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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2230, 30 June 1870, Page 2

Telegraphic.— Tenders for the construction of the extension to Naseby have been accepted; bat it is said communication ■will not be established onjch before the end of tho year.

Masonic Hall.—The weather'. last night interfered with the patronage of . the Lancashire BeUsyfers. There p change of programme to-nigufc, whioh will no (doubt attract. i

Fatal Accident. —Oh insty. a miner named James MTlroy'fell over a precipice on the, Maori Point road, 306 feet high. At the coroner’s inquest the jury returned a verdict that the deceased was accidently killed while in a state of intoxication. "

Princess Theatre. —We suppose the weather of last night must have interfered to prevent Miss Rose Evans receiving that encouragement she The entertainment will be repeated to-night, wheh we hope she will be greeted with a full house.

L The Taieri Fasting Girl has been “interviewed” by the reporter of the Bruce Herald , who describes her as lying motionless as a corpse with eyes and mouth closed, the only indication of life he could detect being a a slight expansion and contraction of the nostrils. Drs Inglis and Brearby have seen her, but say they can do nothing. It is desired that some of the faculty in Dunedin should make a visit for the purpose of examining the case, and doing what is possible to be done for the sufferer. The Wakatip District.— A correspondent writes :—To show you how the district is improving, I have only to instance that the Ratepayers Roll, 1876-1, shows an increase of eighty ratepayers upon the last year, while the amount of rates actually collected has increased during the same period by one-third. With the municipality of Queenstown so prosperous, there is ample proof that the district is exactly so in proportion. Our gold escorts are larger than they have been for the last four years past, while we provide grain in the district sufficient for ourselves and also our neighbors for sixty miles around. Mutual Improvement Society. The adjourned meeting of this Society was held last evening, when the discussion on Mr Meers’ lecture on Spiritualism was resumed. Mr Russell moved—“ That the subject of Spiritualism has already been so far investigated as to prove it unworthy of belief, and that it is of no use or advantage to the liumbau race,” but the Chairman (Mr C. Smith) would nob allow it to be put. Messrs Redraayne, Jago,Beverigdo and Stout addressed the meeting, which by 17 to 4 affirmed that Spiritualism was worthy of investigation. The Tariff. —No small amount of consternation appears to have been created in commercial circles yesterday by the announcement of the immediate alteration of the tariff, so far as the increases indicated by the Colonial Treasurer in his budget speech were concerned. In certain cases we hear the additions have pressed very heailvy indeed—especially in the case of one large house in the City, which we are told held a large consignment of blankets in bond, and winch had been recently sold in trade. There is some talk of memorialising the Commissioner of Customs for a remission of additional duties on entries not completed before Tuesday,

Acclimatisation,,— r-yiie Council of the Acclimatisation Society mat ifijs afternoon at two o’clock. Present: —Messrs W, Murison (chairman), Eccles, Cantrell, Hepburn, Oliver, and Turton. A letter from the Colonial Architect was read, enclosing polished samples of the New Zealand black birch and hinau, (Both specimens were highly polished, and very suitable for veneering. A letter from Mr Fenwick was received, reporting damage to the ponds by the Igte flood in -the Kakanui, and stating that three fish about six inches in length had been seen, from which he concluded that there were no .doubt more iu the river. The only other •business transacted was reading a letter from ,j;|ve Acclimatisation Society of Southland, respecting their arrangements for obtaining ova from Tasmania.

Supreme Court,—Mr Justice Chapman held a sitting in Banco this morning, when the argument in re Driver and ano her v. Pitt was continued, but not concluded when the Court rose at two o’clock. In bankruptcy, Mr Macassey mention d the case of Armstrong v, Payne of Oamaru, In which one of the trustees had left the Colony and had also been declared a bankrupt and had his certificate of discharge suspended for six months. “ On that ground he move I that it be referred to the Registrar to approve of some other proper person. The application was granted. Before rising. His Honor observed fhaf he did not think his absence ought to prejudice applying for adjudication when the time had expired. He would give instructions to the Registrar to endorse ou his behalf adjournments of eases where petitions were presented within time. Ho thought it could never have been contemplated that the mere question of the Judge not sitting, either through absence or illness, should put a stop to all proceedings.

