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Evening Star, Issue 3101, 27 January 1873, Page 2

"Rowing seems to be recognised in New South Wales as a recreation for ladies. The Newcastle Chronicle states— “ We understand it is the intention of the rowing club, consequent upon the splendid rowing of the two Miss Dempseys at the late Newcastle regatta, to invite them to go to Sydney and contest the race for the honor of the Hunter River district. Should the ladies accept the invitation. we have but little doubt as to the result of the race/'

We have received f » A Man’s ” reply to the Daily Times on Sunday traffic, which we shou d suggest, as a matter of courtesy, to be seat to that journal, which is really entitled first to be asked to insert R. If insertion is refused, it will be for us to consider the propriety of publishing it; but we may at once say we do not see any advantage to be gained by a controversy ou a subject on which premises so ilbdefined as “ A Working Man’s ■ ’ are laid down aa the basis of an argument. Contrary to our usual custom, the manuscript will be returned on application. Referring to acclimatisation matters, Mr Wakefield gives to the Lyttelton 'Time. j the following y,ery interesting information : “ Nino years'ago ute Dec. 1b63) I brought eighty-five birds out iVijin England to Nelson, twenty-five of which we vt skylarks. The welkin now rings with their song/ and i have sent a good supply,to every Province in New Zealand, as nothing affords mo so much pleasure as to spread trees, plants, birds, animals, &c,, from the Old Dominion, wherever our flag flies. Eighteen years ago I brought two red deer out here. Lord Feke -ent some more, and now there is a herd of fifty. Last autumn I could hear them “ belling” of a night within a mile of where I write, at the back of the College, whither I presume they had come after watercress or i ycopedium. At any rate they were there con staidly.-^ Sentence way at the Melbourne Criminal Sessions oa the #tfifast., on A dolphe Oppenbeimer and Adolphus Hamburger, found guilty of conspiracy to defraud' creditors of the firm of A. Oppeuheimer and Co,', of which the first-named defendant was senior partner. The Chief Justice said there were mitigating circ ’instances in the case, which, though they did not amount to making what the defendants did no offence at law, were material to be considered in reducing the punishment. He did n.c,t think it vas a case for incarceration, and thou:hi that a line would meet the justice of the Case. I e therefore lined each defendant LI 0. Tho ine was paid in as short a time as it was possible to go to the bank for the money, and bring it to the Sherijf, SemaJJperaoua ju

Court, friends of the defendants, offered their cheques for the amount immediately after sentence was passed, but of course cheques could not be received. In fact, except by those interested in the prosecution, a very general feeling of satisfaction was entertained at the Chief Justice adopting the view he did, and of those who heard the trial, not a few are of opinion that the defendants—especially the Paris Oppenheimer - have been very harshly treated throughout the w r holc transaction.

Some light has been thrown upon the doings and the aims of Russia, in Central Asia, by the publication of a pamphlet at Leipzig, from the pen of Christian Von Sarauw, captain in the Danish army. In this pamphlet the writer narrates the progress of Russia in that part of the world from the 16th century downwards, and exhibits the steadfastness and persistency of the policy pursued. He shows that step by step the authority of the Czar has been extended from the shores of the Caspian to the banks of the Oxus, and that whin the capital of Bokhara fell into his hands, and the Ameer of that country, as well as the Khan of Kokund became subject to him, Russia consiitutcd herself the‘actual ruler of Central Asia. But Captain Von Sarauw con'.enda that trade, and not territorial conquest is the end which Russia has in view; and, he argues, “there is nothing that need disquiet England in Russia’s movements, even if Afghanistan were to become dependent upon her, Russia’s sphere of power would come into immediate contiguiy with the East Indian dominion subsisting under British influence, and two powers, to civilized States, who both have a peculiar interest in the development of their material resources, and in the preservation of peace, would come into immediate contact with each other,” Most Englishmen, however, will be disinclined to view with complacency the establishment of Russia at the gates of Afghanistan. But Anglo-Indians appear to regard the advance of the Czar without much uneasiness, and we find the Friend of India contending that “for all proper and legitimate purposes, Russia, barely emerging from a rude to a partially civilized state, has a right to British sympathy and help. Beyond that line, no British Government would go. Within that line we submit that it is England’s duty and interest to have a fair understanding with Russia, if such an understanding is possible.” From the telegrams which we published last week, there would seem to be grounds for concluding that such an amicable understanding had been arrived at.

