SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE

PORT OF AUCKLAND.

SUNSET : This evening, 6.44 HIGH WATER : This evening, 7.35 ; to-morrow morning, 5.3

ARRIVALS.

Sunbeam, schooner, Lane, from Wangaroa

DEPARTURES. Queen, schooner, Veale, for Russell Herald, schooner, for the Thames Lady Bowen, p.s., for Mahurangi.

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

For Southern ports : Taranaki, s.s., Wednesday For Kaipara: Tauranga, schooner, to-day ; Fiery Cross, schooner, from the Manukau, to-day For San Francisco : Nebraska, mail steamer, 28th inst For South Sea Islands : Jessie Niccol, schooner, to-

iay For Whitianga, Mercury Bay, and Tauranga

Soutbern Cross, s.s., ISth inst For London: Countess of Kintore, ship, to-day City of Auckland, ship, in November; Queen Bee ship, in December For New York : Coronilla, barque, early For Sydney and Melbourne: Hero, s.s., 19th inst.

Wonga Wonga, 30th instant For Southern ports, via Napier: Dacotah, mail steamer, about Ist prox For Hokianga : Dido, cutter, Monday

VESSELS EXPECTED.

Gladiateur, barque, from Liverpool. Sailed sth

August Helen Denny, ship, from Greenock. Sailed 3rd Aug, Norham Castle, ship, from London. Sailed 22nd

August Polar Star, ship, from New York. Sailed 10th July

July Dacotah, mail steamer, from Honolulu Agnes Muir, ship, from London. Sailed 4th Sept. Harvest Home, ship, from London. Loading Caduceus, ship, from London. Loading Prosperity, schooner, from Melbourne Hero, s.s., from Sydney Amateur, barque, from Sydney Ayr, barque, from the Mauritius Julia Price, schooner, from Levuka Hercules, schooner, from Newcastle Charybdis, schooner, from Lyttelton Southern Cross, schooner, from Sydney Dauntless, schooner, from Tahiti

A yacht race took place to-day between the Sabrina and Fleetwing, both belonging to the Auckland Yacht Club. The start was made at one o'clock, when the Sabrina took the lead, the course being round the buoy in Drunken Bay. She was soon after over hauled by the Fleetwing, who rounded the barque Coronilla just as the clock struck one. The Sabrina did not round till nearly half an hour afterwards. The' latter part of the race, round the chequered buoy in Rangitoto Channel, was almost a gift to the Fleetwing, -who would, be sure to win, bar accidents. The yacht Energy accompanied the compet ing vessels round the course. -At 2.25 the Fleetwing arrived off the wharf a lone; way ahead of the Sabrina. The latter pacced the goal twenty minutes later.

The fine clipper ship Countess of Kintore, Captain Braddic, will take her departure for London this evening with the following passengers : —Mr aud Mrs R. Masefleld, E. T. Masefleld, Mrs Rogerson, William, Chris tina, and Daniel James Rogerson ; Messrs W. Dexter, J. Salmon, R. N. Allison, and C. Malcolm.

Nautical men are. informed that a bright light is burning from sunset to sunrise from the end of Carina's wharf, Mercury Bay. The nautical bearings of such light will shortly be particularized in a Gazette notice. The s.s. Taranaki is announced to leave the Manukau for Southern ports on Wednes day next.

The schooner Sunbeam arrived this morn ing from Whangaroa with a cargo of timber and 21 bags gum. The brigantine Exonia has cleared out wards in ballast for Newcastle.

The schooner Columbia has cleared out wards for Napier, with a quantity of timber to be shipped at Mercury Bay. The cutter Hero has cleared outwards for Kaipara.

The barque Coronilla will haul alongside the wharf on Monday, and commence loading for New York.

COMMERCIAL.

The following are the Customs returns for the week .-—Duties, £3,271 10 6d; light dues, £13 0s 4d ; merchant shipping fees, £6 5s 3d ; fees under Arms Act, £4 17s; gold duty, £316 6s 8d; Miscellaneous, £2 18s 9d • pilotage and port charges, £37 3s 5d ; total, £3,652, Is lOd.

MINING. The following are the current calls and dividends payable in the companies named below :— £. s. a. CALLS Peep of Day & Daydawn 0 0 6 Nov IS Una 0 0 6 Nov 16 City of Dunedin .. 0 5 0 Nov 18 Goldenßun.. .. 0 0 3 Nov .18 Bed, White, and Blue 0 0 6 Nov 20 Central Italy.. .. 0 10 Nov 20 Otago 0 10 Nov 20 South British Fire and Marine Insurance 0 6 0 Nov 20 Watchman .. .. 0 10 Nov 24 Bed Queen ~ .. 0 0 6 Nov 26 Golden Eagle .. 0 0 2 Nov 26 Buby 0 1 0 Nov 27 Crown Prince . .. 0 0 6 Nov 28 Coromandel Tunnel 010 0 Dec 2 Eird in Hand .. 0 10 Dec 2 Rajahmahal .. .. - 0 0 2 Dec 2 North Devon.. .. 0 0 6 Dec 2 Thames Gas .. .. 0 5 0 Dec 14 Durham Ox .. .. 0 0 6 Dec SO

MEETINGS.

