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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2238, 9 July 1870, Page 2

Lighthouses,— -The Commissioner of Telegraphs has announced that it is the in tention of the Gov rnment to eojjnjeot all the lighthouses with the telegraph a» soon as possible. Mayor’s Court, The business transacted in this Court this morning was nnimport&ut. William Robertson, for neglecting to -keep a light burning over earth in Moray place, was fined ss. Mr I- N. Watt, R. M. was the presiding magistrate. Quartz Beef.— We were yesterday shown a fine specimen of gold-bearing quartz obtained from a reef now being tested in the Moeraki district; it was a fine sample of brown quartz conglomerate, overlaid by fused and crystaliscd quartz ; gold mis visible in numerous places. Our informant states that the stone was taken about -Ift. from tho surface, and that the rcof is about 3ft. wid e.—Oamarii IltroM.

Gaol Return.— The following is the state of H.M. Gaol, Dunedin, for the week ending the 9th July, 1870 Awaiting trial, 4 men, 0 women ; under remand, 1 man, 1 woman ; jayoal servitude, 94 men, 0 women ; hard labor, 51 men, 20 women ; in default of bail, I man, 0 women ; debtors, 1 man ; total, 152 &en, 21 women. Received during the week, 8 men, 3 womeu; discharged, 6 men, 4 women.

Princess Theatre. Miss Rose Evans ia announced to appear to-night for the last time in Dunedin. She will personate Hamlet, and appear in the characters of Marie .Stuart and Pippo. She has boon singularly unlucky in visiting Dunedin when go many other competitors for public patronage were in the field. Were hj t claim- as a talented and deserving artist duly acknow* led/ed, die would have had full houses every id dit. Great numbers in Dunedin have not yot seen her representations, and wo should recommend them not to lose this evening ■ opportunity.

Flax. The following letter addressed to the Canterbury Flax Association, was r. ad from C'apt. Galder, of the steamship Omeo“ Steamship Omeo, Lyttelton, 25th Juno, 1870. B. Richardson, Esq., Christchurch. —Dear Sir,—With reference to the conversation I had with you about the suitability of rope made from New Zealand flax for the rigging of vessels, I may inform you that, while chief officer of this snip, we had some 2J inch rope in use for more than two years for buntliucs for the foresail. I

consider the New Zealand rope superior to any other for running gear, on account of its extreme pliability in all weathers. —I am. yours truly, George Calpeh, blaster of the s.s. Omeo.

To Cou respond ENTS. Wc have received a letter from a correspondent signed “ Sutler,” the object of which is most praiseworthy, but unfortunately it lacks the usual gnaiautcc of the name and address of the writer. The writer seems to be a woman and she complains that since the police have uproot, d many of those nests of vice and immorality, that at one time polluted some parts of the City, the inmates have adopted other practices, and by encaging themselves as servants contrive to delude ‘‘young girls to their ruin. As this evil is curable by persons hiring servants bf-iug particularas to character, we commend that precaution being taken. *

Accident. —A serious accident occurred on Wednesday, the 20th ult.. on that dangerous piece of roatl between Mosgu-l and the junction of the North Taicri road. A farmer on his way from Dunedin with his team of horses and a small load on the dray, .■•ot caps;zed into the dop ditch alongside the road. It appears that bo was sitting on the dray at the time, talking to a friend to whom he was giving a lift home. His friend lay for some time under the body of the dray, jammed by the loading. When assistance arrived, the owner of the team, who it seems was not’much hurt, had forgot all about his passngeer, until one of the parties heard him groan. He was got out, but was quite in: sensible, and it whs some time before he recovered. Ho was a little bruised, but not seriously. This piece ot road should bo fenced. At the present time there are places where there is not room for two drays to pass each other, and a ditch S'X or eight feet deep on each side.— Brno' Standard,

