THE Daily Southern Cross

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5602, 31 August 1875, Page 2

THE Daily Southern Cross

LUC'KO, NON URO. If I hfcv* liuea •xtttiKulihcd, jrtt tbirt iIm A. lUuujiuJ b*Mona trom U>» apuk I bon.

'J'l'KWAr, AUUUST 31. 1875.

Am our readers will be aware, tho great International Exhibition of 187(5 will bo hold in Fairiuount Park, Philadelphia, opening on tho 10th of May next, and closing on tho 10th November of thusainu yoar. Now Zealand and tho other Australaaiun Colonies havo boon invited to contribute with tho rest of tho world to tho gonor.il exhibition of natural product*! and art construction ; and, young as thin Colony in, it is (juito capable, wo believe, of putting in an appearance in the exhibition of natural products that will stand a favourable comparison with that of older, and oven wealthier communities. It is inattor of satisfaction to iind thnt the Colonial Govorninont of New Zealand did not accept the BUggcHtion made by the Government of Victoria, that the Australasian CoIoiuob should combine for the concentration of their united exertions, so aH to impart to them the charactoristicH of a national movement, by making Melbourne the central deprtt for tho accumulation of Australasian exhibits, and merging them all into one group of each class, under the head of Australasia, in the Philadelphia Exhibition. To have done so would have been to sink the whole of AiiHtrala-sia into a Victorian Exhibition, as our wide-awake fellow colonists on tho other side of the water very well know, besides crippling this Colony exceedingly, as it would very much havo reduced tho time at our disposal for tho preparation of exhibits, which it was intended to havo shown in a preliminary Colonial Exhibition to have been held in Molbourno. Now Zealand is able to stand alone in such matters, and it is dosirablo for her to do 10, and to put forth her claim for distinctive notice and attention ; and if wo wisely confino oursolvos, as recommended by the Colonial Secretory, Dr. Pollen, in the papers in reference to the Exhibition, recently laid bofore Parliament, to exhibits almost exclusively of tho natural productions of the Colony, in thoir raw state, we shall have no eauso to regret tho independent stand which the Government have taken in the matter. It would bo manifestly unwise for a young colony, ftuoh u Now Zealand, where manufactures are in their infancy, to place its crude efforts in juxtaposition with tho h'nishod workmanahip of tho world. The exhibit* recommended by the New Zealand Government are gold, coal, and other minerals ; wool, grain, and other produce ; timber , flax, including ropy and other articles manufactured

