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New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6150, 3 August 1881, Page 4

By the death of Mr. Marcus Clarke, which is announced in a cablegram which we publish this morning, Victoria has lost a young man of great ability and large culture. An able writer for the Press, a novelist whose works transcend in merit those of compeers who have achieved a higher reputation, 2slr. Clarke had before him a career of distinction. An entertaining conversationalist, a brilliant flaneur, a bitter assailant, and yet a man of a eenial disposition, his death will be regretted alike by friend and foe. Mr. Clarke has filled many positions, discharged many duties, and all with something more than credit. .As a writer in the leading columns of the Argus, and more recently in those of the Age, and as assistant secretary of the Melbourne Public Library, he showed the great and varied nature of his abilities. He will be forgotten only by those whose memory, tenacious of small failings, and not careful to understand them, have too little appreciated a character too little cast in the common mould to be easily fathomed.

The mail from Sydney, by the Arawata, is expected to arrive in town about 10 o'clock this morning from the quarantine island.

An important meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday to consider certain proposed alterations in the New Zealand Drawback Act. It was agreed to recommend that the Government should give the drawback within seven days, while the liability on the bondsman should only lapse when the certificate was signed. It was also agreed that the drawback on till goods at 15 per cent, and upwards should be 11J per cent. The discussion is reported at length in another column..

We understand that upwards of £120 have been collected to purchase food for Tawhiao and his people, in the event of their coming on to Auckland. If the King is to receive an invitation, it will have to be sent to-day, as there is no security that he will remain at Mercer beyond to-day, and once he sets eut on his journey homewards he will not turn back, no matter what the persuasion addressed to him. It is said that Wahanui is indisposed to come further than Te la, or Mercer, the boundary of the Maori kingdom when it was constituted under Te Wherowhero, and he is a powerful man in the King's counsels. '

The Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners (Auckland branch) celebrated their sixth anniversary last night by a " ball and refreshments " in the Lome-street Hall. There were- between fifty and sixty couples in the ball-roojn. The committee acted as stewards, viz. :—Messrs. T. Tudehope, E. Wi-igley, D. Condea, W. Punch, F. Whitehead, and W. Lock wood. ;

In consequence of interruptions from the letting of the Lorne-street-nall on Monday and Tuesday, the scenic artist has not been able to complete the scenery for the production 'of "Les Cloches de Corneville" this evening. The first performance is therefore unavoidably postponed until Saturday next. On that evening' it is stated the new season of the Liliputian, Opera Company will commence. ■ ■■::::■■:■•.".

Yesterday afternoon tho remains of th .late Mr, J. S. Cousins.pere followed to their last-resting place -hr the General "tJeineterV . S J"??°* s :! treo *' l . b y a very largo assemblage of his fellow-citizens of all denomination! A portion of the mortuary service was held at the late residence of the deceased iV Upper Symonds-street. The coffin was 'car ried shoulders high to the grave by the work' men of the firm of Messrs. Cousins ami Atkin ,in token of respect for the ineraorv of their late employer, and each received as a memento a cabinet photograph of him The Rev. B. T. Dudley (Episcopalian) read ftp introductory portion of the burial service and the Rev. J. Robertson (Congregational! the latter portion. At the close Mr Robertson delivered a brief but appropriate address in relation to the domestic life and last hours of deceased. Mr. Atkins, M r ' j Edwards, and tho three eldest son's of de' ceased were the chief mourners. Amonti those present we noticed Judge Fenton President of the Choral Society (the com' mitte of which tho late Mr. Cousins was a member), and many of ita members 1V« also noticed tho Rev. J. Whewell (W es leyan), Messrs. J. C. Firth, J. CWrave" Crowther, and many other old co'onista present.

The annual football match, Auckland v Waikato, has been fixed to take place at Hamilton on Saturday, 20th iust The Auckland team will be selected during this week, and in order to guide the committee in selection, it is desirable players who may be able to visit the Waikato should send in their names to the secretaries of their clubs without delay.

. On the morning of 24th July, as the Arawata was on her way to Sydney, a man, supposed to be a stowaway (name unknown) was nussing. Search was made all over the ship, but no trace of him could be found. It is supposed _he must have gone overboard during the night, but no ono saw or heard him.

