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Evening Star, Issue 3851, 28 June 1875, Page 2

A private letter from Blondin states that he expects to be in New Zealand in January or February of next year. Mr Rawer th’a drawings and sketches of Otago scenery, which we intend noticing folly, are, by the kindness of Sir John Richardson, the Chancellor, hung in the central hall of the Otago University. They will remain there a few days. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Port Chalmers, this morning, before Mr T. A. Mansford, William Millan, charged with being drunk and disorderly in Mount street on {Saturday night, after receiving a severe reprimand, was discharged. The very enterprising proprietors of the the Wellington Evening ‘Post,’ have lately imported a new Wharfdale printing machine, and the size of that paper is to be enlarged on the Ist of July to that of the ‘New Zealand Times.’ The ‘Post’ will then be a formidable rival to the aspiring “ Colonial representative journal.” At the Princess’s on Saturday evening ‘‘The Long Strike” was produced for the third time t this season to a good house. The performance concluded with “Kentish Gipsies.” This evening a novelty in Dunredin will be presented in “ Fanchon, the Cricket ”--a drama translated from the German.

The only cases heard at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Mr Bathgate, 8.M., were for calls due to the Bhotover Gold Mining Company by A. B, Campbell, Geo. Woodrough and C. Reichardt. Judgment, by default, was given for the amount claimed (255) against the first two and the olaim (L 5) against the other was adjourned for a fortnight. Mr Sinclair appeared for the company. At this morning’s bankruptcy sittiug of the Supreme Court a bankrupt’s accouuts showed that although without money, beyond what he was earning weekly, he had been speculating in the share market. Mr Justice Johnston immediately said that no encouragement nmit be given to men who, without capital, dabble in shares on which they are liable to ca ls Such people were not entitled to the slightest sympathy ; .for even those who had by industry and steadi nesa saved up their earnings might be lock d upon as more or less imprudent in indulging in such speculation. We (‘ Wanganui Chronicle *) learn through a private, though reliable source, that Sir j Vogel has failed to come to any?amicable arrangements with the Messrs B- ogden on the subjects in dispute between that firm and the Colonial Government. Sir J. Vogel invited those gentlemen to an interview with himself and Dr Featherston at Westminster Chambers, when the whole question of the contracts and the agreement as to paying the passages of a large number of emigrants (known in the Colony as “ Brogden’s men ”) was very fully discussed. Sir J. Vogel refused to entertain the claims put forward for compensation The [matter will probably come before th 3 General Assembly again in the next session, and may ultimately end in vexatious litigation. Seeing that the Messrs Brogden’s olaim to compensation was strongly recommended by the Agent-General, on us

merits, it does seem (a pity that the opportunity presented by the Premier’s visit to Europe for effecting some compromise has proved abortive. The last annual report on the Dunelin Gaol is considered by the Auckland * Star ’ to be not only a compilation of results in the year’s expense, but a masterly treatment of the whole subject i f prison discipline The weak point of it, however, is Mr Caldwell’s estimate of the value of his prisoners’ labor ; —“ It is generally admitted that a voluntary worker is better than two pressed men, and if Mr Caldwell desires in his next report to shut the mouths of gaiusayers knowing that that the weakest stone in the bridge is the measure of its strength, we would recommend him to apply his main -attention to this, and afford some proof, either by quantities of earth removed or measurements of roads and jetties and reclamations, that his laborers have done 7s worth of work each in the four-and-twenty hours. If at Otagan rates of 8s to 10s per day for ordinary labor, Mr Caldwell gets 7a worth out of each of these forcats he deserves a greater fame than that which even at present he werthiiy enjoys.”

While there is much in. the manner of the American Press—its strong sensational proclivities in particular—that fails to commend itself to the matter-of-fact Britisher, it is beyond question that the journals of that great country are entitled to the highest praise for their outspokenness, which has been the means of correcting innumerable abuses. The unique action of the ‘ Call and News Letter ’ helped most materially to ri 1 San Francisco of many of her quack doctors, and now the ‘ Chronicle ’ is to the fore in exposing the great Ophir swindle, an account of which appears elsewhere. For that account and the following we are indebted to the San Francisco correspondent of the ‘Southern Cross’:—“The ‘Chronicle,’ in a fearless and powerfully written article, has publishednames, and gives dates and figures, which there is no gainsaying. Some of the greatest speculators and wealthiest bankers of the city| are to be found on the Board of Mining Directors, and comparing one series of facts which have come to light with another, the conclusion is irresistible that a few wealthy and respected citizens have endeavored, not unsuccessfully, to enrich themselves at the expense of the general community. In many parts of the world, such a bold course as the •Chronicle’ bar taken might prove disastrous to a journal from a financial point of view; but such is not the case here. The threat of an action for libel falls harmlessly on the editorial ear. That functionary is well aware that juries will give a verdict for the plaintiff only in very extreme cases, if at all. One journal in this city has lately sustained five actions, in each of which it was successful. The Press, indeed, in San Francisco is practically unfettered.”

A meeting of ratepayers will be held in the Green Island Drill-shed on Thursday evening, at 8 o’clock. Nineteen patients were admitted to and sixteen discharged from the Dunedin Hospital during theweek ended 26th June. One patient died from disease of the spinal chord. The * Illustrated New Zealand Herald ’ for the current month, which has just been issued, is undoubtedly the best number that has been published. The bird’s-eye view of Dunedin is alone worth the money. The first quarterly meeting of the Caversham Band of Hope Society was held in the schoolroom on Friday evening. Between sixty and seventy children and adults have become members. The report of the hon. secretary (Mr A. C. Temple) for the quarter showed that 12s Ijd was in the treasurer’s hands. We would again draw the attention of our readers to the notice in our advertising columns of the second concert of the Dunedin Harmonic Society, which is to be given to-morrow evening, in the Temperance Hall. The programme has been carefully arranged, and composes choice glees, instrumental selections ami ballads, amongst which we notice as especially attractive, the new bass song, “ Cleansing Fires,” which met with such a favorable reception in London. The pianoforte so o “ Most? in Egitto,” is, wo understand, to be rendered by the lady whose performance at the previous concert elicited so much applause. With so many attractions we expect a great house.