Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 691, 10 August 1870, Page 2

Local and General.

Lecture.— The Rev A. Reid will deliver a lecture in the Wesleyan church, Lyttelton, to-morrow evening. The subject chosen is " The Destruction of Jerusalem." A collection, to defray the debt on the minister's house, will be made at the close of the lecture. Chkistciidrch Quay. — An entertainment will take place at the schoolroom, Christchurch, on Thursday, the 1 Ith iust., and not at the storeroom, as on previous occasions. The former room is better suited for enter tainraents of this kind, and it is hoped that the inhabitants of the district will take advantage of this opportunity, it being the last of the series.

Theatre Rotal. — "The Creole," and " The Fair One with the Golden Locks " were repeated last evening to a fair house. The San Francisco Mail.— lt would appear, from our Nelson telegram, that the inward mail from San Francisco was not due at Auckland till to-day. The time-table led us to beliere that the mail was due at Auckland on August 3. Lyttklton Conversazione:.— It is notified that on Friday a special train will be put on to accommodate visitors, leaving Christchurch at 7.30 p.m., returning at 3 a.m. Jn order to prevent disappointment, we have been requested to state that only subscribers and their friends will be admitted. *V&lasonic. — We remind members of the flfaft generally that the opening of the new Hall erected by the :-t. Augustine Lodge, 609, E.C., in Manchester street, will take place this evening, at the usual hour of Lodge meeting. It is expected that a large number of brethren will be in attendance. Telegraphic— ln the House of Representatives, Mr Tancred asked the Hon. the Post-master-General whether it is proposed to es tablish a telegraph station at Leithfield. Mr Yogel said that as soon as other other urgent work which was in hand was finished, this station would be proceeded with. From our Wellington files, we learn that telegrams can be forwarded from the Wellington station to any station in Great Britain, Ireland, or France. The tariff for the first ten words is two pounds four shillings, and for each additional word four shillings and sixpence. Address, signature, and date will be charged for. In addition to the above tariff, thj^ Ordinary New Zealand rates will be charged. Ministerial Allowances. — The Colonial Treasurer, in laying on the table of the House of Eepresentatives a return of the expenditure under the Civil list, took occasion to explain the allowances received by Ministers during the recess. They had all drawn their salaries. Mr Fox had a residence, and Mr Gisborne drew an allowance in lieu thereof. Mr M'Lean did not draw residence allowance, but received £2 2s a day while absent from Wellington. For himself, his position was that of Resident Minister at Auckland, and while there he only drew the usual salary ; when absent from Auckland he drew £2 2s a day travelling expenses, and during his mission to Australia, £4 4s a day. Flax. — In the House of Representatives Mr Hall asked the Hon. the Premier whether the Government has yet decided upon the expediency of ascertaining by actual experi ment, conducted under the auspices of the Government or otherwise, the best method of dressing New Zealand flax. Mr Fox said the Government were very desirous of seeing the largest amount of information on this subject collected, and had communicated with the Commissioners at home on the matter. The Government would be prepared, when the committee on native industries brought up their report, to take steps in the direction pointed out by the hon. member, and he advocated the granting of liberal assistance towards the. development of thia industry. Chbhtchurch Musical SociEir. — We understand that the Christchurch Musical Society will give a concert of miscellaneous music towards the end of this month. Some selections from Haydn's (t Creation," and Bierry's cantata " Faith and Adoration," will be performed. This cantata has, we believe, been in rehearsal — if not actually performed in public — some years ago by one of the older societies. It was considered to be a very pleasing composition, though it is not very widely known. The second part of the concert will consist entirely of secular music instrumental and vocal. Auber's bright and cheery little overture " Le Cheval de Bronze," and some of the movements from Haydn's twelfth grand symphony, will be taken by the full orchestra, varied in the intervals by vocal solos, and. by part songs. A False Alarm.— From our Wellington files we learn that when the House of Representatives met a few days ago, the key of the outer door of the Reporters' gallery was missing, and the gentlemen of the press had for the nonce to betake themoelvcs to the Strangers' gallery. As the key could not be found, it was resolved to break the door open — a proceeding attended with a considerable amount of noise, and which carried alarm to the floor of the House. Some hon. members from the North imagined that an earthquake was coming, but the general impression was that the building had succumbed to dry rot, and that the collapse foretold by Mr Clayton waa about to eventuate. A general stampede was on the point of taking place, when hap pily the door yielded, and the appearance of the reporters in the gallery explained the cause of the unwonted disturbance within the sacred precincts. Recent Rumours. — For some time past various rumours have appeared in the papers respecting alleged appointments made by the Government under the sew financial scheme. During the discussion, in the Houso of Representatives on Thursday last, of a motion tabled by Mr Gillies, which proposed to disqualify any member of the House from accepting an office of emolument under the Government until he had ceased to be a member of the House, Mr O'Rorke took occasion to point out the bad effects of this part of the motion. As an illustration of .this, he referred to a rumour which was current, that a certain hon. member had been appointed to go to England in connection with the financial scheme of the Government, and argued that it would be greatly against the interests of the colony were it deprived of the valuable services of that hon. gentleman. Mr Stafford— to whom, of course, the rumour referred— took the opportunity to emphatically deny the truth of the rumours which had been so industriously circulated, but said he did not think it right that the colony should be deprived of the services of men who might be eminently useful. Mr Fox corroborated what had fallen from Mr Stafford, and also said that several other rumours respecting appointments made were totally unfounded.

