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New Zealander, Volume XXIV, Issue 2619, 11 April 1866, Page 2

The bazaar in aid of the Auckland City Mission and Children’s Home was closed on Saturday night. The committee were unable to state with exactness the total amount of money obtained, but wa understand that over ,-£l5O has been realise'.!. We would again express the hope that a collection will he made on behalf of the institution in the various places of worship. We were placed In receipt, on Saturday last, of an Auckland Police Gazette , published on Monday, the 2nd inst. It con- | tains the usual list of property stolen, robI heries from the person, property found ; names of prisoners tried at the Supreme Court during the March fitting; appre- \ hensions, deserters, warrants issued, missing | friends, inquests, prisoners discharged from | Mount Eden Gaol during the month of ' March ; and extracts from colonial Acts. The s.s. ‘Taranaki’ conveyed despatches from England to his Excellency the Governor, at Tauranga, on Saturday morning, which are presumed to he of an important nature. Captain Thompson received instructions to deliver them with all speed, or forward them per man-of war if necessary. Mr. Thomas Ball was elected, on the 20th ult., as a member of the forthcoming General Assembly. He was proposed by Mr. F. W . Fletcher and seconded by Mr. Matthew Mawer. There being no other candidate proposed, the Returning Ollicer declared Mr. Ball a duly elected member jof the House of Representatives. Mr. William Ball thanked the meeting for the honour they had conferred on his father (who was not, present,) and the proceedings then terminated. On Saturday last the Rev. Thomas Buddie, the esteemed pastor in the Wesleyan Church, Auckland, who has been removed to Christchurch, left this city with his family to take the steamer at One’.nnga, accompanied by several carriages, containing friends who were desirous of bidding him farewell. Another of those exhibitions of the socalled art of self-defence, which are happily not of frequent occurrence in Auckland, was to have come off on Sunday, in some secluded nook on the North Shore. The “ little game ” of the fraternity, however, was scented by the beaks, who took prompt I measures to stop proceedings. A collection of the denizens of Chancery-lane, numbering about, forty, took passage in the p s. ‘Waitemala’ for the Flagstaff, about ten a.m, on Sunday ; but the police followed in the p.s. ‘Enterprise’ shortly after, and stopped further proceedings. We are glad that such disgraceful scenes are of seldom occurrence in this city, and hope they may continue so. Overland communication between Christchurch and Hokitika, may now be deemed an established fact. The I Vest Coast Times says:—“ King Cobb lias at last taken up his abode amongst ns, and may j no .v be considered as one of the established j institutions of Westland. On Saturday I last other two coaches arrived overland j from Crirtchurch, so flint there arc now I three hero, of which two arc to be placed on the line between this town and Greymouth. The other will run to and from the Typo, in connection with another, which will run between that river and j Healey, where a third will be in readiness j to receive the passengers and convey them on to Christchurch. The whole distance | will he divided into eleven stages, averaging | fifteen milec each.” The following paragraph has been going (he round of the English newspapers; “ Two hundred convicts have just left France for New Caledonia. The first cargo sailed last year, and consisted of "2 assssins, 115 robbers; with a fair sprinkling of men convicted for forgery, indecent assaults, and other offences. These figures prove that capital punishment, though it may be awarded by a majority of seven to five in the jury-room, is the exception and not the rule, where murder has been j proved.” It is to he hoped that the j authorities will take good care of such a choice selection, and will not let them ! escape to the attractive shores of Australia nr New Zealand. Australia has at hot got rid of English transportation, and New | Zealand is free from such a terrible inflic- | (ion, the few convicts that have wandered ! (hither having clearly proved the nonj desirability of such immigrants. Wc are informed that three of the i Panama, New Zealand, and Australian ■ Steam-ship Company’s boats will be set j apart for a special voyage which will hist I for three months. The route to be adopted | embraces the four colonies of New Zeaho d, j Victoria, Sydney, and Tasmania. A | steamer will leave Sydney on the 15th ot every month for Auckland, and go fr* m | thence to Napier, Wellington, Lyttelton, j Otago, and the Bluff. From thence she | will go - to Melbourne, thence to Hobait j Town, and, returning direct to Melbourne, will await the arrival of the English mad, | which she will convey to the Bluff, Otago. Lyttelton, Wellington, Picton. and Nelson. | From Nelson she will go to Hokitika, and ! return again direct to Nelson, from which | si,,, will sail for Sydney, and he ready to ! repeat the round. The time to perform I these voyages will, as we have said, be in ‘ all three months. — Nelson Colonist. A large slice of the south spit was washed away yesterday. The sea eni crouched so far as to threaten the flagstaff, j and Mr. Heron, the Harbour Master, was ‘ compelled then to rein ive it to the terrace ] above, which was originally intended for i tiie staff’. A new flagstaff is being prej pared somewhere in Hokitika, we believe, I and is expected here shortly, and also j proper skeleton beacons, so that the | dangers of the bar will be soon materially 1 lessened to all vessels. At present the bar I is very good, with live feet at low water, ! and a proportionate rise at flood tide. M e have boon asked, when is the highest tide i in Qkarita? and say that it is on the ! fourth day after the full and change of the ' moon. — Oharita Times. It is notified in the General Government Gazette of Tuesday that the Dunedin Light Horse Volunteers and the Dunedin Highland Rifle Volunteers arc disbanded. This is owing to the fact of the two corps, enrolled previous to the passing of the Volunteer Act, 1865, not having, within sixty days of the date on which the Act came into operation, tendered their services ' to the Government.

