The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4149, 14 June 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 1876.

In order to make room for the news by the mail we are compelled to hold over our report of this day’s meeting of the Waste Land Board,

To-morrow being the Presbyterian Fast Day there will be no sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court. The cases set down for hearing on that day will be heard on Friday instead. Some queer names occur in Taranaki. The 1 Budget ’ says : —Amongst short men we have a Foote, an Inch, and one still Smaller’; but the man that caps all lives in theMVaiwakaiho District, for be is but a .Speck. His children, of course, put the set on the lot, because they are much smaller Specks than their father.

In to-day’s * Gazette * appears a notification that the Commissioner of Police offers a reward of LIOO for such information as will lead to the arrest and conviction of the persons who caused any of the recent stack fires at Shag Valley, Mount Watkins, Flag .Swamp, Pleasant Valley, Bushy Park, and the Maori Kaik.

The Queen’s Variety Company gave their third performance last evening at the Princess’s Theatre to a very limited attendance. Songs and dances formed the principal part of the entertainment, concluding with a farce, which was well received. Tho troupe were strengthened by Miss Polly Leake. The.management announced that on Friday evening there would be an open competition for prizes, in singing, clog, and step dancing.

A curious case of what is assumed to bo fish poisoning occurred at Nelson a few days ago. From particulars received it appears that the parties partook of some smoked barracouta for breakfast, and shortly afterwards complained of violent pains in tho head _ accompanied with dizziness ami great flushing of the ski a. Hmplc emetics were promptly taken with happy effects, and tho “ poisoned ones 1 soon recovered their usual state cf health.

Tke police had some difficulty in obtaining a suitable interpreter in tlv- 'cane of Ah Him, charged with receiving stolen property at the Police Court to-day. The prisoner set up tire plea, “No speakee bnglbb,” invariably put forward by the heathen Chinese, and the interpreter, Wis Tak, who nearly always acts in cases in this Court, failed to answer to his summons. A constable had to be sent after him, and when he came back to the Court he told the Inspector that he could not translate, but the excuse was of no avail. Then he had important business and could not stop, but the police would not listen to his excuses. Immediately ho was sworn Inspector Mallard informed the Bench of these circumstances, and added that the boy had been requested not to act as interpreter. He accordingly refused to accept of bis services. Mr Ling Chung was ultimately appointed interpreter, the Inspector paying it. did not matter one jot who acted be, tho whole of the evidence was European, The, Bench commented on the fact of Govern? Aent interpreters being allowed in country dfeirkts, while there wa* n«t one for the City.

After this month, owing to- the large increase of scholars, no new pupils will be received for the Caledonian Society's classes at the '.Normal School. At their meeting last night the Educational Committee of the Society resolved to appoint an additional teacher.

Mr John Conway, tho cricketer, has received a letter from Lillywhite, stating that the All England team of professional cricketers, about to start for Australia, will co.nsist of the following for certain Hill, Greenwood, Emmett, Ulyatt, Pooley, Southern, Jupp, Charlwooa, and Lillywhite. Alfred Shaw was almost certain to join the team, and the remaining man would either be Barlow, Selby, or Wild.

The fire-bell rang out an alarm of fire in High Ward shortly after seven o’clock last night. The fire originated in Bell Tower Lodge, nearly opposite, the Bell Tower, Canongate street, occupied by Peter Anderson, storeman with Oliver and Ulph, and was first discovered by a lad named Wm. Crawford, who immediately rang the bell; but the flames spread rapidly, the building being of long standing. The Brigade were promptly on The spot, but finding that the fire had a strong hold on the build-, ing in Yjhich it originated, and the adjoining premises occupied by Wm. Lucas, butcher, confined their exertions to saving the other property, in which they succeeded. The origin of the fire is a mystery. When it broke out no one was at home, Mrs Anderson having gone out with her brother about half-an-hom before. She left a fire burning in one of the grates in the parlor, and a kerosene lamp slightly turned down was burning on the table. Mr Anderson had occupied the house for about three months. He estimates his loss to furniture and effects at L3OO, and is insured for L2OO in the National. The house occupied by Mr Lucas was gutted, but the furniture was all removed. He estimates his loss by breakage at L 25, {and was uninsured. The houses were both five-roomed wooden buildings, and were owned by Mr North, of North and Secular. They were insured in the New Zealand office for L3OO. An inquest was held in the Port Chalmers Court House yesterday afternoon into the death of ah infant named Lily West, the child of Mary West. The coroner, Dr O’Donoghue, explained that there were reasons for holding the inquest. Mary West stated that she was unmarried, and the mother of the child. It appeared quite healthy up till Friday, when she took it to Dr Drysdale, who prescribed for it. She woke at three o’clock on Saturday morning, when the child cried. Having attended to it she fell asleep, and on waking again at seven found the child dead. Dr Drysdale said the baby was brought to him on Friday last by its mother, who told him it had a slight cold. The child appeared perfectly well, but witness prescribed a cough mixture for it. Ob Saturday morning the mother informed him that the child had died. On examining the body it presented a livid appearance, while the whole of the muscles were greatly contracted. He afterwards made a p at mortem examination, and found the lungs perfectly healthy. There was no appearance of violence, and none of the internal organs were in such a state of disease as to cause sudden death. Witness could not give any opinion as to the cause of death a convulsive fit or personal violence might have caused it. The jury returned the following verdict“ That the deceased child, Lily West, was found dead on or about the 10th of June, but how the. said child met its death there is no evidence to show.”

The second shipment of slates from the Otago slate quarry has arrived, and their quality fully equals that of the samples produced on first discovery of the quarry. As may naturally be expected, the first fruits are not equal in regularity of dimensions to the imported slates, although the sizes are assorted, . The same perfection is not to be expected, as the freight is the same for the roughest and the most accurately dressed slates, and consequently the very b?st samples will be selected for export. The old adage of “shoemakers’ wives” is equally, applicable to 'Slater’s roofs as to shoes, although the most uncouth looking shoes and slates are equally preservative against wet as the most finished articles. So far as slates are concerned, also, they may be made to look as well. In Scotland it is usual to use a smaller sized slate for roofing than with us, and probably on aceount of the larger sizes only being generally exported while the smaller are used lor Home purposes, it may be j difficult to adapt our ideas to using indifferently large or small sizes as best suits the purpose or expense. Fortunately all that is wanted to bring this new and promising product into immediate and extensive consumption is workmen with good heads on their shoulders; and as there is no scarcity of them in the Colonies we look upon it the days of imported slates are numbered, and that an extensive and rapidly increasing demand from the Otago quarries will give employment both directly and in-, directly to a large number of heads of families.

fhe annual ball of Court Robin Hood, A.O F., will take place to-morrow {t hursday) evening at 9 o’clock, in the Foresters’Hall, Port Chalmers.

The steamer Portobello will convey visitors to the tomiship of Helensburg to-morrow (Thursday), leaving the old jetty at 10.30 a m. and 2.30 p.ra.

service of sacred song, illustrative Of ChrHian (Runyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress), will • £\ vc , n ky the Sunday school children, assisted by the phoir, in the Congregttional Church, Moray Place, on Friday evening, at 7.30*