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Evening Star, Issue 3515, 29 May 1874, Page 2

The Financial Statement will not be delivered before Monday. . The last crushing of the Heart of Oak, cleaned up during last week, gave a return of llloz. None of the bodies of the unfortunate men who were drowned on Monday, had been recovered when we went to press. Neither place of amusement was largely attended last evening. The programme at each was of the usual varied description. Warden Robinson, having recovered his health, is shortly to return to Naseby to resume his duties. Warden Stratford returns to the Arrow. 1 histles appear to be spreading very rapidly in the Tokomairiro Bush, behind ' Fairfax, rather too near to the Tokomairiro farmers to be pleasant for them. On Monday, Mr Bastings intends to ask the Government by what right, and in virtue of what Act or Regulation, the gaoler of H.M, gaol, Dunedin, deprived the debtor prisoner Stead of the use of pens, ink, and paper. There are now forty-five hands steadily employed in the Mosgiel Woollen Factory in the production of manufactures, besides those occasionally employed in connection with the works. The ‘Bruce Herald’ says that twenty additional hands are shortly expected to arrive from Scotland. The presentation by the Taieri people to Mr A. J. Burns took the form of a silver salver and tea and coffee services, valued at LBO. The salver bore the following inscription :— <c Presented to A.'J. Burns, Esquire, by a few of his fellow colonists, on the eve of his departure from Otago, in appreciation of his sterling worth as a man, and his enterprise as a colonist. Mosgiel, May 22, 1874.” On the occasion of Mr Thomas Johnston, who has managed the ‘ Arrow Observer’ for the past twelve months, leaving that district, a number of gentleman met for the purpose of talcing of him.- He was presented with a testimonial address, numerously signed' and it was stated that the short notice of Mr Johnston’s intended departure alone precluded the making of a more substantial presentation. Considerable alarm was recently caused in Melbourne by the unpleasant discovery that soda-water made there contains a quantity of copper in solution. In one case, copper was obtained from one bottle of soda-water so as to thickly coat a needle with copper. The copper in solution, in aerated waters, is found to be not confined to the manufactures of one firm but those of several firms have been found to contain it. I n -H] nbe . r * be single Jgirls by the James Nicol lleming were engaged at the Immigration Barracks, Caversham, to-day. Those who round employment and the wages they secured were: Sixteen general servants, L2O to L 36 per annum ; one cook and laundress, irtO ; seven nursegirls, from 6s to 10s per week; housemaids, 6s per week. On board the Buckinghamshire are 500 souls—loo of whom are going to Oamaru, and 200 to Invercargill. The immigrants for Dunedin will be brought to town in the morning, A sampieof iron ore, found on the property of Mr D. Henderson, M.P.0., at the Clutha, has been analysed by Professor Black, who reports This is a sample of brown hematite : it contains 13‘5 per cent of water, 22 per cent of earthy matter, and 65 per cent oxide of iron. Ihe stone, on the whole, contains 45 - 5 per cent metallic iron. The earthy impurities are chiefly sand. T’he ore would therefore require lime in smelting. With good coal abundant and convenient, this ore, if in large quantities and easily accessible, will form a profitable industry. _ We believe immense quantities of the ore exist on Mr Henderson’s property. English capitalists are beginning to understand that the rental of London is pretty fair security for a moderate loan. Hitherto the Metropolitan Board of Works have found it a little difficult to place their loans, but it appears, from a report of the Finance Committee] to the Board, that the Board asked for L 2,000,000 at

