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Evening Star, Issue 3484, 23 April 1874, Page 2

There were eighty-eight Chinese residents in the Cityvwhen the last census was taken. Mr Conyers, manager of the Southland railways, has been admitted an Associate of the Institute of Civil Engineers. “ A Waif of the Streets” was repeated at the Queen’s last evening, and again well received. To-morrow night Mr O’Brien takes a benefit, tendered him by his company. A special meeting of the Education Board is to be held on Wednesday next to take into consideration the report of the examiners on the Provincial Scholarship papers; so that it will be fully a week, if not more, before the result is made known. Some excitement was caused in Lyttelton by a man being found with his throat cut. On inquiry, it appeared that, while drunk, he drove his head through a large square of glass, and received a severe wound, which has since been sewed up. the census was taken, there were only 120 uninhabited houses in Dunedin, and fiftysix in course of erection. When the 1871 census Was taken, there were 614 uninhabited houses, and thirty-eight in course of construction. Ihe figures speak for themselves. The Siamese troupe are evidently appreciated. Last evening the Princess Theatre was filled in every part, and the audience gave most unmistakeable proof that they were satisfied with the amusement provided for them. On Saturday there is to be an afternoon performance, for the especial benefit of children. The immigrants ex William Davie were engaged at the following rates :—Married couples, LbOto LSO; bakers, cooks, &c., LSO to L6O ; general farm servants, L4B to L6O; female general servants, L3O to L4O; day laborers, 8s and 9s a day* Incept the day laborers, all have to be foitnd m addition to the above wages,

thermometer standing frequently ?u i 1 ? t ®h a /le, it is .inconvenient, to say tae least, when the price of water is 4s 6d per hogshead; and yet this was the case for the o * i| ir f 0 mon th ß a t the great Moonta mines, ?a'aaa "- us t ra ha, where there is a population of 10,000 souls. Rain that fell at the close of last week was felt to be very welcome. A peculiar case was heard before Mr Judge Ward at the recent sitting of the Invercargill District Court. A baker sold his businesi, having at the time an apprentice, for whose services he made no arrangement with his successor, and the youth had to shift for himself, but he immediately found employment at higher wages than he would have received under his indenture. The Court held that there had been a breach, but as it had caused no loss to the plaintiff, the damages would be nominal, namely, LlO, and costs, L 7. Bread made with lime-water is now being made by many families in Victoria, on the recommendation of Dr Day, of Geelong. It has been recommended to counteract the evils resulting, to young children especially, from a deficiency of lime in the food to supply a due amount to the system in building up bones, &c. As an evidence of the general deficiency of lime m the food, the early decay of the teeth, to which so many young persons are subject, may be mentioned. The subject has lately been attracting considerable attention in Britain and elsewhere.

Mr Duncan, the • Canterbury Emigration Agent, writing from Glasgow last mail, says : It is a difficult matter to get tbe best of the men to start, and of inferior ones there is any quantity. I have to turn away more men than I take. Trade is pretty brisk throughout the country, but the emigration is slacking off to America, which gives me a better choice. My doings are giving quite an impetus to the others. I shall start back again to New Zealand early in September, Ido not like this country at all; the climate is so wretched and the people do not enjoy themselves as we do in Canterbury,”

The licensing meeting afforded its quota of witticisms, the largest share of which have been credited to the chairman; but the only instance which the laugh was against him has been allowed to pass unrecorded. Some enterprising person, who has almost completed a fine buildjn£ a kp a lfy’ s Bay, applied to have it licensed, but Mr Bathgate pointed out that the Bench had no power to grant a certificate for a house that was in nubibus. “ Nothing of the kind.” was Mr Haggitt’s ready reply; “the house is m bluestone.” And the Court appeared to be greatly amused with the counsel’s information.

The pupils of the Dunedin Collegiate School gave an entertainment at the Masonic Hall last night, in aid of the funds of the Early Closing Association. His Worship the Mayor presided, and there was a good attendance. Mr A. J. Towsey, who presided at the piano, played an overture and also several pieces during the evening. _ The programme included songs, glees, recitations, &0,, and was gone through with spirit, almost every item being loudly applauded. At the conclusion the Mayor, on behalf of the Association, thanked Mr Barrett and his pupils for the excellent evening’s amusement they had provided.

