SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

HIGH WATEBJ: This evening, 3.31 ; to-morrow morning, 4.4 I< SUN -SET: This evening, 6.39; SUN-RISE: To" morrow morning, 548 fi MOON'S AGE : Fourth day of first quarter

PORT OF AUCKLAND.

ARRIVALS. Tien Tien, barque, from Hobart Town Mary Melville, from Napier

DEPARTURES.

Chile, ship, Thomson, for London Beatrice, barque, for Newcastle Mary Eliza, brigantine, James, for Newcastle N"RT?> —

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

Hindoston, ship, loading Tartar, for Southern ports, about Ist proximo Mongol, s s, for Sydney sth instant Mary Melville, schooner, for Mongonui, shortly

VESSELS EXPECTED.

Tartar, s.s., from Kandavu, with Pacific Mail, early Star of the South, s s., from Fiji, early Albion, brig, from Newcastle, early Anazi, barque, from London. Sailed October 31 Empreza, barque, from Liverpool. Sailed October 15 Hylton Castle, barque, from London Queen of the Age, ship, from London Sailed Nov. 1 Magellan Cloud, schooner, and Kate Brain, from Lyttelton, early Mongol, s s, from Southern ports, 3rd instant lone, ship, from London. Sailed Dec 20 Victoria, ss, from Sydney, early Carl, brig, from Dunedin, early Queen of the Sea, barque, from Adelaide Phoebe, s s, from the South

The barque signalled this morning only rounded the North Head at half-past three this ..afternoon. She turns out to be the Tien Tsin, from Hobart Town, with a cargo of bark, palings, rails, and fruit. The Tien Tsin left Hobart Town on the Bth February, and has thus been eight teen days out.

The brigantine Mary Eliza having taken in her ballast, hauled off the wharf this after noon and is to sail for Newcastle this even ing-

The s.s. Taranaki, from the South, brings a general cargo and the following passengers : —Messrs Murdoch, Batgate, Berghoff, Wat son, Tolson, Heggarty, Hindmarsh, Calcutt, Wright, Seymour, Verton, Prince, Mehegan, Wiseman, Howard (2), Nichol, Connett, Scarf c -Mrs Bedford, Rev. Mr Lewis ; and 10 in the steerage.—Combes and Daldy, agents.

The schooner Mary Melville arrived from Napier in ballast last evening about eight o'clock. Captain Urcpthart reports having left on Sunday evening in company with the Saucy Lass, which has called to load on the coast. The schooner behaved remarkably well on her maiden trip, and shows sailing capabilities of a high character. She will probably sail on Saturday for Mongonui to load timber for Napier. The ship Chile sailed for London, this morning at 2 o'clock. After clearing the North Head a fair wind sprung up, which has no doubt, carried the vessel by this time well clear of the Coast.

The barque Beatrice sailed for Newcastle at ten o'clock this morning in ballast. The long spell of fine weather we have enjoyed lately (and, in fact, almost had too much of) broke up last night. The wind at five o'clock p.m. was in the same quarter it had been in for some days. The sky at that >"time became very cloudy, and the barometer betokened a change. At six j the wind veered round to the N.W., and towards night there was every appearance of a blow. After midnight the wind increased in vio lence, and went into the S.W. Here it .continued for some time till just after day break, when it changed to S. with gusty squalls of rain. These continued up to 9 o'clock this morning when the rain ceased. > As the brig Tower Hill was hauling along side the wharf this morning the screw-buoy on the west side, to which her tow-line had been made fast, drew out of its socket in the mud, and the brig went adrift. Fortunately •she was well clear of all other craft, and was •brought up with an anchor before any damage was done. The buoy was rend.ered insecure by the barque Beatrice making fast to it in the late gale. It should be firmly laid again at once.

' The cutter Wangarei brings 50 tons coal from Russell.

The ketch Speedwell has cleared in ballast for the Bay of Islands. ~. The cutter Vincent takes a general cargo to Tauranga. She cleared out at the Customs this afternoon.

CALL AND. DIVIDEND LIST. Calls.

„,'.„, • JB s. d. Date. Union Beach 0 2 7 March 4 Nonpareil., .. .. ..010 March 11 National Bank of NZ. ; ... 010 0 April 1 National Bank of N.Z. .. 010 0 July 1 Dividends. . Sons of Freedom .'.., ... 10 0 Feb 18

PROVISION MARKET.

COLONIAL PRODUCE.