In a Nor Zealand Gazette , published on Tuesday, the 3rd instant, we find the following: —“His Excellency the Governor lias been pleased to continue the services of the under-mentioned corps under the Volunteer Act, 18fi5, viz.: Waipawa ‘Cavalry Volunteers, Napier Rifle Volunteers, Otahuhu Division Auckland Royal Cavalry Volunteers, No. 2 Company Auckland Rifle Volunteers, No. 5 Company Auckland Rifle Volunteers, Wairoa Rifle Volunteers, No. 3 Company Auckland Rifle Volunteers, Auckland Troop Royal Cavalry Volunteers, Ilowick Troop Royal Cavalry Volunteers, No. 1 Company Auckland Rifle Volunteers, Auckland Naval Volunteers." The services of the following corps have also been accepted by the Governor under the Volunter Act, 1865, viz.; No. 4 Company Auckland Rifle Volunteers. Date of acceptance, 28th February, 1866. At a quarter to four o’clock nn Monday afternoon the chimney of the premises occupied by Messrs. Dornwell and Son, butchers, Shorlland..street, was discovered to be on fire. It appears they had been rendering a quantity of fat on the kitchen fire, when the melted substance overflowed. Attention was directed to the chimney by the large volume of smoke issuing therefrom, Some of the members of the Volunteer Eire Brigade and the police force were immediately on the spot. Fortunately they obtained a supply of water and buckets from the premises of Messrs. Clark and son, drapers, through which they passed, and got on to the roof and poured the water down the chimney, while others stopped up the fireplace with bags, cloths, Ac. The fire was quickly extinguished before any damage was done. It is an object! on able'practice for butchers to melt down fatty substances within their premises, and it should be piohibited. .Monday was settling day in connection with the Auckland Autumn Race Meeting, which came off on Thursday and Friday last. There was a good attendance of turf promoters at Cox’s Exchange Hotel, the Auckland Hotel, and the Jockey Clubroom, Bazaar Yards ; and a considerable amount changed hands. Book-makers were accounted unfortunate upon the whole, owing to the drawing of the favourite for the Auckland Free Handicap, after bets had been freely booked upon the event. Mr. D. 11. Bartholomew, one of the proprietors and publishers of the proposed New Zealand Directory, lias arrived in Auckland for the purpose of collecting and compiling the list of names of merchants and tradesmen of this city. The Directory, we observe, is to be published in May, and will include Wellington, Dunedin, and the principal cities and towns in the colony, and will be furnished with a correct and complete map of New Zealand. A special committee of the members of ‘the City Board, with several representatives from the inhabitants of Freeman s Bay, were, wc learn, introduced on Monday to his Honor the Superintendent, by Mr. J. Watson Bain, chairman of the Board. We believe that works of a most important character will be presently undertaken in that locality. The terms proposed by his Honor, and the clear business v'mw taken of them by the Chairman an I other members of the Board, arc, wc have no doubt, such as will be carried out in all their integrity for the benefit of all. This is a step in the right direction. Hampered as the City Board of Commissioners are, they have nevertheless not hesitated to undertake this work, and in their hands we doubt not of its success. Typhoid fever is very prevalent amongst the native population, at Raglan. Out of the small native population, located on the Rag! an side of Wangaroa harbour, no fewer than nine died last month from this disease, including the wife and daughter of William Naylor, our old friend, and the principal chief in the district. Several cases of typhoid fever have occurred amongst the natives between Raglan and Fort Waikato. The members of the Auckland Troop, Royal Cavalry Volunteers, which now numbers seventy-seven members, held a meeting on Monday, at the Greyhound Hotel. There was a large attendance. Several styles of uniform were shown for selection, and that sent in by Mr. Davenport was approved of, with some slight alterations. After adopting some rules relating to finance and the general management of the troop, the meeting was adjourneyed until Monday, 7th May. An accident resulting in the loss of a valuable cart-horse occurred on the Queenstreet Wharf nn Monday morning. One of Messrs. Wadham and Dickinson’s drays, drawn hy a valuable half-entire Uorse, was standing near the edge of the pier, and the reins becoming entangled in the cart gear, the horse backed to free itself, and went over the side into deep water. The animal was not recovered, and the owners have consequently sustained a loss of some £BO cr £9O. The dray, gear, and harness were afterwards