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Evening Star, Issue 3305, 23 September 1873, Page 2

The Bruce. Hr raid states that the Taieri fasting girl is sinking rapidly. A sample of freestone, which is said to be much harder than Kakanui stone, is reported to have been found on the property of Mr Menzics, Otautan. Mr Gilbert, who is well-known throughout the Province through his long connection with the Port Chalmers Bethel mission, has accepted a call to preside over the Presbyterian church in the Papakaio district. What has the Telegraph Association been thinking about ? Four days ago the Legislative Council rejected the Deceased Wife’s Sister’s Bill, ami the first intimation wo have of the fact is contained in the Post ’.s article on the subject, which we reprint. A “ Lady Subscriber” writes to the Wellington Post, objecting to the introduction of females into the telegraph department, on the ground that "our frail sex will be found wanting in keeping the secrets, a thing which 1 don’t think a woman knows how to do.”

The late Auckland fire has given rise to some tall writing. Wo quote from the Auckland Star " Hissing and cracking, the demon devourer seemed to give one great bound, and swallowed up its victim with a roar of triumph.” Wo wonder whether the “ crackling ” of a "demon devourer” is iu any way similar to that which is to bo found on a roast leg of pork. The Rev. Dr Lang, iu replying to tho vote of thanks accorded to him at the close of his lecture in Wellington, said "he had no hesitation whatever in expressing as his opinion that which was imputed to the Hon. Mr Vogel while in Sydney, that the day was not far distant when tho order for the promotion of a Governor would not be from Now Zealand to Victoria, but from Victoria to New Zealand.”

The oil obtained from the petroleum springs at Poverty Bay is favorably reported upon by Mr Skey. He says it is well adapted fer the manufacture of lamp-oil (Kerosene). It contains only a small proportion of light oils, ami will yield at least 60 to 65 per cent, of lamp-oil when worked on a large scale and by superheated steam—the process now generally employed for distilling oils of this nature, as loss by escape or carbonization will then bo avoided.

The only case heard at the City Police Court this morning was a charge of drunkenness preferred against one Thomas Robinson. Constable Kooaey said that on speaking to the prisoner, and requesting him to go to iiis home, bp refused, and followed the witness, imploring him to lock him up, saying that his wife iiad gone away with some men. His neighbors intended entering actions against him for obscene language, &c. Tho Bench lined him ss, with the option of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment.

The sentiment cxjTcssed by Lieut. Muir, at the Rifle Association’s meeting yesterday, that it was to be regretted that personal feeling had been shown in the selection ol Provincial representatives, will ho shared in not only by most members of the Association but by every person who feels an interest in that body, and more particularly iu the movement it has undertaken. Any dissension must do harm to the object in view, and in order that it may be brought to a successful issue, personal considerations must be sacrificed, and tho Council work con nmore. Rumors (says the Bruce Herald) have been afloat for some time past as to a new seam of coal having been discovered on Mr Popplewell’s property, behind Mount Misery. Wo believe tho rumor is founded on fact, and that it is in contemplation to form a company to work the coal. Nome who have seen specimens of the coal, say it in quality resembles that at Coal Gully, while others consider it equals that now being procured at &aitwg£ta ; and that it iu all likelihood is a continuation of the same scam. The existence of coal in thg locality has long boon known, and in all probability its quality will now shortly be fully tested.

It will be remembered that some few weeks ago the Premier informed tho House that he had sent tho following telegram to the Queensland Government: —" Would you he willing to share with New Zealand the cost of sub.'fdising steamer between Now Zealand ports and Queensland, with object of promoting .commercial relations betvyeen the two Colonies, and of leading fo reciprocal tariff arrangements ?” 'I he following telegraphic reply has since been received from tlio Hon. Mr Palmer, Colonial Secretary of that Colony : —" With a view of promoting purely commercial relations, we might entertain a proposition in connection with our mail service via Torres Straits.”

At a numerously attended meeting of gentlemen favorable to the formation of a new Building Society held last evening, at the <,lliocs of Mr C. R. Chapman, it was resolved that it is desirable to establish a building society upon the permanent principle ; also, that the name of the Society should lie the National. The prospectus is now in course of preparation, and will be issued in a few days, when applications for shares can be made, due notice of which will be given. From what wo"can’gather, the Society intends to make such arrangements in regard to investing and bon owing as will at once make’it an immense success. Wc may mention that thhf Society is not got up in oppoai turn to any of the existing oner, but simply to work harmoniously with them hj) tjio good work of inducing people, by tho best possible means, to save money and obtain comfortable homes for themselves.

