874." We have much pleasure in giving publicity to this disclaimer. We were told by a Nelson correspondent that the two ar'icles clipped from the same issue of the Colonibt, and transmitted by him, were from the pens of Mr Luckie and Mr Downie, late reporter on the Cross, now editor of the Colonist. We accept Mr Luckie's disclaimer as satisfactory, feeling confident that he would not make such a statement if it were not true. A large and influential meeting of the New Zealand Agricultural Society, was held this afternoon at the British Hotel. Mr W. Good fellow in the chair. After a few preliminary remarks from the chairman, the secretary, Mr Taylor, read the financial statement, which shewed that all the Society's debts had been paid, and that there was a balance of £103 to the credit of the Society. The statement was received with enthusiasm. Mr Calvert, Veterinary Surgeon, then read a paper on the " Foot and Mouth Disease," in which he strongly advocated the necessity of appointing a duly qualified cattle inspector, as this particular disease was becoming very prevalent in the colony. He described very

minutely the rise and progress of the disease, with suggestions for its prevention and possible eradication. The paper excited a good deal of discussion, which was being carried on with vigour as our reporter left The adjourned meeting of the Board of Education to ha held this afternoon was

again adjourned until Thursday next, in consequence of his Excellency's levee at Governrneht House. At this season of fruits, green peas, new potatoes, &c, it is necessary to caution readers against the danger that injudiciously partaking of the season's delicacies. We l-arn from Sydney papers that, a fortnight ago, a fatal case of English cholera occurred in Newcastle, N.S.W. It appears that Mr Matthews, of Blanc-street, well known as .me of the firm of Mat'hews and Co., meat preserve's, was, on Monday afternoon, seized with cramps in the stomach. He continued 11 un:ilso'clock the same evenin when

very 1 _\, Dr Harris was sent for, and on his arriva shortly afterwards he found the patient undergoing extreme agony, and displaying all the symptoms attendant upon an attack of Kn"lish cholera, and at two o'clock on Wednesday he expired. The deceased was a strong hearty man, who had seldom known a day's illness, and his age was about 50 years. Dr Harris attributes the attack to Mr Matthews having partaken freely of new

potatoes at dinner on Monday, shortly before the illness, which subsequently caused his

death. A very acceptable gift has been made by the Good Templars of Auckland to the Home for Neglected and Destitute Children, namely, two fine milch cows. The ceremony of presenting these useful animals will, we believe, be made the occasion of a public parade of the Order. A procession in full regalia, we are informed, is to assemble at six o'clock to-morrow near the Supreme Court, and the cows, wreathed with garlands, worked by some of the fair sisters," will be driven through the city to their future home. Dr. .Nicholson, District Deputy Grand Worthy Chief Templar, will make the presentation on behalf of the order. Such acts of practical benevolence as this should popularise the Order, which has hitherto been inactive in public matters. The absence of public displays which have been found to be a great source of attraction in Great Britain, has also served to weaken the interest felt by members, and has kept the Order more in the back ground—less prominently before the public —than was contemplated by the founders of the institution. We learn from a private correspondent in Sydney that the cause of secular education, national, compulsory, and free, is carrying all before it It has been made the test question of the electors. Mr. Partridge, of the Thames Cigar Divan, Weljesley - street, announces to subscribers that his Art Union drawing will take place at his divan on Monday evening next, at eight o'clock. The regular monthly meeting of the Enniskillen Lodge, No 3, will be held this eveniug, at the usual hour, in the Young Men's Christian Association rooms. The prizes on the Melbourne Cup Sweep will bo paid to the winners, at the Occidental Hotel, this evening at eight o'clock. We understand that Mr. Martin, of Grafton road school, will resign his position in connection with the Board of Education, at Christmas. COFFEE! — Brown, Barrett, and Oo.'s Standar Coffees both delicious and strong. Brown, Barrett, and Co.'s Excelsior Coffee deserves preference t > any Coffee on account of parity and distinctness of flavour. Note the brand. Sold at almost «vo./ g ocery eslisbment In town and province.— advt. SnoßTT's Haik-oottino Saloon, three! doors below the Greyhound Hotel First-class Attention, Civility and Oleanliuess.— (Advt).