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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2760, 21 December 1871, Page 2

Mavor’s Court.—This day, before his Worship the Mayor and the Hon. Dr Buchanan, J.P., John Bucklay was lined 20s, lor being drunk and disorderly. Allen Ji‘Bengali was fined 10»; John Mitchell,

5s ; and Colin Macdonald 40s for the same offence. Bazaar.—A bazaar in connection with the Church of England was, yesterday, opened in the Masonic Hall, Port Chalmers. The 1 ulics of the congregation deserve great credit for the efforts they made to render the above a success, which it has been. Plain Speaking. —At the trial of a cattle stealing ca*e at Sydney recently, on the jury bringing in a verdict of not guilty, the judge remarked, “"Very well; I entertain no doubt the prisoners are not guilty, aa you say so ; but all I can say is, that it is one of the plainest cases I have ever tried in the course of thirty-two years.” Lost in the Bush.—On the 7th iust., two sons of a shepherd named Ralston, employed on ThoriiheU’s station, Southland, were reported as missing. Search parties were immediately instituted, and on the I Oth insf., the younger of the boys was found two miles distant from his father’s hut. Up to the 14th ult. the elder hoy had not been found. A Grievance. Under this head yesterday wo gave a short paragraph from the Southland papers, complaining of the delay in the transmission of the Californian mails to that place. Instead of there being ' ground for complaint we are informed the mails were dispatched with unusual promptitude. The mails were scut from here at mid day on the loth, per special coach, and were distributed in Invercargill the next evening. Princess Theatre.—There was a very fair house la-t evening. We only saw the aft rpieoo, which is entitled “Hash;” but its title i i one sense belies its character, for it gives Messrs Amery, Herman, and Clarke an opportunity of singing some •matches from various operas in capital style. To morrow evening Mr H. Kelly takes a benefit, when Mr Cowle, the agent of the company, will make his first appearncc. Postal,— All correspondence for the United Kingdom should he posted in time to be forwarded by the s.s. Wellington tomorrow, as the chances of the Claud Hamilton arriving in Melbourne in time to catch the outgoing steamer with the Suez mail are very small. (July those letters posted between Friday and Tuesday, and specially addressed per Claud Hamilton will be forwarded this time by that route. Pv ail way Construction.—The local

paper has received semi-official information that the construction of the Mataura line will not be taken up under the Brogden arrangement, but that it will be let in sectional contracts. Nothing has been said about the Kingston extension, but as it is a well-known fact that one of the Brogden party is about to visit Southland it is not at all improbable that the Kingston may have something to do with his mission. Making the Most of it. —The Post says : —We wonder who Captain William Reynolds and Miss Catherine Fitegibbon are. Either by way of chaff, or on account of some singular interest that attaches to the loving couple, the Auckland Herakl of a recent date announces to the public three times in live consecutive columns tluir marriage. It appears in the ordinary space devoted to happy people, and ibriee in the local columns. Meeting of Parliament. —We believe we arc justified in saying that every difficulty connected with providing for the accommodation of Parliament is removed, and it is understood that arrangements have been made for securing Fern Hill as a residence for his Excellency the Governor. In the face of such a maj rity as voted in favor

of tilt; next session being held in Dunedin, we cannot therefore see what obstacles remain. Tub AVinton and Bluff Rail-way. —We understand that while hi Southland, his Honor the .Superintendent and members of the Executive made sucb arrangements for working this line as very materially to increase its usefulness to the public. The rates of carriage on wool were reduced so as to secure the traffic, and a train s arts from Winton every morning, so as to give upcountry residents an opportunity of transacting business at luvcroargid or the Bluff, and returning the same evening. Under its late mismanagement the line more than paid expenses. Under the improved regulations a handsome prolib may be expected. Cricket.—At a meeting of the Citizen’s Club last evening, it was decided to send a team to play at Tokomairiro on New Year’s 'lay. The match that was to ha’/P be n played last aturday between an eleven of the Citizens and an eleven from tho soft goods warehouses pf the City, will be played on Saturday next, Tije following will be the Citizens’s team ;—Glen, Watson, Morrison, W,; A. W. Geddcs, Shepherd, G. West, Eagan, Marsden, Mills, Larken, ADAiillan, A. Co.xhead 12th man.