Buying Prices, Corrected by Auckland Dealers. ■ ' - s* d* s- d- 3 d. s- d Butter, per lb. 0 0-16 Ducks, pair.. 2 6—5 0 Cheese (new) 0 6—o 7 Geese, each 4 o—s 9 Eggs, per doz. 0 o—l 6 Turkeys .. 3 o—4 J Lard, per lb. 0 7—o 0 | Canterbury Bacon & Hams Fowls, pair.. 3 o—s 0 (bare) .. 0 7—o Si Good Salt Butter, B—o 10 Do (in cloth) 0 9-0 10-i Canter. Cheese, 6—o 7 Auckland 0 6—07 ■ r Hams, lOd to Is per lb. Retail Prices, Farm and Dairy Produce. ™-„. as* d *as* d* s- ds. d. Milk, per qt. 0 Oto 5 Ducks each 5 0-6 0 Butter (fresh) 0 0-1 9 | Geese, each 5 0-6 0 Cheese (new) 0 B—l 0 I Turkeys, per 5 o—7 3 Eggs, per doz. 1 9—o 0 Bacon, per lb. 0 B—o lo Lard, per lb. 0 6—o 0 Hams .. .. 0 9-16 Fowls, pair.. 4 6-0 01 Salt Butter.. 1 o—l 3 Butchers' Meat. Beef, per lb. 0 4—o 7 1 Pork, per lb 0 6 Mutton ..0 4—o 51 Veal.. 0 6 BREADSTUFFS. FLOUR. ... WHOLESALE. Millers' Price, per ton—lst quality ..£l7 Fine Flour—household " V £j 4 Adelaide Flour .. .... ..•'.. ' ;" " £-13 Canterbury .... .. .... .. ,'v. £12 to £14 Seconds, £12. Sharps, £710s Bakers' Price, per lb ■ 3d Bran, Is 6d per bushel. Bread, per 21b. loaf, 4d to 4d. Maize, crushed and whole, 7s BISCUIT. Cabin Biscuit, per 1001b, .. ... .. Retail 22s MAIZE, OATS, POTATOES, ETC. "WHOLESALE. Maize, 7s 6d good ; very scarce Oats, 4s 6d to 5s per bushel. Potatoes, £3 10s to £3 15s Hay, £2 to £4 10s per ton. Straw, £2 10s to £3 per ton. Chaff, £610s per ton. RETAIL. Maize, per bushel, crushed, 8s Oats, 5s 6d per bushel. Potatoes, 6s 6d per cwt. ' Hay, cwt., 4s to 6s. Straw, 4s to 5s per cwt. Chaff, 7s 6d to 8s per cwt. ' -.* _ KAURI GUM AND FLAX MARKET marktt *-TOWinS *** th<S Price 3in the Auckland GuM-^Well scraped; best quality .. .. £30 to £32 T7ta Y °nX??' as? £26 to £29 qUaht7 £15 to £18 ditto £10 to £14 " building" materials: '£? t0 £8':, Timber —Boams and scantling, 100 f t, 9s to 16s • wSfe. 1 PlaT,ed' toneUed' and lis New Zealand palings, 5-feet, 10s; 6-feet 'l2i- ti tree rails, £216s to £3 per 100 ipuriri postsf £5-W ion COAL AND FIREWOOD MARKET 50sp«tora! eWCaStle ' °n Wharf ' norni ™l; delivered, Firewood.—Uncut, 14s per ton deUvaroA „„<• Jss per ton, delivered' -;f" *' ' ?

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails will Close as Under :— For Thames, to-morrow, at at 10.30 a m and

5.30 p m For Coromandel, to-morrow, at 3 30 p in For Tauranga, per Vincent, this day, at 5 p m ForWangarei, &c, per Dolly Varden, this day, at 6 pm For Gisborne, per Julius Vogel, to-morrow, at 3pm For Mahurangi, Matakana, Mangawai, Waipu, &c., per Lady Bowen, on Saturday next, at 10 a m For Whitiangi, Tairua, Tauranga, and Opotiki. per Southern Cross, on Saturday next, at 3 pm For Taranaki and Southern provinces, per Taranaki, on Monday next, at 7 a m For Russell, Wangaroa. and Mongonui, per Rowena, on Monday next, at 3 p m Mails for the Australian Colonies, via Melbourne, close at 10 a m on Saturnay next, at Bluff For the undermentioned places, per on Monday, 16th March, as under : — For Fiji.Sandwich Islands.United States of America, Canada, British Columbia, Central and South America, and British and Foreign West Indies, at 10 30 a.m. For the United Kingdom and Continent of Europe, via San Francisco, at 10.30 a.m. Letters bearing late fee will be received until 11 a.m For money orders, registered letters, and news papers, at 9.30 a m (Signed) S. B. Biss. Chief Postmaster.

BIRTH.

Flood—On the 24th instant, at Brighton, Parnell the wife of W. Flood, Esq., R.N., of a son.

DEATH.

Flood—On the 26th instant, of convulsions, at Brighten, Parnell, Calvert, infant son of William and Jane Flood.

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

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1874.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance. For the future in the distance, And tt>a food that we can do

Far be it from us to raise one jarring note in the pagans of praise that have attended the triumphal procession of the Premier through out New Zealand. .Mr Vogel has deserved well of his country, and in listening to the strains of flattery poured into his ears amid the popping of champagne corks and the tinkling of glasses he is enjoying that de ; served luxury to which success is so generally treatedby atime-servingand success-worship ping generation. We shall be sorry if Mr Vogel is spoiled by this, and we fain hope that for the future welfare of the colony he will bear with a little temperate criticism even in the midst of grinning sycophants. We are led to this train of thinking from a perusal of his late addresses at the Thames, as re ported fully" in the morning papers, and i especially in the Southern Cross. It willbeseen that the honorable the Premier enunciates the strange doctrine that "men not measures" should be the hustings' battle cry. He asserts that the declaration of a candidate, that he will take an " independent position " in the House, and not p ledge himself to any party, should damn him in the eyes of electors. Now sure ly this is the dictum of a man who has been spoiled by success, and whose head is turned a little by flattery. Mr Vogel illustrates his position by reference to home, and asks if any man would be elected to Parliament without declaring what party he intends to support. But does Mr Vogel really think the cases are analagous? In England there are the politics \ol party—

