SHIPPING.

PORT OF AUCKLAND.

ARRIVALS

Naufiln.-', cutter, 30 tons, Stephen?, from Tairua, with 30 tons firewood. Sanf'7 Lass, schooner, 38 tons, McGregor, from East Ooart. Mary Ellen, schooner, 30 tons, Rawh'n?., fram Mercury Buy. Murgaret, cutter, 20 tons, from Wangapon, with timber.

DEPARTURES.

Hero, cutter, 30 tons, Urquhart. for Norfolk IViami and Now Caledonia.

EXPORTS.

Per Hero, for Norfolk Island: 8,000 feot timber, ('apt. Tilley; 240 bags ftour, 40 baas pplr, n pl-^3.; Cruichshank, Smart, & Co.; 17 pkgi. mmdriea, S. W. Hill; 200 bricks, 1 case driv--", i. tlo. drapery, Capt. Tilley; 50 casks i email 2 tons onions, 2 do. pota.oes, Cruiek shar.k. BntATt, & Co.; 1 ease, S. W. Hill.— druioksliitnk, Smart, & Co., Agents.

Tlic fin.c £•*• John Penh is expected in the Mfinukitii to-morrow. She is advertised to Jyavo... agSiu for the West Coast three days 3!to arrival.

Tlie p 8. Date of Edinburgh -will leave for the Thames at half-past six o'clock this even ing ; and the Lady Bowen at 9 a.m. tomorrow. The latter will receive cargo for Shortlaud and Graham stown to-day.

The schooner Coquette will sail for Norfolk Island (Hid New Caledonia on Monday.

The p.s. Lnlla Rookh will leave for Coro mandal direct on Monday next, The cutter Hero is to sail for Norfolk Island and New Caledonia this afternoon. The Eev. MY. Atkin, and Mr. iiichard Nazer are pa -

sengera by her. The schooner Loonidas will sail for the Bay of' Islands this evening .with a cargo of sun dries.

The schooner Jane will lcara the harbour for Tauranga this afternoon with about 200 packages of sundries, and several passengers.

Saucy Lass. —The schooner Saucy Lass, G'apt. McGregor, arrived in harbor this morn ing from the East Coast. She loft Awanui on Tuesday last and on Thursday night, experi enced strong gales from the SE. Cargo—7s pisis, 50 bags barley, 600 bushels maize, 400 "bushels wheat. The Sancy Lass will discharge alongside the wood wharf.

The 8.9. Tauanoa is announced to leave for the Br: of Islands this evening.

The ',8. Storm bird "will leave the Manukau to-momw, at 3 p.m.

The p«. Luna is to leave the breakwater this aftenoon, for the East Coast.

'• hej ci.lter Margaret arrived from Wanga poa £hi?morning, with 25,000 feet timber. The j/iiiy i'.llen, from Mercury Bay, brings ft full ergo of timber. She is discharging at the CuJom-Uouse-sti-eet wharf.

The shooner Taweir »s alongside the wood wliavf udergoing some alterations. Sue has a large uaatity of cargo on board, and will BftlL f''tf"»sverty Bay about Monday or Tuesday nest:

3?he fine schooner Kenilworth will take her departure for the Navigator's Islands on Tuesday next. Shipping Casttaltie3.—During the recent severe *.E. gale on the Australian coast, the schooners Mariposu, and Janet Diekson were

R ■•■-*--■■ ,-rr TKn fiii'mOT wns Jn^j; r at Broken Bay ; she wa3 owned by Mr. Philips, of Bathurst-street, Sydney, and was insured in lite Austialian office for £1,200, of which more than half was re-insured. The Janet D'ckson was owned by Mr. F. Cook of the sat Lit; city ; was recently repaired, and partly insured. The ps. Favorite is engiged to proceed to the .Manukau with Lieutenant Woods. She wil! leav • here to-mo. row, c.dling at the Bay of Islands for coal. Tlie a.s. City of Melbourne is to leave Sydney*to-duy, and will return to Sydney and Melbourne on Monday, tho 4th proximo, as dvertised.

THE NEW MAIL ROUTE.