Warehousemen: Watson moodie, S. Lambert, Morrison, J. Statham, Butterworth, Hart, Graham, Jones, Peters, Galbraith, Fuller 12th man. Making a Creditor Pay for it. — In tho Magistrates Court, Auckland, lately, in the case of Moore v. Dodd, lor the recovery of a sum fop a dozen of wine, the plaintiff did not appear, but the defendant, who is a solicitor practising at the Thames, appeared in person, and asked for coats, which were allowed him to the extent of L 4 ss. It seems that the wine was obtained by Mr , Dodd on the occasion of his marriage, but since then he passpd through the Bankruptcy Court, and this coming to the knowledge of the plaintiff alter the issuing of the sum juous, he did not appear, knowing that to do so would be of no avail; so that besides losing the value of his wine, he bad to pay his debtor L 4 ss. Clutha’s .Representative. The hon. member for tiie Cmtha has rendered an account of his stewardship ; and this is what the Bruce J Jerald says of his performance : Mr i hotnsou addressed Jus constituents in Barr’s Hall on Monday evening. Tlie attendance was meagre in the extreme ; indeed it was not until an hour aftci the time appointed that a sufficient number collected to make it worth while opening the hall. This contrast with the crowded meetings that Mr Maeandrew always commanded was n ticed not by a few. Mr Thomson—who read bis speech as a schoolboy would read a chapter of the Bible—was listened to in almost solemn silence. The story of the session was told from end to end, and when the end came everyone was so glad that the vote of thanks was passed willingly enough. Not a single question was put to Mr ihomsunat the close of his undress, and the few who were present hurried the meeting to a close '

by according a vote of thanks to the chairman (Mr M ‘Neil). Bowls.—Lust night a. number of gentlemen interested in the game of bowls met at Jones’s Club Hotel for the purpose of forming a club in this city. Mr Main was called to the chair, and Mr J. B. Dunn kindly consented to act as hon. sec. Mr Callender gave some interesting information about the old clubs in the west of Scotland, and exhibited two meda's, one a gold and one a silver one, of which he was the winner. Severel old bowlers made very practi cal suggestions about the green, &c. The feeling of the nicer ing evidently was to acquire the freehold of two quarter-acre sections, to be formed into a suitable green of four rinks, when the rainy season commences. The number of names given in as probable members will amply provide for the necessary cost of purchasing and forming the green. A sub committee, consisting of Messrs Main, CalLnder, Tumbuh, Howden, and Dunn was formed for the purpose of drawing the rules and selecting the site for the green, to report to a future meeting. The subscription was fixed at a guinea per annum. Acclimatisation.—The hon. secretary of the Southland Acclimatisation Society (Mr E. D. Butts) having communicated with Mr Frank Backhand as to the possibility of obtaining a shipment of salmon ova, packed in the manner recommended by Mr Seth Green, has received the following reply from Mr Bueklaud “ It is not too late to try the experiment. Our salmon will not begin to spawn till about the middle of December, and I am in great hopes I shall be able to obtain some for you. How to send them, 1 have not yet quite made up my mind, but 1 think the experiment might bo tried of sending them simply in tin ewes, in wet moss, without any ice at all, packing thorn up in a case, and then packing the case inside another ease with sawdust between. Anyhow, the exj e imeut is worth trying, and 1 will, with your permission, do which f can. The experiment at most will cost but a very few pounds. 1 will write to Mr Wigrani, the shipowner, and see if he can help us. Anyhow, I will do what I can, and set about it at once.” Novel Classification. A Wellington correspondent writes as follows : “ During the meeting of Parliament, the good people of Wellington found it rather difficult at times to distinguish the grade of strangers temporarily residing in the Empire Uity, but after a little experience it was found to be a very simple matter. As a general rule, strangers could be identified as belonging to one of three classes, and dealt with accordingly—viz,, members of the General Assembly, members of the Constabulary or Civil .Service, and commercial travellers. The grand discovery was made by a local tailor, and the greater credit is due to his discrimination, because it was not the result of accident or inspiration, but the product of patient investigation, founded on a large experience in the way of trade with numerous specimens of tire various grades of character on which his classification was based. He found that as a general rule oup legislators were rather shabbily dressed, did not pay sufficient aUeption to the style of the period, and wore shockingly bad hats. That, on the contrary, our gallant defenders of the Constabulary force and those spoiler* of foolscap—the junior members of the Civil Service—were distingui-ihcd by awell-got-up and fashionable exterior, and their movements marked by a jaunty and swaggering gait. The commercial traveller is a milder typo of the constabulary, with greater tendency to jewellery, and a more cool and undeniable assurance of maimer by some mistaken for impudence—and tho usual t ait of the inseparable striped parcel wonderfully folded. Armed with this knowledge —thanks to the tailor’s researches—the knowing Wciliugtonians seldom made the mistake o£ being misled by appearances.”

