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Evening Star, Issue 4191, 2 August 1876, Page 2

It is proposed to start a monthly journal devoted to the interests of the Church of England body in Wellington.

To-day’s ‘Gazette’ announces the apbointment of Mr George Sumpter as a member of the Oamaru Harbor Board, vice Mr Steward, the ex-Mayor. “'aratoga” again attracted a large at tendance at the Princess’s last evening. To-morrow night a late train will be run to Mosgiel. Mrs iiingard’a benefit is announced for Friday.

We understand a seal about nine feet nine inches in length was sent into town last evening from Milton. The seal was captured on the ocean beach on Mr Chapman's Coombo Hay estate jvt the mouth of the Tokonaairiro river.

The comedy “ The Man of the World,” in which Mr Talbot sustains grandly tbe character of tbe obsequious Scotch nobleman, Sir Pertinax Macsycophant, was produced for the last time at the Quei n’s Theatre last evening, followed by “Nine Points of the Law,” to a fairly numerous attendance, who it is needless to say were kept in a merry humor throughout the evening; - To-night Mr Talbot takes a benefit, and he will appear in two new characters. The Rev. P. P, Aguew delivered a lecture on “Botany Bay " last evening in the Temperance Hall! Mr R. K. Murray occupied the chair, the attendance was hot very numerous, but those who were present ex. perionced the pleasure of hearing a very extraordinary lecture. Mr Aguew js thoroughly acquainted with the early history of New South Wales, and his discourse was illustrated with innumerable anecdotes, many of them of a highly humorous nature A unanimous vote of thanks Jo the reverend gentleman yas passed.

The dramatic performances at Oamarn in aid of the locat Hospital resulted in a debit balance of LlO los fid. This phfortunate state of things Was' mainly owing'tothe unfavorable Weather.

The J)uutdinH<\rmonio Society-'mustered ( Btroßgly for praot oil at the FriendlySocieties’ .last caning, uttder the conductorship i>£ Mr Morris ’. :T-’e Society proposegiving another concert shortly, for which." they are -in active prepaifitioi.

rhoTDnnedin Choral .Society held a practice for their fourth concert of thesdteon at Jit. 1 aul’s schoolhouae last- evening, when between thirty and forty members were in attendance. The next practice will be held this day week.

» At the Port Chalmers -Police- Gourt-<this morning a man named "William BHewan was charged by the police with being drunk and disorderly. The man acknowledged that the connect, and hlr W.. Elder, «UP., who presided, fined him Ss, or in default twenty-four hours* imprisonment. The ‘ Mail ’ reports. the discovery of a jdarmg robbery at Oamarn on Monday last. When Mr G. Greenfield entered his oftice—the Shag Point Coal Depdt—he discovered that some thieves had broken into it and had abstracted the cash-box, cdutainmg some money and valuable papers. The burglars, in order to effect an entrance, bad removed some of the weather-boards, and, cutting a hole through the canvas lining, had managed to squeeze through into the office. The cash-box was kept in another large deed-box, the lock of the latter having been wrenched off.

The monthly meeting of the btago Ihsti, tate was held last night in the University Buildings, the President (Mr R. Gillies) iff the chair. The fo&owing hew members wefe elected J- Messrs John Cook, John Reid (of Elderslie), and Brown, Mr P. Thomson read a papery on “Fish- and .their which met with <a favorable reception; and. Mr Purnell then read a paper on “The •Supposed Influence of Climate ’-over ; the Geographical Distribution of the Marine Mollusca;” Considerable discussion ensued: upon .the latter 1 paper,- after which the meeting adjourned. ■'

