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Evening Star, Issue 3197, 20 May 1873, Page 2

On the Ist May a veritable Jack-iu-the-Green was for the first time seen in Auckland.

The Insurance companies doing business at the Thames are reducing their rates, though they are still so high as to be almost prohibitory. The following appears in a recent number of the Am:— "Liardet.—At her residence, Syranga lodge, Richmond, the wife of Mr Frederick Evelyn Liardet, of twin daughters. Father delighted.” We should think so. Among the passengers by the Taranaki, to-day was Mr 0. Fellows, better known by his noTfi de j>lume of " Master Humphrey, who is en route for England. How he will be missed by the readers of our morning contemporary 1

Mr Vincent Fyke is about to publish a story of Colonial life and adventure, the incidents of which are connected chiefly with New Zealand, Report says that the descriptions and delineations of character are drawn in a masterly style, and will vie favorably with the works of the best English authors. The additional income which the Corporation of Wellington will receive from the sections on the reclaimed land, several of which were recently taken up by some Dunedin capitalists, has been brought forward as a reason why the city rate should be reduced from a shilling to sixpence. At a meeting of the City Council a proposal made by the Mayor to that effect was agreed to.

About two o’clock yesterday afternoon, as Mr Murphy, late of the Shamrock Hotel, and now residing at Halfway Bueb, was

getting oufc of his buggy to open the gate, the horss bolted and threw him off the step upon the ground, the wheels passing over both legs. He remained in this state for a considerable time before help was procured bp cany him in. Dr Sorley was sent for, and bn his arrival it was found that the right leg had been fractured by the accident about two inches above the ankle joint.

At the meeting of the committee of the Tradesmen’s Races held at the Empire Hotel last evening, it was finally decided that, as Monday next had been declared a public holiday, the races fixed for [Saturday should be held on that day. Entries for the various events were then made, the liberal prizes offered having induced some really fine horses to come out. The nominations aud acceptances will he found in another column.

Tenders for the first section of the WintouKingslon railway have been opened ; that of Messrs Watson and Bbair, Tokomairiro, for L 13.000, being accepted. The section includes the formation and ballasting to a depth of six inches of twenty-two miles of the line north from the township of W inton. We believe we arc correct in stating that, exclusive of that of the successful tenderer, three tenders were put in, viz., Proudfoot and Co,, L 19,000 ; Brogdeu and Sons, L 17,000 ; and J. and N. Campbell, L 14.000. In these amounts the odd figures are not included. The following telegram from the Hon. the Minister of Immigration to his HoqOr the Superintendent has been placed at our disposal:—“ The .Agent-General advises the sailing of the Michael Angelo for Otago on March 2, with 64 adults for Otago and 724 for Canterbury, the latter to be forwarded to their destination at the ship’s expense. The Edwin Fox left Brest on March 5. There had been an inquiry into the conduct of the captain aud matron. Both were acquitted. Twenty-twoand-a-half adults refused to come, having returned to England.” We learn, on the best authority, that immediately after the prorogation of the Provincial Council yesterday, the members of the Opposition held a meeting, when it was decided to telegraph to his Excellency the Acting-Governor and the hon. the Premier, that reasons would 1)3 urged against the dissolution which it was understood his Honor the Superintendent had applied for. In the evening the meeting adopted a memorial to his Excellency stating the reasons why the dissolution should nob be granted. The memorial was signed by twenty-seven members, and was forwarded to the North by the mail to-day. For the first time in the Colony an enterprising ped is attempting at Christchurch to perform the vastly difficult feat of walking a thousand miles in a thousand hours. The individual who, since Wednesday last, has been marching literally a weary round over a 1354 yards course in Christchurch — hour by hour, night and day-—is aMr Wiltcbire, a late arrival from England, aud who previously in England had accomplished the little less difficult task of eight hundred miles in eight hundred hour.’; To those who take an interest in. the affair we would mention that Mr Wiltshire commenced his work at 8 p.m. on the above day, and that the first mile was timed to 124 min,, Hie second 114 min., and the third I I rain We don’t know whom to envy qiost, the man who walks, or the gentlemen—there are two of them, Mr Bourgeois and Captain Meredith, one by night and o io by day—whosj duty is to look after the walker. For the sake of all we are glad to know that the course is snugly roofed in to keep out the weather. It will be remembered that Mr Casey, the Minister ef Lauds for the Colony of Vic toria, recently made a tour through New Zealand, and on his return to Melbourne published a narrative of his travels, in which he gave rather an extravagant account of the dangers which he supposed he escaped in his journey through the hot springs district at Taupo. The inaccuracy of his statement was at once discovered in New Zealand, and . elicited certain comments not very favorable to Mr Casey’s powers of observation during bis journeys in New Zealand. The Government have received from Mr Casey a letter expressing his regret that anything he should have written should have created an impression at all unfavorable to the Colony. He excuses himself by saying that he had confounded the; circumstances of the district before it was thrown open to Europeans with those of the present time ; that he thanks the Government for the extreme courtesy and attention paid to him during bis visit; and his colleagues join with him in those expressions. He further states that he has no doubt that New Zealand, and the lake country generally, will become a favorite resort for Victorian tourists who may pay the Colony a visit. The performance at the Queen’s Theatre last evening commenced with “Medea,” which was played to a large audience. Miss Clara Stephenson, who appeared as Medea, was enthusiastically received when she came on the stage. The character of Medea is a very difficult one to portray; although it affords scope for great dramatic power. In the scene where she is told to choose which of her children she will take, Miss Stephenson seemed to have gained the favor of the audience, for she was frequently applauded, and called before the curtain at the conclusion of each act. Mr Burford gave a very creditable representation of Jason, as did Mr Thorpe of Orpheus. Mr Aveling as Creon and Miss Jessie Raymond as Creusa, played well the minor parts allotted to them. The entertainment concluded with the burlesque “ Ixion.” Miss Stephenson seemed to thoroughly enter into the spirit of the character ; she was apparently suffering from a cold, which greatly detracted from her singing. Miss Anstead made a most attractive Juno, and Mr J. P. Hydes created the utmost merriment by the exceedingly laughable manner in which he played Minerva; he fairly convulsed the bouse by a Jittle faux pas not set down in the acting edition of the play. Mr Thorpe was amusing as Ganymede, and the other characters were well sustained.