The California]!, New Zealand, and Austra lian mail line commence the service on the 26th instiint. Mr. H. H. Hall has, fortu nßtelVj succeeded in chartering two of the finest boats in the colonies, namely, the Won»a Wonga and City of Melbourne, a d, judging 'I'rom the extraordinary demand for passages, the public appear to have entered 'most heartily into the scheme. The first boat to leave will be the Wonga Wbnga, under the command of Captain T. id. Be.il, late of the P.N.Z. Company. She isi novv in port, and will *be slipped, cleaned, and • the necessary alterations made to meet the requirements consequent on the number of passengers pro ceeding by her. The number of passages booked tip to the present time are 52 in the saloon, 33 in the cabin, and 65 in the steer age, independent of an allowance for twenty steerage passengers in Auckland Of this number two-thirds are booked through for England. The providing of the steamer yn\h Use necessary adjuncts of stewards and attendants will be c rried out by Messrs. Ban-on and Austen, and will be on a most liberal scale, and it is understood that nothing ■will bo found wanting in this department that can in any vray conduce to the comfort of all on board. Mr. Hall also gives the inducement to passengers proceeding on this route to remain in any port on the line for two months, their through-tickets being available for the succeeding boats. Mr. Hall's arrange ments have been so far completed that no great detention will be experienced by pas sengers at the ports of transhipment; so tliat passengers requiring speedy transit will be landed in England within the specified time. We may also state that, in. addition to the large number of passengers leaving by the Wonga Wonga, 23 have taken their passages by the City ot Melboxirne, which will leave on the 27th of April, under the command of Captain Granger, of the A. S. N. Co. Sub joined are the dates of departure, arrivals and retard of the colonial steamer:—From Sydney, Wonga, Wonga, March 26 ; City of Melbourne, April 27; Wonga Wonga, May 28; City of Melbourne, Juno 30; and afterwards the steamers will leave on the 30th of each suc oaeding month. The departures from Auck land will tnke place on 2nd April, 4th May, ■■4th' June, 7th July, and the 7th of each succeeding month. Tne steamers will arrive at Honolulu in fifteen days, by contract time, from Auckland, meeting the San Francisco 'steamers —which proceed direct, and generally make the passage in ten days. The outward mail leaves San Jfrancisco on the 10th of the

month, reaches Honolulu on ov about the 20th, on which date the colonial steamers leave, reaching Auckland in fifteen days and Sydney in twenty-one days, landing passengers in about forty-seven days, and telegraphic intelligence in thirty days from England.— Sydney Herald, March 14.

COMMERCIAL.

EVENING- STAR OFFICE, Saturday Afternoon. CUSTOMS RECEIPTS. Duties £478 17 3 Light Dues 0 15 0 Merchant shipping Fees ... 10 0 Arms Feed 0 12 0 Total ... £481 4 3 Mr. G-. Sibbin reports having sold bj auction to-day : —apples, from 2^d to 2£cl ; oranges, 8s to'B3 3d per case; barley, 3s 3d; cheese (inferior), 44 to sd| ; ditto (good), 7|d; butter, 9d; potatoes, £2 16s per ton; flour, 12s ; tea, 20s per box ; ailgur, 4f d ; kerosine, 3s 2cl; soap, 21s.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE.

SnORTLAND-STEEET. Maim for the undermentioned places will close as follow :—

For Shortland, this day, at 5 30 p ax. and on the 28th instant at iISO a m. For Taranaki. Wanganui, and Wellington, per s.s. .-torm Bird, this day, at 6.30 p.m. For hiji, per Coquette, on the 28:k instant. For Napier, per s.s. Stnr of the South, on the 29th instant. For the Au-tralian Colonies, per s. s. Hero, on the 30th inst-ant, at 2 p.m. For Coroinandel, per Lalla Kookh, on the 28th instant, at 11.30 a.m. Mails per s.s. Wonga Won go, will close on Saturday, 3rd of April, as under : — For Sandwich Islands, United States of America, Canada, West Indies, South America, &c, at 12.30 p.m. S. B. Bias, Chief Postmaster.

The Evening Star. SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1870.

