Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 3555, 30 December 1881, Page 2

Carter, who won tho champion outrigger race at Mercury Bay, and Floyd, who also competed, intended to contest tho scullcre, race at the Dargavillo Kcgatta on Monday next, but have been deterred from bo doing by the small amount offered aa prize money. The result of the Mercury Bay match entitles Carter to receive £40 aud a handsome gold medal, now in tho hands of Mr F. 11. Lewißson, of Quocn-strect.

The half-yearly meeting of the Cure Gold Mining Company was to have bocu held to-day, but lapsed for want of a quorum.

To the Editor: Sir,—lhavebeen requested to ask the committee of the Choral Society, through your columns, if they could not arrange to have Mr Goidon Gooch to sine some of tho solos occurring in tho Messiah now tbat tho oratorio is to be repeated on Sunday next. With the choruses executed on Thursday every one appeared well satisfied, but disappointed (very signally so in one case) with a gentleman amateur. As I uuderstand it is simply a question of payment to Mr Goocb, who has very kindly given his cervices so far for nothing, there cannot suicly be tiuy trouble in getting over that small difficulty.— I am, yours, SUIISCEIIiBE.

The receipts at the Catholic baiaar yesterday amounted to £40, bringing the total up to £G7O. The bazaar will be opened at six o'clock this oveniug, and the Hobson Band will again be in attendance to con* tribute musically to the attractions of the affair.

During tho hearing of the Timaru arson ca.se, a question was raised by Mr Stout, counsel tor the prisoners, ns to the .status of the Insurance companies interested, When it appeared that not one of them bad been incorporated iv Now Zealand, and that iv consequence they had no legal status in tbo colony. The Urown Prose, cutor was therefore compelled to abandon tho counts alleging an intention to defraud theso companies. Tho names of the companies urn — The Imperial, the Ilanacatic of Hamburg, and the Norwich Union.

It is tho intention of Mr C. Dacro and other North Shoro gentlemen to inaugurate tho New Year by a grand display of lireworks from Mount Victoria (Klagetall' Hill) to-monow night, A large variety of tiroworks have been purchased, and the pyrotechnic display is expected to be an unusually brilliant one. There will also be exhibitions of rocket', bluo and red lights, etc., from the ycsuols in harbour, while a number of private boating parties have been formed te uoe tho " Old Year out aud tho Now Year in."

A general meeting of the Auckland Bicycle Club was held last evening in the V.M.C.A. rooms, There were 11 membera present. Mr K. Tudohopo was voted to tho chair. Tho minutes oE last meeting wore read and continued; the rules were also read and adopted, It was resolved that they should bo printed without dolay. As evidence of tho vitality of tho club, wo may state that 10 members are about ordering bicycles, which may bo expected iv tho course of throe mouthy. The time is not far distant when bicycle runs aud races will rank among tho chief out-door sports of the day.

A poor wretch named Colcman went to a Melbourne lock-up the other night and asked to be taken in, as he had nowftcre to go tr ,and was deatit Jtc. Colcmau was told he could not be locked up on an application of that character. Ho left, and iv a few minutes afterwards returned with a chair in his hand. He informed flic constable in charge that he had stolon it, and asked him whether he could not, under these circumstances bo locked up. Of course his request was at once granted.

Tho following rates of commission on monoy orders made payablo in tho United States are published in the "Gazette" :— Not exceeding £2, la Gd ; oxeccding £2 and not exceeding £4, 2s fid ; exceeding £4 and not exceeding £G, 3s (id ; exceeding £6 and not exceeding £8, 4s Gd ; exceeding £S and not exceeding £10, '.it (id. Tho exchange will come into operation on January 2.

About a year ago, a ysuth in the Lands Otlicc, at Sydney, forged a cheque for £800, with which he decamped to San Francisco. He is now reflecting in gaol. There was a great fuss in the ollice over this affair; one oilicor high in the service was disrated, and another dismissed. There •was a general overhauling of the work, an unusually reliable man was introduced,ami a perfoct system of accounts devised. The unusually reliable person is now waiting trial on two charges of misappropriating the monies of the Government.

