Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 3428, 16 February 1874, Page 2

Fern Hill has been placed at the disposal of Governor Weld, during his stay in Dunedin. A Press Amateur Dramatic Club has been formed in Dunedin. Mr Mitchell is secretary. The last exlubition of the pautascope was largely attended on Saturday evening, and was well received. Last week a party of three miners obtained fifty-six ounces of gold for five days’ work, at Nevis. Not so bad. The Carnatic sailed from London for on Nov. 25 with 243 immigrants ; the Wild Deer, from Glasgow, in Dec., with 106, besides thirty-two families. Governor Weld, accompanied by his Honor the Superintendent, and the lion. Major Kichardson, inspected the public buildings in Dunedin this afternoon. Money must be plentiful in the Empire Citv, when a bazaar just held there in aid of the Roman Catholic Church building fund cleared L4OO in three days, under most unfavorable circumstances. The Masonic regalia for the District Grand Lodge of Westland, manufactured and exhibited in London, has arrived, and has been on view at the Hokitika Exhibition. The Customs duties on the regalia amounted to nearly Ll4. There was a very fair attendance at the Princess’s on Saturday night, when the Variety Troupe presented a programme similar to that of the previous evening. The burlesque of “Pygmalion and Galatea” passed off more evenly than on its first representation. We see by the Home papers that Dr Buller, who for two years past has been acting as secretary to Dr Featherston, has resigned that office for the purpose of devoting himself more exclusively to the study of the law. It is his intention on being called to the bar to return to the Colony and practise there. A correspondent of a Southland paper points out that the farce of a make-believe session of the Assembly would not have been played if Sir James Fergusson had followed the easygoing practice of his prepecessor and left “ a few blank forms” bearing his signature. He concludes by saying, “see what a lot of trouble the man’s business habits have occasioned.” The following is the allotment of ministers in Otago made at the recent Wesleyan Conference: Dunedin— (J. W. Rigg ; Waikouaiti—, A Home Missionary ; Balclntha—W. J. WilHa w Vr P ° rt Chalmers—F. W.lsitt; Lawrence W. H. Beck; Roxburgh— A Home Missionary; Invercargill—J, A. Taylor; Oamaru—F. C. Dewsbury; J. T. Shaw, supernumerary, has permission to reside in Victoria. Two gratifying presentations were made at St. Paul’s Sunday School yesterday afternoon'by the Venerable Archdeacon Edwards. The first, made to Miss Coxhead by the teachers of the school, consisted of a handsome family Bible, in recognition of the many years’ service that young lady hod given to the school. The second was a present of a gold pencil case from the members of the St. Paul’s Young Men’s Association to Mr A. M. Webb, also connected with the school for some years, and now about leaving for Christchurch. Archdeacon Edwards also presented to Mr Webb a Commentary on the New Testament. The following amusing story is told by the Leader One of the English cricketers sauntered into a Melbourne “pub.” the other day, and thus delivered- himself to the barmaid : —“You are smart enough, as Colonial

barmaids go ; but you should see them in England. So sprightly and quick in serving you ; and then can’t they chaff ! By the way, has my friend Mr B been inquiring for me to night?” “ Not that I’m aware ot,” demurely responded the ministrant Hebe. ‘ Dear me, that’s odd. I wonder where he can be ?” remarked the other. Perhaps,” retorted the damsel, “ he’s staying at home to sit on the ducks- eggs.” Exit English cricketer somewhat hurriedly, having made a round 0, together with his friend Mr B . By the Mikado, ' Sullivan, of Maungatapu celebrity, was forwarded by the Government for transit to California. He has long been an annoyance to the gaol in Dunedin, where be has been confined for some time for safe keeping, and we are informed that the authorities resolved to set him at liberty on conditi tu that he left the country. Our Auckland telegram shews that he is not likely to be easily got rid of, and that we shall be compelled to put up with his presence some time longer. The affair looked ugly enough before, but it is uglier now. We wonder what wifi, be the next phase. Referring to the scarcity of servants in Auckland, the ‘Star’ says;—“ Out of the thirtytwo immigrants by the Lauderdale, designated ‘single girls,’ only eleven were available to supply the large and increasing demand for servants. All the rest had come out under the nominated system, and were married or went at once to their friends. It may be easily imagined that the eleven were soon engaged. The matron at the barracks says she has now eighty applications for servants on her books. Coming in at the slow rate that female immigx-ants are at present, it will be a long time before this demand can be satisfied.”

Here is a most extraordinary voyage of the needle towards the pole Some six months since (says the ‘Bendigo Independent’), a wellknown legal manager in Sandhurst had the misfortune, when getting out of bed one night, to tread upon some canvas in which a needle had been left sticking. It ran into his foot, and, by means of the thread which was attached to it, the upper end of the needle was extracted, about an inch of the point having broken off, remaining in the foot. The victim of this untoward accident was lamo for some time, but his medical attendant did not think it necessary to operate, and finally the lameness disappeared. On Tuesday, nearly six months after the accident, the remains of the needle emerged from under the shoulder-blade of the patient, having travelled that distance without giving pain. Extraordinary as this story may appear, we are convinced of its positive truth.

