THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1881.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3823, 30 March 1881, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1881.

After listening to the pre-sessional utterances of two of the Ministerial stars. Major Atkinson and Mr Bryce, we are treated to the opinions of one of the lesser lights of the Opposition, Mr Hutchinson, .one of the members for the city of Wellington. From the telegraphic summary of the address, it would appear that Mr Hutchinson confined himself to the work of last session. We agree with him that the Ministry failed to carry out the parliamentary programme as set forth in the Gubernatorial address, indeed, it is an undeniable fact that not one of the measures mentioned in the Governor's address became law. When i Parliament meets and the Financial Statement is laid before the people, we will be able to judge better concerning the success or otherwise, of the financial policy of Mr Hall and his colleagues, but from Mr Hutchinson's remarks on the subject -—and with matters of finance he is well acquainted—it would appear that everything does not wear the couleur de rose that Major Atkinson would have led us to suppose. Mr Hutchinson states that the increase in the Customs duties has failed as a means of increasing the revenue—indeed the only result of the session being a Btrong overdose of taxation, without any proportionate benefit. The accusation against the Ministry for crying down the credit of the colony for political ends is a serious one, and we hope to hear it ventilated when Parliament assembles. Certain monetary institutions are supposed to possess enormous power, which, if operated on in the proper manner, is sufficient at any moment to cause a commercial crisis. As a means of saving the people from the capricious action, of such institutions, Mr Hutchinson is in favor of a Sank of Issue. Passing over without comment his opinions on the Property Tax, Redistribution of Seats, etc., we come to the hon. member's remarks on the resignation of Mr Bryce, whom he rejoices to see out of power. On this point we are not at unison with Mr Hutchinson. Mr Bryce deserves the greatest credit for the manner in which he conducted Native Affairs; indeed, we look upon the native policy of the Government as its aole redeeming feature. From the hon. member's remarks at the end of his speech it would appear that he is a liberal of most advanced views, being in favor of taxa--tion designed.4o-bYeak-Yip -large eatateß, while he jg"bf opinion that every vestige should be abolished.

A BUHPEE bouse at the Theatre Royal last evening again patronised the Diorama. The prize for the best conundrum—a valuable tea and coffeeoervfoe—was awarded to Mr J. H. Harrison, and the drawing room suite fell to the lot of Mrs Edgeworth. Me W. HaliE3, Distriot Engineer, arrived here last evening on business in connection with the Kopu railway. An unseemly fracas ocourred laat evening at the door of the Theatre Royal. A well* known citizen having some dispute with the doorkeeper regarding a pass oiled him " the •on of a hangman." The janitor threw bis traduser out, and on Detective Farrell endeavoring to pour oil on the troubled water, the well-known citzen seized him by | the whisker and pulled one of his Dundrearys out by-,the roots. This accounts for the gallant detective going round to-day with a clean shave, and is not a sign that he has a particularly intricate case in hand. Thb young man brought before the It M. this morning for " making " a watch told the police that "he was a gentleman of the first water." Our funny man says that bread and I water will be quite compatible with his taste then. At the annual meeting of the shareholders of the Kuranui Hill Gtoldmining Company, held in Auckland yesterday, a resolution whs proposed and seconded to dispense with the services of the mine manager. It was determined to postpone it. for 14 days. Thb manager of the Alburnia Company notifies that he is prepared to receive tenders from miners desirous of taking tributes in the mine fjr several blooks of ground between the Whau and Sons of Freedom tunnel. As these blooks are at a greater depth than any previous ones held by tributers, there will doubtless be some little competition for them. A BEQtriEM mass was sung this morning at I 7.80, in St. Francis' Church, Shortland, for the repose of the soul oF Harry Robinson, who died recently at (Jisborne, and who waß formerly a most efficient membe? ef the choir, and a zealous adherent of the Romish Church. DtJBINQ the yea* fcho trustees of the Kaitangita Relief Fund paid £HIQ to sufferers, and carry forward £400. ', Thb schooner Jesßie arrived oft* Grahams* ! town yesterday from Auckland. She proceeds up the river to the Turua Sawmills to load timber for KaiapoL The topsail schooner ' Zoir, now loading at Oamaru for this port, ! will nlso load at the same place for Dunedin. It is stated in Dunedin that under the direotions of Captain Hume, a new Prisons Bill is being prepared, after the model of the English ope. It will place all the power ia the hands of tbe Inspector of Prisons, and bring the treadmill into use, Jfc is also proposed to reduce very considerably, if $ojt abolish, all outdoor prison labour and to remove all save short sentenced prisoners to Lyfctbkoa, which is to become the penal establishment of the colony. A coos story reaches i^t concerning tbe recent conundrum competition at xfae Dio« ram*. MessrsiH. and T. wrote two conandrums, aud during the intermission showed them to the worthy host of the Provincial. With hit usual foresight, biißW aiorifc iv ihs