Those gentlemen and clergymen who lately talked so eloquently and forcibly about doing something for the City Arabs, and who fervently invoiced the aid of pri vate benevolence for the cause which they had taken up, seemed to forget that such (in appeal would not have been necessary had the provision made by the State for this purpose, many years Ngo, been utilised. In no other country, and in no other age, has the State been more liberal than in New Zealand in the grants of laud for educational and charitable pur poses. Wince the year 1843, several thou sand acres have oeen set, npai» iu-*i» Province, by free grant of the Crown, as Trust instates "for the education of chil dren of both, races, and of children of other poor and destitute persons, being inhabitants of the islands of the Pacific Ocean." -Nay; more than this, these grants of Crown ' and have been supple mented from time to time by large sums of public money, to help in the erection of schools, and other necessary buildings. Such being the case, it might justly be thought, that in this Province the pro vision for the maintenance and education of destitute children was so ample as to leave nothing further to be desired. Un fortunately, the very reverse of this is the case. In the hands of the Churches, of different denominations, those Trust. Estates have been so shamefully mis managed, that they have practically been of little use. The facts connected with their management, as ascertained by a Parliamentary Commission, disclose a history which is little less than a public scandal. Valuable lands have been left unproductive; buildings allowed to fall into decay, whilo it; is almost heart rending to learn of the neglected and Slthy condition in which, the children, at one of the schools, were allowed to be kept. From whatever cause this past mismanagement has arisen, it is at all events abundantly clear that it should not be allowed to continue, and that, to ensure this, the Trust Estates should be rescued from the incompetent hands into which they have unfortunately fallen, and their care entrusted to practical business men who will carry out the intentions which Sir George Grey had in making grants from the Public Estate.

His Honor the Superintendent alluded to this in his speech tit the recent meeting of gentlemen interested in forming a " Bagged School Association,", when he spoke of " certain lands " which might be used an the site of na Industrial school. It was to those Trust Hstates his Honor then referred, and as he at the same time gave an implied pledge that lio would use his efforts to render the land available for the purpose in question, vre huve strong hopes that some steps in a right direction will now be taken. The course which should be adopted is self-evident. The Legislature must interfere, and an act of the

Assembly be obtained, in virtue of which

the trust estates belonging to this pro vince may be placed in proper hands and applied to their legitimate purpose. From what we have ascertained there will not be much difficulty in getting such a measure passed in the ensuing session of i the Assembly. The management which j has prevailed in the past has been so ! flagrant, and the proofs of it are so numerous and overwhelming, that no : valid reasons can possibly be urged why ! the Legislature should not interfere with i a high hand. The Act passed and fresh trustees appointed, the rest of the work would be easy. With more than enough of land for the site of an Industrial School, there need be no difficulty in find ing adequate fuuds for the erection of a suitable building. Nor would such an Institution, if properly managed, fail to find abundance of support to maintain it in efficient working order. The State has ever been liberal of its aid to such Institutions, and wh?n the benevolence of the people of Auckland has once been fairly aroused for a deserving purpose, an appeal to it need never be made in vain.

This should be a red-letter day in the auuals of Auckland—of New Zealand. I'o-aay, the fir>t steamei ot the tian Fran, cisco Mail route leaves Sydney harbor, and past our doors there is this da 3' opened one ot the greatest highways of the world's tniffic. It would be difficult to over osti. mate the importance of the event, or to tell the results on the destiny of New Zealand, that may arise from the intimate connection this day formed with the most earnest and energetic of the Anglo-^axon race. That such commercial intercourse should eventually arise has long been evident, but that so striking success should have attended its mere initiation, was not generally expected. As appears from another column, the new route hr.s been accepted in Sydney with the strongest expression of popular approval, namely, " an extraordinary demand for passages." The berths apportioned to that end of the line have almost all been allotted and a considerable number of intending passengers have aleady engaged their passages by succeeding boats of the line. Elcre too vjl Auckland the demand for berths has been very great ; and already as we undersand, berths are being taken, contingent on there being accommodation available in the Wonga Wonga. For the succeeding boat, the City of Melbourne, leaving Auckland on the 4th of May, even now, there are 5 passengers booked by ™ivJncnl airents; anil altogether the pros pect of atrip through the sunny isles gT the Pacific and over the prairies and mountain gorges of America, has been received with an unprecedented burst of popular favor. 'I he reception of a scheme so fraught with untold benefits is a snh jeet ot sincere congratulation for the people of Auckland. Popular in it s first inception, admirably initiated, placed so far as New Zealand in terests are concerned, in the hands of one of our most enterprising and popular firms, Cruikshank, Smart, and Co., this drawing closer of our intercourse with America will undoubtedly have a vivifying effect on our commerce ; while our Taupos and Tongariros, the unsurpassable highland scenery of our hitherto remote and inaccessible islands will soon be grouped with the Trossachs, the _Khine, Oliamounix, and Niagara in the portfolios of fashionable tours.

