THE Otago Daily Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1874.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4000, 11 December 1874, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1874.

We commend to the attention of those who are fond of making comparisons between the condition of the working man at Home and here, a certain little occasion on which the dwellers at Ravenshourne deputationised the Superintendent, in order to get a railway brain to start at an hour that suited them to get to their work for the day. That they were able to afford the luxury of riding to their work • that they looked upon one mile and a-half as too great a distance to walk to the scene of their labours every morning; that they were so independent that, so long as they couldn't get the train to suit, they waited for one that arrived in Dunedin at nearly nine o'clock; that they not only wanted all these things, but that they may be said, in all probability, to have succeeded in getting them from Government: these are remarkable facts. We are by no means inclined to make fun of them j on the contrary, when we compare this kind of thing with the conditions under which the same class labour at Home, we are only surprised that'anyone is found out here to scoff at the difference, and deny the advantages gained by workmen in coming to this country. Such a scene is worth perpetuating1 as the evidence of that great charm of colonial life, namely, the thorough independence it assures to everyone who can do a good day's labour for a good day's wages. We only hope that Mr Holloway has taken notice of it. When politicians are occupied in stating the advantages offered to immigrants here, or when emigration agents are endeavouring to bring home to the bucolic mind in England the chances which lie open to industry and intelligence, they find it almost impossible to tabulate these indirect gains, and state them as so much profit to be earned by anyone who has the wits to win and the heart to enjoy such indirect fruits. And yet it is perfectly evident that to all old colonists there is an inexpressible charm in the individuality of colonial life. It is all very well to say that this means only that Robert Roberts, who is a very great man among small men—a triton among minnows—sinks into his natural insignificance in Glasgow or Liverpool. The fallacy of such a statement lies in the word natural. Wko is to say that the insignificance of a returned colonist in London is natural ? That is, we suppose, that he now occupies the round hole in which nature meant him to be stuck. May it not be that the aggregation of human beings which makes such an insignificant unit of R. R. in Picadilly is the ?mnatural thing. To assume that the natural position of Robert is one in which his peculiarities, virtues, and talents become indistinguishable, because the eye is dazed by looking at numbers, is a mere assumption. At least we may take credit for such gains as the smallness of our number in the Colony thrusts in our way. We suffer so much and in so many ways by our fewness of numbers, that at least it is lawful to count among the advantages of a scant population this fact —that every man, whatever his position and occupation, whatever his means may be, counts for one integer, and has a value represented by the proportion at least which one bears to the number of ihe population. We fancy that no harder task in the way of description falls to the lot of a good emigration agent than this, that he has to persuade those who have never understood the fact before of the indescribable satisfaction of becoming of some importance in the community in virtue of his existence in it.

Power is a thing we all want, though we are very often quite ignorant of our want, though the seeming impossibility of getting it has effectually prevented our realising our need even to ourselves. When Mr Adam is telliDg the agricultural labourers at Home of those gaitiS which will be theirs if they come out to New Zealand, the questions, answers . and addresses on the subject are peculiarly apt to treat only of the direct, and to miss out and pass over the indirect, profit. We have been told ad nauseam of the indirect gains of the Public Works Policy. A. far harder task is to explain the indirect gains of coming to the Colonies. The difficulty is caused by the fact that they are of a sentimental character, and appeal to the emotions rather than the purse. We have it, however, on the, testimony of a great economist, that a cultivation of the emotional part of our nature is necessary for the completeness of our manhood. When an agent like Mr Adam has recounted the rate of wage!, price of provisions, chances of obtaining employment^ and so forth, which go to make up the tally of direct profit, he customarily stops, because, although he perfectly understands himself the pleasures of that other matter of personal freedom and influence which to a great extent constitutes the charm of Colonial life, he knows very well that his hearers will have great difficulty in understanding him, and also that he is at a loss for words exactly to define it. Many Colonists never recognise the change of condition fully until they return Home again, and feel their personal insignificance among their old compeers. Nevertheless, it remains a fact, of which the return of old Colonists to the land of their adoption is the best proof, that personal freedom and power is the greatest of all advantages derived from living here.

