The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1875.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1695, 24 July 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1875.

Fer tht cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resist****, 99t the fmture in the distance, Am* th» reod that we can «*,

The address in reply to his Excellency'? opening speech was carried last night in a half-filled House, and without a division. The Opposition determined to rest upon the assurance of the Government that the address was intended to be merely a formal one. It is evident that the Ministry have a large following, and are determined to carry their measures; they have nailed their colours to the mast, and the Opposition know clearly what is intended. That,the session will be a most important one, the opening debate sufficiently indicates, and whatever the strength of the Government party may be, the Ministry will have a hard fight before them. Without entering irito the questions which have been raised in the debate just . closed, we think it will give satisfaction to the people to see that once more the Parliament of New Zealand, so long utterly subservient to the dictates of the Government, now possesses a Constitutional party which will closely scrutinise step by step the • actions of the Government. There is safety to the people in the existence of an Opposition in reality as well as in name. In our telegraphic columns to-day appear* a /ull

summary of last night's debate. The fervid and eloquent appeal of Sir George Grey wiU be read with great interest by the people of Auckland, who are now familiar with his great powers of oratory, which have already made a deep impression on the House of Representatives.

The committal of the young girls, Johnstone and Armstrong, to the Home for Neglected and Destitute Children and the Orphan Home, by the magistrates at the Police Court yesterday was a serious mistake, although it is difficult, in the absence of any reformatory for criminal children, to say what should have been done with them. It was clearly proved that the girl Johnstone, youDg as she is in years, has been cradled arid nurtured in vice, and ha 3 not been an inapt pupil. No less than nine cases of theft were established against the girls, and their manner in the prisoners' box confirmed the impression that they were extremely hardened and callous. To place criminals of this class in Homes conducted on the principles of non-restraint, which govern the institutions of Howe street and Parnell, is to run the risk of contaminating innocent children who3e misfortunes are their only crime. It is, we believe, contrary to the spirit and intention of both institutions to provide for the javenile criminal classes, and we really think that the committees should make a representation to the Government on the subject. We are satisfied that the managers will find it impossible to maintain discipline in the Homes and command the confidence of tho public who- provide employment for the inmates, if children like the girl Johnston are to be quartered there, and it would be infinitely better to throw the onus of providing for girls of that character upon the Government rather than incur any risk of demoralising two well-regulated public institutions, which are so largely indebted to private benevolence for support.

Why is it that all our public institutions, when unsustained by Government aid, sink into such a sickly and feeble condition that, for sheer pity sake, one could almost wish thatjan end were put to their painful struggles for life by the snuffing out of the last spark of vitality ? Only a few months have passed since the Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association resolved to succumb to an apparently irresistable fate and close the doors of that excellent institution ; and now the Committee of the Mechanics' Institute plainly inform subscribers that it were better to die than continue a hopeless fight against poverty. We can heartily sympathise with the committee in their depression, for none know better than they that the Mechanics' Institute of Auckland has not satisfactorily fulfilled any of those functions which have in other cities rendered these useful institutions so widely popular. If this has been the case iv the past the committee may well look with despondency to the future now that the Government subsidy has fallen a victim to provincial impecuniosity. But while we so far sympathise with those who have tried to bear the heat and burden of the day, and confess themselves beaten, yet we are still more disposed to join issue with the party of hope while there is a possibility not merely of something "turning-up" as Mr Micawber would suggest, but of retrieving by energy the fortunes of our ancient public library. The experience of the Young Men's Christian Association ba3 shewn that the public are capable of being aroused to friendly action in a good cause, although it must be admitted that the effort necessary to reach them is one which disinterested men cannot reasonably be expected to make. But the difficulties of the Mechanic's Institute are not nearly so serious as thrse of the Association. It is not saddled with the grievous incubus of debt, which has weighed the other down, and really it is difficult to see why, with its advantages, the Institution should not flourish. We cannot but think that the monied men of Auckland are chargeable with a want of public spirit in this as in other matters. In all other colonial cities we find men of substance leading the i way in every social movement; here, the 1 whole burden is borne by those who have neither the means nor the time to give effective aid. The Mechanics' Institute is pre-eminently an institution which should command the hearty support of every person in the community. In a seaport where there is a large floating population without settled home, and nightly thrown upon the resources of the city for amusement, a well-managed Mechanics' Institute would be a • boon which it is impossible to over-value. To the credit of the leading men of Dunedin be it said that they fully recognise this truth, and we find the read-ing-room there the resort of captains and strangers as well as the centre of attraction to a large number of intelligent young men of tho city. Throughout the past year the Mechanics' Institute was kept admirably supplied with the best magazine literature of the day, but still there has not been a commensurate appreciation on the part of the public. What the new committee propose to do we are not in a position to say, but we hope some effort will be made to arouse public interest, and secure an increased number of subscribers in order that the limited degree of efficiency and usefulness already attained to may not be impaired during the coming term by a retrogressive and parsimonious policy.

