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Evening Star, Issue 3436, 25 February 1874, Page 2

A fox terrier, said to be the only animal of its class in the Colony, has recently been imported from England by Mr W. Robinson, of Auckland, Mr B. Isaacs is a candidate for the City scat in the Provincial Council. Mr J, B. Bradshaw does not intend, as has been stated, to offer himself. The literary institute of Newmarket, a suburb of Auckland, has, by a majority of one, affirmed that Good Templarism, socially and politically, is not the “correct thing,” Will the Order survive this blow ? The following men from the Westland volunteers have qualified to compete at Napier next month Vol. Ross (Hokitika), 89 ; Vol. Sheppard (Greymonth), 86; Vol. Davis (Ross), 86; and Vol. Heaphy (Greymoutb), 80. The following has been issued by the Auckland Harbor Board Whaling vessels putting into the port of Auckland through stress of weather’, for water, or provisions, or to refit, are exempt from light dues, port charges, and pilotage.” Mr Charles Elliott (late of the ‘ Examiner’) has been appointed Immigration Agent for Nelson, a post hitherto occupied by Mr A. Greenfield, The ‘ Cross’ states that the General Government do not intend sending any more immigration agents from the Colony, Two small fires broke out on the Bth and 11th inst, on Mr Glassford’s run, near Tinkers. No clue to their origin has been discovered, but it is thought that both were accidentally caused. Mr Glassford has offered L4O for the discovery of the persons who may have caused the fire, A well established hostelry in Queen street, Auckland, recently changed hands, the price being L 1,500 cash down, and L2 a week for seven years. Despite somewhat dull times, and the onslaught of Good Templars, hotel property is not altogether at a discount as yet in Auckland. An accident occurred on hoard the ship City of Dunedin, yesterday evening, whereby a seaman named William Blair bad his thigh fractured. The crew were hoisting wool, when a bale swung and knocked Blair against the jetty, fracturing his thigh. He fell overboard, but was immediately rescued, taken on board, and attended to by Dr Stewart, of the ship, who, assisted by Dr Drysdale, set the limb. There was a bumper house doVu stairs at the Queen’s Theatre last evening, on the occasion of Miss Watson’s benefit. The comedietta, “What Don’t she Marry,” formed the chief attraction. The henefmare. appeared as Liaette, and Mr Hydes as her lover. A musical and gymnastic interlude followed, Miss Watson’s singing of “ The Magic Circle ” being encored. “ Ireland as it was ” is announced for this evening. A deputation of residents in the neighborhood of Maori Hill waited upon his Honor the Superintendent thisjmorning to request that the district might be separated from the Halfway Bush and Flagstaff Hill Road Board District. The deputation consisted of Messrs Cutten, R. Gillies, Maea-escy, .Strode, and others, and after hearing the reasons urged by it for the ' ormation of a separate, district for JVlaori Hill, the Superintendent said he would look into and aee what could be done in the matter. The Auckland Stock Importation Company is stated to have just received from Loudon a Norfolk trotting sire of excellent figure and antecedents. He stands fifteen hands two inches. He is described as a big horse in a small compass, possessing excellent points, which may be mentioned deep forehand, with remarkably strong loins and quarters, and shprt legs, which at first sight gives him the appearance of a cob. His color is dappled bay, name Young Performer,”got by the celebrated trotter performer,” out of a dam by “Quicksilver,” front & well-known trotting mare. The horse has been ejected by Mr Manning, one of the best judges in the o}d country. By the Phoebe last evening, Mr Redwood’s string of racehorses—Lnrline, Calumny, Parawheoua, and Spritsail arrived, and were lodged at Mr Sett’s Commercial Stables. A large number of sporting fraternity was there assembled, and -as tho horses passed through they were greatly adipirod, );, u t being heavily clothed only a glimpse pf them .opuld he seen. Spritsail and Lurline were particularly favored, and commanded considerable atten- j tion. A number of persons visited the yards ' to-day, but the horses were locked up in the : loose boxes. Mr Redwood came down with i his horses. _ Papapa, who was entered for the Cup, is going to the West Coast, and will consequently not take part in the races; while Batter remains at Wellington to compete for the Cup there. A rather sparse attendance at the Princess last evening did not in the slightest affect the conceit, which was as enjoyable as if there had been full benches. Every item in the programme was faithfully given. Miss Claus’s >

