SHIPPING.

PORT OF AUCKLAND

ARRIVAL.

Jane, schooner, 37 tons, Moller, from Tauranga. Flirt, schooner, MeKenzie, from Lyttelton, with grain.

ARRIVAL OF THE FLIRT.

Iho clipper schooner Flirt, Captain McKcn zie, arrived in hnrbour this afternoon, from Lyttelton, with a cargo of grain. She is con signed lo Messrs. Cruickshank, Smaa-t & Co.

The Lndy Bowen is the only vessel leaving for the Thames thia evening. She leaves the Wharf at 10 p.m, taking passengers and cargo. The s.s. Star of the South did not leave for Napier yesterday. She was detained for the purpose of shipping a large boiler, and will probably leave this evening. Two vessels are signalled as we go to press, a barque and a topsail schooner. The former will probably bo the Kate, now overdue from Sydney. The schooner Jane, Captain Mollcr, has made a capitul run up from laurauga. She loft there at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, and ar rived here at 130 a.m. to-day, carrying several pr.3sen.ser3. The cutter Gazelle arrived at Maketu with n achinery on Monday last.

COMMERCIAL.

EVENING STAR OFFICE, Thursday Afternoon.

Messrs. Lewis Brothers sold by auction to day, at their mart, Queen street, as follows :— Kent hops, Is 2d ; empty tanks, 50s to 535"; jams, X.8., in jars, s|d ; ditto Peacock and Johnson's, 6s 8d ; crushed loaf sugar, 6d ; fine white crystals, 5d ; gunnies, J.C., s£d ; tea, " Minnie," 6d in bond ; Ogilvie candles, 10f d ; Keiller's confectionery, 10? ; vestas, 250's, 17s 6d gross; salmon, i4s; Lea aud Perrin's sauce, 12s 9d ; blacking, 4d ; Morton salmon, 13s 6d.

Mr. S. Jones disposed of by auction to-day five cases saddlery at the following prices : — Gentlemen's riding saddles, £3 la to £3 2s Od; buggy harness, £5 to £5 10s ; bridles, riding and stock whips, £3 5s to £4 ss. Mr. B. Tonka held a large sale of drapery, See., at his mart to-day, which was numerously attended by the trade. The following prices were realised :—Brown cotton J-hose, 2s lOd; 10x4 white blankets, 17s ; 10 x 4 blue ditto, 13s ; 11 x 4 ditto ditto, 17s ; Crimean shirting, Is ld to Is 4d ; felt hats, 38s to 45s ; white and grey Crimean shirts, 72s ; Scotch twill shirts, 19s 6d to 21s ; Crimean shirt s, 50s; shepfterd check Crimean shirts, 58s ; 48 in. linen duck, 12£ d; cloth caps, 16s to 36s ; drab Favourite felt hats, 48s; white shirts, 455; regatta shirts, 30s; winceys, lOjd; scarlet flannels, Is 6£d ; elastic belts, 10s 6d to 17s 6d ; black Regent ties, 2s 6d to 5s 6d ; grey calicoes, s£d; black alpacas, 7d to 12 £d ; black jackets, 5s to 10s 6d. ,

MARRIAGE.

Q.UIGLEY —Curry.—On February 2, at All Saints' Church, Dedwood, by the Rev. Ed. Nugent Bree, Corporal John Henry Quigley, 18th R.I. Regt., to Ellen Curry, of Epsom.

DEATHS.

Lang.—On the 26th inst., at his residence, BlagdoK Farm, Ruatangata Wangarei, Mr. Andrew Lang, late of Coleridge, Devonshire. —Home and Melbourne papers please copy. Burton. -— On March 29, Jane, the be loved wife of Mr. Burton, aged 45 years. The funeral will leaye her late residence, Union-street, this day, at 3.30 p.m. Friends please accept this invitation.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE.

