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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2394, 3 December 1870, Page 2

Political. —Mr Cutten has, it is said, been prevailed on to stand for the representation of Bruce in the Assembly. The Superintendent;. —The Brurc Standard has heard it stated on presumedly good authority that the Hon. Major Richardson intends to offer himself as a candidate for the Superintendency. A Goon Thing for the Lawyers.— After a slowly dragging process, the case of Harrop v, Croker and another has been dually settled. The freehold estate realised L 347, and the law expenses have amounted to the sum of L 250, leaving L 97 to be divided amongst a crowd of creditors, whoso claims amount to LI,BOO. Gaol Return, —The following is the state of H.M. Gaol, Dunedin, for the week ending the 3rd December, 1870 Awaiting trial, 12 men, 1 woman ; under remand, 0 men, 0 women ; penal servitude, 91

men, 0 women ; hard labor, 63 men, 19 women ; in default of bail, 2 men, 0 women ; debtors, 3 men ; —total, 171 men, 20 women. l Received during the week, 8 men, 3 women ; discharged, 3 men, 3 women. Princess Theatre.— “ The Hunchback ” was produced last night in an excellent manner, and was duly appreciated by a critical though not numerous audience. The acting of Mrs Steele and Miss George was much admired. To-night “ Mary Stuart ’ and the drama of “Madeline” will he presented.

Mayor's Court.—The business transacted at the Mayor’s Court to day was unimportant. John Brown wa j fined as for drunkenness. In the adjourned c*s■ of Mai - riett Fana, for using obscene language, the prisoner called uea ly the wh Me of her tarn ly ; but they worn unable to di-prove any of the statements of the police. >Shc was fined Lo or 14 days’ imprisonment. Provincial Council. There was very little business done at last evening’s sittmg. At a little before eleven, Mr Millar rose in his place to move his separation resolutions, but before he had uttered half-a-dozen words, there was a general rush of members from their seats in the direction of the refreshment room—a count-out being the consequence. The ohj ! ot however, which prompted the mover, failed. 1 lad the question been first put from the ■..hair. ,\lr Mill >r cmld only ha. .ot his le- oniti'n-’ ■ton.") tot’lo •• Mcr ;••••• or 'ye nsent of the Mo ;.v i ver;- ■ 1 '6- ei ;v cer 6n ■■ • - T :•, i find they may ■ n M.-nday’s and /nay be moved in uiit coarse Non-intervention. A corresrespondent of the Pall Mall Gazette, at St. Petersburg, writing on the Ist September, says—" The press here has become somewhat lukewarm of late in its advocacy of France, and in this it faithfully reflects the feeling m official circles, though in general society the French cause inspires as much sympathy as ever. The Government organs no longer speak of the possibility of Russia becoming actively involved in the war; her interference, they say, shon'd be limited to tho exercise of her moral influence on the belligerents, Tho cause of this Change of tone is, I have reason to believe, ifeat tho Russian army is totally unprepared for a war with such a formidable power as Germany has now proved herself to he. There arc not more than 40,000 or 50,000 breech loaders available for the troops ; the attillery is fur from being complete, and the iiitendence is in a state of t tal disorganisation. The intervention of Russia will therefore, for the present at least, be only a diplomatic one. Reform Association.—The Wellington correspondent of tho Westport Times writes :—The only political news I have to send you is the establishment of a Reform Association here. It is as yet not a public affair, though at least 300 ele.-tors have pledged them-elvcs to unite • nd work for and return candidates for Wellington who

will “go in ” for radical reform. I bi-> new band have agreed upon three cardinal points', and will end avor to obtain direct taxation, the aholiticn of Provincia'ism, and the abolition of the .Native Department. Besides these three principal articles of belief, they hold others, including a wide extension — not a lowering—of the franchise, which will include educated men totally irrespective of whether they rent a house* or live in lodgings. Sharp Practice,—The Australasian of the Pith November has the following “ There is another morality man who has been distinguishing himself—of course in the regular way. When the last English mail was telegraphed, a certain prominent Melbourne merchant observed in the list of passengers the name of the captain of a vessel in whose cargo he had an interest. Now what business could that captain have on board the mail steamer ? The man of business formed a conclusion of his own, and acted upon it at once. Dropping in promiscuously at the office of an insurance company, he said, ‘ I think I would like to increase that policy on the David and Jessie. 1 would like to cover the profit.’ The reply was, “All right. How much extra do you want ? ’ ‘ Well,’ replied he, ‘ I think LIOOO will do.’ And so the matter was concluded for the time, the insurer of the audUbnal 1,000 getting either a cover-note or the insurance policy. When the full mail news reached Melbourne the murder was out. The David and Jessie was ashore at Colombo, and the captain and his wife had