The Estimates.— The Estimates of the General Government show no reductions to any appreciable degree. Iho alto ati ns proposed iu the Otago portions of the s rvices are these It is intended to do away wth the assistant President Mag.strato at Dunedin and Port Chalmers, and dispense with a bailiff at Oamavu. The increase of business in the telegraph department necessitates the employment at Dunedin of two additional operators, and another counter cleik and mo-sago boy ; at Oamaru, of an assis aut operator, and at Port Chalmers of .mother operator.. In connexion with the Native department we find the salary of a corroq)'indent at Dunedin (an office wo never heard of before) increased by LSO, and aiy add'fum'd assessor appointed at a salary of ;.99. Iho volunteers wi 1 regret to learn tint toe capitation allowance is reduced by nearly one-half; the amount proposed to be voted being LdOtlT, against 1,2413 10a last year. The salary of the colonial architect is to be increased from 1,200 to 1,700, and the explanation for the increase is this. This officer has boon hitherto allowed to draw in addition to bis nominal salary 24 per cent, commission on works, the cost of which exceed L2OO, and to charge contractors with copies of plans. The sums received on these accounts during the last year exclusive of the commission on Government House, at Wellington, amounted to nearly LIOOO. It is therefore proponed to give a fixed salary, ana stop these contingent receipts. Mb Gripfkjts Meeting. —Last even in" Mr Griffen addressed a crowded house at the Polytechnic Hall on his candidature for the Mayoralty. He was exceedingly well received, and in a short speech pointed to to his long services in connection with the Town Board and City Council. Ho remarked upon the absence of -any subject com ected with the City requiring notice, but suggested the collectin'' of City rates half-yearly instead of annually. He casually alluded to the gas and water questions, and made a few remarks on the advantages to the City of the street improvements already effected. The usual amount of banter ensued, in which matters relevant and irrelevant were discussed and laughed over, and questions were put to Mr Griffen requiring promises that even the Great M.pggl could nob carry out in his own dominions. i.t.oqsrs Graham and Sherwin put. their everlasting pounds of questions, and received the most oourte.ons answers. Mr Griffen went through these irritable preliminaries with the utmost good humoj;, and on the motion of Mr J. S. Miller he was pro nminced “a fit and proper person to represent Dunedin as Mayor.”

Municipal Bye-laws, The decision of Mr Watt, R.M., in the case of the Corporation v. M‘Lo id, heard in the Mayor’s Court a cou'pla pf days ago, involves a question which is more important than at fir t sight it appears to be. By that decision the riglit of the City Council to make a byolsuv prohibiting the carrying of firearms within the City is questioned. To prove the discharging of firearms is a most difficult thing ; and it 5e only by adducing proof of the lesser that any esidepce of the greater off nco can be obtained. VI/ e arc aware that shooting on the belt is unfortunately a frequent occurronco ; and we are told tjmt the practice causes much annoyance to the residents tliore, and is attended with much danger t; persona in the neighborhood. It is only lately that a gentleman, while working in Lifc garden was startled by the whiz of a rillc hull i, wJjjch passed s*> close to him as to be unpleasant, aud entered a paling of his fence. Besides some of the introduced birds aic known to frequent the belt, and the interests of acclimatization ought ,to be protected. Under these circumstances wc are inclined to believe that it would be well if the Corporation took professional opinion on the subject of their powers to pass the bye-law-in question. Paper MakiSu.—The London correspondent of the Si/diwj Acr/pw.7 Herald, writ ng by the last mail, sa .s »Ou, paper makers are in despair. 1 bo supply of ran materials is failing them, a al tlmy are obliged to advance the price of paper fully o per cent. Legs are daily -rowing dearer, wh le the Esparto gn< 3 c™!' 1,1 s P alu T* 3 proved a comparative failure. Here’s a nice dilemma ! What are \vA to (jb»? A a we to give up our halfpenny newspapers aqa pe-pv scriajs T By no meam. Coo.e wh if will, we c.aunut Ijoo’ o ollr sll PP'y °f eln.ar) reading reading dammed up. But what are we to do ' Of course, we are having all sorts of suggestions made us -among other-, one of colonial interest. “I have,” says a -Qiiespondont, “ ridden across the Pampas in South America whero the this; ic has covered the ground for hundreds of miles, and again in Australia, wh re they grow to such a height that a mm s head on horseback would not reach the top. To get this material from England (if the right sort, and I believe it to bo, from its being eo tough) would coat money. The