"Working Miners, Mr T.

White's office, Canada

Buildingi, 3 o'clock, 18th November Golden Point, Company's office, Wyndham street, Auckland, noon, 25th November Lion, Grahamstown, 25th November Lucky Diggers, Mr Leere' "office, 74, Queen street, 3 p.m, 25th inst . • , Kooringa, Grahamstown, 26th November Nil Desperandum, Mr K. Home's office, Queen street, Auckland^ noon, 27th November Bird in Hand, Grahamstown, 27th November Oriana, Company's office, Queen street, 3 p.m., 28th November New Golden Pah, Company's office, Queen street

Auckland, 2 p.m., 29th November Turn of the Tide, Company's office, 44, Queen street, Qwjen street, 29th November , Than.es Gas, Company's office, Insurance Buildings, Auckland, 9th December, 2 p.m. Auckland Permanent Co-operative Building Society, Society's office, Wyndham street, 7.30 p.m., 17th December

POST-OFFICE, SHORTLAND-STREET. Mails will Closk ah Under :—

For Thames, on Monday, 18th inst., at 10.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Por Wangaroa, per Sunbeam, this day, at 5 p.m For Whitiangi and Tauranga, per Southern Cross, on Monday, 18th inst., at 3 p.m. Por Taranaki and Southern provinces, per Taranaki, on Wednesday, 20th Inst,, at 9 a.m. Per p.B. Nebraska,* on Thursday, 28th inst., as under— For Sandwich Islands, British Columbia, United States of America, British Central, and South America, British and Foreign West Indies, and Continent of Europe via England, 10.30 at a.m. For United Kingdom, via San Francisco, at. 10.30 a.m.

Tor money orders and registered letters and newspapers, at 0 a. m . »** Late letters for -United States of America and United Kingdom, bearing a late fee of 6d in agmticn to the postage, wiU bo received at this office till 11 a.m., an/1 by the Mail Agent on board the steamer up to time of sailing. '

S B. Biss. Postmaster.

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1872.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

It was not unexpected that Mr Gillies would have made the best of the case in answering for himself. His training has fitted him for special pleading, and his spontaneous action in bravely meeting his constituents, and stating his case with fearlessness had such a tendency to disarm hostility that we are confident it was not requisite to enlist the services of Mr G-eorge Staines to secure a vote of confidence and thanks. We regret that our space does not admit of our publishing Mr G-illies' address, which is fully re ported in our morning contemporaries, and for the same reason we are unable to refer in detail to the points raised. Mr G-illies, of course, shows that honesty was on his side of the House alone, and intrigue and conspiracy on that of the others. Doubtless the others would show with equal earnest ness that: honesty was on their side, and that intrigue and conspiracy were on the sideof the Stafford-Gillies party. We believe the public will generally do equal justice to bbth in accepting their several estimates of their opponents, ignoring their self-com mendations; and we think that the most general and probably correct opinion is that honesty was on neither the one side nor the other, but that parliamentary proceedings at Welling ton have been one long and disgraceful series of intriguing and conspiracy. Some have been animated by an honest desire to benefit themselves and their families. Some-nhave been equally honest in seeking to gratify their •feelings of resentment and chagrin; ;and some have honestly laboured in various other ways for the gratification of ambitious, or mercenary or fSb'sonal feelings; but the general impression is that this has been the only form which honesty has assumed. In forming jsuch estimate the public do not wilfully libel the Assembly. They simply accept the mutual descriptions given of one another by the members them selves j and if these descriptions are at all correct then the Assembly must indeed have been, as concisely put by one of the members, "A "den. of corruption." But strict impartiality characterises this opinion, and there is no reason for excepting Mt. Gillies which will not hold .equally good for excepting every other member. We shall but lightly skim his Honor's speech. Mr Gillies defends Mr Fitzherbert as the " sturdy beg gar of Wellington/ and says: "If I had;been balled the 'sturdy beggar of Auckland,' I should not have been ashamed of it." Then he should have been. It is this sturdy beggarism that has, produced all that infamous log rolling which has been associated with Provincial officers having seats in, the Assembly. It is all very well as clap "trap for an Auckland mob, for Mr Gillies to express his pride in his Auckland sturdy beggarism, but whea we know that there are nine separate