Another fire in the Waikouaiti district is reported. A large stack of oatsdn the paddock ?xr^' r Iv\vin, Tumai, was consumed on Wednesday evening, but how the Are originated is a mystery. The value of the stack was LIOO and it was uninsured. The ‘ Herald ’ informs us that numerous friends have testified their sympathy for the loss the Rev. Mr Dasent sustained through the accidental destruction of a stack of wheat by fire on the 12th inst., in a practical manner, by contributing somewhere about LSO, which was given as the approximate value of the property destroyed. Our Waikouaiti contemporary learns that matters in connection with the recent election of a teacher for the Palmerston School have assumed a more peaceable and satisfactory footing, and that the elements of discord have by mutual consent, been fused into those of harmony and good-feeling for the welfare of the School. The Education Board have, it appears decided that Mr M'Bryde was legally elected* and the opponents have withdrawn all opposition. Mr M'Bryde may now bo considered duly installed in charge of the School, and is discharging the functions of his office.

■The following circular, headed, “ A Hospital ± lower Mission,” has been sent to the Melbourne ‘Argus’ for publication The Melbourne Hospital being insufficiently supplied with flowers, and the Hospital Flower Mission having proved such a success in other countries the lady visitors earnestly request the kind co-operation of the ladies in the neighborhood of Melbourne by contributing bouquets or bunches of flowers for the sake of the poor sufferers, to whom such offerings are most acceptable. A stand for the reception of flowers has been placed in the fruit shop within the t?? , street railway station. A messenger will be sent from the hospital daily.' Fruit (especially grapes and oranges) will be thankfully received. The distribution among the vanous wards will be under the superintendence of the authorities. It is suggested that gentlemen may greatly assist the ladies in carrying out their kind endeavors by bringing some flowers with them on their way to business in the morning.

There was a rather sharp passage at arms between Mr Hams and the Resident Magistrate mu a^-er ' 3 Court, this morning. Mr Thomas Logan, the well-known quartz reefer, was charged with committing a breach of the Frisons Act, by endgayoriug to communicate with a prisoner named Belcher, at Port Chalmers, on the 13th inst. His Worship ordered Mr Logan into the prisoner’s dock, against which Mr Harris protested most strongly. Mr Bathgate held that it was a criminal charge, which Mr Harris disputed, seeing that his client appeared on information and not on warrant. Mr Harris further said he merely mentioned the matter, as if his Worship persisted in his ruling, it was probable an action for false impnspnment would be brought against him. At tins Mr Bathgate fired up, saying that he never heard heard of such a threat being held out against a»y magistrate. Mr Harris denied that any threat was intended. His Worship was however, obdurate ; and Mr Logan had to go the dock, Mr Harris observing that if ha had been in his client’s shoes he would have walked out of Court.

Invercargill correspondent of the ‘ Wakatip Mail writes “ The want of house accominodatiou is severely felt at the present time; in fact an unoccupied house is -not to be found. An acquaintance, who used, a few years since, to require the condolence of his friends because he had three or four comfortable houses which would not let, except irregularly for six months out of the year, and then at only three or four siblings par week, had a tenant remove to a now house of his own on Saturday, and during the day of removal there were twenty applicants for the cjttage. Fortunately or unfortunately, as the case may affect the interests of buyer and seller, building materials are scarce and dear; bricks—really good burnt bricks—have for years been bought and sold here at 45s per thousand—thopriceisnew 75s and not to be had in any large numbers for that money, and as carpenters wages for old hands are 13s and 14s per day, it follows that ahouse will cost nearly 50 per cent more for construction now than twelve months ago. Moderate capitalists seem from these causes to bo disinclined to invest in houses for letting.”

