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Evening Star, Issue 3827, 31 May 1875, Page 2

The Mataura railway, as far as the Mataura bridge, is expected to be thrown open for traffic on June 7. Logan’s claim, at Cromwell, last week lodged 570 ounces of gold, but the quantity of stone put through is not stated. It is stated that, as the results of an eight weeks’ lecturing tour in this Colony, the Bev. Charles Clark netted L 1,600. The number of births registered in Dunedin during the month ending to-day was 100, and of deaths 64. The excess of births over deaths thus was 36, or at the rate of 57-25 per cent. The only case before the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning was a claim by Brown, Ewing, and Co., against W. Buchan, for 1.3 13s for a ooat supplied. Judgment was given for plaintiff by default.

The Fakir of Oola fairly astonished hia audience on Saturday evening with hia new illusion, “ Ai.cetos,” which must be seen to he credited. The same programme will be given ’to-night, and we can recommend the lovers of the marvellous to visit the Queen’s to witness this extraordinary performance alone. According to the Health Act, all houses shou'd, on the Ist of June, have attached to them sufficient earth closets, and the local should make adequate provision for supplying the occupiers of houses with earth for the purpose, and removing the same when made use of. We have, however, the authority of the Town Clerk for stating that the Act is practically a dead letter, as the uncertainty of its provisions renders it unworkable. The undei mentioned prisoners were received into the gaol on Saturday night from Camara:—Patrick Mocre, a recent arrival, sentenced at the District Court on the 20th inat. by his Honor Mr Just ce ji’ i^ 0 B * x months’ imprisonment with hard labor for stealing a sum of money, and L ames Gilchrist, sentenced at the same time and place to four months’ imprisonment with hard labor, for stealing Wh notes at Oamaru. It was a Thames member who moved the Abolition resolutions in the Auckland Provincial Council, and in the course of the debate another I ham j s member Mr Carpenter, expressed himself as favorable to making Auckland a Colony. It is interesting to note (observes the ‘New Zealand limes’) that these gentlemen were some four years ago members of a Parliamentary debating class on the Thames goldfields, at which Abolition resolutions were carried almost unanimously. At the Princess’s on Saturday evening, I Life,” a drama founded on an old custom which used to prevail in Ireland in connection with the leasing of property, was given for the first time in Dunedin. This novelty achieved sufficient success to warrant its repetition this evening, and the performance will again conclude with the laughable farce, “Mr and Mrs Pringle.” To-morrow evening Mr and Mrs t\ M. Bates will commence their second season with Sheridan Knowles’s great play,!" The Hunchback.” The last number of the ‘Gaaette’ contains a comparative return of the number of telegrams forwarded, the revenue received, and the value of the General Government telegrams transmitted for the quarter ended 31st March, 1874, and 31st March, 1875. During the latter period there were 235,361 telegrams forwarded, being an increase of 32,224. The cash received was L 14.374, being an increase of L 2.432, The value of Government telegrams sent was L 3.362 16s lid, being an increase of L 195 17s 2d. It is noticeable that the monthly returns show a marked increase, from 75,962 telegrams forwarded in January, to 85,981 in March. Referring to the decease of the late Mr Gumming the ‘News’ says that he had been ailing foj some time past, but few beyond his personal friends had any idea of the serious nature of bis malady—au affection of the lungs. Of a singularly gentle, unassuming disposition, Mr Gumming had, during a long residence in the Western District, earned the respect and esteem of his neighbors by his constant readiness to render his services in the promotion of their welfare. Until latterly he had taken no part in politics, and was publicly known chiefly through his connection with the Western District Farmers’ Club, of which he was au energetic and indefatigable member.

The meeting at the Queen’s Theatre last evening was as largely attended as ever, many being unable to find standing room. Mr Marsh presided, and was assisted by Messrs Wright, Geo. Bell, junr., from Melbourne, Beith, Paterson, Strode, Dick, and others. Addresses were delivered by Messrs Wright and Bell, the latter dwelling very ably on the responsibilities involved in the fact of our forming part of a society which, in its manifold relations, was ever influencing, moulding, and impressing each the other for good or for evil. Every act done, he said, every word spoken, was producing results which would never die, but would impress some character and influence some life for ever. At the close of the service at the theatre the meeting adjourned to the Tem peranoe Hall, and was continued there till near ten o’clock.

In two cases submitted to the Court'of Appeal during its last sitting, the question for consideration was whether a toll-keeper has the right to levy tolls upon coaches carrying mails when these coaches accepted service as ordinary carriers. In answdrthe Court states its unanimous opinion that any vehicle or animal, in order to be exempt as being employ ed in the se vice of the Queen, must at the time be exclusively so employed. The judgment of the Court is singular in this respect: that while the Judges were unanimous upon the main question, they say in the last clause of the judgment that had it appeared ©n the case that the vehicles in question were vehicles with springs drawn by four horses, the majority of the Court were of opinion that they would have felt difficulty in concluding that any toll was demandable.

To Mr Fox has been paid the rare compliment of an obituary notice before his death. The * Waikato Times ’of the 20th instant had the column rules ia its inside pages reversed, and above them the startling headings Loss of Mail steamer. —3ll Lives Lost.—The Hon. Mr Pox Drowned.” These headings, it is needless to say, rather did credit to the inventive faculties of a correspondent than to his reputation for accuracy. The telegrams underneath them conveyed intelligence of the loss of the mail steamer Schiller, and noticed a rumor that Sir George Grey had received a telegram announcing the death by drowning of the Hon, Mr Pox. The editor in this ease gave full credit to the rumor, for, in addition to the mourning already noticed, he inserted a leader commencing “The Hon. Mr Fox is drowned,” apologising for being unable to give a proper memoir of the deceased, but making up for that by a few lines of eloquent panegyric.

