RICHMOND SCHOOL.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 284, 10 July 1860, Page 2

RICHMOND SCHOOL.

On Friday evening, the 3rd instant, a tea meeting was held at the Institution, Richmond, and after tea the meeting adjourned to the school-room, where Mr. Edwin Hodder took the chair; and a crowded meeting was highly interested for several hours by some very interesting: recitations by the children of the school alternating with music both instrumental and vocal, and even a dramatic performance entitled " A good Heart compensates for many Indiscretions," ■ Mr. Vaughan was personated by Master N. Carrington; Dorothea, his niece, by Miss Rose Hammond; Mary Anne, his .daughter, by Miss M. A. Say well; Frederick, his nephew, by Master Thomas Hammond; Peter, a coachman, by Master Richard Wallade, and the Bervant, by Miss M. A. Kearns. Master Cairington performed his partjespecially the most dignified portion of it, very ably. The acting of Miss Hammond surprised every one; nothing could appear more sincere than her grief for her dissipated brother. Miss Saywell put in her few sentences very archly and naturally. Master Hammond did not succeed in making himself look like a very great scamp, and as to the coachman, nothing could match worse than his words and his actions. By catching hold of the back of his master's chair, and other familiar actions, Master Wallace showed that his colonial education had not given him the slightest idea of the great gulf which, in the old country separates the master from his coachman. His memory, however, appears to be excellent, and the manner in which he afterwards repeated, " I wouldn't, would you ?" delighted all the juveniles present, evidently not excepting himself. Master Wallace also obtained the prize in the Ist class, Master Thomas Disher in the 2nd class, and Master Burton in the 3rd class. The good conduct prize competed for by the whole school, was awarded to Master Joseph Sheat. , ..,. v ; ■.■..'■ The children had learned their pieces very correctly, and generally recited them remarkably well. Some of them did not speak very audibly, but we did not hear a single piece, uttered in the old Bing-song style. Upon the whole there was nothing that pleased us more throughout this very pleasant evening than to see by every word, look, and action of each child that the " reign of terror"

has long ceased to cramp the energies of any qj the inmates of our increasing and, we believe, our increasingly useful schools. : At the conclusion a vote of thanks was proposed to Miss Spencer and Mr. Hodder for the manner in which they had brought their pupils out upon this occasion, which was carried with three cheers.

Fish.—The Natives brought in a fine lot of this desirable edible on Saturday last. A ready market was found for the whole, which amounted to several hundred weights, at prices varying'from four shillings to six shillings each.- Some of these fish weighed nearly fifty pounds each. We have not seen so many and so:fine fish for years; and we only regret that we 1 are not more frequently treated to such a. beneficial change of diet—although it is called " Lenten fare." Domestic Man ufactubes.—As one step in advance in this line, we may. mention some very neat door mats, manufactured from the native flax. These can be purchased for a very small sum, and can be had plain or dyed. They are strongly made, and will supersede the necessity of importing the cocoa fibre or other mats from Eng. land. We should be glad to see a good ropewalk once more established. These, combined with the mattrasses made from the same material would cause a great consumption of this useful fibre. Comet.—Dealers in the marvellous and believers in signs and portents, and tflbse who some years ago cast a reverential .eye .upon the wonderful things depicted in old Francis- Moore's ' Vox Stellarum,' will not be astonished at'finding that the troublous times of New Zealand have been appropriately accompanied by the appearance of a comet, the last few nights. This erratic wanderer was visible over the flagstaff hill, bearing about west by north. It is not very lustrous, but is clearly discernible about seven o'clock in the evening. Military Etiquette.—The great difference between a petty military officer, and those who were about to become soldiers:—ln Collingwoodstreet, Nelson, not many.days ago,, two decentlooking men were seen, with hands to uplifted hats, in the act of hat-idolatry, speaking to a sapient looking individual. ' Very well,' qouth he, ' come along with me.' They were desiring to be sworn in, and had barely started, for that purpose, when the one-.of-brief-authority ordered them, rather sharply, not to walk along with him, but to (fall back, and follow !' The two about-tb-be-soldiers, winked, rather knowingly, and, of course obeyed their about-to-be-auperior officer. Naval Artillery Cosipany.—The first monthly meeting of this company took place on Tuesday evening, when some new members were sworn in and other business was transacted. Mr. Charles Cranford was elected Secretary to the Company. The first drill took place on Saturday last. Waimea Road Board.—-A poll for two members of the Waimea Road Board having taken place on Wednesday, July 4, the result was as follows:—Mr. Kelling, 35, Mr. Mcßae, 35, ; Mr. Andrews, 60. The numbers being equal for Messrs. Kelling and Mcßae, the returning officer gave his casting vote in favor of Mr. Kelling; he and Mr. Andrews were then declared to be duly elected. . ; The Tasmanian Maid.—This little craft is a great favorite at Taranaki, and all kinds of pretty names are bestowed upon her. Her last consignments to the sick and wounded, which was so quickly collected, in addition to her norn deguerre Maid of all Work, will confirm the more gentle sobriquets of Sister of Mercy, Florence Nightingale, and Benevolent .Maid. Resident Magistrate's Court.—The ottentried case of Travers against Kinzett came off once more in this Court on Friday last. It was a cross action for ,£2O for alleged damages for non-fulfil-ment of contract by defendant, who urged that the contract was not binding, as plaintiff had not acted up to the terms which he had agreed to. The case was dismissed. Murder and Manslaughter.— 'AttorneyGeneral's Office, Auckland, Bth June, 1860. With reference to the notice to Coroners in the New Zealand Gazette of the 26th of March last, No. 10, page 65, it is hereby notified that Inquisitions in which verdicts of Murder or Manslaughter are found must be sent in the first instance to the Registrar of the Supreme Court for the District, who will forward them to this office after the trials there. All other Inquisitions must be sent direct to this office.—-Fred. Whitaker.'— Gazette. Drunkenness.—Several cases of this disgusting vice were disposed of-before the Resident Magistrate last week. One was that of a female well known in this town. All the offending parties were fined, and had to pay costs. Furious Driving.—A case of this kind, which we are happy to see has not been of freqeunt occurrence lately, was brought before the Resident Magistrate, who fined the offending party 40s. and costs. " Free-and-Easy."—A change for the better. —Of all the nuisances that can be inflicted upon a really civilised community, the establishment of "free-and-easy" concert rooms is one of the greatest. The experiment has been tried in one of the principal thoroughfares of Auckland—in the house heretofore known as the " Russell Wine Vaults;"' and, greatly to the rejoicing of all the neighboring residents, it proved so great a failure that the lease and goodwill of the premises had to be sold the other day. Mr. L. James, of the " Auckland Luncheon Larder," was the succcessful competitor, and is now busy altering the house so as to convert it into what has long been a growing want in Auckland,—a Commercial Exchange and Dining-room, conducted on the same principle as the restaurants connected with the London Corn and other Markets. For this purpose a better site could not have been chosen.— Auckland Paper. .