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Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1677, 3 July 1875, Page 2

The excellent system of competition for entrance on the Civil Service of New Zealand cannot fail to b_e productive of beneficial results both on the service itseif and on the advancement of education throughout the colony. With a large number there is a latent illwill towards the class of the Civil servants, owing mainly to the fact that admission to office is usually owing to tufthunting and sycophancy of the most unmanly kind, and to the belief that the way of admission must impart its character to the conduct of the public service. The vulgar idea of the Civil Service is that it consists of loafers, having an undue allowance of selfconceit and social self-importance sheltering incapacity from coming into contact and comparison with the self-dependence and vigour of ordinary life. We do not say that the idea i 3 well-founded, but it is the prevalent one, and nothing will root it out of the public mind, but making admission to the service the test and reward of merit, and so ultimately making the " governing classes " the class which, from ability and excellence, should govern. Thus only will the Civil Service become respectable to the common eye, instead of being, as it too often is—the butt for ridicule. Although rumour hath it that the rules of competition Lave been relaxed for the purpose of admitting some, whose connections and consequent influence were more potential than the brains of the applicants, still the examinations go on, and continue to give the stimulus to youthful ambition, and a legitimate prospect of an honorable livelihood to our young men. We are very glad to learn that another young gentleman of Auckland has just been added to the honorable roll, Mr J. B. M. Leech, son of" Mr G. W. Leech, of St. George's Bay, Parnell, having honorably passed both the junior and senior examinations required, and been placed on the roll for appointment. Mr. Leech, who was a pupil of Dr. Kidd's wen? in for both the junior and senior branches, having chosen as his special or selected subjects, Geology, Geometry, and the German language. Sidce the foregoing was written, we have received the telegram in another column showing that Mr. A. H. Gentil also has won the honorable position. We believe they are the only candidates from Auckland that passed at the June examinations, and we congratulate our young townsmen on the distinction. It will afford us on all occasions the utmost pleasure to give prominence to every such case of success in this department; and not for these young gentlemen's sakes alone, but for the cause of education we trust we shall soon have the pleasure of recording their being called to duty, showing that the certificate is not a mere empty honor ; and that their success will incite more of our young men to go in for honorably forcing their way into the service, not by the arts of toadying, but by the power of brain.

On our fourth page to day appears an account of a most amusing breach of promise case, and the particulars of the terrible gas explosion at the Melbourne theatre, already reported by telegram.

An amusing story, illustrative of the proverb —" There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip," appears in the Hawfce's Bay Herald of a fortnight ago. The incident described is connected with a marriage party. The bride and bridegroom had determined to have the ceremony (which was to bind them together for life) performed by the Registrar, and this officer lives at the Spit—a mile from Napier. Thither they proceeded, only to find the Registrar from home. The wedding had thus to be postponed until the following day. But the breakfast was prepared and the wedding guests assembled, and in order not to disappoint them it was decided to have the marriage feast. The day before the marriage this part of the programme was caried out with eclat, but on the following day when the bridegroom went for his intended wife, he found she had, in the interim, proceeded South leaving him lamenting. If we desired a cheap reputation for wit, as the manner of some is, we should clip our Napier contemporary's paragraph bodily, alter "Napier"to '• Parneli" and pass it off as original.

Lovers of; the drama will be glad to learn that another opportunity will be afforded them of witnessing the graceful acting of Miss May Howard, who v» ill appear on Monday evening next at the Prince of Wales Theatre, in an entirely new piece, entitled " Jezebel;" the leading characters by Miss Howard, Miss Clara Stephenson, Mr. Collier and others of this established company of performers. We do not wish to anticipate the pleasure of the evening by giving an explanation of the plot and denouement of " Jazebel," but simply state that it is a most extraordinary dramatic production and cannot fail ia giving satisfaction to the audience.

