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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2661, 28 August 1871, Page 2

The Dock Trust.—An adjourned meeting of the Dock Trust was appointed to be held this afternoon at three o’clock ; but a quorum not being present, it was adjourned to the ordinary monthly meeting on Monday next.

Princess Theatre.—“ Simpson nnd Co.” and the “Fair One with the Golden Looks ” is the fare for this evening. As wo have previously announced, to-morrow night will conclude the season, the selected pieces being “ Hob Roy ” and the burlesque of the “Fair One with the Golden Locks.” Criminal Sessions. —The criminal session commences on Monday next. At present there are some seven cases for trial, and a couple more are expected to come from the country during the preheat week. At to-day’s sitting in bankruptcy, His, Honor ordered that Regina v. Reichelt should be the first case taken ; and this trial is likely to last three (at the least) or four days.

Postal.—The municipality of Cromwell has adopted a memorial to the Postmas-ter-General, praying that Cromwell may be made the terminus for the north-western mails, instead of Clyde. This, tbe memorialists say, is due to Cromwell from its increasing importance as a mining and commercial centre. The co-op: ration of tbe municipalities of Queenstown and Alexandra and of the improvement committee of Naseby is also sought in the matter.

Political. —The notice of motion tabled by Mr Macandre r, in the General Assembly, to move a series of resolutions having for their object the abolition of the existing Provincial system, and erecting the Middle Island into one province, with a Lieutenant-Governor, is likely to meet with general support. The 0 a mar a Times hoars that petitions in favor of the proposal are being got up in this and the neighboring provinces ; also that one is in course of preparation by gentlemen in the Camaru district.

Scott’s Centenary at Christchurch. —The ce’ebration was a highly successful affair, The whole of the speeches were good, and that of the evening, by Dr Turnbull, is worthy of persusal. A feature of the entertainment was a speech by Mr Me Farlane, who was one of Scott’s most intimate friends. Speaking of him, Mr Me Farlane said : “ I found him a very kind and social friend. I was often a’one with him in St. David’sstreet, where bo retired and worked out his difficulties, and ho did that like a good honest man.”

Telegraph Extension,—The telegraph wires are shortly expected to ho in working order through to Auckland. On the East Coast the line is being pushed on from Tanranga to Kati Kati, a distance of about thirty miles from Tauranga to the Thames. This portion of the line is approaching completion, and it is anticipated that it will be finished in a few days. A branch line from Lake Taupn to Cambridge, which would open communication through to Auckland, will be commenced almost immediately, tenders haring teen invited for a supply of poles for it as far as Niho-o-te kiore.

Chinese. —Our Queenstown contempoi’ory is very idadvised in the course it is pursuing of fostering enmity between the Europeans and the Chinese in that district—a course which, if persisted in, is sure to lead to had results. We Lave reason to know that the surmises as to a probable conflict between the Europeans and the Chinese are not warranted by facts, and we feel sure the miners will take every constitutional means

to have their grievance (if any) rectified be!o they dream of taking the law into their oW hands. It may he, as the Mail asserts, tha the difficulty is becoming so great that something must bo done, but, in our opinion, it is not of of so alarming a character as our contcraparary would have us believe. The following method of making tht Chinese contribute to the revenue is suggestedWe believe that a tax as large as LIO per ton upon rice would be a wise remedial measure. Except the garden produce he grows " John ” consumes but little other of our indigenous products, and he has taken lately vigorously to pig and poultry breeding, and is not so extensive a buyer as formerly from the fanner. Tho'tax upon rice would make him use more of oar products than he does, and so some indirect benefit might hi derived from his presence. As to the taxes upon the other articles imported by him, with the exception of tea and sugar, we look upon them as very low. Opium should hear a higher duty, although it might cause our Customs officers to have to exercise a little more vigilance. Why should not those opium-smoking stores pay a license as our hotel-keepers do ? They board and lodge large numbers of Chinese, and supply them witn opium and brandy. They are really Chinese public houses. However, all those things, if carried out, would not prevent their increase. All it would do would he to get something approaching to a fair share of taxation out of them.

Wellington Journalism. —The tone in which the Wellington papers are wont to write does not show the least sign of improvm nt. They continue to be by no rue ana rigidly particular in their l«n > uage, as witness the following clipped from the Advertiser of a recent date, a paper which S'ctna to have a peculiar penchant for hard knocks, and to be rather reckless as to the way in which it administers them. " Some few evenings ago our evening contemporary published a long letter from a Christchurch correspondent, descriptive of the opening of the Provincial Council. The identity of the writer was easily discovered by the conceited style of the communication, and the obj-'ct of it appears to bo to place on record a fact which apparently even surprised the writer. This was that a gentleman of unblemished honor and respectability—Mr : 'llivior —had actually in a public place condescended to shake hands with Mr E. J. Wakefield, who to the disgrace of the Cathedral City, represents a portion of it in the Assembly. Mr Wakefield duly arrived by the Phrrbe on Saturday, and was met on the wharf and warmly welcomed by Con Croft, with whom he shook hands. Afterwards, attended by the late unsuccessful candidate for a seat in the Provincial Council, the member for Christchurch proceeded to the office of the Evening Post, where, no doubt, there was more hand-shaking. The fraternal relations evidently existing between Teddy and Con beautifully illustrated the old proverb about "Birds of a feather flocking together,” we prefer Con.—Whatever arc Jerningham’s foibles, weaknesses, idiosyncransies, it must be admitted that this is " coming it ” rather stiff. A meeting of the directors of the Caledonian Society of Otago, will be held at Wain’s hotels, to-morrow (Tuesday) evening, at 8 o’clock