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Evening Star, Issue 2988, 16 September 1872, Page 2

The Mail News.—Our readers will find the telegraphic news by the San Francisco mail on the fourth page. Princess Theatre.—The change of programme on Saturday evening attracted a full attendance downstairs, but the circle was poorly patronised. We did not see “The Peep-show Man,” but the burlesque of “ La Somnambula” was very creditably put on the stage and played evenly throughout.

Mr Willia haa managed another pretty last scene, which would have been very effective but for an accident in shifting one of the scenes, which prevented more than a partial glance being had of the transformation. Misses Nye and Anstead filled the principal characters, and were ably supported by Messrs South and Hydes, the latter as Amina, being irresistably comic. Both pieces are to be repeated to-night.

Earthquake.—A . smart shock of earthquake was experienced at Queenstown at 3 p.m. on Friday last.

Fatal Accident. — At Hyde, on Friday, a miner named William Hall was killed by a fall of earth while working his claim.

Athletic Club,—At a meeting on Saturday evening, the balance sheet for the past year was read. The rec-ipts wore L 206 Ss Bd, and the expenditure L19(3 os 9d. Mr F. Fell was elected president ; Messrs C. B. Winter and H. C. Brewer, vice-presidents ; Mr W. Begg, secretary; and Mr J. Mackenzie, hon. treasurer.

The Ministry. The Lyttelton Timex, in a recent article dealing with Wellington’s claim upon the late Government for moneys due in connexion with Native reserves, calls Mr Fitzherbert the Sturdy Beggar. The Press, an out-and-out supporter of Mr Stafford, says the new 9 rcasurer (ivlr Curtis) must have been selected for the office because he knows nothing, or next to nothing, of finance.

The Bazaar.—ln consequence of some of the most valuable articles being left over on Saturday evening, it was resolved to continue to dispose of them by private sale, especially as Mr Fleming most liberally allowed the South Australian Hall to be made use of. Mrs Chapman will give her assistance to the ladies who have charge of the stalls this evening. The Cromwell chair, the “ Hawk and his quarry,” with other valuable goods, are to be raffled for; and the list of members for the art union is rapidly filling. We understand that it is proposed to dispose of most of the remaining articles by lottery.

The Cost of Litigation. —Under the heading judicial fees aud lines, we find that there was collected last year the sum of L 25,519. The principal part of this sum accumulates from court foes, the fines representing a comparatively small amount. Roughly speaking, therefore, besides (laying their share in the shape of taxes towards judicial salaries, &c., the Colonists of New Zealand pay 2s 2d per head per annum for litigation. This would seem to point to the conclusion that we are a rather litigious kind of people ; and when the large number of petty civil cases which are brought before the Courts are taken into account, this conclusion is further strengthened.

Testimonial. —The inhabitants of Lawrence intend to present Mr Horace Bastings, who has just retired from the Mayoralty of that borough, after having held the chair since the creation of the office, with a mark of their appreciation of his civic labors. The presentation is to take the form of a handsome tea and coftee service, with a massive tray, all of silver; and the articles have been obtained from Mr Hislop, jeweller, Princes street, in whose window they are now exposed to view. They bear the following inscription : —“ Presented to Horace Bastings, Esq, J.P., by the cit’zens of Lawrence, Otago, on his retirement from the Mayoral chair, having occupied that position for six consecutive years. 20'h Sept. 1872,”

Meteorological. —The following, from a Parliamentary paper, shows the rainfall m the several towns of the Colony throughout the past year -In Napier, 106 days aud 3 bin. ; in Christchurch, 12 5 days aud 27in. ; in Southland, 144 days and 39in.; in Dunedin, 149 days and 22in ; at the Bealcy (Canterbury), IG7 days and Klfiin. ; iu Wellington, 183 clays aud 64in. ; at Mongouui, 185 clays and67m. ; in Auckland, 104 days and 47iu. ; at Hokitika. 196 days and 122 in. ; and at Taranaki, 207 days and 72in, Greymouth’is said to have averaged about the same number of web days with the same inches of water as at Hokitika, being by far the largest quantity on the list.