f A deputation waited on the Superintendent to-day at noon, consisting of : Mr Phillips (President), Mr Moss (Vice-President of the Mechanics' Institute), and Mr G. M. Reed, with reference to the omission of the usual annual grant from the province to that institution. It was shewn by the deputation that a resolution of Council had been passed, asking his Honor to place the usual amount on the estimates, and that, unless the usual grant was made, there" was a possibility of the Institute behig obliged to close its doors. Thesmallness of the subscription fee, and the great value of the institution to a large class of readers were urged, and his Honor, after giving a patient and favorable hearing to the pleas urged, requested the deputation to have the case formally stated to them in writing. The deputation thanked his Honor and withdrew. Mr. R. C. Seton writes stating that he is the owner of the box that was missing from the ship Dunedin, the value of which was assessed for duty at £7, but for which £39 4s. lOd, was claimed when the box went missing. He contends that his action was unfairly stigmatised in our issue of the 22nd, maintaining "that the dutiable value of the contents of a box passing through the Customs is a very different thing from the value of the box to the owner. Therefore, should the box not be forthcomingattheproper time, the claim for damages would not be tor the dutiable value of the box, but for the value of it to the owner, and also for damages sustained by the non-delivery of the box to time." A very ungallant Sicramento critic, in announcing the advent of a lady vocalist remarks :—" San Francisco has a musical prodigy in the person of a young lady who bears the unmusical name of Vail, it me name is not suggastive of poetry and music, it does suegest to the toilers of the sea something "good to eat. If Miss Duffs musical notes prove as enchanting to the ears of the public as ' duff' is palatable to the tastes of seafaring men, she will undoubtedly win fame as well as a chance to change her unmusical name." A very sweeping and bitter denunciation of Messrs Moody and Sankey, the American revivalists, from the pen of the London correspondent of the Melbourne Argus was quoted by the Gross the other day. Such attacks appear to have been the fashion in the English press at the beginning of the movement, but a marked change has come over the tone adopted in speaking of this remarkable movement. Our own correspondent " Greenstone," has borne testimony to the good effected by the evengelists, and his remarks are confirmed by the following extract from the letter of the Sydney Morning Herald's London correspondent :—" The Revivalist movements of Messrs Moody and Sankey furnishes no indications of abatemeut ; on the contrary, the excitement appears to be steadily on the increase, and it is a suggestive fact, that at the various theatres and music-halls the slightest uncomplimentary allusion to the two evangelists becomes the signal for a storm of disapprobAtioii. One or two of the satirical papers, including Punch, have attempted to breast the tiile of public feeling, but only to find themselves ignorninioua.'v baffler!, The Times, ever ready to detect the tendency of publicopinioo, has "pronounced" in favour of the revivalists ; royalty has listened with attention to their utterances ; Pellegrini has caricatured their features in " Vanity Fair ;" anrl their hymns have become as familiar as "La Fille rle Madame Augot " Waltz or the the " Girone-Girofla " Polka in our fashionable drawing-rooms. This is not all, for on their platform may daily be seen ministers of the Established Church cheerfully fraternising with those of the various Nonconformist sects. Of course, the Ritualists are furious at this. No epithets are too coarse or too strong for application to the services at the Agricultural Hall; but their wrath is of little use, save to display the slight hold possessed by them on the religious feelings of the nation. Ever .shouting for toleration towards themselves, they display grossest intolerance imaginable in their dealings with those whose views of religious matters do not coincide with their own."

The temporalities of the Trish Church were found, upon examination after the order for disestablishment was issued, to amount to £10,743,366. 1.352 bishops and incumbents and f>oo curates have been commuted. In connection with them, a not very creditable circumstance has been brought to light. When the Act was passed, there were only 577 curates in Ireland, but forthwith numbers were " taken on," so that when the Commissioners began their labours they found that the curates had suddenly increased in number by 56 per cent. All these new hands were entitled to receive commutation money, which they have done, and now, in common with many of older standing in the Church, have crossed over to England in search of fatter pastures than those eaten up in Ireland. The result of the whole thing is that the Irish Church has become independent of State control, and still has two-thirds of its former revenue.

The royal family were the steady friends and patrons of Handel when he was deserted by the bulk of the English aristocracy. George 111. was a thorough Handelian, conversant with the great master's works, and well able to interpret them, The "Farmer King" was, among other things, a magnificent organist. His sons were masters of several instruments. George IV. played the violoncello with taste and skill.- The first Duke of Cambridge was equally proficient as a performer on the violin. Both these royal "brothers were accustomed to execute with the most eminent musicians of the day the quartets of Haydn, Mozart, and the other great composers. Prince George of Cumberland, Crown Prince of Hanover, who was one of the circle of amateurs, was not merely an amateur. He held his own among artists of the highest class. The faculty has has descended to the third and fourth generation. Her Majesty Queen Victoria, both as singer and pianist, is probably not surpassed by any lady in her dominion.