will any one say that we have defined parties here ? In England, in stating that a man

will support the Conservative or the Liberal interest, he declares his adhesion to a creed of distinct and denned principles, from which any defection on the part of the leaders would be their immediate annihilation. What is the creed of party in New Zealand• What is the creed for example of the Vogelian party ? We say it from no disrespect, for we sincerely respect Mr Vogel, but it is a fact that that gentleman has altered the creed of

his party every session, and sometimes several times in the session— notably last

session—since he first assumed the reins o £ power. We do not say this as blaming Mr Vogel. On the contrary we regard such procedure as necessitated by the peculiarities of colonial circumstances; and Mr Vogel in demeaning himself accordingly, has shewn himself gifted with that first requisite in "a man of the age," adaptability to time, place, and circumstances. One of the great secrets of Mr Vogel's success has been his power o^ taking knowledge of the circumstances of the moment, and of acting promptly on that knowledge ; but he will pardon us for saying that to the multitude without, when he asks them to blindly follow his lead, he appears as if inviting them to be guided by a "will-o'-the-wisp." We hope that he will abandon that doctrine of a personal party allegiance. It will never be accepted by New Zealand, and it would be bad for Mr Vogel and bad for the colony if it were, and his enunciation of such a theory will be accepted by all quiet thinking people as but a melancholy sign that his head is being a little turned by pros perity and by the grovelling sycophancy of those who are clustering around and fawning on him to obtain their own sel lisli objects. To another part of Mr Vogel's address wo would briefly refer. He appears to have somewhat resented the utterance of a little truth in the midst of compliment and adulation. A public banquet is not indeed perhaps the most appropriate place for venti lating Auckland's wrongs ; but Mr Vogel should know that the conviction of almost all the people of the province of Auckland, even of those who circle round the festiveboard, *s that in the administration of the coloniza tion policy this province has been deeply wronged. We do not say whether this con viction is well or ill-founded. The Honor able the Premier is in a better position than we are to judge of this, but we assert that this is the conviction of the people of Auck land. Mr Vogel speaks of the benefits the policy has conferred on this province. He speaks of our railways. Yes, we have a branch to Onehunga, which was partly made before it was embraced in the colonization scheme. Even this is not yet out of the hands of the contractors. We have the Kaipara railway—in perspective. It also, when in progress, was embraced in the "colonization scheme," which appears to have placed on it the icey hand of death. We have the Waikato railway— also in perspective. But we are not speak ing of perspectives, for no doubt the eye of faith can look into a long vista of coming good things. But while we see the Southern provinces being covered with a network of railways, and names of town ships that were heretofore unknown to maps starting into prominence as railway termini, the people of Auckland see that we have not yet one yard of railway out of the con tractors' hands, and in their familiar con verse one with another they commonly say that so far as the Auckland province is con cerned the great colonization policy has been a total failure. Again our people hear of hundreds and thousands of immigrants pouring into the Southern provinces, all going to swell the populations that will soon demand a redistribution of electorates and an overthrow of the balance of power as between North and South. They even hear of our ships, destined for our own ports, calling at Southern ports, and landing our intending immigrants ; while at distant in tervals a ship arrives and shoots out on our wharves a load of rubbish, the sweepings of the London streets; and then we say to one another that so far as we are concerned the colonization policy has been hitherto a total failure. This we don't say at banquets, nor does it drop from the lips of those who fawn around, eachwith his little axe to grind. But we say it, nevertheless, and generally we believe it too, and Mr Vogel should not be angry if the distant hum of dissatisfaction with his adminis tration in relation to the province reaches his ears amid the scenes of revelry and the fascinating sounds of adulation. With respect to the San Francisco service, of which Mr Vogel speaks as a boon to Auckland, that jis not part of the colonization policy. We are thankful for it nevertheless, and we ought ever to remember the indefatigable and almost superhuman personal efforts of Mr Vogel for its attainment. But while we thank Mr Vogel for'the boon to Auckland, we also thank God who made New Zealand and placed the Waitemata where it is, the nearest harbour to the Fijis, and consequently the most convenient for New Zealand, and admitted to be so, when the question is dis cussed without local jealousies. We care not to enumerate the various points on which the people of Auckland feel that they have been unfairly dealt by ; but there is a general impression that under a Govern ment which has had the power to confer ao much good the special circumstances

