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Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1686, 14 July 1875, Page 2

We learn the lost of the batch of the immigrants per Forfarshire were despatched to Waikato to-day. The immigrants were of a very suitable class, and no difficultyhas been experienced by Mr Eliis in chafing them into employment. The readiness with which all have found work shows the remarkable capabilities of the province for absorbing labour when of the right stamp. We regret that the " devil " has neon playing Old Harry with Mr A. Black's letter, which appeared in yesterday's issue. He made Mr Black say : " A gentleman of position is not zealous in proclaiming it"— whereas Mr Black intended : "A gentleman of position is not jealous in proclaiming it." It is only fair to say however that the letter in the MS. is mightily like unto a " z ;" in fact, on looking at it a second time, we say it is a "z."

. A meeting of the creditors of Mr. Cloary, of Hamilton, bankrupt, was convened to be held tv-day at the office of the Provisional Trustee, but no creditors attended.

Old "Jerry" the diver has fished up all the bricks out of the cutter Diamond which will now be raised without difficulty. To those who do not know how the diving is carried out we may mention that a perfectly watertight dres3 13 provided for the operator, with a helmet something between a fireman's and an auntient knight's. The latter part of the dress is fitted with glass eye-holes so that the diver can ace where he is going to. The most importaut part of the rig-out is however the air-supplying apparatus. Without going into scientific details we may simply state that a pumping machine, worked by two men, is connected with the interior of the helmet by an india rubber tube. This machine can be so regulated that the quantity of air supplied can be increased or diminished at pleasure. A signal rope is also attached to the diver, who hy a certain number of tugs can indicate his wishes to the persons above. A good diver, thus provided, cau remain under water with little inconvenience nearly 3 hours. The apparatus complete is very expensive, as may be judged from the fact that the New Zealand Insurance Co., to whom the dress lately in use belongs, held the borrowers bound in a bond of £450 to return it uninjured.

The Pollen Ministry is made the subject of a curious hut most apt comparison by the Otago Daily Time-i which likens it to a worm which has sufferer! decapitation from a gardener's spade, or being split up into several parts by that well-known agricultural implement. " Everyone," says our contemporary " who has seen the operation take place knows how the parts wriggle and squirm after they have been divided, and how sometimes the several portions set to work travelling in diametrically opposite directions. If all be true that wo hear, the present Executive is not likely to meet ths PT.>usc with a very united front. On the contrary, there are one or two matters which it is proposed to introduce which will cause not more dissension in the Assembly at larce than among the occupants of the Government Benches."

A green lizard, caught on the farm of Mr. W. Coleman, East Hamilton, on Friday last, has been lefh at the office of tha Waikalo Times. " The reptile" our contemporai'v informs us, "is about 5 inches in length. We have no means of ascertaining how lizards feel in a pickle bottle, but the one under notice appears to bear his imprisonment with philosophic resignation, sleeping away th<s hours tranquilly, and regarding the immense literary efforts which are proceeding within the sacred precints of thiw office with calm indifference. From a brief study of the creature we gather that frrcfin lizards are stoical in their habits. Maoris regard green lizards with superstitious awe They imagine that the souls of their chiefs have transmigrated into them. Who knows but the spirit of the great King Potatau th« First, or some other illustrious cannibal may not be'contemplating the progress of modern liter lture from the interior of a pickle bottle <"

Po enormous is the "number of telegrams now psssing in business hours between the London Stock Exchange and the Paris Bourse since the introduction of direct communication, that six wires worked by Hughes's type-printing system are constantly at work.

The aunual meeting of the Mount Roskill ratepayers was held yesterday at the Prince Albers Hotel, Epsom. Mr. Buckland in the chair. The report and balance sheet were read, from which it appeared that the receipts for the first year, including balance of previousyear.of £13018s 5<3, were £403 19s 3d and the expenditure, £266 10s lOd, leaving a balance of £137 8s 5d in bank. A rate of Id with power to sell was agreed to on the motion of Mr. Cleghorn, seconded by Mr. Ansell. The following* gentlemen were nominated as trustees : Messrs. Buckland, May, Cleghorn, Connolly and Greenwood. Messrs. Cawkwell and Ansell were chosen auditors, and Messrs. Sewell and Davidson, fence viewers, for the current year. This closed the business.