and distinct sturdy beggariatns, all struggling for the plunder, it is easy to see how, not Vogelism, but sturdy beggarism will, if anything, be the damnation and ruin of the colony. Such utterances, we fear, do not ex hibit much of the spirit of true states manship in Mr Gillies ; and in' playing thus to the pit for the sake of the bouquets of the hour, he rather exhibits himself as an adept in the little tricks of statecraft. Mr Gillies' explanation of the duties of the Opposition and of the Govern ment is well put. " I would have you to understand," he says, " that the Opposition always have the advantage in intriguing, because Ministers have to be doing the work of the country, whilst the Opposition are in the lobbies tolling yarns, inventing stories, getting up canards, and all that sort of thing, and making any number of promises." Never was word more fittingly spoken. Never descrip tion more accurate ' than this of tho long and persistent opposition which the hangers on of Stafford have carried out. One brief month was given them to realise their " promises," and to provetheir " yarns," and then they were ignominiously driven forth again to the realms of intrigue and " yarns" and "canards." Mr Gillies'defence of his action towards the Highway Boards is ingenious. He would not give subsidy to these Boards from borrowed money, because that borrowed money would have to be repaid. " Now let me ask," says Mr Gillies, " who is to pay for this? The colony? Who is the colony ? it means the population," and then coming to the climax of his argumentum ad hominem "It means that you the electors of City West with others aro to pay for it. How much do you get out of it?" &c. But then Mr Gillies having given the fore going as his reasons adds " I believe in assisting Road Boards out of revenue to the fullest extent." But we would reply " Who is to pay for this? The colony ? Who is the colony ? it means the population. It means that you the electors of City West with others are to pay for it." He would not assist the Road Boards with funds borrowed for colonizing pur poses because the people of City West would have to pay for it, but he would from revenue to tho " fullest extent," because, we presume, the people of City West don't pay revenue. Either Mr Gillies' logic is rather loose, or he thinks his hearers' logic is so. We have no doubt it occurred to Mr Gillies, but it was not convenient to state it, that so far as payment by City West electors is concerned a subsidy from revenue is that which would be paid by them, whereas one from borrowed money would bo paid by a remote posterity. Neither did he deem it prudent to admit that the formation of country roads will do at least as much for the colonization of the country, and be quite as reproductive as public works as the railways, whose subsidy he defends with this new-born and jealous care.

As for the Fijian Service, Mr Gillies takes credit for having formerly advocated it. But this is the very thing that puzzled men ; and of which the only solution appears to be in that intense dislike of Mr Vogel, which made Mr Gillies condemn his own cherished convictions when taken up and advocated by Mr Vogel. Some time ago wo published from Hansard Mr Gillies' remarks on the subject, which form the best com ment on Mr Gillies' statement last night, " I have never opposed it ex cept in regard to its relative value." As wo have stated, we have not space to go at length into Mr Gillies' speech. But it is impossible to read it without feeling regret that one of such ability should for ever pursue a course that must keep him breathing tho cold, unwholesome damps of the cave of Adullam.

We have received the following pertinent remarks from a correspondent signing ." Sentinel," having reference to the proposed Education Bill of the Provincial Govern ment:—"Sir,—ln a leading article of the Herald of yesterday the writer finds fault with the proposed new Education Act, on the ground ' that the Board of Education to be created under it is to do everything.' And he observes, 'thatthe school committees are to be merely local puppets to carry out edicts of an irresponsible body.' On reflec tion I think that he will feel inclined to somewhat modify this opinion. In the first place, surely the Central Board of Education will be responsible to the Provincial Council, and as the Superintendent and the members of his Executive are ex officio to be members of the Education Board, it will be a sufficient guarantee to the country that its affairs will be conducted with judgment and the strictest impartiality. Secondly, it must be observed that under the new act local committees will have as much power as they possess under the Common Schools Act, 1869. By the latter their proceedings are subject to the decision of the Central Board before they can be considered legal. Take for instance an example:—A committee may find it necessary to dismiss their teacher, but this cannot be done under the present Act without giving him three months' notice, after having first obtained .the express sanction of the Board of Education. (See clause 27 of Common Schools Act, and compare with clause 20 of proposed Act). Of course if any local committee persists in a course in opposition to the Board they deprive their school of the aid. the Board can render. There is no doubt whatever but that the Board of Education will always be ready to listen to the representations of any local committee when just cause of complaint is made against a teacher, either of neglect of duty or im moral conduct; but it is certain that no man of impartiality would advocate that the teacher be condemned unheard—without an opportunity being given to him of, if possible, justifying his conduct. It must be re membered that a teacher's reputation and character are hii only capital, and if he be liable to be dismissed from his post in

