Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 4268, 31 October 1876, Page 2

Judge Richmond is expected to return to the Colony in February next.

Tne appointment of Mr C. W. Adams as Geodesical Surveyor in the Surveyor-Gene-ral's Department (to date from the i7th ult.) is gazetted.

The Ballarat City Council is a body to be envied by City Councils in this Colony. The surplus this year is so large that it is proposed to purchase L 2.000 worth of its own debentures, in order to extinguish its debt as rapidly as possible. The 'Wakatip Mail' has been informed that an application has been made for a ship-building site at Martin's Bay by a party comprised chiefly of settlers there, who purpose commencing operations as soon as the application is granted. The Princess's company is to be strengthened by a couple of importations from" Melbourne, who will support Mr Emmett during his engagement at this house. Miss Blanche Stammers is well spoken of by the Melbourne Press.

The following tenders have been accepted by the Railway Department:—Erection of passenger station, Lawrence, Mr J, Hollick, L 578; erection of engine shed, Lawrence, Mr Peter Day, L 786 3s 6d ; supply and delivery of 1,700 sleepers, James Murdoch, at Is 6d each.

The Public Works Department is credited with an egregious blunder. The two locomotives specially designed for the steep grad eon the Rimutaka section of the Welling-ton-Masterton line are too large to admit of their passage through the Rimutaka tunnel. If the tunnel has to be ealarged the line cannot be opened for three years. A number of bye-law cases were disposed of at the Police Court this morning, chiefly charges against cabmen for plying for hire on other than the regular stands. The fines inflicted were generally small, but in one or two flagrant cases their Worships imposed a penalty sufficient to deter others from similar misconduct.

At a meeting of the Mornington School Committee, last evening, Mr Anderson was appointed delegate to the forthcoming Convention, in consequence of the chairman (Mr Henderson Law) being also chairman of the District Road Board and the representative of that body.—The Tokomairiro School Committee have chosen Mr Cunninghame as their representative.

By the Ringarooma yesterday Mr H. Saville, who has been connected with the Steele-Keogh dramatic company for nearly two years, left for Melbourne under engagement to Lewis's Academy of Music. During his sojourn in Dunedin Mr Saville established himself as a warm favorite with the theatregoing public, and made many friends off the stage. The Academy opens on November 6, with the De Murska Company and Mr Adams, the tragedian.

Stewart's Island has been the scene of an elopement. The wife of a fisherman at Port William, named Portetti, eloped with one Griffiths, taking with them innumerable articles of clothing and some jewellery. As quickly as he could, Portetti went to Invercargill and gave Buch information to the police there as led to the arrest at the Mataura of Griffiths and his companion, the former being detained to answer a charge of larceny. Queer things are sometimes heard on the box-seat of a coach, but seldom does a person delight in relating the misdeeds or his own family. An instance, however (says the 'Palmerston Times'), of this kind was given a few days ago. The relator avowed himself to be the son of a wealthy Victorian, who is now living blissfully, though unlawfully, with his second family in one of the provincial towns. The son and neir states that he and his mother and brothers and sisters were deserted many years ago, and only recently arrived in Dunedin from England ; and that it is his benign intention when convenient, to call upon the "governor," confront him with proofs of his guilt, and claim half of his accumulated wealth. " Some o' these days," said the genial youth! leeringly, "somebody is sure to hear of somebody else leaving Bally rat in a hurry—if he get's the chance."

During the passage of the Hawea from Lytteltou to Oamaru, one of the passengers, discovering that his watch (a valuable gold one), together with his wa : steoat and its contents, were missing, rushed to Captain to acquaint him with the fact. The captain, fond of a joke, at first regarded tbe matter as an intention by the passenger to amuse himself at the expense of others, but on being assured that the articles were missing he ordered a search to be made. Saloon, pantry, linen-rooms, passengers' cabins, and even the fore peak were ramracked in vain, and it is said that the disconsolate passenger tore his hair, and even wept. Captain Wheeler telegraphed from Oamaru to the Commissioner of Police, who despatched Detective Henderson to Port Chalmers, but that officer's services were not needed, as before the vessel arrived at port the passenger, having occasion to retire to his cabin to make some preparations for landing, felt, on putting his hand to his side, a hard substance underneath his garment, and, imdreising, discovered to Lis great astonishment that the missing waistcoat, watch, and oti cr valuables were next his skin. We need not describe the feelings of his fellowpawsongers or those of the ship's company, \vho/it is said, proposed to tar and ffather

The vital statistics for October are:— Births, 166; deaths, 40; marriages, 26.

