Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1744, 16 September 1875, Page 2

To the Editor : Sir,—l beg leave through the medium of your paper to ask our city analyst the following questions : Has rain water or river water any effect on lead pipes if constantly passing through them ? If it has, in what manner does the water act on the lead, and does the water become poisonous from the action ? By answering the above Mr Tunny will greatly oblige—Yours, <Sc, Ignorant.

The Maoris are scrupulous sticklers for etiquette and return a social meeting with a propriety that would astonish old Mrs. Grundy. The natives who entertained old Te Hira and others, at the great feast at Whakatiwai, Frith of Thames, have lately been enjoying themselves in return c ating Te Hira's pigs and swizzling his rum They then came down to Shortland on the journey homeward, but continued to prolong their carousals at their own expense in various pakeha hostelries. While so engaged, an intimation was received of the death of two native chiefs at Ohioemuri, and the jovial party all turned round and went back to show their respect by joining in the lamentations at the tangi. The cry is to be on a scale hardly second to thatoverTaria Altogether oldTeHirastands a very good chance of being eaten out root and stump.

Since the establishment of the Government insurance department there has been paid on 61 policies falling in through death, the sum of £24.750, or an average of something over £400 per policy. As illustrating the development of the insurance fever under the stimulus of eloquent and determined agents, we notice' in thejlast report that 762 policies have been allowed to lapse. That department has £105,300 to its credit invested in Treasury bills; the policies current amount to 5064, involving liabilities to the extent of £1,841,322.

William Hunois, a musician and rhymester, who was Chapel-master to Queen Elizabeth, died September IG, 1597. Hunnis was a popular song-writer of his time, but his doggerel would not be tolerated even by school boys in this age. The only composition of his that survived his memory, the "Last Will and Testament of William Hunnis, poet," is as destitute of poetry as Hunnis was destitute of property— To God my boul I do bequeath, Because it is His own, My body to be laid in grave Where, to my friends best known. Executors I will none make, Thereby great strife m.y grow; Because tho goods that I shall leave Will not pay all I owe. A public meeting was held at Mercer on Sunday last, after the service by the Rev. T. Norrie, to consider the question of providing for the religious and educational wants of the district. The Rev. Mr. Norrie occupied the chair, and stated that the district was now too large for him to attend to satisfactorily. -The Presbytery, therefore, intended to create a new district for Pokeno and neighbourhood. He had applied to the Government for a site for a Presbyterian Church, and hoped to receive a favourable answer. The subject of education was also one that demanded attention, as there were thirty children in the district. After some discussion, a committee consisting of Messrs. Weston, Hughes, Wells, Hoskins, and Ridler was appointed to endeavour to advance the objects referred;to.

A slightly mutilated bank-note was taken to one of the banks in Melbourne, but in consequence of the way in which it was torn, the teller demurred to changing it. The note was taken to the office of a tradesman near the bank in question, and, learning the circumstances, the latter at once displayed it in his window, with the intimation beneath that the bank had refused to cash it. It is almost unnecessary to add that the value of the note was almost immediately forthcoming.

We have to acknowledge receipt of ss. for Mrs. Jan sen from a " friend."

There are 250 female students in the faculty of medicine and surgery of the St. Petersburg University.

The Wesleyans are to build a chapel in Rome. The plans have been selected and the site fixed. The structure will be a very handsome one.

An influential committee has been formed in Edinburgh, with a view to the foundation of a society to preserve and extend the beauties of the city and its neighbourhood.

Through the machinations of the enemy of man, and by the aid of one of his emissaries known as the Printer's Devil, the opening clauses of a leader in our issue of yesterday constituted nonsense. By the substitution of " recurrence" for "relations," and of "revenue" for "recurrence," some sentences were formed, the occult meaniDg of which might fairly be presented as a mental puzzle for the development of the faculty of guessing.

A grand variety entertainment will be given on Monday evening next by Mr E. Clair and his talented troupe, in the Newton Hall, for the benefit of the widow and orphans of the late Mr T. Johnson, who are left in great distress. The programme will consist of three parts : the first, songs and dances ; the second, the golden-shoe dance and a variety of songs and recitations ; and the the third, the "Haunted House." This appears to be one of those frequently recurring cases which need assistance, and we trust the effort will meet with due patronage.

To the Editor : Sir, —In reference to the spelling bees, now bo common in Auckland, do you think ifc right that children should take part with adults, and then, if they happen to carry off the prize, make a boast of being able to beat them every time one of the older ones are seen. Last Saturday one was held in the Young Men's Rooms. A great many took part, and the spelling went on for some time very well. The word "aggtavate" was spelt wrong, as was 1 ' bosom " By the way these two spelt, I am sure it was mischief, especially the last, for before the party left tha platform it was corrected. I believe both parties were ashamed to compete with some so young there. If children are to take part on all occasions, spelling bees will soon be put an end to.—l am', etc., Fair Play.—[We think it very undesirable that boys and girls should be permitted to compete with adults, and a rule to that effect ought to be insisted upon at all " bees."—Ed. U. S.~\

We noticed a former issue of the Star the beautiful paintings of Mr Watkins, a local artist, who will make a name in New Zealand. Mr Watkins pictures of local scenery were drawn for last evening on the Art Union principle at the shop of Messrs Phillipps and Son, Queen-street, which resulted as follows.—lst prize, 54, Mr Haig; 2nd prize, 30, Mr Haig ; 3rd prize, 58, Mr Haig; 4th prize, 38, Mr A. Devore; sth prize, 14, Mr S. Quartley ; 6th prize, 49, Mr H. E. Williams ; 7th prize, 69, Mr Aickin ; Bth prize, 39, Mr S. C. Hoyte ; 9tb prize, 3, Mr Haig. It will be noticed that Mr Haig took no less than four of the paintings.

Mr W. L. Bees will deliver a lecture this evening in connection with the Devonport Literary Society, North Shore. Tbe subject of the discourse will be " Modern Materialism," and will be given in the Trinity Church School-room.

Messrs Tonka and Co. announce a large sale of unredeemed pledges on Monday next, the 20th inst. The sale will consist of gold and silver watches, brooches, chains and jewellery ; also, a number of sewing machines and a large quantity of all kinds of wearing apparel, as described elsewhere.

The regular monthly meeting of the Prince of Wales Lodge of Freemasons, will be held this evening, in the Masonic Hotel, Princesstreet, at the hour of six o'clock. Banquet at eight.

The " Grand Soiree d'Ethiop" to be given by the Hobson Band Minstrels in aid of the Parnell Convent, takes places in the City Hall on Thursday evening next, 23rd September, and not the 26th, as erroneously stated in the advertisement in Tuesday's issue.

The "Spelling Bee" mania is about to break out in Parnell, and arrangements are being made in that district for one of these entertainments, which will shortly take place.

The prizes awarded by the judges in connection with the recent Auckland Poultry Show, held in the Market, will be p*id to the fortunate exhibitors to-morrow (Friday) afternoon, between two and three o'clock, in the office of tho secretary, 41, Insurance Buildings.

The band of merry musicians, known as the Temperance Drum and Fife Band, will take a musical march round the city this evening under the eye of their leader. The minstrels will start from the Excelsior Hall, at half-past seven (the neat hall built by Mr Frederick Jeune, of Newton), and will take the route of Pitt, Hobson, Queen, and Short-land-streets.

The Rev. W. Tinsley's lecture on "Scotland and her Sons " will be delivered this evening in the Primitive Methodist Church, Newmarket