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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 203, 17 January 1873, Page 5

A boy eight years old, died from sunstroke at Auckland on Saturday last. At the request of.the Secretary of State Sir George JBowen assumes the Governor-

ship of "Victoria at the end of March. Chief Justice Arney will administer the Government here.

Whooping-cotjgh is exceedingly prevalent in Dune din at present. On a trip to Port Chalmers by steamer last "vreek several families of young children were on board recovering from the disease, and for which a short sea voyage is said to prove beneficial. G-ermany will not interfere with French, affairs under any settled form of Govern-

ment which France adopts. An active diplomatic correspondence has taken place between London and StPetersburg with reference to Afghanistan. . ■ ■

A Bill for the restitution of the Orleans property has passed the French Assembly- ■ . The Pope, in addressing -23 cardinals, alluded continued persecution of ' the Churcli; especially in Italy. She'was strongly - assailed in Germany, where .pitfalls were laid, and violence and calumny employed to destroy the Church. The Thames Yalley ha.s been flooded, and a large amount of property destroyed

including an immense quantity of grain. Mr. Disraeli's early retirement from public life is rumored. It does not do to b b too Extravagant. —At the meeting of the Board ol Education

on Monday last, the appointment of Mr. Muller to the Timaru school was sanc-

tioned, at a salary of £BO per annum. The continuance of the appointment depends-, on his passing a satisfactory examination; upon the Inspector's next visit. Mope Big Blocks. —"The trail of the serpent is over them all." Who would have thought that a Ministry, of which Mr. Bastings is Gold-Fields Secretary,would have sanctioned the alienation of another ten thousand acre block at Tapanui ? Comment is needless It is" full time

that this land question was discussed by the people. If this sort of thing is to go on, there will be only two classes in Otago —the rich and the poor—the. squatters

and their hangers-on. Let the people stamp out this big block system. —'.Echo,' ; Thirty-two entries have been received for the Australian Cup.

By the way, what is Masonry —its' moral code, its secrets, &c. ? I don't, - know, but I have a very strong suspicion it is all moonshine, and the only secret requiring to be kept is that there is no " secret at all. As a friendly society, it may accomplish much good ; but in re- : gard to being the depository of knowledge that is withheld from the rest of mankind, lam obstinately sceptical.- It seems . to me that the non-Masons are in a large majority ; then have eyes, ears, and an average quantity of brains equal to those of most Masons, and seeing that the treasures of wisdom can only be attained by observation, experiment, and reflection, I am inclined to think that no' "very valuable discoveries, either in the physical or intellectual and moral worlds, are . , likely to have escaped the observation of the uninitiated, and been revealed to the disciples of Masonry. Whilst, however, professing;that I regard its mysteries, regalia, &c., only as so much solemn nonsence, I do not wish to express anything; disrespectful towards Masons themselves. Some of my best friends are brothers* of : J the cvaft, and I must confess, that the expression of scorn and disgust they immediately assume when any allusion ismade to the subject is one of the reasons: which make me lean to the opinion that the whole affair is unmitigated humbug. —" Wamba" ' Daily Times.

Mr. J. P. Armstrong tlie "well-known and popular surgeon-dentist lias returned' from Mount Ida, where his- legislative duties occupied liirn for a considerable time, and may now be consulted at his old quarters, the Victoria Hotel Lawrence. Those suffering from dental imperfections or afflictions, should without delay pre- - ' sent their teeth to Mr. Armstrong's* skilful manipulation, as important and tmpostponable engagements necessitate his. departure next week. — £ Tuapeka Times/'