Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1590, 17 March 1875, Page 2

In another column will be found a report of a meeting of shareholders of the Ponsonby Hall Company, held last night, to take into consideration the financial position of the company. It transpired that about £160 was needed to place the company and the hall out of difficulties. Only a very small number of persons have yet taken up shares. We have no doubt whatever that the constantly increasing number of inhabitants in Ponsonby, when they learn from our columns the actual state of things and the small sum necessary to tide over the difficulties to which we call attention, will come forward and take up the unallotted shares. They then have a voice in the management of the hall, and take steps necessary to utilize the building in the best possible manner for the good of the community generally, by organizing winter lectures, concerts, social meetings, reading-room, free public library, and so forth. The want has been urgently felt of a building for such pu poses, and to let this building pass away from public uses would be a bJow to the enterprise aud welfare of the district.

M«BW>S«BWBBBWM»iI«jUI«!UMBJ^ A telegram has been received from the Thames to-day, consenting to the arrangement, whereby Sir George Gray is to address the electors at the Thames on Friday evening, and those of .Auckland on Monday evening. Sir George will arrive from the Kawau this evening. In another oAimn will he found a requi sifc-on, m-'St inmieiihally signed from electors of Gity Ea<-t, addressed to Mr Holdship, asking him 10 stand for the Provincial CoUnidl Cm led its rime and 6p: tio, We defer emaiks on ihe subject till to morrow.

In another column will be found a requi sifcon, m-'st innuetthally signed from electors of Gity Ea<-t, addressed to Mr Holdship, asking him 10 stand for the Provincial CoUnril Cuiled in dme and ep: bo, we defer emaiks on ihe subject till to morrow. The. mon'-h's yi.eld a+ the Thames a^d Coronut'id-1 w-s 7,91. r >ozs 19dwts from 4707 tons lGcvt 651hs of «totie. We would remind otir reisers that, the Horticn-fcinal s*h«»w wil' h° opeti at the C ty Hal) til" ten o'clotk to-night, ami isthebes-t ot.tnwin n-n-V.^'U l!^,. „„ ._ 1,-.1 .3 i „ A.,~U 1 1

Wft would remind onr readers that, thp Horticultural f" b."W vriV h° oped at the C ty H.'ili til" ten o'clock to-night, and istbebet-t autumn exhib lion ever held in Auckland. "

Miss Christian, R.A M., th« distinguish:d contra!'o vocs'i*r, who his delighted so many Auckland an iencps, will bid f..revell to our city tomoirow, as it is her intention to proceed South in order to fulfil several en gagements there. We think it is cor.cedt-d by all musical critics that Miss Chris'ian i* the most finished vocalist of the. English school that has ever viaited New Zealand ; and, while wishing hef the success due to her talents during her Southern tour, we hope to have other opportunities of enjoying in Auckland the pleasure of listening to her attractive rendering of our national music.

The meeting was held last evening in the Young Men's Christian Association to consider the financial condition of that serviceable instil lite, which have benefited so many men who have become useful citizens. The Venerable Archdeacon Maunsell, president of the Association, filled the chair, and iv his opening ppufch remarked upon the fact that, the Institute was in pecuniary difficulties, and that if such an institution was allowed to collapse for want of funds it, would bo a sad loss to the public of Auckland. It appeared that, there was a necessity to raise £500, and so reduce the debt to £1000 over the property. These facts the meeting would consider. Mr Thomas Buddie, the secretary of the Institute, then read the report on its condition and procpects : also, a report from the visiting agent, appointed to visit shin's and immigi'.ints, which showed that tile a^eat had hpen the means of doing a larse amount of good. Mr Buddies report gave a succinct history of affurs during the past year, and showed that unless the £500 oould be raised thfi institute would be involved in other difficulties ; and if they were successful in raising that sum, the committee would be in P'siiion to carry on the operation? of a Young Men's Christian Association mnst effectively, an to make it more useful in its operation? than it has hitherto been. Mr O. Lewis, treasurer, read the financial statement. which chewed receipts (including- sum in bank), £410 Ifo; disbursements (including interest), £433. lSs 91. — adopted. Speeches on the object of the mesting were given by Messrs ftewrmn, Sbalders, Holdship, Macff^rlini}, Mason, and oihera, and turns of mf.ney were promised, amounting to £270, to lie forthcoming within the next ten days. The Rev. P. Mnson moved, "that Messrs tfoldship nud Shalders should be appointed to co-operato with the committee in organising a systematic collection." This being carried, the following gentlemen were appointed as a committee to collect subscriptions, Messrs Shalders, Stone, Holdslnp, Kllingham, Ellis, Peacock, Major, Gittos, Macff.irlane, Col. Baultain, and two ladies. The meeting closed in lhe usual v/ay. An agreeable anniversary tea mpeting was held last ovr-ning in the Mount Eden schoolroom, presided <>ver by Mm Simon, and t'ne Misses Jones, Wellp, and Li ieh field. The chairman of tho after-meeting w;is Rev. P. II Cornford, who delivered a suitable address The report stated that the average attendance at the Sunday-school wa<», morning, 24 ; aft; moon, 5 ; with 9 teachers. The library contained 780 volumes of moral and religious books. The balance-snret shewed a balance in hand. Receipts, £31 (is 2d ; expenses, £25 17s 5d ; balance in favor of school, £5 Ss 9d. The Chairman then called upon the Rev. G. H. Turner, wh<r delivered his address on "Persistency." MrE. Wood spoke on the subject of the "Sunday-school Union," and Mr Bwington gave an excellent address on "Discouragement." Mr >'oab Wood, who has just returned from England, gave his views oa '• English Life j" shewing how he wont home with the view of remaining there, and how he took the first opportunity of leaving the fogs and glooms of his native land for the sunshine of New Zealand. The meeting was very harmonious, and closed in the usual way.