A party of fencers were working on Holt and M'Kellar’s run, Cudgelligo, Mveriua. It appears that the contractor for the fencing had under him a son-in-law, whose wife was among the party. The father-in-law alleging that the son-in-law was useless as a fencer, discharged him, so away wont the man and his wife, and they wandered in a most destitute condition. Camped at a place called the Bald Hills, in Cudgelligo, near a beautiful lake, about fourteen miles by four, the poor woman, bred on the Tumut goldfields, picked up a piece of quartz in which gold was visible. They searched, and soon found the reef, in opening which they found plenty of quartz of most promising richness. We are told on good authority that these reefs crop out over a large extent of country thereabouts, and that there are likely to be alluvial diggings. The poor wanderer, who found the reef, immediately secured it by law, and was offered LI,0(00 for his share, which he declined, although a ghort time previously he bad not a blanket to put over his wife. A company was soon formed of- faen in the neighborhood, and operations were commenced on a small scale. The specimen from the claim brought to Hay was very rich, but it was there broken, and the richest part retained at Hay. The piece brought to Doniliquin had gold all through it, and was estimated by a good judge that it would yield an ounce to the ton. A rush has taken place, and it is expected that in a month there will be 3,000 persons on the ground.— Melbourne Aryua. ' Some time ago we announced that there was a probability of the Auckland Islands being occupied, under a lease from the Government, by Dr Monokton, of Invercargill. We are not aware whether the arrangements for his occupation of those islands have been finally settled. Should they not be, however, there is no doubt that the lease of the islands themselves will become a matter for considerable competition amongst persons desirous of carrying on either whale or seal fishing. In support of this statement, we may say that an application is now before the Government asking for a lease of the barren islands south of Stewart’s Island,

