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Evening Star, Issue 2938, 19 July 1872, Page 2

Princess Theatre. —• The spectacular drama of “Masanicllo” was repeated last evening, the attendance being moderate. The last scene was again well received. Mayor’s Court.— There were only three oases of drunkenness before the Court this morning. David Muirhead lias lined ss; Elizabeth Edwards and Anthony Cullen, 20s each, with the usual alternative. Resident Magistrate’s Court.— There were only two cases set down for hearing in the Resident Magistrate s Court this morning. J. Fulton, Esq., R. M., was in attendance. Both cases were called, and both postponed. We regret to learn that Mr Strode has been so seriously indisposed tor some days as to be unable to leave his room. The Introduction of Small-pox.— The New Zealand Herald of the 12th inst. understands that the General Government intend to take proceedings against the master of the Nebraska on his arrival, on the ground of his having made a false declaration as to the health of his ship’s company, and that a legal gentlemen from Wellington has arrived in Auckland to conduct the proceedings.

Royal Horticultural Society.— We have received a copy of the report, balance sheet, rules, aud aarangements for shows for the next year of the Royal Horticultural Society of Otago. The Society appears to be in a healthy condition, have an increased number of members. The coming shows takes place on the 20th October and 20th December, 1872, and the 15th March, 1873, The prizes are numerous.

New Industry.—a “ Fire and Lighting Rencwer ” is the name given to the latest addition to the local industries of Auckland. Most people are acquainted with a variety of agglomerates that are used in England to facilitate the efforts of the domestic servant in lighting a lire. Coal, tar, resin, aud numberless other things have been turned to account. AMr Williams, of Auckland, has discovered that the refuse dust of kauri gum aud sawdust, properly prepared, will make a capital lirc-kindler ; and he has commenced the manufacture of a suitable article. A cake which will burn steadily for fully quarter of an hour, giving out a strong heat, he is able to produce at something less than a farthing. Earth Closets. —At a recent meeting the City Council, at the instigation of Councillor Neale, instructed the Town Clerk to communicate with the Melbourne civic authorities as to the mode of management of cesspools in that city. Mr Fitzgibbon, the Town Clerk of Melbourne, has replied, furnishing the desired information. On the subject of earth closets he says : —“Many of them are in houses in this city, but they are not taken notice of by the Council. As a means of general accommodation they are objectionable, because of the weight of earth requiring to be used, and tho little additional value imparted to it as manure, unless it should be used many times over, against which there are strong objections. A description of disinfection closet, free from the objection just stated, because the deodorising material is a chemical powder used in very small quantity, is one patented by a person named Higgins, of this city, ■whose prospectus or description of the utensils I also forward herewith. I should add, however, that iii the vessels emptied by the Corporation contractor, no deodorant is used, though it is in contemplation to allow, and suggest, the use of house ashes.” The cleansing of the receptacles for night soil in Melbourne costs L 6,500 a year.

Railway Construction. —The following petition for presentation to the Assembly is being circulated in the Waikouaiti district: —“That a great injustice is being done to your petitioners by the delay in taking the necessary steps for laying off and forming that portion of the Main Trunk Line of Railway between Dunedin and Moeraki—via Waikouaiti and Palmerston—thus impeding and delaying direct expeditious communication between the district and the chief centre of commerce, Dunedin. That no out-port in Otago, however fostered by branch lines or jetties, can ever become oth r than an outer port for coastal trade. That the district referred to in the petition embraces very large and most important agricultural, mining, andpastoral interests. That the present traffic by the main road

through the district is very large—perhaps as great, if not greater, than through any other district in the Province. Moreover, as the resources of the district become developed, the traffic must necessarily increase, to say nothing of the increased traffic that Would accrue were the carrying done cheaply and expeditiously, as it would ho by train. That a great saving in cost of construction could bo effected by commencing the formation of the railway at the Dunedin end, and by using the line in carrying the plant as it progressed. Your petitioners, therefore, trust that the survey and formation of that portion of the Main Trunk line, viz., between Dunedin and Moeiaki, will have the immediate attention of your Government. ” Juvenile Offenders. —Like Dunedin Auckland is troubled with a number of juveniles who are trained to crime; but there the difficulty is experienced of having no suitable place to send the offenders, to remove them from evil influences. At the recent criminal sittings of the Supreme Court there two cases occurred that not onlyforced that matter on the notice of the public, but arrested attention and excited wonder why they should ever have been brought before the higher court. In one case a girl, twelve years of age, represented that she came from some person of respectability, in order to get sweetmeats in one instance, in another a bonnet to adorn her head, and some other small articles of property, from four persons altogether ; and in the second a youth was sent for trial for obtaining by false pretences the mere necessaries of life from a grocer’s shop, and the whole value of the goods obtained amounts only to 4s Ud altogether. The Chief Justice was deservedly,severe in condemning the conduct of the magistrates who declined to deal Avith those cases ; and he invited a presentment urging a reclassification of offences. He also drew attention to the need for a reforn f>r juvenile criminals in Auckland, saying that they Avere not to look to the Government of the country as the persons'upon Avhom they should presume to pass censure they should rather look to the people themselves, and especially to the owners of property. The grand jury carried out his suggestion as to classification of of offences, but they Avere silent as to a reformatory. The girl was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment ; the boy to four months’.

Mr Fish’s General Committee will meet at the offices next the Ship Inn, Princes street, to morrow (Saturday) evening at 9 o’clock, on business of importance. The Dunedin Rifle Club match ■which was to have taken place to-morrow has been postponed until Saturday, 27th inst. Entries may be made up till Thursday next. Mr Fish will address the electors this evening at the Drill Shed, Water oi Leith, at 7 o’clock, and at the Royal George, at 8.15; to-morrow (Saturday) evening, at Field’s Canongate Hotel, Brown street, at 7 o'clock, and at the Imperial Hotel at 8,15.