A number of friends and well-wishers of Mr F. S. IS icholla, late sub-editor of the ‘Daily Times,’ entertained that gentleman at dinner at Wain’s Motel on Saturday evening, on the occasion of his departure from Dunedin, he having succeeded Mr Perrier as editor of the ‘ Bruce Herald.’ The chair was occupied by Mr Fred. Humphreys, and the vice-chair by Mr J. J. Utting. The dinner was provided in a manner worthy of Host Jones, and a most enjoyable and pleasant evening was spent. The chairman proposed the health of Mr Nichols in highly eulogistic terms, his remarks being fully endorsed by those present. In responding, Mr Mcholls expressed his regret at severing his connection with his brother pressmen of this city, with whom he had always worked most harmoniously. On resuming his seat MrNioholls was loudly applauded* The toasts of the ‘Times,’ ‘ 'Guardian,’ and ‘Star’ were proposed and duly acknowledged, great regret being expressed at the absence of Mr Oeorge Bell through illness. The company broke up shortly after eleven o’clock. We heartily wish Mr N icholla the utmost success in his new position. At the sitting of the Appeal Court, on May 23, judgment was delivered in two Crown cases. In Begins v. Dee and Hennessey, tried before his Honor Mr Justice

ftrewon, at Christchurch, the prisoners were charged with larceny. Dee was acquitted of the larceny, and Hennessey was found guilty of receiving, and the question reserved for the consideration of the Court was whether the words in the count for receiving “so as aforesaid previously stolen" were descriptive and material, or might be treated as surplusage, for the prisoner Hennessy was charged with receiving certain goods ‘'previously stolen,” and the first count charged the goods te have been stolen by Dee, who was acquitted. The principle of such cases was exhaustively dealt with in the judgment, and the conviction in the Court below confirmed. In Regina v. Cass, the question was whether—the jury having found specially that the prisoner feloniously broke and entered a warehouse with felonious intent to steal, and not having found that the act was done burglariously— the words “ and burglariously ” in the indictment might be treated as surplusage and rejected. The Court was of opinion that they might, and the conviction was, therefore, affirmed.

The Auckland correspondent of the * New Zealand Times ’ professes to be able te speak authoritatively as to the policy that Sir George Grey will pursue during the ensuing session of the Assembly, it is said he has been in correspondence with Mr Rolleatoa and the remains of the old Stafford party, and that the basis of an Opposition has been agreed upon. The Southern party would accept no proposals for general action which threatened to disturb the land compaoo of 1856, and this Sii George Grey has promised to concede. The party will, in the first instance, seek to return to the old system under which the Provinces received a moiety of the Customs revenue, and failing in that, will endeavor to make the abolition of the Provinces general throughout the Colony. The system of triennial parliaments, an elected Upper House, and ocher constitutional changes will be proposed. An attempt will hlso be made to question even the legal status of the Governor] in the Colony, and it may be argued that his present position involves a distinct responsibility by the Imyerial Government for the loans. A special organ will probably be started in Wellington to represent this party during the session. It is argued that the Governor acted unconstitutionally in refusing to forward the petition of Sir George Grey to the Crown, and this matter will form the subject of a discussion iu the House. The party which has enlisted under Sir George Grey’s banner is not numerous. It includes Mr Dignan, the lately elected member for City West, Mr Reader Wood, Mr O’Rorke, and several other Auckland members, and a considerable number of Middle Island members ; bat it is far from being a majority of the House, and the adhesion of several of the Canterbury and Otago members is so clogged with conditions that a split on one or more grounds appears not improbable.

A telegraph office has been opened at Upper Hutt, Province of Wellington. t £ of the William Johnston Lodge L.O.L, will be held in the old lodge*room on Wednesday evening at 7.30. The sixth annual meeting of the Otago Licensed Victuallers’ Association will be held 1 * v a/i * re Yoonxs, to-morrow evening, ftt liuOe r^ r n R I ?TT H \ L ? ( i r y address the electors of Bell Ward this evening at Mills’s National Hotel at 8 o’clock, and at M'Grath’s Harp of Erin Hotel at 8.30. The monthly meeting of the Standard Property Investment Society will be held at the offices of the Society, Princes street, on Wednesday evening, from 6 to 8 o’clock. A meeting of the Euphrosyne Relief Committee will be held in the City Council Chambers on Thursday at 4 p.ra. Collectors for the fund are requested to send in their subscription usts to Mr Ramsay’s office before three o’clock the same afternoon. There were twenty-five admissions into and seventeen discharges from the Dunedin Hospital last week. The deaths were Geo. Neighbour, bricklayer, native of England, whedied from consumption, and George Pethouse, laborer, aged thirty, native of England, who died from erysipelas and delirium tremens. A concert in connection with the Band of Hope was held at the Schoolhouse, Anderson’s Bay, on Friday evening last. Several visitors from Dunedin Templar Lodges attended. The Band now numbers fifty children, and is in charge of Mrs South, assisted by Mrs Clark. amusements of the evening consisted of singing and acting by the children, solos, recitations, and addresses by the visitors. The chair was taken by Mr Somerville. A tea meeting in three weeks’ time is announced.