from th<> plmmiium tenax ; tanning barks, and leather ; preserved meats and fruits ; samples of tobacco loaf and kauri gum. Tho two latter are specially desct ving of careful selection. 'The northern portion of the colony has all the capabilities of becoming a good tobacco-growing country, and if such a sample of the plant grown here were shown to the American tobaccogrowers, an carried this conviction with it, it is more than probable that they nii^lit be induced to take some practical interest in the matter, and thus push ahead an industry which has been but little advanced in the colony. In tlrj matter of j kauri gum, America is our best and chief market, and there in, therefore, all the more need that tho n tmost care should be taken iii making good selections. Sir Junes Voukl ho* further suggested that.tho New Zealand Commission might, with advantage, mako arrangements with Mr. Gully and Mr. Bakravu (and why not Mr. Hoytjj i) to furnish a series of water-colour drawings, as being liuioh more suitablo than photographs to give an adequate idea of the scenery of the country. As we have said, the Government ha\e decidod on standing alone, independently of Australia, in the Exhibition of 1870. There is, therefore, all tho moro necessity for energetic action on the part of intending exhibitors, and, allowing for the usual delays in such matters, no time to spare ; more especially as it is not known what u the latest date at which articles for exhibition will be received in America. The collection of the various articles for exliihitiou has boon entrusted to the Governments of the soveral provinces, whoae' duties it will be to furnish them, for arrangemont and classification and actual transportation to America, t-> tho care of the K >y.il Commission appointed by the Govkknoii for that purpose. The necessary ci ist h.ts boon placed at the disposal of tho several Provincial Governments, and certain definite instructions have been furnished. As mentioned, tho class of exhibits 1ms been indicated, and 'still further instructions have been Issued that, " without desiring to fix special limits for the bulk of each exhibit, it is advisable that, generally, the quantity should bo small." Thus, a single fleece of wool will show tho character of a class as well as would a balo, or a halfbushel of grain, or a half-cwt. of coal, as well as a ton of either. This rule applies to all exhibits, and would save much expense to all concerned. As respects this Province, our settlers should be able to compare favourably with the rest of New Zealand in each one of tho natural products embraced in tho classes of exhibits recommended by tho Colonial Government to be furnished to tho Commissioners. If wo do not grow tho largest clips of wool, we grow some of tho very best in quality. Gum is an Auckland speciality ; and in timber we can challenge the rest of New Zealand to compare with us ; while in the production of gold, copper, silver, coal, tobacco leaf, minerals generally, and mineral waters, wo can fairly hold our own. In timber this Province should make a magnificent show, not merely in excellence for a variety of mechanical purposes, but in beauty of grain ; with pohutakawa, onethird stronger than English oak, for shipbuilding purposes ; kauri, unsurpassed for building, and as masts for vessels ; hakihaki, for closonoss and hardnoss of grain, as useful for tho purposes of tho engraver us boxwood itself ; and with totara and mottled kauri, and a half-score | of other woods of a beauty, when polished, equal to mahogany, rosewood, or maple. Auckland may, at least, hope to carry the palm in her timber exhibits, and might, if time had servod her, and such an exhibit have been receivable, have capped thorn all, and challenged tho world to competition by conveying the exhibits of the Colony in an Aucklandbuilt clipper vessel, constructed of Auckland timber, rivetted with Auckland copper, furnished with rigging and sails of Auckland-grown flax — as fine a model of ship-building, as swift a sailer, and as good a sea- boat, as any other country in tho world could produce. Amongst othor exhibits wo trust to see tho Colony produce, will be that of a team of riflemen, which, if it does not bring back with it to Now Zealand tho Challenge Cup of the world, shall at least show that the colonists are as capable of holding their own in the field as they are of doing so in the various other crafts for which the stock from whence they spring is second to none. Before concluding these remarks we wish to place on record the sourco which inspired the pretient action of the Now Zealand Government in roferonco to the independent stand takon by the Colony in tho forthcoming International Exhibition. When tho Colonial Ski-kk-tauy received from Sir Rkdmond Barry, tho Chairman of tho Victorian Philadolphia Commission, the proposal to join with Victoria in making tho Australasian contribution a common one, a circular was sent to tho soveral Superintendents of Provinces, asking their opinion on tho subject. That received from Mr. John Williamson, tho then Superintendent of Auckland, was characteristic of the man. Although tho Victorian proposal was alluded to in the circulir as desirable, ho alone, of nil the Superintendents, stood forward as tho advocate of Now Zealand's ability to stand forth alone, and of the advantage to be gained by her in doing so. " I think," ho says, " it would be a matter of great importance to New Zealand tl.ut her resources should bw worthily, and as fully as possible, represented in the forthcoming Exhibition at Philadelphia. At the same time, I am of opinion that the 'articles to be sent from this Colony should be forwarded direct to America, after careful selection and preparation under our own supervision, and that they should not bo transmitted to another colony in these seas for 'judicious selection there.' A direct commercial connection botwoon New Zealand and America may bo reasonably expected to grow and flourish under the permanent arrangements which are now being made for trans-Pauific communication by steam; and tho Colony will thus bo placed in the very best and foremoat position for availing itself of tho advantages to be derived from such a connection, which -will undoubtedly bo mutually beneficial to both countries. To give effect to such a proposal as I have indicated, I would suggest that the soveral Provincial Governments of New Zealand should be requostod and empowered to collect, for the Exhibition, the articles that might be considered most suitablo ; that tho whole should be carefully classified and arrangod, under tho direction of duly qualified persons appointed by the Colonial Government ; and that they should bo transmitted to> America direct from this Colony."

Bv tho arrival of the 'Hero,' yestorday, wo have later European intelligence to the 22iul iniUnt, which confirms the (statement previously received, that wool hail fallen lAd. perlb., and even more on inferior parcels. This ia unsatisfactory intelligence for our New Zealand flock -masters, now that the clipping season is fast coining on The fall of even Id. per 11). makes a difference of £173,000 on the value of tho New Zealand clip, reckoning the annual produce eve-u at the quantity