of districts that have had no land ! revenue, owing to a false step in political log-rolling years ago, might have been looked on with special kindness. It is idle to say ' Hush your murmuring, lest the South bear j you and become alarmed.' This is like the j ghostly terrors that are thrown around the native question. There is no desire in the South to deal either unjustly or unkindly by • the North. On the contrary theie is the j utmost inclination in any way pos sible to relieve the hard terms of the fatal "compact," and the people of Auckland think, and say it in their conver sations, that had there been a will there might have been a way in the carrying out of the colonization policy, of doing much to relieve the disastrous consequences caused, not by the removal of the seat of Government as insinuated, but by a war in the inibiation of which Auckland had no share, and by the results of an unfortunate "compact" which was simply mal-administration on the part of the then controllers of her destinies. We say with all respect, but with all firmness, that the people of Auckland feel that they have not been fairly treated in the adminis tration of the great colonization policy here tofore. Mr. Vogel will not hear this at banquets ; he will not hear it through our local contemporaries. Adulation is the spirit of the hour ; but we say it in unequivocal terms, and we say it not as reflecting on Mr. Vogel's Government

or enquiring in any way into the causes that have contributed to our province being parched up while other provinces have been refreshed with the genial showers of the great policy. Wc do not doubt the capabili ties of that policy. Wc have ever believed it to be the best adapted to making New Zealand a great country. Wo are hopeful for the future, not as insinuated by Mr Vogel because of any alteration in the con trol of provincial affairs, but because we be-

lieve that justice must sooner or later be done to the province of Auckland, and because the schemes projected will, if completed, be pregnant with results. But we say, and we reiterate, that in so far as having had yet any practical tangible benefits, similar to those enjoyed by the Southern provinces, it would be all the same to us—nay in many respects it would have been better for Auck land—if the project of 1870 had been still born.

The complimentary banquet to be given to the Hon. Julius Vogel this evening at the Choral Hall promises to be a grand affair. The sub-committees appointed to arrange details have been hard at work during the last week, and no efforts have been spared that could conduce to the success of the en tertainment. The guest of the evening, with his Honor the Superintendent and the Provincial Secretary and Treasurer, arrived in town by the Golden Crown last ni«ht. The catering has been entrusted to Mr. Stacey, the liquors being supplied by Cruickshank and Co. About 125 guests are expected. The tables have been conveniently arranged, running the length of the hall with a cross table at the head. The chair man will be supported on the right by Mr. Vogel, and on the left by the Hon. Dr. Pollen. The vice-chairman will be supported on the right by Mr Richardson, Minister of Public Works.

The Auckland Harmonic Society will meet for practice this evening and perform selec tions from Mozart's "Twelfth Mass" and Hadyn's "Creation." The moonlight ex cursion concert by the Golden Crown is an nounced to take place on Tuesday evening next. The expected strike among the workmen at Brown's engine works, Sheffield, to resist a reduction of wages, has begun. No less than 1500 men have ceased to work. The Lynch Family of Bellringers took their departure from Wellington in the Lady bird for Melbourne. Two members of their company, namely, Messrs Frank Verten, and Harry Seymour, have joined the Oxford Combination Troupe now performing in Wel lington. The members of the Star of Newton Lodge will meet this evening in the Congregational Schoolroom, and pass the evening with music, mirth, and song. The Pioneers will also meet to-night in the Albert-street Temper ance Hall for general business. The annual public meeting of the Auckland Sunday School Union, will be held to-morrow evening (Friday), at the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms, at half-past seven. The chair will be taken by J. C. Firth, Esq., and the meeting will be ad dressed by the Revs. Archdeacon Maunsell, Alexander Reid, R. F. McNicol, and Wm. Tinsley. The Harmonic Society will also attend and sing selections of sacred music. We remind our readers again that the concert in aid of the funds of St. Matthew's Sunday-school will take place this evening in the City Hall, the musical department under the arrangement of Mr Joseph Browne. The choir of St. Matthew's will take a prominent part in the entertainment, assisted by the leading amateurs of the city. We notice that Mrs Mitchell will sing that charming little song about " Baby," which ever finds an echo in the mother's heart. Other son»s, viz., " Mizpah," "Thy voice is near," " Eleonora," by a gentleman from London, and the " Stirrup Song," which Mr Reid gives with so much power, also forms part of the programme. We notice that very choice selections from Gounod, Rossini, Wallace, Mendelssohn, and other eminent composers will be given by the choir, as well as several solos, duets, and choruses. The committee have been at great pains to make this concert worthy public appro val for the sake of the Sunday-school. The Provincial Government of Otago has instructed the various receivers of gold in ithe mining districts of the province to receive gold from the miners for transmission to Australia, where it will be coined into sovereigns at the Mint, and its full value returned to the depositors in cash. Com plaints have been made for some time past that the banks have been giving too low a price for the gold, and this action on the part of the Provincial Government will no doubt have the desired effect of making the banks give the required 2s per ounce extra. Messrs Blair and Lambert, of Upper Queen street, have resolved to close their grocery and provision establishment at six o'clock in accordance with the rules of the early closing association, and some of the leading shoe- j > makers are adopting the same plan, \ I

I It seems to be possible for water-drinkers to be intemperate as well as those who drink alcoholic liquors. From a Greymouth paper we learn that a miner has recently been admitted into the Reefton Hospital I " suffering from debility, caused by excessive ! drinking of cold water and exposure "

The Municipal bodies in the sister colonies are voting addresses of congratulation to the Queen on the marriage of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. Is the Corporation of Auck land going to wait until every other Muni cipality has forwarded an address before it does likewise ?