The ' Bruce He aid' has been informed on good, authority that three or four leading Provincial servants have jast been granted a year's leave of absence. The fact is significant when we consider that the Provinces will be abolished in a day or two.

We have a letter from Mr John Mackay, denying, in general terms, the correctness of the statements made by the secretary of the '.New Zealand Temperance Times.' Both sides have now had opportunity of explaining their position, and any further correspondence on the subject must be in the shape of advertisements.

During the quarter ending 30th September, the deposits in the Post-office Savings Banks throughout New Zealand amounted to L.161,526, being about L 4,000 less than in the corresponding quarter of last year ; but the withdrawals were more than L2o,oooless than last year, being L 162.073, thus leaving the balance in favor of deposits L 3,886, as compared with L 20.899 on the other side in the same quarter of 1875.

Mr R. Chilman, of New Plymouth, has addressed to the 'Taranaki Herald' along letter, showing the cost of smelting the Taranaki ironsand, as proved by the recent experiments. His calculations show that the iron can be delivered in London at L 5 a ton, where it would be worth L 9 10s to Lll 10s per ton; or, if converted into steel by the Bessemer process at a cost of L 4 per ton, from Ll7 to L7O would be the value per ton.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Port Chalmers, this morning, before Mr T. A. Mansford, R.M., John M'Kerdie, for being drunk and disorderly in Mount street yes terday, was ordered to pay a fine of 20s, in default forty-eight h.ours' imprisonment. On the civil side of; the Court one case was heard -Joyce and Adams v. John Hill, master of the barque Anazi—a claim of LlO, for damages sustained through illegal detention of an order for the sum of L 8 6s, given to plaintiffs by a seaman named Ford. Mr J. F. Fraser appear for Captain Hill. After hearing the evidence, his Worship reserved judgment until Tuesday next.

Forty-three signatures were appended to the declaration of those who, feeling aggrieved by the action of the Dunedin Young Men's Christian Association in blackballing the Rev. A. R. Fitchett, have intimated their intention to withdraw from the Association. The declaration says inter alia : - " The construction we are compelled to put upon the conduct of the Association amounts to this : That the Board of Management is empowered to exercise at once the functions, in exegesis, of a school of interpreters ; in theology, of a synod of divines; and in discipline, of a Christian Church. The issue before us is now, therefore, plain. The Association is no longer what, looking at its constitution, we supposed it to be. It no longer affords a basis on which a select and approved number can meet and co operate. It no longer, in a catholic spirit, comprehends the membership of our churches; but, in a sectarian spirit, distinguishes between this Christian man and that, and separates brother from brother. The respect in which we hold the independence of our Churches, and the freedom of private Christians on difficult points, compels us to offer this protest, and to withdraw from an Association with which we had once hoped to co-operate in the help of young men, and the service of our common Saviour." Among the signatures are those of the Revs. Dr Roseby and Mr Davis, Dr Borrows, Messrs Strode, Joyce, Reith, Hutton, Borrie, Isitt, Houghton, Macarthur, and Mackay.

The usual weekly meeting of the Pride of Dunedin 1.0.ir.T. lodge will be held to-morrow evening, at 7.30.

The Artillery Band will meet at the Drill shed to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, at 7.45, for battalion parade.

The usual monthly meeting of the L. O. L., No 12, W. Johnston, will be held in the Temperance Hall on Wednesday evening.

f An entertainment will be Riven to-morrow evening, at the Temperance Hall, for the benefit of vi r Anthony Mills, the author of some local songs. Madame Jeam tte and a number of ladies and gentlemea will assist.

Mr J. B. Bradshaw's monthly report is to hand. He has extended its usefulness by additional columns, and, as actual figures are given, with short explanations enabling intending investors to verify them, it may claim to be "what Mr Bradshaw has named it, the " JnvWtors' Guide."

A concert and dance will be given this evening at the Temperance Ball under the patronage of the City Guards and North Dunedin_ Rifles. As the object of the eorcert is a charitable one we hope to see a good house. \ number of the lending ladyard gentlemen amateur* of the City have kindly consented to give their services.