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Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1679, 6 July 1875, Page 2

On the oppressive administration of the education rate, a lady correspondent writes : Sir,—An elderly lady, thinking my case similar to her own, called on me anent this unholy case. I recommended her to apply to you. She assured me you would not notice an old woman's appeal. This I ventured to doubt, and proffered to run the risk, especially as J believe the information would be of great interest to many similarly situated. I may here mention that I suggested a visit to the specious father of the abomination, when she replied, " 'Deed no, I w.ould sooner visit the deil himself " I venture to predict that could his patership be converted into a football, there would be some sport. However, the case in point is this'The mother, a widow, buys a freehold during the infancy of the son ; but upon his attaining his majority he becomes hous* keeper, pays rates and and all other expenses, the property still remaining in the mother's name. When this most unjust tax was last collected, notices were left demanding one pound from the mother and ten shillings from the son. Those amounts were paid by myself and the person in question. Will you sir, kindly enlighten, and accept the apologies of an old subscriber, who be^s to remain, very gratefully, yours obliged, Edith F. G. GbaiRGER, Ponsonby Road. [Clearly our correspondent has suffered an injustice. The rate of 103 was only intended to reach those against whom the household tax was inoperative. In the case stated, the son is undoubtedly the head of the household - he is legally as well as morally bound to support his mother ; therefore, to make him pay both-the 20s and the 10a rates is an intolerable hardship. The payment of the 10s rate should have been resisted, and we are

sure that no magistrate would have enforced it under such circumstances. We think greater care should be exercised in order to prevent such cases of injustice arising, as the tax is sufficiently odious without rendering its administrations unnecessarily oppressive.

—Ed. E. S.]

Mr. W. L Kees announces his intention

to address the electors of City East on

Thursday next in the hall of the Mechanics' Institute on the past session of the Provincial Council in its relation to the General Government. We have no doubt Mr. Rees will make his subject interesting and instructive.

"We have to apologise to our Newmarket subscribers for the irregular delivery of the Stak during the past few nights. We shall take step 3to prevent a recurrence of this species of annoyance.

A horse belonging to Messrs. A. Clark and Sons dropped dead in a most remarkable manner to-day. The horse was proceeding along Chancery. - street, drawing a light express, when it suddenly fell down dead, not giving a single kick after its fall.

The new block of brick shops at the corner of Victoria and Albert-streets, erected by Mr. T. Thompson, grocer, forms a very handsome addition to the architecture of Victoria-street, which has hitherto been behind the rest of the city in making progress in street improvement. The block is now so far completed that we notice from an advertisement in another column Mr Thompson is removing his grocery business into the new premises. Mr. Thompson for upwards of 20 years, has carried on a large wholesale, retail, and family grocery trade, and the convenience of the new place will be a great advantage to himself and his customers. The re-opening takes place on Saturday next* and- householders who may not have visited him, will receive a guarantee that real value will be given, as" nothing but first-class goods are in stock. Mr Thompson adopts the principle of quoting no prices, but only asks the lowest profit upon the sale of goods, which h« warrants to be of the higheat quality.

We have great pleasure in drawing attention to the announcement of the establishment of a Self-supporting Dispensary in Shortland-street, under the medical supervision of Dr Ellis. The principles on which the institution will be conducted are fully explained by Mr F. Sharland, secretary, in the advertisement published in another column, and will,* we think be favourably regarded by many working men.

The members of the Independent Order of Free Gardeners will meet this evening, being their quarter night.

An editor who is evidently a man of family sagely remarks that a boy who will yell like a Tartar if a drop of water gets on his shirt-band when his neck is-being washed, will crawl through a sewer after a ball and think nothing of it.

Stingy aunt: ' Well, Robin, have you enjoyed yourself?' Robin : ' Oh, yes, aunt, but I wish I hadn't oome. Brother Jim is sure to cry ' Halves!' When I get home, and if I say you didn't give me nothing, ho'U punch my head for a • story.''

