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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2758, 19 December 1871, Page 2

Princess Theatre. —Another fresh programme is announced for to night, the entertainment to conclude with the amusing burlesque of “Dry Hash.” Mayor’s Court.— At tills Court this morn in i, an inebriate named James Smith, was fined fis, with the usual alternative. His Worship the Mayor and the Hon. Dr Buchanan were the presiding justices. The Opera Company. —The Opera Company wore to leave Auckland to-day, and give an opera in Nelson and Wellington on their way, arriving in Christchurch on Christmas day, and opening on the following day. Benefits of Assurance.— The late Mr Kempthorne, H. M. Customs, Wellington, a few days before his death paid the first premium on a policy of LSOO effected with the Mutual Association Society. The advantages of life assurance may be gleaned from this circumstance. Magistrate’s Court. The only business at this Court—before A. C. Strode, Esq., R.M.—this morning, was the case of Hutchinson v. Hagan, in which the latter was called upon to explain why a judgment of the Court against him, amounting to 1.1 16s 6d, had not been satisfied. He was ordered to pay the amount with costs in ten days, or to imprisoned 14 days. Utilization of Kelp.—-Mi* Simon Hanlon, who has been some years resident in Dunedin, proposes to utilize the seaweed that grows so plentiful in the bays and around the Coast ; and has addressed his Honor the Superintendent, asking if the Government can assist him in developing this new form of industry. The utility of the products ol kelp in a variety of manufacturing processes is too well known to need repetition. Masonic, —The ceremony of installing of the office-beavers of the Otago Kilwinning Lodge, No. 40V, 5,.C., for the ensuing year, was performed by Etc. f.M. Vincent Pyke, R.W., P.G.M., at the lodge room, Dunedin, on the 18th inst. The following officers were duly installed : —Bro. James Gore, R.W.M.; Bro. Jules Lanscigne, S. W.j Pro. Henry M‘Donald, J. W.; Bio. A. R, Livingstop, Treasurer ; Bro. Louis J. Weiduer, Secretary $ Pro. 11. Goodman, S.D.j Brp G. H. Chapman, D, ; Bro. H. C. Boyd, J.G.; Bros. J. Brgwp, Jfi. J, Serle, Stewards ; Bro, W. Lqw, Tyley. Mr Wise’s Almanac is this year a great improvement upon last year’s issue. The first sheet is a useful table of days, calculated to save a good deal of trouble to accountants. The Stamp Duties Amendment Act leaves it out of the power of anyone to plead ignorance of its provisions. Next are astronomical tacts in prospect classified in months. After the calendar, in which a pupiber of facts worth rembering are recorded, a vast amount of information is inserted'on gardening, fanning, postal arrangements, registration, pysc office savings banks, the usual director!..s, laud transfer fees, interest tables, and other matter? of every .day use, so arranged as to be easily referred tc. , The price of the Almanac is marked qne shilling, and is a neat, cheap, ami useful sliilliug’s worth, Heathcote Regatta.—The alteration of the date of the intercolonial rowing match to February 19 has been announced. The change was decided on in consequence of the receipt of a letter from the Wellington dub, stating that to hold the match in January, ps at first proposed, would interfere with local races, and besides give outside crews little chance of training. Mr Logan, the secretary, concluded his letter by saying :—“lf we send a crew, wc wish not to look ridiculous by being nowhere at: the finish. We have a fair crew in training, but there is not any probability of their putting ip an appearance if the' race is hold in January/’ The Dunedin club also telegraphed that their crew would not be ready in January. The alteration is a wise one in .every respect, fojr the tide wilj serve gt noon on February 19. Notoriety.—Tßc Telegraph ” ties- ' cribcs a little scandal affair iii these terms : To spring in one night from the obscurity [ incidental to his position to that giddy height where he is made the subject of general conveisation would appear to be the unenviable advancement made by a young gentleman in the Civil Service at Fort Ahuriri. Found undressed in mi house after midnight by an enraged husband, fired at, and chased through the streets, interviewed by clergymen and ciders of his church, made the subject of a sermon, and las exploits referred to in the columns of our contemporary under the heading Spit Scandal, surely this young gentleman has climbed to a pontiou of notouety ho little drained of reachum, ami one which his friends would not have desire I for him. The whole affair was one of those cases of which the less said the better, and we c in little appreciate that delicacy which prompts prominent members of a church to first pry into and then stir up muddy waters. Horses in New South Wales. The Grenfell correspondent of the Si/ilnui Marnhnj Herald writes Speaking of horses, they are cheap just now in this locality. Wild specimens yesterday realised from two shillings upwards. A fair proportion of those at the sale yards on a Saturday are ef the wildest and scrubbiest sort, and