The Legislative Council.— An Otago member of the House of Representatives, Mr Mclndoe, has given notice of the following motion : — "That in the interests of the colony, it is desirable that the constitution of the Legislative Council should be assimilated to that of the House of Representatives, and that this resolution should be reported to the Legislative Council. Abstracting His Papbrs.— ln the House of Representatives recently, the Hon. J. Hall indignantly drew attention to the systematic manner in which Hansard and Parliamentary papers disappear from members' pigeon-holes. He related Beveral instances of this discreditable practice, and his complaint was corroborated by a number of other members. It was stated that a meeting of the House Committee had been called to consider the subject. The Ahmed Constabulary. — The Wellington evening paper of a recent date, has the following:— ln various parts of the colony agents are appointed, empowered to enlist men for the Armed Constabulary. Candidates for admission to the force make application to these agents, by whom, if they are considered eligible, they are forwarded to head quarters, their passages being paid by the Government. On arrival at the depot, it sometimes happens that the Commissioner does not approve of their appearance, but they are put through the necessary examination, and set to work. Nothing is said as to whether they will be retained or not until enough work has been got out of them to pay their passages, when, if not approved of, they are told to go. A man, named Le Bas, vwho had served in the old force at one time, came down from Auckland recently, and was put through the usual process. After he had completed his period of probation he was discharged, but by some means or other the sergeant who has charge of such matters paid him £3 17s. Very shortly afterwards, this was discovered to be a mistake, and an attempt mode to induce Le Bas to refund: that astute individual, however, only laughed at the idea of such a thing. He left a bag of clothes at the depot when he went away, and when he went to claim it it was refused unless he paid back the £3 17s. Le Bos very quietly walked to the Police office, and took out a summons, for detinue, against the officer in charge of the depot. Finding he was in the wrong, that officer caved in, delivered up the bag, and also gave Le Bas £i to withdraw his action. Avon Road Board. — A meeting of this Board was held yesterday. There were present—Messrs Abbott, Lame, Norman, and Philpott; Mr Abbott in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The Clerk's report was read, in which it was stated that Clarriage had completed his contract for carting gravel on the North Road, in the neighbourhood of Papanui, and that the footpath through Papanui had been gravelled, the inhabitants agreeing to pay one-half the cost. A letter was received, from the inhabitants of Avonaide asking the Board to take into their consideration the desirability of metalling the road from the Stanmore Bridge to the Rev W. Habens', they having formed the same at their own expense. The consideration of the matter was deferred until next Board day, on account of the difficulty experienced at this season in carting gravel, the Clerk in the meantime to ascertain what amount the persons interested would contribute towards the same. A letter was received from the inhabitants of Springfield Road complaining that the drain in front of their properties had been stopped. The subject was referred to the Clerk of Works. The Clerk reported that he had received from the Provincial Government the sum of £37 10s, the balance of grant, and had placed the same to the credit of the Board at the Bank. The Clerk was instructed to revise the rate roll in accordance with the Ordinance, also to assess the property upon the same terms as last year. Accounts amounting to £66 Is were passed and ordered to be paid. The Board then adjourned till Tuesday, September 6. An Otago Claim. — The Wellington evening paper has the following : — Otago wants to be repaid the nice little sum of £13,000, for having imported Dr Hector and employed him for three years in the geological survey of the province.' The argument is, that the colony having engaged Dr Hector on the termination of his Otago engagement, ought to recoup Otago the whole expenses of that engagement, and, in support of this claim, some members last night actually went so far as to say that the province had nothing to Bhow for the expenditure on Dr Hector. Mr Macandrew qualified this statement by saying they had the nucleus of a Museum. The great complaint was, that Dr Hector had promised a report on the geology of the province, and had not given it, as he said, when leaving, that it was first necessary for him to complete the survey of the rest of the colony before reporting finally on any one portion of it. The somewhat ungenerous reflections cast on Dr Hector were promptly met by Mr W. H. Harrison, who reminded the House of the many valuable progress reports published by Dr Hector -of that gentleman's great and valuable services in connection with the New