THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M Resurrexi. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2097, 23 September 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M Resurrexi. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1875.

The preas agent at the Bluff, true to the sympathetic feelings he has before manifested of recording the doings of Lord Mayors, more especially when those doings occur in the gastronomic line, has telegraphed to us that the banquet with which the Loudou Lord Mayor enter-

tamed the Lord Mayors of the world cost tie startling sum of £180,000. To such lengths can civic hospitality go in the shape of venison and claret, and of such elastic properties are aldermanic waistcoats made. Side by side, as far as dates are concerned, with this account of tradesmen's costly feeds, we have the news that the "little dinner" whichvthay of the Opposition have devised as a compliment to Sir George Grey went off well, or in the words of the Press Agency telegram, 't**!after a plgasant social evening the company separated about 11.30; M and we suppose we are at liberty, to add the custifonaiy phrase, which we daresay is kept set up by our printer, "mutually satisfied with their evening's entertainment." Now it is nothing to ourselves personally how many thousands the Corporation of London may choose to spend upon eating and drinking. After the just sensations of disgust at the sickening extravagance thus flaunted in our faces by the Press Agent have subsided, and a regret that so* vast a sum of money was not put to better and nobler uses has passed away, Guildhall with its banquets becomes a matter of indifference. So neither do we care much how often Sir George Grey chooses to dine out at the expense of his admiring supporters, though had the conventional salmon disagreed with him to such an extent as to render him and his less obstructive in the House of Assembly for some few nights to come, we might have been led to imagine that, even complimentary banquets were not altogether devoid of use. But we do care to notice even-So small a matter as a complimentary dinner, when at such dinner, during the course of the necessary speeches, words were uttered which seem to show that the opinions of a man so eminent in this colony as Sir George Grey have undergone some modification as to the advisibility of fighting out the question of Abolition to the death, and that he was prepared to admit that^as far as the people were concerned the* ".struggle was at an end." We do not wish for one moment to apply to Sir George Grey the proverb in vino veritas or even to hint that in an unguarded moment Sir George Grey disclosed to his i four-and-twenty .convives sentiment^, which lie does hot give vent to in public. In fact we do not ourselves vouch for the fact that he ever did utter these sentiments at all, but they are printed in the Southern Cross of Wednesday as having been spoken by him, and it is at least fair, to presume they were spoken, unless they are contradicted. The Southern Cross by means of its special correspondent hath the matter thus :—

The dinner to Sir George Grey was given last night, when 25 persons were present. The Chairman, Mr Fitzherbert, was supported by Sir George Grey on the right, and Mr Macandrew on the left. Mr Kolleston was in the vice-chair. 1 The toasts ; were, only .five i-^-" The Qtreynj 1-^ '-'.i he-Army- xtid^NaJvy and- Sir - 1 George Grey,'' by the Chairman. Sir George Grey, in reply, made a conciliatory speech. He admitted that the country had agreed to abolition, as shown by the manner in which the news of the second reading of the bill- had been treated with indifference by the people. He considered the struggle at an end.

Now considering that the dinner was gtrictly private, we cannot of course account for the way in which the Cross has been able to make these facts—if facts they are—so very public; but still they are there, and as we said we are bound to believe them to be true; and if true they be, it is with unfeigned pleasure that we read them, and right gladly do we hail the news that the fact has at length forced itself upon Sir George Grey's reluctant mind, that the people taken as a whole are willing to allow their liberties to be infringed when the so-called infringement happens to be" for their obvious good. We never doubted that Sir George in his persevering obstruction considered in his own mind that he "W.as acting in the best possible way for the interests of the colony, neither do we think he had any great misgivings but that the electors of the colony approved in their hearts of the uses of Provincialism, even though they denounced with their mouths the abuses which had crept into the system. Since however, the indifference which the people have manifested to the second reading of the Bill has forced Sir George to the conclusion that the " country had agreed to abolition," and that "he considered the straggle at an end," we hope from henceforth he will turn his undoubted talents and influence to different purposes than those for which he has hitherto employed them; and— instead of further impeding a measure which, however unwillingly he acknowledges, the people hare agreed to — do his utmost to render that measure so perfect in detail and so just in it?, bearings to constituencies —whether petted hitherto as Auckland, or neglected up till now as the Thames—that future generations of colonists may have great cause to bless that " small dinner " of five and twenty in Wellington, at which, though a private one, it leaked out that the Opposition leader had modified his views for the better, and having been brought to see what the people really wished and needed set himself with heart and soul to obtain that wish and need for them. If Sir George will do this, though the. colony may not be so rich in purse or empty of understanding as to be able to spend £180,000- in filling him and those who feast with him with antipodean luxuries, yet he will have the gratification of knowing that all whom he has thus benefited will henceforth regard his name with honour and esteem, and that posterily will heartily agree with him in considering it right to throw away the *• red hot poker " of Opposition 'spoken

of by Mr Fitzherbert, and grasping instead some more advantageous lever for the common .weal;-:-

These was a clean sheet at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning.

The monthly convocation of the Abbotsford Royal Arch Chapter will take place this evening in the Freemasons' Hall, Owen-street, at half-past . seven o'clock, for the election of officers.