The following joke with reference to the Kawakawa coal mine is told by the " Intelligent Vagrant" in the New Zealand Times : -—" The Kawakawa coalmines have been flooded and have been pumped out. In connection with the pumping out of those mines, some three years ago, a pretty engineering bungle was made. They put up an engine capable of lifting exactly twice as much water as the sizes of the pipes which went down the shaft would allow. This was mistake number one. So they took up the pipes and bought others— those that had been used by the Imperial Crown Company at the Thames, until the Pumping Association's, big apparatus went up and down. The diameter of these pipes was exactly twice that of the old ones, and they were very mnch surprised when they found out that their engine would not raise a column of water through them. They forgot that doubling the diameter of a circle means more than doubling its area."

The sisters Duvalli took their benefit last evening, at the Prince of Wales Theatre, in the presence of a full house. The piece selected, and which excited some curiosity, was "Magio Toyß," which was well received by the numerous audience. The Can-can which was introduced did not prove to be at all the lewd performance that certain virtuous newspaper correspondents had pictured it. As executed by the sisters it was a graceful dance, shewing to perfection the art of posturing which the Duvalli's have made so completely their own. It was a totally different dance from the disgusting French Can-can which originally called forth well-merited Pressstrictnres. The subsequent performance was a " Night of Terror," which was of a lively description, and included some pretty dances and good music. " Magic Toys" will be repeated to - night, with a " Night Among th» Brigands."

Mr. Civil Commissioner Kemp has returned to town from the South after completeing the purchase of over 92,000 acres of land, at back of Whangarei, from the natives. The area acquired contains much land of good auality, particularly in the Puma, one of the'blocks. The energetic local journal— of Whangarei—the'Corned—speaks in commendatory terms of these purchases.

The export of coal from the Whau Whan mine Whangarei is heralded by the Comet as a new era in the commercial rffairs of the district. The same journal announces the important fact that iron-stone containing 75 per cent of iron exists within a stones throw of the coal mines.

To-niekt is the last occasion on which W. L. Roth's large stock of furniture, etc , wiil be offered to the public preparatory to the auction sale by Messrs. B. Tonks and Co. on Monday next, necessitated by «the compulsory removal, preparatory to pulling down the old Supreme Court buildings. Great bargains are offered.

It will be seen by our Southern telegrams that the steamer Taupo, the second of the Union Steam Shipping Company's vessels, arrived at Port Chalmers yesterday. The Taupo is in all respects a similar boat to the Hawea —the size, shape, and accommodation of both .beicg equal. The Taupo is commanded by Captain Macfarlane. She left Glasgow on the Ist May, and has made the run in sixty-one days.

The committee of the Board of Education yesterday decided the conditions on which the endowments at the corner of Victoria and Queen-street 3 will be let. They resolved to recommend the leasing of the endowments for 6G years ; that a right-of-way of 10 feet, giving access to the back premises, be run through from Victoria street to Darby-street and Elliott-street, and that the buildings, except in Elliott and one part of Darby-streets, be three-stories high. This will make a very imposing block.

"Enquirer" writes, condemning the payment of compensation to owners of property along she proposed line of road from the wharf to Freeman's Bay, and considers that the earth necessary for filling up this road should be obtained by cutting down some of the many^ city streets which at prosent have to a large extent a hump on their backs, for the comforo of those who are gone in the wind.

A public entertainment of a very interesting character will be given this evening in the large room of the Young Men's Christian Association in connection with the Good Templar movement, to consist of readings, sonus, and speeches. Mr VV. E. Turner, of California, will also deliver addresses on the progress of Templary in America. The entettainment is held iv pursuance of a commendable desire to provide amusement, combined with instruction, on Saturday nights. The entertainments are conducted by a committee, and have been very well attended hitherto, and to-night r crowded hall is expected. There is no charge for admission.

The district school at the North Shore will be re-opened ou Monday morning next for the lirst time after the midwinter holidays, when Mr Smith, the newly appointed teacher, will take charge.

