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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2122, 23 February 1870, Page 2

Acclimatisation. —We learn that three of the pheasants _ turned out last week at Milton have since died. Masonic Hall.—There was a good house last evening. Mr Thatcher came out with two new songs—one of them relating to his indisposition—which were well received. Port Chalmers. —We notice that a musical and dramatic entertainment in aid of the library of the Mechanics’ Institute, is to be given at the Port Chalmers Masmne Hall, by the. pupils of the Dunedin Middle District School, on Friday evening next. Religious.—The Bruce Herald is informed, upon reliable authority, “that Dr Moran, Roman Catholic Bishop of Port Elizabeth, Cape of Good Hope, has been appointed Bishop of Dunedin. We believe his diocese will extend over the entire Middle Island, and understand that he will very shortly arrive in the Colony.”

Church oe England Synod.- -The Synod was opened this afternoon at the Oddfellows’ Hall, by the Primate of New Zealand, who delivered an address. Beyond that the business was of a purely formal and preliminary character. A vote of thanks was passed to his Grace for the addiess ; several notices of motion was given, and the Synod adjourned to 7.30 this evening. The Ballot’.—The publication of our last night’s leader has led to our being informed of a practice of which we confess we had previously neither knowledge nor suspicion. It appears to have been the very extraordinary custom in the Colony to adow inspection and supply copies of the poll book ader an election to applicants upon payment of a paltry fee and fixed charge for transcript. By this means our quasi secret system of voting is really ar. op 1 n one, with all its evils intensified. We must take an early opportunity of referring to the subject. Body Found. —In the bush near the N.E. Valley toil-bar, the body of a man lying on his face was found lust evening by a passer-by. On examination the man was found to be dead, and to all appearances had been seized with a fit, as his hands .grasped a tuft of grass. The body, which appears to he that of a man about fifty years of age, was taken to Wain's Royal Hotel, where an inquest was to have been hold this afternoon. The only clue to the identification of the deceased is a prescription, with the name of “John Boss,” which was found on it ; hut as yet, we believe, the police have been unable to discover who he is.

City Council. The Council met this afternoon. Present—ll is Worship the Mayor, Councillors Carroll, M‘C!ashan, Walter, and Wilson. A memorial was reach calling attention to the disgraceful state of Melville lane, oil' Great King street. It was resolved that the contractor for the construction of certain improvements in the street he rep nested to proceed with his contract forthwith, in the event of non-com-pliance, tenders to lie re-advertised for. A memorial from ratepayers of South Ward, calling attention to the absence of channelling in Walker street was referred to the Works Committee. The Finance Committee in their report recommended that the rate for the ensuing .year be Is (id in the pound, and stated that from the estimate ot probable revenue and expenditure subimtted it would be seen that it was impossible to declare a lesser rate. The Mayor remaiked that the Committee found it impossible to recommend a lesser rate, as owing to the withdrawal of the Government subsidy not one shilling would bo available for new works. in fact, if they went on as they had been doing, they would soon find themselves in deep va | u ?'- The Works Committee reported that it had been ascertained that the damage done to the streets by the Waterworks Company s employes amounted tp L13(5; and that too Company had been coiled upon to pay the damage ; and recommended that a portion oi Moray Place east be metalled ; that Lot) be spent in the repairing of St. David street and Dundas street bridges; that Ll6 be spoilt ou the improvement of Clciieucloii street, provided the inhabitants eontiibute L 33 ; that Great King street west, from Hanover street to the Vulcan Foundry be kerhed ; and that Grange street bo gravelled. The report was adopted, with the. exception of that part referring to Clarendon street. Tim following is the statement referred to in the Finance Committee’s report: —Probible assets, 1870-71-old rates, LIOO ; Provincial Government, LBOO : vents fiucl sundry debts, LI3OO : Caledonian Society, LS3 (is ; market and hawkers. LI 50 ; other licenses, L 20 0; Mayor’s Court, 1.000; rents to accrue, Ll2oo ; rates year 1870, LB7BG; deficiency, L54S< 2s Hd—Total, LIS,7-K5 9s 7d. Requirements -Pani c overdraft to be paid off, L.1,367 ISs ; Oue to South .Cemetery, L 724 llis Id t . Sinking Fund Commissioners, L 515 ; sundry debts as on December 31, 18(59, to be paid, ts3!)o Os 2d ; day labor and forage, L2OOO ; city improvements, nil ; street lighting, L3BOO ; interest, L 2300; salaries, L2SIO; advertising and contingencies, LSOO ■, F're Brigade, Ll5O ; law costs, LI 50; total, Llß.‘Mf> 9s 7d. Bye-law No. G was adopted. The motion Councillor Walter, in reference •to the okl hospital morgue, ‘Wits adopted. The Council then adjourned for a fortnight.