We refer our readers to our advertising columns for the subjects of discourse at the various city churches to-morrow. We deeply regret to learn that Mr William Stone, of the firm of Stone Brothers, whose illness of typhoid fever was mentioned in a previous issue of the Star died at his residence last night. His illness was brought on by exposure to wet while shooting in the Waitakerei aggravated by neglect in not changing his clothes. The deceased gentle--1 man was an active business man, in the i prime of life, and it was hoped he had a long career of usefulness before him. He was personally popular with all who had the ' pleasure of his acquaintance whether in his business or private relations. . We have received the following confidential communication, but feel justified in letting the public know about it:— " Sir, —You who 1 am sure are acquainted with everything in this city, will be able to afford me the information I am seeking. Can you tell me if there is or not a private mad house in Graham e-street or its locality. I have serious thonghts of becoming a denizen of that part of the city, but the presence or eves remote contiguity of such an establishment will certainly deter my present intentions.—Yours in confidence, Mens Sana." [We confess we are nonplussed; but on the principle that " all men are fools " we suppose Grahame-street possesses its fair proportion. We should not think that this need be any obstacle to residence there.—Ed. E. S.] The Devonport District Board held its first meeting last evening, when Mr. Oliver Mays was unanimously re-elected chairman, I Mr. W. S. Cochrane, treasurer, and Mr. T. IW. Seaman, Collector of Kates. It was also resolved to shell all the footpaths in the district, and to call for tenders for carting metal for the year and for fencing in the scoria reserve on the old lake road.

A meeting of the ratepayers of the Waitakerei South District was called to-day at the Thistle Hotel, but as no one was present, except the chairman, Mr Seaman, and four reporters, the meeting lapsed. In glancing as the finaiscial statement, we noticed that tho receipts, including the balance of £47 5s Gd from the previous year was £115 Us lid, and the expenditure as follows :—Forming new roads, £54 16s Gd ; salary, rent, printing, and legal expenses, £10 7s 4d, leaving a balance of £49 IS3 Id. The importance of the Nova Scotia settlement at Waipu, and the remarkable progress made by those sturdy colonisers, is very little known in Auckland. From a letter written by a Waipu settler to the Whangarei Comet we make the following extract, shewing the condition of the district:—" We have a population, including children, of 800 individuals, who during the time I have been resident in the county of Marsden have erected 104 houses, who have cleared, jdoughed, fenced, and laid down in grass, etc., upwards of 8,000 acres of land, who own more than 10,000 sheep and .1,000 horned catile, almost every settler possessing a horse. It speaks well for the fleeces, that the Waipu wool brought a tip-top price at the wool sales in Auckland. We have two places of worship: the Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Mr. Mcßae as minister, having the largest congregation north of Auckland; and a meeting house, in which Mr. Angus Morrison officiates, which is also well attended. We have 70 miles of fine level roads, ditched and drained with culverts where wanted, and 13 substantial bridges built across the various branches of the river; one being reconstructed over the main branch, which was not finished on Saturday last. We have fine schools, well attended. 1 can apeak of the Upper District School, which has at the present time an average of 70 scholars, 94 being on the roll. We have four stores, well stocked, where yon can obtain goods at Auckland prices, Hour excepted. We have a flour mill, a Good Templar's Lodge, two public libraries, one of which is dormant, through some misapprehension on the part of the Provincial Librarian ; a fine craft on the stocks nearly ready for launching (several have been previously built here) and we now possess a resident medical man—Dr. Agassiz who has been kept busy enough since his arrival, and who has been very successful in his treatment of patients—several cases of typhoid and low fever having occurred lately. We have also a weekly overland mail, which Whangarei has not."

The Choral Society had a full dress rehearsal of the " Crimson Scarf " last night at the Choral Hall. The performers were present in full force, and the rehearsal was a signal success. On Monday night a final rehearsal will take place, and the performance in public will come off on the following day. A large amount of interest is taken iv the concert both by the Choral Society and the public, and we believe it will lead to a large increase in the number of the Society's members.

The Good Templars of Sydney met in the Masonic Hall on the Gth instant to welcome the Hon. S. D. Hastings, who delivered fraternal greetings from all parts of the world. In the course of his remarks ho said the Good Templar Order numbered 12 000 to 15,000 lodges, and about three-quarters of a million members. He advocated the introduction into the colony of such a law as that in the State of Maine.

General sympathy will be felt for G. B. Owen, Esq., and Mrs Owen under the painful circumstances connected with the death of their daughter notified in our obituary columns yesterday. The young lady hid been placed at school in New South Wales, under the guardianship of her uncle, aud Mr and Mrs Owen went up to Sydney by the s.s. Hero on her last trip to bring her home, but on arrival learned that she had been taken ill and died a few days previously. We can conceive of no more painful shock to the feelings of a parent than that caused by a death ULder such circumstances.