We have not said much about the particular object which the Eavena-

bourne people had in view... -Of course they will get their train,.. Sooner>pr later, we hope sooner, the Executive will understand the wißdpm of fostering by every means, in their power a residence in the outlying suburbs.; The \rery reasonableness of the request which conceals its deeper meanings must assure their success The functions of ; the Executive .Government are beginning to be pretty well understood out; here. The phrase " public servants-" begins to have a practical meaning. That mixed, but not less real power which comes of following, in order to guide public opinion, ia, we take it, approximating to a certain perfection in Otago. Every honest persevering settler that comes to Otago,;be I his work what it may, is a felt power, in the realm. We count it not the least among the benefits derivable from emigration that we, to a wonderful extent/ realise Burns's aspiration :— :

What though on hamely fare we dine, ■ Wear hodden grey and a' that, Gie fools their silk, and knaves their wine, A man's a man for a' that. : For a'that and a'that, Their tinsel show, and a' that; An honest man, though e'er sac poor, Is king of men for a' that.

Our worthy Resident Magistrate Las an amusing faith in the beneficial effect of "a lecture" upon a prisoner or defendant, and as a general rule he treats those who are brought before him ,to " a bit of his mind," sometimes without letting the fact of their not having been convicted of anything, interfere with him. in the slightest 'degree. This shows tjsvo things, first, that Mr Bathgate is anxious,; to give the benefit of his. advice and opinions to all who come in contact' with him ; and secondly, that he believes them to be acceptable in every, case. Of course any man or woman having the misfor-. tune to be brought into Court on an linfounded charge would only be too glad jto stand up before the grinning and greasy Police Court audience and listen to a few of the maxims laid down by Mr Bathgate for his or her guidance in future life. The Resident Magistrate is of this opinion at any rate, for so soon as a case is over, be the charge or complaint sustainedjor not, the tap of his eloquence is turned on at once. We should be amongst the last to speak irreverently of ■ any thing connected with a Court of Justice, but in some of his little speeches Mr Bathoate displays such a delightful and refreshing simplicity, that we cannot refrain from an allusion to it. Who can imagine the emotions of a youth upon leaving the Court after listening to, the guileless utterances of a man whose years are sufficient to entitle him to respect ; and who can be thankful enough to our Resident Magistrate for the stern and unflinching sense of duty which compels him to publicly denounce evils that tend to morally ruin this city? What did he tell us but a few days ago i Why, that in this city there were young men whom he knew were in the 'hatit of stopping out late at night, and that, if they pursued such misconduct, " it must lead to their ultimate destruction." These young men thought that they could stay out late at night without being seen ; but they were wrong ! We question whether these remarks will have the desired effect upon the young men to whom they were addressed, but they will serve to makeDunedin the envy of residents of other large cities, both in the Colonies and at home. We can imagine an anxious father in London or Edinburgh, with half-a-dozen sons all arrived at the latch-key stage of existence, sighing as he reads of a place where the Magistrate had qnly just heard that young men stayed out late at Dight, and envying that same Magistrate his want of knowledge of the world—and of *yl)ung sons. But, after all, is "parading the streets at night" such a heinous offence on the part of young men as to warrant magisterial censure, and are not our youug men—and old ones, too—rather more likely to laugh, than to treasure up the words of wisdom to which we haye referred]

The Cyphrenes, with the San Francisco mail, arrived at Auckland yesterday morn, ing. The Rev. Dr Copland, of Dunedin, is amongst the passengers. , - OnrQaeenstowncorrespondent telegraphed last night that Dr Douglas, who has been for some time dangerously ill, is recovering. Our travelling reporter telegraphed from Roxburgh last night as follows:—One of the boats belonging to Mr Green's new wheel for pumping water for mining purpose?, moored in the Molyneux, near Dumbarton Rock, broke adrift yesterday, and was recovered after drifting. ten miles down the river.—The weather is splendidly fine today.—The crops are very forwaid and luxuriant, at least; one month's „' growth ahead of those at Tokomairiro and Tnapeka.

