A SWEET THING IN LEADING ARTICLES.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 685, 9 January 1865, Page 3

A SWEET THING IN LEADING ARTICLES.

The new Pai Marire, or Hau Hau religion first made its appearance in the neighborhood of TaranaM. Its peculiarity consists in the mystical and unintelligible character of the language it employs. It would seem, however, that the tendency to cabalistic symbols is spreading to the European race, and has developed itself in the usually most transparent and commonplace literature of our language—the newspaper. He Archangel G-abriel, who is commonly reported to be on a visit to the Ngatiruanuis, and whose utterances reach us from time to time in disjointed Maori sentences, will probably have as much difficulty in tracing the meaning of the following article, as we have in penetrating the enigma of the Hau Hau; and we regret that we are unable to give him much assistance. Some of our readers may be more fortunate, and so we give the formula of words precisely as they are printed and spelt in the TaranaTci News. We shall be happy to publish a translation if anybody will send us one. But in the meantime we may safely arrive at the conclusion that it is not the votaries of the Pai Marire worship only whose utterances are due to the inspiration of spirits : — THE TAEANAEI NEWS. New Plymouth, December 29, 1864. The news from England has no very stirring incident associated. We learn, that, not Lord Palmerston, but,the Duke of Newcastle is dead: and missing a verr able minister, and honest politician—am avis. His demise, however, to be regretted, does not involve the political changes tie contrary event would assuredly have operated at the pending hour. In England it is true there is a powerful middle class which reigns supreme with an aristocracy principally borrowed from ite ranks, and there i> little danger to be feared from any crisis, the limits of the three estates is so happily balanced that they are compelled to travel on the same road without disturbing the equalisation of the unity that sustains the whole. Our politics in thu hemisphere are very difficult of realising. Hope has so long told a flattering tail that we begin to doubt its very existence. At the present hour there seems a pause in the New Zealand Government policy which is to a great extent disheartening and discouraging. Out of this comers an amount of wholesome impatience, but* nevertheless mixed Uf with all the endurance that belongs to the tribe sth 6th, or 7th, who desire rule in the place of misrule in the cause of humanity—tbe&ith that belong* to, long suffering is we believe the most; enduring' is ours who belong to Hrilijation w to * to^ii

readily. And so touching our faith in what* belong*: f to the action of Government, and the draft of feobps,. v of which, we have no detail so it is impossible not to '-■■ beliero that the portentous silence about Taranaki in **■■ all Government despatches indicates the sudden,. •■ certain, and empathio blow the policy of the new - Government is prepared to undertake, following the polioy dictated by Mr. Domett, adopted by one mia» ..• istry'and if not sold by another, end yet the ocly true * stick to rest upon. We shall see.

