ALARM OF FIRE.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 119, 26 February 1872, Page 3

ALARM OF FIRE.

At 1.30 Uiis afternoon, the central firebell pealed forih its well-known sound. In a moment, hundreds of excited people ran in the direction of Victoria-sireet. The alarm was not a false one, proving that the lioiiso of Captain Draiind, Gra-ham-street, had been accidentally set on lire bv a number of urchins, who are in the habit of making bonfires in the vicinity of the dill’s. Jt seems that the wind can in! the sparks, which rested upon the house, and in a few moments the shingles were blazing. Mr Asher and a few ot.iers soon administered a few buckets of water, which extinguished the flames at once. A hole, which was large enough for a boy to creep in, was made, and if t lit* building bad thoroughly caught, a great deal of damage would have ensued. The police should make an example of such hoys, who congrcgrate he.e and there to act mischief. If this were done once or twice, we should have fewer accidents. — Evenin'] £.’«/•.

THE XKW ZEALAND PRESIiY--5 TEH I A AT J L I GA ZJXE. Til!', second number of the No. 6 Errxh;/trriini jLii/crAitr is before us. It is very well printed by Messrs Leed am! Brett ; Mr E. Wayte is tbc publisher. The reading matter contains miieli of deep interest to those to whom it is most especially addressed —tbc members of I lie Presbyterian congregation. ' In the introduction to the present number of the J/i/i/i/.riV', in speaking of the position of the Presbyterian Church, the author says that the “ Church has "alien far short of making adequate provision for ministering to the spiritual wants o" those who call themselves by her name, aim who are, we may presume, attached to her doctrines aim forms of worship, by ties of conviction and of early associations. Out of a population of 11,408 leiurued, by census, as the Presbyterian population of the province, only 2,780 are staled in Presbyterial returns to be in the enjoyment of the ministrations of the church. As these include those also who me but occasional attendants on divine ordinances, it must be felt that the church is not doing that work which we may suppose to lie required of her by her Divine Head, nor yet one, the coiitempla- | tinn of which can afford much satisfac- | (ion to the numbers of the church tlicm- ! solves. We could gloss over this circumstance, and explain it away by adducing causes, none of which could belaid in blame to the hearts and consciences of our people. The disasters of war, the depression of trade and commerce, and the prostration of various industries, may ell be given in excuse for the profissed inability, and admitted neglect of tlie church in overtaking the spiritual wants of the province : and as these excuses ! have in them an element of truth, they j are all the more readily accepted in exenl- j pat ion. But it is a fact which cannot be denied, that while almost all other interests have been revived by Iho extraordinary impulse from the Thames gold fields, the pecuniary interests of the church have j not been revived, nor is (here manifested any greater ability to sustain and extend the punching of the gospel, in districts that have been long neglected.” A sc.mon by the Lev. James Mackav, j on the “ Gospel, no cause of shame,” fol- j lows. Leports of the last quarterly | meeting of the Presbytery of Auckland, of the (Synod of Otago, an article on the New Hebrides Mission, New; of the Churches, and the “ Children's Corner” make up a volume well woitliv of perusal.