The High School boys' annual competition for the ladies'silver, cup was continued yesterday afternoon. Upon a ballot being taken, it was found that the best players were on the same sides. The final contest will take place at 1.30 p.m. to-day, when Allen and Crawshaw are to play M'Lean and 1 Webster. The winners of this match are then to decide who shall be the prize-taker,, bat the cap has to be won three times annually before it is handed ,to the: victor. Master H. M'Glashan,, who is engaged in the Civil Service at Wellington, twice secured the honour of winning the trophy, and we regret that he was not present to take part in this year's contest. However, his name is yet the only one engraven upon the ladies' handsome prize. : In our report of Mr Eeynolda's speech at ;the Temperance' Hall, the question—" Did he not think it would have been better to go in with those who wished from the beginning that the two islands should be two independent Colonies ?" was attributed, by a printer's error, to a Ifr Smith. Mr, J. G. S. Grant was the querist; and all the answers contained in the paragraph following that question were given in reply to Mr Grant. :

The usual monthly meeting of the Council of the Acclimatisation Society was held yesterday afternoon, there being present Mr A. C. Begg (Hon. Secretary), Bishop Nevill, Captain Boyd^ (Mr W. D. Morison (in the chair), and Mr Deans (Manager). A letter wasjread from the Secretary of the Grey District Acclimatisation Society, applying for a few hundred young trout. It was resolved that, owing to the difficulty of transporting the fish to Greymouth with anything like a fair chance of success, the Grey District Society be recommended to wait until they can obtain a, supply of ova. The Manager reported that 7250 trout eggs had been sent away to different places during the past winter, and that 4706 young trout had been liberated by him within the last month in various streams in the Province. < The number liberated by the Society last year was 2300. Mr Deans also reported that during 1874 9025 young Oalifornian trees had been distributed by the Society among its members, in addition to a large quantfty of tree seeds. Last year the number of trees of the same kind that was distributed was 8650. It was reported that up to the present time seventeen licenses for brown trout fishing had been taken out at the Provincial Treasury! and it was mentioned that although it was not provided by " The Salmon and TrouJ; Act, 1867," that the license fees should go to the Society, as is the case with game licenses, in all probability the Provincial Government would not retain the money as an item of Provincial revenue. Aninteresting discussion took place da fclie subject of the opening

of the season for trout fishing, during which it was stated that one member of the society had succeeded, one afternoon, in taking a large basket of twenty fish, weighing 131b, all of. them:haying.been caught with the fly. The largest fish yet taken by the rod weighed upwards of 31b, and was captured by Mr R. M. Robertson! last week. It was mentioned that ■ great difference of opinion exists amongst those who have been fortunate enough to secure specimens of the brown trout in Otago, with regard to their edible qualities. Some have reported them to be coarse, and muddy in flavour, while others assert that the fish are equal in flavour to the finest burn trout at home. (Our reporter knows of only one way by which this disputed point can be settled. This to successful anglers only.) Bishop Nevill spoke of the desirability of introducing rooks, and he suggested that if they*ould not bo forwarded from home they might be obtained from Auckland in exchange for starlings or some of the other imported English birds which have become plentiful here, and which can be Bpared. Bishop Nevill said that we had great need of having insectivorous birds in large numbers in the Province. He stated that a few days ago he observed, in the neighbourhood of Dunedin, a cloud of what he supposed was vegetable seeds ; but, upon examination, it proved to be composed of small beetles. These insects, it is well known; are very destructive to gardens. After some unimportant business was transacted,' the meeting broke up.