recovered. Notice is given in a General Government Gazette, published on the 3rd instant, thatthe adjourned sittings of the Compensation Court to investigate certain claims for compensation on account of the taking of Mangarcl, Ivirikiri, Ihumata, and Fukaki blocks of land, under the New Zealand Settlements Act, 1863, will be holden at Orakei, near Auckland, on Tuesday, the 17th of April Inst., and following days. We are glad to find that, before the season in Auckland closes, the talented troupe, Christy’s Minstrels, intend giving a miscellaneous concert, in which the “ darkle ” and comic element will be entirely wanting. Friday evening next, being the benefit of Mr. Eastwood, the manager, and Mr. Gee, the pianist of the company, the entertainment will he of the miscellaneous character named. The first part of the programme will consist entirely of sacred music, selections being made from the most famous oratorios. The second part of the performance will consist of it selection of secular music. Christy’s will be assisted on this occasion by the strength of the vocal and instrumental amateurs of Auckland, and a full band. From the arrangem-nfs already made, and to bo completed, wo anticipate quite a musical treat on Friday night, which everyone, no matter what may be his views regarding public entertainments in general, may attend. We need not further refer to this matter, as full details will be published in good time. Meanwhile all lovers of really good music ought to look forward to the .pleasure in store for them with satisfaction.

We observe by advertisement in the Southern papers, that the copyright, plant, and premises connected with the Canterbury Standard, are to be sold by auction on the 17 tli inst. A parade of the Auckland Rifle Volunteers took place on Monday morning, at half-past six o’clock, in the Albert Barrack square, when five companies of the Rifle Volunteers mustered with their arms and accoutrements. There was a very good attendance of the members of each company. The next parade will take place to-morrow, and will be continued on every succeeding Monday and Thursday. A meeting of No. 4 Company of the Auckland Rifle Volunteers, will be held at Turrell and Tonka’ auction mart, this evening, at half-past 7 o’clock. Members are requested to call at the Orderly Room, during to-day, for the purpose of being sworn-in. Last evening a largely attended meeting was held at Mr. Dewar’s Academy Karan"ahapo road, Newton, when two delegates wore elected to the Council of the Northern Association. Mr. Mitchell was in the chair. The Christey Minstrels favoured the inhabitants nt the North Shore last evening with a specimen of their versatile abilities. The steamer ‘Waitemata* was chartered for the occasion, and took over and brought back a number ot persons who were present at the performance, which was given at the Flagstaff Hotel. There was a very laree attendance, and the Mlnstrch went through their varied entertainment to die satisfaction of every one. To-night Messrs. Bent and Peel will take their benefit at the Odd Fellows’ Hall. Notice is given that the annual licensing meeting of the Justices of the Peace for the city and northern district of Auckland, will be held at the Resident Magistrate’s Court at Auckland, on Tuesday, the 17th April, at 12 o’clock, noon, for tne purpose I of taking into consideration applications for licenses to sell spirituous liquors, wine, ale and boor. Another of those attempts at arson, now so common in Auckland, was made last Friday night in a new and unoccupied house in Upper Fitt-street, the properly of Mr. S. C. Smith. The family residing in the next house (two houses being under one roof), were alarmed by the smell of burning, and not suspecting that it could bo in the unoccupied building, they went to the next inhabited house, and knocked up Mr. Baldock, the owner. As there was no cause for alarm in his house, and be possessed several houses in the block, Mr. Baldock lost no time in going to the house whence the smell of lire was first detected. On entering the unoccupied house by the back door, which was found to be open, there were evident signs of burning. No fire could bo seen, however. Mr. Boldock groped his way up stairs, and nn returning laid his hand on the lining, which was warm. On opening up a cupboard under the stairs, the origin of the burning was discovered. A woollen substance, saturated with kerosme, was found, it bad smouldered away, without, bursting into a flame, owing to the cupboard door being shut, which excluded the air. A small bottle, which bad kerosine in it, was found besidetbebiirningcloth. There can bo no doubt whatever the attempt to burn the house was an incendiary act. The building was insured in the Liverpool and London