Zealand Exhibition, and of his well-known explorations of the West Coast and interior, explorations to which the settlement at Martin's Bay and many other results were owing. Mr Gillies also expressed his conviction that Otago had never spent any money to better advantage than that spent on Dr Hector's engagement, for his reports, maps, and scientific articles, had made the province known and talked of in places and in circles, when its very existence would otherwise have been unknown. He also referred to the admirable geological maps prepared by Dr Hector, and to be found in the Library. Mr Rolleston and Mr Taylor said that if the claims of Otago were recognised, Canterbury and Wellington would also be entitled to be recouped their expenditure on geological surveys. The general opinion seemed tobe that Otago'sc aim was an absurd one.

Licensed Victuallers' Association. — The annual performances in aid of the Funds of this Association will take place at an early date. Temperance Hall. — An entertainment of an unusually attractive nature took place last evening, it being the anniversary of the opening of the Hall. Tea was provided in a most sumptuous style by the ladies connected with the Society, and ample justice was done to the good things by the company assembled. After the tables had been cleared away, the proceedings took the form of an Entertainment, in the course of which songs were sung by Mrs Butterfield and Miss Cutler, Dr Allen, Messrs Baker, J. Thompson, and — Merriman, aud a duet by Miss Watt and Mr Tremayne. Readings were given by Dr Florance, Messrs Bennetts and Caygili ; and recitations by Mr Butterfleld and Master Thompson. The Rev. W. Pole occupied the chair, and conducted the proceedings with much credit. After votes of thanks to the ladies, the singers, and the chairman, the meeting terminated with the National Anthem, all present appearing to have spent a very pleasant evening. A Nbw Militia Act. — A new Militia Bill has been brought into the House of Representatives by the Hon. Defence Minister. From our Wellington files we get the following information regarding it. The Bill has been framed with the view of remedying the defects and abuses of the present system, and establishing a new one which will accomplish the ends the other has failed to achieve. It provides that the Militia shall consist of all the male inhabitants of New Zealand between the ages of seventeen and fifty-five, who have resided six months in the colony. The exemptions are very numerous, and are as follows:— Judges of the Supreme Court, members of the Executive Council of the colony, members of the General Assembly, Superintendents of provinces, Secretaries and Under Secretaries of the Colonial Government, Judges of the Native Lands Court or Compensation Court, Civil Commissioners, Chairman of the County Council of Westland, Resident Magistrates, clergy and ministers of all religious denominations who shall .for the time being be officiating ministers within the meaning of "The Marriage Act, 1858," and the act amending the same, professors in any College or University, members of Provincial Councils during session, members of the County Council of Westland during session, Sheriffs and constables, Wardens and other officers of a proclaimed goldfield, duly qualified medical men in practice, telegraph clerks, wardens, keepers, warders, and guards of every public gaol and lunatic asylum, and the attendants on the sick in every public hospital, postmasters, mail carriers, and ferrymen, masters of public and common schools actually engaged in teaching, seafaring men (other than watermen and boatmen) actually engaged in their calling, all volunteers enrolled under any Volunteer Act for the time being in force within the colony, all- persons afflicted with any infirmity, the aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand, and every person holding a miner's right, resident on a proclaimed goldfleld. A clause, however, provides that the Governor shall have power to suspend the exemption of Maoris and miners in every district. The militia are to bo divided into only two classes, men between seventeen and forty and men between forty and fifty-five years of age. Marriage is no longer an exemption from the first class. Battalions are to be formed, and the necessary officers appointed, the country being divided into battalion districts ; the officers are to be carefully selected, and all their proceedings, as far as possible, carried out on the model of a regular army ; offences, and the punitive powers of the civil and military authorities, are more clearly defined than heretofore, and when the militia is on actual service, strict discipline will be maintained, and the Mutiny Act enforced. Pofulab Entertainment Association.