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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2176, 28 April 1870, Page 2

The Mayor’s Court.—There were only two cases at this Court to-day. M. Proud, charged with throwing rubbish into Maclaggan street, was fined 5s ; and W. Henry, for removing earth from Clyde street •without authority, was fined 10s and costs. His Worship the Mayor was the sitting magistrate.

Provincial Council.—The Provincial Council met at txvo o’clock to-day, but immediately adjourned to seven o’clock, to enable the members to attend the rifle shooting. Foot Racb.—We understand that Henry Hudson has accepted the challenge to rnu W. H. Money for L 25 a side. It is to come off on the South Recreation Ground on Saturday, at 4 p.m. sharp. The Princess Theatre.—The performances last evening were under the patronage of the Speaker and the members of the Provincial Council. This alone would have been sufficient to draw a good house, but the weather was also fine, .and as a consequence the house xvas crowded. Of the capabilities of the various artists we have already spoken highly, but we may assert for the Christy Minstrels that they are in every way deserving of substantial support at the hands of the public. We notice by advertisement that there is to be an entire change of programme to-night, and we hope to see a crowded house. Waste Land Rangers.—The following gentlemen have been appointed Crown Rangers, viz. ;—Mr I. In no?, for Hundreds of Dunedin, Waikonaiti, Hawkcsbnry, iMoeraki, Otepopo, Kakanui, Oamaru, Awamoko, and Marewbenua ; Mr 1. Irvine, for West Taieri, North and South Tokomairiro, Waihola, Waitahuna, Traquair, and Stewartand Mr T. Hugan, for East and West Clutha, Catlan’s, Pomahaka, Popotunoa, Tuturau, Mokerita, Toitois, and Waikava. The Volunteer Ball.—ln consequence of an alteration in the Jay of sailing of the Lord Ashley, the Volunteer Ball in honor of the Representatives from other Provinces that was to have been held that evening, will take place on Fiiday evening ns originally advertised. We do not anticipate that this will interfere with the public determination to welcome their gneits by meeting them in so sociable a manner. Changes in the Customs Department.'—Mr Hackworth, who held the appointment of Deputy Collector, and acted in that capacity during the absence of the Collector from Wellington on inspection duty, has, we arc informed, been promoted to the office of Collector at this port. We understand that it has been considered necessary to relieve Mr Seed of the local charge of the Customs at Wellington in consequence of the increased duties which have devolved upon him in connection with the Marine Department, which department is in future to be under the control ofl?the Hon. the Commissioner of Customs instead of the Postmaster-General, and the administrative duties heretofore performed by the Marine Engineer are to be discharged by the Secretary of Customs.

Toll Gates. —The Bruce Herald, 27th hist., says As an argument in favor of the abolition of tolls upon the main roads of Otago, wc may mention that, now that the district roads of the Province have been so much improved upon, teamsters and others are showing themselves to be so much alive to the fact, that by taking advantage of certain district roads the tolls may, in some instances, be evaded, to the loss of the Provincial Treasury, although we cannot altogether blame them for taking advantage of such means of evading toll charges, only such cutting up of district roads is likely to tell seriously upon the future amounts of contributions to be raised by the neighboring farmers, who tax themselves to construct and maintain such roads for their own immediate use, and we trust that ere very long tolls will be abolished and become a barbarous relic of the past.