Shortland-street. Mails will close as under : — &or Fiji, per Coquet, to-morrow, at 9 a.m. For Samoa, per Kenilworth, to-morrow, at 9 a.m. For Shortland, to-morrow, at 11 a.m. and 5-30 p.m. For Taranaki, Nelson, and Southern Pro vinces, per s.s. Ahuriri, to-morrow, at 10 a.m. Late letters and telegrams for transmission from the Nelson Station will be received at this office till 10-30, aud at Onehungi till 11-30 am. For Tahiti, per Prince Alfred, to-morrow, at 3 p.m. For Wanganui and the West Coast, per s.s. John Perm, on Saturday next, at 10 a.m. Mails per s.s. Wonga Wonga will close on Saturday, 2nd of April, as under : — For Sandwich Islands, United States of America, Canada, West Indies, South America, &c, at 12.30 p.m. For the United Kingdom, via San Francisco, at 1 p.m. For Money Orders, Registered Letters, .aid Newspapers, at 11 a.m. Late letters for the United Kingdom (bear ing a fee of 6d. in addition to the postage) will be received till 1.30 p.m.

Note. —The rateti of postage chargeable on letters sent via San Francisco are the same as those on letters sent via Suez. ..... S. B. Biss, Chief Postmaster.

COROMANDEL ARGUS.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND ADVERTISE MENTS for the COROMANDEL AJtCfUS will be received by Messrs. Reed, Ferbar & Co., Evening Star Office, Vulcan Lane. Single copies, 3d each.

The Evening Star. THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1870.

Within the past few weeks, and especially the last few clays, we have received a mass of correspondence relative to the Mechanics' Institute. The general purport of the letters being similar, we have published only a few ; but if we may judge from the opinions expressed, there is undoubt edly a general and strongly-felt dis satisfaction regarding this institution. Some weeks ago, we opened our columns on the subject. We felt satisfied at tho preliminary steps then taken by the new committee, and the committee have evidently felt satisfied with the same, for they have gone no farther. We reluctantly return to the subject, for by this time the Mecha nics' Institute, like the Intake, has been voted a bore by the public. But we cannot help asking will the com mittee really do anything to infuse vitality into the Institute, or must the members hold a general meeting and call on them to resign ? There are grounds for dissatisfaction, so many and so varied that the very mention is overwhelmingly discouraging. That the site of the building is a disgrace to the city, that the building itself is discreditable, as urged by our corres pondents, are facts beyond gainsaying ; but that the best is not made of what we have, and that a number of incap ables should hold the seats in the committee which should be occupied by better men, and so be the means of preventing the usefulness of the Institute, are matters with which we have more immediately to do, aud which are at the basis of complete reform. The right government and conduct of the Mechanics' Institute are too inti mately interwoven with the feelings and interests of the body of the people for any trifling with them to be en dured. Intended for the people, and especially for that section which, from want of means and want of leisure, is precludedfromthomore recherche sour ces of literary, scientific, and aesthetic enjoyments, the whole arrangements of'the Institute should be based on that intention. And if those persons who have allowed themselves to be put forward into the management, conceive that attention to this is derogatory to them, we strongly recommend that they should at once do themselves the honor of disburdening themselves of the responsibility. In default of this, or of some evidence of vitality in the action of the committee, we shall be very happy to aid any members of the Mechanics' Institute, who will come together, for the purpose of calling a general meeting, and compelling the committee to resign.