— As might have been expected, the offer of a prize for the best male-voice solo brought forward a considerable number of competitors, some already well known to Christchurch audiences, and others who were heard almost for the first time in the Town Hall last night. Speaking of the singers in the aggregate, we would remark that, having heard so much that was good in respect to voice, we regetted to hear so little in respect to cultivation, even of the barest kind. Untrue intervals, unsteady time, bad articulation — all these betrayed, in some of the aspirants, the want of the most rudimentary teaching. We would bo the last to discourage any painstaking amateur, but we would earnestly recommend the majority of those gentlemen who sang last night not to court further publicity for the present, but to apply themselves diligently to remedy their individual defects as far as possible. In noticing the songs individually, we would heartily congratulate the prize-man of the evening — Mr D. Dunlop— on having achieved a genuine success with his " Will o' the Wisp." Nothing could have Buited his peculiarly heavy bass voice better, and he had evidently studied his song. We think, however, the judges must have had a difficult task in deciding between him and Mr Price, who sung Beethoven's glorious song, "Adelaide" very creditably indeed. This, too, is a song which requires more real study than all the rest put together. Mr Bell, who gave another difficult and trying song — Blumenthal's " Message," has a very sweet head-voice, but lacks power and energy. However, hia song, and Mr Price's, were by far the most finished performances of the evening. Mr Cliff Bhowed us a very great improvement on his former efforts. His rendering of " Come into the Garden Maud " was correct and careful, but we would, in the most friendly spirit, remind him that indistinctness is his fault. Mr Smith, whom we have not heard before, gave us a remarkable instance of a fine head-voice without the slightest pretension to cultivation of any kind. He, however, showed real feeling for

vocal effect in Ida song, and we strongly recommend him, if possible, to learn how to use the fine organ which nature has given him. The other songs do not call for any special remark. They were, with perhaps the exception of Mr Morgan's, more or les3 indifferent. The accompaniments to Messrs Danlop , Price, and Bell, were played by Mr Robert Parker; to the remainder, by Mr Simms and Herr Zincgraf . Mr Simms, with Miss OHivier, also agreeably varied the entertainment by a charming performance of Weber's " Preciosa." In concluding this notice of the musical portion of the evening, we would ask when Christchurch audiences (we speak of the male portion of course), will learn to behave themselves more like gentlemen and less like London " roughs." Last night was not the first occasion on which a large number conducted themselves as if they were in a third rate tap-room instead of in the presence of ladies and gentlemen in the Christchurch Town Hall. We wish that concert and entertainment givers would in future put a stop to the intolerable encoring nuisance. la this instance it did not prevail, and we thank the Mayor for not allowing it to do so. The readings given were ," The lost lily, a tale of Wyoming," from Mrs Sigourney's poetical works, by Mr Gradwell ; " Lawlesa' love letter," from Frank Fairleigh, by Capt. Wilson ; " Edinburgh after Flodden," by Mr Bradwell ; and " The nervous man," by Mr J. A. Bird. The delivery was generally good, and the respective contributions were much enjoyed by the audience, more especially the last two. Exception might, however, fairly be t iken to the length of some of the. pieces, and it is to be regretted that despite frequent cautions in this direction, there is no curtailment made. The patience of the audience was severely tried in two instances last night, and one interruption actually occurred. The judges of the singing were the Rev E. A. Lingard, Dr Haast, Mr R. P. Crosbie, and Mr J. ThoniBon. They retired to decide their award, bat were not long absent. On returning to the hall, the Rev E. A. Lingard said he felt the audience would agree with him that it had been a very difficult matter to decide the winner of the prize, because in singing a solo there were so many things to be taken into consideration. Some persons, for instance, preferred a sweet tenor voice, whilst others preferred a good bass. Of the two, there could be no doubt whatever that the audience bad decided in favour of the latter, and he might say that the judges had done the same— (applause) — believing the quality of Mr Dunlop'a voice to be the beat, and hia song also the best of the evening. They therefore awarded the prize to Mr Dunlop, but commended the singing of Messrs Price and Bell. (Applause.) The judges also desired to mention Mr Smith— (applause)— whom they had never heard sing before. He had a very good voice, which only required proper training. The National Anthem concluded the entertainment. Statb of Japan. — Late papers from Japan report that in most of the country districts throughout the empire there are ex? tensire risinga on the part of the farmers and the non-official class against their chiefs and the officers of the Government. The true reason is tbe dearness of rice and the valueless character of the currency. Not only are the people compelled to use paper money (kinsats), but this is circulated in so many forma and by so many parties— Government, daimios, and