The following are the players who pro ceed to Coromandel to-morrow evening to take part in the cricket match North Shore v. Coromandel:— Messrs Rees, J. Nolan, Wynyard, Waterbonse, Leggett, Thome, Ward, Swanson, Dacsre, Burgess, Whitaker.

Sailors are very fond of pets, and are bound to make one of any animal, no matter what it is that happens to be on board their ship. Jack's special fancy is a cat, but if there is no pussy on board he is content with a dog or a monkey. Sometimes it happens that none of these are available, and then his fancy takes queer shapes. An instance of this soft feature in a sailor's ordinarily callous nature is afforded by the brig Tower Hill now lying alongside the Queen-street wharf. Having nothing else to lavish their affection on the men in the forecastle have installed a "pig" into the position of favorite, and piggy is quite sensible of his proud position. He is quite as aware of the hours for meals as are his protectors, and he is generally among the first to take his seat at the table. Squatted upon a chest he confidently expects his share of the eatables, and can wait patiently until the meal is nearly half over if necessary. He then becomes restless, and calls the attention of the company in various peculiar ways to his neglected state. This generally answers, but on one or two occasions it has been tried what would be the result if no notice was taken of him. The men soon got tired of doing this. On the first occasion he jumped on to the table, and scattering the movables right and left, shoved his nose into the first plate with any thing good on it that he came across. At night piggy has his regular bunk, and is supplied with blankets and warm covering, which he seems to appreciate like a Maori. One of the sailors has actually gone to the length of making him a suit of oilskins, and he never thinks of venturing on deck in dirty weather unless he has his storm clothing on. Altogether he is a wonder ful pig, and we say without hesitation that very few of the crew would care to eat their playfellow if he should ultimately go the , way of all (pig) flesh.

Mosquitos immigrated to thiscountryin the year one. They are the smallest fowl that navigate the air. Although not soaring so high as other fowls they make some fouler sores than any other bird ever dreamed of. They are not devout, although they are birds of prey. They are so tame that they will come up and eat out of a fellow's hand. As songsters they area success, making some of the sweetest sounds ever heard. We are sometimes constrained to stay awake all night and listen to the strains, even if its ever so confounded straining on us. If any one doesn't like their music he can lump it, and failing to do so they will lump him, and if he " gets on his ear" about it, such a proceeding is foolish, for they are very accom modating and will get on his ear for him. Like their music better than any thing cisc about them. Many a time have I laid on my downy bed and listened to thtm as they sung, " Come where my love lies dreaming," "We won't go home till morning," and such like, till I have been carried away (and wishing I was carried still further) that I've joined in the melody, singing " Shoo Fly," and cheering them by clapping my hands together in the hope of giving the little suckers an affectionate squeeze.

Steps at length have been taken to bring the Native Lands Act oE last session into practical operation. The Gazette contains notice of the appointment of Francis Dart Fenton, Esq., to be Chief Judge, and of Frederick Edward Manning,' Esq., John Rogan, Esq., Thomas Heiiry^ Smith, Esq., and Henry Alfred Home Monro, Esq., to be judges of the Native _ Land Court of New Zealand. These appointments to date from Ist January, 1874. Native' Assessors are also appointed. *• ■ ■•."* ,'• . .; 'i An amusing story is related in the' Sporting Gazette respecting certain proceedings at the War Office. One* of. ■the clerks, in the ex uberance of his animal .spirits fastened several yards of string'to' an umbrella, and then set up the artielje in the doorway of a, public staircase to watch, the result. In the course of half an hour about a dozen differ ent persons saw the umbrella, and after a furtive glance around marched off with it, until suddenly pulled up by the string when a roar of laughter from inviaible spectators greeted the discomfitnre of each who had thus given way to temptation. Charles's Panorama of the Franco-Prussian War has again returned to Auckland after another airing in the South, to be cast aside for the winter season. The autobiography of this curious piece of work, if written, would be far more interesting than Mr Balfour's " Autobiography of a Shilling," and in con nection with its successive proprietors and erratic lecturers would fit the Barnum Library. A terrible calamity is announced from Stockholm. Fire broke out in the third storey of a building, the upper portions of .which were inhabited by the - ballet of the Theatre Royal. Out of sixteen dancers eight were killed in trying to escape by the stairs, and of the remaining eight, who leapt from the windows, three were killed at once, and five were, it is believed, fatally injured. The pleasant early rain this morning caused a general feeling of thankfulness in the community at large. Vegetation, wells, :and the human blood were nearly exhausted for want of the refreshing and spirit-stirring rain, and at last, as an enthusiastic washer woman shouted, " here comt?s the blessed rain, I'll wash to-morrow." The soiree and public meeting in connec tion with the Sheridan-street Chapel will be held this evening at half-past seven o'clock. The first annual meeting of Court Zeland'a No. 4741 of the Ancient Order of Foresters was held last evening in the court-room Provincial Hotel, Princes-street, when the following were elected officers and installed ;in their respective offices for the next six months :■—Brother McEwin, C.R. • Brother Whiteside, S.C.R. ; Brother Stewart, trea surer ; Brother Williams, secretary; Brother Ler, S.W. ; Brother Lyon, J.W. ; Brother Fort, S.B. ; Brother Brown, J.B. Dr. Hooper was elected surgeon. Brothers Impey and Gillespie were elected auditors for the ensuing year. After business the brethern sat down to an excellent spread provided by Brother Stewart to which ample justice was done. Ihe cloth being removed, several loyal toasts were proposed and responded to. The anni versary will be celebrated this evening by a Ball in the Cook-street Hall. Dancing to Qpromence at 9 o'clock. •=' j

