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Evening Star, Issue 3315, 4 October 1873, Page 2

Bishop Moran is expected by the Wellington to-morrow. The steamer was announced to leave Lyttelton at four o’clock this afternoon. It is expected his Lordship will arrive in time for evening servi e.

The event of a really well-cooked dinner in a private family in Victoria is (a Melbourne paper says) matter for surprise, and is not unfrequently followed with numerous inquiries bow the mistress of the house had been able to obtain such a treasure as a good cook.

The quarterly meeting of the Otago Schoolmasters’ Association was held this day Mr Stewart, president, was appointed to act 'in the meantime on the Board of Examiners for Provincial scholarships, in the room of Mr Gardner. The following officers were then elect d for the ensuing year Pre sident, Mr M'Kay, Port Chalmers; treasurer, Mr J. B. Park ; secretary, Mr Milne, Caversham; librarian, Mr Stables. Mr Milne was appointed to read a paper at the next monthly meeting. There is great rejoicing among the naturalists of Sydney. The missing foot bone of ’the diptrotodon has been discovered, and at 13§t, after years of anxiety and speculation, the* entire monster can bow be put together. The diptrotodon was a terrible creature, than an elephant, with great nail claws Which were without a sheath, and with bugbt cutting tusks wherewith he used to fell thi&\trees. He swarmed over our island coHtiihjnt in the post-pliocene ages, and was accompanied in life by fellow-mon-sters, who are alluded to indifferently as The nototherium and The size and ferocity of these prodigies are probably but feebly reflected To'their appellations. Life in their day must have been- decidedly unpleasant in Australia. A concert and ball were given last evening at the Drill-shed, Green Island, the special object being to raise funds to enable the South District Bangers to send a representative to the Intercolonial rifle competitions about to be held in Victoria. Miss Aifcken, amongst others, kindly rendered assistance by giving some of her favorite readings. The local Christy’s Minstrels furnished a great and very creditable part of the entertainment, the two corner men being especially good. After the concert dancing was commenced, and kept up till an early hour this morning. We believe the Minstrels will reappear shortly in public, and, from the satisfaction they gave on this occasion,'we have no doubt of their meeting with support.

Certainly Mr Fox’s attack upon the member for Parnell, Mr Reader Wood, and the whole of the speech in which it is contained, is the most extraordinary product of Parliamentary literature. Having told Mr Gillies that “ God made Scotchmen bigger than He made Scotland,” he follows up this beam of light by a Latin quotation, Hand ex quovis Vujno Jit Mercuritis, the meaning of which is that a “Mercury is not made out of any Wood. ” The contest between Mr Gillies and bis Council is described as unequalled since “ Homer’s battle of the frogs and the mice,” Then he turns to Mr Stafford and reminds him of his reiterated threats to quit the Colony with the .following distich —

Ho. looked at the halter, he traversed the cart; He often took leave, but was loth to depart.

Surely this was enough for one speech. A large meeting of gentlemen favorable to the formation of a Rowing Club was held last evening in the lower hall of the Athenaeum —the Rev. Mr Stanford in the chair. After considerable discussion, the following resolutions were passed That a club, to be called the Dunedin Rowing Club, be formed; that the entrance fee be half a ’giuiftflt. and the ..annual subscription one guinea—honorary J wwabers one guinea annually. Office-bearers were appointed low :—President—His Honor the Superintendent (subjeettohis consent); vice-President —•Rev. Mr Stanley ; Treasurer —Mij Callin’

der. jumvs Secretary—Mr Fuller; Committee ™R^;-;|S|R v Stanford/iMe ßßrs Mensdorff 0. W. Atkylfl, Black, Maitland, and C B. Sale. The meeting concluded wjth a resolution to adjourn foij a mittee #ere to obtain information respecting the cost of boats.; and to draft rates for the guidance of;thje club. 1