bankers — that they are at their wits' end to know what paper is good and what is bad. The governors of several districts having been murdered, and so far a* is at present believed, we only now see the beginning. The Government does not display any apprehen■iveness of direct operations against the powers that be ; but they are quite unable to devise any means whereby they can act beneficially for the country in the matter. Fighting has been prevalent in some districts, and is spoken of as certain in others. We do not place much faith in such rumours. The princes who were prominent as leaders of the Government party in the late revolution are still sufficiently cohesive to prevent any national outbreak. All the princes are more or less uneasy, but none dare to move. Their kerai or retainers are less nice, and when occasion offers they display their twordblades to more or less purpose, but only in private clan jealousies and quarrels. A Pafb* MANOTAOTomT.— The following is from the Auckland Herald :— lt has been suggested that paper of good quality might be manufactured from our flax, and since the flax market is uncommonly dull in England, perhaps we could hardly chooie a more suitable time for trying an experiment in flax paper-making. As far as the consumption of paper is concerned, the item 1b very large indeed, and a local manufactory would therefore be a direot monetary benefit to the colony in that respsot, as well as in the extra employment of labour and consumption of material otherwise frequently wasted. We feel Bure that, not only in the matter of flax, but in rags required for the manufacture oj certain descriptions of paper, there would be no difficulty id obtaining a sufficient supply. One needs only to traverse the by-streets to see what an ample field exists for the energies of the ragpicker. The flax fibre would be an excellent manufacturing material, there can, we think, be little doubt, and an opportunity herein exists either for individual enterprise or the formation of a company. In fact, it if a matter for surprise that something of the aort has not long since been established. A gentleman in town furnishes us with the following, received from his home correspondents:— "lt is not easy to give you the coat of a complete plant of machinery for making paper, as the position of ground and space to work on is often of great importance in estimating the coat. The following is an approximate cost of a mill, to make from twelve to fifteen tons of paper weekly, driving the paper machine at an average speed, ami making sixty inches of finished paper in width;.- — One rag*or waste

cutter, £50; four rag or esparto boilers, £300; six beating engines,£7BO ; gearing to drive ditto, andcastiron beams, £480; one paper machine, £1600; paper cutting machine, £130; water pipes and connections, £200; total, £3540. "You will observe that theae prices only include the working machinery required for the preparation and making of the paper, and you will require to take into consideration steam engine or water-wheel, tanks, and such utensils as may be required according to the way you have to work your mill. The prices quoted include packing and delivery, and all foreign orders are subject to special terms of payment." The above figures and comments may form a useful guide to any individual or company that may contemplate the establishment of any such industry in this province. We trust that the idea may find good backers, as we are confident that an excellent opening is here presented for the employment of capital. The New South Wales Coalfields. — From the report of . Mr William Keene, the examiner of coalfields to the Government of New South Waleß, we glean the following interesting facts: — The quality of our coal is, year by year, better appreciated, and I am informed that at Madras it meets English coal at equal prices, and is greatly esteemed for gas manufacture. In the China market the difference in price, which used to be from five to six thalers, has fallen to one and a half thaler, I have always expressed the opinion that time would dissipate the prejudices as to the qualities of our coal, and that when shipped direct from the mines here it would be found to be more advantageous in use than English coal, generally subjected to two or three transhipments. The error as to the geological position of our coal, and which attributed it to a much later age than the European beds, has entirely disappeared ; and 3n a treatise on coal and coal mining by Wairington Smyth, published only two years ago, during his presidency of the Geological Society, he says that the numerous observations on them, contributed by Mr Beete Jukes, the Rev. W. B. Clarke, Mr Selwyn, and Mr W. Keene, leave no doubt as to the paleozoic Character of the lower part of a great conformable series of strata ; and, in the table of stratified rocks, he places the New South Wales coal as belonging to a period; from the Devonian to the trias. New works are in progress in various directions. I have examined seams more than 700 miles to tha north of Newcastle, belonging to the same deposits