SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

HIGH WATEP : This evening, 638 ; to mor.ow morning 6.5S SUN SET : This evening, 7.4 ; SUN RISE : to morrow luoriiin--. 5 "25 MOON'S aOE . jNt.w Moon, 6th 7.34 p m.

ARRIVALS.

Fairy, schonner, fro n *a ier Qujhu. --cli • >ncr, fr m Hok anga Fiery Croat, schooner, f-om < '»maru Southern Cross, a.», .-eila'S, tr. m Tauranga

DEPARTURES.

jungi'au, Darcpie for .Newcastle 'lawer* scboo^er, for Mr.Mtjira

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

For the TsUn 's—Kenlwort •, schooner early F r N-w Yorn— Ayr, b*rque, early ; .Edith Rose,

bn _ a early For Ho. on v and San Francisco M*cgregor, ss„

19.ii Ftbi-nary For sv.iney- i Co, s.s, three after arrival For lioadun—Gienlo>a sup, early

VESSELS EXPECTED

Hero, s.s, from Sydney, ab.ut Monday Anazi, barque, frem London ; sailed October 28 Ada, borque, from London ; sai ed Nov 24 India, ship, from i ondon : sailed Nov 24 Baron a bed are ship, from London ; sailed Dec 8 Papua, schooner, from Rarotonga, early Wellington, s.s, from the South, Monday, Bth Rapido, barqne.from New York, via Adelaide Ryno, brigantine', from Kotumah, early Helena, brigan'lne, from Lyttelton, early Memento, barque, from Newcastle early Prince Alfred, barquentine, frvm Rnssell, early Wonga Wonga, s.s, fr m Sydney, early Bt-lla Mary, barque, from Hobart Town, early 1 aetitia fcnooner, froai imnedin ; s .iled Ist instant H.ilen, barque lorn Adelaide , sailed iMightingale, biigantme, from Melbourne ; sailed Ist instant'-...

IMPORTS.

Per Fiery Cross, from Oamarn :—2OO sackß wheat x 590 bags flour, 45 bags pollard, 72 bags bran, G. W. Binney; 201 sacks flour, 40 sacks fowl feed, order. — J. W Waller, agent.

The schoorer Fiery Cross arrived last evening from Oamarn, after a passage of eight days. Capt. Smith reports encountering a strong S.E. and E. gale on the 29th, off Cape Palliser. a f ter the gale had sub sidpd saw a large waterspout about a mile from the vessel. The barque Jungfrau took her departure for New castle last night, beating out of the harbour against a N.E. wind. The schooner Tawera sailed last night for Hokia nga. The schooner Kate McGregor left Napier for Auckland yesterday. She was to call at the porta along the coast. " 0 The schooner Fairlie is alongside the barqn^Edith Rosn, loading with kerosene for the South. The s.s. Southern Cross arrived at nine o'clocfc* this morning from Tauranga. The schooner Edith has been keeled over to-day for the purpose of scraping her bottom. She is also undergoing a thorough clean out inside. The schooner.Queen arrived last evening from ' Hokianga, after a passage of five days. Capt. Jones reports variable winds during the passage. The ship A3saye was passed off the.North Cape on Monday morning, and the Mikado in the afternoon at four o'clock. Sighted an iron barque and the schooner Ocean on Tuesday evening. The baTque appeared as if bound to Wangaroa. Cargo:—3 tons bark, F. Archard ; 10 tons gum, 15 hides, Lewis Brothers ; 40 hides, order.—M. Niccol, agent. The spbooter Fai y anived from Napier in ballast JB-tferdaiy evening.

'h* schoooefc Gem his cleared for Gisborne wtth SO ''COft. tinifeeP&iid 4COO pailing?, shipped by G. E. Said.

"We fcarn tfcat the s'eamar Lullah Rookh, which has b*-n lately plying between the 1 names and Ohine muri, broke her crans shaft yesierd*y. -

COMMERCIAL.