On Tuesday, March 29, the annual soiree in connexion with the Primitive Methodist Church, IMwardes-strcefc, will be held in the schoolroom at; half-past six p.m. After tea a public meeting will be held in the church, when several addresses by well-known speakers will be delivered.

The regular monthly meeting of Lodge St. Andrew, No. 418, 5.0., will be held iv the Lodge Room, Btar Hotel, Albert street, on Monday next, at 7.30 p.m.

An accident which, but for the presence of mind and pluck of a man named James Porter, might hare had a fatal terminal tion, occurred on Wednesday last, near]} 7 opposite the Long Drive claim, on the beach. It appears that about half-past ten o'clock in the morning, a little girl, . who had charge of a Laby, went out on the tramway leading to the Scandinavian shaft, and by some means the child fell out of her arms into about seven feet of water, it being high water afc the lime. J'lie accident was observed by some men, who rushed to the spot, and attempted to reach the child from the tramway, Of rather jetty, but being unable to do so, Porter jumped in and rescued the little child, wbo, at the time, was floating in the water face downwards. The child was only about ten months, old, and was in charge of a little giri nine or ten years of

age. Yestfbday morning a yotiug man fell down in a fit opposite Mr. Webb's Music Saloon, Hobsou-street, and had it not been for the presence ot mind of Mr. Beveridp,e, who untied his handkerchief, he would most likely hare been choked. That gentleman, who fortunately was

passing at the time, applied cold water to the young man, and sheltered him from the sun with an umbrella until medical assistance was procured.

A Phovincial GoviJfiNMENi Gazette was published yesterday, and contains proclamation bringing the Parnell, Graf'tun Koad.andKarangahape Highway districts under the I'og Nuisance Act, 1854 and the latter district under the Thistle and Impounding Acts. Notice is given that it is intended to grant a lease to the Nonpareil GM.G>, and that leases have been refused to be granted to twenty four gold mining companies at the Thames, and three companies at Coromandel, while twenty-three leases have lapsed from non-execution thereof. Constables Bui ford and McGovern are appointed inspectors of Bread for the Rnglan and Waikato districts, and it is notified that tenders will be received till the Bth proximo, for certain lauds adjacent to Orahei Bridge at Kemuera, being com mon school reserves ; also, till the 25th proximo, for school reserves at Pahi. Kaipara, and for cutting flax at Kariori, near Raglan. The powers under the Diseased Cattle Act are delegated to the Superintendent of the Province of Auck land. The Gazette contains list of addi tional auctioneers' licences granted ; also, of wholesale spirit licences, and bush licences granted, and concludes with a statement of the assets and liabilities of the Province of ~nd for the quarter ended 31st December, 1869, and several lists of names of persons for whom Crown grants are ready for issue. Our Thames eotemporary has the fol lowing :—The telegrnph which is intended to connect .Auckland and the Thames is rapidly spreading its magic wires across the country, and in a faw weeks will make its appearance at the Piako side of the frith of the ! barnes itself. In a few days it is intended to commence the erection of two large turrets on the Piako side, and two on the swamp land opposite, near Shortland, to carry the wires across the channel of the Thames river. The turrets are to be ninety feet high and twenty feet at (he base, so that tney will serve the purpose of excellent land-marks, or beacons, for vessels passing under neath, should we be fortunate enough at no distant date to find ourselves in the possession of a rich field in the U^per names. It is said that the telegraph office is to be in Mary street, at the Post office ; but the uew Government buildings, (>wen-street,. would be much more suitable for the purpose.

A MAX named John Burton returned to town this afternoon from. Motatapu with a large number of rabbits, caught on that island by him. This week alone the one man has trapped over one hundred. He informs us that there are thousands on the island, and that with god dogs or ferrets large numbers may be easily caught. So many islands being in our vicinity it would be well to put a few of these rabbits on them, so that on holidays some of our sporting friends could go down and have a good day's sport.

A Ciiit.d of about six or seven yoar3 had a narrow escape this forenoon, in Symonds street. A cab was being driven down the street,_at a very rapid pace, when on approach ing a <?nup of children playing togothor, the whole 61 r.ne ntrie jjcujjh? ,„;. - *■'"■ i)bv>cf: One of the smallest lagging a little in the rear woul i inevitably have been run over and pro bably killed, had not the driver, with the utmost effort, pulled up to the one side. As it was, the child was actually among the horses' feet, and the escape seemed miraculous.