[ the taming of such is a scone which baffles description, every purchaser doing that which is right in his own eyes. A slip noose being lassoed round the animal’s neck, a scene of plunging, rearing, and kicking ensues, and a steady strain being kept on the rope, choking ensues, and with swelled neck and bloodshot eyeballs the veriest 1 rooshiau ’ is brought to earth, when half a score of men and boys hoi l the panting beast down until a strong head-gear is adjusted, and before the brute comes round he is docked of the greater part of his tail, hair, and mane, and generally becomes so cowed down as to be led or driven off. Another method of securing is by driving the animals in a narrow pen called a crush, where neither kicking or plunging can hurt, and even then some will use their teeth, and inflict ugly damage on the unwary.” Water Supply to our Goldfields. —We are glad to learn that one of the most important provisions of the Public Works Act of last session—that referring to the supply of water upon the goldfields—is likely to be brought into active operation in a few days. The recommendations of the goldfields’ committee of last session, as to the mode in which the money voted by Parliament (L3UO,000) is to be administered, have been generally approved by the Government, and a certain series of regulations bearing upon the subject will shortly be gazetted. These regulations were drafted chiefly by Messrs Haughtou and Hairison, and we understand that the first-named gentleman has placed his services at the dispo al of the Government for the purpose of initiating the carrying out of the Act in Otago. Mr Haughton’s large experience and the prominent part he has taken with regard to the important question of water supply to the goldfields, especially qualify him for the post, and the Government must feel itself under no slight obligation to that gentleman. Mr Hanghton will be gazetted as a commissioner under the Act for Otago, and probably the appointment for the other goldfields will be filled up shortly. It may be added that Mr ilaughtou’s office is entirely an honorary one. The Polynesian Labor Traffic, — At a public meeting held in Sydney, in respect to the memory of the late Bishop Patteson, the Governor of New South Wales, the Earl of Belmore, stated that the Imperial Government intended to deal with the Polynesian labor question as one of kidnapping. It was proposed that any British subjects who would commit any of the following offences shall be guilty of felony, and shall be liable to be tried in the Supreme Courts of any of the Australian Colonics, which would get rid of the difficulty ol prosecuting in the Admiralty Courts. The crimes that will bo so punisuablg i>r,e ttyese : —(I.) Decoying, by force or fraud, any native on board ships for the purpose of conveying him elsewhere. (2 ) Ships, embarks, receives, detains, ur confines, for the aforesaid purpose, any native without his consent, the proof of which consent shall be c,n the party accused. (3.) Contracts for doing any of the aboys acts without consent of the native, proof of consent to bo as before. (4.) Fits out, mans, navigates, equips, uses, employs, lets, or takes on freight or hire, or commands or serves, or is on board with intent to conmit, or being on board, should commit any of the offences enumerated. (5.) Ships, lades, receives, or puts on board any vessel, or contracts for so doing, jponey, goods, or other articles, to the intent that they shall be employed, or knowing that they will be employed in the comission of any of the offenses above enumerated. He hoped that the proposed law would be sufficiently sweeping not only to catch those who actually committed these crimes, but all those who assisted them by fitting out vessels, Bqlitioal Gossip. —The Independent, ujidcr its new management, will soon ■take up its old'position of the bailing journal i,t Wellington. From jt we take th.c fo'lowing items of political gossip -In 'a few days the Hon Mr Gisborne and the Native Minister will be the only ministers remaining in Wellington. The Frcmicr has gone home to Kangitikei, the Ministers of Fitbfic Works, have gone to Napier and Christchurch respectively, and the Colonial Treasurer is about proceeding to Auckland. Up to the present time no definite arrangements have been ma ie with Mr Brogden under the contract authorised by the Assembly last session, but it is considered likely that an arrangement will have been arrived at before ills departure of the Hon Mr Vogel for Auckland. .Colonel Fielding, the representative o£ the Tbs'4-K Emigration ■Society, left Wellington by coach yesterday for the Mauawatu. We hear he has made certain offers to the Government to purchase 100,000 acres of land, but we are not at liberty at present to publish particulars. The offer is, however, of a character that may lead eventually to “business.” We believe we are correct in stating that the visit of his Honor the Superintendent of Nelson has resulted in an agreement between him and the General Government with regard to the security to be given by the Nelsop Government for the interest on the cost of the railway from Grey mouth t) the Brunner Mine. The General Government have imposed certain conditions of traffic, and reserved to themselves a right to exercise a voice in the disposal of the coal mine. It may he expected that this line will be commenced as speedily as possible. Mr Curtis has also received assurance that the Nelson and Foxhill line will bo commenced in duo course. Mr Walker’s Eeturn. —A presentation of a valuable t.ea and coffee service was made to Volunteer Walker at IJje Governor Bowen