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Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 85, 18 April 1870, Page 2

The p. s. Lalla Eookh will leave for Coromandel, Tapu Creek, and Grahamstown at midnight.

By the JNovelty, which sailed on Saturday evening for Sydney, Mr. J. H. Leßoy and Madame Duret were passengers. From the well-known abilities of this sterling actress we have no doubt but that she will obtain a lucrative engagement, and meet with the success she so well deserves.

A obeat nuisance has for a long time existed outside the Prince of Wales Theatre, by a parcel of about twenty boys stopping the persons coming out of thai place of amusement and asking for their " passes." Can not the police stop this by sending the young wretches home to their beds ? and if that is no avail, to walk them quietly to the station, where no doubt a " pass" would be given them, nnd would most likely be the means of stopping them from thus annojing many.

A saebow escape from drowning occurred yesterday on the Queen-street wharf. A little boy who was on a flight of steps was throwing a piece of stick into the water for his dog to fetch. This he repeated two or three times, ihe dog bringing it to him and thus making the steps wet. The dog at last got tired, and would not give up the stick, and in the boy trying to wrestle it from the dog's mouth, he slipped into the water, and would undoubtedly have beou. drowned, as he was unable to swim, had it not been for the timely arrival of a passer by, who pulled him out from the briny element, more frightened than hurt.

Yestehday afternoon four persons seated in a buggy were driving at a most furious rate along the Onehunga road, some two miles from Auckland. They do doubt thought because they were out of the precincts of the town, they might drive at what rate they liked, but they must bear in mind they are equally guilty of furious driving in the country as in the heart of the city,

We would call the attention of our readers to the sale of Chinese and Japanese merchandise in the City Hall, to-morrow. Useful and ornamental— rich and rare—the collection is the most expressive of Oriental art that has ever appeared in Auckland.

We clip the following from a contemporary. We think it means to mildly criticise our remarks on the Oriental curios, but we really want to know what it does mean :—" lv the one event there is the best evidence of the growing strength of the colony ; in the other, let us hope there is no evidence that a source of v/eakness Lbs been created which the colonists need to fear beyond their power to prevent being prejudicial." We learn that his Excellency, accompanied by the Defence Minister, will leave to-morrow in the Luna, on his visit to the JSorth. Visiting the Bay of Islnnds, Hokianga, Ahipara, Mangonui, &c, the Governor will return to Auckland in about ten days. To-moebow will be the day for granting annual licenses for hotels. All the present licenced victuallers are applicants, as also a number of others who aspire to the position of Boniface.

On Saturday evening last a stack of hay belonging to Mr. Keetley, of I psom, was destroyed by fire. The stack was within a few feet of a stable, and if the latter had caught fire the house would no doubt have been consumed; but owing to

the energetic efforts of Captain Armstrong, Messrs. Beatie, Laman, and numerous other gentlemen, the buildings were saved. i ,'T ' ,; \ ' What on earth is the matter with the Post-office ?/. It really seems as if in that depaftßoentwe are, retrograding instead of progressing. ■ Day after day complaints reach us ofoutrageous delays and of nondelivery/; Yesterday a gentleman informed.; us of his. having." suffered considerable loss by. 'a letter posted in -Auckland having been'if week on its ; journey to Drury ; again we hear of a cdpybf the Weekly Herald having been posted* each week for the past_three months, addressed to Kaipara, and in this case; not a single copy has reached its destination. This is simply monstrous. We should, however, recommend persons suffering in any such manner to send in written complaints to the postmaster, who will, we are sure, investigate and duly rectify matters. Mb. John Shabp, of Titirangi. has succeeded m effecting an excellent horticultural result. He has reared a seedling peach, which lie has named after himself, and which ripens its fruit during the present month. Our attention was called to the subject by a very seductive 100 - ing plateful of these peaches which occupied 8 conspicuous place in the window of Mr. Caley, confectioner, yesterday. The flavour is good, although this year the • arly frosts have somewhat checked the t'ruit. Mr. Sharp will have trees on sale ■ luring this planting season, and we shall \ll be tjlad to have the chanue of securing a >upplj ot'the very latest edition of our most popular fruit. " Kakthquakes and Volcanoes."—An interesting essay on the above subject was read by Mr. F. G. Ewington, in the Wesleyan Chapel, Mount Albert, on Thursday evening last. There was a very good attendance of settlers, amongst whom we noticed Capt. James and Allan J£err Taylor, Esq. The above was one of a series of monthly papers which will be read by various gentlemen in the same place. The essayist proceeded to show from Scripture language, that at one time the land of Judah had been the theatre of extensive volcanic action, and instanced the earthquakes in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah, and Herod the Gr<>at; also, the more recent one in 1837, when the city of Safed was destroyed, with considerable loss of human life. He argued from various facts that then and have since transpired that the cessation of local volcanic eruptions was no proof that we might not be subjected to their recurrence. Somepeopleseemedto think that the earthquake and volcano were mixed evils, and marred the operations of Nature; ihe essayist showed from a variety of illustrations, that these mighty agencies, on the contrary exercise a highly important and beneficial influence in counteracting the encroachments of the ocean. The paper for next month, we understand, will be given by Mr. Battley, on "Habit." A pauade of the Auckland Naval Volunteers took place on Saturday evening, at Port Britomart. There was a very good muster of the members, who went through the big gun drill very creditably. This corps will, we predict, make a good appearance at the review on the Queen's Birthday. We are authorised to state that the appointment of licensing officers under the Arms Act, 1869, has beea cancelled, consequently, there being no ofEcers appointed to register, arms need not be registered. The anniversary services in coinection with the Baptist Sunday School, Welles-ley-street were held yesterday. 7he Kcv. Mr. Cornford preached in the Morning, the Eev. J. Berry in the evening. Collections were made after each service, and amounted to £17 Is. 4d. Tie annual tea meeting will take place on Tuesday evening. We learn by the arrival of the ichooner Tawera, Captain Kennedy, that ihe survey of land at Mohanga for the Defence Force, the stoppage of which we "eceutly chronicled, had again been resimed in expectation of the arrival of t)e men from Napier, to occupy the laid—the persons at present located on the land being only subs'itutes. The surveying parties are being protected by a number of the Armed Constabulary and Counted Volunteers. The several vessels leaving for Napier took a large number sf passengers to Napier to attend thesale of General Government land to be leld at that place. At the present there are about fifteen settlers at Mohangi, who are busily employed building a blockhouse for shelter, in the event of aiy disturbances arising in that district. A musical soiree will take placeat St. Mary's Hall, Onehunga, on Wediesday evening next.