MAREWHENU4-. —Wc understand that good rejoorts hq,ve Been received with reference to the- quartz-reefs, samples of sto.ire 'having yielded upwards of four ounces to the ton. Oamo.ru 1 hne.s. Tahuo Hill Quartz .M ining Coy.— Since oni last report as to the progress of the Table Hill Quart* Company, we understand a considerable quantity of quartz hasheen extracted from the reef, an I which intended to be crushed in a few days. J he washing up will give a reliable J cst of the value of the stone, and we trust it will prove such as to induce the company to proceed with vigor in the prosecution of their enterprise. Thu Taikui. — The sub-committee appointed at a recent meeting of settlers, for tin- purpose of considering the Bill for the management of rivers in Ilawkes Bay. how

far it is applicable to the requirements of this Province, have resolved that rather than time should be lost, it should be endeavored to get parsed in the Provincial Council at its first s-ssion, and that a Drainage Bill for the requirements of the Province should he a separate Act, and that the settlers of the Taieri interested, should use their influence with their im iuher to get such a Bill passed in the (leneral Assembly.

Cromwell. —The play of the rival Mayors of Cromwell was concluded on hriday the Hth hist., the closing scene being the handing over the keys of office and all municipal property to Mr G. W. Goodger. I lie new era, uiub r the leadership of C. W. Goodger, Esq., Mayor, assisted hyMessrs Burris and Kelly, Councillors, was inaugurated. on Monday the 14th inst., hy a special meeting, at wliie-h it was resolved Mr Dagg and Mr Dawkins wem disqualified from hob dug office, and that the nommati U of candidates to lill the vacant scats take place on Tin sday the 22nd inst. Mr George Jonour, Town Clerk, who was deposed under the rt-tjnm oi the Whetter Mayoralty, was reinstated in office. Harvesting.—At Tokoumiriro harvest operations have been much impeded throughout the past week, in consequence of the unfavorable weather which has prevailed. The great part of the crops have, however, been cut down, but very little has been carted in. From all quarters we hear of serious losses having been sustained through the grain being shaken with the recent high winds. Much damage has also been occasioned through sprouting of that portion of the grain cut down and unavoidably left exposed to the rain. With favorable weather for another week, the greater portion of the grain, such as it now is, would he gathered in, and a most unsatisfactory harvest completed.—A correspondent from the Taieri writes Ihe past week has been very favorable for the harvest in EastTaicii, and a good amount of grain has succumbed to the reaper. The bulk of the harvest may be said to he over, hut the wind of the early part of the week did heavy damage to the ripe cereals. In many places the shake was very severe, while others co'nplain that only the straw is left, and that the "rain might be swept up from some of the fields. In other plac sit did little or no damage. The wind would seem to have swept in a strath up the Plain. Beading has been carried on very fast since Wednesday, and th - stacks are rapidly rising on all sides. The first of tins year’s wheat was placed safely under thatch on Wednesday last, on the farm of Mr Alex. Mackay, Dunrobin, East Taieri. The crops are very much discolored by the late rain, and more favorable weather is anxiously looked for. On Sunday last it commenced to rain about six o’clock, and continued to fall very heavily till daylight on Monday morning. —We (Onmani Times) have been shown several samples of grain of this season’s crop, which look extremely well —imbed, far better than we had been led to anticipate. Some red straw wheat which we handled to-day is plump, heavy, and clean, and will run over GOlbs to the bushel. We have also been shown a very fair sample of Tartarian oats. Generally speaking, wheat will turn out comparatively well, an average of thirty bushes to the acre being looked for. Nearly all this grain is in stook, but the wet weather of the last day or two has prevented carrying and threshing. The oat crop will, it is believed, be a good one, from forty to fifty bushels to the acre being the expected yield. The barley crop will, we tear, be to a great extent a failure, on account of the wetness of the season and the ravages of caterpillar.