This morning as a man was sitting on the edge of the wharf, contemplating we presume the beauties of the intake, from some cause or other, in attempting to get up he toppled over into the water. The tide being almost out he got the full benefit of the alluvial that has been for some years accumulating from the now celebrated main sewer : and his ap pearance on emerging was striking in the extreme. Having on a pair of whit.3 mole skin trousers and being somewhat of a dandy in a small way, in his general "get up," the effect of the immersion was anything but improving ; and as he hastily made his way up Queen street, his manner betrayed unmistakeable irritation at the notice which he attract ed, the remarks of passers by, and the powerful aroma diffused everywhere around him in his pro progreess.

We are glad to learn that to-day a move ment has been begun among several of the merchants of the city Avith the intention of getting up a public banquet to the officers of the Wonga Wonga, to mnrk the occasion of the opening of the San ]' rancisco route.

We have this morning inspected a number of specimens of quartz from the Prince Im perial—beach claim, at the Thames. They are of extraordinary richness, and form a curious commentary on the doleful tales of destitution, and falling off in gold lately coming from 'he Hauraki golclfield. TJie specimens are to be seen at Mr. Chapman's, bookseller, Queen-street, and are really worth a visit.

We are glad in the interests of the lliggcd School movement to learn that His Honov the Superintendent has consented to accept the Yicepresidency of the Association. We think that his connection with the movement will be generally accepted as a .guarantee of energy in action, and success in results.

The Library of the Mechanics' Institute has received some small addition of books, we learn, within the last few days; but the Committee of that institution seem to have gone to sleep again. The atmosphere there seems to have something comatose in its influences. We had hoped much from the new blood; and the Committee made a feint at activity, but the effort appears to have been too much for them, and the institution has returned to its normal stale of chronic lethargy. If the Committee mean do nothing move than their prede essos, we would respect fully recommend that they resign.

The Intake again.—The assaults are fast and furious. The Engineer-in-Chief will on Monday make a thorough inquest into the mysteries of this pit of pollution. The duty will scarcely be a pleasant one, but if Mr. O'Neill succeed in thoroughly conquering this abomination, he will have the prayers of all good "citizens. To laymen it certainly appears that a mere trough or conducting sewerage to

the water, and preventing its spread over the " debateable" ground, would be effectual. We really must take exception to the indifference ' displayed by some of the draymen on ouv wharves and other thorough fares in leaving horses of uncertain biting tendencies in such positions as to render it dangerous te passers by. We noticed, yester day, more than one criminal backed to the wharf edge, whose propensities to cannibalism were of the most unquestionable determination, otherwise these noble brutes, of which Auck land can justly lay claim to much honour, are are of peaceful and tractable dispositions, but unless the wayfarer be very smart, he is as liable as not "to get a nasty reminder from one of such brutes. These, which possess such incurable vices, should at least be muzzled, as a physical protection to society.

In yesterday's issue wo made a typographical mistake in the name of the gentleman who was the owner of the rick of hay burnt at. Tauranga on the night of the 23rd uist. It was the property of Captain Skeet, formerly District Surveyor, and at present a settler in that district. This gentleman, who was in Auckland at the time, lias informed us that it was worth about, £200, and had been virtually sold by him; that he was going out to com plete the sale and receive the money yesterday morning when he received the letter from Tauranga relative to the burning. As the fire was umnistakeably caused with intent, if it is the work of a pakeha it was ari unworthy act to a gentlema who has always shown willing ness to assist the settlers in the district; if by Maories, it was equally unworthy treatment of one who has always bten ready to lead them in a fight, and to oblige them when not on active service.

The Queen Street Race Course was again the scene of much excitement to-day. About 11 a.in.a fine grey cab horse took possession of the thoroughfare and bolted in harness down the street, to the utmost consternation of every one. He however was recaptured near the warf, trembling from excitement. There is no further racing event against time in this locality, but it is pos ible we may have to record a few more siinular occurauces on Monday. The course will be tolerably clear.

DISTRICT PRIZE FIRING.