labor, the inland carriage to the port, the freight ho me, would, I almost fear, bring it to such a price that would preclude its i being exported ; but then, if Mahomet were taken to the mountain instead of the mountain to Mahomet, 1 have no doubt profit woiil I. result. If some paper capitalist made the attempt in Melbourne, he would be in the country where the thistle th ives in perfection ; and although attempted to bo kept under by Act of Parliament, forces its way over the wide area of laud lying waste in Victoria. Your correspondent from the Sanky Mills in Lancashire writes that ihe cott >xi seed busk is an article from which paper can be made. This could ho utilised capitally in Melbourne, as Queensland. Fiji, and Tahiti are all becoming extensive growers of cotton, and the froi.'lit on the article to Melbourne would be almost nominal. I take it the oil is expressed from the seed, and the refuse used for paper making. The extracting of the oil is already a profitable business, as it brings in this market LIS to LdO per ton, .anil if the manufacturer could combine this business with that of papar making the sue-ce-s of the ent-rpriso seems certain This has a practical look, but another correspondent suggests the MewZoil'iid flax, at present a most unsaleable article in the English m irket. With so many advisors someought to turn up ; but will it? Ilcie is a splendid opportunity for colonial ingenuity. It ought to be the making of somebody. England’s need might prove Australia’s' fortune; whether it will actually be so is another matter.

The North.— We cull the following paragraphs from our exchanges by the Wellington Political Gossip” is extremely «carce this session ; both parties seem singularly reticent, and very little of their intended proceedings leaks out. The latest rumor is to the off-ct that Auckland menbers have formed themselves into a party, under the leadership of Mf Thomas K. GilIjos after the manner of the Cave—pledg' d to onp iso the Ministry at all pnims. Mr Creighton is sai 1 t • have abandoned his ohi ’f, and his position on his chi a s newspaper, and acceptedjtho office of Mr Gillies s lieutenant, with an eye to the future. Humor does not say that the now party has assumed a name ; possibly “The Deu ” might be appropriate, the description of deu being aftcrwards particularized. Barnard’s Repository, Cbri-tchurcb, has changed hands, the same having been token by Mes ra Bennett and Bird, °who took possession yesterday. Mr Bonn "it, of the new firm, is Mr J. H. Benue! t well known in' Canterbury as an auctioneer. and Mr C. G. Bird, the other partner, is well known in commercial circles in New Zealand, 'the hotel department will in fntur ■ be known as Tattcrsali’s. —The people of Wellington expect shortly to have gas introduced into the empire city. Messrs Laidlow and Sons, of Glasgow, have had everything completed, and all the apparatus was to bo shiuped nr the month of May in a new vessel, the Frith of Clyde, just launched.— At a numerously attended meeting held at Ne'sou, the following resolutions were carried That in the opinion of this meeting, the now ‘Executive Government Act,’ introducing into so small a province a system of semi-responsible Government, will increase the departmental expenses ; be a fruitful source of corruption ; destroy the m--1 dependence and usefulness of the Froyi'-cial I Council, and otherwise add to the burdens ol the people ; and that the Council, in passing this Act, has, failed to consider the true interests of the Province.” “ That this meeting considers that an Act so mischievous should be repealed without delay, and rcsolic that the Superintendent be requested to introduce a Bill for that purpose before the prorogation of the Provincial C uncil. There are other Provincial Councils than that of Otago which have a happy way of wasting time and public money. The Nelson Provincial Council was nearly nine weeks in session, and during some part of the time has sit c ©ry day of the week, Sundays excepted. It has passed at most four or five Acts, none of which are of any length, or, except the Executive Government Act, involving any principle, and that particular measure was disposed of iu a few hours. What can have occupied the attention of nineteen intelligent men, the chosen of the province, for so long a period, is in the opinion of the local papers, really a mys’ery, wiien the real work done is re«»a ded There must be something radically wrong in the institution of Provincial Governments, which permits of so much time spent to so little useful purpose.”

