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Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1827, 23 December 1875, Page 2

Ab the Evening Stak, in accordance with usual custom, will not be published on Christmas-day and Boxing-day, so that the printers may enjoy their Christmas-tide with the rest of mankind, all advertisements announcing events for Saturday, Monday, or Tuesday must be cent in time for tomorrow evening's issue.

"We understand that it is made a particular arrangement that the "Cross" is not any further to support Mr. James McCosh Clark. This is clone that lie may not be regarded by electors as the Government candidate. The idea, as we might expect, has not emanated from Mr. Clark himself, but from those better up in the dark ways of electioneering.

The rota of attendance at the sitting of Petty Sessions on the 28th instant, includes Messrs G. B. Owen, Philips, Pierce, Porter, Sharland, A. K. Taylor, Thomas, Major Tisdall, Messrs Tole, Williamson, Wood, Young, and R- Graham.

•* A Ratepayer" in Drake-street writes protesting against the cutting down of that street, elevating the existing properties ten feet above the road, and he inquires the cost to the Council of this work. We are in as complete darkness on this subject as our correspondent. The ratepayers manifest such indifference to the continual outlay by the Council in cutting down well metalled roads that might do for twenty years, while other streets remain in a state of nature, that we suppose there is no help for it. We again unhesitatingly denounce the cutting down of Hobson and Drake-streets as a disgrace to the city, while Upper Nelson, Union, Beresford, Howe, Cook, and many other streets remain in their present condition, but so long as the ratepayers continue inactive or indifferent, so long as they remain silent aa a body the system will doubtless go on. It is idle to expect that the residents in streets that are benefiting by aa undue expenditure of city revenues will either commence or join in an agitation against these works, and if our correspondent is earnest in what he writes he should take the initiative in testing public feeling on the subject.

To the Editor : Sir,—l am no great hand at writing, but look here, sir, what I want to say is this—l don't think it right that other coach proprietors should make a ring to crush me off the road altogether. They have altered their times of running by a combination, so that they mean to try to run me off

the road, as well as the iron horse from the rail; but look here, sir, I don't think a generous public will see or let them do it. I am the oldest coachman on the road, and I have always done my best to oblige the pub-

lie, and I believe the public will support me now under the oppression which they are trying to put on me ; but sir, through your valuable paper, which is always open to the wrong that needs resistance, I appeal to a generous public not to let this wrong be.— Yours, &c, R Gillam.

The third " Cup" match will be played at Ellerslie on Monday, the 27th inst., between the' Auckland and Ponsonby Cricket Cluba. Although public favour sides with the former, the chances now are pretty even, as the A.C.C. have lost two or three of their best men, and with the glorious uncertainly, it would be difficult to predict.

The treasurer of the Orphan Home thankfully acknowledges the following donations : From Dr Kenderdine, £2; from G. Holdship, Esq., £2 ; from R. Chisholm, £2 2s.

The first cargo of lime from Mr John McLeod's manufactory, Whangarei, arrived by the cutter Ann McLeod yesterday. This lime is of a very superior quality. It is burned from limestone equal to any in the world, and the wetter employed in slaking it is taken from a pure mountain stream, which has been made to flow through the manufacturing sheds. The lime has been landed at the yards of Messrs W. and G. Winstone, who are the Auckland agents. The dampness of brick buildings in Auckland arises very much from the inferior and salt lime used in the mortar. It is believed that this lime<wjll afford an effectual remedy >to this great evil in connection with brick structures . -,i ■ i • ' > ■ •■■ ■•• ■■'■ '" ■■.-;

A'large sale of forfeited pledges will be conducted to-morrow by B. Tonka and Co. on behalf of Mr Neumegan, pawn-broker. ,

" A Shareholdlr " writes from the Thames a very strong letter against the directors voting themselves a honorarium at the late meeting of shareholders. He also states that it is reported that one director got anotlier voted £1 a week last year as managing director, and shared the remuneration with him. He considers that an extraordinary meeting of shareholders should be called, and these directors asked to resign, it being his conviction that if the present directors cannot afford to retain it without pay, plenty of honest shareholders would act in their place.