A local contemporary last week attempted to prove from recently published statistics that Auckland was less healthy than Southern cities. The Wellington Post commenting on these statistics brings out a very different result. It says :—" Our contemporary seems unable to comprehend the vital statis tics supplied by the Registrar-General. It says that the evidence so supplied goes to prove that the general supposition of Wel lington being an unhealthy place for children is incorrect, and adds that the per ceiatage of deaths was least in Dunedin, being 34 ; in Wellington, 42; in Christchurch, 57 ; and in Auckland not less than 65. If our contemporary had paid any atten tion to the return it would have observed that the figures thus given represent the proportion of deaths to births, not of deaths to population. They have really no bearing on the question of the healthiness or otherwise of the places named. It is no use shutting our eyes to the disagreeable fact that, with about the smallest population of any of the places named, Wellington had last month the largest death rate, the total number of deaths in each place being Wellington, 33 ; Chiistchurch, 30 ; Auck land, 25 ; Dunedin, 23. We would it were otherwise, but it is better to face the dis agreeable fact and seek a remedy than to attempt to ignore it. The causes are certainly removable."

The members of the Auckland Naval Brigade will muster to-morrow (Friday) evening on the wharf to proceed by the half-past six boat to the North Head for big gun drill.

Bishop Moran, of Dunedin, in his lenten pastoral just issued, says : —" Our Holy Father is still a prisoner in the Vatican, and dependent on the alms of the faithful for the means of carrying on the Government of the Church. It is our duty to aid him in every way in our power. Whilst, therefore, we supplicate the Throne of Mercy in his behalf, let us be generous in our alms on next Good Friday. For we or dain that on this day—the Anniversary of the Crucifixion of our Divine Redeemer—a collection be made for His Holiness in all the missions of the two Dioceses. The amount thus collected is to be forwarded to us as soon as possible for transmission to Rome. You ai*e aware that not only in Italy, where the work of spoliation and plunder still progresses, but also in other lands, as in Germany Switzerland, Catholics are sub jected to a fierce persecution on account of their faith. Our enemies in these countries have determined to uproot the Catholic faith and utterly destroy the Catholic Church. For this purpose they have banished Catholic bishops and priests, closed Catholic schools, forbidden the education of priests, intruded suspended and ' immoral ecclesiastics in defiance of the sacred canons and the indignant remonstrance of the faithful and seized on Catholic property. Nothing almost that wicked legislation and tyrannous administration can do has been left undone to break up the Ministry of the Church and impede her action. Those who endure such terrible wrongs are our brethren—members with us of the one universal fold- the mystic body of Christ. Let us give them our sym pathy, and at least the aid of our fervent and persevering prayers Pray also for our Holy Father, and the liberty and independence of the Church ; and that a merciful Providence may send us a suffi cient number of good priests, and enable us to provide a Christian education for our children."

The practice of overworking clerks —not unknown in Auckland—is thus alluded to by the Otago Times : —"Clerks are a supe nuity in our midst. Still for every adver tisement such as the following there are many applicants r—'Wanted, a steady young man as clerk. Salary liberal. Apply so and-so. ' It is becoming far too common to expect the clerks in our mercantile, still more in our banking, establishments to work until all hours at night. Twice or three times every week these unfortunates are kept at work late at night under the im plied penalty of losing, their situations if they refuse. We are prepared to name several establishments in this city in which for the past three months the hours of labour have been over ten hours per diem on an average, and we submit to the authorities that such demands upon the labours of their employes is excessive, and should be checked."