The usual fortnightly meeting of tho City Schools Committee was held last evening. The annual statement of accounts was submitted, showing : Receipt.*, £381 8s Cd ; expenditure, £379 Is 4d ; balance, £2 78 2<f. Mr H. Q. Wade was appointed auditor. It was decided to ascertain whothcr the owner of an adjoining property was inclined to sell, with the obje t of recommending the Board of Education to purchase for enlargement of JNelson-Btrcot school playground. Tho question of nomination of two members for the Board of Education was discussed, and the committee decided that steps should be taken to hold a conference of the chairmen of various school districts for consideration of the matter.

The " New Zealand Times " states that sonic abaurd reasons were given by voters for the way they voted, but none were pro. bably more so than those given in the "Hawke's Bay Herald." At Havelock one man openly stated that he polled against Captain Kusell " because ho wore an eyeglass." At Hastings several others gavo as their reason for voting for Mr Sulton " that he had promised to relieve the working man of direct taxation," evidently completely ignorant of the fact that the working man doosnotnow pay direct taxation. And. to these mon is given the franchise ! We know of one votor who refused to voto for a "Liberal"because tho candidate dyed his moustache.

About the water-troughs "Simon Puro" thus delivers himself: " A short time ago someone 'sung out' about tho drinkingcups, and it is no doubt true that thoy want attention; but, to my mind, not half so much as the trough business; we want a complete reformation there. That a man (not to take the woman into consideration, and I presume that a horse driven by a woman wants a drink too) should have to got out of a cart, a buggy, or off hia liorse, and stand, losing time, pressing on a spring to let water flow out at the rate of a gallon or go a minute, is something that might have been consistent with tho antediluvian period, but in this ago of electric enlightenment it is far from creditable. I have no desire to scoff at the inventor of the present system, what I wish to see is a reformation : some contrivance by which the troughs may be kept always full without the water runniDg to waste; and, indeed, if the water is plentiful I think it would be beneficial to have a small continual overflow. If I thould write, 6r sing out till I was black in the face, that might do no good, but if all those interested wish for a remedy, let them unite and give one grand, concentrated, prolonged howl!"

A block of two-storied brick buildings is in course of erection at the corner of Wyndham and Chapel streets to the order of Mr John Marshall. The frontage to both streets is 77 feet, by 73 feet in depth. Tho block consists of cottages, with a shop at the corner, each of the former to have a parlour or fitting-room, 12 feet by 12 feet; Kitchen 12 feet by 13 feet; and scullery, 6 feet by 5 feet. A Btaircase from the sittingroom will give access to the upper story, containing two bedrooms, 13 feet by 12 feet, and 12 feet by 12 feet, respectively. The shop will be 18 feet by 14 feet, with a sitting-room, 13 feet by 12 feet; scullery, 6 feet by 6 feet; and on tho upper storey, to which the staircase springs from a passage, arc three bedrooms, averaging 11 feet by 12 feet. The roof will be ot corrugated iron. Mr Chatwiu is the contractor for the buildings, the contract price being £1,960, and Mr fl. G. Wade is the architect.

A private company have started a patent chicken incubator by thb hot water process tit Glendermid, Otago. Tho thing promises to be a great success, and it is claimed that 40 per cent, more chickens can be reared successfully than by hens. A machine is now being constructed to fatten the birds for market, as is done in America and France.

To the Editor: Sir,—To decide a bet, will you stato whether Lone Hand evor won an Auckland steeplechase—Yours, &c., Enquirer. [Yec, he won the steeplechase at the summer meeting of 1880, carrying 13 stone; four started.—Ed. E.S.]

