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Evening Star, Issue 2992, 20 September 1872, Page 2

Railway Construction. —Mr J. C. Brown, M.H.P., telegraphs to the Lawrence Railway Committee that Mr Stafford pledges the Government to commence the Tuapeka Railway during the present summer. The New Native Minister. —As we surmised a few days ago, Mr James Mackay, jun., is to replace Mr M‘Lean, He arrived in Wellington in hot haste by the Taranaki, and we presume he will be called to the Legislative Council. —Lyttelton Times. Exodus of Miners. —The recent Australian telegrams appear to have greatly disturbed the Thames miners. About 200 people left Auckland last week in the barque Hokitika for Queensland. More vessels are laid on for Australia, and an exodus is feared. A Suggestion. —“ Snider,” writing to a contemporary, sincerely hopes the practice carried out in San Francisco amongst volunteer corps of presenting the loivest scorer with a leather medal will be carried out in the Colony. He thinks they would then qualify for the highest instead of the lowest prize. Princess Theatre. —“ Sweethearts and Wives ” was repeated last evening to a fair house, and was followed by the burlesque of “ Cinderella,” which is not only well played, but is capitally put on the stage The singing of Miss Nye, and the dancing of the same lady and Miss Willis, together with the comic acting of Mr Hydes as the heroine of the glass slipper, could not fail to please the audience. Both pieces will be repeated to-night. Amusing.— Some of the Northern papers have' an extraordinary, but withal comical way of giving prominence to their telegraphic intelligence. The New Zealand Herald, for example, recently gave the following headings to its telegrams:—“ Lively Times at Reofton. An Omnium Gatherum. The Loek-up Suffers a Surfeit. More Oil. Another Sinner brought to Book. Steajja up

at Port Chalmers, Great Excitement of Thirty Gentleman. —The last four sensational “ headers ” have reference to a Dunedin telegram, in which the capture of two whales at Waikouaiti; the committal for trial of R. C. Evatt for embezzlement; and the trial trips of the Port railway locomotives are mentioned. The thirty gcutlemen w r ho had the privilege of enjoying the first ride on the railway will be astonished to learn that they suffered “ great excitement ” on the occasion.

Football. —A football match will he played ou Saturday, on the South Dimediu Recreation Ground; English v. Scotch oftheD.F.C. As all the playing members of the club take part in this match, no doubt the game will be a good one. The ball will bo kicked off punctually at 3 p.m., and members are requested to be punctual. It is understood that the Englishmen will wear a white jersey, in order that they may be distinguished from their opponent. More Effigy Burning.—There was some excitement in the usually quiet streets of Westport on , v aturday week last. By the light of blazing flambeaux, and to the tooting and braying of a brass band playing the “Rogue’s March,” two mangy looking effigies, respectively labelled, “White” and “ O’Conor,” were paraded ; and afterwards, amidst shouts and hoo.ings, consigned to tarry flames in Palmerston street. As fun for the small boys it was immense; but, says the Times, if meant as a political demonstration it was unnecessary. Silent contempt for local representatives is the present feeling prevailing in Westport. Auckland Superintenddncy.- The Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes We arc told that a requisition has been forwarded to Mr Vogel, asking that gentleman to stand for the Superintendency, now that it is vacated by Mr Gillies’ acceptance of a portfolio. If Mr Vogel consents, he will certainly be elected. The requisition was forwarded, so I bear—on excellent authority—by a Mr Shanagban, a by no means influential M.P.C., but he is understood to have been merely the agent for other persons, his patrons, or friends, as the case may be. Postal. —A circular has been issued by the General Post Office of the Colony informing Postmasters that in future postage rates to the following places will be as follows :—West Coast of .South America—ls 6d for |oz letter, and every additional {oz, Is (id; 3d on every newspaper not exceeding 4oz ; book packets of 4oz, 9d, not exceeding Boz, Is Cel, and every additional Soz or fraction of Sz, Is Gd. British West Indies —Letters not exceeding Is 4d, and every additional or fraction of {oz Is 4d ; newspapers not exceeding 4oz each 3d ; book packets not exceeding 4oz 9d, not exceeding Bnz Is Gd, and every additional Soz or fraction of Soz, Is GJ, Public Opinion in Auckland, — The Auckland correspondent of the Daily Times, whose auti-Fox-cum- Vogel proclivities are well known, still persists in telegraphing intelligence as to the state of public opinion in that Province, which is absolutely false. The local correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, evidently a good authority, and one whose veracity has never yet been impugned, writes : —“The change of Ministry occupies everyone’s attention, 1 think to the exclusion of almost every other subje.t. The general belief’seems to be that wc are launched upon a sea of troubles, of which many of us may not live to witness the end. There is no confidence in the Government as at present constituted. Everyone is asking here, “What does it all mean, and to what are wc drifting ? ” There is a strong reaction . et in in favor of the late Ministry, especially since it became clearly evident that all those charges of waste and maladministration are moonshine, got up with sinister motives.” To-morrow we shall be prepared to show by the two leading papers in Auckland that public opinion there does not favor Mr Stafford.

A Change. —Mr Curtis was erst a Centralist. He is now, accoiding to Lis own profession, a Provincialist. In a recent speech he said:—“ With respect to the whole question of Provincial institutions, I cannot help thinking that a very large change of opinion has taken place in this country within the last few' years. I think that the extreme views held on both sides have, to a great extent, faded, and that the general conviction is, that while Provincial institutions shall not be regarded as permanent—while it is not desirable to increase the powers of the Provinces until they become ultimately Colonies, and reduce the powers of the General Legislature until it becomes ultimately little more than a Federal Legislature —still I think that the desire is that these institutions be maintained in a state of efficiency until the country is very much more generally peopled than it is at this time. I believe that not only is it the feeling in the country generally, but if it were possible to destroy the records of this House, to forget the acts of the past few years, to burn our files of newspapers, and to ignore the existence of Jlansaul, that that feeling would be held by a large majority of this House itself.” This is a very brilliant conception on the part of Mr Curtis, InP, supposing Mr Curtis chose to change his opinion in another year or two, what then '! Which should we burn ? Mr Curtis or our files of newspapers ?

Catholic. —A meeting was held last evening at St. Joseph’s schoolroom, in order that the necessary steps might be taken for the establishment of a branch of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society. Mr Sbapter, having been elected to the chair, explained the object of the Society, saying that it w r as on the same principle as the Foresters and Oddfellows; essentially a Benefit Society, but Catholic, and as such open te Catholics of all nationalities ; that it was under the immediate sanction of the Church ; that it was nonpolitical ; and there was nothing of a secret nature about it, neither signs nor passwords being used, and that its meetings were open to the press. Mr Sbapter continued to address the meeting at considerable length, in the course of his remarks shewing that an Association, such as this, was a tower of strength—an'elcctric battery, emitting a current of sympathy which drew all those within its magic circle closer and closer together, under the name of that mysterious power of human sympathy, forbad them to depart or break the sacred bonds of fellowship and love ; that he believed meetings were being held at that very moment in the various districts of the Province—namely, Oamarn, Naseby, Lawrence, Queenstown, St. Bathans, Cromwell, and Invercargill, for the purpose of forming branches in the several districts named, and from some of

which places he had already received every assurance of success. Several of those present having given their names as intending members, the meeting terminated.