summary manner these must necessarily suffer; therefore, every protection should be afforded by the legislature that we may secure, a9 teachers of our school, men of ability and high moral character. A case can be imagined where a teacher may have excited the ill feoling and jealousy of a section of a com mittee through causes altogether foreign to his position as a schoolmaster; Perhaps even through rigid impartiality ahd the ex action of implicit obedience to discipline, arid these very acts may be the reason why his removal may be desired. There may be even leas worthy motives Understood, if not expressed, and surely he should lulvbthrtpower of appeal ? Local committees as a rule are not competent to judge of tlie duties of a schoolmaster. They are generally led by the ttose by some oiie oil two tifjthe number, and if j by any means the Unlucky teacher llajiperis , to offend this one or two he had better be the proverbial dog in the market, who gets j everybody's kicks and nobody's sympathy. I Let the teachers be subject to the severest laws, but place the administration of those laws in any other hands thanlocalcommittees. The fears which are expressed in regard to the religious aspect of the question are en tirely groundless. I have good reason to know, from an extended intercourse with a large section of the community, that the proposed clause 44 will be the very best so lution of this vexed question. It does not make religion a part of the ordinary course of education, neither does it forhid*tlit! teach ing of it in the ordinary school building by the ordinary school teacher. Here certainly the power is in the hands of the local com mittee, just where it ought to be, just where our most experienced teachers have long ad vocated. For the present I do not go into the details of the rating clauses of the Bill, but will observe to carry on our schools in the country districts, and to provide schools in the towns and suburbs for the poorer portion of tho popu lation (or reformatories, police, and prisons, if you will not have schools) money is ne cessary. This money, we are told, cannot be found —for reasons we all know—-by the Pro vincial Council in manner as heretofore, and therefore some other -way must be found by which it may be provided. It is for the Provincial Council to say if the proposed bo the best that can be found, or to recommend some other way. All acknowledge that the Common Schools Act, 1809, is next to useless for all practical purposes —that fact alone proves the necessity for the Education Act, 1872, which will, it is to be hoped, become law before the close of the year." We again remind our readers of the pro posed entertainment by the Excelsior Ama teur Minstrels, on Monday next, at the City Hall, which will, in every aspect, be worthy of hearty, practical response. The pro ficiency of the minstrels will no doubt be a great attraction to many persons, but the primary object of the intended gathering is one of benevolence, and the proceeds will be devoted to the use of the widows and fami lies of Jerry Waite and Benjamin Taylor. The programme is ako calculated to please all lovers of genuine music and song ; the selections and b&llads and readings being of a better order than are usually chosen for concerts of a similar character. We may add that Mr F. Cullimore will preside at the piano, and several other favorites will appear. The subjects of discourse at Newton Kirk to-morrow will be, morning: "The sin and misery of Borrowing;" evening: "Search ing for Christ." And at City Hall, morning : "How God forgives sin;" evening: "The Millennium." We observe in the columns of a contempo rary this morning an advertisement tor a wife, which is rather au unusual want in a country where there are so many ladies on the tip-toe for a husband. As we are assured this is a genuine request, and no "hoax," that wages will be liberal, constant work found, and some particulars given about property, we presume that this languishing lonely man will on Monday morning, through Hannaford's Registry Office, be inundated with coaxing communications, and that we may in the course of a week or so have to record the triumphant marriage of this practical settler. We would, in the strongest terms, urge attention to the special meeting of share holders of the "Working Miners' Company," to be held on Monday. We be!\eve things are not all-square, and prevention is better than cure, especially as from expereience we know that cure in such things is unattainable. This prelimenary. meeting is intended to let in a little light, when we believe the public will ask for more. Wc notice in the Weekly News of this day an elaborate home-spun communication from the facile pen of " Old Colonial," who seems to possess a general knowledge of sheep, horses, cattle, dogs, implements of all kinds, skim milk, fresh butter, hay, corn, green peas, and baby shoes. This writer dilates ex tensively upon the recent Exhibition in all its details, but we could not of course review all the eccentric views of this prolific pen man in his ample budget of opinions, but we simply state, as requested by a correspondent, that the gentlemen of the agricultural So ciety are not protectionists, that the Agri cultural Show was essentially such, and that it is unreasonable of " Old Colonial" to ex pect and exhibition of farm produce and cereals at this season of the year. We learn that the cause of the long delay in the returns from Waiwera polling booth has been in the fact of no boat having come up owing to the prevailing winds. At length, after being wearied with waiting the Deputy Returning Officer, Captain Bracken bery started yesterday forenoon and made I the journey afoot. * On Tuesday last the inhabitants of Otahuhu held a very interesting soiree in the Public Hall in aid of the funds for liquidating the existing debt on tbe hall. A large number of persons assembled on the occasion, and much credit is due to the ladies of the district for the choice manner in which they furnished the tables. Everything was arranged with that considerate taste which seems to be woman's peculiar work. The visitors were treated to food for mind and body. Several overtures and selections were satisfactorily given, and not the least interesting were the. readings of Miss Aitken which were appre ciated. Her rendering of "The high tide on the coast of Lincolnshire," and one of Douglas Jerrold's '' .Caudle Lectures," were given in her happy style, and especially the " Bapteesement o' the Bairn," by the late Robert Leighton, of Liverpool. The proceed ings concluded with a, dance, and something I considerable has been placed to the Society. The bazaar was re-opened to-day at one o'clock, but, possibly from the unfavorable state of the weather, up to the time of going to press, the visitors had not been numerous. The promoters have spared neither labor nor expense iv their endeavours to make the bazaar a financial success ; and it is to be hoped that there will be a large inflow of persons this evening who will be disponed to give some practical aid to this praise worthy undertaking. The p.s. Golden Grown, if the weather is at all favourable, will make a moonlight ex cursion this evening aboutjthe harbour from eight to ten. An error occurred in your yesterday's report of the cases heard in the Resident Magistrate's Court. Instead of Goodacre v. McCrae, it should have been Meyers and Co. v. Goodacre. Our attention was called to this discrepancy by Messrs Meyers,