Hotel, Grahamstown, on the 9th inst. The subscriptions for the purchase of the plate wore limited to 2s (3d each. Captain Fraser, R.M., in presenting the testimonial said “ ho had been requested by a committee of the inhabitants to perform the pleasing duty of presenting the service as a mark of the public esteem for Inin, and as a memento for himself and his family of the gallant manner in which he had gone from the Thames to Otago, and there, amongst people who looked upon themselves as having permanently secured the laurels for rille shooting, wrested from the best man amongst them the honors they had hitherto held °lt shqwed a great.amount of courage to undertake this feat, and to accomplish it successfully against such a mr v u as Mr Christie, the acknowledged champion shot of the Southern provinces, was a great undertaking. (Cheers.) The service was presented, not so much for its intrinsic value, as a mark of the esteem in which Mr Walk, r was held privately, and also as a marksman, by the inhabitants—not so much for his good shooting, as that he went down as the vulture of the North, defeated the champion of the South upon his

own dunghill, and was now the acknowledged champion of the North. (Cheers,) He hoped this would be an example to the Volunteers of the North, and ospseially that the Volunteers of the Thames would follow that example. He might say that the committee had limited the amount of each subscription to a very small sum, so that the service was the concentrated present of a great many people. (Cheers,)” The presentation was followed by a dinner, to which fifty-two friends of Mr W Ikor sat down. Captain Fraser presided, and Mr W. Howe occupied the vice-chair. The usual toasts on such occasions were drunk, Mr Walker proposing the health of Mr Christie and the Otago Volunteers. The Bakers’ and Millers’ Act, 1871, —Amongst the results of the session is an Act bearing the short title introducing this paragraph, which is to come into operation on the .‘list of this month. The object is to secure unadulterated bread. It is an Act of twenty-three clauses only. The 3rd repeals all previous Acts and Ordinances. The 4th to the Bth, inclusive, prescribe what bread is to be made of, and what shall not be introduced into it. All bread made for sale must be made of pure and sound flour, or meal of wheat, barley, rye, oats, buckwheat, Indian corn, peas, beans, rice, or potatoes, mixed with common salt, pure water, eggs, milk, barm, leaven, potato, or other yeast, and no other ingredient whatsoever, No alum or mixture containing alum, or any other ingredient, excepting those specified is to be used under a penalty, on conviction, of not less than forty shillings, nor more than ten pounds. Bread of pure wheat flour is to be the standard. If it contain “bran” or “hull,” it is to be called “household wheaten bread,” and marked with a largo Homan 11. Bread made of flour of wheat and other grains mixed is to be callel “mixed bread,” and marked M. If not marked, the seller or maker is liable to a penalty of 10s for every pound sold or exposed for sale. Brea 1, excepting French breul or rolls, is to be sold by weight, 16 oz. to the pound, under a penalty not exceeding 40s. Selling by other weghts renders the vendor liable to a penalty of 5s on conviction. Bread sold on the premises must be weighed in the presence of the buyer, whether the latter require it or not, under a penalty of five pounds, and weights and scales are to be fixed in a conspicuous part of every shop for the purpose. Bakers delivering bread by carts, must have beam, scale, and proper weights for weighing, and must weigh the brea 1, if required to do so, in the presence of the buyer, or forfeit five pounds. Bakers or confectioners using impure, unsound, or unwholesome flour, or selling articles containing it, arc liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds, and to hare the flour and goods made of it confiscated. Persons adulterating meal or flour, or soiling fioiijr gf qne grain for flour of another, subject themselves to s, penalty of not less than five nor more than twenty pounds, excepting such ingredients as are applied to cleanse or preserve the corn from smut or weevils, or other impurity when such material must bo removed before the grain is ground, Any justice or a constable authorised by his warrant, nuy enter the premises of millers, mealmen, and bakers working for reward or sale, and search and examine whether the articles are genuine. Should it prove adulterated, such grain, or flour, or dough, or bread, may be seized and taken before a resident magistrate or justice, and if on the evidence of competent persons it is adjudicated adulterated, the resident magistrate may dispose of it as he thinks fit," Any jpillgr, meatman, or baker, on whose premises material for adulteration may be found, shall pay for ’the first offence not more than five pounds; for ’ the second not more than ten pounds, and not more than fifteen pounds for every subsequent conviction. Any one obstructing search may be fined ten pounds. Excepting in the case previously provided, offences agiicst the Act must be determined by two justices of the peace, and onc-half the peiialjty is to go the informer. After a second coiiviptiop, jffsUcgs aje autfiorised to advert se the name of the offender ijt fiis expense. Complaint must be made within seventy-two hours after the offence.