ovpoitftl iii 1873, which was over I 4l,()0(»,000ll». Prices, however, had risen ' as uw-h ;m 2d. per lb. since the March Bales, so that, after all th« price will probably not be lower than that of hut year. The Turkish difficulty still remains unsettled, though Russia, (icrtnany, and Austria, were all using thoir influence t<t bring about a return of the revolted province to iti allegiance. Of general news there is little. The New Zea-1-uid four-million loan has been quoted on the Stock Exchange ; ami we learn of the burning of another — this time a home-ward-bound — ship at sea, but, fortunately, without loss of lite. From Sydney we learn the distressing intelligence of the massacre of Commodore Goonrcsormr, and two ssameu of H.M. s. ' Pearl.' Coin* tnodore CfoouK.votcjif, like Bishop Pattesov had laboured zealously m the cause of ttie very najtives at whoso hands he met his death, anil both have been the innocent victims of the nefarious labour trade, which for nova* yesra past has been carried on in those snas. His death has oaused a gloom in Sydney where the ' Pearl' -wo* more kuown than in these waters. An importaut decision has been arrived at by the Standing Orders Committee of the New South Wales Legislature, which reports that the Assembly has . no power to punish for broach of privilege, or to summon witnesses to the bar of the House, ami recommends the introduction pf a bill to increase the powers of the Assembly. Iu Victoria, the Berry Ministry hare all obtained scats in the new Parliament, save the Minister for Education, Mr. Anderson. There is a geueral feeling that the Ministry cannot stand. The Atutrnlaiuan holds them cheap apparently, when it speaks of them in the following terms :— " An unscrupulous horse-dealer, trying to pass off a brokendown, siiavinod, fractious, jibbing, badtempered striuu of animala upon a good jndgo of horseiicdh, familiar with all the trioks of the trade, could hardly feel moro awkward than Mr. Brisk v must have fi.lt 0.1 Friday morning when lie trotted out his ministerial team nmbr the practised, keen inspection of Sir William Staw r.u.. It would be attributing a false position to Mr. Berry were wo to asinine that ho was visited by any of Ffilatatt'a compunctions as to his lnitnidCH of the King'* press, or that he felt any delicacy of feeling about marching through Coventry with hi* tatterdemalion following. But Mr. Berry is too old a politician not to know that such a Ministry as that he has raked together is wanting in every element that commands support. His gathering of ragged Inlunaels, the Bedouins of politic*, united only by the common principle of self-seeking, has nothing whatever to keep it together save the greed for office at any coat. The practical question for Mr. BERtn is, of course, not whether the tie of self-interest is sufficient to hold his troop together, but whether he and they can command any support. On this ground lie has, indeed, strong reason for apprehension." Lurline appears to be the favourite for the Metropolitan and weight-for-ages' races, while Kingsborough, Uoldsborough, Reprieve, Eros and Llama are all spoken of as dangerous opponents, and chief amongst these— Kingsborough. Lurline is said to be in finer form 4lian she was ever seen before. For the Melbourne Cup, the betting is 100 to 12 against Imperial; 100 to 7 against Dilke, and 100 to 6 against Neotsfield (taken in each case). 100 to 4 has been offered against Kingsborough and Uoldsborough, and 100 to 3 against|Harricot, the winner of last year's cup. In the Champion Stakes, 100 to 10 has been offered against Kingsborough, Goldsborough, The Diver, Lurline, and Melbourne ; and in the case of Goldsborough taken.

The working of tbo Land Transfer Act appeats to be satisfactorily progressing; the department (hiring the last two years having been more than self-supporting. " Notwithstanding," says the report, "some excep tional difficulties, chiefly in relation to native huula (but wliich have now for the inout part been removed) the Laud Transfer system has, I believe, here as elsewhere, answered all reasonable expectations, and may be justly claimed an an important reform in the practice of conveyancing." Neither, it would seoin, lias there been the falling off in receipts of the Deed* Registry department which was anticipated in consequence of the introduction of the Land Transfer Act, the receipts for the year being in excess of those for the preceding year. As is known to many of our readers a new title from the Lands Transfer office gives an indefeasible title to the property conveyed. When, therefore, the unreliable character of the public surveys in niAiiy parts of the country is taken into account, and that the (iovenunent in issuing these new conveyances takes the responsibility of title, it can be understood that the cost of such a department might have been much heavier in proportion to the work done than it has been. The expenditure for the yen* wan only £8,000 for busiuess done, in which figure 2,771 Crown grants issued; 3,488 transfers made, ami 2,012 mortgages registered under the Act, and 1,763 applications.

