The Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3495, 17 August 1868, Page 3

The Daily Southern Cross.

LUOBO, NON DRO. 11 I h»v« b*«n •sUncoisbtd, y»l tbtra rl»« A thonMUnd bM^oni from tb« itpark I bore.

MONDAY, AUGUST 17.

as this, the petitions to the Government would have stood a good chance of success ; fortified by such a timely provision as this, the poor, the Bick, and the lunatics might have looked on without trembling at our vindication of constitutional freedom. And in spite of the omission to do this at the meetings already held, we are glad to believe that it is not too late. "We are confident that many, if not all, of those who sternly oppose the tax now are not unmindful of the needs for which that tax was meant to provide. The need, however, is a very urgent one ; and we hope that in the future anti-poll-tax meetings held in this province it will be recognised that, so far from a different question, the present provision for the sick and destitute is part and parcel of the question of repealing the poll tax. And this we maintain to be so, not because a good purpose makes just a bad tax, but because the best of causes may be discredited by the omission of something in action of which all approve loudly in theory.

We have beard that the Post-office business will be transferred to-day to the new premises at the foot of Shortland-street. Saturday being the anniversary of the birthday of H.J.M. Louis Napoleon, the 'Dorade' celebrated the day by the firing of a salute of twenty-one guns, and hoisting a large quantity of bunting. High Mass was celebrated at St. Patrick's Cathedral at 11 o'clock, and later in the day a number of officers belonging to the garrison were entertained on board the ' Dorade.' Pressure on our space comp Is us to hold over our detailed report of the proceedings till to-morrow. At the Prince of Wales Theatre on Saturday the entertainment were "The Crown Prince," a medley dance by Miss Brown, and the Brand mythological burlesque of "Ixion." To-night the rerformances will be for the benefit of Miss Harriet Gordon, when Mrs. Robert Heir will appear as Miami in the play of "Green Bushes." "Jxon" will be performed for the last time, in which piece Miss Gordon has ample opportunity for displaying her ability as a vocalist. We hope and expect to see a full house mi the occasion. We perceive that Mr. and Mrs. B N. Jones take their complimentary benefit on Wednesday Dight next in Sheridan Knowles's celebrated comedy of "The Love-chrtSe-, " when Mrs. Robert Heir will appear in her great impersonation of Neighbour Constance. Mr. ami Mrs. Junes are so well known and generally appreciated by Auckland playgoers that we may safely predict that their numerous friends will muster in large numbers on the occasion. The two men, McDonald and Wilson, charged with stea ing a large quautity of jewellery from the dwelli(ig-h"UBe of Mm. Emily B oxsome, Cookstreet, will bo brought up at the Police Court this* morning. A meeting of school-teachers was held on Saturday afternoon at >>t. Matthew's Sch»ol-room. Only a few of the teachers were present, aud as the subj-ct to t>e discussed was of a Very grave character, and bad a direct reference to the Provincial secretary, it was thought advisable to adjourn the meeting till a greater number of teachers w ere present. A seaman, belonging to tha three-masted schooner 'Little Fred' had a narrow esoape from drowoin g about eight o'clock last night. It appears that the man was under the influence of liquor, and had eng'geii a waterman's boat to off to his vessel. In walking down the steps, near the watermen's hut, he missed his footing, and fell into th« water between the steps and the pillars supporting the T, bis head coming in contact with one of the pillars. Fortunately at the time the water was nearly at low ebb, and the man succeeded in grasping one of the beams, and thus keeping his head above water until rescued by the persons in charge of the boat — Heury Keane, jun., and William Marshall, jun. In accordance with the rider of the jury at the inquest on Mr. Henry White, who lo«t bis life a short time ago from fallins; off the wharf, Mr. Naughton, Commissioner <i Police, h»s stationed a constable to do duty at night in that vicinity ; but it is too much to expect that a constable can, when the wharf is so crowded as it invanably is on Sunday evenings, detect every person who may chance to go down under the influence of drink. At the Police Court on Saturday last, one drunkard was summarily disposed of, and permission was given to Mr. W. A. Clarke, proprietor of the Alexandra Hotel, Parnell, at the request of the brethren of the Odd Fellows' Hall, Queen-street, for the special occasion of a bill to be given in that huilrling this evening On the application of Mr. J. King, Relieving officbr, a warrant was issued against Mary Taylor, at present in the Destitute and Lyiag-in Hospital, and believed to be of unsound miact. As »n example of the enterprise of the times consequent upon the development of the Thames goldtielda, we may mention the fact that Mr. J^mes, QO.E., Victoria-street, has been to considerable er| euse in having prt-pared a number of handsome business circulars, surmounted by a photograph of the hotel, and ne.itly framed in mottled kauri. The increased accommodation and comforts of the hotel are set forth in the body of the card, the whole being handsomely illuminated. These cards are to be seut to all parts of this, and the neighbouring colonies. A private letter from Parramatta informs the Yass Courier that the clergyman who had resigned his cure in consequence of the scandal created by his intended maniage to the daughter of a local innkeeper, and an extract of whose farewell sermon appeared in a recent issue of that paper, was duly married on the 14th inst. " The chuich and churchyard was crowded like sheep in a pen,and it was with difficulty the bridegroom could get his bride into the carriage. He had to get in first, and then pull her in. All the widows anil mothers with grown-up daughters are as mad as lunatics in an asylum." Orders have been received by the last mail for the battery of Royal Artillery stationed at Melbourne, i under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, to >>e in readiness to depart for Ceylon, 'in* means of i transport have not >et been provid d, nor is it supposed that the actual departure will take place for a few weeks to come. The Melbourne Argus of July 17 says:— "The Board of Agriculture have renewed their lease of life for ODe year, on the promise that they will grapple in earnest with the question of nf»rm. The deputation appointed at the general meeting of the day before waited on the Chief Secretary yesterday and explained their case. Mr. McCulloch admitted that the liabilities incurred by the various agricultural societies in the country in expectation of the usual an Dual graut should be considered ; but be aske I the board that, as the desirability of their reform was acknowledged by themselves, they sh-uld furnish him with sng s e-tions respecting the direction that reform hhould take, so that Parliament m ght consider the vote and the p-omised reform at the same time. The Hon. W. H. F. Mitchell, the spokesman of the deputation, replied that the general meeting of the day before had instructed the council, assisted by other members, to bnn/ up a scheme for remodelling the board, to be laid before the general meeting in August next ; and »s the vote would not be before Parliament by then, the Chief Secretary might rely ou getcing the « suggestions ' in time. On the understanding that this would be done, Mr. MeCulloch promined to put-the usual vote for the board upon the estimates for 1868."