Flooe.—We Lave been permitted to make the following extract from a letter dated the 25th jnstant, received by a gentleman in town from a correspondent at the Dunytan t —“Yesterday, ouc qf the largest floods that has passed down the Molyncuf since the one of 1864 occurred,'it rose Within a few feet of the height attained on that memorable occasion. The loss of property is enormous. The water rose so rapidly that the miners had not time to remove their boxes, wheels, Ac,, before they were washed away. A vexy sad accident occurred at Cromwell. A number of men and boys were engaged catching drift wood at the Kawarau ;i amongst them was the son of Mr Scott, butcher, Cromwell, a lad about 14 years of age. He was dragged into the seething stream by a piece of woo l he was landing, and drowned STIxo body has not beep recovered.” On Sunday the river at Balclutha begamo alarmingly high ; sluice boxes, cradles, and mining property were seen floating past the township throughout the whole day. About four p.m,, the greate t height was attained, and the fears of the people resident on the flab, subsided with the water,

The Road Steamers.—The patentees have sent out here circulars showing the cost of Thomson’s road steamers. From them we learn that it is calculated that when running on an average road the consumption will be under two pounds of coal per mile for each ton of 'gross load, and the consumption of water iq about seven pounds to each pound of coal, j When wood is used instead of coal, the consumption will he three times that of coal. An eight ton road steamer carries 250 gallons .of water and 6 cwt. of coal, the water fasting lalf a clay, and the poals a whole day.

Trains of waggons to cany from each are supplied at trpnte 'RSIT dihe .axles,/; apmangs, *'»hd bieennhlied to without the cost ifpni L 35 to L 55. One jn^’ hnd a youth, ,»is required to aTvaid steamer-and tram. An 8 horse-power road steamer suitable for ploughing and agricultural purposes, costs L 520, and patent ploughs adapted to the engine, cost from Ls6"to LIOO. A roadengine of 3 horse-power, having a comfortable covered carriage mounted on the wheels, with seats for four passengers inside, "and with seats for servants, costs LSOO. It will run at a speed of eight to ten miles an hour. It is mounted on springs, and one man can steer and attend to the firfev AToad steamer capable of drawing a patent omnibus, with 65 passengers, costs L 550 ; and a road , steamer capable of carrying 105 passengers, or two omnibuses carrying 50 each over billy roads at the rate of seven miles an hour, costs LGSO. The road, steamer can Le turned with the utmost facility on the most crooked roads of ordinary width, and the goo is-wag-gons and omnibuses, when in tow, follow its track round corners and through gateways with the utmost precision. Mr Thomson’s patent omnibuses, on indiarubber wheel tires, to carry 40 passengers, cost L 320 ; an omnibus to carry 65 passengers, L 375 ; to c irry 105 passengers, L 450. Mining'Notes. — At Bendigo Gully matters have assumed an aspect dull, flat, stale, and uuprofitab’e. The alterations and repairs to the Cromwell Company’s mill are not yet finished, and the Aurora Company having paid off their hands, in anticipation of a stoppage from frost, have run themselves out of stone. The machine is consequently idle. As the place depends mainly on these two auxiliaries, at present the state of affairs can be easily imagined. The shareholders in the Aurora are pushing their level forward, and laying a tramway to their mill. This will enable them when completed, to keep both the batteries well employed, as the reef now bared, at a depth of seventy-five feet averages five feet in width as far as it is opened, and yields, as per-last crushing, about thirteen pennyweights per ton throughout, with the chance of an occasional rich patch. t think I may safely assert that the prospects of this company paying in future is beyond a doubt. The Cromwell Company are getting out splendid stone in their eighty feet level, the reef evidently improving as it deepens, showing that depth has a far different meaning than the exhaustion of reef.—At St. Bathaus, sluicing operations are in full vigor, and some parties in the act of washing up speak hopefully of the prospects which they are getting.—The people of Blacks arc petitioning for the removal of the town-hip, which it is said is on very rich ground.—The Wakatip Mail of Thursday says :—“Despite our bad weather, and despite other circumstances of a retarding nature, the Wakatip escort will maintain its high yield. Again in tbe gloom of winter the district will send down on .Friday some 1800 ounces from Queenstown, and about 706 from Arrow. This is one of the main barometers of the district—tbe tme test of its value and wealth. We sec no reason to fear that our resources are not as abundant as ever. While we do not desire to encourage an undue influx of population, yet we can see no obstacle to many coming to a fair field of labor, if they have the wifi and the means to set into work. Without these requirements, the Wakatip must not be looked upon aa a resuscitated El Dorado. It has abundant resources for practical workers —for men who mean to work. A Chinese Funeral. —One of the chief storekeepers at the Chinese Camp, Lawrence, died last week in the Hospital there, and being generally respected the funeral was a respectable one, many of the citizens following the procession, A good many went to see the Chinese ceremony at funerals. It was this wise .-—From the moment that the body left the Hospital in the usual vehicle, one of the deceased’s nearest relalivcs, who occupied a saaV- beside the driver, commenced throwing? on the road small square pieces of paper, and continued doing so until arrival at the grave, Most of the Chinamen wore a white strip of white gauze on their hats. When the coffin was placed over the grave the attendants.brought on a large tray a roasted pig (might weigh about 801b), and some boiled pork and fowl, cakes, cigars, and apples. All the white bands which were worn round their hat* were gathered together at the foot of the grave, and set fire to; various curiously painted candles were also lighted. Whilst these were burning, a few of the Chinese standing er.-ct at the foot of the grave, placed both palms together, raised, their hands aloft, and made three salaams. The apples were handed round as also the biscuits. Tfyey filled with wine and brandy some little cups, aigi then spilt the whole on the ground ; this was done three times anil during all tins time brandy, gin, and old tom were served around ad libitum. There was a sprinkling of the fair sex in attendance, When passing through the gate on the way home, there was tt Chinaman standing, and gave to each one a small packet neatly wrapped up in coarse paper. Upon being opened it was found to contain Is. This was given to all and sundry, old and young, male and female. As is usual when a blow out is expected there were a few of those who made the most of the occasion, and as there were several parties doling out, they reaped a harvest, for m every part they made their appearance. ~ ~ Late English Telegrams,—Loudon telegrams (says a Melbourne contemporary) received by the “ Ceylon Observer,’) via Russia, give further particulars respecting the massacre of English tourists by Greek brigands. Official correspondence on the subject has been published, but no satisfactory evidence had been obtained as to the immediate cause of the collision with the troops, Mr Herbert received five stabs | Mr Lloyd, three wounds by sword and one gun wound. Mr Vyner was evidently shot while running; he received one gunshot wound. Mr Boyle received two gun wounds. The Greek Government had presented Lioo6 sterling to o widow of Mr Lloyd... The Greeks iu London wepe subscribing very liberally for the family. The entire English pregu was loudly demanding satiVfactiqil fop the murders. Vienna papeps assert that active diplomatic correspondence was being carried on between the protecting cabinets, and that it was lively to become an inter national question. Both France and were unfavorable to a demonstration against Greece, and thought remonstrauce sufficient. Additional Greek correspondence gave the evidence of the dragoman who (accompanied the tourists. Mr Erskin expressed his belief that Col, Theagomo, who was sent to (negotiate with the brigands, failed to use condilatory measures, and appeared chiefly in-