We are informed, upon reliable native au thority, that the Ngatihaua native, Heta, arrived in town on the 26th instant, as a mes senger from the Hauhau portion of his tribe ; that he immediately obtained an interview with the Native Minister, prior to his sailing in the Lima, and informed him, in reply to a message sent to the tribe through its head man, Tana Te Waharoa, " That they could not allow the 'wire' to be taken through their king country to Taupo or Tauranga. A'so, that they could not undertake to follow in pursuit of Te Kooti." We hear from another native source that the answer to this was a promise on the part of the Government to send 200 sheep to Tana Te Waharoa, in liquidation of some very old claim. The down pour of rain during last night has had a most refreshing effect on the state of the temperature, and generally on our sensations, though it has not improved the streets and footpaths for walking purposes. It may not be amiss to narrate a custom which we have seen in other cities. It may seem strange, but there are actually men employed to scrape together the mud off the streets with large implements like hoes, and when the mud is collected in certain places, it is carted away by drays specially adapted to the purpose. We have even seen persons with large besoms at the end of sticks actually sweeping the streets after rain, as if they had been in the inside of a house. It may seem ridiculous, and a waste of money, but we have heard storekeepers actually assert that so preventive of dust on the return of dry weather is the practice, that the cost is more than returned in undamaged goods. Of course we do not suppose that such an idea would be entertained in Auckland, and we merely mention the incident as one of the curiosities of travel. From the Police Court charge-list to-day there seems to be a lull among the tipplers,' and in the absence of the usual offering for the temple of Justice, the police appear to have made a raid on the places of ill repute. The movement is not a moment too soon, and we trust that the police will persevere till this Auckland nuisance is brought within endur able limits. Smuggling on a small scale was quietly snuffed out; the Crown Prosecutor considering that a wink is as good as a nod, and that this fascinating offence in its incipi ent state would be disenchanted by a mitigated penalty. We are sorry that owing to the change in the weather it was deemed inadvisable to des patch the Williams this morning to the Kawau. This will have been a considerable disappoint ment to many who were looking forward to a pleasant trip ; but we have no doubt another opportunity will soon be afforded, when we trust the clerk of the weather will be more kindly disposed.