Tlio Maerewhenua correspondent of the Mount Ida Chronicle writes :—Mining matters are looking healthy, and never wore firmer than they arc at present. Interests in water races are still rising in value. One eighth share in the Mosquito water race was lately for the sum of BfieO to Mr M'Jiito.sh, of th.o I’ino Sjmr, Tuapeka. Mr Barclay, from the bought a share in the Fiery Cross for the sum bf 1.400. Both partios have prospected the different claims, and are well Satisfied, An oiler was ii.ii/ix. by one of them for another share in the; Moscpii'lo io* 1 ~;()<», l-ut our shreU’d man of business, Mr Taylor, bn;;ws a thing or two, and has declined to sell at pnynt. It is ad.one-.hing how this property Itfia gone up, About fifteen months ago the whole; race could have been bought for IdiVO ; and now it is valued u,t 1.0, ((tO. This is the only race that can he said to he completed, earryilig wati r from a 1 poVniani'nt Htuirco. Without j doubt it iu u valuable race, The Uyklvit'

Hill race is completed in to Spring Creek, and is bringing a good supply of water. This too is a valuable lino of race, never troubled with the frost, and commands, virtually speaking, the Goldfield. Botting and sons’ chum is turning out very well. I am told they have taken, fifty ozs. out of a very small piece of ground. They hold a six acre claim, and from good authority 1 hear it is a valuable one.

The first appearance in public of the band of the Dunedin Volunteer Artillery was made at the Drill-shod last night, when they gave a concert ami ball. The audience was very largo, and the performers were favorably received, although the presence of some, lady singers would have been appreciated. The best, items of the programme were, perhaps, the chorus from “ Eniani,” the duet, “ Minute gun at sea,” by Messrs Sinclair and Morrison ; the selections from the “ Bohemian Girl,” by Mr Cavalier, on the English concertina ; the "Death of Nelson,” by Mr Marsden, and the piec-s played by the band—amongst the last, the selections from "Norma” and tbe"Waverly” quadrilles especially. After the concert, which was sensibly arranged so as not to last till a late hour, dancing was commenced, the brass and string bands playing alternately, the latter, however, not being very satisfactory in its effects. The Artillery Company may be proud of their band and of its conductor ; for it last evening surpassed all anticipations.

