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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2266, 11 August 1870, Page 2

Acclimatisation. —We learn that a few days ago, a young man who works on the banks of the Molyneux at Inch Clutha, rescued a veritable young salmon 'from a perilous position, and placed it in the river. Vaccination.—The Select Committee of the House of Representatives appointed to inquire into the practicability of enforcing vaccination, have reported, and recommend certain steps to be taken to encourage voluntary vaccination. The Committee concludes that compulsory vaccination is not at present practicable. Masonic Hall. — Mr Heller’s entertainment was well attended last evening, and went off with its customary success. It will be seen by the advertisement that the obedient clock that points to any hour that Is bidden, and the pointers of which go backward and forward by invisible agency at will, is only to be exhibited for another night or two. This is not the least amongst the numerous marvels, and is well worth the witnessing. Other changes are contemplated, but before they take place we recommend seeing those mysteries already exhibited.

The Gazette. —The Hollowing notifications appear in yesterday’s Gazelle : Balclntha has beep created a municipality; and Mr Henry Stnythies is deputed to perforin all the acts required to be done by the now Council. Mr W. A. Bows has been appointed District Road Engineer, vice Mr Simpson, resigned. The Governor lias assented to the University of Otago Endowment Ordinance, 1870, and the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Kailway and Compulsory Taking Ordinance, 1870. Sunday Work in the Telegraph Offices. —ln the House of Representatives last week, Mr Haughton referred to the hardships entailed on telegraphic clerks, and the injury to their morals by having to work on Sund ys, and moved—“ That this House is of opinion that the employes in the Telegraph and Postal Departments should not he required to attend at their offices on Sundays, except in cases of urgent necessity to the public service.” The Telegraph Commissioner stated in reply that the matter would receive the attention of the Government and higher fees would be charged on Sundays.

A Curious Case. —The following comes from the Thamds :—Mrs Rustciu had received a Post-office order from her husband at Napier, and in due course prest-nted it at the Money-order office, where it was more than honored, as the postmaster (Mr FitzGibbon) gave the woman a L 5 note; instead of aLI note. He discovered his m : stake"thc same evening when ha balanced cash, and by some means obtained a clue to where the note had gone. The woman’s husband was summoned to Court, and the case went against him, and some doubt was entertained as to whether the husband could be made liable in a r/un-n criminal case, such as the one before the Court. Judgment was reserved, but ultimately the husband was held liable.

f* Municipal Elections. —lt may not be generally known that women are allowed to vote at municipal elections in this Province. It appears to have been the case at Queenstown, during the recent contest for Mayor, when some half-dozen voted for the man of their choice, a circumstance that greatly vexed the defeated candidate who is reported to have said that throughout the election he stood in his own boots, and had not been guilty of putting young females under eighteen years of age on the roll. Those ho had on the roll had been men who knew what th y were about. He considered that Mr Hallenstein had set a bad example in this. He was not going to glorify himself as the other candidate had done. They might keep him and nurse him — (laughter)—but he (Mr Madam) was ever independent, and repeated that he stood in his own boots. Another candidate for municipal honors in his election address made a special appeal to the ladies. It is almost needless to say he was returned. “ The Battle op the Superintendents.” —Such would not be an in.rppropriate title for the wordy warfare which took place for two or three days last week in the House of Representatives. Mr Ormond was the originator of the strife, and, as not unfrequently happens, the originator suffered signal discomfiture before the close of the contest. The following are the words uttered by Mr Ormond, which gave such offence to the other Superintendents : —“ For a long time I could not make up my mind as to what was the motive-ground on which some of those honorable gentlemen spoke. The honorable member for Mongonui, however, let fall two or three words which told me the secret, and 1 do not know but the House jumped at the same conclusion as I did. The honorable member, after condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the whole proposal of the Government, said, ‘Do not let it be supposed that I would turn those honorable gentlemen out. Oh, no, I would not like that. I would rather have that Government there than that of the lion, member for Timaru,’ lat once came to my conclusion, and said to myself, I understand exactly now ; and that is the speech of the ultra-provincial Superintendent of Auckland, who would rather keep under the reign which might allow him the greatest grandeur in his kingdom of Auckland, In other words, he says, ‘ Perish the Colony, leave me King of Auckland. 1 Sir, lam thankful that he is the only Superintendent out of the nine Superintendents of Provinces who hold those views. There is no other Superintendent who holds those extreme Superintendental views. He will find that when this House has adopted these proposals of the Government, and when the Colony approves of them, as it will, that the days of his bumbledom are numbered. ”

The If Ely Bankruptcy. Act.—The new Bankruptcy Apt introduced into the House of Representatives contains nearly the whole of the recommendations of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. At a recent meeting of this body it was explained that these recommendations were in substan c that a declaration of insolvency should constitute an act of bankruptcy ipno facto-; that the existing restrictions upon obtaining adjudication thereon shpuld be abolished; that the four day list and the list on petition be dispensed with ; and that the debtor be obliged to produce all his books at the creditors’ meeting. Also, by way of enforcing these objects, that the length of his protection should be strictly limited. Very important recommendations were made respecting the payment of the Provisional Trustee by salary instead of per centage, and confining his duties to merely holding possession of the estate until the creditors’ trustees should be appointed. The order of adjudication, it had been proposed by the Chamber, should include any property vested in the bankrupt at the time of any act of bankruptcy, occurring not more than twelve mouths previously ; his voluntary settlement within two years should be avoided, and if within ten y V'a should depend upon proof of his solvency by tjie parties taking under them, and his present allowance on showing a favorable dividend was to be abolished. It was further proposed to substitute for the trustees’ present power of disclaiming burtheusome property, the larger and more convenient clause of the English Act. Lastly, the order of discharge was not to be granted until the bankrupt paid 10s in the £, or the creditors chose to close the bankruptcy. All these recommendations were substantially carried out by the Bill now submitted, except those which refer to the provisional trustee, the order of discharge, and trustee’s power of disclaimer. By the new Bill the whole of that part of the old Act was practically done away with, and, except in cases of composition, the nomination of a trustee by the creditors sufficed without more trouble to vest in him the’ whole estate, powers, and duties of a

trustee in bankruptcy. It is not clear,"however, whether the new Bill sufficiently protected the debtor or his estate while arrangements were pending, or whether foreign creditors, e.g. , of Melbourne, ‘ would have fair opportunity of being present at creditors’ meetings. We understand that, the Bill now before Parliament is not the Huai Bill. The Government intend to add some further clause, and then reprint it.

Tomorrow evening, amatour readings and a concert will be given in the South Dunedin District School, in aid of the school library. The fifth entertainment under the auspices of the North Dunedin Mutual Improvement Association, will take place tomorrow evening in the North Dunedin Drill Shed. Wc understand that Mr Henry, the favorite amateur Irish comedian, is to give a reading, which will no doubt be a great treat in itself. Miss Webb, a pleasing songstress, has also kindly consented to take part. Mr Cavelier will also give one of his most admired solos on the English Concertina. Mr Steele, Mr E, Towscy, and Mr R. Hume, will also take part. Mr Jas. Copeland, Vico-Presi-ded of the Association, will take the chair, at 8 o’clock, and the proceeds will be devoted to the lining of the drill shed.