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Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2038, 16 November 1869, Page 2

Cost ok British Defence.—According to a statem nfc by Mr E J. Reid, chief constructor of the Navy, at the Cutlers feast at Sheffield, daring the last ten years, one hundred and sixteen millions have been spent on the British Navy. Of this enormous sum, ten-millions have been spent on ironclads. Ventilation. — Bad ventilation is not peculiar to Dunedin. A select Committee of the House of* Commons reports that the dining-room is so wretchedly constructed and badly ventilated, that when crowded it exposes honorable gentlemen to the danger of suffocation. As for the kitchen, it has such a power of retaining heat and keeping oat fresh air, as to rival the Black Hole of Calcutta, A Prisoner,— -At the Magistrate’s Comt, C yde, on the (jth inst., Jack Vincent alia* John Judge, was committed for trial at the ensuing sessions of the Supreme t 'ourt, Dunedin, charged with stealing one cheque for LI 6 10s, one pound note, one gold coin, valno 6s ; one bag of gold, value L 5; one pair of boots, value 10a ; one pair of gloves, value 2s Gd; one handkerchief, value 6d ; and one piece of stuff, value Gd; total, Ll3 Os Gd—the property of Mary Jane Yates Ho was brought down by escort, and received into gaol this afternoon, New Quartz Reef.—A reef of quartz, richly impregnated with gold, was discovered during the past week, at Meadow Bank, near Palmerston, in the occupation of Mr Dillon Bell, and the property of Mrs A. Eccles. The reef is 10 feet thick, and was discovered by Mr Harvey, manager for Mr Bell, by whom specimens have been brought into town, and persons acquainted with reefing pronounce them to bo equal to anything obtained in Victoria. Garden’s Robbing,—'The residents in the neighborhood of York Placa, Srnitli street, Filloul street, and Heriot Pvow, very justly complain of the want of public protection to their properties, evidenced by the raids th t the boys apparently proceeding to school make upon the flower gardens in the neighborhood of those streets. One resident

who taking a pride in his garden, is kindly informed by a neighbor that about nine and half-past three, troops of hoys rre seen in his garden, is naturally very anxions that Mr Strodc’s talents in suppressing crime should he developed in connection with these juvenile delinquents. Death of an Old Colonist. —The funeral of the late Mrs Marion Reynolds, mother of Mr W. H. Reynolds, Speaker of the Provincial Council, and Mrs Macandrew, took place yesterday, and was largely attended. The deceased arrived in the Colony about nineteen years ago, and at the time of her death was eighty-live years of age. For some time past she has resided with the family of her son-in-law, the Superintendent, at Colinswood, N E Harbor. She has been ailing for a considerable time, hut on Tuesday evening last, app an d much improved an I in better spirits than she had been for weeks before. She retired to rest as usual, and had not been in her room more than ten minutes, when she summoned the members of her family to her side, and shortly afterwards passed away without pain. A Horrible Murder — A murder which is unparalellcd in barbarity, has been committed in Lyttelton. On the 6th inst., there died very suddenly in Lyttelton a Mrs Smyth, wife of the proprietor of the Railway Hotel, Canterbury street, and the circumstance caused considerable excitement. Enquiry hv the police led to facts being elicited sufficient to warrant the arrest of the husband of the deceased. The Coroner’s inquiry extended over several days, and resulted in Smyth’s commital for trial for the murder of his wife. The evid-nce taken disclosed the most horrible orue ty and disgusting depravity. The body of the deceased was one mass of buiises, with wounds on the head. The woman had been sat up n, thrown down, and stamped on the throat with heavy boots, and also bound hand and font so tight that the cords almost cut into the llesh. She had been gagged and dragged by the head—all ending in death. It is the old story of infidelity on the part of the husband, resented by the wife, together with drink. The Fuis. —The following statistics of the progress made by the Wesleyan mission in the Fiji Islands will he read with interest. They are taken from a neat ad-dress-well executed in illuminated w> Ring—which was to have been presented to H.R. H. the Duke of Edinburgh, when he pioposed visiting the Kijian group. Tho address goes on to state that there are twelve European missionaries engaged in the work of civilising and converting the native population, who are assistad in their duties by twentytwo ordained and twenty-three uuor iained native missionaries; there are also 1,128 catechists and other lay preachers, who officiate in 7?1 places of worship, the united attendants of which amount to 107,771 souls. There are 17,401 church members, and 4,514 ou trial for membership. The native schools are represented by 80,691 scholars, adults and youths. Assurance Companies.—The Loudon Morning Herald introduces a copy of a return made to the House of Commons of all life insurance companies which have been registered under the Acts of 1844 and 1862, with the following remarks : —We find that the total number that has been so registered is no fewer than 272, but that of this number only 74 are now in exist uce, while not less than 198 have succumbed, their career having terminated either by amaig.ition with other companies or through the unh.v py medium of the winding-up court. These facts are a striking commentary on the recent controversy iu connection with the asserted immunity of the assured from liability to loss through the failure of life companies. We apprehend many of the assured with the defunct 189 could adduce a different and more sad experience. The main interest of this return, however, is rather with respect to the survivors. Seven of these appear to be either mutual offices, friendly societies, or in one case a marine company. Discarding these, the details given in connection with the remaining 67 possess much value. The widest pov-ib e divergence is presente s iu the amount of actual capital of tho several companies. Certain of tffirn present to their assured the solid guarantee of a large paidup share capital, among whom the Royal, Commercial Union, and Queen a e conspicuous for soli lity in this import nt particular ; while the larger number are cs. tented to seek the support of the public with resources greatly di-proportioned to the li hiitiei they are prepared to incur. In the case of 18 of the more recently instituted companies ive observe that the requirements of the Act, as to the return of the paid-up capital, have not been complied with, and can but advise intending assurers to satisfy themselves thoroughly upon the important question of their real resources before committing tbcmsr Ives to so serious a thing as a life contract with them.