At Liverpool Assizes a young lady obtained a verdict for £3000 damages against a gentle man who had broken his promise of marriage to her, and re-married, his former wife, from whom he had been divorced. There was one unopposed case in bank i ruptcy brought on before the Registrar this j morning at the Supreme Court. The bank ! rupt's name was Walter Harry Curtis. Mr j Madden was bankrupt's solicitor. The case was adjourned by consent for three weeks. Mount Benger is apparently a lively place for the medical profession. A local corres pondent of the Southern Mercury writes . thence as follows : —We have had five doctors in the district in as many years ; and we treated them thusly : No. 1 we let : die in the streets ■ No. 2 had to dwell in a | cave of the rocks ; No. 3 was forced to fly \ to California ; No, 4 was fined 40s and costs ; and No. 5 has just been committed for trial on a charge of manslaughter. By good management we trust No. 6 shall not add a suicide to the list. The Royal Comique Company of' select performers were again successful last night at the Prince of Wales Theatre, both in having a good audience and in giving that audience the utmost satisfaction. The per formance was divided into three parts, plea santly diversified with the sentimental and the comic. The cleverly-constructed piece entitled '' Nothingto Wear," took immensely, and its moral possibly reached many a heart! The acting of Mr Vivian is very good, and the graceful figure and airy movements of Miss Melville add much to the effect of the comedy • while in intermediate parts the j humorous outbursts of Mr Mason tell well. His " Love among the Maoris" is a very fair parody on the hackneyed "Love among the Roses:" indeed we think it better than the original. Steps are being taken to raise funds for the erection of a small memorial chapel to the late Bishop Viard, of Wellington, at •Ohariu Valley. An Art Union, in which there are several valuable gift-prizes, such as clocks, watches, a horse, a pony, cows, sheep, calves, poultry, paintings, fancy work, and toys has been arranged in aid of the ob ject; the. drawing, to take place at a public soiree. The advertisement in the Welling ton papers announcing the above, concludes in the following reproachful strain:—" It is hoped that this little chapel will be the in stigation of a larger one in Wellington. At the eve of the appointment of his successor the Wellington people seem to forget already the one who so loved them." Referring to the Scandinavians recently dmported a Wairarapa correspondent of the Independent says :—" lam sorry to say thesQ people are revelling in dirt, and suffering from its dire effects—disease, while some of them have already, paid the penalty of death. No one can pass their dwellings without being struck with the squalor and dirt. They j love dirt, and no advance, no effort short of absolute force, will lead tftera to make any i arnendmeftt," ■ v-

The well-known tavern, the BritishT^ Queen-street, which has been en i t,:! during the past ten years in the moT °¥ table manner, by Mr John SceatHL*'* terday formally transferred to his'J"" •*"' Owen Humphreys. Mr Sceata hav^^Y enough of active business life, retire.? ,* suburban villa, where he purposes lelv "3 lite of calm enjoyment in the pm^ * horticulture and other less excitins rl ' ' il than those of the tavern. 8 P^«

THE MURDERER SULLIVAN.

The liberation of Sullivan, and hi* tern plated shipment to America' iV t \° n' alluded to by the Wellington 2>okZ.Af promotion of friendly intercourse wifta Great Republic was one of the main oW to be attained by a Californian mail *£? and the advantage of exchanging ourprodu & for the products and manufactures; of H States has been a favorite subject with ft supporters of the line. Apparently t Government deems that both obie f may be furthered by the exportitS to America of colonial criminals n transportation to California of one"of o most dangerous and treacherous criminaT —a man Whose hands are imhued in tV blood of about a dozen of his fellow creatures would have been likely indeed to promote' friendly feeling between this colony and th! American Government. If, however on Government labour under the idea that'niur! derers are a rarity in America, and that a New Zealand specimen of the class might be acceptable, we fear they have slightlymiscal culated, and that although even San Fran" cisco itself might not be able to produce" as cold-blooded and wholesale a murderer as Sullivan, it would have no difficult? in producing some hundreds of ruffians of a milder type, but all bearing the brand of Cain. It might be rather uhforfe. nate for us if America should carry out to its legitimate conclusion the doctrine of re ciprocal interchange in the matter of crimi nals. It would no doubt be well if the colony were rid of Sullivan, but it would be no advantage to have his pl ace supplied by say half-a-dozen practi tioners with bowie-knife and revolver fresh from the prisons of San Francisco.'' Alluding to the same subject the Taranaii News says : —" From the state of Auckland feeling it does not seem as if Sullivan's stay there will be made pleasant for him!' Tie Southern Cross says rather wildly—'send ; him to some of the South Sea Islands.' We have no objection to this course, and if, say a quarter were to be sent to each of the most cannibal islands, we imagine that they woSd not object. There is one difficulty, that as Sullivan is now a free man he might object to being divided among 'some of the Islands;' and we think any one of them might fairly object to take him as a whole, as the United States Consul did," Mr Thomas W. Kempthorne -writes tothe Otago Times on the same subject:—■'Onfche 13th June, IS6G, this Sullivan, in company with three others, shot five men, andamongs,' this number an unfortunate brother of mine, under circumstances too dreadful to particu larise. It will be remembered that Sunirai confessed .the crime—that they wereallMtd at Nelson, found guilty, and condemned to death ; but for some reason the;GpverV ment spared the life of the worst of fie gang and changed the sentence to imprisonment for life. Now I find that .after seven years' imprisonment he i 3 Hberated, Jtie. reason given being that he was an annoy ance at the Dunedin Gaol, and on these representations the authorities resolved to set him at liberty on the condition that he left the country. What a premiumfe villany. But this is not even th: 3 worst ef the matter. What a crime it is for,the Government of New Zealand to covertly send to America, and let loose upon society, one of the very worst men that ever waited the earth. Believe me this matter is not done with." The Otago limes makes tie following allusion to Sullivan's crimes : "There is great indignation at Auck land in consequence of Sullivan's cita tion, and from his past history Hit W readily be admitted that he is anything^. a desirable addition to any community. ™ Maungatapu murders—butcheries theymigw almost be called—were so horrible in ti« details of their cold-blooded brutaKtyth'' the facts are no doubt fresh in the recollec tion of most of our readers ; but ''for'the in formation of our readers we give akl* ticulars of the events which led to ?nlh^* conviction, and of what was done np to tie time of his pardon. The murders took pace about June, 1566, and Sullivan, Kelly,» gess, and Levy were arrested. -^S-f"! were proved, Sullivan having been MO -: whilst in gaol to turn Queen's, evidence.up .condition that ht should receive a free pardon. There is "no doubt that the m three men could scarcely have been le« convicted but for Sullivan's evidence, a the course of their, enquiries ffiSlg ascertained that other murders, had;W» committed in addition to those knownatw time that Sullivan turned Queen's Ml one of the crimes being the murdei*of an» whaler called " Old Jamie," or James JJg Burgess, Kelly, and Levy were MjjQ Sullivan was placed upon his murder of James Battle.; It appeared m* in the murder of this old msn Suuivan* the ringleader, and it is even supposed w» he was one of the party, who «m strangled the victim. He was convict** sentenced to death, but the sentenWg afterwards commuted to impi-isonmen-y life in consideration of the evidence^. given in Court agamst the pttertbreew^ and the information he had ..given j police He was confinedin the Nelson .\m^ j proved a great trouble to theauttonffl*^ ■ other prisoners would not tolerate B!|gp amongst them, and there was < c jf strong feeling on the part of the peojj Nelson that Sullivan was sent; down " le Dunedin Gaol, where he was time of his liberation. He has often peW| the Government for his release^ the M^ the memorial he has forwarded being pardon given him when he' turue_ ft< evidence embraced the whole of iL^pjp committed by the gang. He ™°^h0 had he supposed that he was: to P|| p I every one of these offences he wo,. ; jr e lijsl have given evidence for the or°^^sP I represented this to the General^r^ from time to time. It must be'".„■,deal that, bad as the man is, there isttggj k of force in his statement. In .^^jjij t$ petition was referred to the J^^gjjjngtol* the case—Mr Justice Johnson, &£SOM •-and until lately the prayers ommd have been refused. A short e^W I His ExceUency Sir James I&R&ffi®. the gaol, Sullivan presented ,** *& I him, and it was decided ■&*mjm( l should have a free pardon if W,f!ssm I out of the colony. Arrangements » to send him to San Francisco byj^ j | his passage was paid, WJTO&SffiBW'I board quietly just before she b*» | the port. "_ ■ - "',:—'