A correspondent, " Fair Play," writes to us complaining of the manner in which the recent appointments were made by the Auck-, land Grammar School Board. He says !— \ "Advertisements were inserted in the local papers, calling for applications; a considerable number of gentlemen Were put to the trouble of preparing testimonials, and kept waiting on the decision of the Board, while all the time arrangements Were 'cut and dry,' and the appointments actually fixed. To my own knowledge, one appointment advertised had been promised long before, and has been filled accordingly; and I have it on good authority that the others had been similarly fixed by promise. Another officer is now advertised for, namely, a Drill Instructor. Is this bona fide or is it only pro forma ? This matter, sir, demands inquiry. It i^ an imdoubted abuse of a public trust." Last night as some boys were fishing off the end of the warf, on one of them flinging _ the bait around him as the manner is, prcparitory to the projecting it into the sea, the fish-hook, some-how misdirected, fixed itself in the th igh of a man who was passing at the time. The roar which it drew from him so frightened the boys that they all " skedaddled," leaving their tackle behind them. After some delicate manipulations in which "the man was aided by the bystanders, and which necessitated his divesting himself with groat cure, of his nether habiliments, the hook, which had not pene trated deeply, was extracted. The incident caused no little excitement and tumult on the warf. A correspondent, siging himself "A Suf ferer," and whose communication we have had great difficulty in deciphering, com plains of certain nuisances in Napier street. So far as we can make out, our Cor respondent says, " The premises occupied by , as stables, are, at the present time, unfit either for man or horse to go near, for the smell that arises from the nuisance that is lying in the yard is past bearing : aud I should also wish to assert that there have been three people died within the last three days of fever caused by the unpleasant smell arising from these stables ; and there is also people living here who have got pigs and which causes a very bad smell in the neighborhood, which, I think, should, at once, be put a stop to, or otherwise it will tend to be of a serious nature in regard of the public health. So, iv concluding, I hope the Inspector of Nuisances will take a walk round this way and have the unisance removed." In Earl Granville's circular, published in the Gazette, permitting the members of the late New Zealand Ministry to re tain the title of " Honorable," in tbe colony. His Lordship pays the following compliment to Messrs. Stafford and Fitzherbert :—" Tn conveying her Ma jesty's decision, I have much pleasure in placing on record my appreciation of the services rendered to the colony by Mr. Stafford, duriug along and distinguished political career ; and by Mr. Fitzherbert, in the able and judicious conduct of his recant negotiations with the Government of this country, respecting the adjust ment of the Imperial and Colonial chums arising out of the war in New Zealand." Bankruptcy.—The Chief Justice was occupied the whole of yesterday with bankruptcy business. In the matter of John Grey—a motion to rescind a deed of arrangement—the deed was confirmed. In the matter of S. M. Green and Com pany, the Chief Justice made an order that the bankrupts should be examined in respect to the accounts, including the claims of certain creditors of Black's estate, resident in England. In the matter of Alexander Gillan, an alleged fraudulent conveyance, the hearing had not concluded wheu the Court rose at half-past four o'clock. We observe that his Excellency the Governor has assented to the Auckland Salt Water Bath Company Lease Act, 1870, and that T. B. Gillies Esq., and Joseph McMullen Dargaville Esq. are appointed T. Ps. for the colony. The annual tea meeting of the Parnel Wesleyan Sunday School was held in the schoolroom yesterday even'.ng. The attendance, the weather being taken into consideration, was very good. The Rev. J. Buller occupied the chair, and addresses were delivered by the Rev. J. Law, Messrs. Rowe, Wykes, Shera, and Cop laud. The proceedings were of a highly interesting nature, aud a most pleasant evening was spent. The report was a very satisfactory one, showing a balance from last year of £11 19s. Tnis, added to the collection at last Sabbath services, £4 15s. 10d., and somewhere about £10, the result of the tea meeting, gives aB amount of over £26 to the credit of the funds. We hear that the well-known chief Rapata, of Ohinemuri, has sent a letter to vshortland claiming a share in the £5000 to be awarded for the discovery of a pay able goldfield in this province. The grounds of Rapata's claim are that the proclamation was for the discovery of a goldfield in any part of the province, and that he, at a certain date, gave to Mr. John Williamson auriferous specimens from Ohinemuri. Rapata, however, for gets two things—that Ohinemuri is not yet opened as a goldfield, and that it has not been proved to be payable. Therefore, till the Provincial 'Council proclaims another reward of £5000, which they are not likely to do, Rapata has no chance.— Evening Mail. Mr. Beckham sat in the Compensation Court yesterday, under late instructions from the Government, when a day—the 22nd proximo—was fixed for the produc tion, in writing, of the grounds upon which the several parties contesting a certain award, with Jacob Samuels, of Taranaki, base their claims. The docu ments will have to bear on them a prima facie case, or they will not be enter tained.

PRINCE OF WALKS THEATRE.

There was a very poor attendance at this place of amusement last evening ; no doubt on account of the inclemency of the weather. " Les Miserables was again produced, for the last time, and passed off very smoothly. To night the sensational play of "Jack Sheppard" will be produced, to be followed by the "Young Widow."

ARRIVAL OF THE JANE FROM TAURANGA.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO THE LUNA.

RELEASE OF HAUHAU PRISONERS AT OPOTIKI.