"Nobody's Child," by the author of the ."Dead Heart," was very successfully produced last night at the Prince of Wales Theatre to a good audience, and the drama apparently was thoroughly appreciated. The scenery and associations were artistic, creditable, and in perfect order with the events of the play. . It is seldom that we have witnessed a performance so well sustained from beginning to end, and this success was as much due to the representatives of the characters as to the mind that conceived and executed the plot of " Nobody's Child." Mr Collier's rendering of the unfortunate, half-developed Joe, the hero of the piece, was faithful to the character, and delineated with all the simplicity and unripe traits which we should naturally expect in an unowned child of weak intellect. Miss Stephenson was excellent in her pourfcrayal of "Patty," the attractive country maiden, whose guileless heart and simple garb were in harmony. Mr Aveling, as- Captain Lazowry, Mr Holloway as the Innkeeper, Mr Sam Poole as Dick, with the game leg, and the illustration of speech and character by. other hands, were fairly produced, and tended to make " Nobody's Child" the adopted bantling of the public. Miss Maggie Knight as Lucy was peculiarly attractive, the character being eminently suited to that young lady's talent and appearance. The play po; sesses much merit, and although tinged occasionally with the sensational element, has much in it that is commendable and worthy of patronage,. and the management are right in reproducing it this evening. We are glad to notice that the members of this company have determined to give a complimentary on Friday evening to Mr. Delias, the wellknown lessee of the Prince's, who has done so much for the upholding; of higher-class dramatic productions in Auckland, and whose urbanity and generous appreciation of real histrionic merit, deserve such a token of esteem.

a letter xias ween wruwsu to Mr.-Justice Gillies setting out; the statements of the mother of the boy White, committed to the Training Ship under the name of Woods, expressing the willingness of the parents to keen the lad, and asking that he ba released. "In reply, his Honor's secretary, Mr. Fitzgerald, says he is instructed to state that it is not part of a Judge's duty to initiate proceedings in such matters. It will doubtless prove iuteresting to many of our readers to learn that Captain Jones, who has' just arrived in this port as commander of the fine ship _Forfarshire, was thirteen years ago captain of the ship Matilda Wattenbach, which, with the ship Hanover, that left London on the same day, brought out to this province the finest lot of immigrants (the number being considered) that ever landed on these shores-viz , the specially selected settlers for Port Albeit. These immigrants possessed every requisite for successfully opening np a new country. TL^7 were not chosen from the great "unemployed," as most of our new-comers are ; they ware men of the middle class, who found the over crowding in the old country crippling to their energies and aspirations ; who could all show their certificates of respectability, and who—at any rate most of them—had a little capital of their own which they were ready and -willing to spend in developing the resources of the country of their adoption. How these useful settlers were baulked in their good intentions by the mismanagement of the Government of the day in neglecting to expend the necessary sum for providing a few roads, is now a matter of history. Very few of the more than a thousand immigrants who arrived ia 18G2, with the purpose of proceeding to Pott Albert ever reached there. Those few who have remained there and fought their way through almost insuperable difficulties to their pre sent position, have reason to be proud of their perseverance and independence. Capfc Jones will be pleased when he hears that this once blighted settlement is now steadily progressing towards prosperity. The completion of the Kaipara railway and of the new Government high road through to Mahurangi, will supply their great want, viz , means of communication)with the market of the capital; and if the settlers have done as well as they have in spite of this want, we may expect great things of them in the future. The population of Albertland is nearly 1000.

The adjourned annual meeting of the Hobson Company, A.E.V., was held last evening at head quarters, Wellington-street. Capt. Dignan took the chair, and there was an excellent attendance. It was announced that the capitation money had been received, upon which a resolution was passed that all existing liabilities be paid therefrom, and the residue be placed to the credit of the Company. Volunteer Dunningham was unanimously elected treasurer for the ensuing year. Capt. Diernan announced that the monthly inspection would take place on Tuesday next at the new drill-shed—not at the marketplace, as had been given out in the papers ; seven o'clook to be the hour of mustering. There was no other important business. ,

The Orange Soiree O.mmittfie return their sincere thanks to Mr W. K. Robin3on for the u=ie of hi« piano on the 12fch July, at the Choral Hall.

Mr John' Bryan, writing from San Francisco by the last mail, 'says that he purposes visiting the colonies shortly with a troupe of star artists. Mr Bryan's name has been associated whh most of the best artists who have visited the colonies during the past 15 years, his last agontship being in connexion with those fovourite artists, Mr and Mrs Bates. Of one of the artists of the company tho San Francisco Ifigaro of January 24, says:—"He (iVIr Richard Kohler) will shortly visit the colonies with a ompany -of star artists, under the management; of that old celebrity, Mr John Bryan. Mr Kohler, who, in addition to being the finest cornet player on the Pacific coast, is a universal musical genius, spent a large portion of the year 1872 in forming and bringing to perfection a musical instrument which he has named ' the water-flute.' It is an improvement on the ' Tumbleonicon,' and under the manipulation of Mr Kohler discourses music as superior to that instrument as the peel of the orgtm is to the turn turn of the banjo. Kohler plays with soul and "feeling ; he is a thorough musician, loves his art, and delights in finding for it new modes of expression. He gave his first, exhibition on the water-flute on Wednesday nigh>, at the Christmas New Year's High Jinks of the Bohemian Club, of which he is an honoured member. His audience were delighted with the enrapturing music ho drew from the sitnply-constructerl instrument, and encored the performance again and again. The. ' musical glasses ' [are over a hundred years old, but Kqhler's water-flute is to the original what the grand pianoforte of the present day is to the spinnet or harpsichord of our grandfather's days."