called the Snares, for tjiipurpose of carrying »n sealing operations. The applicant migert.akes either to reside upon the *pot himself, or to place a person there to represent bis interests ; also to refrain from hunting the seals during the breeding season ; to establish a provision depdt for shipwrecked crews; and to afford every facility to the Government for the erection cf any lighthouse they may think necessary to place there. Some idea of the value of these islands may be gathered from the fact that they arc the resort, during certain seasons, of both American and Tasmanian whalers, who slaughter every season immense numbers of seals, which arc of course taken away from the Colony, and nothing in the shape of revenue derived therefrom. It is understood also that there is a considerable deposit of guano on one or other of the islands, as they are the resort of innumerable flocks of sea fowl, a circumstance which was noticed by Commander Stokes in his survey of the Colony. The old battle of the ancients and moderns, which has been fought ever since the time of Locke, has been renewed again in Sidney. The occasion was commemoration day at the University, and the combatants were Dr Badham, the classical professor, and his Excellency Sir Hercules Robinron. The former appears to have been roused to insist upon the superiority of his favorite studios for forming and educating the mind of youth by a proposal thrown out by the latter to engraft a school of mints upon the University. Such a scheme in Dr Badham’s opinion would be “ degrading the University into an institution for teaching young men how to dig for gold successfully,” as if success in any legitimate avocation in life was a crime against society. But the idea presents itself in a more preposterous light still when ic is remembered’tbat the instruments by which success can only be obtained by the gold-dicger, include a knowledge of chemistry, mineralogy, metallurgy, engineering, and the kindred sciences. To pretend that such knowledge can degrade anybody who possesses it is to put down all the scientific teachers of the day as degenerate mortals, whose condition is, to be deplored by all high-minded classical scholars of the Badham type. It is in fact to associate classicism and morality, to make all sweetness and light reside in a Greek paradigm, and elevate the vocative case into an agent for making a man a gentleman. Such an old-fashioned notion might have pased muster in an age when the elegant studies of the world were contained in a few volumes of Homer aud Thucydides ; but in a generation that lias to work for its living by the sweat of its brow, and in a country among whose avocations that of gold-digging occupies so important a place, Dr Badham will scarcely find that any attempt to revive it will be welcomed.

rind to afford every facility to the Government for the erection cf any lighthouse they may think necessary to place there. Some < Idea of the value of these islands may be < gathered from the fact that they arc the resort, during certain seasons, of both 1 American and Tasmanian whalers, who I slaughter every season immense numbers of ’ seals, which arc of course taken away from 1 the Colony, and nothing in the shape of revenue derived therefrom. It is understood also that there is a considerable deposit of guano on one or other of the islands, as they are the resort of innumerable flocks of sea fowl, a circumstance which was noticed by Commander Stokes in his survey of the Colony. The old battle of the ancients and moderns, which has been fought ever since the time of Locke, has been renewed again in Sidney. The occasion was commemoration day at the University, and the combatants were Dr Badham, the classical professor, and his Excellency Sir Hercules Robinron. The former appears to have been roused to insist upon the superiority of bis favorite studios for forming and educating the mind of youth by a proposal thrown out by the latter to engraft a school of mints upon the University. Such a scheme in Dr Badham’s opinion would be “ degrading the University into an institution for teaching young men how to dig for gold successfully,” as if success in any legitimate avocation in life was a crime against society. But the idea presents itself in a more preposterous light still when ic is rememberfed that the instruments by which success can only be obtained by the gold-dinger, include a knowledge of chemistry, mineralogy, metallurgy, engineering, and the kindred sciences. To pretend that such knowledge can degrade anybody who possesses it is to put down all the scientific teachers of the day as degenerate mortals, whose condition is, to be deplored by all high-minded classical scholars of the Badham type. It is in fact to associate classicism and morality, to make all sweetness and light reside in a Greek paradigm, and elevate the vocative case into an agent for making a man a gentleman. Such an old-fashioned notion might have pas ed muster in an age when the elegant studies of the world were contained in a few volumes of Homer aud Thucydides ; but in a generation that has to work for its living by the sweat of its brow, and in a country among whose avocations that of gold-digging occupies so important a place, Dr Badham will scarcely find that any attempt to revive . it will be welcomed. In the Provincial Council yesterday, _ Mr Hallenstein tabled the following curious notice of motion : of opinion that from a-n-Arrow point of view, the building of a bridge over the Kawarau Palls will be detrimental to the Arrow. (2.) That wore this bridge to be erected, fully three - fourths of the entire traffic to the Lakes District would cross the same, whereby the road to Queenstown would be 'shortened, and two very steep mountains, one at the Morven I erry, and the other at the Shotover Hill, avoided, causing a saving in