The - * Post * reports that two young men, who were out at Terawitllast week, saw a large octopus. They took it at first to be a lot of conger eels amongst the rocks, a few : feet below the tide mark. They procured "sticks to catch them with, when they found it was (to use tbpir own words) “ a fish like the 'top of a round table, with a dozen suckers.” .They say it was about three fept across, and the suckers were about two feet long. They with great difficulty tp get it ashore. At times it would hold on to the rocks with the suckers, and when it did so. it was as much as the two of them could do to move it. The ‘ Southland Times ’ has been handed a telegram from the renowned Roberts, the champion billiard player, to H. Bentley, of the Prince of Wales Hotel, Invercargill, stating that his agent will leave Melbourne for the Bluff next Wednesday to make arrangements _for matches. It is understood that Roberts will play for two nights at Invercargill, either at the Prince of Wales or at the Exchange Hall. His opponent will be Weston, who is now at Dunedin. It is not yet settled whether Roberts will play at-In-vercargill before he goes on to any of the other porta, but it is most likely he will.

The Southland ‘ News’ reports that the farmers in the Western district of the Pirdvinco are suffering to an enormous extend from the ravages of any enemy not leas potent than the rabbit for mischief. This new foe is the common rat, who is now making frightful havoc in the stackyard*, uf the two, any agribnltnrist would infinitely prefer to be annoyed by the former, as he could at least have the satisfaction of eating them and turning the skins to some account, but the rat wiU<give no return whatever for hie ravages. The latter, too, is worst after the farmer fondly hopes his toils are over for a season when his crops are gathered. To have them then nibbed all away, and nothing left but so much useless straw, is doubly vexatious, if not ruinous. If, therefore, logislatioiAbe necessary in the one case, it in not less so in the other, andifP*rliament will consider how best to deal with the foie of the squatter, it cannot, in fairness, refuse to take some step towards checking this enemy of the farmer. Tee New Zealand ‘Jurist’ comments op, the remarks made by Chief Ju-.tice Prendergast in sentencing William Nash Hills for embezzlement, in the following terms :—“ As a specimen of * the" babble of the Judges,’ this paragraph deserves to be chronicled; and as an instance of the grave errors into which , judges occasionally fall, it deserves to be recorded and considered. Viewed in either light, we may task our memories in vain for a parallel to such ah address from the Bench in modern days. Sin e the time when Judges used to bully prisoners in the interests of the <-"rown, it has been a rule among English Judges at criminal trials, -• to abstain from comments on the character of prisoners, which are not justified by the evidence. Occasionally we meet with 1 a labored address from the Bench meant to be pathetic, but which leaves the* impression of a very weak sermon, beyond this however, Judges tttfely offend against good taste. But to say to a man, ‘you have at any rate on two ocoasionsbeen guilty of felony, although you may not have been prosecuted for it, is the sort of a remark by one cabman to another. The learned Judge might in the - same spirit have proceeded to say— ‘ I am also informed, on the very best authority, that your mother kept . a mangle.’” The annual meeting in connection with the Congregational Church Sunday was held in the Church, Moray last night, when there was a numerous attendance, and the Rev. Dr Roseby presided. The reading "of the annual report showed that the attendance during the past year year averaged 142. The number of teachers was sixteen. A teacher's preparation class had been carried on for the greater part 'of the year, and Sunday morning prayer meet ings bod been held, for the purpose of ipapjoring the blessing of God on the labors of. both pastoip and teachers. The usttal monthly prayer meetings had been held, the attendance at which was satisfactory. The library was reported to be in a very efficient condition. Mention was made of the exertions of Mr M'Farlane in connection with .school singing,, and of the liberality of Messrs Jones and Ooote In having placed a piano at the disposal of the school. The school had during the year contributed from tlm Children’s Mission the sum of Ll6 14s 4d in aid of the London Missionary Society. Ihe balance-sheet submitted showed that the receipts for the year were 1416 Is 4d, and the balance in hand Ll4 8s 9d. The report and balanoesheet were adopted, after which the Rev. Messrs Maxwell, Ward, and Davis, and Mr M'Fie delivered addresses. I

The quarterly meeting of the Ayrshire Association will be held in tbe Provincial Hotel on Friday evening.

The anniversary of the Dayspting Lodge, r.O.Gr.T, will he celebrated by a soiree, co'.ccrfc, and spel log be®, at the Kensington csi boolrhouse, to morrow evening, at 7.30.