The opinions of the Press on “ Master Humphrey’s ” brochure , will not altogether please that “ man of vast figures,” as he has been elsewhere styled. The Southland News savs this of it:—“opening it at the that page we find the following fling at Provincial extravagance and in : —‘ Let any unprejudiced man cast his e*o to the South and observe a railway (the Bluff line) constructed at a cost of L 307,168, for the ordinary requirements of which a few' donkey carts might suffice,’ &c. Taking this as a fair sample of Master Humphrey's ' facts,’ we think our readers will agree with us that it would be a waste of time to analyse his ■arguments ’” The Mount Ida Chronicle observes it is to be regretted that any one earning his bread in a growing country should be found to raise the cry needlessly of stinking lish. It is not every one that can find time or ability to follow Master Humphrey through the maze of figures he dishes and half-dishes up for his pleasure. Everyone, however, of average common sense, can see by the very palpable errors of generalisation from facts easily within knowledge, how little faith should be attached to the statements and deductions from the unknown. It is perhaps the best thing that could have happened, in order to destroy the evanescent influence this author has obtained, that t cse letters should have been put forth in the form of a complete pamphlet, which docs not afford the room for dark holes and obscure corners, that tile newspaper column does.” Under the heading “A Colonial Secretary’s Bull Dog,” we find the following in a Melbourne contemporary :—Western Australia must be a queer kind of place, but there is nut an utter deficiency of fun in it, if you may judge from the comments of one of the papers upon the proceedings of the Colonial ecretary and his bull-dog. ihere seems to be quite a relief in the mind of the writer that he had an op ortumty of commenting upon the popular tastes of the Colonial .'Sjecretary with ut exposing himself to tbe action Ol the Jaw, The Colonial Secretary’s “ Bull Pup” seems to be mure like Muarleyow than Mr >ykes’s dog. However here is the case :—“ Most people in this Colony whom business or pleasure has caused to make peregrinations through the streets of Perth have, at some time or other, encountered a certain gentleman accompanied by a ‘faithful hound.’ This gentleman is stout and portly, not possessing too agreeable an expression of countenance, and his faithful hound is a surly, bandy-legged, unamiable, unapproachable bull-dog. Convert the master’s broad cloth coat into a rough shooting jacket, bis bell-topper into a slouch fiat, and his umbrella into a dudgeon, and you have not a bad idea of Bill iSykes as Dickens fancied him. The dog haj a great aversion to all others of his species whom ho assails ai.d worries causelessly and indiscrimiateiy. His life is a series of single combats, and he is not very particular as to the terrain he selects for his encounters. Last Sunday he invaded the cemetery in Perth, while two funerals were being celebrated. He quarrelled with another dog as a matter of course, and a tierce light ensued. The combatants were driven away from one grave by some of the attendants, and they rushed, still fighting, into the midst of the ’funeral party assemoied to pay their last tribute of respect to the late Mrs Gallop The funeral service was iuteirupted, and the ferocious brutes, still mangling each other, aii(i'b]ind with rage, fell into the grave, to the horror'"the spectators, and continued the war upon the cofeii. Pp.qpio scarcely knew how to act. It requires sbpie dnjoujit of nerve to enable a mau to encounter twp savage brutes in a deep hole. The fight proceeded until Mr Moss let himself down into the grave, and held one beast down with his foot between the coffin and the side of the sepulchre, while be grappled with the other, which seized him by the ha-A Moss managed, however, to get hold of the dog and throw him out of toe grave. When he tried to seize the second one, the savage brute flew at his throat, which he fortunately missed, catching vir Moss instead by the breast of his coat and waistcoat. Moss, getting a good grip of the animal’s throat, hurley him from the grave after his antagonist:''

The adjourned quarterly meeting of the Court pride of Dunedin, A.O. P», will bo held in the Friendly Societies’ Hall, Princes street, to-morrow (Tuesday) evening, at 8 o’clock.