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Evening Star, Issue 3811, 12 May 1875, Page 2

* Temptation” was repeated at the Prinoeaa a laat night, and again attracted a large audience. To-night “Paul Pry” will be played.

A child six years of age was charged before the Magistrate at Rangiora the ether day with having wilfully placed a atone upon the rail of the Northern Railway, The judgment wai a fine of 20a, or two hours’ confinement in a dark cell The parents paid t e fine.

Fatal results have followed from drinking impure water. At Maryshill, near Caversham, reside a family named Walters, recently arrived from the Colony, and for domestic purposes they have been in the habit of using the water that flowed down the hillside near to their house. Last week three members of the family were suddenly seized with illness, to which a girl aged nine years succumbed on Friday, The father and another daughter are only now recovering.

We are informed that the inhabitants of the North East Valley district are in a state ef fright from the vagaries of a wild bull, which has been at large for the past few days in that neighborhood. This animal clears fences, charges people and horses, and otherwise renders itself [unpleasant, and unavailing efforts have been made to shoot it. At the last heard of it, Captain Boyd’s propetty had become its head-quarters. In the Provincial Council this afternoon the resolution dealing with the Hundreds proposals was, in the absence of Mr Stand, upon whose motion the adjournment had taken place, was passed without comment or debate. No one was prepared to say a word in oppostiou jto the Government propositions, and to the great astonishment of the occupants of the Government binch.es, the resolution was put and carried. Whether this was milkiness on the part of objectors, or a cheerful submission to the inevitable the result is certainly satisfactory. From the official meteorological report for April it appears that the mean height of the barometer at the Dunedin Observatory was 29.996 in.; the highest reading being 30.446 on the 10th, and the lowest 29.484 on the Ist. The mean temperature of the air was 47.2, the greatest heat in the shade being 72 on the 13th, the greatest cold 37 on the 25th. The total range of temperature in the shade was, therefore, 35, the mean daily range being 13.2. The maximum solar radiation was 122 on the 2nd, the minimum terrestrial radiation 33 on the 25th, The extreme range between the reading of exposed thermometers was, therefore, 56, The total rainfall was 1.910. It fell on eight days, the maximum rainfall in any twentyfour hours being 0.72 in. on the 23rd. N. and W. winds mostly prevailed. The mean diurnal horizontal movement of the air was 143 miles.

We take the following items from the * North Otago Times.’lt was rumored in town yesterday that the cranes and other appliances used in erecting the piers for the new bridge over the Shag River had been washed away by the flood. The police received intelligence last evening from a.boy named Reid that while standing on the bank near the lagoon, he saw a little boy attempt to cross the month of the creek. He fell, and before he could pick himself up a wave carried him out to sea. We may mention that the rumor requires verification, and tVt

no inquiries have been made at the earn* for any missing boy. On Monday morning, Mr Hope, traveller 4or Messrs Neil and Boyd, brought the sad news to Waimate that the dead body of Mr £homas Bruce was found on Thursday evening, between TLnaru and the Fareqra. Deceased was lying with his head on his arm and his face to the ground. He was seen on the morning of the same day ndmg quietly along between the Otaio and rareora, Mr John Barclay, contractor for Messrs Hood and Shennan’s new building, met with a serious accident on Sacuaday, as he was inspecting the works. He was walking along near a skylight that was about to be removed when—the supports underneath having been removed —he fell through on to the ground floor, and it is supposed that he struck his head against the wall He was insensible when picked up, and continued so for about an hour, but is now progressing favorably, and no serious consequences are anticipated.

A correspondent, who states he examined several of the official reports in the Athenaeum this day, requests us to give the following extract from the gaol report of Mr Caldwell, 22nd May, 1871, for the information of Dr Bakewell:— •* Drunkenness cootmues to exist to a very considerable extent, and defies all the efforts of the police to check it. The drunkard, as a rule], is not averse to a few days* detention in* gaol, and is conscious of the benefit he derives from the cleansing and medical relief ho obtains there, and the worst portion of the punishment falls on the gaol officers who have charge of these filthy persons. Where the character is defective, intellect, no matter how high, fails to regulate rightly, because predominant desires falsify its estimates, way, even a distinct foresight of evil consequences will not restrain, when strong passions are at work. Bow else does hj happen that men will get drunk, though they know drunkenness will entail on them suffering and disgrace, and, as with the poor, even starvation ! How else is it that medical students, who know the diseases brought on by dissolute living better than other young men, are just as reckless, and even more reckless ? How e T® , 18 the professional thief who has been in gaol a dozen times will steal again as soon as be is at liberty? How is it that people who have all their lives been taught Christianity will not behave as Ohnstians, though they believe that dire penalties are entailed by behaving otherwise? Is there some parallel between the habituai criminal and the habitual drunkard, so that dime becomes an omnipotent passion which must indulge itself, at whatever risk of dreadful consequences?”