Thb schooner Jane arrived in harbour early this morning from Tauranga, after a splendid run of twenty hours. Captain Moller informs Us that the p.s. Luna, Captain Fairchild, arrived at Tauranga on Sunday last, at 9 a.m. She left again the same evening for Opotiki and the East Coast, but had not got far when one of the cylinders broke. She succeeded in reaching Tauranga again, and some of the engineers of the Rosario went on board, and patched her up. She was to leave for Auck land early, and may be expected here to morrow. We give the following : — [from a correspondent.] March 27, 1870, We are constantly in receipt of all kinds of rumours, some of them sufficiently alarming, many of them without foundation, but some receive confirmation, as, for example, tlie threatened incursion on Opotiki, which has not yet been contradicted. The steamer Tauranga, which arrived on Thursday last* brought Colonel Harrington and Colonel Lyons. The Luna brings the Defence Minister, the Hon. D. McLean. Colonel Harrington was doubtless glad to revisit the beautiful district in which he has so large a stake, and where he has many warm friends, who were overjoyed to welcome him once more to their pleasant , shores—for a time only, I believe, as the Colonel purposes making only a brief stay amongst us. On his arrival, as might be ex pected, he hastened to visit the scenes in which he was interested The farm, of course, first; and afterwards, the new public works now being carried out by the Thames Volun teers and Tauranga Militia, which now be come au object of interest to all visitors to this locality. His formal visit to the Volun teer Camp and their portion of the works, is announced to take place to-morrow j and whatever fault he may—as Inspector of Troops—he able to find with their state of drill and condition of uniform, he can find none with the progress of the -works* -which are iv every way satisfactory and workman like. Such is Maori love for the excitement of warfare, that they have at all times welcomed it with delight; but war has acquired a new interest now that Europeans have learned the necessity of placing them on pay. It has afforded" tliein a new mode of obtaining a re venue, and, on the slightest pretext—by desertion—of a supply of arms and ammuni tion. So long as they remain in formidable numbers will they be an insuperable obstacle to pacific and prosperous settlement. Many conjectures are hazarded as to the means whereby they procure their supplies of powder. No conjecture is necessary, when it is remembered that blasting powder is at all times easily procurable at the Thames, and transmissable, via Ohinemuri, to the disaffec ted country. Much of the powder found in captured Maori cartridges has been discovered to be that of a blasting sort, pounded fine, for use in rifle's. '1 be desertion of friendlies accounts for their possession of other and better kinds. Nothing, therefore, now remains for the lasting and peaceful occupation of the country but the roads through Maori fastnesses, which must be kept open by means of frontier outposts or block houses, with small garrisons, communi cated with frequently by means of mounted orderlies. The Roman roads subdued the ancient Britons. Until the recesses of the Scottish Highlands were intersected by the celebrated roads of General Wade, the clans held sovereign sway and defied intrusion, but now the flocks and herds «f industrious lowlanders roam freely and undisturbed o'er the land of the mountain and the flood. What a pity the work of road-making was not commenced sooner, when Government had the Ist Waikato Regiment, 1400 strong, wasting their time in Tauranga, in parades and pipeclay, and when the services of two regi ments of Imperial troops were available as covering parties. Firing, for " competitive firing" took place at the target, Te Papa, yesterday, with tbe following results. I have not yet obtained the score, but this will show how some of the shots stood. Three distances, fifteen shots ; — Staff Sergeant-Major McDonald Thames Volunteers ... ... 39 Corporal Forbes, ditto 28 Sergeant Major Harper, A.C. ... 11 It will thus be seen that Sergeant McDonald, though first, lost by one, the opportunity of competing at Wellington. Major Kemp has released the prisoners taken near Opotiki, and Mr. McLean has gone thither to investigate.

SUPREME COURT.—Bankruptcy.

THURSDAY, MARCH 81. (Before His Honor Sir G. A, Arney, Knight, Chief Justice.) His Honor took his seat on the Bench at 11 o'clock. IN THE ESTATE OP ALEXANDER GILLAN. AL LEGED FRAUDULENT CONVEYANCE. The hearing of this case, adjourned from yesterday's sitting, was resumed. Thomas William Brown, examined by Mr. Ress : I believe 1 saw the announcement in the paper of Gillan being about to go through the Court. I am not certain. But I heard of his rushing up from the Thames to file a declaration of insolvency, in consequence of some dispute with bis wife (Mrs. McLiver). I had not any transactions with Gillan. I did not know him ; it was Mrs. McLiver whom I trusted. 1 believe they were then married. I was, about that time, supplying timber for finishing his house. I looked to Gillan for payment for the timber which I supposed had been supplied to Mrs. McLiver. The way Aye found out who we were to charge was thi* : My brother, James Brown, asked her for some money, when she said, " You must make your accounts out in another name, as I am now Mrs. Gillan." That was in November. I The reason I felt indifferent at Gillan 'going through the Court was, that Mrs.