The question of tlio rotation of these colonies to the mother couutry U still occupying the attention of statesmen and others at home, ami the Imperial Govern* meat has been taking steps to forward the confederation of the South African colonies. Mr. Fitori>K bos visited the Cape Colony as a delegate for England in the Confederation Conference to be held there. Acting in such capacity, we are justified in presuming that Mr. Fuovvk, in his utterances in reference to the policy Great Britain may dewiro to carry out with regard to her colonies is speaking authoritively. He is reported to nave said that so long as the colonies are in their nonage, "so to say, so long, that is, as they are occupied entirely with bringing out the resources of their soil, and are unprepared to undertake their own defence against external aggression, so long will our flag fly over them. TJicy must continue under our protection, and any power which meddles with them must know that it will have to reckon with Great Britain. So it is with Australia, so it is wi h Canada, and jo it is with South Africa. For the present, to this extent, you remain, aud must remain, a British dependency ; hat a time will come— in your sous' days or your grandsons' days, we cannot tell when, but a time will come— when you will arrive at maturity, and must assume the duties as well as the privileges of a full and perfect nationality. It will be for you then to choose whether you will be independent and add another to the free natiuiu of the earth, or whether you will remain with (Jreat Britain, no longer as a dependency, but as an eijual, as a partner, in the Imperial .State of ttic Groat British Dominion, to share»its honour*, its glories, and its dangers. On that choice, when the time comes, Great Britain will exercise no influence. If you prefer to leave us we shall regret your loss, but we shall not oppose your inclination. If you remain there is nothing which England haa to offer of which you will not have an equal share with her. If the question of our relations with the mother country has been again raised, it is satisfactory to liud that it is entered upon in a very diticicnt spirit to that in which in a previous administration of the Imperial Government was taken by the Colonies as a polite intimation that whenever we chose to cut the cable, we should be perfectly at liberty, aud heartily welcome, to do so. That time has been pointed out as inevitable, but not in our days — or, perhaps of our sons or grandsons. Meantime, we are welcomed to the family circle, not as skcp-childreu whoso room is barely tolerated, but as entitled to share the honours, the glories, and the dangers and the protection of the family association.

As nothing has been done by the Harbour Board in the matter of providing increased accommodation for the importers of good* by steamers, whoso stay at the wharf for the discharge of cargo ii neceswrily limited to a very short time, the agents of the ' Hero ' have, wo »ee, uiade special arrangements for

the convenience of consignee^. Tlie ' Hero ' leave* again for Syilney on Wednesday, ami the cargo, as it is landed from the steamer, will be sorted alongside, and stacked separately, according to the different inarks,^^_ that owners will have no difficulty in fiudi^V and at once removing, their respective cfl^ stgnments of goods. The goo.la thus landed will remain on the wharf till four o'clock in the afternoon, after which hour they will he removed to the wharf sheds, and will then only h« handed over to consignees on payment of .3*. Gd. per ton for trucking to the shed, and for receiving into, and delivery from, the same ; and a further charge of 4<1. per ton storage for every clay they remain in the shed. The arrangement is one which will, at least, seenre to consignees protection to their property, and it will be their own fault if they suffer themselves to be put to unnecessary expense by leaving their goods uncarted from the wharf after 4 p.m. today.