The following advertisers are requested to call at this office for answers to advertisements : -AH M.. C.A., J.H., A.Z., EH, M., G. Smith., X.,J.K.G.,Cottage, It .Gooseberry, A.8., Mrs H—th, Ledger, Mechanic, Mr. H. N. Nott.

Mr F. A. Jones writes enclosing a list of the nnmes of players in tho J'amell v. Ponsonby football match, giving fifteen on each side, which he is prepared to vouch for. He also says that Mr Heather inform* him that he only judged of the numbers on each side by the uniforms, and that several players were not in uniform. We have closed the correspondence and do not feel disposed to re-open it, so that this notice must suffice.

■ The frequent showers of the last few days have made it rather dangerous walking down some of the steep declivities which abound round Auckland, especially where the authorities have neglected to renew the scoria surface of the sidewalks. This cause lately led to a very unpleasant bu 1; irresistibly droll accident in Eden Crescent. Two gentlemen, whose duties in one of the local banks call them back to town in the evening, were making the best of their way to their office the night before last from Parnell, and had reached the descent from the Supreme Court to Mr E. Isaacs' house on the left hand side of the road. A bout ten yards from the base of the hill there is a spot where the scoria covering has entirely disappeared and a surface of slippery clay is exposed on the pathway. One of the pair, a tall young man of fair complexion and general plumpness of aspect, was just in the midst of a discussion on the iniquities of a system of banking, which demanded the attendance of clerks for eleven hours a day, when bis companion was astonished at a most brilliant argument being brought to a premature close, and at his sadden disappearance. The moon had not risen at the time and the companion who had stopped was guided to bis friend by a deep groan followed by an exclamation in bad French. He found him seated a few paces up the path, his feet well out to the front and his palms stuck deep into the yielding soil. By the uncertain light a sardonic smile was seen to play round his handsome features, and his pipe quivered convulsively in his mouth. Painfully he rose, and the Bank did not see him that night or the next day. "We would not wantonly hurt the gentleman's feelings by mentioning his name, but it is not unlikely that the mark left on the path will lead to his identification. Both city authorities and Bank managers should learn a lesson from this sad occurrence.

The Hobson Band Minstrels will give a complimentary benefit to Mr J. McComish, in appreciation of his services, on Friday evening next, the 30fch instant. Mr McComish's efforts for the cultivation of a musical taste in this city are well-known and appreciated, and we have no doubt the calL will be responded to by a "bumper house." The Minstrels will be assisted by Miss Maggie Knight, the talented song and dance artiste. An efficient orchestra of 10 performers will be present.

The Excelsior Hall is situated near Dr Wallis's Church, and a short distance from the main street in NewtonJ Any lady or gentleman who desire the use of this building for the purpose of teaching music, should apply to Mr Jeune, the proprietor, who offers to hire it for such use during the day. It is already made to resound with the strains of band music, as the band practice within its walls every week. It appears to be favourably adapted for musical purposes.

The Co-operative Meat Company announces by advertisement in another column that the quality of the beef at last Thursday's sale was unexceptionable, and that prime joints at the low rates charged by the Company are obtainable to-day.

The interesting information is given by the Whangarei Comet that a number of Otamatea ! natives have arrived to assist Taurua and his people in scraping the bones of their longdeparted relatives who were buried at Otaika, The same journal says that last week, a requisition was sent to Sir Robert Douglas, Bart., M.P.C., asking him to convene a public meeting, for the purpose of considering the advisability of having Whangarei proclaimed a township, &c. Mrs Sweeney desires us to return her heartfelt thanks to those friends of her late husband, who so kindly and successfully exerted themselves on her behalf, on the occasion of her late painful bereavement. Some commotion was produced on the Queen-street wharf to-day on the arrival of the s s. Pretty Jane, by the landing of six prisoners who were brought for commitment to Mount Eden gaol. One woman is sentenced to 6 months imprisonment for larceny, and 5 men, 4 maoris and 1 white man, committed for trial for house-breaking at Poverty Bay. As the handcuffed couples marched up the wharf they were followed by a large crowd of persons. A correspondent puts the follawing business-like .query :— " Sir, —I notice a good deal of correspondence, telegrams, &c. in tho papers with reference to the four million loan. Can you inform your readers who got the commission ? That factor is necessary to enable me to judge who has the best of the argument in the controversy.— Yours, &c, Financier." —[The official correspondence te'ls us that Rothschilds got two per cent, for giving the loan the benefit of their prestige. A question to the head of the Government about any further possible commissions would probably bo deemed impertinent. — Ed. TS. <S*]