The New Zealand Art Union, the particulars of which. will bo found in our advertising columns, will comprise a large number of prize pictures and works of art, selected at the recent Melbourne Exhibition! The pictures are : by Italian, German, ami English artists of high repute; besides watercolours, chromos, and oleographs. There is also a large collection of Florentine work, comprising bronze castings, shields of classic legends in magnificent relief work, mosaics of great beauty of design and workmanship painted and engraved glass, Chinawaro,' majolica, Japanese lacquer, paintings, carvings, all of them of various utility and richness. We have been permitted to inspect these highly artistic and beautiful objects. Some of them are prizes of great value." All of them are costly, and most of them of such rarity as could not be found in colonial markets.

' A deputation waited ou the Chief Score tary of South Australia at Adelaide recently, on the subject of the sparrows, which have been making immense havoc with the fruit and grain of that colony. The Canterbury plan, of using poisoned wheat, was strongly commended. It was stated that the sparrow attacked every kind of fruit except oranges. The Secretary of the Agricultural Society stated that in no case had ho found auy insects in the crops of sparrows examined by him. . Even -ripe olives were attacked by these pests, which are driving the viguerona to despair; and, according to one speaker, had rcaily become as serious as the importation of an infectious disease. ■ ..

The four-oared boat race, which is arranged to come off on Saturday next, between a crew from the Star, md one from ' Atkin's printing effiee, promises to be somewhat interesting. Both crews are in heavy training, and may bo seen going over the course every ovening. The Star representatives are somewhat the heavier men, but Atkin's men are relying on. their staying powers to pull them through. The race is to start from the end of Queen-street Wharf at 4.30. The following are the names of the respective crews:—Star : stroke, E. Comyns; 1, Oeddis; 2, — Reid; 3, W, Jennings; coxswain, Diddams. Atkiu's ; Stroke, C. Brown; 1, T. Phillips; 2, G. Mills ; 3, J. Keats; coxswain, J. Vanilerburg.

The August number of the Presbyterian Church News is an unusually heavy one, by which term we mean that it contains a great deal of solid, carefully written matter, and not in the sense of beir.g dull and uninteresting. The revised New Testament, the charge of heresy against Professor W. R; Smith, of the Free Church of Scotland, the colonization of Palestine, are the principal topics dealt with. The first editorial note relates to- Professor Smith's deposition from his professorial duties by the Free Church Assembly. When they arbitrarily deprived him Of the right to discharge his duties as a teacher in one of the colleges of the Church they offered to continue to him ins salary, an insult which lie manfully spurned, telling them if he was not allowed to .do the Church's work he would not eat the Church's bread. When secession from the Church was spoken to him by some of his friends he repudiated the idea, stating that the matter was only beginning. "This is," says the editor, "we presume, the battle for constitutional practice, which he holds has been ignored in his case, and the battle for toleration within the Church—freedom to think iu new grooves and to express new views in regard to Bible truths. If it be that the war note has just been sounded, what and when will the end be?" In a subsequent article on the same subject is printed the text of the protest against the decision of the Free Church Assembly in the case of Mr. Smith. The protest is concluded by the following declaration:—"Wo also declare that the decision of the Assembly leaves all Free Church ministers and office-bearers free to pursue the critical questions raised by Prolessor W. R. Smith, and we pledge ourselves to do our best to protect any man who, Pursues these studies legitimately." The hurch hasevidentlyentereduponaMrs. Partiugton enterprise in regard to textual and historical criticism, and its success in keeping out the inflowing of new ideas and clearer aims of a Christian life will probably be as futile as was Canute's command to the inflowing tide. The notice of the Revised New Testament is, on the whole, very, favourable and liberal. It quotes the words of Dr. Schaff in respect to it:—" The revision will be found to be a greater improvement upon the present Authorised Version than tins was upon its predecessors, and yet as careful and conscientious in retaining the excellences anil charms of its parentage, and thus perpetuating the inestimable blessing of the common inheritance of one popular English Bible among the English-speaking Christians." The other articles in the present number, though interesting in themselves, fade in attractiveness to the general reader as compared with those above referred to. The one relating to " The Colonisation of Palestine" is extracted from the United Presbyterian Magazine, and is chiefly based upon the recent work of Mr. Lawrence Oliphant.