The quantity of timber sawn in Southland during 1873 was 3,792,671 ft, notwithstanding that several mills worked somewhat irregularly, and others have not commenced in consequence of the scarcity and high price of labor. Mr M‘Arthur, the Inspector of Forests in Southland, recommends “putting a stop to splitting where sawmills are within reasonable distance, for several reasons, among which—The splitter outs down the best looking tree; but if he finds, on testing it, that it will not split well, he lets it lie, and not only is the tree lost, but speedily becomes fuel to feed the first fire that comes across it; and, as the splitter requires eventhreaded trees, he necessarily dots a large area of forest for a fire while in search of comparatively few trees. There should, therefore, be no timber felled except for sawmills and firewood. By an arrangement with the sawmillers, those requiring fencing ceuld be served better and cheaper than by parties splitting for themselves, although it may not appear so at first sight.”

A discussion on marriage has recently been raging in the correspondence columns of the Melbourne papers. The ‘ Telegraph ’ admits that there are fewer marriages in Victoria in proportion to the population than in European countries, and adds that the explanation lies to a great extent in the scarcity of ladies in Victoria. Taking unmarried persons of the ago of twenty years and upwards, and the last census returns give 96,585 bachelors and 25,202 spinsters. We may assume that one half of the 25,000 young ladies aro engaged, and if so, the prospects: of the remaining 12,500 must be regarded as excellent. They have at least Si,ooo bachelors to woo them. It is notorious that in large districts like Talbot and the Wimmera, whole hordes of bachelors are running wild, with no more chance of meeting a wife than they have of finding a bunyip. Three typical districts may be quoted: Eoddon, 12,45 i bachelors, 320 spinsters ; Wimmera, 1,13-1 bachelors, 70 spinsters; Talbot, 5,929 bachelors, 256 spinsters. Young men proceeding to these districts may well ejaculate, after Dante—“ All hope abandon yc who enter here.”

Dr Perry, Episcopal Bisliop of Melbourne, having been, asked why marriages were fewer in the Colonies than they used to be, made answer as follows : “ I have no hesitation in asserting that the ignorance of household duties, the unbounded love for dress, the increasing desire for music and dancing, all unfold the mystery of decreasing marriages; and the desire to dress gaily, and take the shine out of their neighbors or acquaintances, are the true obstacles to marriages. There are thousands who have no friends, and who hardly know what to do to spend their evenings, who would be glad to find a wife who could make the salary meet the expenses, and have a clean, comfortable homo to go to after the duties of the day ; but the fact that, as a rule, they are spendthrifts, and ignorant of managing a house, prevents this running into bankruptcy. Ido not deny that there are faults on the other side, but 1 do say that if ladies studied plain dressing, and would turn their thoughts to management, they would increase their chances of finding husbands, and good husbands, too.”

Mr William Jones, the Chartist, who, some forty years ago, in conjunction with Frost, exmayor of Newport, and Zephanniah Williams, led a mob in the vain hope of overturning the Government of England, died at Launceston lately in very straightened circumstances. During the Chartist riots in England the mob, lei by Jones and his coadjutors, after much trouble and bloodshed in a conflict with the military, was scattered and the leaders captured. Frost, Williams, and Jones were sentenced to death, but received commutation to banishment for life. It is worthy of note that all the measures for reform that the Chartists of that day endeavored to wrest from the Government by force have since been peaceably conceded to the nation, and are the law of the land. Jones acquired property in Tasmania, but lost it through unfortunate speculation, and latterly he carried on business in a small way at his trade as watchmaker in Launceston, where he died.

The following reference to the AgentGeneral’s immigration arrangements appears in the ‘European Mail’: —“The new immigraregulations recently issued by the New Zealand Government, the effect of which is practically to give free passages to the Colony, has strehgthened Dr Featherston’s hands to a wonderful degree, and gives an impulse to emigration that probably nothing else could have produced. The applications for passages are pouring in almost faster than ships can be found; and for the present month (December) no less than 2,600 adults have been secured, notwithstanding that, as a rule, Christmas is considered an unfavorable season. In addition to this stream of emigration from this country, Dr Featherston, during his recent visit to the Continent, arranged for a largo shipment of German emigrants, and appointed Mr Kitchener, of Darmstadt, to take charge of the undertaking. Mr Andrew Duncan, the agent sent Home by the Canterbury Provincial Government to assist Dr Featherston in procuring emigrants from that Province, has met with a considerable amount of success in Scotland, having already ‘booked’ three or four hundred. There is every prospect, therefore, of the full number of emigrants required during the next six months (20,000, I hear) being obtained. From all accounts, the selection made is a careful one, and the emigrants, as a whole, are said to be > a very desirable body. A large number of emigrants have just left Leamington for New Zealand.”