tent on surrounding the bands of with a military cordon. Lord in acknowledging a letter \ professing the great grief of4|pi ®°- vernment and the King, said the,best proof of their sorrow would be ap investiga# tion regardless of persons, a«<L urged th#r present opportuneness for the thorough re-' pression of brigandage. There would bp a sense of satisfaction if the fate of his countrymen would serve to improve the condition of Greece. Another telegram in the same journal makes it appear that the brigands, or at least some of them, had been captured, which conflicts with the tenor of the message forwarded by our correspondent. It is as follows —“London, UthsMay. In the House of Commons last night, the Government declared that instructions had been sent to Mr Erskine to request the Greek Government to suspend the execution of the brigands until inquiry has been satisfactorily completed relative to the massacre of Englishmen.” A further telegram of the same date has the following, with respect to Dr Livingstone : “ Sir Roderick Murchison behoves that Dr Livingstone is at Ujiji, and stopped there from want of provisions and means. The Government has consent to provide means to help him from Zanzibar.” We learn from the same source that in spain the Progressionists had adopted the candidature of Espartero. Parliament. —On the 23rd, in reference to Mr Banny, the Premier said that the Government, did not intend to introduce this session a bill to make provision for a system of primary education throughout the Colony. It was, however, intended to ask for a joint committee to consider the question of establishing a Colonial University In reply to Mr O’Neill, the Premier said the Government would lie prepared to consider the advisability of introducing a Public Health Bill. In reply to Mr Hall, the Post-master-General promised to consider the desirability of extending the electric telegraph from Lyttelton to Godloy Head. Ho hoped soon to give full information to the House as to the proposed extensions, and thought that as soon a* possible, all the lighthouses and pilot stations should bo brought into communication with the telegraph system. Two notices of motion are placed on the Order Paper of the House of Representatives, whioh will certainly not pass without comment and opposition—one by Mr Carleton, to abolish the sale of alcoholic honors iu Bellamy’s ; and the other by Mr Wilson, to do away with the honorarium paid to hon. members at the close of the session.—We hare been given to- understand that our contemporary’s telegram as to the proceedings iu Parliament on Tuesday evening, is not a correct statement of facts. The Budget was was not received in such an unfavorable manner as the telegram would lead one to .suppose. Iu addition to the testimony of our correspondent, we may mention that a member of the Legislature, now in Dunedin, received a telegram from a leading member of the Lower House, whioh states that the financial statement was listened to with great attention. Seeing is Deceiving.— Here is a row of ordinary capital letters and figures : BSSSXXXXZZZZ3 3338888 They are such as are made up of two parts of equal shapes. Look carefully at three and you will perceive that the upper halves of the characters are a very little smaller than the lower halves—so little that an ordinary eye will declare them to be of equal size. Now turn the page upside down, and, without very careful looking, you will see that this difference in size is very much exaggerated—that the real top half of the letter is very much smaller than the bottom half. It will be seen from this that there is a tendency in the eye to enlarge the upper part of any object on which it looks.