We publish a .Supplement with this clay's issue, containing Australian and other news. Gifts of newspapers and books are earnestly solicited for the Old Men's Refuge. Onr Wainku correspondent writes : — A meeting of the Committee of the Wainkn Agricultural Association was held on Saturday last, at which it was decided to offer prises for the best crop of mangold*— prizes to be awarded in May. We understand that the Health and Immigration Officers have recommended thatth? ■hip 'D.>vjr C.»stle," with all hands, be admitted to pra'ique withont delay. As it is probable that this recommendation will be adopted by Sir Geergc Grey, as chairman of the Board of Health, who hat been tele graphed to upon tlis subject, the vessel may be expected up from Motuibi by to-morrow (Wednesday) at farthest. The immigrants were all landed in parties, with clothing ami bedding which have been thoroughly fumigated and again transshipped, the ship's compartments in the incautime having baen airefnlly cleansed and disinfected. The immigrants are all in good health, and no now cases of scarlatina have occurred. v Mr. Heslop, of Shortlaud street, lias iinported an extensive plant for the manufacture of India rubber stamps, either hard vulcanite or the ordinary soft rubber. They are now so extensively used, that it is almost unnecessary to state that, for domestic use, they are adopted for marking linen, clothing, and books; for business purposes, of great value as time-savers in stamping papers and documents for merchants, bankers, public companies, and store-keepers ; the price is only about half that hitherto clarged. We are glad to see manufactures of this kind started here, instead of sending money out of the place, no matter how small they are. The annnal meeting of the shareholders in the Thames Gas Company was held yes - terday in the company's office. The report of the directors was adopted, who recommended a dividend of 5 per cent, on the last half year's transactions. The retiring directors were re-elected, as well as the auditor. A report of the meeting appears in another column. Mr. Alexander Crawford has been appointed an engineer, surveyor, and inspector of steamers for the colony of New Zealand. The native title has been extinguished over' the Kopnapoto block in the Thames district. A wooden bmilding, covered with shingles, on the Shortland Wharf, has been appointed a warehouse for the examination of goods by the Customs authorities at the Thames. That indefatigable amusement caterer for the Auckland public, Mr. De lias, has succeeded in securing an accession to the company which has lately bfon playing at the l'rinceof Wales Theatre. By the 'Hero,' which arrived yesterday morning, came two Lulics and two gentlemen who have established a colonial reputation for themselves. Miss Carrie George and Miss Emma Rogers, Mr. 11. W. Lawrence and $fx. J. Burton will make their first appearance op Saturday night, until which time the theatre will be closed, as tin management have determined to bring all the resources at their command into requisition in order to put upon the stage in a thoroughly efficient manner the new pieces about to be produced. The " Crimson Scarf " is to be performed at the Choral Hall to-night. Prom the great success of its presentation by the same dramatis personte on a former occasion, there can be little doubt of a great treat being provided for those who go to listen to the excellent music and singing, and to witness the admirable acting with which this lively opcrettta abouuds. Tickets can be procured at Mr. Upton's, as well as at the doors of the halT The steamer 'Manaia,' from Coromandel, was the bearer yesterday of l,900oz. gold for the Union Bank of Australia. The watch-house last night was again very full. There were iire delinquents charged with drunkenness, one with vagrancy, one with larceny of two gallons of ale, and one with a breach of the Customs Regulations. There was also a lunatic waiting foe the necessary examination to qualify for admission to the asylum. A meeting of creditors in the estate of F. Barnes' was hold yesterday, at the office of the provisional trustee in bankruptcy, Thomas Macffarlane, Esq., but no creditors appeared to prove against the estate. The liabilities are set down at £141, and the assets at £25. In consequence of auy creditors failing to prove, the estate has become vested in the provisional trustee, At the meeting of the City Council yesterday, tins question of the waterworks and the water rights to Low and Motion's springs came up. • It appeared that Mr. Motion considered himself entitled to the use of the water until the 1st day of June, 1876. In consequence, however, of tho progress of the works in the hands of the contractors, Messrs. T. and 8. Morrin, it was found necessary to cut off Mr. Motion's supply. This was accordingly done, and for which £.">00 compensation was requested. Mr. Motiou's right to the water was in lieu of one year's interest on tho sum of £10,000. The City Council settled the matter for £300, and no further rights to the water are now extant. At the theatre, last night, the performance was for the benefit of Mr. Collier, who appeared as Rip van Winkle, in the play of that name. There was "but a poor house, but the beneficiaire played with his usual power, and was as ably supported by the compauy as its limited number would permit. At the twunination of the drama, in compliance with loud calls from the audience, Mr. Collier came before the curtain and thanked his patrons for their attendance. He took the opportunity to announce that Mr. De Lias had secured some talented artists who had arrived by the 'Hero. In order to prepare for the appearance of these, the theatre would be dosed for a few nighte. The capital burlesque of "Aladdin" followed, iu which Miss Clara Stenhenson played the " idle, Tagaboud boy" with great spirit. The other characters were well .sustained by Mr. and Mrs. Collier, Mr. and Mrs. Poole, Mr. Searle, and Mr. Deeriog. Enquiry is made thrangft' thegQqjonia Secretary s Office, for the present^^fcftbout* of a man named Thomas A. Keimdny, a native of Barbadoes, who sailed from the London Docks, about five years ago, ai second mate in a vessel bound for Yokohama, Japan. Ho was last seen by a frieud of his, near Auckland or Wellington. He is described m a short, stout, muscular man, about 30 year* of age. The Rev. J^ Nolan delivered a lecture last night, in the Devonport .Hall, upon the subject of "Ghosts." His audience was not large, but th« lecture was of an interesting and amusing character. A- summary of the lecture appears iu another c/jlumn. No eligible tender fo# the completion of the Bercsford street Congregational Church having been received, Mr. Herepath advertises that fresh teuders will be received until 4 p.m. on the GtU inst.