The new Club House, Fern Hill, was formally opened yesterday. The new Dunedin Club was organised, rules were passed, and office bearers for the ensuing year elected. The Club House has recently been painted, both inside and out, and the building now presents a much better appearance than it did ■when it was known as Government House. It has long been a reproach upon Dunedin that the City possessed no Club House which could compare with those of Auckland, Christchurch, or Wellington, and it is matter for congratulation, therefore, that the members of the Dunedin Club should, by the acquisition of Fern Hill, not only have removed the cause of reproach, but have supplied an attractive temporary residence to some of the many strangers who visit these parts, and who, but for the exist. ence of some place of the kind, would remain in Dunedin as short a time as they possibly could. •

The annual examinations of the Middle and Albany-street Schools were commenced yesterday, and will be ; continued at ten o'clock this morning. Parents and friends are invited to attend. The School of Art was a scene of bustle all yesterday afternoon and evening. Generaladmiration appeared to be expressed at the handiwork of Mr Hutton's pupils, and it is a pity thatthose whodeserved the compliments attributed to them were not within hearing. In consequence of no notice being posted opposite the entrance, which is at the south end door of the portico, the Museum and other rooms up-stairs were besieged, to the annoy- ; ance of those occupying them.

In the actions for tort, heard at the District Court, of Hutchison v. Proctor and Whitaker, injury to a racing mare, and Best ». Larnach, bodily harm sustained through a dog-bite, his Honour Judge .Bathgate gave judgments for defendants. At two o'clock on Saturday afternoon, there will be a competition amongst the High School boys, who have been under Mr Long's tuition in gymnastics. Prizes have been presented by Messrs Turton, Muir, and Lochhead ; and the two first-named gentlemen will act as judges. Mr Long has also presented a medal, to be awarded for general excellence.. . G;

We understand'that it is contemplated to to have a public demonstration on the Ist: of January, upon the occasion of the transfer of the Water Works from the Company to the Corporation. At a committee meeting of the Poultry I Association, held at the Ball and Mouth Hotel last evening, Mr J. Park was unanimously elected Honorary Secretary, in the place of tne Treasurer, who has been acting since the resignation of Mr W. Sly, on the 19fch October ult. The annual general meeting will be held on Monday, the 21st insfc.

The Otago Kilwinning Lodge held its annual meeting last evening, most of the members being present. The ceremony, of installation was performed by the P. G. Master, Bro. J. Hislop, and officers of P. G. Lodge. The following are the office-bearers who were installed:—Bro. J. H. Sanders, R.W.M, ; Bro. J. Lanseigne, P.M.; Bro. S. T. Kerr, D.M. ; Bro. R. H. Leary; S.M.; Brb. J. M; Brown, S.W. ; Bro. J. Mills, J. W. ; W. S. Douglas, Treasurer ; Bro. Tait, Secretary; J. Gore, S.D. ; Bro. Forrest, J.D.; Bro. W. J. Burton, 1.G.; and Bro. Schunburg, Tyler. After the ceremony, they adjourned to Dunning's rooms, and partook of a supper.

The American party for the observation of the transit of Venus will leave Queenstown immediately, and will probably visit Dunedin. It has been suggested that the opportunity would be a favourable one for giving our American friends something in the shape of a public reception. At a public meeting of representatives of the building trades, held at the Oddfellows' Hall last evening, the following resolutions were carried unanimously:—"That in the opinion of this meeting, the half-holiday on Saturdays would be a - great boon to the building trades, therefore we gladly accept the recommendation of the Builders' Association that all branches of the above trades leave work at 12 o'clock noon on Saturdays." " That the half-holiday commences on the first Saturday in January, 1875.

We hear that Mr Willis, the scenic artist of the English Opera Company, is actively engaged in preparing scenery for the forthcoming opera season. Two or three of the scenes have already been completed, and we are assured that nothing to equal them has yet been Been in Dunedin. His attention is being given specially to the production of something startling for a grand Opera Pantominfe, which will be produced this Christmas for the first time in New Zealand. The mechanical portion of the work is in charge of Messrs Huntley and Briggs.