AUCKLAND CATTLE MARKET

Me' Alfred Buckland's "Weekly Kjepobt.—At Remnera, on Thursday, dairy cattle were in request at frilly late values. Store cattle in moderate numbers, and fair enquiry at late prices. Fat cattle plentiful; 184 head sold, but many were of secondary quality. Prices were weU sustained Infe ior cattle brought from 23/ to 25/; well-fatted cattle, 26/ to 28/ the 1001b, with a steady enquiry at those prices. No store sheep penned. Fat sheep in full supply; 700 sold, mostly of good quality, ,'3 the lb was the ruling price. Lambs in the usual supply; full-grown, fatted, from 12/ to 15/; inferior, from 6/ each. Pigs in moderate numbers, and many in low condition, but eagerly competed for at extreme values.

CALLS AND DIVIDENDS.

The following are the current calls and dividends payable in the companies named below:— CALLS. £ s. d. Date. Oiago... 0 1 0 — February 10 Nonpareil 0 0 6— „ 10 Golden Calf 0 10— „ 10 Queen of the May 0 2 0— „.. 20 DIVIDEND. Auckland and North Shore Perry Company 5% —due.

STOCK AND MINING REPORT.

S§ Business done to day :— Bink of New Zealand —Buyers, £18 ss. National Bank (cum div ) Sellers, 70s. Colonial Bank—Seller.", 20s. Fiji Bank Sellers, 59: i. South British Insurance—sos 6d. National Insurance— Sellers, 275. Union Sash and Door- Buyers, £9 7s 6d. Thames Gas—Fellerc, 355. Union Bach—Buyers, 5s 6d. Bismarck— ellers. 12s. Tokatea Sellers, 12s. Pride of Tokatea-Is 6d ; sellers, Is 6d. Otago Seller*, 2s.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails will Close as .follows :— For Thames, this diy, at 630 p.m., and to-morrow, at 9 30 a m For Great Barrie", per Tradewind, this day, at 4 p.m For Napier, Gh-borne, and southern provinces, per Southern Crass, to-morrow, at 1 p m, For Mahurangi, Matakana, Mangawai, j/Waipu, &c, per Laoy Bowen, to-morrow, at 10 *.m. For W«.ng*rei etc.. per Clyde, to morrow, at 4 p m for Australian Colonies, India, China, Mediterranean ports, t ontinent of Europe, ana United King-torn, via Sut-z and Jsrmdisi, per s.s Wellington, on the 11th instant. (Signed) S, B. Biss, Chief Postmister.

BIRTH.

S^»C3— On 4ih instaat, at Watefloo Quadrant, sttMfiLlsaa< s, of a son. J**

DEATHS.

Cowie—On Thnr^^j^morning, Februa-y 4, at .Bishops Court, >^!S^»Ld, suioenjy, itobert Walpole Cowij/'lnfa.nt^l^ld ot tue Bishop of Auckland j^ Sr-oj-s OnJTebruaiy 5, at her faHigt's residence, WJudhap^streei, Florence l.ouisl^younge*t daugli>ft of Robert and carah fctrong 13 y3fne funeral will leave at 5 p m. to-morrow ar^t >lfoon. Friends please acceps this invitation.-^1 ' Thames pa.pe:S plenss copy.

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

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1874

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong ti at needs resistance, *'3r the future in the distance. And the vood that we can do.

Tt is often spoken of as a reproach to our sex tbat we have barred against women so many avenues to useful and profitable employment. A more chivalrous feeling is latterly prevail ing, aud everywhere we find the desire entertained to open new spheres of occupa tion iv which the fema'e members of industrious and respectable families may be enabled to support themselves in honorable independence. For such there have been heretofore but the overcrowded ranks of teachers and needlewo-neu ; but we are of those who have always maintained that there is no sphere of industry into which woman can enter with a reason able prospect of there earning the means of livelihood, but should be freely open to her ; and whatever may be sail agiinst the pre sent Government of the colony, it wiil be recorded to its honor that it has thrown open the Electric Telegraph Office to the girls of New Zealand. Impressed by these sentiments, we have long desired to test the question whether the business of printing does not present a suitable sphere for the occupation of the daughters as well as the sons of respectable citizens. Every one knows that in the United States, the capability of women for type-setting ha* been proved, and every one is familiar with the history of the "Victoria Pre3S,"? which under the charge of Miss Emily Faithful, has been established by our good Queen to prove the fitness of her sex- for engaging in the race of honourable industry. ■. The Queen's experiment has proved a great suc cess, and for this, if for nothing else, many a father and mother will yet say, God bless her. We have resolved to not merely preach on this subject, but to try to show our faith by our works. We have this week commenced the experiment in the Evening Star ofiice, having received into the ofiice three young girls, who are receiving instruc tion in the art and mystery of type-setting. We have placed them, and intend, if they continue at the business, to continue them iv the same position as regards remuneration .as printers, of the sterner sex. They receive the same wages as other apprentices, and it is our resolution that for the same work they shall receive the same wages as men, when they havellS!l3Bl*,!*«he. business. We need not say that in this there is no intention of having " cheap labour." If this were the desire, it would be much easier to swamp the labour marked by an .importation of nomi nated immigrant compositors from home, than to train up girls who, when they have learned the business, may float away to any other part of the*colon^M*^^fwßa.y w ihis because we have no doubt that thus our ob jects will be misrepresented. There are some parts, of the printing business iv which women cannot succeed, there are some parts in which we believe they can; and it is our desire that they shall have the opportunity of trying. We do not think that such an innovation will be of any special pecuniary advantage to ourselves or to any employers of labour ; and the sole object in this experi ment is to carry into practice what we have often urged, namely, that we should give at least a fair field and no favour to the weaker sex in the struggle for life. We believe that tbe experiment'will be watched with interest by a good many in Auckland, and we feel confident that it will command general sympathy.