TIMBER FLOATAGE.

I A court holden under the Pjo^.^OT j Timber Floatage Act I™| JEjP™ over at Grahamstown yes*™. t " oiWM the Superintendent. The,°bJe?^ U1 quiry was to discover whetner^^e^ | existed to an application »^%f *«£ § Captain Stone and others tojse m xanga Creek for floating dofffl ».. 1

fffiK WTBfttttfk WAfc, THURSDAY, FEBB-TTABY 26 1£74



HUNTER AND NOLAN'S REPORT. Horses : Pew but local horses were en tered for sale by auction. There was a moderate attendance oE purchasers, but scai*cely the usual number were disposed of. We quote hacks from £6 5s to £12 5s ; light harness horses from £10 2s Gd to £1.7 * medium draught, £29. Cattle were short of requirements, and all descriptions met with a good demand. No first-class dairy cowsoffei-ed^utmediumkinds sold at from £5 5s to £7 7s 6d. Young cattle were in brisk demand, particularly one and two-year-old steers, but they are| coming forward slowly. Fat beasts were in- short supply and good demand. At Mr. LilewalPs sale on Wednesday there was a large atten dance of buyers, and full prices obtained. We quote yearlings from £2 5s to £3 ; two year-old steers, from £4 to £4 15s ; two year-old heifers, from £3 5s to £4 ; weaned calves, from 20s to 26s each ■ beef from 26s to 28s per 100 lbs. Sheep: The yards were tolerably well filled. The fat sheep were the best we have ! offered for some time. Above 200 from Taranaki, bred by Mr Tait, reflected great credit on him, averaging fully 80 lbs. No stores offered. We quote mutton from 3d to 3f d per lb. For good store ewes there was great demand. Pigs were in improved supply, and sold readily at from 3d to Sid per lb. ri A U T [ ON. OLSON'S TOMATO SAUCE. Connoisseurs pronounce this Sauce to be the BEST for general use in households, and, in con sequence of its high reputation, som« unprincipled persons have been induced to Collect Empty Bottles bearing the manufacturer's name stamped thereon, and pass the same off as "Olson's Universal Tomato Sauce." The proprietor has in consequence caused his TRADE MARK to be Registered under the ' provisions of the "Trade Marks Act, 1866," and proceedings will be taken against such persons as may forge or counterfeit such mark. The public are cautioned to ASK FOR OLSON'S SAUCE, and see that the name is Stamped on Bottle and stopper, and wrapped round with his well-known' abel. IS Gd per dozen given for Cham pagne, Sarsaparilla, and Schnapp Booties, in any quantity.- 3. Queen-street. T COS GRAVE & CO HAVE JUST RECEIVED PER SUEZ MAIL: 1 case Self-coloured Gros Grains 1 „ Black „ „ 1 „ Best Paris jKid Gloves 1 ~ Best Assorted Colors. 150 000 EEET timbe^ FOR SALE, AT MY YATCDS, GOVERNMENT WHARF, ONEHUNGA. JAMES W. WALLER.