For some time past the United State.*Minstrels have been performing in Australia. In Melbourne, they had a run of over six months, the longest run yet achieved by any minstrel company who hav« visited Australia On the departure of the "Hero' they wore performing in Sydney to crowded house*, and as it is the intention of Mr. Lovel, the agent to the troupe, shortly to visit Auckland to make arrangements for their appear- | ance here, the following notice of their first appearance in Sydney, from the Si/diii;/ j\forni»<t Hcvtthl, may be read with intere&t : — "T} ( e first appearance of the U. S. Minstrels at the School of Arts, on Saturday evening, was an unqualified snecess, the hall Laving been literally crov.le.l to suffocation, and crowds of people were unable to gain admission into the hall. Entertainments of this character are always popular in Sydney, but the tioupe now before the public comprises so many old-established favourites, and so excellent a bill of fare was provided, that it is no a\ ondcr the audience mustered in such vast numbers. The performers include Messrs. T. Campbell, 0. Holly, G. W. Rockfeller, A. J. West, T. Buckley, L. Braliam, N. La Feuillade, and Hudson, all of whom are well known to be trausceudant in their respective lines of business. The programme, as usual, commenced with a medley concert, interspersed with jokes and conundrums of a highly laughable character ; then followed a triple clog dance, by Messrs, Buckley, Holly, and Hudson; after which several exceedingly humorous and grotesque nigger farces were performed. The audience, who were kept in a state of intense delight all the evening, testified their approbation by rapturous applause, and repeated encores ; and wo may safely predict a long and successful run for the U.S. Minstrel Troupe." The Rev. P. P. Agnew announces through" our advertising columus, to-day, his intended arrival in Auckland per mail boat on Friday, his intention being to give a course of six lectures on the early history and convict life of Australia. The rev. gentleman has made these lectures very popular in Australia, and high testimony is borne in the Australian journals of his ability and popularity as a lecturer. A thirty years' icsidence in Australia, and his* almost uninterrupted intercourse with the prison and convict population of the colony in the early days when acting as Government Chaplain to the prisons and convict establishments of N.S. W., have afforded Mr. Agnew the most favourable opportunity for collecting the material of his lectures, the first of w Inch lie will deliver on Monday evening, ft will interest not a few of the old residents to know that the Rev. Mr. Agnew came to New Zealand in 1S44 with Bishop Selwyn, having been sent out by the University of Oxford as the associate and assistant of that gentleman. He was also with the troops at Kororaraki, and was present at the storming of the Pa held by Kowiti and Honi Heki, since which time he has held several important positions in New South Wales. For some time past a great many citizens have neglected to hav« the chimnies of their houses cleaned, aud the consequence has been that the soot has got on fire, a Haro has taken place, the firebells have rung out an alarm, and the police have, of course, lodged a complaint against the offender, and the consequence has been that many have been fined in varying sums, with heavy costs added thereto. This neglect iu keeping chimuiea clean would seem to imply that the cleaning opeiatiou was a costly affair. Yet it is not so, for Mr. Merratt announces in our advertising columns this morning that he is prepared to clean the chimnies of three-storey houses at Is. 6d. each, and those of one or two-storey at Is. each. These are prices which give no excuse for keeping foul chimnies. The Man/borough A <lrrrti*tr of Wednesday says :— u Mr. Hoskins, at the Police Court yesterday, was very valiant on behalf of the Chinese, nnd very indignant with those who traduced their general reputation. He said it was true they smoked opium and did some fuddling in their own quiet way, but they never plundered banks