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Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1819, 14 December 1875, Page 2

At a meeting of the Inter-provincial Chess Committee yesterday at the office of Mr Jakina, Messrs. Brodie, Heather, Jakins, Lusk, Morton, Nixon, Hice, Sfcowart, and Williams, were chosen the competitors to take part in the match against Dunedin. The match will probably take place early in •January. Auckland whalers are the most unfortunate vessels that float—it is almost a wonder that they do float—and the Magellan Cloud, which has returned to port after a being at sea two months' instead of the nine, for which she was equipped, appears to be the most unfortunate of the lot. When this vessel left Auckland on the 12fch October, it was the general opinion that this trip was to reverse the run of bad luck which our whalers had hitherto been attended by, with a handy ship just suitable for the work, fittings and stores specially selected and a crew carefully picked, everything seemed to prognosticate a propitious change: but it is not so. Since the ship has been away she has had nothing but a succession of misfortunes, and a perusal of the report furnished by Captain Hoxsie will show that those misfortunes originated in discontent and ended in the desertion or discharge of all but three of the foremost hands. The result is seen in the vessel being now at anchor in Auckland after two months absence during which she has done absolutely nothing. The Her G. H. Turner preaches hia last and farewell sermon to his Auckland friends on Wednesday evening, at half-past seven o'clock, in the school-room, Vincent-street. We mentioned the other day that an old settler had proceeded to Coromandel for the purpose of seeking aome gold he buried and a reef he covered up forty years ago. We learn that hitherto he has been unsuccessful in his search. In those -early days the beach at Kapanga was populated by about 2000 natives, but now its aspect is completely changed. The treasure-seeker believes however, that he can trace the locality and still has hopes of effecting a find.

The action Murphy v. O'Neill, occupied a great deal of the time of the time of the District Court yesterday, and the peculiar gestures and smart savings of the plaintiff created a great deal of laughter which was irresistible, and disturbed even the gravity of the judge. Thomas Murphy was a carpenter in the Grafton-road, and Allan O'Neill, a gentleman of means and an old resident at the North Shore. They were countrymen and had been friends, but their friendship had faded into wintry coolness in consequence of money matters, which it is scarcely necessary to explain. Mr. Murphy considered Mr. O'Neill in his debt for doing certain dirty work to certain cottages which Murphy formerly possessed, but which had come into the possession of Mr. O'Neill. Mr. Murphy, perhaps, had taken liberties with his friend's property, and done things which Mr. O'Neill did not authorise him to do, and he considered moreover that Murphy had put it on rather heavy, and he had likewise made mistakes in his calculation. The statement of accounts was most conflicting and mysterious, which induced his Honor to recommend that the account should be put into the hands of some competent accountant who might not only make the crooked straight, but harmonise the feelings of the parties ; at all events, he must reserve judgment until next Court day.

! !^A diploma of merit has, we believe, this 1 day been lodged with the Registrar for registration, issued to Mr J. M. Cowell, ! homceopathist, of the Thames, which purports to entitle him '* to all the honors, rights, and privileges which belong to the degree of Doctor of Medicine." The diploma is a very chaste document, and bears the autographs of a, number of professors and trustees of the College of Medicine at Philadelphia, besides the names of Howard Malcolm (president) and D. T. Pratt (secretary). The value of this diploma is said to consist in the fact of the Philadelphia College having a State Charter as the basis of its constitution, and thus giving a legal status to all who hold its diploma. This is the first purely homoeopathic diploma, presented for registration in this colony. Mr Cowell's requisition to the college was signed by about 600 residents of the Thames, including persons of every section of the community. The Thames Advertiser expresses its gratification at the granting of this diploma. To the Editor : Sir,—Can you, through your poplular paper, give an answer to the following :itis to decide a dispute. In the event of any person joining the Good Templars are they compelled to wear the regalia ? If so, who finds it ? themselves or the lodge they join.—Constant Reader. [.They are not obliged to wear regalia, but if they do they mast purchase it themselves. Officers must wear regalia, and are therefore supplied ■with it by the lodge during their term of |«ffic«.rr;Ed.aS,3..'

We have to acknowledge for Mr Ingham* From the Mayor, 10a ; from Mr Buchanan, 5s

We have to acknowledge for Mrs Church the amount of Mr Paulder's expenses in the case Goldie v. Greenway; also, £1 from Mr P. Archaid, proceeds of a ber.

At the mea ing of the Newmarket Hall Site Committee, held last evening, in the reading room. Subscriptions came forward so well that quite a heap of cheques aurl b."nk-notes were piled un the ta>>le in front; o' the secretary, amounting in value to £66 16a The total amount promised utj to date is £189 2s 6d. The committee decided to hold a concert in honour of the opening of the hall, and appointed a special committee to arrange for the successful carry ing out of the same. The contractor has stated his ability to get the hall finished before the end of the present year. It is therefore probable that the conceit will take place in the second week of January.

Members of the Choral and other musical societies, are reminded that to-night there will be a rehearsal of the " Messiah "in the Choral Hall preparatory to the grand Christmas concert of the 23rd inst.

The subject of boots for the members of the Auckland Fire Brigade, was again introduced at the sitting of the City Council yesterday, when it was agreed that £30 per annum should be granted for that purpose ; a request for a hook and ladder carriage was also made, the cost to be about £80 ; when it was resolved that no further additions be made to the fire brigade expenses at present.