A very gratifying tribute of esteem has recently bern s paid to ihe American poet, * illiaoa Cullen 'Bryant;* on reaching his birthday,, by the citizens of New York. The tribute took the shape of afsjjbeauiiful vase, worth |500, representing the'lessons of his literary and political life. Tha seed poet is still vigorous and healthy.

The Resident Magistrate's Court this morning was crowded with witnesses and loafery, and the noise of tongue and feet was Si> continual, that it was aim* ss impossible to hear a word the witnesses uttered. No heed wha'ever w*s paid to the cin-r of the court, and the clerk was obliged several times to pause in consequence. We regret to state tbat, some of the gentlemen of the kw were foremost in setting the txample. We recommend "siience in the Couit, ' or it is impossible to avoid err.r.s in attempting to c irouicle the pecuniaiy difficulties oi the people.

The cutting down of the eastern side of Albert-street, proceeds syncronou ly with the filling in of the beach on the western »i«~ie ».f tbe Queen-stieet wharf. When tbe high ciay mound is cleared away, a very valuatiie pifce of land will then intervene bst ween Albert street and Queen-street. The snene on the worts is an ptesenG a curious one. Tbe high land wai built over, the houses which are small. Weing perched up on pin nacles and crag*ayer,-iooking the street in a marvellously qu«r manner. When the order went out for tie hill to be cut down the residents in these "high places" petitioned to be allowed to move their houses to other sites. This, however, they have not been al lowed to do, as it would be encouraging the erection of more woolen buildings ; so the tenements have to be sold for what they will fetch, and Mr Sibbin has been commissioned to sell them. The alteration will effect a great improvement, and largely increase the value of the land to tbe holders. rJ he allot ment at the corner of Customhouse-street and Albert-street has an instructive story attached to it. ItbeloDgsto Mr Christopher Newton, one of a Sydney firm. No rates had been paid till a month or so ago for many years, till the arrears amounted to £15. Ihe Town Clerk theieupon wrote to the owner, and hinted at the possibility of the land being sold under a ciause in the Act, on account of the arrears. A cheque by re turn was the answer.

The technical classes at the Mechanics' Institu'e will re-open, on Monday next. These classes have been most successful, and have exercised a very beneficial inlluehce. in our advertising columns appears tbe schedule of classes. We are requested^lo state with ieter<nce to the mathematical class that if a sufficient number of pupils offer Mr Talbot will divide his mathematical class into two sections —the senior oue Euclid, and tbe junior arithmetic, devoting one night in the week to each.

" Hungtingdon " writes, . taking Mr Beckham to task for his remarks from the Bench yesterday and on other occasions. As the matter was dealt with in our columns yesterday, we do not think any good would be done by opening up a correspondence on the subj; ct VTe are requested by the Rev. Father Walter M aedouald to acknowledge the receipt fiotn Cruickshank and Co , of £6 ss, the pro pot tion of the proceeds from the charity trip of the Dero, allowed toSn. Mary's orphanage. 1 he treasurer of the' Home furNe^ltctedaucl Destitute children, acknowledges £7 7s Gd from the same source.