Suspected Incendarism at Clyde. On Sunday morning last, about 2 o’clock, the residents of Clyde were awoke from their slumbers by the ominous cry of fire, mingled with the screams of the women living in tiro locality. In an incredibly short space of time some thirty men were on the scene of the conflagration, a detached wood and iron building, situate nearly in the centre of Sunderland street, between Dr Thomson’s residence and Mr Joss’s saddlery. A plentiful supply of water running immediately in front and on one side of the building, with the aid of buckets, was soon brought to bear on the flames, and quickly subdued them; but, however, not before the place was completely gutted ami every article of furniture reduced to a heap of ashes. It being an exceedingly calm night, from the first it was seen that the adjoining buildings were in no danger, so those who were out on the first alarm quietly struggled with the devouring element, and quickly gained a mastery of it. As the matter is to be investigated fco-diy (Friday) before E, H. Carew, Esq., Coroner, and a Jury of twelve, also us there is a man iu custody op suspicion of setting the place on fire, we shall here refrain from further comment. Times.

Dredging Beds of Gold-rearing Rivkks. —The following is the account given by ilio Dun,if an Times of Mr Nuttall’s reception at Clyde“ On Friday exening, the 6th inst., at Fames’s Duns tan Hotel, Mr Nuttall, the proprietor of the system to w®rk the bed of the'Molynenx by means of submarine boats was interviewed by a number of gentlemen, including many who are interested in dredging for gold. Drawings of the boat were laid on the table, and the whole system Wits minutely explained. Mr Nuttall proposed that a company should be formed to build a boat, equal interest to be held by the projectors as by the company, and if the invention is successful, to construct an unlimited number. He said when in Dunedin he had been most favorably met, and an offer had been made him to test the invention, but lie would rather have some up-country shareholders than that the whole affair should bo in the hands of the people of Dunedin. No arrangement was come to, those present expressing themselves desirous, before moving in the matter, to see what the Dunedin capitalists intended doing.” We trust the matter will not be allowed to fall through.

How to Work an Auction Sale.— The following story recently appeared in the Wanganui Herald A very amusing auction sale lately occurred over the disposal of an unfortunate man’s furniture. The auctioneer was selling up for rent, and the mau’s friends attended to buy it in, and thought they would get it cheap if they kept everyone else from bidding. The day arrived, and the posse was there. No. 1 says to the auctioneer “You’re a nice fellow ! selling a man up ; perhaps you’ll be sold up some day yourself” Auctioneer: “Don’t tell me what 1 know to my cost; I have been sold up before, and may be again.” Item, a bedstead, one bid and gone for 15s, with some worthless thing, thrown in for luck, such as sheets, mattrasses, and bedding. Chest of drawers, value £6. Bid a pound, and a stranger is on the point of giving a second, when friend No. 2 says, “We’re buying this for the missus ; you would not rob the missus !” All the outsiders who attempted to bid were cursed and intimidated until they had to desist. Everything was bought in at mob prices. “You’re a pretty fellow,” says friend No. 3 to a little old man who hail stepped in to pick up a bargain, “to bid against a man who has spent ten thousand in the place !” As he had lost ten thousand pounds, it was thought right and square that his landlord should lose ten thousand pounds more. A conscientious little Jew wondered how the auctioneer could render the account. A piano was sacrificed. Over it the sentiment was touching in the extreme. “Deprive a man of his piarlo monstrous !” The instrument gave a screech when it was knocked down at one tenth its value. One obdurate stranger would bid, when friend No. 4 insisted with irresistible vehemence he should come out and “ have a liquor.” He went, and was seen no more. The swindle concluded in a general shout.

Flax Rope.—We (Lyttelton Times) have inspected a piece of rope made of Canterbury liax, which has undergone a test of more than ordinary severity, and yet is as sound in the fibre as the day it was manufactured. The piece was cut from the topsail halyards of the Wild Duck, and is ,‘R inches in circumference. The rope was procured from Messrs Miles and Co. last year, and a portion of it was at once put into use for running gear. The vessel wont home to England, came out to Auckland, wept thence to Newcastle, New South Wales, and finally returned to Lyttelton, the rope remaining in use the whole time, and not even yet being discarded. The captain of the vessel states that, on going round Cape Horn, the rope was so superior to Manilla, that when coated with ice he had only to shake it and it became perfectly pliable, whilst the Manilla would have been as stiff as a rod. He was highly pleased with his experience of the rope in every possible respect, and states that he greatly prefers it to Manilla.

We notice that a concert will be given in the Roslyn Hall, to-morrow (Tuesday) evening, in aid of the library fund of Roslyn and Kaikorai Literary Institute.