Reminiscences of that fearful time in Paris when the Commune was supreme, still make their appearance from time to time in English periodical literature, adding new chapters to the dark history. In a recent number of Cornhill Magazine appears the following brief but thrilling sketch of the fate of a Communard:—"lt was pitch dark, for the gas-lamps had not been lit that night, but the rays of two lanterns held aloft by men with drawn swords, threw a lurid gleam on some hundred bayonets. The pavement on both sides of the way appeared to be covered with soldiers. A woman's voice was crying, " That is the notorious Captain Fielot-he has 850,000 francs about him, the fruits of plunder !' 'It is true !' answered Fielot's voice. ' Let me stand against the wall, and make an end of me quickly. I have nothing to say.' There was an instant's deliberation, then the group opened, and shadows seemed to flutter on the wall. A clump of men stood out clear in the glow of the lanterns, and in the luminous circle formed some dozen barrels uprose. Then something wild and terrible was enacted ; for just before the report of the rifle rang in the night air a second shadow rushed forward and blended itself with the first. A struggle ensued, and one shadow seemed to repel the other, but suddenly both dropped to the earth together, the woman embracing the man and crying, ' Oh, Victor, forgive me I 5 " Robert Dale Owen, the scientific believer in spiritualism, wag one of those most grievously sold by the medium X ate King, who has recently been so completely exposed as an impostor. Mr Owen was asked during a cabinet sitting to pasa through the aperture a sheet of writing paper and a pencil. This was done ; a hand seized the sheet, and apparently laid it on nothing, a few inches back of the aperture, and about four inches from the bottom of the opening. While the paper was thus seemingly suspended in the air, a white hand, slowly traced out c, letter, which, when given to Mr Owen, was found to contain a message from and signed by "Frederick Robertson." Ab Mr Owen was familiar with the signature, and as he had seen the letter written by a " spirit hand " while the paper was "suspended in the air," and as the chronography closely resembled that of his departed friend, ho was forced to accept this ostensible evidence of spiritual presence and power as conclusive. The woman who confesses that she personated Katie King makes, in substance, the following statement in regard to the manner in which this was done : " The letter was written by Mr Holmes, who had a fac simile of Robertson's handwriting in the house. When the blank paper was passed into the aperture, another sheet on which the lines had been inscribed was substituted, and the paper (instead of being placed on nothing) was held on a black board by Mr Holmes, who had on a pair of black gloves. I —Ka r tie King—then drew over my right arm a black covering, leaving only the hand and part of the wrist exposed. This presented the appearance of a detached hand, and with the pencil I .pretended to trace out the worda on the paper already prepared." The amateurs taking part in the complimentary benefit to Mr P. Doran will please meet for rehearsal to-morrow evening in the Lome-street Hall at half -past seven.

We hold over till to-morrow remarks relative to a complaint made through onr yesterday's issue, referring to a closet erected over an old well in Victoria-street.

fWq have been requested to publish the following :—" CS. presents his compliments to Mr Hawthorne, and begs to ask him wlien he cf-ased connection with the ffawlce's Bay Herald as .Auckland correspondent ; and, also, if he beais no relationship, as father or fosvter parent, to the letters recently transmitted as ' Auckland Correspondence.''

Mr J P. l*ing, one of the oldest and bestknown c.f city chemi»ts, hnsatlastreopencd on the site forme'ly occupied by him, which was burnt to the ground some months ago. He ia pcarceh set.led yet; as tho finishing tn'uchrs are being tiven to the in-ide by P'.intera and gr-iine's. The premises are certainly among the finest in the city, an'l present to the tye something very chaste anH vi iquo. Mr King hag spared no pain« in fitting un ihe shop. Mr King has been note'l for the purity of his drugs and his carefulness in compounding medicne. He superintends every prencription hiniseif, and vouches for its correctness.

"Othello" wag repeated last eveuing at the- Prince of Wales Theatre instead of our " American Cousin," in conspquence of the indisposition of Miss Colville who was unable in consequence to take the part of Emilia. Mrs Jones filled Miss Colville's place in an efficient manner. The drama was put forth with equal ability, and with equal satisfaction a3 on the previous night. " Colleen Bawn" will be the performance of this evening.

We have much pleasure in giving insertion to the enclosed, and urging its plea on the a'tantion of both the Early Closing Association ahd employer,?:- "To the Editor: Sir, —What has become of the Early Closing Association ? Have they given up their efforts to ameliorate the condition of shopmen and women ? Amongst the most prominent to open are the clothiers, who if you ask them, will tell you it don't pay; but Brown opens, fo Smith must! I question much if it pays any of them 5 and it is a idty the prppd of one of two compels other larce establishments to keep men behind their counters until nine or ten o'clock every evening.— Yours &c, Pro "Bono Publico.