come clown to luciuourno. Aim now arose an unpleasantness. The insurer had grounds for presuming that something was wrong at the time he applied for the extra insurance. He had availed himself of the ignorance of the company upon the particular point which had alarmed himself. He had kept back that which he ought to have stated when offering the risk. The thing was too palpable, however, to stand on obstinately. An appeal to the courts would have been an unpleasant issue of the insurer’s ’cuteness. So, after a show of insistence, he released the company from the risk with which ho had piously endeavored to saddle them in a manner so gushingly innoco t. ” A word for “Poor John.”—Mr Shepherd says—Banish him ; lay an embargo upon all new comers—shut the ports a ainst them. But let us ask the hasty candidate a few questions ; and when these are answered in the only way that a familiar acquaintance with the habits and character of the Chinese would fairly suggest, wo have others to ask before wc can bear to hear of poor “John” being banished as an intruder : —Do they not import themselves without cost to the Immigration Fund ? How many of them loaf alxmt town on arrival, and become chargeable to the police ? How many of them join the unemployed rowdy mobs of white-races to demand work or money ? How many have been upon the funds of the Benevolent Society'? How many have become insolvent? Is not cash payment their rule in all trade transactions ? When and whore did they embark in a mining or other speculation upon credit, and leave their bills unpaid? How often are they taken to the lock-up drunk and incapable ? How much have they paid in the shape of fines for drunkenness and violence? What master eve' comp'aiued that, his servant “Join*” was insolent, insub.'rdinatu, or lazy? When was ever “John” seen making tracks “on the wallaby?” Does not Mr Shepherd know that a thousand Chinese are governed at far less coat to the Province than the same number of other nations? How much less do they' squander in litigation than other miners? Do they not chiefly take up worked-ont clainn and poor ground that no one else will look at ? And for civility, sobriety, se f-rebanco, patient application, and untiring perseverance, have they any equals ? If they

have, Mr Shepherd would deserve a monument as high as St Pauls and as lasting as the Pyramids if he would people the Province with ;i million of them. Our acquaintance with “John” is not r.i yesterday, and wo arc not going to see Lt>o set upon his head without a protest. All that poor “John” asks for himself is just for Mr Shepherd to leave the sky over his head, the forsaken ground under his feet, and for heaven and men to suffer him to work out his own plans in his own way. He will pay all his debts, uncomplainingly submit to ali kinds of insolence and imposition, and when ho has made his “ pile” he will take himself off to his own celestial regions for the remain!. r of his life.

Tire Oamaku Dock. —At a meeting of the Trust on Thursday it was stated that when in Dunedin it wa< pointed out by the deputation from the Trust that they were not in a position to say bow much they could raise until the Government hail inaugurated the work ; and also that the contractor would undertake, the work subject to the condition that an expenditure not exceeding the vote of the Provincial Council should be incurred—that was to say that the contractor was willing to undertake work to that extent without the whole contract being entered into at once. The Government admitted that they were pledged to the expenditure of L26,U00 out. of revenue, but not. to a further sum —the furth r sum of f/20.r«1»d , o'dingmit m.oa tin o'm.un-m-'ii 1 ■• a ).,.-.r. which !>•; I not hj c> obtained. I;, was tl). refer.. required by <be 1 b-wrn- :■ i,;. 11 ilia: before they (the Government) committed themselves to the present contract, the Trust should show by what means it proposed to rr.ise the balance of the con-tract-money. This the deputation did, and the Government intimated its sanction to an expenditure of 1/20,000 on certain conditions, the principal being—that power he reserved to the Government to terminate the contract by paying full schedule rates for work done, and for plant specially designed for the works ; power to he given the Government to withhold payments until their engineer certifies to the value of the work executed —such certificate to apply simply to the commereial value of the work done, and the Government reserves the right of fixing the amount to be expended during any financial year. It was agreed that instructions should he given to the engineer to arrange with the Government and Mr Walkem the terms of a contract based on the tender of the latter for the contract. We understand that the resolutions arrived at simply are expenditure of a little over L 39,006.