ESSAYS AND SKETCHES.

VIII. —CHAKLES DICKENS,

It is questionable Whether Thomas Carlyle or John StUart Mill as public instructors, gteat in their literary spheres as they un doubtedly are, exercised an influence equal to that of Charles Dickens, and in making this statement we do not" Underrate ot Write di«Tjaragi.ngly oi the remarkable labours either of Carlyle or Mill, We simply acknowledge the certain truth that the (tfeft^day stories of Dickfens have come nearer the mfflM. arid Understandings df the great mass of the people thaii ihd d#Bt*j teachings of the two former justly renowned writers: The Works of Carlyle and Mill are widely different Mi Resign and aim, and can only be appreciated by the thoughtful few, while the productions of Dickens chirid Within th,o enjoyable capa cities of the millions. Dlckfc'ite thought to amuse and instruct through the pM&fcft* avenues of fiction, and in the guise of story he conveyed the lessons he felt it his duty to promulgate, When we are fully prepared to estimate fairly the influence of his labours, and. come to know what he hag done for humanity ad & Silent teacher by his pen ; when we know how lrtatty bdrieSv'dlent insti tutions have been enriched; how many gdciid pests removed, and how many public schools improved by the unfolding of his genius ; when we are assured that thousands of hearts previously dosed to the pleadings of the poor, the ignorant, and the tfrihappy have been moved to practical sympathy by the pathos of his lay-sermon— the Ckrlstritas Carol--we shall no longer hesitate in placing the name of Charles Dickens in the foremost rank of the world's benefactors. We have seen the man many times and in many parts of England's metropolis, but only once did we have an interview with the great no velist, and that was in bis quiet back office in Wellington-street, Strand, (To Us he appeared somewhat reserved in bis iilalinel's, as was his wont among strangers ; and the words he • uttered were necessarily but few. But to his more intimate friends he was tbe cheerfullest of companions, eloquent of speech, and as full of information as one of his own volumes. He was about sft. 9in. in height, with a skin as red as the skiti of a New Zealand bushnian. But his dark eyes—we shall never forge t those eyes—were bright as the stars on a clear night, bright with the fervour of genius. There has been much prejudice expressed by assuming pietists against novel-writers generally, but their opinions are not worthy of sober attention. Th« tendency of the novel is to exaggerate facts, and the novelist draws upon his imagi nation and, like Hebrew chroniclers of old, extends or diminishes scenes and characters according to his views or popular demand ; hence the novel interferes with the stream of history and renders truth doubtful. Sir Walter Scott was regarded by his couutry men as a caricaturist rather than as a public teacher. It is difficult, however, to point to any avowed history with full confidence as being entirely free from the colourings of opinion and romance. Lord Bacon, in one of his thoughtful essays, says : "As the ac tive mind is inferior to the rational mind, so fiction gives to man that which history with holds, and in some sort satisfies the ooul with the shadows of things of which it cannot obtain the substance. Although our know ledge of the doubtful nature of works of fiction may in a measure mar their charms, we can easily discover those sterling truths which shine in dialogue and character, and which appeal to the heart for acceptance. There are seasons also when we feel the wearisomeness of actual things, and then it is that the brightening influences of fiction are exceedingly welcome. The true novelist, therefore, claims our gratitude, and especially such a novelist as Dickens, who invariably endeavoured to sweeten the monotony of daily life; who devoted his talents to the improvement and elevation of his species, and gave a.loftier and purer tone to the current literature of the age. We ' had often wondered how it was that Dickens was enabled to portray those characters and thrilling scenes of hard life amongst the lowly with such wonderful accuracy. How it was that he could delineate the work house boy, Oliver Twist, enduring Smike, terrible Sykes, and the unfortunate Nancy, with such life-like touches ; but the keen eye of the writer had seen all these characters moving in the dismal under-current of Lon don life. He had penetrated the recesses of wretchedness and vice, and had discovered that in the deepest shadows, beneath the grim exterior of the lower types of humanity, there yet lingers some vestige of goodness— some ray of light, which the Creator has not wholly withdrawn from the most unfortunate of His creatures. Over these faint images of the divine likeness the novelist held the torch of tenderness that the thought less world might see them, and by approximate means raise them from their physical and moral prostration. The first section of the novelist's life is before us, and we are now conscious of the source of his descriptive and sympathizing sketches. His early career was one of intense suffering and deep struggle at the period when he was engaged at six shilling a week in that dingy blacking shed, labelling the bottles and packets of paste in the purlieus of Hunger ford market, where his young heart yearned for the sunshine of a loftier existence, and earnestly toiled to obtain it. There, however, among ungenial, thoughtless com panions, he was gathering material for his pages of sentiment and fact. The real Smikes, and Olivers, and Copperfields, and Micawbers were daily before his eyes, and it was through those breathing forms of abject misery or glossy sham that he was enabled in after years to" reach the innermost thoughts of the people. Sad and melancholy were those dark years of the future novelist; and glorious were the laurelled triumphs of his manhood which, introduced him into the society of the noblest spirits of the time and placed him on the highest seat in the temple of fame. How strenuously he laboured night and day to acquire a perfect knowledge of the art of stenography, and how the black ing boy became to be acknowledged the first and most accurate reporter in the House of Commons; how he toiled onp looking neither to the right hand nor to the left, intent' on one object—the conquest of self and circum stances ; how he pushed his way with "Sketches by Boz," through the pages of the Morning Chronicle into new life,. and won the ear of the civilised world, and how that world tenderly listened to the echoes of his experiences and the vanquished sorrows of, 'his own heart are known to us now through the revelations of his friend Forster. The profound secret of his spring-tide sufferings was not divulged in his lifetime, except to the faithful few, for such disclosures answer no wise purpose and is attended by no happy result. Work and bear and the brighter day will come, was the motto of Dickens's life and the burden of his varied episodes. It is a curious and remarkable fact that the most interesting books in all languages have been conceived and written in cloud shadows, and in apparently the most ungenial positions. We can scarcely point to any work of sterling merit without associating with it an author's pains and penalties. But, imperishable in their characteristics, such books grow from age to age into universal favour, unfolding their strength and beauty by the highway of progress,* until pilgrims from all lands render homage at dead men's graves. Surely Cer7 vantes, Milton, De Foe, and Burns, never dreamed of the world-wide honour that

