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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2478, 25 January 1871, Page 2

To Correspondents.—We are unwillingly compelled to leave .Messrs J. L. Gillies and Pakcha Junr.’s letters over till to-morrow. New Zealand Institute. —Mr Justice Chapman and Messrs T. B. Gillies and W, Rolleston have been elected members of the Board of Governors of the Institute. The Graving Dock.—This beautiful work is rapidly approaching completion. The stone work is finished, otic of the gates is placed in its position, and the other will ho put in its place in the course of a few days. The work yet to be done is the arrangement of the pumping machinery and the removal of the cotter dam with the inclosed shell of earthwork. The latter, we believe, is no part of the contractor’s work. The whole may be expected to be completed in six or seven weeks. News,—The Welling lon Evening Post learns from a well-informed correspondent in Otago that the result of the elections in that Province is likely to be decidedly unfavorable to the Government, and that a change of Ministry is confidently expected during the ensuing session of Parliament. Perhaps the correspondent is the “own” correspondent of the Argu* who informs that journal, in a recent letter that, at Mr Yogel's second meeting here, the final resolution of the meeting was a strong condemnation of the railway scheme in its present form,

Funeral of the late Rev. Dr Burns. —In pursuance of the public notice issued by His Worship the Mayor, the City Council m t at noon to-day, when it was unanimously resolved to forward a letter of condolence to the widow and relatives of the late Dr Thomas Burns ; also that the Council should join the uneral procession. A committee of the Council was appointed to make the necessary arrangements for the funeral nrocession, acting along with the committee of Session and Deacon's Court of the First Church, appointed for the same purpose. The programme, which wc publish elsewhere, was then arranged by the joint i committee; and Mr John Bathgate has, we understand, been requested to see it efficiently carried out. t will also be observed that Divine service will be held in the First Church, immediately after which the congregation will proceed to take up their position in the procession. The War News.—The war news via Suez is exceedingly meagre, and contains little beyond what" was received via San Francisco. The defeat of the army of the Loire is confirmed, as is the success of the sorties from Paris by the armies under Ducrot. The last mail t >ld us also of the occupation of Havre, and he threatening of Cherbourg, which latter move was not believed by the French. Government. The authorities of Havre, however, appear to be well informed of the enemy’s intention, as they insisted on the French Heot proceeding to the protection of Cherbourg, which led to a meeting, which, however, was quickly suppressed. The occupation of Tours and Blois is only what might have been expected. Montmecly, it will he,seen, has folhwcd the example of Phalsbourg and Toni. It was besieged at the same time as Phalsbourg, and its defence has been even more valiant. It was at Montmedy that when the Prussians appeared under the walls, the regular garrison was despatched to at once treat with the enemy. The Prefect called upon the townspeople to mark its souse of the cowardice of the soldiering by manning the ramparts themselves, which they did, and against a largely superior force succeeded in keeping the enemy at bay for nearly five months. Our late, telegram tells us that the oft-delayed bombardment of Paris h.s actually commenced—an announcement which wid be received with'regret all over the world. ’ The telegram states that Fort Avres is the object of attack. The r.amo is surely a mistake; Fort Vanvres, on the north-eastern side of Paris, and between Forts D’lssy and Montrouge, must be meant. It is one of the strongest fortifications outside Paris, carries twelve guns of the heaviest calibre, which command every point of the compass, and we fear will not be carried without immense loss to the enemy. It is garrisoned by the picked gunners of the French fleet. With the sharp and terrible cannonade which the other forts will keep up, and subjected to the numerous sorties of the armies under Ducrot, the Prussians will find the task of reducing Paris not so easy, as was at first believe!, ’ihe summoning of Manfeutell to Paris, immediately after his occupation of Rouen, shows the Prussians fully understand the difficulties of their position.

By advertisement Dr Reimer is announced as .appointed medical officer to the Pioneer Lodge, A.1.0.0.P., in the place of Dr Beaver, who has resigned in consequence of ill health. Commanding officer’s parade of the No. 1 Company (City Guards), D.R.Y., will be held at the v ctagon to-morrow (Thursday), and Monday, the 30th inst., at 7.30 p.m. A public meeting of the Catholics in Dunedin will be held in St Joseph’s schoolroom to-morrow (Thursday) evening at eight o’clock, to make necessary final arrangements to meet the Right Rev. Dr Moran and suite.