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Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1658, 11 June 1875, Page 2

The melancholy death of Mr Sextieleaves another family in painful and destitute circumstances. It is not those who have been reared in hardship that feel most keenly the pressure of adversity, and we sincerely trust that a kind and sympathetic feeling will be awakened in the breasts of those who have known the deceased gentleman as one of our esteemed and respected fellowcitizens. Mr Sfxtie has left a widow and a family of four little girls, the eldest only seven years old, and the youngest an infant of bub three months, and thf;y are left wholly without any means of support. The long continuance of ill luck which had fallen upon the deceased, and which broke down mind as well as body, had of course deprived him of the power of making any provision ; but we feel confident that tho sympathy for distress and the practical benevolence, which are really characteristic of the people of Auckland, will be manifested on this as on similar occasions of appeal to generous and benevolent feeling. It is greatly to be desired that some of those most intimately acquainted with the deceased gentleman and his family should originate some concerted effort for placing the family in a position to permanently earn the means of livelihood; but in the meantime, as we are given to understand that some assistance is immediately necessary, it will afford us much pleasure to receive and transmit any subscriptions which may be left at our office for the purpose, as well as to assist in any way we can any effort that may be made to place Mrs Sextie in a position to support herself and her little children.

The appearance of the Auckland station is undoubtedly healthy, whether the line is paying or not. It is quite evident from the appearance of the goods shed and trucks that a large amount of freight passes along the line much of which no doubt would never have come into town by the old mode of transit. We learn that the Mercer morning train is the busiest train of the day, and that notwithstanding the almost prohibitory charges, a large amount of goods pass along the line. If properly managed this line could hardly fail to pay its way.

A Provincial Government Gazette was published to-day, and contained a notification of the removal of the Remuora toll bar from its present site at the junction of the Remuera and Hobson Bay roads to near Buckland's sale yards on the Great South Road.

Mr H. Olson, whose name is associated with tomato sauce, has left our shores to settle in Australia. Mr Olson, as our readers will-remember, was the victim of two fires, which consumed a large number of bottles of sauce, but had the one redeeming feature of leaving the enterprising sauce-maker with several thousand pounds in cash out of the coffers of the insurance companies. It is stated that when he left Auckland, Mr Olson was the happy possessor of £7,000 sterling, a condition which, if correct, speaks well for the profitable nature .of his investments, for six years ago he was working as a mechanic at a wage not likely to leave any large surplus after household expenses were paid. Fortunately, Mr Olson has not taken his recipe for sauce with him, but that has been purchased by Richard Garlick and Co., who will carry on the business. We are sure that the manufacture will not suffer in the hands of the new firm. Mr Richard Garlick's name will be a guarantee that pumpkins will not* be substituted for the genuine "love apple," and connoisseurs may now rely on enjoying Olson's well-known and popular sauce in a state of purity.

! A rather singular case came before the Wellington Police Court lately. A woman of fifty-six charging her husband, a decrepit old man of seventy-seven, with refusing to contribute to her support. These aged parties only four years ago entered into the bonds of wedlock. The case came before the Court in this way : The defendant, finding himself unable to cope with the troubles of the world, determined to have whatever ease was.obtainable by making over his property to his son, upon condition that the latter should maintain him during the remainder of his days. These terms were agreed upon, and the son also agreed to allow his step-mother 5s a week, which was considered sufficient, as she was alleged to be a hale and hearty woman who could work jor herself. She, however, took a different view of the matter, hence the proceedings.

Defalcations.in banks have become of such fluent occtfft*ncQ?dfk*late tha ./^according to Atticus, "■*.* bank managers have. been classed by. some indiscreet detectives amongst the dangerous classes, and are coupled .with sharebrokers and betting men as suspects." The writer furnishes an illustration of this iD the case of a banking gentleman from an inland Australian town who recently paid a visit to a port some hundreds of miles away from his usual residence.' A few days afterwards a gentleman of wealth and station in that place received a letter from a detective at the port, mentioning that he had come across Mr A , whom' he had recognised as the manager of the bank at B , and inquiring whether there was anything up, as ho thought he could run Mm in. Not satisfied with taking this step, the writer of the letter communicated with the police of B j only to bo informed that the banker was taking a holiday, with the full approbation of his superiors.