Divine service to-morrow (Sunday) at Newton Kirk, by Rev. Dr. Wallis, morning, " Searching for tb.^ Truth ;" evening, " The Reformation ; the Bible and Gospel Preaching." Lome-street H*ll, by Samuel Kdger, 8.A., morning, " Living to do Good ;" evening, " True Fortune-building ; or, Making the Best of this World." Services at the usual hours at Wellesley-streeb Baptist Church, Rev. P. H. Cornford. Uuited Methodist Free Church, Rev. G. FT. Turner, morning, " The Immutability of Christ ;" evening, " Fifth Sermon uuou Scenes in the Life of Jacob." Christian Meeting House, at 330 o'clock, subject, " Conversion of' Saul and the Gaoler." St Luke's, Remuera, the Rev. Thomas Scotr, at half-past six. Pitt-street Wesleyan Church, Key. W. J Williams in the morning, and Rev. A. Reid in the evening. Congregational Church, Beresford-steeet, morning and evening, Rev. Warlow Davies. Primitive Methodist services as follows :—Edwardes-street. morning, at eleven o'clock, Rev. W. Harris ; evening, Rev. Tinsley. Sheridan-street, morning, at eleven, Rev. W. Tinsley; evening, at half-past six, Rjv. W. Harris. Newmarket, afternoon, at half-past two, Mr T. H. Smith. .

Exhibitions of mesmerism are common in the streets of Italian cities. An American writer thus describes one he witnessed : " Hearing the shrill notes of a trumpet we turned and found a young fellow, of about five-and-twenty, I should say, gathering an audience in the bare space before the palace. His companion, a lad of fifteen, or thereabout, was sitting on a camp-stool, patiently and humbly awaiting his fate. Tne elder boy, with his long, thin lips and his engaging smile, began a brief lecture on mesmerism. With a very few passes over the forehead of the younger boy he put him into a deep sleep. The young fellow was as qu^.et as a lamb ; he seemed to have no will of his own ; he gave way almost immediately to the superior willpower of his companion. We were asked our names, and'jthough we whispered them in the ear of the mesmeristtheyoung fellow, who was seated at some distance from us and quite out of hearing, gave them distinctly when called for. We threw dice on a plate, and having reckoned the sum of the numbers that were uppermost, he told them infallibly, though we were the only ones who knew them — even the mesmerist was not permitted to see them. I have seen a man and woman in Naples, and again in Venice who did all manner of marvelous things in the same line ; and in Rome there was a girl of fifteen who went from street to street mesmerising her little brother, who was but eight years of age, and the feats they performed were certainly startling. One is continually coming upon these professors of mystery in Italy nowadays. Sleeping ladies are carted about in large booths, and you are admitted to a consultation for the trifling consideration of five sous.

King Kalakana, of Hawaii, hasdebermined to attend the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition and will also send the following remarkable exhibits :—" The ancient weapons of old nat;ve Chiefs, Consisting of daggers and clubs made of tough hard and highly polished woud; slings manufactured from humsu hair or the fibres of the coacoanut, with which they throw small smooth stones with great foroe and precision. The King also intends sending a feather war cloak made from feathers of a bird called the mamo. The last specimen of these cloaks belonged to Kamah.-imeha I. This cloak occupied nine generations of kings in making. Each bird furnishes but two feathers of bright yellow one under each wing, so that an immense number of birds were captured to make this which is four feet Jong and eleven and a half feet wide at the bottom. The value of the cloak is §50; 000. The bird from whose feathers this cloak is made is only found in the most mountainous parts of the islands, and requires much patience and skil for its capture."

During the month ending June 1875 there were 21 deaths registered within the city of Auckland. The number during the corresponding month of 1874 was 15 deaths. The following are the ages : —For 1875: Under 1 year, 6 deaths ; do. 5 years, 2 do.; do. 20 years, 4 do. ; do. 50 years, 8 do. ; over 50 years, 1 do. For 1874 : Under 1 year, 8 deaths ; do. 5 years, 1 do. ; do. 20 years, 1 do. ; do. 50 years, 4 do. ; over 50 years, 1 do. Total, 15.—Geo. Goldie.

Our Wellington telegrams have repeatedly referred to a binding agreement arrived at between the banks doing business in the colony. The following is the basis of the arrangement which will in future be adhered to :—Three months deposits, 4J per cent. ; six months, 5 per cent ; twelve months, 5J per cent. Discounts, 7, 8, and 9 per cent., for three ori four [months and longer period. Overdrafts, 1,9 per cent.