brightens their deathless memories. Many | of our modern novelists have written more : for consolation than for fame, and erected for themselves and others a refreshing oasis in the midst of a desert. Hood, one of the richest of nineteenth century poets, and one of the raciest of humourists, penned many of his comic satires and deeply-pathetic poems in sickness and pecuniary embarrass ment, in the awe-inspiring shadows of the . border-land ; and it may be safely asserted, j Without multiplying individual cases, that j tho best books come to us from the Geth- \ semane of restless spirits. _ We know that Charles Dickens had his trials, but he did not' parade them, as Byron did, before the eves of the world. Dickens wrote cheerfully and hopefully, and strove to put his filers in a good humour with them- : selves, M& every one about them. He possessed moreover a saving faith, and believed in good work*, ' TSere is nothing innocent or good that dies and i* for fliferf' he says of little Nell " Le^s^ to that Mth or none. An infant, a prattling child dying in its «adle win live agairi m the better thoughts of thotss who loved it; and play its part through therfl m there deeming actions of the world." The witling* of Dickens form an interesting and instruc tive portion of our week-day literature, and W'e relay State With a considerable degree of certainty *hai they are read wherever the English language IS Bptfkoft, with perhaps greater avidity than the works of any other vovelist. Who has not laughed over Pickwick and the drolleries of Sam Weller ; who has ritft been charmed or saddened by the good or tfvil Cteations of the writer's fancy? His works ai'o and too well-known to require anything like a critical analysis of their striking and universally acknowledged merits. The death of little Dombey, the figure of Tiny Tim, the portrait of Micawber, the character of Agnes, the struggles of David Copperfield, the pent-up miseries ot the tyrant Ralph Nickleby, the pedagogue Squeers, the brothers Cheryble, the lrresist able Mrs Gairip, the famous Mrs Harris and scores of others With their dark and bright features are to us as familiar as Souse hold Words, and with us All the Tear Round. Charles Dickens was born at Land port in February, 1812, and died at his favorite Gad's Hill, near Chatham in June, 1870. We would not affirm that Dickens was without faults, nor that his views on all matters were perfect. Many of his creations border on the grotesque ; but under all his pictures of men and manners we experience the pulsations of a kindly and benevolent heart. Whatever errors of judg ment here and there may be discovered inhis pages it is greatly to his credit that, as an author, he never deviated from the plan which, in his young years, he marked out for himself, the uplifting of the poor and wretched to a consciousness of their duties and their destinies. Throughout his life he laboured in the common cause, and his influence indirectly has laid the foundation stones of hundreds of philanthropic institu tions, and it is believed by hundreds that the London Board of Works, which has wrought such sanitory wonders i n the extensive sphere of its operations, would not yet have been established had not Charles Dickens foreshadowed its absolute necessity in' his earlier writings. Dickens strove moreover to awaken the spirit of christian sympathy among all classes, and to bridge over those chasms in modern civilization which have for centuries yawned between the extremes of luxury and destitution, and hindered the healthful growth of nations. Bee.