McLiver and her family gave me a guarantee that I should never lose a penny piece by them. I was always to receive sucurifcy— especially in the timber account. I dealt witn Mrs. McLiver in the first instance, and when she married, it came Upon her husband. Both Mrs. McLiver and Gillan guaranteed me a security for any timber I should supply- 1 commenced supplying timber in September, 1868. It was suppled to Mrs. McLiver, for Gillan. It was a family affiair. Giillan and John McLiver came to my office about a debt, due from the latter to one William Bacon. Gillan gave a bill to Bacon, and took over the debt. That was the first time I saw him. It was some time before the close of 1868. _ I commissioned my brother to get the security promised by the McLiver family. Gillan came with my brother to give the promised security. On that occasion Mr. and Mrs. Gillan pro mised security. (Left sitting.)

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Thursday.

(Before Thomas Beckham, Esq., R.M.) JUDGMENTS. Lascelles v. Beale.—Judgment reserved from last court day. His Worship gave judgment for plaintiff. Russell v. Read.—His Worship said that m this ease the evidence taken on the last court day was of so contradictory a nature that he had no alternative but to order a nonsuit to be recorded. JUDGMENTS EOR PLAINTIFFS. Jones v. Grant.—Claim £3 7s Oh. Goods sold and delivered. Eobinson v. Perier. —Claim £2 15s. Board and lodging. Wallace v. Bruce. —Claim £8. Goods sold and delivered. Fisher and Co. v. Igoe.—Claim £11 15s 5d Goods sold and delivered. Band of Hope Gold Mining Company v. G P. Pierce.— Claim £1. Arrears of calls. Staines v. Davis.— Claim £2 Bs. Goods sold and delivered. Band of Hope Gold Mining Company v. Gray.—Claim £6. Arrears of calls.

POLICE COURT.—This Day.

(Before H, H. Turton, Esq., and D. B Thornton, Esq., J.P.s.) DRUNKENNESS. Elizabeth Kennedy was charged with drun kenness, and it being her second offence, was fined 10s and costs, or in default 48 hours' imprisonment, with hard labour. VAGEANCY. Eliza McGinn was charged with the above offence. Detective Ternahan being called deposed that he had found her in the street at one o'clock in the morning. Never knew her to work or do anything for her support. She is a prostitute by repute, and has been several times charged before, under the Vagrant Act. Sentenced to be imprisoned three months. BREACH OF CUSTOMS REGULATIONS. Joseph Eawlinson, was charged with at tempting to defraud Her Majesty's Customs. Pleaded guilty. Mr. Bennett appeared for the defendant. Mr. Brookficld for the prosecution, did not desire to press for the full penalty. Fined £25, with costs, or six months' imprisonment. BREACH OP MUNICIPAL POLICE ACT. Michael Burke was charged with the above offence, for driving his cart on the wrong side of !hj i\uJ on Mtiivh 26th. Pleaded guilty, and was fined 5s and costs. Robert Ferguson was charged with driving a cart without having the name legibly painted, or written on it, on 26th March. Fined 5s and costs. Joseph Harris and Charles Leath, charged with the same offence, were each fined ss, with costs. IMPOUNDING ACT. William Fleming was charged with a breach of the above Act by allowing three pigs to stray in the city. Pleaded guilty, and was fined 10s and costs. Margaret Campbell, Harriet Smith, and Louisa Chester, charged with keeping houses of ill fame, having been called and not appear ing, warrants were issued for their arrest. 'ihe Court then rose.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