The firing was continued yesterday under the command of Major Tisdall, who kept the score at the firing point. Lieutenant .V'orrotv and Sergeuut Major Haslam keeping the score at the butt. Dr. Hooper was also in attendance. The day was bright and there was a light breeze blowing. The highest scores are those of Sergean? Stanger (42), and Lieu tenant Morrow (41) ; and the latter no doubt would have been still higher but for the fact that owiiig to no other officer being present he had to keep his eye strained upon the target all day as otic of the markers. It is a pity that volunteer officers accept commissions, yet show such apathy in attendance on their duties. The score is as follows : — H S£ 8£ g T. C. Self ... 03020 33232 00032 23 C. E. Foider ... 43033 33224 20020 31 A. B. Morrow ... 04424 34300 20014 30 E Morrow ... 03243 32444 22002 35 A. Morrow ... 43033 33333 20314 41 K. V.-J3lKa -ASsS'ia ooaoo as TJ. E Git'ulaaa 32003 00DD4 000 >O 12 J. Ellison ... 22022 OOiOO 00000 11 J.Mitchell ... 3C234 34320 34332 39 J. Coyle 00230 20002 02220 15 T. Alien 00330 30200 00000 11 GL Martin ... 00302 00043 40000 16 F. Andrews ... 30323 42203 00402 28 Wm. Stanger ... 43422 24433 20432 42 M. Me ormick ... 20000 20230 40232 20 Wm. JSTvmghton... 84)33 00002 33030 24 G-eo. Panington... 33332 03333 00000 26 JohnMcG-inity... 00004 00204 00000 10 J. McComish ... 34322 43322 02040 35 Thos. Stewart ... 43242 33420 3 332 38 Thus. Constable... 43202 02304 40042 30 Thos. Mann ... 23003 02000 22003 17

POLICE COURT-Saturday.

[Before T. Beckham, Esq., R.M.]

DRUNKENNESS

Jftmes Herbert and James Murray were fined ss. and costs, and Johu Brackenbuvy for a third offence was fined 20s. and costs.

DESERTION,

William Gogan, charged with desertion from the 18th Royal Irish, was on the application of Mr. Commissioner Naughton remanded for a week, in order to be worwarded to Sydney.

CORRESPONDENCE.

("We are not responsible for our Correspondent's

opinions,

RAGGED SCHOOL.

To the Editor of the Eyening Star.

Stk, —I see that at the meeting of the Com mittee of the above Association the press was not admitted. If this is the manner in which, the meetings on this important subject are to be carried on, I do not thiuk that the treasurer will find subscriptions come in as fast as he expects ; because it is out of reason to ihink that our wealthy citizens will contribute their aid unless they know what is to be done with their money and how things are to be carried on. Apologising for intruding ou your valuable space.—I am, &c,

Free Thtnketi,

Auckland, March 25, 1870,

SONG OF THE NGAPUHI GIRL.

They tell me the men ««*h a white, white face Belong to a. purer, -lobler race ! But why, if *% d<- so, and if; may be so, Do their tongues cry "Yes," and their actions "No?"

iThcy tell me that white is a heavenly hue, And it mriy be so, but the sky is blue ; And the first of men—as our old men say, - Had earth-brown skin, and was made of clay. But throughout my life, I've heard it said, There's nothing surpasses a tint of red ; Oh ! the white man's cheeks look pale and sad, Compared to my handsome Maori lad. riion lot them talk of their race divine, Their glittering domes and sparkling wine 5 G-ive me a wbare, like my fathers had, , And my tall, straight, handsome, Maori lad, —Hawke's Bay Herald,

LATEST THAMES NEWS.

NEW BUSH TO UPPEE TAEAEU.

Tihartj, Friday, 10 a.m. On my arrival here ihis morning, I found the place in a state of great excitement, owing to a very rich find of gold about four miles from Russell's battery, in the Scottish Chief lease. I have seen a little of the sione, and it is exceedingly rich. I forward you this by a gentleman who is going to t.jwn. f understand that from two to three hundred miners have gone up and pegged off ou all sides, and still they are going. The situation of the place, as near as I can make it, is about K. of N. of Grahamstown, over Punga Flat, and three to four miles from the latter place. I will send fuller details by to-morrow's early boat.

An accident of a very dangerous character occurred on the Queen's Wharf, Wellington. The hydraulic, wool press was recently pur chased' by some persons in a neighbouring province ; the schooner Nile went alongside to tike it on board; one of the wharf cranes was moved down to be used in shipping the press; and one of the pieces being very heavy—weigh ing nearly a ton —when the arm was swung round for the purpose of lowering the weight into the schooner, the whole affair tottered over, aud, after a moment's hesitation, for tunately Jong enough for those b.?low to clear out, the crane and its load fell, with a tremen dous crash, right into the vessel. The deck was broken, the combings of the hatch destroyed, and even some of the beams smashed.