POLICE COURT

THIS DAY

(Before Thomas Beckham, Esp., R.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Robert Flood was charged with being drunk. He was further charged with being an habitual drunkard. The Court sentenced him to three months' imprisonment with hard labour. VAGRANCY. William Moore, a lad apparently of weak intellect, who was remanded yesterday for medical examination, was again brought up charged with having no visible means of sup port. Inspector Broham informed the Court that the doctor had pronounced the lad perfectly sane. The Court ordered him to be imprisoned for three months, so that he might be .pro perly cared for and receive medical treat ment, as the lad appeared in a bad state of health. MISCHIEVOUS BOYS. Two boys named George Price and Alex. Walker were charged with damaging a boat belonging to E. Carr, boatbuilder. Mr Armstrong appeared for the com plainant, and stated that one of the boy's father was quite able to pay for the damage done. The father of the boy Walker came forward and said Carr had sent the boys in the boat to draw water for him. They had left the boat to save their lives as she was sinking. His Worship suggested that £2 with costs should be paid by Walker. With regard to Price the Court ordered him to pay the damage and a line of one shilling, or one month's imprisonment. This concluded the business.

The inhabitants of Panmure and the sur rounding districts will hold a meeting on Monday evening, at seven o'clock, for the purpose of considering the advisability of establishing an ordinary day school in the neighbourhood, and thus supplying a local necessity.

The flrst general meeting of the share holders of the Thames Gas Company will be held on Tuesday, the 9th December, at the Insurance Buildings, Queen-street, when, important business will be brought forward for consideration.

A meeting of the trustees of the Auckland Savings' Bank will be on Monday next, at three o'clock p.m.

The Auckland Permanent Co-operative Building and Investment Society will hold their next half-yearly meeting on the 17th December, after which a special meeting will be called for the purpose of amending the Society's rules.

The time for receiving tenders for the erection of a T on the western side of Queen street wharf has been extended until Friday next.

Notice is given that the nomination of candidates for the seat in the Provincial Council, rendered vacant by the demise of Captain Freer, will take place at noon on the 23rd November, at the Police-station, Pan mure. The poll, if necessary, will be taken on the 28th inst. MrCharlesO'Neil, M.H.R., is a candidate.

At the inquest held yesterday on the body of William Nelson, aged 57, a verdict of " Found drowned" was returned.

To gentlemen requiring first-class tobacco and cigars, if they would only visit Mrs Sharpe's neat little American Tobacco and Cigar Divan (next Bank New Zealand) they may purchase the same cheaper than in any other house in the city. No inferior goods kept in stock ; would not purchase such for the public at any price. One trial is suffi cient to guarantee a continuance of custom. Give a cadi.—Advt.

NORTHERN DIVISION ELECTION.

At last Waiwera has spoken and pronounced for Major Stoney, the return being—-Stoney, 5 ; Buchanan, 3. This gives a total of 144 for Stoney, and 116 for Buchanan. The Major, therefore, has been elected by a ma jority of 28. Long live Maurice Kelly's bullocks. They are a power in the State.

THE SHARE MARKET.

j. m. lennox's report.

There was some improvement in business. Caledonian ' shares rose to £16, and closed with buyers £15 10s, sellers £16; Cure shares were sold at 38s, closing with sellers £37s 6d ; Central Italy shares are offering at 15s 6d ; Otago, 20s ; Black Angel, 37s 6d; Inverness, 7s ; Thames, £5 os.

TELEGRAPHIC.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.

GRAHAMSTOWN.

This day, 2.10 p.m. The result of the Una's crushing of 130 tons

of quartz is 89 ounces

Ten pounds of specimens were procured to-day from the Pride of Karaka,

The result of the All Nation's crushing of 200 tons of quartz is 576 ounces.

The Cure is breaking, down specimens to day, and expect a good haul this afternoon.

Michael Breen has been charged with stealing specimens from the Nonpareil, and is remanded until Monday.

PER ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN PRESS TELEGRAPH AGENCY.

TOTAL WRECK OF THE SHIP CITY OF NEWCASTLE.

SIX LADY PASSENGERS MISSING.

CAPTAIN AND CREW SAVED

WELLINGTON.

This day; noon.

The ship City of Newcastle, the property of Captain Worsp, which left Wellington for Newcastle on the Sth instant, has been. wrecked at Wellington Head, near Picton.