riddles, and offered the gentlemen " fire bob for the two." H. winked at T., and they oollared the two half-crowns, no doubt thinking what a flat Joe Williams was. H'g conundrum took the prize, and a valuable tea and coffee service now adorns Joe's sideboard. T. made half a crown, but H. lost several pounds worth.

The Dacites hare opened in Auckland, and the Simonson Opera Company will soon be there.

Thb Melbourne correspondent of the Tablet, in a late issue says:—ln the lull of politics, the newspapers hare been lucky in finding a piece de resistance to dish up in •lice* daily to their readers. A fierce war is raging among Presbyterians anent the basis of their creed. Hitherto the Westminster confession of faith which every Minister ii obliged to sign before he is admitted to the priesthood and "The Longer and Shorter Cateohiem," were supposed to contain the essential dogmaa of Presbyterianisra. Th« Rev. Mr Strong, a very popular preacher, and probably the most gifted among the Presbyterian divines here, lately wrote an es«ay in the Victorian Review, in which he wandered, so his rev. critics say, hopelessly into the wicked paths of .heresy. He treated the Atonement, Eleotion, Predeßtinution, and kindred grave subjects with a jaunty air of disbelief that might make an old Convenanter turn in bis grave. A zealous minister of the old John Knox type has given notice that he will bring the matter before the Synod, meantime the newspapers have been deluged with letters from partizans of Mr Strong. Their defence mainly is that the Confession and the Catechisms are absurd, out of date, and unbelievable.

A fIOBBKsPOITOBNi of the Taranaki News writes concerning the manner things we conducted at the front as follows :—" It is quite true that numbers of men are leaving in small batches, others are daily forwarding applications for their discharge, while some are taking French leave, and, I fear, others will follow. Now you will naturally ask what is the cause of all this—ls it due to the 10 per oent. reduction in their pay? No; with the rations at the present figure, and road pay of one shilling per day, their wages are up to the original standard. But it is owing to the absurd way in wbioh things are conducted, and the utter incompefency of those men placed in charge. The foroe wants to be re-organised— reformed from the Colonel downwards, and the Booner i- is done the better for the Colony, for if an outbreak should occur at all, I fear a massacre of the most fearful kind would follow, owing to the incompetency of its non-commissioned officers —and would have occurred ere now only ffor the pacific course adopted by Te Whiti. And it is a wellknown fact that for the past six months three hundred of the rank and file have left the Force, still the full strength of non-com-missioned officers is k pt up, arid it is simply absurd to sea them strutting about camp, while at the same time they know as little o drill or military t&oticß as a aohool boy. How they stepped into these positions is a mystery to me, as they have no particular qualification whatever.

Ws have received by telegram the following n^tiee'T—"Lox out job Cloonah'b Cheap bAl>a.—A magnificent assortment of Seasonable Gt-oods. First show on Saturday next."—[Advt.]

Yotr can be measured far a Trousers for 17s 6d, or Trousers and Test 28s 6d, at Cioonan's (late Coegrave and Co.) Plenty of Tweeds to select from.—[Advt.]