We believe the Thames Stock and Share Association has collapsed—died of inanition. On enquiry for the usual quotations to-day our reporter was informed that there was no list.

Major Eeddeli, who has been doing duty here for a week past as .Resident Magistrate and Warden, in the absence of Captain Eraser who is in Wellington, returns to Coromandel to-day. Captaiu Fraser is expected to leave Wellington on his return trip on Saturday.

The milkmen of the Thames held a meeting last night at the Queen's Hotel, Mr Walker in the chair. It appeared from what was said that many of the public preferred having a larger quantity of adulterated milk to a smaller quantity of pure milk, and that those who supplied pure milk could not of course compete with the milk-and-water retailers when it was a question of quantity and not quality. Those who were present then formed themselves into a company to supply pure milk and pure milk only, and that at a fixed price. Mr Davis was made treasurer, Mr Cooper secretary, Messrs Walker, Stevens, Davis, Campbell and Williams were appointed a committecV : .

We have received per lasfc Southern mail New Zealand Gazette No. 5 ; New Zealand Parliamentary Debates No. 15 ; and the following Acts:—lmprest Supply, Immigration Expenditure Indemnity, Invercargill Gas Loan, Queenstown Waterworks, Presbyterian Church of Otago Incorporation, University of Otago Site, University of Otago Site Exchange, and New Zealand University Act.

In the Supreme Court, Christchurch, in the case of Henry Kichard Wills; deceased, application was made for an order for leave to issue projbdte to the widow, as sole executrix. - The .will placed before his Honor was a printed form, and the alleged signature of the deceased was perfectly illegible. His Honor remarked that these printed forms were a temptation to carelessness, and that there was nothing to show that the content* of the printed paper had been read over to deceased, prior to attaching to it what was said to be his signature. His Honor declined to make the order until the production of aa affidavit showing that the will had been duly executed.

At Hokitika objection was taken to an appointed schoolmaster because of his defects in spelling. At Eoss an appointment is protested against by one of the Local Committee on the ground that the teacher, whose, name indicates Scandinavian extraction, is quite . incapable %of giving a proper and correct pronunciation of the English language—a failing which he considers fatal to anyone aspiring to the high office of teacher in an English School. In an explanatory letter to the Guardian, the committee-man says:— "Having before us the means of making a first-class selection of teachers as a whole, I cast aside all personal and local coitt3iderations__and_went injfor talent— the education of my children and those of the ratepayers at large having my first consideration."

The retirement of members from the Welson City Council was.arranged in somewhat strange fashion, which is thus described by the Daily Times . —" Seven tickets closely folded were placed ia a hat, two of them having the words 'go out' legibly inscribed thereon, and five having the words ' stay in ' equally visibly written. As there were no other impartial persons present, the reporters were asked to do the drawing, the Town Clerk standing hat in hand, as sentry over the drawer, This individual was expected to take out a ticket, open it, and announce its contents, ' ; go out' 'or stay in,' in tones sufficient to reach the ears of all concerned. It was arranged that the Mayor should, be first subjected to the ordeal, and the ticket drawn told "him that he was to 'stay in.' Cr Harper was the next, but the fates weje adverse, and told him to 'go out.' Crs Wilkins and Gray were sanctioned in their seats, but Cr Webb—one of the most useful members of the Corporation—was consigned to outer darkness, as far as present municipal work was concerned. Crs Everett and Carter were favored by fortune, if retention of their seats can be so con« sidered, and Cr Thompson retired by rotation."

The Melbourne Argus recently published a letter headed " Temptation to Clerks," complaining of the wretched remuneration which is given in many instances to those who do office work. The correspondent says that he is in the employment of- a tea-merchanfc as bookkeeper, his services in this capacity being paid for at the rate of 20s per week. Commenting on this paltry remuneration for his services, our Melbourne contemporary remarks :—" Our correspondent says that he has ' sole charge of the cash,' which, under the circumstances, is a cruel responsibility to place on him. While, of course, nothing can excuse dishonesty! men who act like this lavish tea dealer deserve to be robbed. The practical lesson to be derived from this communication under notice, is, we think, addressed to all those parents who have managed to give their sons a decent education, but can't afford money to start them in life. It tells them plainly enough not to allow any false notions about ' gentility' to condemn their children to a life at the desk, where a .skilled hand, occupying a responsible position, may only be able to command 20s per week. Better apprentice them to any honest trade than consign them to such a living death."

E athee an impudent thing, considering betting is against the law, was done the other evening, according to the Geelong Advertiser, by the keeper of a cigar and curiosity shop of sporting proclivities. A well known resident haviDg declined to pay a bet he had made of a few pounds, a brief statement of the facts was posted up in a conspicuous part of the betting man's window. Whether the object sought was attained or not has not transpired, but the notice has disappeared. A story is told of a somewhat similar affair which occurred some years ago. A slightly mutilated bank-note was taken to one of the banks in town, but in consequence of the way in which it was torn, the teller demurred to changing it. The note was taken lo the office ot a trades-

man near the bank in question, and, learning the circumstances, the latter at once displayed it in his window, with the intimation beneath that the bank had refused to cash it. It is almost unnecessary to add that the value of the note was almost immediately forthcoming.