freight of from 15 to 20 shillings per ton. ; which, while it would be a benefit to the Queenstown district, would, in the opinion of the storekeepers of the Arrow, injure their interests. (3.) That were a bridge over the Kawarua Falls erected, a great deal of settlement would go on on Noyes’ Flat to the detriment of farmers, who, near the Arrow about th ee years ago— also, from a-n-Arrow point of view—opposed, though unsuccessfully, the throwing open of land on Boyes’ run., (4.) That the proposed bridge, would enable Messrs Robertson and Hallenstein to send their flour at a very low rate to the Dunstan district, to the injury of their millersj who, might not be able to compete with them. (5.) That a bridge ovtr the Kawarau Falls would form a connecting link with Southland via the Devil’s Staircase, and cause cattl and sheep and passenger traffic to come in from that portion of the Province, to the detriment of settlers near the Arrow, (6 ) That in the opinion of this Council, a bridge over the Kawarau Falls being also situate at the outlet of Lake Wakatip, would enable timber boats at the head of the Lake to come close to the bridge, and thus facilitate the, supplying of timber to miners on the Kawarau and at Cromwell; also, would gain an advantage over the miners in the vicinity of Arrowtown, which would be wrong. (7.) That, therefore, this Council seriously consider the often expressed wish of the people of Arrowtown ; namely, that no road, bridge, railway, or telegraph be made to Queenstown, and that the interests of the township of Arrow be considered paramount and superior to those of the rest of the Lakes District. While the Italian frigate Vettor Pisani was at Auckland recently, the agent for the General Government, acting upon a request of the Hon. the Premier, sent on board as a present to the captain, Count G. Lovera di Maria, a collection of photographs and two coils of phormium rope, the Count having promised that during the return voyage of the frigate to Italy, the rope should be tested aud a report made to the Government upon its qualities. The photographs were principally of public buildings in the city of Auckland, aud of noted scenes in the Province. Dr Pollen, in the letter which accompanied them, stated that the portraits which were included were of “Maori chiefs whose names, in connection with the early European settlement of New Zealand, have an historical interest” in Auckland; and he expressed the regret of the Government that the views did not include some of the beautiful scenery in the other Provinces, and especially the Provinces of the Middle Island. The latest volume of “ Statistics of New Zealand ” was also presented. Count Lovera, in acknowledging the presentation, said he trusted and believed the photographs would “please very much in Italy, and remind him of his pleasant meeting in Auckland with his Excellency the Governor and the honorable Ministers” of the Colony. He added that he cordially reciprocated “the cordial good feeling testified to himself and his staff by the Government and citizens of this great Colony, for which he anticipates a great future.” Count Lovera and some of his officers visited the Thames during the stay of the frigate in Auckland; and meeting there several Maori chiefs, a “good time” was apparently passed, and several presents were made. Before sailing, the Count addressed a letter to Wi Tako Ngatata, Wi Katene, Faora Tuahere, Hore Hukatu, and Wi Parata, thanking them for “ specimens of the products of your industry, made of flax, which you have sent, to bo seen and examined by the people of my country. ” He added that he should long remember “the pleasant meeting had at Thames ” ; and that he hopes to meet the chiefs in Italy, so thathe may nave the pleasure of showing them “the same kindness and courtesy ” shown by them to himself and his ofijeera.

The Hon. W. H. Reynolds will address the electors in the Masonic Hall, on Saturday evening nest.

A meeting of the members of the Battalion Band will be held on Thursday evening next, at 8 o’clock, in the Head-quarters Drill-shed. The annual meeting of the North* Dunedin Rifles will be held in the Company’s Drillshed, to-monow (Wednesday) evening, at 8 o’clock.

It w-ll be seen by the advertisement that the opening of the Process Theatre and the benefit of Mrs Roberts and family has been postponed till Monday. We have to acknowledge the first number of a monthly prices current, published in Wellington by Mr M. Mosley. It contains the usual amount of commercial and statistical information to be found in such publications, and is very creditably got up.