A lady correspondent of the Southern Cross writing frnn London on June 13, says:— " Life is indeed at high pressure just now, and the splendor and glitter of fashion have reached an unprecedented pitch. I do not remember, in the most extravagant days of the Empire, anything like the gorgeous dress of the present season ; and luxury seems to be spreading, and taking the most extraordinary developments on every side. The fashionable houses are turned into bowers of blossoms and groves of plants ; all over the front trellises bearing dowers aro twined, and every balcony is laden with hothouse blooms. 1 was at a ball a few nights ago in a house where the ball-room walls were literally bidden iu moss roses and Cape heaths, and the doorways were hung with jessamine. The toilettes on that occasion were of extraordinary magnificence, and I noticed that embroidered silk, satin, and velvet preponderated as materials, except in the dresses of quite young girls. The costumes at the Ascot Races this week are infinitely more splendid and extravagant than for many years past, and the preponderance of delicate and elaborate needlework is especially remarkable, la Paris, blue is the favorite color for evening toilettes ; here it has rather gone out, and the oddities of color lately introduced are still prevailing. Flowers, feathers, and lace are worn in great profusion, and the combinations are somerimes very elegant; it must be said that the general effect of the fashions is cumbrous—one loses sight of the individual in the overwhelming details of the dross.” The sparkling comedy of "Checkmate” was produced for the first time at the O.imcn’a Tho <tre last evening. As this amusing piece lias been played in Dunedin on many former occisiona, there is no occasion to cuter into tho particulars of tho plot. The part of Miss Charlotte Ruse was sns tained by Miss Colville in a ladylike and finished stylo, and notwithstanding that she adopted tho disgui.-e of her maid, in order to test the precise object her admirer (Sir Evcroon Toffee) had in seeking her hand—-whe-ther it was on her own account, or the fact of her being possessed of an income of L 5,000 a ycar—her manners and address betrayed she was superior to the situation she was supposed to fill. Miss Mainwaring, as Martha Bunun, enacted the paid to perfection ; her extravagant gestures, combined with her utter disregard of the letter "hj,” were mirth-provoking iu the extreme. In characters such as these, this young lady appears to great advantage, and it ia quite apparent she is making rapid strides in her profession. Mr Hoskins’s Sam Winkle was played as only this gentleman can play it ; and the scenes between himself and Martha wore ludicrous to the last degree. The acting of Mr Booth as Sir Everton con lirms us in flic observation we made in reference to him some time back as to the marked improvement in his representations generally. Mr Newton contributed his quota to tho success of the comedy. Tho drama of Narcissc” concluded tho performance, and in it the Misses Anstead and Colville and Mr Steele won fresh laurels by their representations of the principal characters, A very i nticing programme, is announced for to—night—"Checkmate,” "A Fast Train,” and "The Quiet Family.” The necessity for some plan of self-protec I,ion lias been forced upon the mining companies of Auckland, and they have formed themselves into an association, of which the Hew Zealand Herald writes as follows: — "Up to the present time legislation has proved ineffectual to prevent the stealing of auriferous s"ceim<'iis and amalgam at the principal centres of our mining districts. It has bci-n ascertained beyond all doubt, by those thoroughly competent to inform themselves, that, one month with another, quite 2,00 i) ounces of gold are surreptitiously abstracted from tho Thames mines and crushing machines in excess of the cturna sent in from the various batteries, The shareholders and directors of principal gold mining companies have up last determined to hplp themselves, and to bring the la\y to bear op all delinquents. F ,JI ’ this purpose ap association has been formed, vyith an energetic committee, with ample means at disposal for their mutual protection, having subscribed a large sum of money in furtherance of the object. Mine managers, overlookers, and those in charge of batteries, with all the vigilance they may exercise, have hitherto been unable to prevent specimen and amalgam stealing. The association will now employ the means placed at their command to carry out to a successful issue, tho object they have been entrusted noth. There will bo such a well-arranged system of espionage ramifying throughout the whole of the Thames and Coromandel goldfields that escape will be next to impossible. Tho association intend sparing no expense in attaining their object, and we fully believe that with prudent management they will bo successful. The various directorates will, we arc certain, lie well supported in their efforts by the general body of mine shareholders in crushing out th|s long-existing evil. The special attention of tho association wilj. be directed to the discovery of private orushings and the receivers of quart/, and amalgam. Part of their ancoefiu will probably result from tho fact that tho committee will quite ignore their belief iu the old proverb that there is ‘ honor among thieves.’ ”

The Mount Ida Chronicle. of the 10th inat, thus comments on the weather, mail detention, and the roads. Wo think his remarks regarding the mails very just, and they should command the attention of the authorities. “ When we went to press last it was snowing. Through the day, however, it cleared, and kept wonderfully lino till Saturday night, when H again poured- clearing up on Sunday only for a fresh ed'evt ; eontinned through Monday and Tuesday, with snow squalls on Wednesday, and very stormy weather yesterday —the wind being excessively and cutting. It is most unusual for siieh severe weather to occur at this season df thcyelir. ' Considerable dissatisfaction has been felt tlmmghont’tho district'during the past week that the' mails ‘have not been forwarded, This would bo fermented byth

fact that travellers up country managed to push through, and that nearly every clay somebody crossed the Shag at the upper crossings. We certainly think the authorities miuht have put a-little pres* sure on the contractors to make them push the mails along. It cannot be said that it was impossible, for, quite independent of the Shag, there is a boat at the lower crossing of the Taieri, and a foot-bridge at the upper. It would have been quite possible for their groom at Naseby to have received orders by telegram to meet the mails at the i'aieri foot-bridge with fresh horses. Certainly there appears to have been no real cause for four mails to be allowed to accumulate, to come up how and when they may. While saying this much, we do not at all agree with those who blame the drivers. iS'o men can know better than they do when the river is safe, and because a man on horseback or with a high-wheeled trap and strong horse managed to get over, there is no reason to conclude that it would be safe for a cumbersome six-horse coach, the leaders of which might get frightened, and turn down the stream in spite of the host skill at the reins. The accidents that have occurred lately no doubt induced proper caution, and it is best for the public it should be so. Wc heard yesterday that the driver of the mid-weekly coach, finding he could not cross the -Taieri—it is probable he had the accumulated mail—made back to Palmerston.