we are working here, covered and underlain by the same fossil flora and fauna j and we may, without boasting, claim to rank with the most extensive coal-fields in the World. From a tabular statement of the numbers of persons employed in each colliery, and the quantities of coal raised, it will be seen that the entire quantity of coal raised in 1869 by the collieries of . Newcastle and its vicinity, including Mmmi, amounts to 778,263 tons. The Northern pits have raised 35,892; and the Southern 99,091 tons, and 6278 tons of oil-coal and shale have been raised in the Southern and Western districts— making a total of 919,522 tons. On the average it may be estimated that 2000 tons of shipping enter, And 2000 tons of shipping per day leave, the port of Newcastle. The new coal staitbß, when ready for use, will greatly facilitate the work of loading, to the great advantage of the port. From all I can learn from the principal mercantile houses of Newcastle, an equal, and probably greater amount of business may be expected in this than in the last year, tor the exportation to India, China and San Francisco is steadily on the increase. The shipment to the latter port was 21,895 in 1668, increased to 65,589 tons in 1869; and already, in the . first quarter of the present year, the shipments amount to 19,774 tons. Native Atfaibs.— The following is from the Wellington Independent of August 2:— The surrenders of the Ureweran justify the conclusion that the power of Te Kooti for evil has been completely destroyed. There can be no doubt that the loss of the Waikarexnoana plantations, with the great supplies of food accumulated there, ha* driven these dreaded Ureweras to great straits. Te Kooti himself is still in hiding, it is reported, At the Waioeka Gorge, where he has a small band of followers with him. It is not probable that any active operations against him will be undertaken this winter, the climate of that inhospitable country preventing any movement whether of European or native forces, and it is probable that cold and hunger will have quite as injurious an effect upon bis small band of followers as would any such military operations as could be undertaken, at this time of the year. The Armed Constabulary are therefore posted in such positions as will defend the settled country, and all the native forces have been disbanded.. The return of these bodies of friendlies to their homes, laden with the produce of . their accumulated pay, has a most beneficial effect upon the minds of their neighbours who may be doubtful or have been hostile. These men see that the Europeans are. .the winners in the long run, and although. . they have not themselves much to lose whichever side they take, they see that there is much to gain by attaching themselves to the .Europeans, and nothing by joining their rebel countrymen. The employment of native parties on the roads in the Wanganui district, has led to a very general desire on the part of the Maoris for Government employment, and one of the oldest missionaries in the island, gives the Government to understand that in order to gain employment, the natives generally, and even the most rabid Hau haus, are anxious to encourage tho formation of roads through the country in every direction. The Maori prisoners who received sentence of death a month ago, have not yet been dealt with— they are still in prison. It is not, we understand, the intention of the Government to execute the capital punishment on any of these men, but they will probably be subjected to such punishment as the different crimes of which they have been guilty render it necessary to inflict. The little

intelligence received from the head-quarters of the King party is satisfactory. Topia is at the prestnt time in negotiation with Tawhaio endeavourißg to arrange a meeting between the King and all the head chiefs on the one side, and the members of the Government on the other. The meeting is proposed to take place up the Wanganui river, in the same building which Topia erected for the meeting between Mr Fox and himself last year. Whether Topia will be successful or not reimains to be Been, but he is a man of very considerable influence with the King himself, 'and the endeavour at least is so far satisfactory, as proving that Topia is anxious to establish peace on a proper basis between his jfellow countrymen and ourselves. | Methodism. — Dr Jacoby makes the following remarks in reference to Methodism in different parts of the world : — There are nearly three and a half millions of members entered in the church books, and more than three and a half millions of children under the superintendence of the Methodists. As, however, only those are reckoned as members whose names are registered, while, on the other hand, whole families belong to Methodism of whom perhaps the man only or the wife has joined the Church, the religious influence of Methodism cannot be fixed by numbers. Whoever considers, nevertheless, that the Methodist Church was first established in 1739, and has already proved itself a blessing in all parts, must own when he impartially judges, that it has been an instrument