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Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 141, 16 June 1893, Page 2

The veteran statesman, Sir George Grey, will addres3 a public meeting at tho City Hall this evening, and there will no doubt be a large and representative gathering to hear him expound his views upon the polibieal situation. Sir George, while moßt friendly to the present Government, and while entertaining a very high opinion of the sterling qualities possessed by the present Premier, is by no means tied to any party, and hi 3 opinion upon all subjects of political interest from tho point of view of a disinterested statesman must command general respect and much weight. Tho dross circle will be reserved for ladies, and ladies accompanied by gentlemen. On the following evening (Saturday) Mr Thomas Thompson will address the electors of Auckland City. As Mr Thompson has been spokon of by the press of the colony a3 tho coming Minister for Public Works, special importance will be attached to his utterances, and the attendance should be large. Tho first of a series of winter evening entertainments in connection with the Richmond Primitive Methodist Band of of Hope was hold last ovening. Mr Maxwell presided, and spoke of the successful meetings hold in previous years. An address was givon by the Rev. W. S. Potter, and recitations were given by Bertie Daniolls, Miss Morgan, Miss Amy Over, and Miss Winifred Over. Mr Jonea 3p4 Mr Sootb couU:ibiibed.capital Eonge :

Mr Jackson Palmer, M.H.R.. addressed a large meeting of his constituents at Helensville last night, Mr Metz being in the chair. Mr Palmer received a vote of thanks and confidence. A Whangarei correßpondent writes:— " The weather has been really very web of late in this district, rain falling heavily and often. Horse traffic will tend to cut up the roadg whore there is much of it. However, we are not in so bad a state as some of your correspondents report iif the South, where the sheep are turning green from the hay seed sprouting in their woolly coats. While on the subject of gurafields and gumdiggers, it there could bo any arrangement mado with the diggers to plants portions of the fields they are in tho habit of frequenting, with forest trees of the eucalyptus tribe, that) grow so well aud quickly in our climate, and that the cattle will not eat, in a very few years it would alter the character of these naked desert-like tracts of country, and would replace in some degree the sad havoc that is being made on the forest area of th« North every year. The peculiarity of these trees is that they will grow on any land, and the gum workings would be an admirable place for them to starb upon. The best way to plant them would be to tow the seed over the workings and chip it in. There would be some danger of the young trees being destroyed with fire, but that would have to be guarded againsb by cutting a strip of fern or scrub round the plantation. This would be doing something for posterity. The wood of some of the varieties of these trees is admirable, and is now imported trona Victoria and Tasmania for cart shafts and other wheelwright work. Would the Royal Commission nob be within their duties to make suggestions 2 The counties could havecharge of these improvements within their boundaries." Mr H. K. Hovell, who is engaged^ in surveying work in the Auckland district, showed us to-day a remarkable geological specimen which he found lately while prosecuting a survey in the bußh down the coast. It is a large opal ,'or set of opals embedded in a piece of rock containing maganese. The rock weighs aboub two pounds, and the stone, which is of pure opal formation, is a very handsome one. The stone was found in quartz country in a hilly district. The opal formation has a face of three or four inches. Mr Hovell intends presenting the specimen to the Auckland Museum as there is as yet no geological specimen of this sorb in the local collection. At a meeting of the Committee of bhe Amateur Opera Club to-day, Mr A. S. Reid was appointed to the position of secretary, vice Mr Chaa. Chambers, who, though strongly urged to retain that position, could not see his way to do so. The offices of secretary and treasurer have been combined, and a definite araounb fixed as an annual remuneration to bo paid to the person acting in that dual capacity. The Opera Club contemplate the production oi an opera this seaaon,aß usual, and it) is hoped the requisite arrangements will be made very shortly. The usual weekly meeting of the Pitbstreet Literary Society was hold last night. The entertainment took the nature of an "All Members'" night, in which those present are called upon by lob to furnish items. The following was the programme : —Recitation, "The Spanish Champion," Mr Preston ; song, " Sailing," Mr Sfcott; speech on " Opening up the Country by a Syßtem of Good Roads," Mr Wilding; reading, "Three Black Crows," Mr Tregertha; song, " Anchored," Mr J. Langmuir ; recitation, "How the Charge of the Light Brigade is Recited," Mr Parkinson; recitation, " The Fireman's Wedding," Mr Cunningham ; reading, " The White Hen," Mr Holdsworth ; recitation, " Beautiful Snow," Miss Nixon j reading, " Lecture on Mormons," Mr Biunton ; song, " The Longshoreman," Mr A. E. Mat bin ; reading, "A Nighb of Terror," Mr Boyce ; speech, " Answar to the Question should Grand Juries bo Abolished ?" Mr Preoton ; reading, " Mark Twain on St. Ueorge'a," Miss Winsfcone ; recitation, " Woman's Pocket," Mr A. J. Tregertha. Ib has been remarked as a significant fact that at the Premier's Hamilton meeting the vote of thanks and confidence in the Government waß moved and seconded by two bona fide 6mall farmers, viz., Mr Barugh, of Tamahere, and Mr Forest, oi Cambridge. Both these gentlemen declared that the policy of the prssent Government was essentially in the interest oi small farmers. This is a valuable testimony, as refuting the assertion that the country settlers do not support the Government. Than in the case of " Mary Jones and her Bible " no more convincing proof of the truth of the aphorism "Great oaks from little acorns row" could possibly bo found. The marvellous magnitude of'the British and Foreign Bible Society's operations, as thown in our report of the Auckland auxiliary the other day, is directly traceable to the efforts of the little Welsh girl to promulgate Scriptural knowledge. Mr W. Brakenrig in an interesting address at the V.M.C.A. last nighb gave a sketch of Mary's career, and of the Society which sprung from her work. Added intere6b was given to the discourse by some '10 or 50 limelight views thrown upon a screen by Mr 11. H. Smith.

There was a large attendance last night at the usual fortnightly social of the Auckland Caledonian Society, held in the Foresters' Hall. Mr A. J. Grover presided. The following programme was gone through with credit:—Soi.g, " Down on the Farm," Mr Diamond ; song, " The Bonnie Hills of Scotland," Mrs Edmonds ; song, " The Ivy Green," Mr J. Earle; recitation, " Whar's My Stockm'," Mr A. Smith (encore, " Pat's Love Letter"); song, "Jessie, the Flower o' Durablane," Mr A. Tait; song, " Father's Love," Mr J. Ryan ; song, " Annie Laurie," Miss Martin ; rocitation, " A Soldier's Parting," Mrs A. Anderson ; duot, " Home to Our Mountains," Mrs Edmonds «nd Mr Tait; song, " The Picture That Was Turned Towards the Wall," Mr Diamond ; song, "John Anderson, My Jo," Mrs R. T. Michaels (encore, " Robin Adair"); recitation, " Pastor McKnock on Temperance," Mr A. Smith (encore, "The Labourer's Complaint"); song, " The Anchor' 3 Weighed," Mr A. J. Tapper (encore, " The Wings of Love are Weary"); dueb, " Huntingtower," Mr Jas. Stewart and Mrs Cottingham ; song, " The Song of the Labourer," Mr J. Ryan. At the close the chairman thanked the ladies and gentlemen who assisted in the programme. Mr J. Earl, the president, then rose and stated that ife would be the last time the Hon.W. Jennings would be amongst them, and after some kindly remarks in reference to the great interest he took in the affaire of the Society, called on those present to give him three hearty cheers. The request was vigorously responded to. Mr Jennings thanked the members for their expressions of good will towards him. The usual dance followed, Mr D. Robertson' acting as M.C.