To the Editor : Sir,—Will you kindly inform some of your numerous readers respecting any new alterations of the Highway Act; and also whether it tends very much to promote the good and welfare of any district when oub of a Board of five, the said district is blessed with two permanent and disinterested storekeepers, who, of course, for the benefit of the public, supply the road labourers with their groceries ?—I am etc., A Kara^gahapb Ratepayer.— [The amendments of last session are immaterial, and only to rectify technical errors in tho wording of the Act a3 already in force.—'. r.. E.S.J

Wo are informed that a Court in connec-. tion with the Order of Foresters, Auckland District, will be opened at Ngaruawalva, Waikato, during the course of next week.

We would again remind our readeiß that the fourth lecture of ihe series, given by the YouDg Men's Christian Association will take place in their hall, this evening, on the subject of " Sound," by J. Martin, Esq., with numerous illustrations, both scientific and useful. The Orpheus Glee Singess will very kindly give some of their choicest glees, and the ins rumental portion will consist of piano solos and singing by Messrs Howden and Turrell, a piano and clarionet duet by Messrs Impey and Hovvden. From the well known talent of the accomplished lecturer, the subject will prove highly instructive and interesting. Ticket holders will have preference of seats until 7.15. Chair by Captain Daldy at 7.30. Admission Is. each.

The Rev. N. McCellum, Presbyterian minister, has now taken up his permanent residence at Wairoa, province of Wellington, where a manse is being erected for him by the settlers of that district. A hen pheasant flying over Port Chalmers is noticed by the Otago Times as a rara avis, and that journal remarks : " Where the bird came from is a puzz'.ing surprise." Our contemporary should plant a maize patch, and so-, these birds polishing it off, to appreciate them. Some settlers in this province could ttll a story about the exertions of'this by no means rara avis here. An excessively grateful young lady is mentioned by the Delhi Gazette in the following paragraph: —"A soldier in a regiment now at Lnckuow once saved a young lady from being drowned in the Thames. His regiment came out to India. The >oung lady's papa having lately died, she has remembered her preserver, purchased his discharge, and offered him her band, It is believed he will accept the offer." ..The Volunteer rifle match with dark targets, which was unavoidably postponed from Saturday last, will take place to-morrow, at the range. The contest will commence at two o'clock, and will be open to all comers. The clause of the Public Health Act ; enforcing the earfch-closflt system is, of' course, in operation in ill parts of the colony, and under it the necessity for using earth-closets became compulsory on tho Ist of tfie present month. This fact was notified in the Dunedin journals, but tho Town "Cleik of that city intimated through the press that the Act is practically a dead letter, as the uncertainty of its pro visions rendeis it unworkable. The Prince of Wales Theatre will be a scene ofspecial attraction to-morrow evening (Saturday) on the appearance of that greatly admired artiste, Miss May Howard, in Wilkie Collins' popular play, the "New Magdalen." Miss Howard will appear as Mercy Merrick, Miss Stephenson as Grace Roseberry, and Mr Collier as Julian Grey. The. drama will be accompanied with new scenery and effects. An amusing incident is reported to have occurred in an Otago Presbyterian church lately. A certain lady, of extraordinary \ strength of lungs, persisted in singing the last psalm at double the speed of the precentor. Many were led astray, some singing corectly with the precentor, and others gallantly following the lead of the lady. The following true story comes from Parnell: An uppish new chum, after vainly applying for a managership in several of our local banking institutions, was at last compelled from sheer necessity to accept a junior clerkship in one of them ; a situation which his friends, by-the-bye, thought him extremely lucky to get. He professed to be very much dissatisfied with his condition, and spoke in a very slighting way of his companions in harness. Talking in this strain to a gentleman one day—"l tell what," said he, " half the fellows in our office are cads, and the other half arn't worth a rap." "Which half do you belong to?" rejoined his friend. The general manager of the railway has given notice that, after the 13th inßtant, all Sunday trains to and from Mercer will be discontinued. The bootmakers' strike in connection with Black and Co.'s factory has terminated, all the men who went out having been reengaged at the higher rate, with one exception, and the Society last night resolved to allow him 30,3 a week until he finds employment. Dr. Coughtrey, our old friend of the ship Chile, is now duly installed in the medical chair established in connection with the; Otago University, and will in future be ' known as Professor Coughtrey. His opening address occupied nine columns of the Otago Daily Times. He strongly denounced Otago's neglect of sanitary precautions, and -said the course pursued was nothing more than a literal sowing of the seeds of destruction. He severely condemned quackery and medical advertising, and contended that it was a mistake for medical students to begin in the hospital room, and work from the study of diseased forms to those of perfect health, iusteai of inverting the order. If the worthy doctor could get a few healthy subjects to be slaughtered in the cause of science, his theory in favour of the anatomy of healthy instead of diseased bodies might be worked out in its integrity. Will any of our readers volunteer ?