in the hands of God to accomplish great things in the world. In Oxford the ; foundation was laid; in London the work commenced in the Foundry ; it spread to Bristol and the colliers in Kingswood, where, by the power of the gospel, lions were changed into lambs, and Methodism itself won the respect of its opponents. In England it progressed from place to place. To : the poor and priest-ridden Irish it brought the liberty of the gospel. Scarcely established in its native country, it is carried to the Americaa colonies, where it quickly ; grows to a giant tree which overtops all 1 others. To the poor negroes of the West Indies it brought first spiritual freedom, and then contributed towards the unloosing of the chains of slavery. Also to the heathen it has brought the gospel of Christ, and thousands upon thousands in various languages praise God with all their brethren in different lands with the same words which | John and Charles Wesley composed to the glory of God; and follow the "General Rules" which John Wesley gathered from the word of God for his small society for the rules of their conduct. By the grace of God Methodism has done much towards building up the kingdom of God. Lecture on Natural Histokt. — The Wellington Independent of August 2 contains the following notice of a lecture delivered by Dr Hector on July 30 : — There was a large attendance at the Maori House on Saturday evening to bear Dr Hector's lecture, which was listened to for two hours with the greatest attention. Although, as the lecturer ■aid, the explanations would present nothing that a great many of his hearers were not already familiar with, still, we suppose to a great number of those present much of the information so pleasantly imparted by Dr ! Hector was not only new but also possessed that happy quality of stimulating intellectual activity that is always felt when the dry details of science are made entertaining by being presented in the simplest possible language, aided by the choicest selections from natural history, abundance of which are to be found in the extensive repertory of the Museum at his hand. From the way in which the lecturer has begun tho task, he evidently intends to do the work thoroughly, and place those who have any desire to accompany him in his elucidation of the large subject of Natural History on a proper basis; though he intimated that he did not think his other regular duties would permit him to devote such time to the subject as would enable him to complete the series this winter. Dr Hector is an unmistakable disciple of the most advanced naturalists, and deals in nothing but the most scientific classification ; for, while asserting the symmetrical arrangement and intimate relationship that exists throughout nature, he shows the regular gradation and the points of connection and divergence in the organisms of the different kingdoms with a lucidity to suit any ordinary intelligence. He also reminded his audience that however familiar his explanations might seem to some of them, they were regarded as rank heresy at no very remote period, but that now the philosophy of Lamarck, St. Hiliare, the unknown author of the " Vestiges," and Darwin, is taught in all the schools of Europe. The old idea was that every animal and plant was a distinct creation, the effect of a power in the back ground, and in no way due to the agency of natural causes. A thoughtful word of praise was bestowed on the latter philosopher, Darwin, by Dr Hector, which deserves to be generally known. Darwin's theories are not, as many may suppose, the result of crude prejudice in favour of some fanciful hypothesis, but the digest of a long life of travel and observation over almost the whole world ; and those very ideas which are still in process of publication were held in constant cogitation and submitted to the judgment of scientific, friends, who held similar ideas, as far back as twenty and twentyfive years before being published. Stress was laid upon the imperative necessity of obtaining some knowledge of the " hard words " of the science, and a proper appreciation of the difference between the meaning of the terms analogy and howiology. We regret that our space limits us to little more than a mere reference to what was a very full lecture ; in fact, we thought it much too crammed to give Dr Hector room for the proper display of bis large acquisitions in that vast branch of human learning. To start from the simple cell, the beginning of all living organisms, and in the short space of two hours take his hearers through the varied forms of germination and transmutation — from the nucleus

of life up to the threshold of the vertebrata, with occasional illustrative excursions into the vegetable kingdom, besides letting a little light in on the little known science of conchology— was going through at a canter. The marvel is that it was done so well ; and now that the Dr has shown the depths of knowledge and his power of entertainment, his valuable services will be at a premium, at least for the present, until the intended arrangements in connection with the scientific classes are carried out.