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Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2516, 17 April 1878, Page 2

As the Star will not be issued on the evening of Good Friday, advertisers should send in to-morrow announcements intended for Friday or the day following. A report of Messrs Lusk and Hamlin's speeches at Otahuhu, and notes on the races, appear on our fourth page to-day.

A Hamilton correspondent writes : Sir, —I see by the STAR that return tickets at single fare will be issued in Easter week, but it says, " excepting for distances above 50 miles." Will you kindly explain what that means. Does it mean that people in Hamilton will have to pay the usual fare to go into Auckland, or that they would only get 50 miles of the journey at half-fare? By explaining the above you will oblige myself and others.—J.M. [The meaning of the restriction is simply that when the distance is under 50 miles a return ticket is available only for the day on which it is taken, but upwards of 50 miles the return ticket may be used the day following. It will be seen from a corrected advertisement in our fourth page that the railway authorities have issued new and liberal regulations relative to return tickets during the holidays.—Ed. E.S.] The members of the Auckland Free Methodist Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society held the first meeting of the winter session on Monday evening. There was a large attendance of members, and Mr George Heraus occupied the chair. Rev R. Taylor, the president, read an essay on the " Deity of Christ," which Avas duly criticised and a vote of thanks passed to the essayist. The rumour mentioned in our issue of yesterday that a man who has been working at Coromandel had come in for a fortune of £300,000, turns out to be well-founded. The lucky individual is Mr Michael Collins, a Londoner, of Irish parentage, who has received a letter from a London legal firm, informing him of the big windfall.

M. Riccardi, a baritone bass singer, whose credentials are unexceptionable, has determined to settle in Auckland as a professor of Italian and English singing, and of the Italian language. Speaking of his debut in London, the " Times" says :— "M. Riccardi who has, we understand, been singing in Italy, showed inllandel's ' Honour and Arms ' a' fine bass baritone voice, from which a .'great deal ought to come." M. Riccardi may be communicated with through Messrs Hoffman & Son, Queen-street. A meeting of creditors was called this morning in the estate of John Robertson, baker, but there were not sufficient creditors present to form a quorum. The meeting consequently lapsed.

Members of Court Zealandia, Ancient Order of Foresters, are reminded that a meeting of the Court will ho held at 8 o'clock this evening for the consideration of business of importance. The new service of song, entitled " The Man of Sorrows," will be performed tomorrow (Thursday) evening, in St. Paul's Cathedral Church, by the choir ; Mr Swallow presiding at tbe organ. The descriptive passages from Scripture touching the life of Jesus will be read by the clergyman, Rev. C. M. Nelson. The hymns are selected with nice judgment, and were arranged by Miss Palmer. The practice the other evening was successful, and the performance, it is expected, will draw a full congregation. The twentieth anniversary of the Baptist Sunday-school was held last evening in the school room. The tea-tables were amply spread by the ladies :—Misses Cooper, Parsons, Cleary, Martin, Ebden, Gaze, Jones (E. M.j, Jones (C), Wilson, Longmore, Pearson, and Wild. Rev. Allan W. Webb occupied the chair, and spoke pleasantly of his early days in connection with Sunday-school. The Secretary, MiGaze, read the report, which stated that the teachers numbered 30 ; scholars, 249—boys, 129; girls, 120. Average attendance in the afternoon, 159. Mr J. H. Willcox was appointed superintendent of the school in the place of Mr Battley. The balance sheet, submitted by Mr Ellingham, shewed a balance of £14 to the credit of the school. Addresses were given by Revs. D. Dutton, R. F. Macnicol, J. T. Hinton, and R. Taylor, also Messrs Willcox, Short, and Morgan. The choir sang a number of hymns under the direction of Mr Theo. Cooper, and a pleasant and instructive evening was passed. To the Editor : Sir,—You having given insertion to a most venomous letter from

. You must allow me to say in common honesty that the enormous bill for twelve months for conducting the business of the A.L.V.A., amounted to 19s. Bd. I will not say any more.—l am, etc., not a tiger's jacka'll, H. FULLER.—[Our correspondent attempts to identify the writer of an anonymous letter by name. a course which is unjournalistic, and cannot be permitted. —Ed. E.S.] The membersof the Tradesmen's Athletic Club met last evening in the Charlemont Hotel, and arranged for the sports at Ellerslie on the Queen's Birthday. The programme as follows was decided upon : — Quarter-mile Hurdle Race (handisap), Halfmile (handicap), One Mile )haudicap), Two Mile Walking Match (handicap), 120 Yards Maiden Race, 150 Yards (handicap), 200 Yards (handicap), Vaulting with the Pole, Putting the Stone, Tug of War, Potatoe Race, High' Jump, Hop-Step-and-Jump, and " The Yankee Horse."

The question of debate at the St. James' Young Men's class was, "Is death an evil to any one." Mr J. C. Macky opened in the affirmative, and contended that death is an evil, especially to the unprepared, as it introduced them to the eternal fire, or place of toi ment, prepared for the devil and his angels ; still, in other respects, death could not be considered an evil. Mr Wm. Cooper, in the negative, endeavoured to show that death was a physical necessity, a divine appointment, in obedience to the laws of nature. Mr Cooper disputed the doctrine of eternal punishment, in opposition to Bishop Butler, and other theological writers, and quoted ancient and modern thinkers in support of this. The question was freely discussed. Five speakers sided with Mr Macky, and seven with Mr Cooper, while' other members, from a feeling of timidity, refrained from expressing an opinion on either side.

The Primitive Methodists of the Newmarket district will hold a tea-meeting on Good Friday, in the district chapel, for the purpose of giving a hearty welcome to the Rev. Mr Jones, of Wellington, who will be stationed at Franklin-road, City East.

As Mr Hatswell was passing through the Auckland Hotel passage yesterday afternoon, he discovered a quantity of waste paper blazing up by the side of a doorway. He immediately stamped out the flames before the woodwork had caught fire. It is supposed that some passing smoker had cast his flaming match in a careless manner among the papers. Persons who indulge in the weed should be careful with their matches, and not throw them inadvertently among dry material.

Mr Horace Dean and several other prominent " woolly heads " of this city contemplate giving a show for the benefit of widow Lampra and orphans at an early date. Major Lusk inspected the following Volunteer Companies last evening in the Drill-shed :—Engineers, 34 rank and file, no officers, except Dr. Dawson, medical officer ; Victoria Company, 38 rank and file, Captain Derrom and Lieutenants Mahon and Skinner; Hobson Company, 30 rank and file, Captain Dignan and Lieutenants Clifton and Connolly; Scottish, 26 rank and file, Lieutenants Codling and Home. At the close of the general inspection, tho several companies marched through the city to the wharf and back, headed by their respective bands, aud a number of lively airs made the welkin ring with joyous sounds.

To the Editor : Sir, —Can you kindly inform me if a batsman knocks down the wicket when running, whether he is out ?— Yours, &c, Bat. [A batsman is only held to be put out when his wicket is knocked down while he is playing the ball.—Ed. E.S.J

The privileges of the Christchurch course for the Autumn meeting realized only the small sum of £75. The latest betting on the great Autumn Handicap is as follows : — 4 to 1 against Templeton, 4 to 1 against Longlands, 5 to 1 against Ariel, 7 to 1 against Trump Cardj 8 to 1 against Bide-a-Wee, 10 to 1 against others,