A correspondent of the Cross this morning inquires: " Can you tell me who was the author of the following lines, and the name of the poem in which they occur ? I ask the question to settle a dispute between two supposed to be well-read men: —'Though lost to sight, to memory dear. ' — I am, &c, Abydos. To this the Editor replies, ' Though lost to sight, to mem'ry dear,' appears to be the line of a song which has eluded, as yet, all searchers.. We therefore cannot tell whence it comes." We may add, for the information of "Abydos," that tho quotation he inquires after is believed to be derived from Cicero's line—"Friends though absent.are still present ;" "On Friendship, chap. 7." The Cross is correct in stating that in its present form the quotation does not occur in the writings of any author, so far at least as authorities on these subjects have ascertained.

| A very pleasing gathering took place at the residence of the Rev-C. M. Nelson last night to bid farewell to Mrs J. N. Flower, who has for'eighteen years been connected with St Paul's choir, and who is removing to Foxton, Wellington province. A hand somely bound volume, and two elegant vases were presented by the Eev Mr Nelson on behalf of the members of the choir to Mrs Flower a3 a token of their regard. The volumes bore the following inscription :— '' Presented (together with a pair of flower vases) to Mrs J. N. Flower, on the occasion . of her departure from Auckland, in recognition of her faithful set vices in the choir of St. Paul's Church, rendered during a period of 18 years, and as a parting token of esteem and affectionate remembrance, by Charles M Nelson, M.A., Incumbent; Mark Rawlinga, churchwarden; A. Livingstone, organist; and the following members of the choir : A. M. Feale, J. A. Beale, B. Blandford, J Bowring. H. Brett, W. Brinsden, G. S. Coate3, L. T. Cooper, W. Dawson, L. M. Did dams, E Hammond, G. W. Hardwick, C. Hopper, 3. Hopper, A. E. Leaf, R. Leaf, J. F Mcintosh, M. Mcintosh, E McKenzie, M. J. Vanghan, L. A. Williamson." A rifle match to test Sergt. SoalF.s theory about black targets will come off to-morrow afternoon at two o'clock if the weather is at all favourable. The village butcher at Mercer has bis own little grievance againsb Mr Frank Passmore. He offered a bullock's head as freight by train from Mercer to Papakura, and the guard asked him 2s 7d. The market value of the head, when it reached its destination would be Sd. The inhabitants of Mercer watit to know what the Government means by strangling industry in that way, and ruining their export trade. At the Pakuranea Licensing Court, presided over by R. C. Barstow, Esq, R.M., licenses were granted for the Criterion and Star Hotels, Otahuhu, and the Commissioners promised to recommend a reduction of the fee from £40 io £30. An application by Mr Mclnness, supported by 122 signatures, for a third license in Howick was refused as unnecessary. The Acclimatisation Society is now distributing a large quantity of seeds of timber trees recently im norted by it from England and America. The varieties include three varieties of osier, valuable for basket-making ; the bitter purple willow, useful for a close fence and basket-work; the great roundleaved willcw, from which the cricketers' implement of warfare takes its name, also valuable for making axe handles, &c; The pinus excelsa a mountain pine of India, which attains a height of 150 ft., yields a large quantitygjof turpentine and a close-grained resinous wood ; the Quebec oak ; valuable timberfor ship-building ; the North American swamp oak, the bark of which yields a beautiful red dye, and the North American red oak, rich in tannin ; the Norway spruce fir and Norway maple, also the sugar maple of Canada; the North American white elm, valuable for shaft handles; thebass-woodtree, a soft wood much used by turners and musical instrument makers; the American paper birch ; the sassafras and the benzoin trees of America, the names of which indicate their qualities • the American cranberry, the threethorn C( j acacia and the false acacia or " locust tree," a hard wood useful for posts and palings, cabinet-making and ship-work ; the American black walnut, yielding