An article headed " Mr. Beecher's Private Habits," which appeared in a recent number of the Philadelphia Sunday Despatch, makes , : some amusiug, if not authentic contributions to the " great preacher's" biography. After telling us at whab hour Mr. Beecher goes to bed| and that lie never dines with his hat on, the writer enlarges upon his peculiarities as a ; farmer. Mr. Beecher cultivates thirty-six acres on scientific principles. He does nothing without consulting books. "Upon one occa sion, when it seemed morally certain that the ,/ hay ought to be cut, the hay-book could not I 1 .bn.fniinrL.aiid before it was found the hayjKas™ ... all spoiled." -iJvffc, (LJpaiiE ji~^.»i- -ztcClaentS, Mr. Ueeoher is successful with h»y, and I " raises some of the finest crops of wheat in ♦he country." His strawberries would rival • ,-.i either crop " if the robins would eat turnips, but they won't and hence failure." Mr. Beecher "?\, makes mistakes sometimes. Two years ago he I sowed twenty-seven acres of water-melons, I which came up pumpkins. A grand idea of ||,; "concentration" that occun'ed to him was even a greater failure Having discovered !if one egg in every hen's nest, h gathered them all under an experienced old fowl, " which roosted over that contra.-.t night and day for eleven weeks." anxiously supervised by Mr. I Beecher himself, but nothing came of it. The ■ a eggs were " infamous porcelain things." Fin- S ally we learn that though Mr. Beecher's farm does not pay now, it is expected to do so when the outlay for books censes. Under the he d of moral habits, the writer assures us that Mr. % Beecher never swears ; but, if he did, "he j I would throw into it a certain amount of pathos and splendid imaginary, and moving earnest ness, and restless energy, topped off and climaxed with a gorgeous pyrotechnic con flagration of filagree and fancy swearing that would aslonish aud delight the hearer, and for ever after quiver through his bewildered memory an exquisite confusion of rainbows, > and music, and thunder and lightning. A man of highoi-der of iutellect could sit and listen to Mr. Beecher swear for a week without getting tired."

Hobert Charles Hannah, an infant of twenty months old, was found drowned in a ■ . creek at the back of Mr. Woolford's house, in I Cambria-street, Nelson. A verdict was ro- I turned of "Accidentally drowned." F. A. Carrington Esq., has issued an • address to the electors of the Omata District, offering to represent them in the House of 1 Kepreseniatives during the forthcoming session of die General Assembly. . | §j i This boiling-down establishment at Feathers* ! ton, Wellington, is now in full work. Numbers I of sheep have already been consigned to the pot, and the Mercury understands that the lessee, Mr. Vennell, has orders to boil down upwards of 8,000 more as soou as lie is.pre pared. ' ■ ■ Sunday School Teacher: " Why was » Joseph put into the pit ?" Thomas (who goes to the theatre on week days) : " Becauso I there was no room for him in the boxes." A MiNKSOTA farmer says :-" We raise four «t hundred bushels of po!aloes to the acre here, r* which would be a big thing if we didn't nlso Hj raise bugs enough to- eat them all up." The ready manner in which an American can adapt himself to any circumstances is proverbial, " Bodad," said an Irishman, "if j! a Yankee was cast away on a barren and un inhabited island, he'd make a living by selling • maps to the people." A Murray 7" contemporary mentions that I a Chinaman lately foil into the river and I was drowned. His countrymen tried to recover the body, but without avail ; and t applied to a European for assistance. The r . utmost, however, they would offer him for I his services was a shilling ; and this being . "steemed too low an assessment even of the . v i-af the dead Chinaman, the defunct "n,g left undisturbed.

THE EVENING STAII, MARCH 26, 1870.



The wretch who can stand in a pair of slippers worked for him by his wife, and scold her is a brute, who deserves to have the gout in both feet. When a new opinion or doctrine conies hefore you, do not bite till you know whether it; is bread or a stone; and do not be sure that the gingerbread is good because of the gilt of it. The "wild gazelle," who has played a rather important part in the local incidents of Karori, fell beneath the deadly aim of constable Scott, araied with a regulation rifle —potted at the distance of 150 yards. We learn f oin the Westport Times that Mr. Q-reenfield and Mr. 31ackett had arrived at Westport, and that the latter had examined the scene of the encroachments made by lie river, and estimated roughly that the sumj- " £1,000 ©r £1,500 would be necessary for ) M y tective works.