Batheis had better beware, sharks—and of a large size, too—having made their appearance in the harbour. Two of these maneaters, one of them.being estimated at ten' feet long, were seen on Wednesday disporting themselves in the channel, a little above Quarantine Island. They .were unusually fearleßS, scarcely deigning to move out of the way as a lighter approached. The men on board her—one of whom, Griffith Jones, .was our informant—thought the "varmint" were fighting, for they appeared to struggle together, and turned,-over''and< over each" other. : ■■■ .. / i-.v -i•.-.;■ -•■ ■■■< .■;■■- ■- ■■'■: ■• • : At the Port Chalmers Police Court, yesterday^ the case of Ross, Who had been summoned for Using abusive and insulting langu- [ age to Captain Jenkins*, of the barque Record, was called, and, as the defendant did not appear, his Worship ordered the1 issue of a warrant for his apprehension. ■

The monthly meeting of the Port Chalmers Grammar School Committee was held on Wednesday evening. Present; Mr Monson (chair),' Messrs'' Elder,' Do wn'esj' M'Kinnori, A. Thomson,' and Dr Drysdale. Mr M'Kay, the Sector of the school, was also present. The Secretary, Mr M'Farlane, having read the minutes of the previous meeting, the election of a matron for the school to succeed

Miss Qainlan, resigned, was proceeded with, and the choice of the Committee .fell upon Mrs Neish, matron of the Palmerston School. She was duly elected. Questions rolatire to the Christmas recess were then considered, and it was decided that the 18 th inst. should be " breakiDg-up day," the holidays to extend to the 25th of January. Touching the usual annual examination of pupils, the Committee unanimously resolved to postpone it until the midwinter vacation, the argument advanced in favour of the step being that the school had been near disorganisation during the last few months owing to the prevalence of measles, which had reduced the attendance to almost a minimum.

Yesterday we inspected a really fine sheep. TheanimalwasthecelebratedramSirFrederic, bred by Mr Fred. Sutton at Southland, and only the other day took the leading prizes for aged rams, and for the best Lincoln ram in the yard, at the Christchurch Agricultural Show. Sir Frederic is a beautiful creature, large, and remarkably well wooled, and is, without doubt, a credit to the Province. He is now, with his owner, on his way back to his native pastures, having arrived here in the steamer Taranaki on Wednesday, and was placed on board the Comerang last night. Sir Frederic eclipsed in every point several recent importations,from England. A meeting of gentlemen anxious to form a force to be called "The Fire Police," was held at LyMelton a few days ago. It was decided that the force should consist of twenty members, and we suppose their duty will be to assist the general police at fires. An important meeting of cricketers was held at Wain's Hotel last evening, when committees were appointed to arrange Interprovincial and Intercolonial matches. The following team has been selected to play against Oamaru on New Year's Day:— M'Donnell, Park, Fenwick, Austin, Newbury, Rhodes H, Sampson, Kettle, Allen, Barlow, and Fuller. They will meet an eleven, to be chosen from the following, tomorrow, at 2 p.m. sharp, at the Southern • Recreation Ground :—Tait, Morrison W., Macfarlane, Thomson J. C, Turton, Collinson, Rhodes D. X., Godby, Meares, Clarlt, Sutcliff ', Glen, and Marshall. Players are requested to be punctual