There was a large attendance of performers at the practice of the Choral Society last evening, where there was some excellent drilling in the music of " Elijah" by Herr Schmidt.

A hand-ball match, for £10 a-side, was played in the ball-alley at Gleeson's Hotel, Lower Hobson-street, yesterday, between Messrs. Gleeson and Courtney, The match waa won by the former.

Mr. F. Macrae was yesterday presented -with a purse containing- 217 sovereigns, •which have been subscribed by some of those who desire show-their his character and ability, and their sense of his treatment by the Board of Governors. The proceedings at the presentation will be found reported elsewhere.

The Premier announced in Parliament last night that, in order to distinguish between the two Alexandras in the colony, the one in Otago would be called Alexandra South, ■while, we presume, the township in Waikato will, have to be styled Alexandra North.! Considerable inconvenience has been caused by two towns having the same name, and we very much doubt whether the change proposed will obviate all risk in future. It would have been better long ago to have changed one of the names altogether. Our place had a native name well known to the whole locality.

In onr issue of yesterday a misprint occurs in Mr. Atkinson's letter, entitled "What is Portland Cement?" As printed certain words read: " The residue after passing through a 50-gauge sieve is reported to me at 75 per cent. The words in italics should read •' -75" not "75 " per cent. The cement was exceedingly finely ground, and left a residue of less than one per cent.

A correspondent suggests that, seeing a meeting has "been held in Wellington to sympathise with the Irish Land League, whether it -would be at all inappropriate to get a public meeting to sympathise with the unfortunate gentlemen who, although known to be guilty of wanton agrarian outrages, such as shooting men and children from behind hedges, terrifying families by nightly visits and threats and ill-usage, not omitting the slaughtering and maiming of cattle, the property of poor people—yet can find no jury to convict; and, at the same time, probably a subscription list would not be out of place to pay the expenses of the freight of the infernal machines, dynamite clocks, arid other toys imported for the destruction of the base Saxons, who, as in the past so at present, do nothing for Ireland !

The new sensational drama, entitled "The Frozen Deep," was repeated last night. The principal feature was the really excellent acting' all round, together with the scenery and tableaux.. This evening the 'performance will be for the benefit of the Scottish and Engineer Volunteer Corps. The piece selected is Gilbert's "Romantic Family," never yet performed in Auckland. This is one of its author's most successful social satires, and is full of the most comical contretemps. The Cardeu Company can play it admirably. "Claucarty" is underlined for Thursday, "The Stranger" on Friday, followed by the burlesque of "Macbeth," and " Arrah-na-Pogue " on Saturday. Tonight the comedy will be followed by the comedietta, entitled "Withered Leaves."

The anniversary soiree of the congregation •which worships at the Temperance Hall, under the ministration of Mr. G. A. Brown, was held at that hall list night. About 200 persons partook of tea. A meeting was afterwards held, Mr. Brown occupying the chair. Addresses were given by Messrs. Whitehead, Wilcox, McNaught, Brown, and Coupland. The speeches, although such as are usual at church soirees, were remarkable for breadth of views, and a charitable spirit. Some of the speakers referred to the opposition and even derision they received from a number of the ultra orthodox, because some of the doctrines •advanced differed from those generally accepted as scriptural. The tone of the speeches was one ■ of—confidence, and of thankfulness for the great strides their church had made during the past twelve months. Ml - . Coupland said that although he did not agree with some of Mr. Brown's ideas, he- had his sympathy. Mr. Brown in reply, agreed that the keystone of Christianity was salvation through Christ. Tte addresses were spirited and frequently humorous, and were heartily applauded. One feature of the gathering was the singing. The tunes werelively.likeMoodyandSankey's, but the hymns were of a different style. The choir sang at frequent intervals under the leadership of Mr. King, and the singing certainly constituted one of the most pleasing features of the soirCe. Mrs. Smith presided at the harmonium. At the close numerous contributions were given on behalf of an appeal by Mr. Ewington for funds to send a destitute widow and two children to England by the ship Halcione next Saturday.