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Auckland Star, Volume VII, Issue 1966, 29 May 1876, Page 2

The prizes won at the annual meeting of the Auckland Bifle Association will, be distributed by the President, J. C. Firth, Esq., at the Young Men's Christian Association rooms this evening. The proceedings will be of a very interesting character, and it is hoped that a large attendance of members and intending members will give eclat to the occasion.

The final practice for the Grand Festival concert on Thursday, will take place in the Choral Hall on Wednesday night.

At a meeting of the Finance Committee of the Harbour Board ail application by Messrs Jones and Vare that they should be refunded the interest upon the £2000 deposited as security for the construction of the dock was considered. The Chairman pointed out that the difference made by the allowance of interest on the deposit -'would have secured .the contract to the second tenderer, nnd he had been informed that this condition of the contract was taken into consideration in framing the estimates upon which that tender was based. Under these circumstances it was resolved that the interest on the deposit in the present case be retained by the Harbour Board, but in future works the allowance to Contractors of the interest will be specified for the benefit of all tenderers.

Mr Dennes is determined to put his patent washing machines to the test, and challenges the Auckland washerwomen to the battle. The struggle for £3 a side will take place at a lime-light entertainment od a day to be announced, and any hand-washer, who gains the day, pockets £3 for her evenings work. If she fails Mr Dennes generously pays in 50s to a charitable institution.

The members of the Naval Brigade Variety Troupe are willing to give a performance in aid of the unfortunate sufferers by the Wairoa boat accident, but aro in doubt as to whom they should apply to. If tho leading movers in tho effort now being made to raise subscriptions will apply at this office, we shall be in a position to place them in communication with the members af the troupe.

The meeting of the shareholders of the Alburnia G.M.C., which was to have been held to-day, fell through for want of a quorum.

We are indebted to Captain McGillivray of the Llewellyn for files of tho Fiji Times to latest date, and to Captain Savory, of the schooner Favourite for New Caledonian papers.

The Government have at length circulated the Friendly Society's Act which is to be introduced during next session of the Assembly. The Bill is an adaptation of the English Act.

Mr George J. Brown has been appointed Postmaster at Gisborne. While in the Auckland office Mr Brown has officiated as organist at St Mary's Prcrnell, and will, we doubt not be regarded as a great acquisition by the music lovers of Poverty Bay. -

A little girl, the daughter of Mr Gilbord, of Wellesley-strect, was the means of preventing the outbreak of a fire last evening. As people were on their way to church, about six o'clock, a blaze was seen by Mr Hughes, superintendent of the Fire Brigade, at the back of Mr Gilberd's premises. Mr Hughes, on going to the spot, saw tho little girl busily engaged throwing water on a mattress, which was on fire. Mr Hughes immediately assisted, and the fire was speedily extinguished. Tho cause of the calamity could not be ascertained. The mattress was left out in the yard for an airing, and it is possible that a spark from somebody's pipe might have caused the flame.

We learn that the shareholders of the North Shore Ferry Company are about t° call a meeting for the purpose of considering the actioD of the directors in sending a representative to England to purchase a steamer.

Sir George Grey left town on Saturday afternoon, for a few days at his island residence at the Kawau.

The roads in the rural district of Pukekohe West, are said to be in a very bad condition; things are reported as exceedingly quiet, still several new buildings, and school teacherß' residence under the Education Board, are in progress, which the settlers recognise as signs of better times.

The bodies of Polkinghorne and Williamson have not yet been found, although search has been vigorously made between the Thames and Coromandel.

The Pakuranga hounds will meet on Wednesday at the kennels, Howick, and on Saturday at Ann's bridge. The hour of meeting at each place will be eleven o'clock a. m.

Some wretched thief found his or her way into the ante-room of Lome-street Hall, and purloined therefrom the silver communion cup belonging to Mr Edger's Lome-street congregation. Mr Fleming, the careful secretary, on opening the box, just before the commencement of the morning service, missed the communion cup, which must have been stolen by means of a false key. We hope the pilferer will be soon in the hands of justice.

The Choral Society's grand concert will be given to-morrow evening in the Choral Hall, for which a full rehearsal will take place tonight at half-past seven o'clock. The concert will consist of secular, instrumental, and vocal music from the best composers.

The first of the Total Abstinence series of lectures will be given this evening in the Albert-street, Temperance Hall, by W. L. Rees, Esq. The subject will be " Washington, and American Independance." B. Tonks, Esq., (Mayor), iB expected to fill the chair.

Messrs O'Donough and Earnshaw brought their pleasureable entertainment to a satisfactory close on Saturday evening, and the Marionettes made their farewell bow to the good people of Auckland. The performances were the same as on the previous evening, with the additional excitement of the giving away the prizes. The Marionettes have had a successful run in thiß city, and which we hope will follow them in their future travels.

A large drove of fine fat cattle has reached Kaipiha from the King country, and may shortly be expected in Auckland.

Bishop Cowie held a confirmation service yesterday morning in the little church of Ponsonby. The church was well filled on the occasion, and eleven young women took upon themselves tho responsibilities which their godmothers took for them when tho young women were little girls. The sermon in the morning by his Lordship, was preached from the text to be found in the Gospel of St John, c. 20, v. 17. Bey Mr Breo preached in the evening from Epheßians c. 5, v. 12.

The chairman of the Otahuhu Highway Board has received from the Colonial Secretary's office a reply to his demand for the Government grant due to that highway district. £46 19a lOd, on the promise of which sum of money the Board appear to have entered into certain required works, the contracts for which are about complete. The reply from Government to the worthy chairman is the reverse of satisfactory, and reads as follows : "The Government therefore find themselves reluctantly forced into the position of being obliged to impound moneys payable to the Board, until tho cost of the approach road to the station is recouped." It must have been with an "agony of reluctance " that the General Government were forced to the position of "sticking to the money." There is no doubt in the minds of most people that the General Government's agony of reluctance is being screwed on with respect to nearly every other Road Board, and apparently with equally good reasons. In the case of the Otahuhu Board there appears a barefaced injustice. The total amount of their rates is about £G0 per annum. They have a large extent of country to expend it on, and do not find their funds at ail adequate to the requirements of roads already made. The General Government grant of 15s in the pound was hailed as a great l.oon, and its seizure to pay the cost of the railway approach is considered by them to be a great swindle.