Office. The detection of the attempt was most fortunate, for if one of the houses had taken fire the probability is the entire block of six or eight houses would have been burnt down. The Wellington Independent, reviewing the pamphlet on ttie credit of New Zealand, &c., says : —“ We think this pamphlet is calculated to damage the credit of the colony. Stupid and malignant it may be, but an appeal to the fears and the breeches pockets of English capitalists will always have a certain effect. The author has misrepresented the state of affairs in the colony during the regime of the late Ministry, in precisely the same way and for I precisely the reasons that induced the Auckland newspapers in adopting a similar course. Taking certain facts which suited his purpose, and omitting others which did not, he has fried to show the English public that ii would not be safe to lend money to New Zealand. While saying everything that could be urged against the colony, bo has omitted everything in it? favour. He has forgotten to say, thaj the real source of all our difficulties was not ‘responsible,’ but 1 double’ Government; ho has carefully concealed that the Imperial system having I failed, the colony had tried, and to a I certain extent succeeded, in dealing with j the difficulty itself; while he altogether fails to mention that Auckland alone reaped all the benefits of the Waikato -war. It is unhappily true that the colony is surrounded with serious difficulties, and tiiat, as Mr. Busby say, ‘ tbeConstitulion is unworkable;’ but these difficulties will not be overcome by their transfer to the Imperial authorities and the abandonment of constitutional government. Even if the mother country would take their charge—which it will not j —nothing but failure could result from its | attempt to manage native affairs. That lias been tried before, with what a disastrous and costly fiilute wo all know. It is childish then to think that it will be tried again. In truth, as wc have got constitutional government, we must do “ the possible best” for ourselves. There is but a dreary prospect of the political future looming up. Wo so far agree with Mr. Iln-by as to admit that our system of government lias become almost unworkable, because it is clear that thu power of the provinces in the Assembly will, where individual interest is concerned, servo to frustrate completely any broad and comprehensive scheme of colonial policy that may be proposed. In time this evil may work Its own cure, and for that result we can but wait and hope." Sixty-two gentlemen have been, up to the present, elected as representatives In the next Colonial Parliament. In looking over the list wc find the names of a number of as yet untried politicians, in addition to those of several veterans who have for many sessions figured in the political arena. The Stafford Government, if they throw taxation overboard, are likely to bo strongly backed; though, in the event of its leader being foolish enough to make it a “stand or fall" point, lie will find many renegades among his promised friends. The opposition, numbering in its ranks the names of Fitzlierbert, FitzGerald, Richmond, Richardson, Wells, and Curtis is nor, to be disregarded.— Wellington Independent, April 3.

Corporal 1). Christie, who has this time proved himself’ the champion shot of New Zealand, is a farmer in the East Taieri Otago. He lias been fourteen months in the East Taieri Volunteers, before which time he never handled a rifle. lie never shot in a rifle match before this year, when he tried another competition, but lost in shooting for the fourth district Government prize. Afterwards ho was chosen as the highest scorer from 20, who fired for the representation of the East Taieri District, haring made 17 at the same ranges at which ho filed at the Hutt. viz., 400, 500, and 600 yards,— Wellington Independent. The Canterbury papers mention the death of several cattle from eating tutu, Mr. Ilenwood, of Kaiapoi, having been a severe sufferer from this cause. A number of his cattle—valuable animals—died, but a few recovered through being forced to move about, and keep off the lethargy which the poison induces. They were afterwards bled, and made to swallow about a tobacco-pipeful of gunpowder in half a pint of linseed oil, by way of an emetic. To this alone Mr. Ilenwood attributes their recovery. We arc glad to see that the Union Bank has taken the initiative in a direction that was really required hero, namely, the formation of an establishment for smelting purposes attached to its own premises. The agent informs us that it will be in full operation within a week, and that it will bo under the immediate superintendence of a thoroughly qualified officer, who will form one of the staff. — Grey River Argun.