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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2734, 21 November 1871, Page 2

The Concert.— This evening the second concert of the Dunedin Choral Society will he given in the University Hall. Our readers will be aware from the a Ivertisement that the first part wdl be Sterndale Bennett’s “ May Queen,” which will be given for the first time in Dunedin. We do not know what treat is in store for the second part, as we have not seen the programme, but presume it will comprise classical selections.

Sudden Deaths. —A child named ytiAmaa rf-iiran aorli. ncroj nine Weeks. wIIOSC dead in its parents b.ed early yesterday morning. According to Dr Crawford, who was called in immediately after the child’s state was noticed, death was caused by euf location, caused by the nostrils getting stopped by a cold in the head. This morning the police received intimation of a married woman named Waddle, whose husband is up country, b#j.ng found dead in her bed in her house in Union street. An inquest will be held to-morrow.

Princess Theatre. What the drama will not do—the presentation of prizes effected at the Princess Theatre last night it drew a good house. The distribution was so fairly made, that both prize-takers and investors were satisfied. Each division of the house had its own prizes, and most scrupulously those who took part in the distribution were excluded from meddjipg with their own special department, Pit apd boxes drew for stalls, stalls and pit for boxes, and stalls and boxes for pit. The audience -perhaps we ought to call them investors—were good-humored and amused, and just in a temper to bo pleased with the performance that followed, which with that preceding the drawing went off in good style.

A New Telegraph Proposal, tThe formation of a new line of telegraph for establishing communication direct from Melbourne to Europe is proposed. The proposal is to lay a submarine cable from Cape Otway to King George’s Sound, West Australia ; to take up the communication thence by land lines to a point on the west coast of that colony at or near Champion Bay or Cape Cuvier, as may be found most suitable, and from thence by submarine cable £o Java Head, connecting Singapore for the present by the existing communication between Batavia and Singapore, but ultimately by another cable direct from Java Head to Penang, joining there the cable and land system of India and Europe. The proposal has been submitted to the Victorian Government ; but in the event of their declining to take up the matter, the promoter, Mr .1. Fleming, intimates that a company, to be known as the “ Anglo-Victorian Submarine Telegraph Company,” with a capital of L 600,000, would be projected in London to cany out the work.

The San Francisco Mail Service. —Further papers relating to the San Francisco Mail Service have been laid before the Assembly. They include correspondence between Mr Gisborne and the Chief Secretary of New South Wales, and between Mr Gisborne and Mr Duffy. The report of tlio Intercolonial Conference, as transmit ed by Mr Duffy, is also printed. Mr Kobertson, in his first letter, refers to the offer of the New Zealand Government to carry, tree of cost, the mails to New South Wales to the end of the present year, but expresses regret that, in anticipation of such an offer and its consideration, “a member of your Government should have thought it desirable, if such really be the case, to stay, somewhat prematurely, as it seems, the transmission mails to this Colony by a service for which Parliament has voted a subsidy, to the inconvenience and dissatisfaction of the public here.” Mr Gisborne, in reply, says : —“ I have the honor to assure yon that you have been misinformed. On Mr Vogel’s arrival in San Fiancbco, in July last, Mr Webb stated to him that be had telegraphed to Washington as to whether mads for JS eyv South Wales, then to arrive from England,

were to be forwarded to the colony by Mr Hall’s line, or by the line under contract with the New Zealand Government; and that the reply had been that the matter was left in the hands of the postmaster at San Francisco. Mr Vogel strongly advised Mr Webb to use his inlluence with the Postmaster to send the New South Wales mails by the Wonga Wonga, upon the ground that it was not certain that there would bo connection at Auckland, so that the mails could be forwarded at once to Syd-

uey. Had there been such communication, the mails would have reached Sydney sooner than'.hey w-uld J shipped on board the Wonga Wonga. Mr Vogel is not able to sp.’uk positively as to the course taken by Mr VV.-bb, but ho is under the impression that that gentleman, without further representation, left the matter to the decision of the Postmaster at San Francisco ” Mr Duffy’s letter, written on September 14, informs the Government that the Victorian Government would be happy to receive a representative with respect to the mail service, to be present at the Colonial Conference, which was to hold its sittings on the following Monday. Mr Gisborne, in reply, regrets that the invitation was received too late to send a representative in time to be present at the Conference, but states that “the earliest opportunity will be taken of accrediting a representative to the Victorian Government.” Mr Huffy, in acknowledging the reply, and in forwarding the minutes of the Conference says : “I take the opportunity of mentioning that the Conference was summoned by the Government of New South Wales. Had the initiative been taken by this colony, the Government of New Zealand would have been moved to send delegates to represent her interests at it.”

Payment of Members. —The hono-

rariutn question, as our readers know, rece vcd its due share of attention by the House of Representatives, and was not decided until after a Select Committee had taken evidence on the subject and reported. They recommended “ that the payment of members be fixed at LIUS per regular session, 40s per diem being deducted for each sitting day a member may be absent from attendance, unless tlio member be prevented from atto dance by illness ; special sessions to be paid for at the rate of 20s per day.” These amounts to be exclusive of travelling expenses to and from Parliament. Our readers will be interested 111 the value placed upon legislatorial services in other countries, as detailed before the Committee. Republics seem to pay the best—most likely because they vote their own “screw.” The rates are as follow :—Spain, nothing ; \ ictoria, L3OO per annum ; Switzerland, 12 francs a day, and 1 franc 50 centimes a day travelling expenses ; America (18GG), senator, member, or delegate, L 1034 13s 4d per annum, and mileage 20 cents per mile to and from Congress—mileage only granted for two sessions each Congress (four years) ; Canada (1807), LI 5s per day, if pot over thirty days—if over that, L 125, and np more in any case. Newfoundland : J. resident of Legislative Council, 240 dollars ; each member, 120 dollars ; the Speaker of the House of Assembly, 923 dollars ; members resident at outposts, 291 dollars ; members residing in the capital, 194 dollars each. Holland : Upper House, nothing ; Lower Upper xlJiiyc,"aofciiiiYß'} •nUfttfi" rrdfisV," LIG 15s Id each monthly, during sitting, for members from ont-districts; members resident in the capital are not paid. Sweden (1565) : Upper House, nothing ; Lower House, L 66 ISs 4d for an ordinary session, and travelling expenses in ordinary cases ; otherwise about 10s lid per day : LOG 13s 4d is the highest amount. Norway : members of both Houses, 13s 3,Jd a day, and all costs to and fro. Portugal : Upper House, nothing ; Lower House, 10s a day for the cession Greece : Senators, 500 drachms, equal to Ll7 15s 2d each per month, not limited to the session ; Representatives, 250 drachms per month, or LS 17s 7d during the session. France, the National Assembly fjad 18 francs a day for the session. On the restoration of monarchy, nothing. In Louis Phillip’s time they were not paid; during the bepublic of 1848 to 1851, during session each received 25 francs a day, and under the Imperial rule of Louis Napoleon in 1852, Senators paid LI2OO per annum, and members of the Legislative Assembly LIOO per month. A change has since been made : the Deputies each receive L4QO for the session, but if it is of unusual length, additional pay is given. Prussia : 9s a day, and travelling expenses, Austria :LI per day, and trav Ring expenses. The only European nations who do not pay member- of Pai ham nt are Creat Britain, Italy, and Spain The recommendation adopted was that of Mr Reynolds, with tjie exception of an amendment by Mr Bunny, tht/o 40s a day should bo deducted for absence from duty instead of 20s, as originally proposed.