A general Government Gazette was pub lished at Wellington on the 23rd instant, by which a meeting of Justices is ordered to be held yearly at the Court House, Auckland, at noon, on the 4th Tuesday in April, for the purpose of choosing a Chairman of Petty Sessions, and settling a rota of attendance, the powers under the Goldfields, Animals Protection, Lunatics, Waste Lands, and Pri soners' Removal Acts, are delegated to W. W. Taylor, Esq., Deputy Superintendent of Wellington Province : a percentage of 7 per cent, is ordered to be charged on all moneys coming under the control of the Registrars of the Supreme Court for the estate of any Lunactic, for the maintenance of such Lunatic; sittings of the District Court of Otago are appointed ; certain waste lands in Westland are reserved for Government pur poses ; Earl Granville's circular is published, permitting the retention of the title of Honorable by the members of the late Ministry, and the appointment of Colonel Whitmore to be Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George ; the Members Remuneration Act, 1870; the Auckland Municipal Police Act, 1866, Amend ment Act, 1870; the Repeal Act, 1870 ; the Appropriation Act, 1870, and the Highwa Act, 1867, Amendment Act, 1870, are allowed ; the Representation Amendment Act, 1870, and the Auckland Salt Water Bath Company Lease Act, 1870, are assented to ; John Mc Williams is appointed Inspectorof Weightsaud Measures for Aucklund; Duncan Grey is appointed Deputy-Registrar of Deeds at Picton ; Thomas Connell, Revising Officer for Nelso i ; and Edward J. Lee, Revising Officer, Westland; letters patent for improved apparatus for trans porting loads are granted to Charles Hodgson ; Thomas B. Gillies, George Cowie, Joseph MeMullen Dargaville, Alexander Mollison, William Duff, and Jas. S. Holmes, Esqrs., are appointed J.P.s for the colony. Several other appointments are made, and commissions in the Colonial Forces notified ; certain Victorian harbour regulations are published ; waste lands at Whangamarino are advertised for sale on the 14th and 21st days of April; William Kerr Nesbit, of Auckland, applies to be regis tered under the Medical Practitioners Act; and agricultural statistics of Canterbury and Westland are published.

CORRESPONDENCE.

(We ai-e not responsible foi; our Correspondentsl opinions.

AUCKLAND MECHANICS' INSTITUTE. To the Editor of the Evening Star. g lßj —Having but recently arrived here, I have been somewhat diffident in expressing an adverse opinion upon public Instutious ; but as you have evoked such expression, and as I find 1 am not singular in my views, I make bold to join in total condemnation of everything belonging to the Auckland Mechanics' Institution. I see that " a mem ber" in to-days issue of the "Star" suggests as a means of " raising the revenue" that the Committee be "less sparing over the ga3 » —whatever that may mean. I know nothing of the Secretary or his insolence, of which your correspondent complains ; but as success fdepends principally on his exertions; backed up by a courteous demeanour, it is a great pity " a member", does not seek for redress in a quarter which would effectually remove the cause of complaint, and give the aforesaid official opportunity of defence. This much I do know ; that the library i a not what it should be ; and the Reading. Room is a disgrace to the town —if not to a " tap-room"—I was going to say it was a disgrace to the building, but iv that I should err, for it is in happy harmony with the rest of the edifice ; aud, I suppose while your re sidents—the frequenters of Mechanics' Insti tutes, present and prospective,—are contented with such a place, their wants being few, are easily satisfied. Nevertheless the new identity will keep cropping up and uncompli mentary comparisonsgwill be made, decidedly unfavorable to the Auckland Institute. I know, from the experience of twenty years in New Zealand, that it is not an easy matter to satisfy everybody on this question, which the few support, but the many find fault with. Mechanics' Institutes—so miscalled— like all other co-operative bodies, must so be placed in the public estimation as to secure the advantage which form the prime feature and characteristic of their existence. Your Institute should have marched onward with the time, from its primitive position to a spot more worthy of its presence. To the quiet unpretending little town of Napier you may turn with advantage for an example worthy of imitation in all respects, except that one of the committee uses his influence successfully to the exclusion of the West minister Review. But you can't make people be liberally minded, albeit, you find thorn with mental pabulum necessary to that end. As a well wisher, I should advise the citizens of Auckland to take the matter in hand earnestly, aud decidedly remove tlie present Mechanics' Institute to a more pro minent position, which will, more than any thing, tend to its being supported, and more satisfactorily conducted. —1 am, &c, Omega. March 30th.