A clever swindler has been captured in Paris. He began his adventures at Marseilles. Dressed in the garb of a bishop, he gave himself out as the son of " Lord Parker, Governor of Canada," and succeeded in 4uping the prefect as well as the local church authorities, who gave him money and recommendations to persons in Paris. He then weDt to the capital, where he appears to have been feasted by the priesthood with all the honours due to his ecclesiastical rank. However, shortly after quitting Marseilles, something oozed out, the police were telegraphed to, and by dint of search they found * him at Passy, in the monastery of the Christian Brothers, where he was duly installed in the apartment of the Superior. The Canadian Bishop turns out to be a poor commercial traveller travelling on his own account. The splendour of King Tawhiao's Court at Te Kuiti is thus described by the Waikato Times : —" Last year a number of natives came from Nelson to see the Maori King and his country. I saw one of them who wa3 here on business a few days since. I askrd him how he liked living under the King. " Oh," said hej " It's horrible, no houses, such dirt, such living, • it's dreadful. The first time I went to the house a mat was put on the dirty flour of the whare, and meat and potatoes thrown upon it. All gathered round to eat, when, just as we commenced, in ran a dog and bolted with the largest piece of pork. Away started the Maoris to take it from him. As they left, in rushed a lot of pigs and nearly devoured what remained."—A beautiful picture of a King and his Court. Such things, he said, were of common occurrence and thought nothing. "As soon as I can get money enough," said he, "to take me to Nelson, I shall go, never to return to the Kuiti."

A Lancashire paper states that a- Hindley collier, for a bet of a gallon of beer, ate a pint cupful of black beetles from a neighbouring bakehouse.

We learn by the last mail of the death of Count de Waldeck, who had acquired a certain degree of reputation as a painter, and had reached the ripe age of 110 years. This is the most advanced age recorded during the present century.

Invitations have been issued to various rowing clubs from the rowing circles in Tasmania and South Australia, for the purpose of holding intercolonial regattas at flobart Town and Adelaide next season. Prizes of £100 for a gig race, to be rowed for by amateurs, meaning thereby persons who do not get their living by manual labour; and one of £150, for all amateurs, are offered by Tasmania ; while Adelaide offers a prize of £100 for a four-oare d race.

A meeting has been held in Glasgow to make arrangements for the erection of a monument to the memory of Thomas Campbell, the poet. Subscriptions exceeding £1 000 have been received. '

of the late iratricK "™~~ y are requested to meet at Mr. Darby 8 Commercial Hotel to-night for the purpose of furthering the subscription which has been set on foot for the benefit of his family. Ihe cause is a good one, and needs not words of ours to commend it to the consideration of those who knew aught to the chequered career of the late M. Sweeney. The meeting is convened for eight o'clock. The Newmarket Literary Institute is steadily advancing in usefulness andinflueuce. At a meeting last night the trustees resolved to increase the number of books. A most successful literary entertainment followed, contributed to by Archdeacon Pritt, Messrs McNeil, Barlow, and Morgan. The following officers were elected :—Van. Archdeacon Pritt president, Mr Clayton vkw-president, and Messrs McNeill, Witheford, McColl, Jenkins, R. Dennison, Clayton, G. Bishop, Morgan, X Ken, J. Taite, W. Hogg, and J. Antrus, with power to add to thfiir number. The Building Committee reported that they had been most successful. The following donations were already promised: Me3srs. Osborne, 10?; Barr, 51; Keane, 51 ; Angus, 51; A. Buckland, 101; J. McColl, 51; J. Wrigley, 51; Archibald Clark, 51. The report said : "As evidence of the popularity of the movement, the Committee may refer to the fact that the working classes, and even boys, are contributing their quota to the general fund. One lad, in the employ of Mr Kilgour, after selling some skins which fell to hialot, handed over the whole of the proceeds to the funds for building the hall. We say unto each member of the community — 'Go/thou, and do likewise.'