The annual meeting of the patrons of the Auckland Dispen.-ary was held laat evening in the large ro >mof the Mechanic's Institute, Henry Isaacs, Esq ,in the chair. Mr Shal der?, the secre an, after a few remarks on the position* of the Dispensary, read the re port for the year 1873, which showed that the income of that y»-ar was £299 13* 4d ; md expenditu'e, £'301 9s. The secretary stated tb;st the liabilities at the present time were £150. cash £16 in hand. The report was adopted. ' Th--. following gentle men \*er<J then etect d to the offices in con nection with the Dispensary : -Patron, His 'Excelbncy Hr J«m<-s Fetgusson ; charman, R s Honor ihe Superintendent; vice-chair man, His Worship the Mayor ; hon trea surer, MrCou^land; hen. secretary, Mr R R. Shalders; committee, Messrs Darby, Pierce, V* iseman, Shera, Coombes, Lennox, Kwen, Philips, Kissling, Rattray, Atkin, and T Macky. The report of Dr Kender dine wi«T*then read, in which it was slated that many of the pauents who had received attention at the Dispensary were immigrants who had been unable to obtain other medical relief. Tbe report detailed the character of che cases which had come under Dr Kender dine's notice, and was evidently drawn up with great care, and for which the doctor received the thanks of those present. In she discussion which followed, it was con sidered that the low state of the funds was due to a want of perseverance on the part of the sub-committee who had neglected to collect subscriptions. The meeting was then arljou'-ned untiL Apiil, wJ|Vn it was hoped tbat the subscript tens would be gathered, and a more favourable state of things pre sented to the friends of the Institution.

The young man Edward Patteson, was bought up at the Resident Magistrate's Court before Mr Barstow, yesterday, to answer to a charge of committing an assault wiih intent; to violate a girt of t>ix years old, uamed Harriet Howe, in Otahuha, on the Ist inst. The evidence of Mary inn Theobald, Mary Ann Howe, mother of the child, and Detective George-Jeffrey having been taken the prisoner was fully committed for trial, prisoner being allowed bail, himself in £100, and two surities of £50, bus as these were not forthcoming, the prisoner was removed in custody of tne constable.

The extent of railroad open in British Tndia at midsummer, 1873, was 5,511 miles. The g'oss revenue of the year 1872 was £5,755,000, the paeseDger traffic producing over £4.000,000, and tbe goods traffic nearly £2,000,000.

From a return just issued, it appears that during the last twelve years Knsland has expended a sum equal to £6,646,989 upon coast fortifications, distributed for the most part at Portsmouth, Plymouth, Portland, Pembroke, Sh'-erness, '".Dover, Gravesend, Chatham and Cork.

"Joshua," said Quiz's landlady to her hopeful at Breakfast lately; "Joshua, what is an hVir apparent ?" " There is one on the butter, mother," repiied 'tfrfe^nfilial yopng ster. And the old lady lit -nponhim with the coffee.pob. " •' "

" Ov ster'f.writes pointing out that if Pro fessor Jones is vending oysters at his tent at Ohinemuri, he is breaking the law, which makes the present a close. season for that delicacy.

The grand concert at the Ponsonby Hall will he taeEl on Tuesday evening next, in which Miss Christian will appear, assisted by the members of the Ponsonby Musical Socie'y. The practice will take place this evening.

The case of Henry Fugate, adjudged a bankrupt, for obtaining goods by unfair means, will come before the Resident Magis trate at the Police Court on Tuesday next.

We notice that an assistant female teacher is required for the Thames. Application is to be made by eleven o'clock to-morrow morning, to Mr W. Kowe, at the Education Office. .

The usual meeting of the members of the Board of Education was held yesterday afternoon, but nothing of immediate im portance was before the meeting. A number of applications from outlying localities for small grants of money for school purposes were heard and disposed of.

Advantages and liabilities often increase in a similar tatio. The hoiders of the whaif allotments, round which the process of filling in is now going on, have up to the present time been free from rates and taxes. They were outside the city boundary. But directly the tide ceases to fl »w beneath them ihey are within the boundary, and it may perhaps interest those concerned to know that the city authorities are only waiting till the right moment to serve upon them the usaal notioea,

Application has been made to his Honor Ith perm tendent for the proclamation of a general holiday on Tuesday... afternoon next, in order to prepare for the reception of the Volunteer Representa tives. We understand that his Honor is favourable to tbe proposal, and that the holiday will be duly proclaimed. The r«pjesei,tatives are expected to arrive in Aacklaud by the Luna at six o'clock on iuesd.vy evening.