The cpptain and 20 of the crew were picked up by the steamer Taranaki.

The pasxemvers on board were—Mr. and , Mrs. J. G. Fox, Mr. Abbot (of the Aimed Constabulary), Mrs. J. H. J. Pilcher, Mrs. , and Master Jones, Miss Cameron, and six females, who are still missing. •. \

The Taranaki returned to the scene of

disaster, but found no remains of the vessel,

The Rangatira has gone to the rescue.

LATER PARTICULARS

A telegram has been received from the purser of the Taranaki which says that the City of Newcastle went ashore to the east of Wellington Heads at Allapaira Island in Tory Channel. They have coasted down Tory Channel. Saw nothing of either the boats or the wreck. A telegram from the Captain of the City of Newcastle states that the vessel was wrecked at four o'clock on the morning of the 14th instant. The women all left in a boat with a good crew. He further says: —"I followed as soon as possible, but could not see them at all. They may have made Tory Channel. Six men were on board the ' boat and they left with a good chance of getting ashore, myself and Fox with five of the crew were picked up by the schooner Canterbury. I am now on board the Taranaki, which is going to Tory Channel to make a search." Mr Allen, the Collector *of Customs at Picton, telegraphs that none oi the crew or passengers have arrived at Picton. Captain Wheeler, of the Taranaki, says that the City of Newcastle has gone to pieces. Not a plank of her left. The vessel is insured.

WRECK OF THE STEAMER WALLIBI.

INVERCARGIEL.

This day, 1.30 p.m.

. The steamer WalUbi entered the new river from Dunedin yesterday with a full cargo' and moored to the outer end of the jetty When the tide receded she rested amid, ships on the newly-formed sand hammock and broke her back completely. Her sides

also are rent up to the gunwale

CROMWELL.

This day, 10.25 a.m,

In consequence of the impounding of 100 horses by Messrs Loughman, found on thpir run, an indignation meeting was held last night by the owners of the cattle, for the purpose of resisting the act of Messrs Lough man, and petitioning the Government for. redress. A Miners' Association has been formeg,: which has caused considerable excitement™^ the district. j«g»

OAMARU. Flour, £13 ; wheat, 5s to 5s 3d ; oats, 2s to 2s 2d-; bran, £4 to £4 ss.

CHRISTCHURCH

Fat cattle, £5 5s to £7 ; calves, £1 13s to £1 16s; sheep, 16s to 17s 6d ; lambs, 7s 6d to 12s ; flour, £12; wheat nominal, 4s 9d to 4s lOd ; oats, 2s 4d ; barley, bran, none;

sharps, £5

DUNEDIN.

Flour, £31 ; oats, 2s 2d; wheat, 5s 6 j barley. 6s ; oa £13 Over £100 have been collected towards the Ladies' Scholarship University,

Tffl3 fimBOTSTG STAft, SAIPTrafcAY, NOVEMBIBU 16, 1672



XTEAL'S GENUINE TOMATO -*-^ • SAUCE, prepared from the finest, ripe fruit NEAL'S ORIENTAL PICKLE, a delicious com pound of Sweets and Sours NEAL'S-NEW ZEALAND SAUCE, equal tn Worcester Sauce' ' ■ 1,-.*? J^^S^^^l¥* ? ml 9t agreeable condimU supersedes Mustard and more wholesome. ■ B. TONES & CO. | WHOLESALE- AGENTS,



TO" E HAVE OPENED NINE CASES OF MILLINERY BONNETS, Ex Queen Bee. Thoy are the Choicest Goods seen in Auckland for many years. Also, 37 CASES, EX ROBERT HENDERSON, Consisting of FRENCH MUSLINS, GRENADINES, DRESS GOODS, STRAW HATS AND FLOWERS, RIBBONS, LACES, AND PARASOLS. They are marked at extremely low prices. J. COSGRAVE & CO. TO TH E W 011 X ING MEN OF AU CX LAN D. HTHE BEST MOLE TROUSERS in New Zealand can be bought at J. COSGRAVE AND CO.'S at 6s. lid. OPECUL CIRCULAR. Last and Clearing-out Sale of DRAPERY and CLOTHING before the Final Closing of our Premises, will continue during the month of November. A Large and Well-assorted Stock to choose from, and the whole wiU be offered at an Immense reduction from former prices. N.B.—The Stock has been REMOVED from the Wakefield-strect Shop Into the Queen-street Shop for convenience of sale. White and Grey Calicoes, Flannels, White Cotton Hose, and a very large assortment of Children's Socks. Boys' and Men's Clothing, White Shirts, Under Vests, Socks, Braces, Ties, &c, at a Great Sacrifice. R. HOBBS, WHOLESALE & RETAIL DRAPER, UPPER QUEEN STREET, Opposite the Army and Navy Hotel.