We were' somewhat surprised to-day in pasaing’aloijg Cumberland street to find the tVaffic completely stopped by the hull of an iron placed on a carriage, and standing across the street in front of the yard of Messrs Kincaid and M‘Queen. On inquiry, we found that the hull had been built by Messrs Kincaid and M‘Queen for Messrs Campbell and hichardson, of Napier, and was then on its way to Pelicbet Bay, where it will be launched, and receive engines and boilers also constructed by Messrs Kincaid and M‘Qu-en. The dimensions cf the hull are —length, 05 feet; beam, 13 feet; depth of hold, 5 feet 6 inches. "The engines are high pressure, nominally of twenty-five horse power. 'I he little craft is intended to tender the steamers at Napier with goods and passengers, a >d will also trade Napier and Poverty Bay. This is thd first vessel which has been constructed in panedin away from the water’s edge. The ad Van- 1 tage obtained by the saving of time in building under cover, and near all the necessary conveniences, will much more than compensate for the expense and trouble of removing the vessel from the shop to the water.

There was an interesting argument in the Victorian Supreme Court the other day in. the case of Smith v. Anderson, chairman of the Australian Alliance Assurance Company. The plaintiff is the administratrix of the late James Tindall Smith, whose life was insured for LSOO in the company. One of the conditions of the policy was that if the assured committed su cide the policy should be void. To an action for the LSOO the'company pleaded that the assured did commit suicide. Plaintiff replied to this, that the assured, when incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong, and whilst he was not capable of any act of volition, or of doing or performing any act voluntarily, died by his own hand, and the question submitted to the Court was whether tbiaj was suicide within the meaning of the policy. Cn the one hand, it was urged that if the assured knew what be was doing, it was suicide ; whilst on the other it was submitted that a man might know the physical consequences of his act, ami yet be under an irresistible influence which compelled him to do it, and this would not be suicide. TheOou t reserved judgment, but intimated that it would be better to have the case tried so as to ascertain all the facts, and judgment be given on the whole question at once. ; The defendant’s counsel took time to consider whether they will accede to the proposition.

An influential, meeting was held at . Arrowtown on Wednesday week, “ to consider the unwarrantable action of the Resident' Magistrate at Queenstown, in issuing a summons for a case in that Court, which to have been hea d in the Arrow district.” From the speeches made, it appeared that a townsman, Mr Charles Low, had been served with a summons to appear at Queenstown f or a debt, which if due, ought to have been behrd in the Warden’s- Court, Arrow ; but it had been taken out of that Court to the Resident Magistrates’ Court, Queenstown. Mr Low stated that the facts of the case, as far as he knew, were these :—He held a lease of land at the Arrow, and had been in the habit all along of paying his rent to the Warden. He supposed it tad been reported that he was in arrears, but he had never been asked for any money. I' e had been pub to heavy expense, besides being summoned to appear at Queenstown. Another speaker said “ he found that three guineas were charged as a lawyer’s fee ; he should like to know how that was ; the case was really a serious one. If the summons had been issued in the ordinary way it would only have cost a few shillings, but here was also three guineas to Mr Turton, besides all the expense arid loss of time going to Queenstown.” The following resolution was carried ;—“ That this meeting protests against: the dragging of A rrow residents to the Queenstown Court, while there is a Resident Magistrate and Warden here, capable.to adjudicate.’' • -' Mr Reeves, in the course of his speech on immigration, said:—“As of how well understood and how well' appreciated the old system of free nominated immigration is, 1 would point ,to the, experience of the lasi few mouths in Canterbury. Since the Province has granted free passages, in spite of the very great which arise from the rreoe sarilyComplicated system —the immigrants having to go to the officer of one Government, and then haying to go to the officer of another Government ; having to pay some money here, and gst some money there, and to exchange their certificates, and so forth—in spite of what I know is a drawback, for illiterate and ignorant people fail to understand it, the result has been that the number of applications has increased from fifty or sixty a mouth to 600 in one month, and 534 in another. I believe if the hon; member would look into this question, if he would bring his whole mind to bear upon the question, give it even a few days’ close attention, he would agree with me on these two points : that free pas°ages and assistance to the port of destination, freedom from vexatious trumpery charges, and even, where necessary, assistance 1 to those who were unable to leave their villages should be given, and a-sysfcem of free nominated immigration should be granted here. Sir. I believe that within the next twelve mouths, if the Government were to publish to-morrow that applications for free nominated immigration would be received, at least 10.(100 applications would be made from within the Colony ; and that if a system of monetary assistance and free passages, as I have spoken of, were established for emigrants at Home, as many more would be obtained from there. I say the needs of the Colony require afleast that number ; the demand for labor, as the hou. gentlemap well knows, is of the most urgent kind in all parts of the Colony, more especially in the Middle Island. Employers of labor look at the preseut time with absolute alarm, owing to the dearth of labor, to the prospects that are before them during the coming harvest. I have heard it on all sides, that men are alarmed Jest, from the dearth of labor, the rate of wages they will have to pay for harvest work will absorb the greater part of profit which they might reasonably expect to obtain from their several fanning occupations.”