THE MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sir, —I am surprised that the party making such statements as the ietter in your issue of yesterday contained had not the manliness to attach his name to his production. However, I can, from the tone of his letter, detect the writer—if not him, at least from his dictation.

The-member in question is one with whom I have had some difficulty to keep to the rules of the Institute. One who gives no civility, but expects to be waited on; who is to be jeen constantly at tbe counter asking about one thing or another. He asks, "Is so and so arrived ?" He is answered, " Yes ; you will find it on the reading-room table." That does not satisfy him ; he expects you to leave what you are at and find it for him, actually to put it into his hand ; and the next stage I expect, to read it to him. The former I certainly declined to do, as I don't consider it any part of my duty to be obliged to hunt up papers for subscribers. His reflection on me as being formerly a schoolmaster, his ignorance will best account for, as I don't see why a man should be re flected on for being of that calling; and as for schoolboys, I. assure him that from a schoolboy he may learn a lesson of subordina tion. The suggestion that a committee should be appointed to look after me—as the party in question is constantly on the premises the committee could employ him as a kind of special constable to see whether the Secretary is every moment of the twelve hours of the day in his place, as he has complained to certain persons that the Secretary has not been in his place very regularly lately. Although he well knew that through a mis fortune I have beon laid on a bed of sickness for over six weeks. I found it necessary to have two and three doctors at a time to attend me. Such is the consistency of this gentleman with reference to the state of the reading-room. No one of common s nse will for a moment entertain an idea that it is through the fault of the Secretary it is so. The papers are regularly put in their places, but when we have such parties as your cor respondent whose only grace it seems is to find fault, who wont take the trouble to put anything to its place, its no wonder the papers should be heaped together. I would now state for the information of your correspondent that when he presents himself again he had better bring with him a civil tongue, when most undoubtedly he will receive civility ; but to think that he can make me do what he wishes by his bounce able disposition, I assure him he has hit the wrong mark, and moreover, I will carry out the laws of the institute whether he considers them despotic or not. —I am, &c, R. T. Talbot, Secretary Mechanics' Institute.

THE EVENING STAR, MARCH 31, 1870



HYankbe Penney-a-lining.— The New York papers are great in getting up long ac counts of ordinary events. The following, cut from the account of the suicide shows how they do it:—"The horror of this tale will for a breif moment light up in men's eyes the vast of social disease, and disquiet and injustice and seething dim rage which heaves justice, and seething dim rage which heaves around and beneath our splendid modern civilisation, even as a lightning flash reveals in the blackness of midnight the great wastes I of «om« storm-shaken sea."



Sir Boyle Roche, the Irish member, was great in bulls, "I wish," said he, one day, when opposing an anti-ministerial motion, <-I wish, Mr Speaker, this motion at the bottom of the bottomless pit." At anothw time, in relation to English connection, l*e observed, " England, it must be allowed, ™ the moiher country, and therefore, I &&vW 1 them (England and Ireland) to live in fittaNj affection together, like sisters, as they aAI endjOught to be." A question of smuggling pracjices on the Shannon being under con side.-avon—" Iwodd " said Sir Boyle, "have two frigates stationed on the opposite points of the mouth of the river, and there they should remain fixed, with strict orders not to stir ; and so by cruising and cruising and cruising about, they would be able to intercept everything that shouid attempt to pass be tween them.