The right of levying tolls at the Mount Eden Toll-bar was offered at Messrs Arthur's auction mart to-day, and purchased by Mr Smith at a rental of £26 per month,

Tho "Oamaru Mail" states that the directors of tho Oamaru Woollen Company have decided that Mr Ballantyne, manaecr of the company, shall proceed Ho me for the purpose of purchasing tho necessary machinery, &c The directors havo also received good encouragement as to placing a number of shares in the Melbourne marked

The members and friends of thoWhau Union C.C. intend holding a grand variety entertainment to-night in the Whau Hull, in aid of tho club funds. The entertainment will consist ot songs, recitations, readings, etc., for the Grst part, a dramatic piece for the second, and a select nigger performance for the third; the whole will conclude with a quadrille party,

Considering tho magnitude of tho disaster, singularly little money was spent in relieving tt.e sufferers by tho wreck of the Taiarua, The statement submitted at the winding-uD meeting in Dunedin lately showed that tho receipts wore as follows : — Union Company, £100; Dunedin Garrick Club, £20; balance of tho s.s. City of Dunedin fund, £20; engineers at Lyttelton, £12 ; Wellington Post Office, £9 17s 6d : Pinaforo Company's performance on board tho s.s. To Anau, £8 lGs—total, £170 13s 6d. The money was distributed as follows : Port Cbalmors cases, £112 14a ; Dunedin, £14 3s 9d ; Wellington, £12 10s; Oamaru, £7 2s ; Auckland, £6 ; Gore, £2 10s ; advertising exponses, £15 13s 9d-total, £170 13a Gd.

The " Salvation Army " fever exists in a mild way in Dunediu. Every Sunday evening (aaya the " Otago Paily Times") a numboc of the male members of the choir connected with Mr Brunton'a services in the Garrison Hall meet at Cargill's Monument, there sing a hymn, ami then marh—singing tho while— to tho Garrison Hall. Last evening one of tho number gave a thort address also from the steps of the Monument. It'need scarcely be said that a curious crowd gathers round to hear the siDging; but, save that there is a tendency to Btrike up opposition lyrics of a comic kind on tho part of lads, the proceedings are orderly. Last Sunday night, an unsympathetic sergeant of police gave the little band of siagers tho hint that they should not take up the a treatway, but intimated that the steps of the Monument were at their disposal. The anti-Chinese law in New Soiifh Wales is being enforced with great rigour, A solitary Chinese passenger by the Barrabool, from Melbourne, was [seized in Sydney by the Customs authorities, and Cuptain Stanford bad to pay his £10 admittance fee. This, however, will be returned to the worthy captain when he takes the man back to Melbourne, and he vows ho will not let him out of his sight until he reaches Victorian waters again. At Albury, on tho Victorian border, the Collector of Customs received a telegram instructing him to enforce the provisions of tho new Chinese Immigration Restriction Act, by collecting tho poll-tax of £10 from every Chinese entering the colony. In pursuance of these instructions six Chinese who arrived from the township of Bright, Victoria, were stopped. They declined paying the tax, and were handed over to the custody of the police, pending further instructions from head quarters. One of tho detenus had Victoriau naturalization papers. Tboy were brought up at the Albury police court, when the Sub-collector of Customs said tin would withdraw tho charge on the defendants leaving the colony, as this was the first case under the new law. A

YYodong.i market gardener, who supplied vegetables at Albury to customers, was prevented from entering tho colony.