Instances of the ups and downs of Colonial life have frequently been x’ccited (says a Melbourne paper), but it is something new to hear of a notorious criminal suddenly becoming immensely rich. Such is said to be the fat of Joe Finigan, who, after graduating for several years within the walls of Pentridge, has just gone Home to take possession of a whole street of valuable properties in the city of Dublin bequeathed _to hhn by his father. Finigan, during his Colonial career, made the acquaintance of nearly every detective in the Victorian force, and

was particularly well known as a notorious burglar to the members of the Geelong and Melbourne police force. He was not an associate of thieves, but always did business on his own account, and was a thorough expert in all the branches of his profession, from the robbing of a bank to the “cracking” of a jeweller’s shop, leu or twelve years ago he escaped from Pcntndgein a most amusing way. The Governor’s wue had a peculiar waddling gait, when she walked abroad. This Finigan practised till he considered himself perfect, and then early one Sunday morning, having gained access to the mweinors residence, he disguised himself in the dress usually worn by the lady referred to. and with the aid of a thick veil and parasol waddled ’ out of Pentridge and made himself scarce. He was only captured again after having committed an extensive burglary, and in after years he was in tlxe. habit of relating with great gusto tfie story of his escape. Recently £ P : . lid a to Geelong to bid adieu to some of Ins intimate friends before going to inherit his princely fortune and to mix with the elite of Dublin.

Some forty of the Surat’s passengers, men and women, assembled in the,lower hall of the Athomeum on Saturday evening, and discussed what was best to be done by them iu order to gam possession of such of their luggage as had been recovered. Mr Larnach had told some of the passengers, who had waited on him, that if the injunction were withdraw, he would be willmg to give up possession of the luggage, ihis was contradicted in a measure by other passengers, who said Mr Larnach mentioned ti In i recov cring the luggage was LI, 300, but he was prepared to lose something, and would take L7soforit, or he would have the whole lot valued, and take half what it was worth ; bnt he thought at the same time that the JN ew Zealand Shipping Company was liable to make the passengers loss good. ‘After considerable a committee, consisting of Messrs Robinson, Isitt, and Fountain, was appointed, to use the best means in their power either to recover the luggage or secure the passengers some compensation for it; and the committee were empowered to take legal advice as to what could be done with the Yew Zealand Shipping Company. On it being proposed that a letter should be published thanking the Relief Committee and the subscribers fort he aid given to the married passengers, there were eight dissentients, who considered that the committee was not deserving of thanks, as iu some cases the money was disbursed at the rate of Ll2 10s per head and in others at the rate of L2 10s. The chairman (Mr Robinson) remarked that when the complaint was made to Mr Paul, that gentleman replied that it was not for immigrants to dictate what should be done with the money. _ A subscription of a shilling per head was raised in the room for the expenses of the committee appointed by the meeting.

Ihe Southland .News’ uses strong language m reference to the Surat passengers, and their inability to obtain their luggage. “Wc hold,” says our contemporary, “ that on the face of the evidence the passengers have been robbed, if not under cover of the law, at least with its passive connivance—that they would never have been ‘objects’ of charity’ if those on whom responsibility rested had done their duty. The ship was not a ‘wreck’ when abandoned by the person who—against the evidence of those who had, to save life, deprived him of command—was recognised as the captain by the ‘ surveyors.’ Thsu, again, wc maintain that the surveyors failed ii» their duty when they reported on the state of the ship without having been on board. It is not impossible that we might characterise their action in much stronger terms if we knew who were the purchasers of the wreck. We make the assertion advisedly, that there was nothing to have hindered the salvage of the ship and cargo if the proper use had been made of the services of the French war steamer, the two coasting steamers, and the crew and passengers of the Surat. Instead of this, the sole object seemed to be to hurry the people away from the spot, and thus deprive them cf any chance of saving their effects. The consequence has been that, instead of recovering their own within a few hours, the unfortunate immigrantn had the mortification—after weeks of suspense —of seeing their effects lauded as the property of the ‘purchasers of the wreck.’ It is true that an injunction has been issued by the Supreme Court, prohibiting the further sale of the passengers luggage, but iu the meantime, if we are rightly informed, there has been such a disgraceful looting, that even should the sale turn out to have been illegal it will be practically impossible for each to recover his own. Remembering as we do what took place when some years ago a ship was actually wrecked on this coast, the proceedings in connection with the Surat appear to be outrageous,”

By the Otago, Mdlle. Jenny Claus, accompanied by Mons. Rekel and bis daughter, arrived iu Dunedin. It is many years since we have been privileged to listen to a first-class violinist. Since Sir Heine was here, no soloist has visited Dunedin excepting M. Simonsen. Roth those gentlemen played well; but report says Mdlle. Claus, in tone, execution, and finish excels every one who has yet visited the Colonies. We have already given extracts from the Melbourne papers giving an account of the furore her playing created there. Her last concert, which took place too late for reporting in the papers prior to theOtago leaving, was, we understand, equally successful with those that preceded • it. It was a very kindly benefit tended to Mrs Cutter, a lady much respected iu Melbourne and a talented vocalist, who latterly been suffering much from sickness. The room was crowded to excess, and great numbers had to go away unable to obtain admission. Mdlle. Claus, witli her friends, left Melbourne after securing more than ordinary public respect. It will be seen by advertisement that their opening concert will take place on Wednesday night at the Princess Theatre, and we look forward to their having a successful season.