His Excellency thb Goyebnob.—A public meeting took place on Thursday evening at the Town Hall, Lyttelton, for the purpose of considering what steps should foe taken towards the reception of his Excellency Sir George Grey on his landing in Fort. The chair was occupied by Dr. Donald. On the motion of Mr. Kiesling, seconded by Mr. Hargreavee, the following resolution -was unanimously carried— " That in the opinion of this meeting his Excellency be met with a hearty welcome by the inhabitants of Lyttelton, and that all classes be invited to aid in so doing, and that a committee be appointed to act with the Municipal Council to carry out the requisite arrangements." The following gentlemen were appointed as the committee : —Messrs. Gibson, Har--1 greaves, Aynsley, Fairhurst, Westell, Messitei£ Jenkins, Kissling, Ritchie, Wilcoz, Byrn and Rayner. Mb. Roberts. —Mr. Coker's negotiations with the champion have been brought to a successful termination, and he is expected to arrive in Chriatohurch this day week, playing in Mr. Coker'e new Music Hull on the following day. The hall will be furnished with an excellent table, and seats will be erected capable of accommodating between 400 and 500 persons. Mr. Roberts will be accompanied by his agent, Mr. Norcliffe, and on his way here will give Oamaru and Tiniaru a chance of seeing his play. Racing Club-boom. —The Christchurch Tattersail's is to be opened to-night at the British Hotel, when the books will be ready for the reception o subscribers' names. A want especially felt at this season of the year will be filled up, and betting in the province will no doubt hereafter be carried on in a more systematic manner, and with more due regard for the true value of the horses than heretofore. Tea Meeting.—Wβ have heard that there will be a tea meeting at Saint Luke's school-room on Thursday evening next, at six o'clock. Several ladies have kindly undertaken to preside. At seven o'clock the chair will be taken, and readings and addresses on various interesting matters,"from several gentlemen, have been promised. The Saint Luke's choir will also sing selected pieces. One of the objects of this tea meeting is to enable a .small debt due on the addition recently put up to be paid off, we therefore hope the room will be full at the ap» " pointed hour. Thb Calcutta Swekpstaxbs.—The drawing for this sweepstakes will take place this evening at the British Hotel, at 7 p.m., and the sale of the various horses drawn will be conducted by Mr. Barnard immediately afterwards. All subscriptions must be paid before 4 p.m., or the ticket will be forfeited and disposed of before the drawing commences. The committee has decided that four-fifths of the whole amount shall be given to the holder of the first horse, and the balance to the second. Subscriber are requested to attend punctually to present their tickets m person or by proxy. Aβ Borne perhaps may refrain from investing in this lottery from a want of knowledge as to how it will be conducted, a brief account of the course pursued will not be amiss The name of each horse entered will find a place on a ticket, the difference between the number of horses and the number of subscribers who draw being made up by blanks. The horses drawn are then pat np to public auction, and should horse A be knocked down at—let us say for example, £100, the holder of the ticket gets half, the remaining £50 going to the sum that accrues to the holder of the winner. The holder of a ticket can, however, bid for his own horse, and should he wish to raise its price, he pays one* half of his bid (if a final one) to the fund, actually getting the horse at half price ; or, if his ticket does not represent one of the favorites, he can bid fo>; them with others. - . School Tbeat. —The annuaLtreat to the children' attending the Church of England School in the parish of Christuhurch will take place on Friday next. The School Committee decided that an exour* sson by railway would be the most enjoyable mode to the juveniles of spending the day, and application was at once made to Mesers. Holmes and Co; to take all the children, teachers and friends who may join, by a special train. These gentlemen at once most < willingly responded, and agreed to start a special s train, charging a nominal price Car' each return ticket —6d for children and Is for adults. Captain Morgan, of the Valley, has also .entered into the spirit of the treat, and offered the use of .his paddock for the games of the children and the convenience of his house for the ladies. This will be the first pic-nio on a large scale by railway in this colony, and no doubt will be much enjoyed by all who participate in it, Chbistohtxbch Vbstbt. —In order to pay off the debt due on the parsonage of St. Michael , ! Church, and to enable one being built in connection with the St. Luke's district, it is proposed to raise the sum of £1600 by debentures, which will be secured - by the Church Property Trustees as a first-charge on the income arising from the General Trust Estate for ecclesiastical purposes. The debenture will be for so small a sum as £20, bearing interest at ten par cent, per annum, to be paid off at the expiration often years, or by six months* notice if the Church Property Trustees desire it. Should the amount be raised, it wffl be the means of assisting the parsonages to be built ill some of the country parishes, which are much-, in need of them. The Church Property Trustee* re* quire a guarantee of one-third or one-half the wnnwut to be raised by the parish applying for a parsonage j in Christchurch they only ask the money to be raited* . they guaranteeing a fair rate of interest. The property situated in a triangular block near St. MiehaePf Church brings in about £200 a-yearnett income, ■*& - on this security the amount required for the erection of the St. Michael's parsonage vat advanerfbyldif Church Property Trustees, and the debt with interest is therefore gradually reducing year by. year. IS the debentures are taken np the balance -will be pa|i off, and another parsonage buOt. ■* - • - ; -Xaiapoi Mschaxxgb' isBtiXTOCB. — A, pubJJMV,; meeting of the subscribers end :4Hends to t&M&ijtt* tution was held* by: the'lriml£<-p>nitfNiiaW< >c? "MfigCS

BKB. Esq-, occupied the chair. Mr. Wm. GQkieon, Sreasuiei 1 , stated that the subscriptions already collected amounted to £165 19s, including £100 as the value of the land which had been presented to them ; he stated they only wanted £84 Iβ to make up the ■übscriptions to £250 to enable them to get the Government grant of £250 which had been promised provided they coDected an equal sum. They would, by getting the subscriptions and Government grant, be able to spend about £400 on the building, and could the required subscriptions not be procured, he proposed that a committee be at once appointed, and that they should proceed with the works with what cash they could raise, and probably, with a less sum nosed than the £250, the Government might still be induced to give assistance. He thought that were they only to get the building up the affair would succeed. A great many books, &c., had been promised when the building was once erected, and he thought the people of Kaiapoi would readily come forward and subscribe when they saw the building going up. He had prepared several subscription lists, and any one wishing to collect subscriptions might be supplied with one. Mr. Gilkison then proposed that the meeting be adjourned fur a fortnight to allow of a larger attendance. The meeting then adjourned. PsnrcKss'e Thbateb.—Thb Lystkb Tboupb.— ! Flotow's opera, " Martha," was performed on Satnrdaj night to a crowded house, whose repeated applause showed how well they appreciated the manner in which this charming composition was rendered. The cast was the same as when it was played daring- the last visit of the Lyeter company Madame Escott, as Lady Harriett, though the part is not one which brings into play those high qualities both as a singer and actress which she so eminently displayed on the former evening in the Lucrezia Borgia, showed herself not less fitted to excel in the lighter and more playful style, not unmixed with j occasional touches of deeper feeling, which the part demands. Her singing of " The Last Rose of Summer ,, was most beautiful, and elicited a rapturous and most well deserved encore. Mise Hodson, as Nancy, acted throughout with a grace- i fill piquancy which was perfectly enchanting. We must particularly mention the quartette in the spinning-wheel scene, which was given by the four principal characters in a style which could not have been surpassed, and was unanimously re-demanded by the delighted audierce. Mr. Kitte was amusingly pompous as the Mayor of Richmond, and his get-up no doubt well suited the old fashioned idea of magisterial dignity, though we do not think our own civic council will conceive that their chairman* would give greater effect to his position by the adoption of a similar costume. We are glad to find that the Lyster Company intend to extend their stay in Christ church orer another week. None of the four operas advertised for performance have been given before at this Theatre, and we congratulate the music loving portion of the community on the great treat that is in store for them.