as Europeans did ; never robbed the Treasury of thousands of pounds as Victorian civil servants did ; never were seen loafing about public-house bars like Europeans ; never got drunk like . Mr. Hoskins was done then, and sat down." The Maryborough Advertiser of Monday says: — "An action to recover £2,000 damages for breach of promise of marriage and seduction wril shortly be commenced, in which the plaintiff, a well educated and accomplished young lady, was for several yeai*. a governesa at Alary borough, and thu defendant is a gentleman of good position, and the owner ot valuable station piopcity m this neighbourhood. The young lady is at present at the Lying-in Hospital in Melbourne. There are some circumstances of a most painful nature in connection wit'i the case, but it does not lie within our province to refer to them at the present time. We may state, however, that such sympathy is shown for the plaintiff in this sad affair that Mr. M'Dennott, of Ballarat, Mr. J. J. C«sey, and, wo believe, Mr. K. 1). Ireland, Q.C., have chivalrously undertaken to conduct the case for her without fee or leward, and several prominent and influential men iu Melbourne will assist her iu every possible way." The Mariiboromjh Slamlurd gives the names referred to : — "An action for breach of promise, the damages in which aie laid at £2,000, is, it is stated, to be brought against Mr. D. D. Simson, of Charlotte Plains. The plaintiff is a Miss Galvin, formerly a school teacher and governess, now, or lately, in the Lying-in Hospital, Melbourne. The affair is much talked of, as the cause of action includes the seduction of the unfortunate girl, who, it may be stated, i«j alleged to be related to on exMinister of the Crown." The milkmen of Adelaide are no better than their fellow-tradesmen elsewhere. The City Corporation has had 1 1 samples of milk analysed, and only one was found pure. Possibly the purity of this was due to the neglect of the milkman's boy whose duty it was to supply the due proportion of water, but had omitted it from sheer laziness. At any rate, the JO other samples were adulterated. There is no form of adulteration more discreditable than that practiced on milk, and yet it seems to bo almost universal. It would be impossible to estimate the ell cut on infantile mortality produced by the viitual impossibility in the towns of procuring perfectly pure milk for the food of very young infants, but there is no doubt that it is considciable. The Adelaide Corporation intends to prosecute the milk aelleib who add more than 10 per cent, of water, thu allowance being, we suppose, regarded as an indispensable concession to the imperfect code of ethics by which milkmen are guided. Otherwise, it is difficult to see why they chould be permitted to cheat their customers even to the extent of 10 per cent. It is not every one who is »o clevur at catching a night prowler as Mr. Wrixon'u gardener at Kew. In another Melbourne suburb there resides an Irish gentleman who is the neta relative of a Victorian judge. The family washing disappeared from the clothes-line one breezy Monday night. The owner was naturally enraged, and vowed vengeance. On the next washing-day he gave directions that the clothes should be left out all night, as on the previous occasion. Hetbought the last successful venture might bring back the thief, aud resolved to be equal to the occasion. Just after dark he proceeded to ensconce himaelf in the fowlhouse for the night, armed with a bottle of whiskey and a double-barrelled fowlingpiece. At he left his house on his way to his hiding-place he said to his wife, " ltedad, there'll be bloodshed this night." The situation was lonely and the whiskey mellow, so it wasn't long before the watcher was sound asleep. Just beforo daylight the snowdropper paid Ins second v wit. After clearing the clothes-line, he cast a bii8ine»»-hkc glance into the fowl-house, and wasrewardod by the acquisition of an excellent gun aud the sight of a recumbent figure, snoring heavily. If you meet the owner of that figure now it isn't a good hue to allude, even indirectly, to a cluthes-ljno,