The monthly meeting of the Aoclimatization Society was held yesterday afternoon at the Museum Buildings. The following gentlemen were present: Dr Campbell (Chairman), Messrs W. J. Hurst, J. Burtt, and F. Whitaker. The receipts for the month were shewn on the 'balance-sheet to be £145 4s fid, and the expenditure—£239 14s 3d ; a balance of £204 10s still remaining on hand. Accounts to the extent of £40 83 were ordered for payment. Among the letters received was one from the Superintendents office notifying the appointment of rangers in tne Waikato district.' There was also a communication from the curator of the gardens, containing a list of the injuries sustained in the grounds by the late gale. A quantity of acorns imported by the ship Dunedin were submitted to the meeting They were found to be in a very bad statein fact no good Some seeds of the sumach tree were more effectually preserved I 1", was agreed to liberate eight pairs of partridges at Lake Takopuna. A motion was also carried that negotiations should be opened with the Christchurch Society with a view to exchanging some male birds for hens. An opinion was expressed that some measures should be taken to prevent the destruction of the small fry among the flatfish in the Thames, which was at present caused by the use of nets with the meshes too small.

Tlie anniversary of American Independence was not allowed to pass wholly unobserved by our Yankee cousins in Auckland, for yesterday we noticed our friend Mr W. E. Turner comfortably ensconced behind one of Crowther's four-in-hand "turn-outs," spanking through the city en route to the country, with a party of six : one of whom was, as a matter of course, the representative of America, Mr Barber. W.3 learnt that after visiting several places of refreshment on the road, they finally brought -up at the well known Jfostelry at Onehunpa, kept by that veteran old Aucklander, H. Hardington; when, after being joined by a few friends, several bottles of fiz were opened, and " The Day we Celebrate," " Our ' Country," " President Grant," "America and England United," " The Queen," and " Our American Friends" were toasted witb. the usual honors, during which appropriate speeches were, as a matter of course, indulged in ; and the party, at a reasonable hour, returned to the city, apparently feeling the more happy for the opportunity having been afforded them of showing their loyalty to their loved flag. We cannot help adding that Crowther's "team' was much admired by all who saw them, and by none more than the Americans of the party.

From a paper on "Russian Forests," we learn that their extent in the European portion of the Empire is about 442,897,500 acres, or forty per cent, of the whole area. In Russia, wood is still the principal fuel used. Wooden vessels, platters, and spoons, also take the place of pottery and metal in many districts. It is estimated that from thirty to forty million wooden spoons are annually inaiie in the country. The industry most destructive to the forests is the stripping of bark for the purpose of making mats, pordapo. and boots. It is estimated that 400,000,000 trees are cut down every year for shoea alone.

A meeting of the friends of the late Mr P. Sweeney is called for to-morrow evening at fii(?ht o'clock at Mr J. Darby's hotel, Shortland-street.

The members of the Hobson Company are requested to deliver up to the officer commnndine tba corps, their arrai and nocoutremen<g, at the Catholic Institute. Wellinrrton-stieet. All deficiencies will be charged for.

"T?eader" writes taking to task the writer of the article in the Waikaio Times censuring the Whanrjarei Comet for misspelling the word Rabelais and for other breaches of orthography. " Behind the Scenes " /also writes in reply to the Times, and " Maungatautari " on railway officials and railway mismanagement. He attributes the attack on the Times to the fact of one of the guards having charged a member of the staff of that journal eight shillings for extra luggage. Of " Maungatautari " he pays : —

" Maungatautari" is a very racy, impulsive, and disconnected writer, always imaginative, ungrammaticalj.and insuUinc?, generally senseless. His forte lies in the direction of railways ; he indulges in the highfuleting of twenty feet driving wheels, locomotive head lights, &c. The goak of the Tiritiri lighthouse is at present'an enigma to many subscribers to your most valuable paper, which no doubt will be demonstrated by the brilliant sarcastic wit of " MauDgatautari's" in some future issue.

