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Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1972, 31 August 1869, Page 2

Parliamentary.—His Honor the Superintendent, Messrs Birch, Howorth, and Mervyn are on board the Alhambra en route for Dunedin. The Alhambra left Wellington to-day »t 2 o’clock. Mining.—We understand that the works of the Ida Valley Quartz Mining Company, lately re-commenced under the new proprietorship, are progressing favorably ; and that the Homeward Bound Reef, which the Company had for some time lost sight of, has been struck again. The Great Eastern Company are also raising quartz, and have about 100 tons “ to grass,” ready for crushing.

The New Zealand Institute.—A meeting of the council of the Otago Institute was held this afternoon. There was a very full attei dance of members. The necessary rules for the conduct of the ordinary meetings of the Society were framed, and it was decided that should sufficient business be provided, a meeting should be held on the 17th of the coming month. The honorary secretary reported that there was now a sufficient number of members to admit of the incorporation of the Institute with the New Zealand Institute, and that, therefore, that question required to be considered forthwith, A meeting of members for this special purpose was ordered for September 21th. We would remind those who have not yet paid their subscriptions to the Institute,' that to-morrow is tho last day on which it is open to them to join without submitting to the usual formalities of election.

Arms for the Colonial Forces.— Id the House of Representatives, Major Brown has given notice of his intention to move that the following rules be adherred to in obtaining 3,000 additional arms_ for the use of the Colonial forces The rifles, of carbine description, sighted to 500 yards, not exceeding 40 inches in total length, without rods and with swivel rings and slinks ; of '45 bore ; breech loading ; needle action ; with a central fire cartridge of the boxer descript'on ; with a knife bayonet td fix on the underside of the muzzle, the knife with a keen cutting edge for cutting through the underscrub, -and not exceeding from one and a quarter pound to one and a half pound. Mr J. C. Richmond, —The Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times tells a very good anecdote of the above gentleman ; and, although the affair happened some time ago, we do not think it has been made public yet. Eveu if it has, it wi.l bear repetition : —Two or three years ago a Resident Magistrate, having a very small salary, was ordered on special duty to a Native district, and was kept there for many months. Only by the strictest pinching was he able to make both ends meet when he resided with his family ; but now that he had, as it were, to maintain two homes, he went to leeward fast. He came up to Wellington, and begged for an increase. The debt he had incurred being like a millstone round his neck ; and he informed Mr Richmond [who was then in office] that he must leave the service, sell his furniture to pay his debts, and seek employment elsewhere, if he could not be allowed back extra salary for the period he had been detached for Native servi e. Mr Richmond said it was a case of hardship that it would be unjust to refuse to rectify, and he promised that an increase should be granted. Next morning, when the Resident Magistrate came, Mr Richmond informed him that the increase could not be granted ; that he had been informed that if_ he did it in one case he would have to dp it in many others ; and the poor fellow was about to go away—-

great strapping man as he is, with tears in his eyes—when Mr Richmond slipped an envelope into his hand, saying, “I’m not a rich man, but perhaps you won’t mind borrowing that of me. Don’t trouble yourself about paying it until you are perfectly able,” The envelope contained a cheque for LSO.

Intemperance. -The following letter from the Premier to a gentleman in Auckland is published in the New Zealand Herald —“ My Dear Sir, —I would have answered your note by the last mail but was too busy about political matters. It would have given much pleasure to send you a copy of my lecture on ‘ Strong Drink ’ if I had one ; but it was never printed, and the only report, that in the Wanganui Times, was so meagre and full of inaccuracies that I was ashamed of it. and have not even a copy of it. If I should some day find my way to Auckland I should have much pleasure in delivering it before any of our branches or tho public at large. The colony is so thoroughly demoralised on the subject of strong drink that it is difficult to got any one to see the question from even the lowest point of view that civilised people ought to take. I fear 'the day is not at hand when we can hope for a Permissive Bill, though if one were passed, I have no doubt that many rural districts would avail themselves of it. The total abstaining societies rescue a few, and personal example checks intemperance amongst personal friends—but not much. The moral feeling of the community is sadly depraved upon the subject. In one of his last despatches, Colonel Whitmore palliates the conduct of fifty of his force whom he had to leave behind him drunk on the beach at Taranaki, on the plea that the poor fellows had not had a similar eyportunity for a few weeks ! Only ten days ago there was a “free fight ” at the White Cliffs between constabulary and friendly natives, both drunk, which nearly led to most serious disasters. This occurred at a public house established against the wishes of all the constabulary except two, by the deliberate act of the Commander of the Forces at the place. I shall leave no stone unturned to get the facilities for drinking among the constabularly and friendlies checked. Ido not think our societies are doing enough. Could not we get up a conference from all parts of the island next summer at some place, and organise ourselves for united action ? Something might be done at a general election, which must occur in a year or so. I shall he glad to hear from you on the subject at all times. Believe me, my dear Sir, yours very sincerely, William Fox.”

Mr Talbot, who has achieved no small fame as an actor in the higher walks of the dramatic art, has lately arrived, and will, we believe, shortly appear, assisted by Mr James Bartlett, already well-known and highly thought o£ in Dunedin. Mr Talbot is highly spoken of by tho London press. The Times describes his debut as very promising. and the most severely caitical of the literary papers speak in equally high terms. By the Courier de UEurope he is placed above Barry Sullivan or Phelps. The Athencewm says:—“ln Scotland the new actor is well remembered by his fellow-collegians, among whom he distinguished himself by his industry and success. Mr Talbot is not only an actor, but a gentleman. In the reading of the text he is accurate, and free from innovating affectations.” The Theatrical Obserrer speaks in even more flattering terras, and there is therefore good reason to believe that a treat of no ordinary character awaits us in Dunedin, in witnessing the highest conceptions of dramatic authors embodied in an artist equal to pourtraying them.

An opportunity now presents itself to those who are desirous to possess really fine pictures of obtaining some excellent paintings by some of the leading living British artists. Messrs Burton Brothers propose disposing of their stuck or a portion of it, by an Art Union on liberal terms. ! here is a great variety of oil paintings and chromo-lithographs, but all are excellent in their style and execution. Perhaps the best are the Fish-girl and Boy by Kinnard, and a Lanclcape by Niemann ; both are gems in their way. There are two groups beautifully painted, one fruit and the other flowers. Notwithstanding these are oil paintings, they have tho brilliancy and finish of water colours. Nor will those regret their venture who obtain, “ The Street View,” “The Roadside Inn,” or “A Sea Piece.” We ought not to omit to name the colored photographs of wnich there are several. A.s truthful delineations, improved by artistic effort, they are fine specimens. We believe the drawing will take place at an early day, and it is a new feature in the plan that the drawers in order of their precedence will be permitted to select the pictures they prefer; so that should they he fortunate enough to be of the first selectors, they will be able to secure that which they most wish to possess if of the presented value, or to obtain it by payment of the difference if worth more than the prize drawn by them.