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Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 533, 18 October 1871, Page 2

We do not know if the sovereignty of the Harbour Board extends to that remote district whose harbour accommodation consist of the Wynyard Pier. If so, we would appeal to their sympathies injttehalf of that frail and rickety structure. Its glory may have departed, and no more may vice-royalty and the pomp of military power honour it with their presence. Yet, though the light of other days has fled, it is a source of benefit and of pleasure to .t^_ ?^^l'i*^-»,;;j-1^tj. ,i,»'^7Sip,^Sil territory. '--' A few "dasß ago""ah 'incident, occurred, that tells forcibly how frail it is. Three or four yourfg-men .were: lounging on the pier, and had perched themselves on the handrail, whiie they,indulged -in cigars and small gossip; wfren'thfe rail' suddenly giving Way they all fell from a considerable height to the beach below, '.The tide ifras out, and fortunately for most of tnem, probably from their pose at the, nionient of ,■ precipitation, they collided^- with cthe earth' oh that portion of rthem which is distin-guished-by tha-^greatest; muscular:development, and is consequently the softest, ({his fortunate escape sho.uld. afford ,np reason fOrCtbfinfkit.g-.t_at are'-no-dangers cidri-' nected with this ancient and dilapidated structure. It is a perfect man-trap, and as it i* selected as the favorite place of promenade fdr children and nursemaids, we fear it will be the scene of some deplorable casuality. So many references have been maoe to the state of this pier, that if sueh occurs the Harbour Board will be decidedly responsible, morally, if.not legally, for manslaughter. The handrail at the boat steps swept away, and other similar evidences dilapidation,!etitiUoudlyC I'o(l* repair; and we trust the Board will take ; spine steps to avert more serious casualties ■than that which befel the young men caught gossiping and smoking mild cigars.

There!-"has .always! been'' an exfi-aOrdinpry confusion.,*between Central Goverannenl, ietn and those constituted by the Provincial Government, and the officers of peace have, consequently, been frequently at' their wits' end as to how to assimilate the clashing clahisesy in -such'imager,';a^torallow ith^m! to: bring'"malefactors to justice. When, however, the Municipal TToTpor'ations Act was brought into force here, a short time a'jo, sanguine people thought that it was likely -the- ponfl/Cting pa"pag#apirßY*|volild be superseded C.hy-the new -law? J It*'seems, however, that this is not, by any means, the; case ; and in order to ensure the conviction of offenders, the informations have to be laid in accordance with the peculiar provision in each-of the three or Tour Acts which may appear to meet the emergencies of the case. But this kind .of I thing would " puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer" ; and as, none of our. polibe .^pthoifitifes happen dpspa.j6 luy W&l tensions Ato4 bo legal ftrtmfianes of tMat description, their proceedings frequently breaik down. It is no wonder that the Resident Magistrate this morning, in one of his addresses to the enlightened section of the Auckland public which frequents the Temple of Justice at'tße' f cdimeKof Hi|h-ah|l Q^ncerystreets, stigmatised' the 1 incoitgrubus heap* as' "aconglomerated mass of legislation." It is surely qime that something were done to amalgamate these bright specimens of legislation «>to one harmonious whole.

y.-TBfc annual meeting of the Auckland Auxil^arjp1 of tA«; -United-Kingdom Alliance was held < yesterday <, ve ning, at the Mechanics' Institute. : P-fI, JoU M i|g m b wis fHacM irf the i chair, { After explaining objects for which the AlliancSKstdl *>ZM eonsiu.^l fciie^'ait-- J .iha-n icommented in very Bt*|p|Ntfms on the conduct of certain Jiißtices,-jvho,;jph-n^ yere ]y punishing drunkards, th^MS^v/ea hif' I scruple in supplying 1 the veryT.qiW for the I imbibition of which they*'pUhhrtfed others. .The jrgpprfe :<, .was^theii * read;"attd *$m a hopeful account of the - -progress f °Ls}\ 80cietv,""«ivd-'the H(&.^ lW the fuhd's./'Alte^ this ihad-'^beer/ • MotyMf "the . Rev., Mry !iti: "an'elbq(ueiit Bpeech, moved j } resoluWh-having for :'iw" purpose the,.deßir--ablen^ of enlisting.th'6 ..^vices' of refpr^ers . and | legislators "in 1 the work" of providing a

remedy for the great evil of drunkenneas.^he .Rev. "C. Waters seconded the t-esolutibn, wiuoh was unanimously carried; atifl alter Mv. Eliis, MP.C, and other gentlemen had-. vSddressed the audience on the evils of in"temperance, and the mischief caused by the. .Government toleration of the liquor traffic, the meeting separated. We hate to-day had the pleasure of inspecting one of the prettiest collections of New Zealand ferns that we have ever seen. They have been prepared and- mounted by Mr. H. 11. Field1,., botanist, whose interesting laboratory "is inlHobson-stivet, two 'ad'ors'-from-the Temperance Hotel.-. 'Everyone"' knows .that: New Zealand is par" excellence the home of ferns, and we do not know any more pleasing 'memento of tho colony,"or more expressive ol the distinctive featurez-oj its natural spenery, than such a collection as this.' jMi%..Field. has "evidently the secret of preserving the natural tints in the process of drying a>.d pressing his specimens ; and the ferns, which are artistically and tastefully arranged, retain all ihe appearance which they present when flourishing on their native hills, JlIhe'speoitrtViisai-e;i'no!unuid on card-board, vyrit.la am'arfly;,Bh?et;.!itiached,. ready for being bound,and can, without any injury, be transmitted by post. Tim scientific name of the central fern is aflixe I, but, the card is also adorned with mosses an.ct" ferns 'of other species, in order to give elfjot tolhp picture. We particularly recommend our friends and patrons who have been gifted with a taste for simple forms of leauty. in nature, to call on Mr. Fields and not only admire, but eucouroge^this iuteresti ; .g lorin of local industry. The high reputation Olson's tomato sauce has obtained, as^a household? cpndimout, fIfUS.: brought m'aayLiiiferior artio'lefj into t'le-jmiirllpt-The public aref therefore warnedyiot to: be imposed uppniwith'"ubb.Bh,';fout'a.tk for OJsoft'e genuine t^iiiato'eauee, anilsee that hi,^"»meJ is on the bottle. "To Mr. Hans Olson.— Dear Sir, —By some mistake a bottle of your tomato sauce'was put away in my house*, and remained uncorked for upwards of twelve months. The same botfcle,;pE.-}aucef;wi|p afUjrre wards used at my o>vn tahle.ahd"-1, fpund ifi was equally as good as when 'first made v —l.V W. Doonin, wholesale and retail grocer, 218, Queen-street, Auckland."—[ADVl|.J- . \f T< The Advertiser of ntes'terday says that ft''is proposed to erect the building for the Thames Mechanics' Institute on an allotment in Queen-street, which has been given.-for-j'the purpose by Mr. R. Graham. It is ffltithatecf ihat the building will cost £300 or^oO."

The members of the Auckland Kegatta Committee met at the'.plubroom last evening. The sub-committee appointe 1 to draw'up tinprogramme and revise the rules, brought up their report, which was adopted. The various events to come off on t- e legatta Day are published in another column. - " / The band of tho Band of Hope will give a vocal and instrumental concert at the Cfity Hall to-morrow, eveuing. : -~ . i -<. £-- giy