Not a Bad Idea.—A novel mode was resorted to the other day by one of the betting fraternity in Melbourne, to recover beta from a defaulter. The winner of the money quietly went to the counting-house of the loser, and coolly told the defaulter that he had two boards painted with the words “ Defaulter” on them, and that ho had engaged a man to wear these boards and to follow the defaulting better wherever, he went. The unfortunate loser was so terrified at the prospect that he immediately handed over a cheque for the amount claimed, and besought his mercile.-s creditor not to inform any of the other persons to whom he had lost money of the occurrence. How the creditor kept his promise may be known from this paragraph. Tub Cromwell Reefs. —News from the Bendigo reefs by private parties, on whose statements every relable confidence can be placed, is most satisfactory and extremely encouraging. The Cromwell company, at a depth of eighty feet, have got the reef two feet in thickness, the stone showing every indication of being far richer than any yet obtained by them.- Wilson and Company, No. 2 west, are still sinking. They have reached the depth of eighty feet, carrying quartz the whole distance, gold being traceable throughout the stone. On the eastern portion of this line, the Golden Crown and the Clyde Claims, Nos. ,'l and 4, are pushing ahead with their work, and are raising to grass a large quantity of stone. In these claims (as in all others on this line) the stone at the lowest levels carries good gold. On the Aurora line considerable actsvity exists. The Aurora Company arc raising stone at a depth of about forty feet. Another leader joined the one they were working, making the thickness about two feet. This has considerably raised the declining spirits of the shareholders. The mill is busily engaged crushing for the public, but the results of any of the parcels have not yet transpired. About one hundred tons from Colclough’s is now being put through, from which great things are expected. The Alta Company (Wilson’s) have stopped work for the present, awaiting the result of a crushing of about ten tons, which will shortly be put through the Aurora stampers. This company has about two hundred tons of stone to grass, and the shareholders are sanguine of a good yield. Two quarter shares have lately changed hands, at L 125 each, or at the rate of LSOO per share. The purchasers are Dunedin merchants. Work is amain resumed ip Richmond’s claim, the dispute between tho parties being amicably arranged. This claim is looked upon as one of the very best in the Bendigo district. The latest discovery by Kelly and party, between the Aurora and Colclongh’s reefs, and running parallel with either, is commanding a deal of attention. Arrangements have been made to have a number of tons crashed at the Aurora battery. Should [the yield be but a tithe of what is expected by the appearances of the stone, the shareholders will in all probability make arrangements for a battery of their own.

Native Umber.—The Wahatip Mail, referring to the local industries of the Lake district, gives the following information respecting native timber :— Perhaps there is no industry that has flourished so well as the timber and lumber trade. Queenstown is often exiled a wooden town, for, besides its houses and stores, its street kerbuigs are of wood. Its people bum firewood with the same piofusenesj as if they lived in the Australian bush. They burn, we regret to state, wood very valuable for furniture and other ornamental purposes. Many a noble tree, capable of being beautifully veneered, and of showing how well adapted are some of our growths of wood for cabinet-making purposes, has been ruthlessly chopped into the usual four-foot-six lengths of firewood, and burnt with as little remorse as that which the woodman exhibited to the living tree. Mr J. W. llobertson, we believe, was the first to discover the valuable qualities of the birch wood for lining inside rooms xvhen varnished. Birch grows very plentifully in the Lake district, and especially at the Greenstone, where the mill of the firm of Robertson and Co. is situated. But the trees are not all equally suitable for display purposes. They have been cut up indiscriminately, and used in the same manner. The wood, though roughly selected as it has been, when varnished looks well, and is coming into general use. It has been employed with advantage in the Church of England, Presbyterian Church, Town Hall, as well as in many of the hotels and private houses. Its use will become more general, and we anticipate the time will soon arrive when it will pay the millowners to select inside lining boards and vend them as such. Did they do this, many of the rooms and passages so lined would present a more rich display of the remarkable veneering qualities of our wood. Anyone acquainted with the timber trade knows that at the great wool sales in England how carefully all is classed and catalogued ; especially is this the case with tne furniture woods. Logs are even specially described and singly sold, instead of in lots, as is usual. The prices realised are sometimes very high, and all bring the price chiefly on account of the richness of the grain and the value of the log as to soundness. We believe we are quite correct in stating that, with due care in the selection of our rich veneer woods, a valuable trade may be pushed down country. Wonders have already been accomplished, but much more remains to be done. In this climate wood lining, if cheap, is preferable ; if it is ornamented it will greatly add to its appreciation. But these considerations this district can supply, and there are two other considerations also to be added. First, the process of varnishing is simple, easy and inexpensive; and second the walls so lined require no papering or paint, and last for years—only demanding every second year a coat of varnish. The process of varnishing may be done by the most inexperienced Hand, and consists first of a mixture applied of half oil and “turps,’’ and this, when dried, covered with varnish—the latter diluted or made. The colonial wood hero is so beautiful in natural coloring that one is apt to wonder why people have not shown sufficient taste to prefer the native grain to the painted wood.

An annual general meeting of the Otago Building Society, for the purpose of receiving a statement of accounts for the year ending March last, the appointment of office-bearers, kc., is announced to be held at the Odd Fellows’ Hall on Monday evening next, at 8 o’clock.