Mr Clayton, chemist of Victo^^^^P^P furnished nu with an iUuetratijfLivp^^piY surdity of the Waikato railwd^^^^* $>- \ striking than that of the nov»^ -**" lock's head. He has a consSfcpie custom along the line, and, upon jtceinng an order for a bottle of medicine, jame Is od, to be sent to Mercer, he finds tf* the charge is 2s 6d for carriage. By Mr pick s coach the charge for a small paiH was only only one shilling. Comment p this statement is needless. Another {proof of the working of the railway tajff is the reestablishment of carriers aloig the South Road to bring in settlers' bifter and other produce. When the railway opened they discontinued coming into theF tv nnder the impression that they were in jae unfortunate position of Othello when hispcupation was gone, but they now find the? can beat the railway hollow for economy aid convenience. If things progress as they aredoing, we shall live to" see the instinctive Spectacle of the locomotive run out of the trf^e by one-horse carts. The annual meeting of subscribers to the Newmarket Hall and Reading Room is to be held on Monday evening, <t which by the direction of the Hall Act,? a committee of five is to be appointed for the general management of the property. .Luring the past year a variety of complications and difficulties lay in the path of fee trustees, who appear, however, to have struggled successfully against the same, *nd leave evident marks of progress at the jlose of their first years operations. The reding room has been regularly thrown open to the members, and kept supplied with the daily papers, thanks to the assidious care of the secretary. There has also bsen a fair suppif of journals kept and sets of chess-men aad draught-boards. The library has been attended to by several of the trustees, who kiadly undertook the work. Owing to the laije proportion of the funds which had to be spent in carpenters work at the commencenent, it prevented the trustees adding, a) they would have liked to have done, to the library. Next year however there willbe more funds available for the purpose. The subscription lists for their hall fund havebeen issued by the I Building Committee, "fiho will, no doubt, reseive general Bupport,owing to the public character of the moveoent, and the broad principle upon which ths institution is based. The members of No 2 Company A.R.V, are requested to returl their arms and accoutrements at once to (he Government store Albert Barracks at on«e, preparatory to the issue of new snider rifles. The Hope o? Auckland, 1.0. R. S.N., meet for election of officers on Monday next. We learn from our spirited country contemporary, the Bay if Plenty Times, that Tauranga beer is mating its way in public favour; so mich so taat " Messrs Wrigley and Son have imported a large steam engine for brewing pirposes,the one hithero in use being found ti>o small to meet the increased demands of tbeir rapidly extending business." On the same Mithoritr we are informed that Mr Floyd, (he electrician, is to be permanently stationed at Tauranga as Inspector of Telegraphs. At a granl spellilg match in the Opera House, Cincinnati, for the benefit of the Youug Mens Christian Association, editors, lawyers, merchants, doctors, and ministers, wrestled wch the dictionary. One of the big featured of ths whole affair was the shriek of unearthly discord from the trombone that followed each failure. It was better than] a cireis. Mr Dennis gave his photographic exhibition of the castlei and abbeys of England and Wales last evening, in the church of the United Free Methodists, Pitt-street. A goodly number of persons were in attendance, who evideitly appreciated the lecturer's endeavours to please and instruct. The descriptions »f the scenes, as they paster! in review, were brief and pithy, and sufficient for the puipose, as those who desire historical knowledge respecting those splendid ruins of the past have ample means in our public libraries of acquiring such information. The lecture was interspersed with some good music fitted to tie scenes ; and, at thech.ee, a vote of thankspassed to the lectu-er, who acknowledged tie well-won compliment iv suitable terms. " A Karangahape Ratepayer" writes condemning the syitem of swamping the vote of electors present at the annual meetings of ratepayes by tie use of proxies. He says that for the past five or six years the Kafangahape district has been swamped by proxies held by t Government officer who devotes his spare tinje to their collection. " Ratepayer" adds : "On oneoccasion his tall hatfilledwith proxies twamped the votes of those present at the efcction of trustees , the next meeting that wholesale way of doin^ business not being in'accordance with the new Act, but he was tot to be done, not he, so he carefully distributed his proxies among his numerous eatalitei, giving six to each person. XJader such circumstances absentees should not be so liberal with their signatures and rate- I payers fehould endeavour to attend at the place and time appointed." «