"The New Zetland officials," says "Atticm" in the Melbourne Lradir, "express wonder that they both import and export tlour, barley, oats, anil wheat, from and to the neighbouring colonies and foreign ports. The explanation is simple enough. Internal communication between one portion of the island and another is almost impossible, and it is just as easy to send merchandise from Otago to Victoiia, as from Dunedin to Auckland. It frequently happens that one province has a superfluity, while in its neighbour there is a scarcity of the same commodity, and it is invariably tho caso that, instead of dealing with ono another, they prefer to operate through the larger markets of Melbourne or Sydney." The sixth annual report of tho Mutual Life Association of Australia, as published in the St/tlnt'i/ Morality Herald, shows that that association is making rapid progress. During tho year, which ended on tho 30th June last, 7iG new proposals were made for an aggrogato sum of £245,074 A nnmbor of those proposals were declined, and some were not completed when the financial year closed. Of the number, however, 531 were completed for an aggregate sum of £166,374. Of these proposals 474 were for assurances on lives, 55 for endowments, and 2 annuities. The total amount of new annual premiums by this increase of business was £6,274 12s. 5d.~not a bad year's increase. The number of policies existing on tho above date was 1,712, representing a total sum of £545,528, producing an annual premium incomo of £18,536. Tho increase on last year's business is moro than 30 per cent, upon the provious year's report. A gentle hint to auctioneers not to be too " flowery " in their description of the go»ds they sell, has been given by a decision of tho Sheriff-substitute of Glasgow.in an action of considerable importance to all who attend or conduct public sales. A firm of auctioneers in Glasgow sued a broker of that city for tho price of a steam engine. It appears that tho pursuers, in July last year, advertised a steam-engine and pan-mill to be sold by public auction. At tho Sale tho defender became- the purchaser, and on applying for delivery was offered a quantity of old mct.il, in detached pieces, which he refused to take. Tho decision was in favour of tho defender, on the ground that what was offered for delivery to him could in no seme be denominated an engine. In a note the Shciiffsubstitute finds that, although the pursuers had attempted to prove that it was distinctly stated at auction that they did not guarantee the article aa complete, and that it formed one of the rules of tho salo that buyers must look out Jor themselves, a printed advertisement could not so entirely bo got over as in this way to change its whole meaning and substance. For example, if a man advertised % sale of a milch cow, it would be difficult for him to alter this so much by mere veibal announcement that a person who bid for and had knocked down to him the alleged animal, should have to take instead a quantity of bones and decayed meat. With the decree the sheriff also gave the defender costs. A New System of Meat Preserving : "Anglo- Australian" in the European Mail says : — Any syitein of meat-presorviiiL' that is likely to secure to the inhabitants of this country the pcifect freshness of the meat, without going through a steaming or partial cooking process, is sure to command attention ; and such is the importouce of the subject that it has claimed tho unceasing attention of chemists, both at home and on the continent, for some time. It is felt that if some piocess could be applied to the preservation of meat by which it could be .shipped to this country in bulk from Australia, New Zealaiul, South America, and Texas, that practically the difficulties connected with our food supply would be met, and that the butchers' and meat agents' ring would be thoroughly defeated. Anyone, therefore, who comes forward with a panacea for this grievous evil is sure to receive attention. The latest aspirant then for the gratitude of the poor struggling labourer, the cottager, and the poor ciuate, is a M. Edounrd (Jorgcs, who has invented a solution which ho lias sold, as I understand, to MM. Ignat/« Witkowski and Henry A. Wolff. It is claimed for this solution that meat or fish which has been dipped in it fora few minutes will keep fresh for twtnty or thirty days. The process is, of com se, in its infancy ; and if the period ot preservation cannot be extended, I do not ace how it is to be mado available in supplementing our uica^supply by tho aid of foreign meat. But the ingenuity that suggested the idea will doubtless be equal to the other conditions necessary to complete success ; for it would be a pity if the invention should fail aftir a series of experiments extending o\er se\entteu years. The other day the piocess was subjected to a practical test by tlit pi es( nation of a quantity of lish. Tho fish having been dipped in the tolution, eight d.i\b were allowed to expire before they were In ought to talle, and then, 1 am told, "that the veriest epiuire could not have discovered they wei i« not cooked fresh from the market." The ineiit claimed for thu invention is, that it is equally applicable to the preservation of beef and mutton. The gentlemen who have bought the linention aic taking measures to bring it prominently to the notice of tho public. \\ hether the object is obtained by chemical agency or no, I am unable to say, as neither by taste, when cooked, nor by its appearance provious to cooking, was there any sign by which t>i distinguish it fiom fish just landed ; so that if the inventor should succeed in placing a leg of mutton fiom Melbourne upon a block in our dead meat market with similar results, he will then achieve a triumph that will entitle him to the gratitude of the working poor of London.

An emergency meeting of the Lodge Waiteinata is announced to he hcUl in the Masonic Hotel, tliiB evening, at half-past 7 o'clock. The members of the lato Auckland Artillery Volunteer Corps, entitled to capitation at the time of diabandmeut, are requested to call upon Mr. J. L. Hatawell, grocer, Princes-street, for the same. Application lias been nmdo to register the Nor tli Star Goldmining Company, as a limited company, under the provisions of the Mining Companies' Act, 187*2. The Anckland Masonic Hall Company having been formed, the freemasons of Auckland are invited, through our advertising columns, to apply for the few remaining sh:n as unallotted, bo as to enable the directors to proceed with the erection of the necessary buildings. A call of 3d. pershiuo has been made in the New Exchange (joldmining Company, payable on or befoio the 8th September. The first ordinary general meeting of the shareholder* in the Caledonian (.oldmining Company is announced to be held to-day, at 2 o'clock p.m., in Mr. TothiH'n oflice.