An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, before Dr. Philson, Coroner, on the body of Charles Lyell, who was found drowned on the previous day. Several witnesses were examined as to his indentity, and the cause of his absence from the Orphan Home, of which he was an inmate. After a brief consultation, the jury returned a verdict of ' Found Drowned,' adding an opinion that the beach in Judge's Bay was a most dangerous place of resort, and that parents and guardians should, be admonished on the subject, and should not allow their children to visit the beach alone.

To the Editor : Sir, —Your correspondent " Facts," must, I should think, be either a Councillor or city officer, judging from his painful attempt to distort figures and throw dust in the eyes of ratepayers. He says the sum expended upon streets was not £3,787 as stated by me in my last letter but £3,932. The difference between these figures is so immaterial that I need only state that it consists in the outlay for asphalt which I did not choose to take into account in my estimate. But " Facts" proceeds to set out other expenditure from loan upon streets. Now this I altogether object to as being outside the question dealt with in my last. The total amount collected this year from the shilling rate, which forms the Council's only legitimate and reliable means of street improvement was (exclusive of arrears, i.4,371 143 lid, and from that £1,650 is taken for the salaries of our highly paid civic officers. Under these circumstances, I again ask, what the mischief does the Council mean by spending nearly £2000 in breaking up a street like Hobson-street, the level of which should have been fixed a& at present for at least 20 years to come, or until the city is troubled with a superfluity of cash. At least one-third of the cost of cutting down this Btreet ariseß from the difficulty in breaking through the foot of metal which has cost the Council some hundreds of pounds to lay down. Where is Mr Stainea that no public protest has been entered against this big job ? As a ratepayer who has hitherto voted against Mr Staines, I shall fee' it my duty to do my utmost to secure his return should he again Btand for the Council, as I am convinced that while such things as the Hobson-street cutting are possible a change in the constitution of that bodyis imperative.—Yours, RATEPAYER.

The following statement of the credit balances in the 474 Savings Banks of the United Kingdom on the 20th of November, 1574, will afford some indication of the wealth of a large portion of the labouring classes at home. In England and Wales the amount on the above day was £.34,064,254 ; Scotland, £4,936,084 ; Ireland, £2,017,561; and Channel Islands, £499,272, making a total of £41,517,171, and the average annual interest paid to depositors was £2 19s. ljd. per cent. In the Government Savings Bank the credit balance on the 20th of November, 1874, was £23,000,000. In 18(54 the amount deposited therein was only £5,000,000; in the next ten years the increase was £15,000,000. The two amounts make a grand total of £64,517,171. The number of open accounts in 1874 in the private Savings Banks was 1,463,560. The bulk of the moneylisjlodged with the National Debt Commissioners, and is invested by them in British Consols at 3 per cent, interest. The difference of 10M. per cent, goes to defray enpenses. Some years ago the country was experiencing an annual loss in this investment, but the late Joseph Hume succeeded in getting the interest readjusted so as to cover the deficiency. The foregoing returns shew that a large number of the laboring classes of the United Kingdom are prudent people, but what might the savings be but for the money spent in intoxicating drinks ? If, in fact, a moiety even of the £100,000,000 which is now annually appropriated for these luxuries were saved. Could that end be accomplished it would tend to elevate the social position of the labouring classes of the United Kingdom and materially add to the national prosperity. It appears that the net increase in the amount of deposits in 1874 was only £941,320, not one per cent, of the money annually Bpent in fermented liquors.

Mr E. Hamlin, of Waiuku, announces four meetings with the electors in connection with his candidature for Franklin district. The first takes place at Waiuku on Saturday December 19 ; the next at Mauku on Monday; at Pukekohe on Tuesday; and Bombay on "Wednesday. Mr Hamlin is not a man to let the grasß grow under his feet, and his energy and practical knowledge, besides his liberal views will commend him to the electors of Franklin.

Sir, —A most lying report was being circulated at Newmarket on Saturday last, and which appeared in Saturday's Stab. It is stated that several buckets of slaughterhouse filth were thrown over the walls of Mr Jones' house on Kyber Pass road creating a shocking stench. Although I went by it twice before the shop was opened in the morning, I saw nothing to cause such stench, but so long as he keeps his verandah across the footpath for a stumbling block, any person is liable to fall over it with whatever load he may be carrying in the night. The obstruction is still visible for the police or others wishing to examine it.—Yours, etc., Andrew Handstafe1.

The Naval Rowing Club, Thames, has resolved to send a crew to the Interprovincial Regatta, Wellington, on the 22nd January next. The crew selected consists of H. Goldsworthy, T. Goldsworthy, Richard Newdick, Jno. Newdick, and coxswain G. Savage. It is intended that this crew will make an effort to be back in Auckland by the 29th January, to pull in the all-comers race there. The club also sends two crews to Auckland on the 29 th, exclusive of the Wellington crew.

We were glad of a cessation in the appeals lately to the pure benevolence of the kindhearted of Auckland, which 'were very numerous, but we are impelled to solicit a few donations'on behalf] of a miserably poor family of young children, who lost their mother yesterday, after only a few hours of sickness. The home is a pitiable one, without a penny to bury the poor creature, ■ and the children cry for help, which will, we believe not be withheld.