A Christchurch Story.—About a) fortnight ago a man named Whincop was brought up at the Mayor’s Court here, charged with stealing various articles from a man named To-.vis at Christchurch, and was remanded to that place. At the preliminary investigation sufficient was stated to show that the case was a curious one. Its further development shows it to ho extremely ludicrons in some respects. It is in effect the story of ad old man’s love, and may be told this wise. Some live years ago, Lewis’ wife then newly a widow —visited his shop in Christchurch ou a business mission. It appears to have been lovo at first sight with him, for instead of supplying her wants, ho immediately took to sympathising with her on her loss, and wound up by telling her that it was never intended thfitdshe should remain single, but rather marry (Again, and should take “ an old fellow like him; one who would make it his endeavor to worship her.’’ The proposal so abruptly made, was after a few hours consideration accepted, and the two became man and wife. The woman brought as her dowry L‘2o hard cash, and Lewis not to bo outdone then told her that ho married her for love, and not for money, as he was the possessor of LdOO. But the course of true love did not run smooth in this and in many other cases, no the parties separated for a time. They lived' together avail! untd Whincop appeared on the scene, when th.: wifn’sconduct to him aroused Lewi A suspieio is. At last both apeaielhi tneir true colors, and ran away to Dqnedin, taking with them sundry articles which Whincop is now charged whh stealing. ’ On the one hand Mrs Lewis swears the articles were pip chased with her L2() before her marria-e, and onilgi giber ir is as stoutly (leijied. The husbimd’s at ry, as related in the witness box, caused muc'.i amusement. His first suspicion ol bis wife’s infidelity was accounted for when sho placed Whincop at the head of the table, and paid him the most at! cifiior, 1 The remainder of his answers wre nearly as satisfactory. Whine >p was committed for trial.

Blue Spur.—The correspondent of the Taaprha Times writes “The claims here would greatly improve iu their method of working if water was more plentiful. The shareholders ju four or live claims hold au

intcrßst in ttio water races, and have regulations by which they have a right to the use of the water prior 10 outsiders or new shareholders. These four or five claims could make use of ad the Blue Spur water when sluicing, and might do so at any time they thought proper. It has been suggested by some of the elaimholders, who hold no interest in the water-races, that unless the water companies rescind their regulations and distribute the water more fairly, it is their intention to apply to the Government for a portion of the L 200,00() which have been recommended for a water supply on the goldtie da, and to get their claims protecte 1 during ihe time the water is being brought in. One full share in a water-race at the Blue Spur realises the handsome dividend of L 250 a year to its lucky owner—not so dusty for these hard times. 1 contend that a more feasible argument can be used in favor of the Blue -pur shareholders (not raccowners), and that would be to petition the Government to puivha-e all right and title to the two principal water-races. From enquiry, I find that one of the races can be extended for an extra supply sufficient for the necessities of the Spur, by enlarg ng the same from its source, and having dams sufficiently constructed to store the water —especially Sunday’s water. The outlay would not exceed L 3.000. I have no desire to exaggerate this matter, but I hrmly believe it would pay the Government a good 25 per cent, on the outlay, and advance the mining class on the Blue Spur, and add to the general prosperity, if such a course were adopted. At the present time, as the price of timber is very' reasonable, the water could be extended down Munro’s side of the Spur for two miles, where acres of ground are lying idle, which 1 am certain would pay from L2 to L 3 a week if water could bo brought up thorn at a reasonable rate.

Mr. John Griffon will address the electors at the Water of Leith Hotel, Leith Ward, on Tuesday next, at 8 p.m. The Rev. Robert Scrimgeour will preach at Bt. Andrew’s Church, Melville street, to-morrow morning and evening, at the usual hour.