Photo-lithography.—We Imre had laid before us by tlje chief draughtsman of : the Supvey Department of this Province, two photo-lithographs, exegutpd by Mr Alexander iVUCoII, litho. printer to the Government The first is a copy from a wood ut in “Punch,” reduced in size, but in other respects a fac nim'-lr of the original, every line in which is perfectly reproduced in the copy ; the second is a reduction of the Government lithograph of the town of Blucskin. Mr M‘Coll has been experimenting for years after office hours, at his own expense, with a view to the result at which ho has at last eg successfully arrived. Maps of work done by surveyors in Victoria are reduced by camera at the Survey Printing Office, Melbourne, and transferred to tho stone for printing by a process different to that of Mr Ai'Coll. 'J he prints, however, are much inferior to those produced here, and all that have come under our notice have an appearance of what is technically termed “ rottenness, ” the lines being deficient in sharpness and continuity. By adopting this process of Mr McColl’s in copying maps, or other lino drawings, the services of the lithographic draughtsman are entirely dispensed with, and in public department, where a laz-ge number of copies is required, the saving nuu-t bo very considerable. Too much praise cannot be awarded to Mr McColl, who, in addition to being a first-class workman, in his own line, is an able him enthusiastic photograpuer, for tho zeal with which lie has, for a number of years, labored to acquire that knowledge of the chemical properties of light which has enabled him to throw from his press such specimens of art as those nowjj befo.e us. Wc would strongly recommend Air MeCqll and his discovery to the notice of tho Colonial Government —the sphere of usefulness of such an artist ought to be enlarged Newspaper Property in Auckland. — A few days ago we referred to tho sale of the plant and copyright of the Eu nitty Scum, and Mommy Sews, the lastmentioned being Mr Gillies’s organ. They were t,he ninth newspaper venture introduced to the public of Auckland within the short space of three years. It is interesting to notice the terms of existence enjoyed by these new fights, which were to have carried all before them, and conferred upon Auckland the full benefits that are supposed to flow from a “free press.” The first one to notice is the Free Brens, (started by Air. Creighton, formerly of the Southern Croat), the title of which alone should have secured for it, from a discerning public, a longer existence than thirty-four issues The Morniny Adv rlmr was tho next candidate for public favor, and it went through the hands of no less than three distinct proprietors, each redoubling the promises of his predecessors, and all terminating within three months. The Daily Sacs, whi-h followed

ran its little course in about thirty-six days; and the last, the Morning News, on the 6th instant, closed its brief career of five months. If we may add the Ne,ws of the Day and the Evening News, two evening papers, there will have been no less than six papers which have been started and failed within the last three years, or an average of one every six mouths. This extraordinary fatality in respect to the morning papeis is simple of explanation. With one exception, these organs have been started for p irty purposes, and not as pure commercial speculations. The people of Auckland, like those of other places, will ultimately learn to estimate aright the foolishness which gives vent to its little grievances by the expression —“ I’ll start a paper.” First Church. The conference between the Presbytery and Mr Sutherland and his office-bearers on Tuesday evening, was conducted with closed doors, but the Bi •ace Herald has been fortunate enough to obtain a report of what took place, which wo give. The proceedings lasted from 7 pm. till 1.30 a.m. The Rev. A. B. Todd, who conducted the communion services of the previous day, announced to the congregation to hold themselves in readiness, to appear before the Presbytery on Monday or Tuesday evening if culled upon, but such was not the case, the memorial of the dissentients in the congregation not having been dealt with by the Presbytery so far. The Rev. Mr Sutherland was closeted with the Presbytery for over two hours, and the Session for a similar time thereafter, the conclusion arrived at by the Presbytery being, that the whole matter be brought under the consideration of the Synod, which, fortunately, meets in a fortnight hence. Humor has it, that Mr Sutherland held that a majority of the congregation sided with him, aud that were the Kirk Session to resign he could secure an equally suitable session from the remaining congregation, which he held would improve by the change in numbers aud general prosperity; such a lino of argument showing but little regret on his part f /r his late conduct, or consideration of the previous decision of the Presbytery. The Session were asked by the Presbytery if Mr Sutherland were to apologise for his conduct and promise amends, would they be prepared to work harmoniously with him? To which the entire Session replied “.No,” with the exception of two of their number—Messrs Law and M‘Land rest, to wit—who throughout have proved thick aud thin supporters of their minister. In order that the Synod may have proof of the exact feeling of th congregation, and the number of the members supporting and dissenting from Mr Sutherland respectively, the Session were requested to visit each member of the Church in their several districts, and procure their assent or dissent in writing. Matters ihus remain in statu quo, and the whole of the discreditable squabble will have to be gone over again before the highest tribunal of the Church. The adjourned meeting of the Masonic Hall Company will be held at the Hall this (Thursday) evening at eight e’clock. The lloyal Horticultural Society of Otago offers four silver ipedals for the best kept gardens. Competitors for the (Society’s medals are requested to send in their namva to the Secretary before the 19th Fohorary next.