The Dunedin Cricket Club annual sports are postponed till the 15th hist. From an advertisement which appears elsewhere it will be seen that it has been resolved to form another building society. As a boon to the economical, industrious, and enterprising amongst us, we cannot wish it too great a success.

It will be seen by advertisement that Mr Clapcott lias been requested to give a farewell reading next Wednesday, in the Masonic Hall. We have been informed that Mr Towsey and several disguished amateurs have kindly offered their services on the occasion. Mr Justice Chapman will preside. Mr Joseph Braithwaite, bookseller, High street and Fleet street, has sent us a copy of the “New Zealand Bradshaw,” published at Christchurch. It is a most useful work, telling oT'TFiT'qQHtn!. and telegraphic arrangements; railway, steamboat, and nidh dnir& of departure and arrival; watermen’s faiys, railway, coach, and packet fares, the Custoiis

tariff, hackney coach-fares, and all to facilitate travelling throughout New ZealahfU It is illustrated by an excellent skeleton mpp! showing the railways opened, authorised, and in course of construction ; towns, ProvincM boundaries, coalfields, and roads throughout* the Colony. It is in a handy form,'" #»n be carried in the pocket by a lady or gentleman’ without inconvenience, and so cheap as to render it almost certain to become a pocket companion with everyone who has occasion to travel even the shortest distance.

We have received the fourth monthly number of the “Temperance Advocate.” The reading matter and printing are much improved, but the illustrations cannot be considered creditable to the artist. From the outlines being good, the inference is allowable that with little pains he could produce better work ; for his own sake, we should recommend future.

The “Evangelist” for October contains “Notes of the Month,” on a variety of subjects connected with Presbyterianism. “ Apostolic Succession Is it possible ?” is a paper by the Rev. Mr Bannerman. We should have thought a superstition so absurd scarcely worth serious discussion in these days. Mr. Bannerman appears to have placed the matter in a- common-sense light, so far as we have read his essay ? but to waste time and intellect on so idle, a theme, when ministers profess they cannot give an hour daily .to teaching children fundamental truth, looks very much like trifling with the trust they have, undertaken. The theory may very well be allowed to die a natural death, for very few laymen feel the slightest interest ip Jjt. The number cob* tains some interesting missionary intelligence, a short notice of the Rey. Dr Lang, some pleasant stories, two poetic gems—one not the worse for being some twenty or thirty years old, —and a song in very prosaic And • unmusical numbers, something in the Steruhold and Hopkins style. The Provincial and Colonial Intel ligence is as usual, interesting. Messrs Gillies and Street have published.the third number of their monthly list. It contains a general review of monetary affairs during the past month, .and, amongst other hints, points to the danger of the present investments in legitimate undertakings degenerating into a speculative mania. The caution is much needed. The game at “ beggar my neighbor” is always a costly one, in which a few get rich on the ruin of thousands. Messrs Gillies and Street, therefore give timely apd prudent advice. The share market and property reports record actual sales, indicative of present feeling. The properties for sale or to let, especially the latter, are by no means numerous, nor are the announcements confined to Otago, but include the other Provinces; several are investments in Canterbury, Auckland, Ac. MeSSre Gillies and Street appear to be careful not to lead to extravagant anticipations in mining investments or industrial companies. This is most judicious, and therefore any recommendation may be accepted as based on well-ascertained data. Their special mention of conversion of the Mosgiel Woollen Factory into a joint-stock undertaking therefore deserves consideration by capitalists.