per cent. By four o’clock the same day the loan having been previously advertised* L 21,236,750 had been applied for, at 94A. The distribution made was therefore pro rata each applicant getting only per cent ; and the price on Friday was the bonds being, in fact, the next dearest to Consols. During the debate on the running of Sunday trains in the Provincial Council on Wednesday Mr M‘Dermid made a somewhat good retort on Mr Stout, who was glibly twisting texts of Sciipture. Mr M'Dermid said that it was often remai’ked that any body could drive a coach and four through laws - 'human, but he began to think that that had got so common that lawyers, in the person of his friend Mr Stout, just through sheer desire to elevate themselves above the ordinary run of their fellow mortals, and to make it appear that they were wise above what was written, were trying to find a loophole as an excuse for driving a coach and four through laws divine. Mr Bunny, the Provincial Secretary at Wellington, in bringing in a now Licensing Bill for that Province, said its object was to enable laboring men and other persons who dined their families only once a week to -go to a public-house during certain hours on Sunday to vet a glass of beer for dinner. And why should they not have that privilege, while the upper classes could go to their club and obtain anything they wanted in the shape of drink ? He had seen a room full of gentlemen drinking at the club on Sunday, and why should not the workman have the privilege of drinking at home ? If the Council refused to open the pub-lic-houses on Sunday, to be consistent it should close the clubs, and he should go so far as to say that if the clauses were struck out he should propose a new clause for shutting up the clubs. Ihe Bill was read a second time, and referred to a select committee. The following very important opinion by the Provincial Solicitor was read at this afternoon’s sitting of the Provincial Council:—“l am of opinion that the licensee of an allotment under the system of deferred payments must, under sub-section 5 of section 54 of the “ Ota°-o Waste Lands Act, 1872,” reside personally on his allotment. The whole scope and intention of the Act, in my opinion, clearly show this ; but even were tiny doubt to be raised regarding the meaning of the words ‘ personally occupy ’ the.last provision of subjection 5, by providing that on the death of the licensee or his assigns during the currency of the license, it shall not be obligatory on the executors or administra tors of such licensee or his assigns, to comply with the conditions of occupation clearly implies that, so long as the licensee lives, personal occupation must be complied with.” Oueof the sons of Mr James Mackaj, of Teatree Valley, Waihola, exhibits an extraordinary talent in wood-carving, carried on under difficulties, as his only tool is an ordinary pocket-knife, and the material manipulated upon Colonial timber cut in the bush by his own hands. His efforts, so far, have been chiefly confined to stock-whip handles, but a fan handle recently turned out by him is thus described by the ‘Bruce Herald’:—“A lady’s hand of extreme delicacy of form and outline grasps the handle of the fan, which is carved in imitation of intertwined leather work. The foim of the hand and position of the fingers are perfect in their truthfulness to nature; a strap and buckle surmount the supposed leather work, from under which wheat stalks shoot forth, and a serpent coils itself over and around the centre of the handle, the remainder of which consists of imitation leather work equally well proportioned and exquisitely carved,” tt . Tablet ’ this week has an article on Immigration,” and alluding more particularly to the Asiatics, says:—“ From our hearts we pity the unfortunates who have been shovelled out of workhouses into the Colonies, "We have seen some of them, have witnessed their utter helpuessness, their inability to earn their bread, owing to their ignorance of the most ordinary domestic duties, and, in some instances, their listlessness and disinclination to work. To send such people to the Colonies is cruel to themselves, and unjust to the colonists. We shall enumerate the classes of emigrants from Ireland that would be certain to succeed here. First, domestic servants who really know their business. Secondly, farm servants, young, healthy, and active—men who are willing and able to work, and understand what farm labor means. Again, young and intelligent agriculturists, who are prepared to rough it at first ™ d n ' v }° have some capital—say from LSOO to LI,OOO. To a certain extent, tradesmen of all sorts might come to this Colony. Of course, it would be possible for too many to come: but there is employment at high wages for a great many more than are here at present. But broken down gentlemen and professional men ought not to emigrate to this Colony. Such could not benefit themselves by doing so ; they could find no employment in this country, and could not expect to meet with much sympathy amongst a hard-working, energetic race of colonists as the New Zealanders are.”

The quarterly meeting of the Otago Institute was held last evening in the University buildings, Mr J. T. Thomson in the chair. Ihe Chairman stated that the Council of the Institute had decided that discussion should take place on the papers read at the previous meeting, before entering on the actual work of the evening. Mr Kirk, of Wellington, made some valuable remarks on the naturalised plants of Otago, and gave some interesting comparisons between the flora of the North and Middle Islands. > Captain Hutton read a paper entitled Critical Notes on Buller’s ‘New Zealand • 1 i S ’ r, . wbicb bad been previously published in the Ibis, and said that Dr Stiller had replied to it. He read it now, so that both paper and reply might appear in this year’s Transactions of the Institute. Ur. Bakewell thought the paper was too fault-finding in dealmg with a well-known work like Dr. Buller’s Mr Kirk said he .believed that if Dr Duller were present he would exclaim, “Save me from my mends. Mr Kirk also said that the quads were disappearing in the. North Island, and that he had not seen any for the last three years. Mr Webb said that these birds abounded in the 1 rovmce in times past, but they were now actually burnt off the face of this part of the country. Dr Coughtrey read a paper on the Getulana of New Zealand ; and Captain Hutton spoke very highly of it. A paper contributed by MrP. Thomson, on “New Ferns ” was also read. After some other unimportant business had been disposed of the meeting adjourned. ° A very pleasant musical soirde was held last evening at Sawyers’ Bay, to celebrate the completion of the new school-house. Nearly 300 persons assembled to do justice to the good tilings provided, and amongst the company were several visitors from Dunedin, Blueskin and the numerous bays beyond Port Chalmers’ a fact which must have been very gratifying to those who had interested themselves in getting Mno tlie tables were cleai ' ed ° Mr M Dermid, M.P.C., was voted to the chair ana made a few appropriate remarks. The concert then commenced with the glee “Awake ASolian Lyre, capitally given by the choir, ine programme comprised some twenty choruses and songs, sarious and comic, all of’which weie we 1 rendered, and thoroughly enjoyed by the crowded audience, encores being vehemently demanded in nearly every instance. Amongst so much excellent singing we may be pardoned «»e trio “ Ye Shepherds tell me, the second solo in which displayed the fine voice of the lady who took the leading parts in the choruses. Mr Farrar gave two songs, lam a Friar of Orders Grey ’’ and Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep.’’ The tuanks of the committee are due to Mr Bott. of Chalmers, who conducted, and to Mr Kiohardson, who kindly came down from Dunedin to preside at the piano. The National Anthem, sung con amove, and a vote of thanks to the performers and the chairman brought the concert to a most successful conclusion. Dancing was then commenced, and was kept up until an early hour. It is somewhat astonishtbat i avera o e attendance at the Sawyei s Bay school is nearly fifty; and still more astonishing how they could have been oldroom - . Rraise is due to Mr M Deimid for his exertions in obtaining the new school-house, the opening of which will no appreciated b y Mr Sutherland, the

. meeting of publicans whose licenses have ? U > bel £. to-morrow afternoon! at three o clock, in the City Buffet Hotel ir, eruington Band of Hope will celebrate ary - by a meeting and concert on Monday eve ni ng. The chair will be taken by the I hy. Dr Stuart, at 6.30.