The Volunteer ’Regulations.— Writing on this subject, the New Zealand Advertiser makes the following very pertinent remarks ;—Tiie new rules and regulations for the management and guidance of Volunteer Companies appear to have been drawn up very carefully, and evince a desire on tbe part, of the Government to place the Volunteer force of the Colony on a permanent and satisfactory footing. We believe that Volunteeis are indebted to Major Atk nson, of Otago, the most efficient, painstaking, ami successful Adjutant of Volunteers in the Colony, for many suggestions which are embodied in these rules, and which will, wo believe, tend to the harmonious working of the regulations. We think, however, that these rules display too great anxiety about dress, drill, and routine, and too little about rifle-shooting. In this respect they arc very similar to the Militia Act which came into force on the Ist of November. The same objections apply to both, though to the Volunteer regulations in a less degree than to the Militia Act. We object to the test of efficiency laid down for Volunteers. Squad and company drill, manual and platoon exercises, will do little or nothing to fit a man for taking his part in the defence of the Colony in the event of an emergency ; but rifle practice, and plenty of it, will render him an efficient indeed in such a case. We should therefore like to have seen some degree of skill in the use of the rifle made a necc ssity for efficiency, and not see rifle-shooting made merely a hind of permissive arrangement, which a man may attend to if ho pleases, or which he may let alone altogether. The “dre-s regulations” ■will be read by'many of our Volunteers with feelings of annoyance. Many companies have gone to considerable expense in the matter of uniforms, and have displayed taste and liberality in so doing. To have to throw aside these expensive uniforms, and t > obtain others of tbe regulation color and shape seems a useless waste, and for no practical good. Were communication throughout tbe Province so quick and easy that the frequent parading of many companies together was possible, then there might be some reason in requiring men to dress alike, but at present we must say wc think it will be an unnecessary hardship. We think the Government can scarcely have considered the tax which this regulation, if enforced, will lay upon Volunteers, and we hope that they will see their way, at all events, to its temporary suspension. A minor matter connected with this subject is the pattern of the uniform—namely, the jumper. What can look more uns delierliko than a loose jumper confined round the waist with a tight waistbolt ?

Paris Gossip.—The Paris correspondent of tho Nelson Col mist, writing under date Bept. 16, Bays : —“There will bo no bush fighting around Paris, no surprises from tho woods. Tho city is encircled by' a vast do erfc, effected by fire, tbc axe, and tho crowbar, and not a human being can pass it without drawing down a concentrated fire from the batteries. Not only must Prussia count with terrible sorties from the city, but with the reserves sent up by tho country to harass her, perhaps ultimately, drive her under tho guns of the fortifications, into the ditches filled with brushwood, with oil and petroleum ready to be poured on it and fired. Tho neighboring country has for miles removed its food resources, and the guerillas will intercept supplies from the Phine. Tho longer the struggle is carried on before Paris the more perilous the position of the foe. Paris i i but a camp or vast barrack. Tho military costume is the only one visible. Since three days, no women or children are to l>e S' cu in Hie streets How could they, win n the streets are too narrow for trotting squadrons and galloping artillery, with files of men march;ng to take up position, trains of ammunition carts, lines of omnibuses filled with provisions and medical stores. There arc no nolice ; it is a word unmusical to the V’olseian’s eais, and order was never better observed. It is true, the “dangerous classes” of both sexes have been expelled tin; city, and the detenus* of the prisons transferred elsewhere. It is rumored that should tbc enemy effect an entrance into tho city, ho must share the fate of the citizens iu the common destruction. Burning oil,

molten lead, and vitriol will be poured on the invaders from the houses by the women, while the men will tire from the house-tops and from behind formidable barricades. The bouses may lie knocked down by cannon, hut there is more probability of their being blown up by their occupiers. Since the citadel at Laon business, it has become the fashion to mine every place. Paris has eve-y prospect of being a heap of ruins—another Niche of nations ; but if the last Prussian can bo crushed beneath the last house and the last citizen, France will not consider the victory dearly bought.

The Rev. Robert Scrimgeour will preach in St. Andrew’s Church, Melville street, to-morrow morning and evening, at the usual hours. We notice by advertisement that a special steamer will leave the old jetty, for Port Chalmers, to-morrow, at 2.3 Up m., to meet the s.s. Maori with passengers and English mail, returning at 4 30 p.m. On Monday evening the second annual meeting of the Argus Building and Investment Society will be held at the •Society’s offices, to receive the annual statement and elect officers and auditors for the coming year. In another column will be found the programme of a musical entertainment to he given in the 1) ili Shod, Watered Leith, on Mon lay cviuiinj. The proceeds are to he applied" to the Nor hj Dune..in. School Prize Fund ; and, judging by the programme provided vc are led to expect a musical treat of co mean order. We observe by advertisement that the Golden Age will make a special trip to Fort Chalmers on Monday morning. This is, wo understand, for the coveniencc of those who wish to tako part in the ceremony at the landing of the Honorable Julius Vogel. It is also proposed to give that gentleman a lunch at the Port previous to starting for Dunedin.