a fruit and useful for cabinet-making ; and the " butter nut" tree of America which bears an astringent bark, abundant fruit and a useful wood. The partirs who captured the monster fish at tho Waikato Heads, as mentioned in our cnlnntns ysterdav, are now exhibiting this marine curiosity in a tent erected on the old market reserve. The f. ncy silo in aid of the St. Peter's Sunday School library fund, will be commenced this evening in the Onehunga Institute. Tho right of electors to ask candidates questions on the hustings received rather an amusing development at the o^ct'on of Mr Oillon to the Wellington Provincial Council last week. After it had been announopd that there was no opposition to Mr Gillon's return, and that 'gpntleman had addressed the electors, one of those present, Mr Maeinity, came ve.y gravely forward and said :—"Mr TJeturning Officer, before you fdr.se the proceedings. I wish to a«k Mr Gijlon a que-tion."—Mr Gillon : " I shall be most happy to answer any auestion any elector may choose to put "— Mr Magiuity : "Are you going to ' shout ?' "—This sally was followed by a roar of laugher, during which the proceedings were brought to a conclusion. The Melbourne Town Hall organ cost between £7,000 and £8,000. The mpre decorative painting of the front was £500. the gold-leaf having cost £100 It costs £3 a week to keep the organ in repair, and lately there was a row about the work not having been done, organises declaring that the monster was so dreadfully out of tune that they -would not peril their reputations by touching it. All the musicians in the community agree, ssys the Melbourne correspondent of the Otago Times, that this organ is really a grand instrument, when taken care of, and second to none in the world, with its range. There are three keyboards^ one above another, and 140 stops, each with its note. The vox humana, which can be played by itself, is the sweetest and most plaintive little treble imaginable ; and the vox angelica is as beautiful. From one of these faint and delicious warbles the organist can suddenly bring on a crash which makes the immense hall seem to tremble. It is said that the organ is too large for the hall, although this will hold 4,000 people comfortably. The hydraulic bellows, which supply the o.gan with wind, are equal to the power of 12 men. The Van Yean water, for this work, is applied from the street pipe merely by the organist turning three little horizontal wheels, each of which his hand covers. Standing by the organist, one can hear the rush and gurgle of the waters as he plays. Beneath the organ a machinist has to be in attendance upon the waterworks, which resemble a large steam-engine going. The melancholy death of a wandering colonist is thus briefly recorded in a San Francisco paper by the last mail :—" Yesterday morning an Englishman named G. A. Fisher was found dead in his room in the Coso lodging House. A bottle of sulphite of morphia was found on a table near the bed. He came to the house on the Ist of this month, and stated that he intended going to Australia, but had missed the boat. On Saturday he had asked the clerk to get him some morphine, but the clerk refused. An envelope was found on the table with the following words written on it in lead pencil: " Beware of the saloon on Pine-street, near Kearney. W. White (two words are here illegible) take my effects. Write to (illegible) West Market, N.S. W. (New South Wales) he will pay Bryan and Harrison." On the i other side of the envelope was written " God have mercy on me and pity me. Get my watch from Uncle Harris, on Kearny-street, j and send my wife." The Coroner will hold ] an inquest to-day.

The football match between the Parnell Club and the Grafton Road Club comes off to-morrow in the Domain, commencing at three o'clock. The following are the teams : Parnell—A. King (captain), Messrs Cotton, Hetley, Yon Tempsky, Tonts, Fobertshaw, Haultain, Walpole, Evens, Blaydes. Mitford. Woodhouse, J. Philson, Jackson. C. Nation. Grafton Club team —D. G. Snodgrass (captain), T. Whewell, A. Beale, R. Mason, G. Ridings, E. Castelli, E. Moss, W. Mason, C. Ewen, P. White, A. Mears, W. Rose, H. Green, G. Orchard, and E. Gatland.