The annual meeting of the subscribers of the Newmarket Literary Institute was held last night in the Reading-room. The Yen. Archdeacon Pritt occupied the chair. The treasurer's financial statement was read, shewing that half of the year's receipts had been necessarily sperit in fitting up the Reading-room. The Library and Readingroom had therefore in a great measure been dependant upon the voluntary support of those interested in the movement. The first impetus to the formation of the Library was in Mr Alfred Buckland's donation of £10, this beint; supplemented by donations from Messrs Firth, Hunt, &c. Mr Owen assisted by the gift of some sixty volumes of books, while the Reading-room had the benefit of voluntary contributions from members. Messrs McNeill and Jenkins gave the Illustrated London News, Mr Dinnison the Daily Southern Cross, Mr Jenkins the Herald, and the Eves lira Star was given by Mr Witheford. The report was adopted, and subscriptions for the ensuing year being received, the1 meeting proceeded to elect trustees for the management of 'the property for the coming year. On the ballot being taken, Messrs F. G. Clayton, J. Witheford, John McNeill, J. McColl, andJ. Taite were declared electee!. A unanimous vote of thanks was passed to the outgoing trustees for their indefatigable exertions of the past year. At the close of the above, the trustees met and appointed their officers, with the following result: —Mr F. G. Clayton, chairman ; Mr J. H. Witheford, secretary ; and Mr John McNeil, treasurer. It was decided to add to the library and reading-room, and to gain the support of the public in the shape of gifts of books and journals. His Lordship Bishop Cowie has promised a supply of foreign magazines, and other gentlemen of position have likewise signified their intention of contributing. Such* general favour bsing shewn the movement, the promoters may feel satisfied of a successful future. The hall fund lists appear to be well received, and a number of £5 and £10 donations are already given. The next meeting will be held for the purpose of appointing president, vice-president, and committee to get up literary and musical entertainments.

Mr E. Brewin, seedsman, has met with a slight accident, which will deter him from business for a few days. His customers orders will have his attention.

The Princess of Wales, who hag always had a leaning towards High Church practices, has been causing some remark by frequenting the Church of All Saints, Margaret street, London, one of the most "advanced" Ritualistic " places of worship" in England. There one may get plenty of music, incense, and millinery, with a minimum of the Gospel, and come home in much the same frame of mind as from the opera, whose performances the services in this Church closely resemble. —(London correspondent.)

The foundation stone of a new college of science for Birmingham, was laid there on 23rd ult., by Sir Josiah Mason, to whose munificence the college will owe its existence. Sir Josiah has purchased a site for the building for £40,000, and has endowed the college with £60,000 to start with, but intends to increase the endowment very considerably.

Several years ago, while the Tom Thumb, troupe were traveling through New York, the cash-box, containing, several Hundred dollars of the funds, was stolen. William P. Miiler, who was then treasurer of the troupe y suspected a girl who was employed, at the hotel in the place where they then were, his suspicions were confirmed by her sudden disappearance. He managed, however, to get track qX her, after some time had clasped, and worked up the case so well that she confessed to him that she had taken the money to purchase a wedding outfit, and that the marriage was soon to take place. She refunded half of the stolen money, and Mr. Miller decided not-to prosecute her for the balance. Shortly after she married a wealthy English gentleman, who was engaged in the lumber business in Chicago iS'otmany years had elapsed when the husband died, leaving her all of his property. A few months ago she also died, and in her will she left to Mr. Miller the sum of $300,000, as an expression of her gratitude for not hay-ing-prosecuted her when in his power. Mr. Miller, who is now of the firm of Miller, Morrison & Co., New York, a firm well known in Bridgeport, recently received a letter from her administrator, stating that he could draw on him for $100,000 at any time. Among the latest specimens of local manufacture is the garden roller *made to the order of Messrs. Mason Bros, by Mr. James Scotter of Newmarket. The roller itself is composed of stone taken from the quarry of this district and weighs about elevea cwt. The iron-work is of substantial character, and first-class work ; and, as a sample of colonial ingenuity, the whole reflects great credit on the maker.