" A Constant Header " wishes to call the attention of the city authorities to the way Howe-street is being cut up by carts.

A great disturbance was created yesterday afternoon in the Wavedey Hotel among a number of sailors and roughs, and after a little sparring and swearing one of the combatants, with his fist, smashed the front window. The barman called out loudly for the police, but before a constable arrived, the smasher offered to pay the damage like a brick. A glazier who happened to be among the crowd, measured the square and offered to replace it, whole and entire, for the sum of 18s. The man who had broken the window immediately presented mine host with a pound note on the bank of New Zealand; and was allowed to depart in peace.

Mr James Wallace, of Papatoitoi, has brought under our notice another of the many flagrant cases of railway mismanagement, which have reduced the line to a nonpaying speculation, and led to the stoppage of over £1000 per month, capitation allowance, due to the province. On Tuesday Mr Wallace arranged with the station.master for a truck of new potatoes to be taken to Auckland for shipment to the Thames, and paid the freight. The truck was duly loaded, and left at the station, but the down train left it where it was, on the ground that the engine was already overloaded and could not take an additional van. Faithful promises were entered into that this should not occur again, but next morning's train also passed and left the van. This morning Mr Wallace camo into town upon the strong assurance that no farther delay should occur, but again the railway authorities failed to send in the truck. We suppose that no action for damages would lie against the Government. The monetary loss and trouble Mr Wallace has been put to by this disgraceful proceeding, and as Mr Passmore and Ministers treat all complaints with the utmost contempt, we suppose nothing remains for Mr Wallace to do but cart his produce in hereafter, which he can effect cheaper and with more certainity than he can send it by rail. Surely a day of reckoning will come some time. Let the Franklin electors see to it.

The idea of stories for Christmas is due to the late Charles Dickens in his delightful prose Christmas Carol, and ever since the introduction of that genial book Among the holly and ivy, and mistlotoe of an Euglish Christmas, it has been the custom to associate literature with the associations of the season, amid the general call to happiness, the bustle.of the spirits, and stir of the affection which prevail at this period of the year, what bosom can remain insensible ? Christmas is the season of regenerated feeling, the the season for kindling, not merely the fire of hospitality in the ball, but the generous flame of charity in the heart. The Evening Hlar supplement of to-morrow will assist silently, in promoting the good feeling which should animate the breast at Christmas time, by issuing a number of interesting stories, both new and old, for the amusement of its many readers. Among the more prominent are a tale of Two Christmases, by the late Tom Hood, " Christmas in an English Cottage," a true sketch, by John Blackman, the "The Tale of a Mousie," and a beautiful, and very seasonable lay sermon, entitled " Nazareth," a number of Christmas poems, conundrums, enigmas, maxims, and other interesting tit bits calculated to amuse and instruct.

A service of song suitable to the season of Christmas will be given this evening in Sheridan-street Chapel, the proceeds to be given to the Sunday-school funds. The The Sheridan-street choir will take part in the musical direction. As the price of admission is only sixpence, and the cause a good one, the little chapel will, no doubt, be crowded.

Mr C. B. Andrew's school, Carlton Academy, will " break up" for the Christmas holidays this evening, when the prizes will be given to the successful scholars.

The Sisters of Mercy acknowledge with thanks the receipt of a quantity of lollies, etc , a Christmas present from Messrs H. and P. Gibbons, for the orphans of St. Mary's.

Sir, —The poor people here are anxious that you would advocate our cause, and help us to get good rations from the new contractor who takes it after December. No more, Mr Editor, from a Widow, Howick. [The Government should insist upon fair supplies being furnished the poor in all parts of the province. It would be better in some instances not to give the lowest tenderer the contract, if previous contracts were not carried out to the Believing Officer's satiafactionion.—Ed. E.S.]