Ampler provision for the accommodation of travellers to the Hot Lakes than lias heretofore boon obtainable is now about to bo supplied. Tenders have just boen invited for tho erection of a bathing pavilion ol twolvo baths, bath-kecocr's resilience, dispensary, and bathing-sheds at Lake Uotorua, and on tic Oth proximo the contract will be definitely arranged. The place selected for the construction of these works is tho margin of the lake, in close proximity to tho spring which has been termed " Tho Priest's Bath." Totara will be tho material used, and the water will be conveyed through wooden pipes, while attendanco and waiting - rooms will bo added to the bathing establishment proper at different springs on the margin of the lake. Open bathing • sheds arc also to bo put up for tho convenience of bathers. These arc all the works at present being tendered for, but Messrs Mahoney and Sons, tho architects, arc picparing plans for the medical olhccr's rcsidonco and a boarding establishment and hospital, for which tenders will be called iv due time. Tho hospital is intended to provide accommodation for twenty-four patieuti, and will have all the latest hygienic improvements, It will bo erected ova public reserve set apart for the purpose. Tho regular meeting of the Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon, Messrs F. E. Coinpton (Chairman), and J. M. Clark (Mayor), Wnddel, Thompson, Aickin, Stone, McKensfle, G. W. Owen, and Isaacs being present. Plans of tho Boston wharves and docks were received, and ordered to be acknowledged with thanks. The proclamationforthe JN orthcote wharf was executed, Messrs White and Hunt were granted a nine weeks' extension of their contract time, and an application by tho Postmaster-General for permission to erect a building suitable for fumigating mails | eithor on the reclaimed land, near tho railway station, or on the North Shore, on the water frontage opposite to the city, the building to be uudcr the control of tho local Board of Health,was referred to the Health Ollicer for his opinion. Thomas Deckett'a tender,viz., £610a per month for elf aring and gwqeping tho wharf, was acccptod,and tho ordinary accounts were passed for payment. Messrs Knssell and Devoro having intimated that certain of the purchasers of lease* holds had declined to execute leases upon the ftcrniH assigned, it was resolved that the conditions of sale should bo enforced. Tho Town Clerk wrote announcing that tho City Council had consented to concede the "quay ends " of Hobson-slraet and Nelsonstreet, and 25 feet of Qiiay-ntrect, to the Harbour Board, upon condition of the latter paying half the maintenance of Quay-street. it was agreed that the Board should pay half the coat of maintaining the street, This was the whole of the business done. Some discussion took place upon the desir- ' ability of regulating tho embarkation and landing of passengers at the Queen-street Wharf, but no decision was arrived at on the subject.

A decision of considerable importance to travellers was given in the Pollco Court this morning by tho Resident Magistrate. Robert SchnJiold was charged with a breach of the railway by-laws by riding in a carriage sot apart especially for ladies. It appeared from the evidence that he occupied a seat half inside and half outside the doorway, and not completely inside, and His Worship ruled that anyone on the platform could nut be said to bo in the carriage, and, therefore, dismissed the-case, Assuming the decision to be perfectly right, and we do not question it, a very interesting disclosure, which may assist tho public to a considerable saving in railway fares, is the result. Another section of ' the by-laws says that any person taking a scat in or upon any carriage or travelling therein without first having paid the fare is liable to a penalty. But no mention is made of the person who does not take a seat on tho carriage, but simply stands on the platform, There is no by-law to prevent him standing there, and, according to the decision given this morning, he is not inside the carriage, and consequently is not legally liable for the fare. Therefoic, he can travel frco of charge as far as he likes so long as ho does not sit down on the platform or enter tho doorway of the carriage. The whole of the railway by-laws have been so loosely drawn up that it is almost impossible to obtain n conviction under them. They were taken from the English regulations, and as the carriages there have no platforms, the word "in " is used, but in New Zealand, where there are platforms, the by-laws should have been made to read "on " the carriage. Had they been sent to tho police inspectors for revision before they were gazetted, they would doubtless have been made workable.

The ball court will be lit up by {.as to-night and to-morrow evening as well, and some good matohes will be played. Sweeney and Harry Thomas are most l'.koly the two who will b3 picked to play Mnrphy on Saturday night.—[4DVl.]

We shall finish up the old year by giving oar customers the benefit of o drop In the price of our provisions, the following being our list for to-morrow I—Bacon, 6d to 8d per lb; Ohceae. 7d; Fresh Batter, 8<1; Jams, 8d; Sperm (Jandles (full- weights), 8d; Tinned Peaches (21t>3 caoh), 8d; Pint Bottles Sauce, la; Fancy Soap, Sd per box; Cornflour, 8d per lb; all other things equally oheap and of guaranteed quality.— Auckland Provision Company, .Hit/ht Corner Stall, City Market. A. Eettany, Manager.