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Evening Star, Issue 2855, 13 April 1872, Page 2

The Mail.—As it was expected the Taranaki arrived without the mail to-day^: It was impossible she could have brought it as the Wellington had not arrived at Lyttelton when she sailed. The Wellington may not be here in time for delivery of letters to-night; but if not, they will be delivered to-morruvv morning early The notice we publish to-night is the final arrangement for transmission of letters. As it contains full particulars respecting posting letters, we need not reprint them. Tim mail will leave the Port at two o’clock p.m. on Tuesday, Postal Arrangements.—ln order to obtain as much time for answering letters as possible, Messrs Reynolds and Bathgate, members for the City, telegraphed the Executive, and received a reply stating that the arrangements, as specified in the Post Office notice, could not be further extended without risking being too late for transmission of the mail by the Nevada, Half-holiday Concert. —To-night a concert and readings in connection with the Half-holiday Association will be given in the Masonic Hall. The programme is varied and well selected, and the names announced of persons who have agreed to take part ensure its being ably gone through. His Honor Mr Justice Chapman will take the chair. New Books.—The following books have been received by the Suez Mail for Wise’s library “The Beautiful Miss Barrington,” by' Holme Lee ; “Anne Furness,” by the author of Margaret’s Trouble ”; Chronicles of Golden Friars,” by J. S. Le Fanu; “ The L : fe of Lady Russell Mitford,” by the Rev. A. C. L’Estrange ; “ The Story of a Shower,” by Anna H. Drury; “Olive Varcoe,” by Francis Derrick; “The Switzers,” by Hepworth Dixon; and “Free Russia,”"also by the last-named author. Princess Theatre.—Last evening Signor Donato took a farewell bcuetit, and, considering the inclemency of the weather, the house was fairly attended. The entertainment commenced with a comic drama entitled “ A Husband to Order,” the incidents in which took place daring the exciting times of the first Napoleon. Miss Anstaad as Josephine, and Mr Musgravc as Phillipean, maintained the principal characters; and the rest of the company supported them in an able manner. Signor Donato gave a song and dance, “Love among the Hoses,” and as usual was loudly applauded. He also appeared as the Spanish matada, and depicted the. events of the bull fight ivith marvellous agility. Mr R. Glover danced the Highland fling in first-rate style, which caused an encore. The entertainment concluded with the drama entitled “Tom Noddy’s Secret.” The acting of Messrs Hyde and Musgravc kept the house in a state of merriment. To-night there will he an entire change of performance, Mr Morton Tavares and Miss Surtees appearing for the first time before a Dunedin audience, in Lord Lyttou’s play of “Richelieu.” The Press both at Home and in the Colonies speaks very highly of Mr Tavares. Iron Sand.—A Wellington contemporary says :—The Taranaki papers contain the announcement of the return of Mr Chilman from England and with it the statement that he lias sold all the interest of the Pioneer Steel Company to Messrs H. J. Walduck and Company, extensive metal brokers of Manchester. About a month before Mr Chilmau left London a meeting was held with the object of forming a company to work the Taranaki steel sand, but the general opinion was that one or two hundred tons of the sand should be sent to England to be smelted there, so that people could judge of the results, great doubt being entertained of any reports from the Colony. The Taranaki people, however, stand in the way of such a proposal, and hardly, we think, consult their own interests by refusing to permit any export of the sand. During the present wool season the captain of one of the wool ships trading to Wellington made an offer to take home 51)0 tons of the sand, but the Provincial Government re-

fused to allow any of ij to leave the Province. This seems to have been a golden opportunity lost. Such a shipment would have given a supply sufficient for diseribution amongst the most experience! ironmasters. The result of such a trial would have done more to sit at rest the practical value of the sand than all the efforts conducted within the Colony with limited appliances and experience. The Cargill Monument. —This afternoon the drinking fountains at the Cargill Monument were formally opened by his Worship the Mayor. The weather interfered much with the attendance, but wet as it was, about live hundred persons were present. A short platform had been laid for tbs convenience of the speakers, and at three o’clock his Worship came forward, and in a short speech gave an account of the r moval to, and re-erection of the monument on, its present site. He made a few remarks illustrative of the character of the late Captain Cargill, to whose memory the monument is erected, explained the reasons why it was thought desirable to remove it, and stated that he considerel it now in the best position in which it could be placed. It had been removed at a cost of abut 1.400. Mr Gore, the contractor, then handed his Worship a silver cup, and the tap having been turned, it was tilled with water from the fountain. Mr Reynol s and Mr Bathgate followed with short speeches, and the proceedings were brought to a c’ose by cheers for the Water Company, who supply the water gratis, his Worship the Mayor, and Her Majesty. Mr. J. G. S. Grant then said something, but the weather was too wet to induce many to listen to his spouting. A Timely Warning. —The Tnapelcu Times gives the following opinion on the present phase of the education question ; Despite the wide spread feeling against them, there is every probability that the Aided Schools Clauses in the General Government Education Bill will pass during the next session. The supporters of these clauses, to their credit be it said, are effectively but quietly working to secure their passage through the Legislature, while their opponents are wasting their time and energies in useless denunciations of the—to them—obnoxious clauses. Besides, the secular or National party is split up into numesous factions, all acting independently for each other, and all of which lose sight of their common aim in quarrelling over petty differences of opinion amongst themselves. The Denominational party is guilty of no such weakness, but has anayed its forces in a solid, compact mass, the component parts of which are determined to secure victory for their side. The attempts made to' form national education associations, and the endeavours to get up petitions against the Clauses in question are so ridiculous, that were not the subject of such serious import, they would be worthy only of being laughed at. Witness the Clutha petition farce and the Cargill association burlesque. The sapient originators of these movements are still posse sed of that spirit which procured the early residents of wtagothe so’riguet of cockneys. The existence of such places as Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and other cities and towns of the Colony, is utterly ignored. They seem to iraag-ne that the Clutha and Dunedin constitute New Zealand, and that whatever the residents of those places desire will be immediately granted by the Colonial Legislature. Probably great astonishment will be expressed by the parties alluded to when they' find their labors appraised at their true value.

The second quarter of the School of Art will commence on Monday next, the loth inst. An adjourned meeting of the Education Board will be held on Monday, the loth inst., at the Government Buildings. The Harbor Company’s p.s. Golden Age will proceed to Port Chalmers tomorrow, leaving the wharf at 2.30, conveying visitors to the Rosario. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Commercial Building and Investment Society for receiving subscriptions, &c., will beheld on Monday evening from six to eight o’clock. The members of the Dunedin Choral Society will meet for rehearsal on Tuesday, the Iflth inst., instead of Monday, on account of the English mail being despatched on the former day. Fuom an advertisement which appears in another column, it will be seen that the citizens propose to give a ball to Captain Challis and the officers of FT. M.S. Rosario. The committee meets to-night at Wain’s Hotel at S p,ra., to make the necessary arrangements. The “ Illustrated New Zealand Herald ’’ of this month contains engravings of more than usual interest. The first is an excellently-ex'cutcd likeness of Sir H. B. G. Robinson, Governor of New South Wales ; but what is perhaps more important to New Zealand readers and their friends, there are four engravings of Grcymouth after the flood, a representation of the Auckland Annual Regatta, and an engraving of the Canterbury Volunteer Champion Cup. There are also some very good views of Australian scenery. These, so attractive to Home readers, should secure it a very speedy sale. The reading matter is also unusually inte resting.