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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2687, 27 September 1871, Page 2

Journalistic. —The Arrow Advocate has ceased to exist. University of Otago. —Mr W. H. Gotten and the Honorable J. A. Robertson Menzies, M.D., have been nominated members of the Council of the Otago University by his Honor the Superintendent. Money Order Telegrams.—Some doubt has been cast upon the correctness of our statement yesterday, as to the reduction in the price of money order telegrams, but we find that the same statement appears in the Press and other Northern papers. The Post Office authorities are as yet uninformed of the reduction ; but we have no doubt the next Northern mail will bring official intimation of the fact. Waiareka Yalley Railway.—We have reason to believe that arrangements arc in progress for constructing this line, perhaps the most important line in the district, opening communication with a large track of line land. We are not at liberty, at present, to give details ; but wc understand the engineer, who lias during the last week inspected the line of route for the proposed railway, will give a most favorable report. —Oamaru Times. Princess Theatre. — ‘The second entertainment of the Colored Opera Troupe proved so successful last night, that the company fhave determined to give a third night on Friday next, the proceeds to be given to the Benevolent Asylum. Independent of the intrinsic merits, of the troupe, there can be no doubt that the ocasion will of itself fill the house; one special merit of the Colored Opera Troupe is, that no encore of any part of the performance is permitted. Pine Arts. —Prom the Edinburgh Courant of the 24th July, we learn that the thirty-seventh meeting of the Association of Fine Arts in Scotland was held on July 22, when the result of the drawing for the year was declared. The chief prize, viz., “After the Battle,” by R. Herdman, R.S.A., value L 270, fell to the lot of Mr A. B. Rae, Sydney, and several valuable prizes to Victorian ticket-holders. The New Zealand subscribers have got a fair proportion of the prizes, viz. — “. Statuette of Sir Walter Scott,” by Copeland, J. Kilgour, Dunedin; “ Banquetting Hall, lluatingtower Castle,” by Proudfoofc, A. R. Livingston, Dunedin ; “ Watching for the Pigeon Post,” by Miss W. Dunlop, J. G. Fox, Wellington; “Statuette of Sir Waltir Scott,” by Copeland, A. Dunlop, and D. Montague, Invercargill. We extract the following from the committee’s report : —“After much enquiry in regard to a suitable painting, your committee were informed that Sir Noel Patou, H.S.A., was engaged on a picture of ‘ Christ in the Garden with the three disciples, Peter, James, and John,” and they resolved to purchase the copyright of this high-class work of art. The painting has for some months been in the hands of Mr Symouds, the engraver of the well-known and popular plate after Sir Noel Paton’s remarkable painting of “ Mors Janua Vita? ” The engraving for the Association is to be executed in the same style, but on a larger scale, and it will be one of the most valuable engravings ever issued by the Association.” Congregational Church.—Yesterday evening a meeting of the congregation and friends of the above church was held for the purpose of recognising the Rev. Thomas Roseby, M.A., as their new pastor. The Rev. J. Habeus, of Christchurch, occupied the chair ; and the Revs. G. Sutherland, D. M. Stuart, W. H. Maxwell, J. Williams, Menzies (Tuapeka), and other gentlemen, took part in the proceedings. After tea addresses were given by the above gentlemen, all heartily welcoming Mr Roseby to Dunedin, and promising support and co operation in his work, Mr Maclie spoke on behalf of the Church, relating the circumstances which had left them without a pastor, and the anxiety they had gone through during the past twelve months. He congratulated the congregation on the end of their recent trouble, which had not been of their own seeking. It had been brought upon them, and co Id not have been avoided except at the expense of their purity. Had they purchased or tried to purchase peace at such a cost, moral bankruptcy must have been the remit. The congregation had had uo misgivings on the subject all through. Certainly a few had left, but their conduct had been inexplicable to the congregation, who, after reflection, were still of opinion that they had done right, and in similar circumstances would act as they had done. The Rev. T. Roseby, iu a short but appropriate speech, remarked that a more cordial welcome than had been accorded to him he could not have received, and he felt deeply grateful to the ministers of the other denominations in Dunedin, who by their presence and their generous expressions made him feel at home amongst them. He would aid in any movements that had for their objects the good of mankind. He was not too sanguine that much good could he done without strong effort, but with that and warm cooperation much good lay before the Church! He was no believer in excitement, and while he was hopeful for the future, trusted only in steady persevering labor to earn the success he so much desired. The Rei'. Mr Maxwell, of Port Chalmers, stated that Mr Roseby had been a fellow-student of his in Sydney, and from his personal knowledge of that gentleman, he was sure he was the right man in she right place. The proceedings of the meeting were agreeably diversified by some anthems sung by the choir, under the leadership of Mr Little, and a vote of thanks to the ladies and the singing of the “Nunc Dimittis ” brought the proceedings to a dose.

Am Important Legal Point.—The Supreme Court of New South Wales has had under discussion a very important constitutional question, namely whether a foreigner put on his trial in Sydney has a right to claim that half the jury should be foreigners. Until very lately this'was the law in England under a statute of Edward 111., but it has been abolished as inconvenient there where the supply of foreigners is abundant. In Sydney when the question was raised by a p isoner who was a foreigner, as to his right to be. tided by a jury, the half of whom should be his fellowcountrymen, Mr Justice ‘Hargrave contended it was law, seeing that it was English law when the Colony was founded and it Had never been expressly repealed. The Chief-Justice of the Colony and Mr Justice Fawcett, however, decided the other way. Their doctrine is that the English common law only became Colonial so far as it was applicable, and that the practice of a mixed jury is not to be included under that category. Moreover, in the early convict days, j lilies were not empanuclled on the English system, but were exclusively composed of military men, and this alone was held to be sufficient proof that the English common law practice did not form part of early Colonial jurisprudence. As the military despotism of the convict epoch gave way, the jury system more and more assimilated itself to that of the mother country; but still always under Colonial regulations and laws, and in those Colonial laws there is an express enactment that only natural born subjects of the Queen could act as jurors. The majority of the New South Wales judges therefore sitting in banco have distinctly ruled that a foreigner tried in the criminal courts of that Colony has no right to claim a mixed jury. We have received the September number of the Illustrated New Zealand Herald, which contains a capitally-executed engraving of the new Victorian Mint, a view of the Blue Spur, Tuapeka, and other engravings.