A man named William MAdam fell down dead in the street at Oamaru on Wednesday. It is supposed that he was lately at work in i the Palmerston district, and he had only ! been at Oamaru for two days. Messrs W. and J. Scoular have recently made very extensive additions to their bonded and free stores in Dunedin, which afford another evidence, if any were needed, of the thriving state of trade in the city. Adjoining their old stores, fronting Jetty, Bond, and Crawford streets, the Messrs Scoular have ereded premises measuring 81ft. by 66ft., builb of brick upon a stone basement, finished in cement, with a slate roof. The whole of their buildings now measures 132 ft. by 81ft, having ?■ frontage to the three streets named above. In the new premises there are three floors, the basement being used for cellarage and the two upper storeys for the storage of general merchandise. A roadway runs through the centre of the building communicating. with a superior hydraulic lift capable of lilting over 24 tons when required. Communication between the old end new premises is maintained by means of fire-proof iron doors in each flat—the whole of the new building and half the original one being used as a bond. The addition has been occupied about a month, and is now rapidly filling up with goods. Since the opening of the Beaumont Bridge, which took place on the 2nd insfc., the traffic between Lawrence, Tapanui, and the Teviet, has been greatly facilitated, especially heavily laden teams. The bridge when viewed from a short distance presents an imposing appearance. It is 464 feet long, has six spans of arches, four measure 52 feet in length, and two 100 feet each. The long spans are built on the lattice girder prin-. ciple, the Bhorter being ordinary undertrassed girders. The masonry work in the piers and abutments is of the most solid description, and set firmly in the rock. One of the piers of the larger arches is built upon a rock in the centre of the river. To accomplish this must have been a work of no ordinal y difficulty, aa the rock shows but very little above the water. The cost of the entire structure was £7000, and reflects great credit upon Mr M'Donald, the contractor. Considering that the bridge has been built by private en terprise, it is a work of no mean importance, and speaks well for the pluck of the Tuapeka people. The punt is still plying, crossing traffic at one-third less than bridge rates, horses being charged sixpence each, bullocks fourpence halfpenny, foot passengers free. '' ; ." . >■/■.•

Potatoes now form an article of export from Tuapeka. Within the last fortnight, several waggon loads have been forwarded to Dunedin. ; On Wednesday we published a telegram from our Wellington correspondent stating that a man named Robert Aitken had: been behaving in an extraordinary manner, offering enormous sums for racehorses, and exhibiting cheques for large amounts -on the Bank of New Zealand, Mount Ida. It was also stated that the police believed him to be mad, and warned the public not to negotiate the cheques. We clip the following from the Southern Cross of the 3rd inst. : : —

" We are informed that the charge of issuing a valueless cheque made against Mr Robert Aifcken, of Otago, has been withdrawn as totally without foundation, his bankers at Mount Ida having been telegraphed to, and having promptly replied that the gentleman's name is good for a round sum. The issuing of valueless cheques was said not long ago from the Bench, by Judge Johnston, 'to be the crime of the Colony;' and, therefore, persons receiving such from strangers are apt to be suspicious, and not without reason, and this : will no doubt explain to the innocent victim the reason of his having been undeservedly made the subject of such a charge,"

Messrs Kirkcaldie and Stains (aays the Tribune) have done service to the public by the importation of upwards of a hundred pounds' worth of penny tokens. Copper coinage is scarce in the Colony, and as we have now to use it—the good old days of dealing in nothing less than sixpences having gone by never to return —a good supply is very useful. .. ■ , .•. ;.1 The Tuapeka Times apologises to many of its subscribers for the non-delivery of their papers on Saturday, and states that the regular runners were laid up with the measles. : The following acclimatisation items are from the Clutha Leader:—The starlings liberated some 3'ears ago by the Acclimatisation Society have taken up their abode at Inch Clutha. About three-weeks ago we noticed two of their nests in Mr M'Donald's bush, near the upper end of the island. One nest contained young ones, which the parent birds were moßt assiduous in attending to. visiting the nest a great many times during the day, and each time having their bills well filled with food for the young. The food appeared plentiful, as they were only a very short! time absent from their nests, until they-returned with-fresh supplies. Our I informant adds:—About a fortnightl ago, in walking through one of Mr M Donald's paddocks, a short distance below the punt, I raised twelve starlings that were feeding in the grass. They flew over the river into Smith. Brothers bush. Partridges are now to be seen -within the proximity of the town-

ship. A few days since, Mr Mclrose came upon a number of young partridges while cutting some grass in his paddock. They attempted to fly but were unable. Mr Melrose also informs ua that they have been building in a broom hedge within a Bhort distance of his house, where he has repeatedly seen the cock and hen together. Pheasants are reported to be heard daily in the swamp about the centre of Inch Clutha.

