The Evening star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1871

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 565, 1 November 1871, Page 2

The Evening star.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1871

" For the caiise that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance. For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.'

A pretty state of things in the management of the mails at Onehunga! To-day the Taranaki was for above an hour close by the wharf, and her mails were not landed because the expenses of a boat will not be defrayed by the authorities. This is simply disgraceful.

The s.s. Albarnbra arrived at the Bluff on the 26th October from Melbourne. A telegram, dated Melbourne, 21st October, says : "The excitement with reference to Bendigo mining stock is something -wonderful, and the speculative mania is rapidly increasing, and extending to Castlemaine. Persons are leaving their business both in Melbourne and Sandhurst to join the speculation."

We have before us as we write the autographs of all the auctioneers in the city. They are a study. We wish we could photograph them, and present them to our readers. Wielding the hammer (not in a criminal sense) has a tendency to produce eccentricity, and to give marked individuality, and auctioneers, as a rule, are characters. We never knew one that was altogether like other people. We wish we had the skill of- thoae who for sixpenny stamps can read human character in its manual signature ; for we wonder what those quaiat tracings mean. They are all widely different, and Btrongly distinctive doubtless in their significance, and we hesitate not to say that if the writers were at school they would be soundly thrashed, or made stand in the corner. Only to fancy all the auctioneers standing in a corner ! Not that the writing is bad—only nobody oould read it. There is that signature with the letters all standing the wrong way ;• we wonder what that means. Then there is that one with its capitals covering three or four other signatures above and below it, while the body of the name is restricted to reasonable bulk, but utterly illegible. We wonder what the writer means to assert by such queer chirography. There ia a signature which would doubtless be rood enough on a cheque, by a private understanding with the ledger-keeper, but its tail is so wound abjut its body and over its face as to positively obliterate it. We wonder what does the writer intend by this seeming after-thought, undoing what he has done. There is the signature compactly put together, with a waving line under it and two dots, as much as to say, " That's me." There is Magnus Oozer ; who is that ? There, too, is the signature wholly undecipherable, with a long taif sweeping under ib to the initial letter and back again to the end. Auctioneers all seem to like long tails, but this one has the longest tail of all. There is the signature, neat, correct, and careful, with nothing superfluous, but it cannot avoid the long tail. There is another carrying its head before it, as if it was running. It, too, has a tail sweeping away like that of a comet. There is the signature suddenly faded or blotted, or otherwise apparently shrinking from what it has done, utterly undecipherable unless to an expert, and enveloped in the large capitals to which we have before alluded. There are signatares with prenomen and cognomen run into a single word, and there is one with its membra disjecta all loose,save for the binding-up influence of the long tail. There are the signatures that seem to feel the value of paper and roll themselves up in their tails within the shortest possible compass. We venture to say that Auckland could not produce a more singular and probably characteristic lot of signatures. And looking at these mysterious scrapings, and being unable to fathom the depth of human character thus dimly but quaintly shadowed forth, we can but gaze and wonder.

The great diorama of the civil war in America was exhibited last night in the City Hall, which was well filled. This wonderful piece of art has been so frequently described that it is unnecessary to say more than that it is impossible to conceive it possible that anything more complete in its way could be produced. Some of the scenes are real works of art, and the mechanical effects are simply wonderful. The hall was well filled, and the spectators testified their admiration by repeated outbursts of applause.

The assessment list of the Dovonport Highway District for the year ending 30th June, 1872, has been deposited for inspection at Mr. William Newman's, baker, Devon port. A meeting of the trustees will be held at the Flagstaff Hotel on the Ist of December, for the purpose of hearing appeals.

It is notified that His Excellency the Governor will grant a free pardon to any accomplice to the act of setting fire to the New Zealand Insurance Buddings, on the 27th August last, not being a prhvipal offender, who will give such information as will lead to the apprehension and conviction of the principal offender or offnders, or ttny of them —if more than one. A reward of £300 is also offered.

Iv another column will be found our corres pondent's letter from )• iji. It will be seen that the political machinery has not yefc got fully into working order ; but there can scarcely be a doubt that if there is no officious muddling on the part of the British Government now, when the time for such action had passed, the settlers and Natives may pull very well together eventually. An iten is suggestive of melancholy feelings. It appears that Bishop Patteson was expected, and preparations were being made for his arrival. It is easy to see what wide spread sorrow this melancholy event will cause throughout the islands.

It is with much satisfacti m that we direct attention to the advertisement in another coluinu, signed by the auctioneers of the city in the spirit of the resolutions passed ai the Haymarket meeting on Friday last. They in future, hold iheir sales on Friday instead of Saturday, and consent lo the change liuvipg been generally given, we may now regard the Fri.'ay market day of Auckland as an accomplished fact.

The report was adopted with loud applause. Several gentlemen then addressed the meeting on the subject of Sunday school teaching, pointing out the immense advantages arising therefrom, during the intervals between the addresses the children and choir sang several hymns. They were accompanied on the harmonium by Mr. Lambert. A very pleasant evening wa3 spent, all |present appearing to highly enjoy themselves. In conclusion, we must congratulate the members of the Church upon the very handsome school they have erected, and especially upon its being bo soon after its finish entirely out of debt.

The St. Sepulchre's eniertainment has been postponed, in consequence of the sad news received yesterday by the missionary schooner Southern Cross.

We are requested to state, for the information of country settlers, and others interested, that the auctioneers of this city will hold their weekly sales on Fridays, • instead of Saturdays, in accordance with a resolution passed at the meeting held at the Haymarket, on Friday, Ihe 27th October. An advertisement to the above effect, signed by the auctioneers, appears in our advertising columns. Sales will commence on Friday next, the 3rd November.

The high reputation Olson s tomato sauce has obtained as a household condiment, has brought many interior articles into the market The public are therefore warned not to be imposed upon with cubbish, but usk for Olson's genuine tomato sauce, and see that hi* name is on the bottle. "To Mr. Hans Olson.— Dear Sir, — By some mistuke a bottle of your tomato sauce was put away in my house, and remained uucorkod for upwards ol twelve months. The same bottle of sauce was afterwards used at my Ovvn table, and I found it was equally as good as when first made. —T. W. Doonin, wholesale and retail grocer, 218, Queen-street, Auckland." —[Advt.]