principal efforts were Gordigiani’s prayer, Alla Madonna,” as arranged by Allard, and Prume’s pastorale tremolo. In the first the mute was again admirably introduced; next the air_ was given -with the full force of Vac strings, next as a succession of harmonics, and lastly on the fourth string. In the finale. Miss Claus gave some bowing which, for has never been equalled here. ParigioteCara” was given by Miss Rekel and Signor Cecchi, and M. ilekel played several of his compositions. We would suggest to him the desirability of having the instrument he plays on tuned, as some of the notes were horribly discordant last night. The Governor has cut the Gordian knot by proroguing Parliament, but the wording of the proclamation is very peculiar. It is addressed '* to the Legislative Councillors of the Colony of New Zealand, and the members to serve in the House of Representatives of the said Colony, summoned and called to a meeting of the General Assembly of the said Colony, at the city of Wellington, on the tenth day of the month of February instant, to have been commenced and held.” It is dated on the 18th February, and after reciting that those to whom it is addressed were “ held and constrained ” to appear in Wellington on the 10th of February, it proceeds: ‘‘now know ye, that for divers causes and considerations I have thought fit to lelieve you and each of you of your attendance at the time aforesaid.” If this be not a Hibermanism, we {Post) never met with one. According to the proclamation, the Parliament now stands prorogued to Manday, 2:lth April. Hie matter cannot be left in the position it now occupies. Until an authoritative decision is obtained as to the legal effect of the late muddle, it may well he doubled whether A ,he gieat majority of the seats in Parliament are not vacant, and before any fresh session is hold tins doubt should certainly be set at rest.

A charge of three shillings for a subpoena led to the display of a great deal of unnecessary heat and much legal eloquence in the Magistrate s Court this morning. Judgment having been given against the plaintiff in a civil case, Mr Barton, the opposing counsel, applied for the expense of subpoenaing a witness who did not attend. Mr M'Keay, plaintiff’s solicitor, objected, although the Clerk of the Court, stated that the application was in accordance with the invariable rule. Mr Barton then pointed out that a sailor had been subpoenaed at a cost of three shillings, but he had since been called away, and not being in port was unable to attend. Under the circumstances he UVLr Barton) maintained that defendant should have his money refunded. Had the man been present he would have been an important witness. Mr M'Keay became indignant at its being thought that he was going to enter into a long argument for a paltry sum, and informed the Bench that it was not for the value of the three shillings that he was disputing its payment, but merely for the purpose of having a precedent established. The Magistrate, however, held that it would be wrong to depart from the rule previously laid down without first giving notice to the bar, whereupon Mr M'Keay hurried from the Court, saying as he left that the rule was absurd, and that at the next small case in which he appeared he would take out tventy subpoenas and, if possible, saddle Mr Barton with the cost of them.

Ihe census papers are nearly all delivered and some care will be requisite in filling up the several columns, _ The information required is much more particular than in papers delivered for a like purpose in other places. Beside the list of members of a family, or inmates of a house on the first of March, with sex, condition, and denomination, there are columns showing the condition as to health, with the nature of the infirmity. Under the heading place of birth,” Europeans, Half-castes, and Chinese are to be distinguished. The degree of education of the inmates of every house is proved f or ky columns. Under “ attending school,” whether day-school, evening-school, or being educated at home, must be particularised. Ihe nature of the bolding of the owner or occupier of the house is also to be particularised • whether leasehold, freehold, the extent in acres, the nature of the laud, whether occupied or usad f° r pastoral, arable, or other purposes ; whether crown land, how much land fenced, how much broken, and under crop, with the nature of the crop ; also the number and nature of farm stock—viz.- horses, brood mares, mules or asses, cows, sheep, _ breeding ewes, goats, pigs, poultry, &c. ; dairy produce, machines, such as thrashing, steam ploughs, harrows, &c.; also the quantity of crop reaped in store and h&iid. J-he papers must be ready for delivery to the sub-enumerators by the second of March. Refusing or neglecting to fill up the paper, or majan" a false entry, is punishable with a fine of L2O.