We clip the following items of mining news from the Cromwell Argus:—Tho Star machine started again on Saturday last, and will continue crushing up to Christinas. The manager will now be able to get stone out much faster, as the reef has widened considerably, being in one place nearly six feet in width, with very good prospects. The main tunnel is being carried in to cut the old reef, a contract for driving 100 feet (unless the reef is first struck) having been let at 36s 6d per foot. Work has been commenced on this contract, and is progressing satisfactorily. When the reef is struck in this dri\re, the manager will be able to keep the mill going without any stoppages. —The Chinamen who have the contract for the big tunnel in the Heart of Oak are making very little headway, and if they do not make more rapid progress, the Company will see it to their advantage to take the affair out of their hands. The Chinese do not seem to be able to make a living at it, having taken it at a very low price, and to all appearances would be glad to give it up.—The next' escort is expected to be a very heavy one.

A youth of 16, named Joseph Domigan, residing near Appleby (says • the Southland News of the Bth inst.) died yesterday morning after a short illness, due, it is believed, to internal injuries received while practising gymnastics some days" previously on the horizontal bar. It appears that he had missed his hold and fallen heavily, but none of his companions supposed he was seriously hurt, nor, in fact, was he himself aware, for he went to his work as usual for two days afterwards. At the end of that time he complained of pains in the head, became delirious, and, in spite of careful medical attendance and nursing, expired as stated. ■

The workman (a Dane) who was accidentally killed at Messrs Herbert's aaw-mills, Tuapeka Mouth, on the sth inst., was buried on Thursday at the Lawrence Cemetery. ; A considerable number of persons followed the remains to the grave. The South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society has just been formed at Timaru. ' The object of the Society is to introduce game of a useful description. . i Cromwell won't be clean, but does not like to be called dirty. The local paper says that " whenever news falls flat among the Dtraedin editors, and their own foul streets and filthy suburbs leave them an interval of leisure, they proceed to erect a gallows and swing off the township of Cromwell, to dangle before their readers as a hideous beacon to warn all uncleanly townships." The following is from the Thames Star :— " Neat little anecdotes of imported ' helps' under Mr Vogel's immigration scheme are continually being circulated, and the cry is 'still they come.' Here is the very latest, the truth of which may of course be vouched for. A small specimen of the genus maid of alt work, engaged in the service of an 'afistocrashnn' in this district was asked by a sympathising member of the sisterhood how the general style of the situation suited. ' Well, my dear,' was the affectionate reply, ' I find nothin' to complain of; but master andmissusdoestalksuch very bad grammar.' " A second complimentary concert to Miss Hesford was given last evening in the Temperance Hall by the members of St. Joseph's Choir. An excellent programme was provided, comprising solos, choruses, and instrumental pieces, the latter being performed by Mr Sykes in his accustomed brilliant style. The members of the Choir acquitted themselves very creditably, and a pleasant evening was spent by those present. •' Rob Roy" was presented at the Princess Theatre last evening. The piece on the whole was fairly played, but there was no thing calling for particular notice. An afterpiece, which gave Mr Musgrave scope, which he fully availed himself of to distinguish himself, followed. There was a tolerably «;ood auiieace. To-night Mr Batts takes his benefit, on which occasion "Caste" will be produced. A special general meeting of shareholders in the Dunedin, Peninsula, and Ocean Beach Railway Company will be held this afternoon at the Friendly Societies' Hall, Princes street;