James Lick, the wealthy Californian, who lias recently delighted the scientists of that State with his notion of erecting a model observatory in the higher Sierras, has now set tho-e gentlemen fairly beside themselves with joy by promising a million dollars to furnish it with the champion telescope of the world. The new Clark telescope at Washington, which has been the theme of so much descriptive writing of late, cost only a matter of 30,000d015., and will compare with this proposed monster as the pocket spyglass of the tourist with the mam ■ moth instrument of the observatory. Just how large the new telescope can be made it is impossible at present to say. Experiments must oe made with glass, and the most careful inves-

will be needed in order to determine the feasibility of constructing a lens of the extraordinary diameter and focal length required, ihe Scientific American’ points out the capability of a twelve-foot objective with a focal i oe l f e ®t > w hich, with an ..eye-piece of . f° CU8 > would give a magnifying power of 28,800 times the linear dimensions, or over 800,000,000 times the surface of a body. This wonjd bring Mars, so to speak, within igOOO nußs of üb, and make it appear 100 times as

large as the moon. As for the moon, let the reader seriously think of having that satellite within eight miles of him ; so near that, if inhabitants there be, he can see them. Even if no more astonishing discoveries be made, tbe effects of volcanic action upon the surface will form a prolific field of study. A fatal accident occurred at Blueskin on Saturday last to one of the Chinamen, a recent arrival by the Tokatea, who, In company with a number of his countrymen, was proceeding up country m A waggon, which they had chartered. When opposite Carey’s Hotel, Blueskin, the party got out for the purpose of walking up the Hill. The deceased, whose name was Ah Chmg, in attempting to leave the waggon slipped and fell amongst the horses, when the wheels of the waggon passed over his body r causing instantaneous death. An inquest was held on Monday before Mr J. W. Murdoch, District Coroner, when a verdict of “ Accidental Death ” was returned.—A miner named Johnson working up one of the branches of the V> aikouaiti River, met with an accident on the 11th inst., through the accidental discharge of he had borrowed from Mr Stevens, Mr U* Orbell s overseer. On his way home Johnson, after receiving the gun, tried it, but it missed fire, and when he got to his hut he took the gun to pieces and placed the barrel near the fire. _ In taking it up it suddenly went off, lodging the contents in his hand. Fortunately, hbwe/er. the charge contained only powder, and the injury was nothing more than what a few days’ rest will restore. Victoria, the Licensed Victuallers have an Association for the management of the affairs of the trade, and though not always unanimous, they sometimes work together for their common good. _ The state of the trade has lately engaged their attention, and they have taken practical • measures to bring about reform, if Parliament could be persuaded to agree with them. They appointed a sub-committee soma time ago to draw up suggestions for a new Licensing Act to be laid before tha Assembly. These have since been submitted to the Association’s legal advisers, to be embodied in a Bill, The leading objects contemplated are the improvement of the position and respectability of the trade ; the suppression and punishment of drunkenness; the prevention of the sale of adulterated liquor; and, in order to carry out this object, the insertion of % clause making it compulsory on all vendors of liquor to have all packages or bottles properly and correctly labelled j the appointment of proper inspectors, who shall have power at all times to obtain samples, and in all other respects to see to the proper carrying out of the Act; the prevention of_ the granting of any new licenses for premises not at present licensed, for a period of three years, unless urgently demanded by the ratepayers ; the abolition of the grocers’ license ; the payment of all fees into the general revenue, to be afterwards apportioned rateably among the municipal bodies, road boards, &c. This is a movement in the right direction. The Melbourne Licensing Bench, we may add, now refuse licenses in almost every case where the accommodations of the houses are insufficient, or thf houses themselves are obviously not required.

The annual soiree of the First Church Young Men s , Association will be held in the Hall behind the Church, to-morrow evening. The quarterly meeting of the A. O P. United Utago District will be held in the South Australian Hull at seven o’clock to-morrow (Friday) evening.

The 122 nd monthly meeting of the Permanent Building Society of Otago will be held to-morrow evening, in the Society’s office, lemple Chambers, Princes street. We would again remind our readers that the operatic and ballad concert, to be given by the members of tit, Joseph’s choir, will take place in the school-room, Rattray street, to-morrow (Jbnday) evening. The monthly meeting of the Sabbath School Union is advertised to be held in the Morayplace Congregational Church to-morrow (Friday) evening, at half-past seven. The committee is requested to meet at seven.