A. meeting of thejsympathisers with Dr Sorley was held in the lower room of the Athenjeum last evening. There were about a dozen persons presentthe Rev. Mr M'Naughton prosichng. The chairman having explained that the object of the meeting was to collect subscriptions either to defray the doctor’s expenses or to present him with some acknowledgment of their belief in his skill, it was resolved “ That a subscription list be oweijed for the purposes of defraying Dr Sorley’s expenses in the late action of Hunt v. Sorley.” Some present tninkmg that it would be better to alter the proposition to presenting Dr Sorley with a substantial testimonial, the resolution was rescinded and a motion, “ That a subscription list should be opened for the purpose of presenting Dr Soiley with n- substantial testimonial as an expression of sympathy with him in the late case, substituted. The following committee was chosen to carry out the.objects of the resolution Rev. Mr M'Naughton, Messrs J. P Armstrong, B. Isaac, T. Halliwell, Newman, ™alker. It was mentioned that Mr K. Ramsay and Mr H. S. Fish jun although agreeing with the object of the meeting, were unable to attend. Mr Newman promised to canvass the Roslyn and Halfway Bush districts for subscriptions. The chairman read a letter from Dr Cole, which stated that he (although not claiming to be an intimate friend) sympathised with Dr Sorley in his trying position, and concluded with the words Tis in such times as these that one’s friends are found time or false.” The letter was well received, and a considerable amount collected in the room. The chairman stated that he had stopped in town a couple of days to see what he coujd do in the matter, and that he would willingly remaw another day and devote it to collecting subscriptions. T£e meeting then adjourned. -

Ihis afternoon a deputation hqm Tapanui was mtroducetl to the Superintendent bv Mr Bradshaw M.H.R., who explained that the residents of that district desired to have tho sale of blocks 6 and 7, Glenkcuich, which was advertised to take place on the 2nd prox., postponed until after the Provincial Council met A block of land in the same run (Captain Mackenzie s) had been sold very recently, and the whole of it fell into the hands of one person Xhe people of Tapanui, fearing that the same thing would again happen, which was not desirable for the district, wished the sale to be postponed until after the Council met, so that the block might be opened under the deferred payment system. There was a large number of unsatisfied applicants in the district, and it was believed that if the land was so thrown open a great deal of it would be taken up—indeed additional blocks would be requireoto be opened up to satisfy the wants of the people His Honor promised to bring the matter under the notice of his Executive at their first meeting. The deputation next referred to the Tapanui Athreneum, and asked fet it might participate with similar institutions in the grant of hind made last session by the Provincial Council. His Honor replied that he had taken this precaution to communicate with the General Government to ascertain if they were willing to Crown grant the land before he made the necessary proclamations, and it had been intimated to him and they wore advised the reservations were illegal. Thus thousands of acres were hung up ; nothing could be done with them. Personally ho was in favor of the reserves for the Athemcum, and thought all Athensipse should share in the grants. That was the reason y-hy he agreed to the measure of last session, giyirig the' Provincial Council power to reserve 500,000 acres, which, however, did not pass the Upper Ifqusje.

Fully 300 persons attended the anniversary soiree of the North Dunedin Presbyterian Church, which was held last evening, in order to allow the Rev. Dr Copland, who goes Home by the March mail an opportunity of beiii" present. Ater tea, Mr A. J. Burns read the annual report of the .Committee, which, after

referring with regret to the forced temporary retirement through illness of Dr Copland from liis pulpit, went on to say that “ the state of the congregation is much improved since last yearly meeting. The committee took office, knowing full well that a large debt had to be liquidated luring our term of office, and also liabilities incurred by our predecessors, without seeing the way to the necessary funds to nieet : them ; but we are happy to report that without costing the congregation one farthing, L 475 of debt has been wiped off the Church and Manse Building r'und account, by the receiving of L3OO from the Synod and L 125 as a donation from the members of Committee. The number of communicants on the roll is IGO ; during the year fifty-five have been admitted to the membership, eight disjoined by certificate, and two removed by death. Tire seat rents and church door collections shew a large increase since last year, yet the Siistentation Fund, although considerably increased during the year, has still to be supplemented from the ordinary funds of the congregation, to enable us to receive our dividend of L2OO from the General Fund-a state of things your Committee beg most respectfully to submit, not very creditable to any congregation, and far less so to a congregation meeting for the worship of God in the largest and most wealthy city in New Zealand.” Reference was also made to the very marked improvement in the church melody • to the Sabbath school, the average attendance of which was 100, that a want of teachers was felt, and that the scholars had collected L 43 towards the Dayspring fund. It was also stated that close upon L 1,200 had been passed through the treasurer’s hands during the year. Several addresses were delivered, and presentations made by the choir to Mr Graham, the precentor, of a a handsome Bible to Mr James M Phee by the Sunday school teachers.