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Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 400, 22 April 1871, Page 2

The Post has the following :—"The famous San Francisco mail contract is likely to assume a new and rather curious aspect. Wc have the authority of a gentleman, eminent in the legal profession for stating that an act of the Imperial Parliament (18 and 17 Vie, c. 107) expressely prohibits foreign vessels from engaging in the coastal traffic of any of her colonial dependencies. Under certain restrictions foreign vessels may be admitted to a share of the coasting traffic of the mother country, but in regard to the colonies the Act is imperative. We understand that the state of tho law in this respect will shortly be brought under the notice of Commodore Stirling.

Messrs. Hay and Honeyman's premises have been closed since Tuesday, in order that the goods might be marked down. They will re-open to-day, when tho whole of their stock will be offered to the public for a few weeks only. _ Any stock remaining over after tho sale will be sold by auction.—[An y_ .]

The Government has assented to the Bay of Islands Coal Company Lease Act, 1871, and the Auckland Harbour Board Act, 1871.

The following resignations of commissions have been accepted by the Governor :—Capt. I. R. Carey, Auckland Cavalry ; Capt. D. A. Tole, and Ensign O. Mahon, Auckland Riflo Volunteers.

Tho following is a list of the masters of the Auckland Grammar School: —Head Master, Mr. Farquhar Mcßae ; Classical Master, Rev. R. Kidd, L.L.D.; English Master, T. G. Wyatt; Commercial Master, Mr. J. N. Flower ; Junior Master, Mr. J. Anderson.

In accordance with previous announcement. exactly at five minutes past one this afternoon the new firebell of th_ New Zealand Insurance Company tolled out an alarm, in order to make its tones familiar to to the firemen and citizens. It was a needless preparation, for the tones are unmistakeably those associated in everybody' 3 mind with a conflagration. They are mellow and musical, but doleful in the extreme, and cannot fail to bo heard at a great, distance, and when heard swelling on the night air to produce a veritable alarm. And now that the city is possessed of a means of arousing the slumbering citizens that could not be surpassed in efficiency, it is highly desirable that the tolling should become significant of the district where the fire is proceeding. This system, which is in existence in every city and town of any pretensions, is carried out by merely numbering the quarters of the city, and striking ths number in pauses between the tollings. We trust that so simple a means of increasing the efficiency of the alarm will now be adopted.

An assistant master is wanted for the Church of England Grammar School, Parnell.

William Nash gives notice of his intention to apply for the complete execution of a certain deed of arrangement for the benefit of his creditors.

The Auckland Artillery Volunteers wih have a shot and shell practice from Fort Britomart at six o'clock on Monday morning.

A call of threepence per scrip has been made in the Red Queen Gold Mining Company.

At a meeting of the town committee of the French Relief Fund, held on Thursday afternoon, at 4 p.m., at Messrs. Combes and Daldy's offices, W. C. Daldy, Esq., was appointed treasurer, and to pay all monies received by him into an account, to be opened for the purpose at the Bank of New Zealand, to be called the " French Relief Fund account." W. L. Rees, Esq., was appointed Honorary Secretary. Resolutions were passed that 200 subscription lists be printed, the same number of circulars to bo sent to various planes, that the secretary write to the different ministers of religion in the province, requesting them to give a special service and collection during the month of May, and generally it was resolved that energetic measures be taken to collect subscriptions.

J. Cosgrave and Co. are now holding a large drapery and clothing sale, and have opened the newest and most extensive and by far the largest stock ever exhibited in Auckland. They also bog to inform the people of the province they arc not retiring from the drapery trade, and regret exceedingly that respectable houses have to resort to such subterfuges in order to sell their goods. J. Cosgrave and Co. would wish some person to inform (hem where are all the retiring drapers to go ? The recent astronomical observations have not discovered any new heavenly bodies in which those gentlemen could reside without having any opponents to contend against. By the arrival of the City of Melbourne we have received no intelligence of any new land being discovered, no more people to be clothed, no Elysium where those modern Jobs could spend the remainder of their days in peace, and, alas! where are they to go ?—" the shy, the dull, and the gay." It is a pity we have no gifted bard among us to compose some plaintive poem upon the departure of those modern Pilgrim Fathers.— [Advt.]

It will be seen by our advertising columns that Mr. J. Q. Walker, of the Auckland Gymnasium, assisted by his pupils, will give a gymnastic and variety entertainment at the Prince of Wales Theatre on Wednesday evening, 26th inst, for the benefit of the Parnell Orphan Home. Lady Bowen, the lion, the Defence Minister, and his Honor the Superintendent have promised their patronage on the occasion, and wo trust, in consideration of the charity for which this performance lias been arranged, that the house will ho well filled, and a large sum placed to the credit of the institution.