The body of WilEam Williams, carpenter, who waa dOwned on the Wairoa River, Kaipara, some time ago, was found imbed ded mthe mud near Sail Point, TeKopura. At an inquest which was held upon it, the evi dence shewed that deceased was last se?n in a dingy oa the river in a partially intoxica ted state, but not so dmnk as to be con sidered unable to manage the boaX A verdict of accidental death was returned.

The repetition of the pantomimical and Girard performances were successfully repre sented to a goodly audience last evening, and apparently gave the utmost satisfaction. Miss Maggie Knight, as usual, added greatly to the success of the entertainment by her

soogs and dance 3. The performances this evening will be for the benefit of the Girards, who will appear to-morrow night for the last time in Auckland. §§The regular monthly meeting of the Ennis killen Loyal Orange Lodge, tic. 3, will be held this eveniug in the Lodge room, Wel lesley-straet, at the usual hour.

The Rev. Father FyneS informs us that no definite intelligence has been received regard ing the probable date of "Bishop Croke'a ardval here, but piobably he will not be buck for about five months from now. "Peerybing'e's" fears, therefore, that a fisting reception is not being prepared are groundless.

The city lodging-house regulations, framed in consequence of the report of Mr Inspector Goldie on the state of certain lodging-houses in the city, it appears are now in force. We have received a copy of the regulatiions, and if they are strictly enforced, seamen and oth'-r travellers who patronise these estab lishments will have proper accommodation guaranteed to them.

MR. JOHN SHERA AND THE "EVEN ING STAR."

We find the following letter contained in this morning's Herald : —

(To the Editor of the Herald.)

Sir,—l received a" letter to-day, marked " confidential and private," from Mr. G. M. Heed, .editor of tbe Eve.vino Star, which contains an ample apology for tbe slander ous aitack on me that appeared in laat night's Stai*. I told Mr. Reed to-day that if he would consent to my publishing his letter in the Auckland papers, and give a sum to the local chariies, I would condone his offence ; but as he has refused to do so, I consider it a duty 1 owe to my fellow-citizens to appeal to a judicial tribunal to punish the impeni tent slanderer.—l am, &c,

John Shera. Many people can be angry and sin not against the laws of honor that usually restrain gentlemen, but Mr Shera begins by stating that he had received a letter marked "confidential aud private." and forthwith proceeds to make public its contents. This may be according to Mr Shera's code of honour, bid it is not a customary thing to make such,use of "private and con fidential " communications Mr Shera spates that this " private and confidential " letter contained an " ample apology for the slanderous attack on me that appeared in last night's Stab." This is Mr Shera's pub lished opiuion of the letter, and yet with a singular inconsistency, and making use of language grossly and unwarrantably libel lous, whidi will surely puzzle his law adviser, he adds, " I consider it a duty I owe to my fellow-citizens to ap peal to a judicial tribunal to punish the im penitent slanderer." Mr Shera, however, having committed the unusual breach of de corum in making public what waj intended as a friendly and confidential letter, we give a copy of the letter verbatim. lb reads as follows : — " PRIVATE AND CWFIDENTrAL. " Dear Mr Shera. —I am exceedingly sorry that letter of Hannafojji's appeared yester day. I never saw it till it had appeared in print, and I had left tbe ofiice. I think everyone in Auckland knows the circum stances of the case, and that you had used i every effort to get the subscribers together to guide you as to what to do with the money, *nd that you and Mr Isaacs have been puz zled what to do with it. I knew all this perfectly, and had|l|had the slightest idea that anything on the subject was about to appear I would have had the explanation given, and no such lei ter would have appeared. But I am exceedingly sorry that you held out that threat in your letter this morning. I had intended making the fullest disclaimer and explanation and expression of regret in to day's Star. Now I feel difficulty as to what I ought to do. I should like to see you for a few moments.—Yours faithfully."

G^ M. Reed.

Such a letter written as from a friend to a friend,and not for publication will be understood by any person of ordinary sentiments; it was succeeded by an interview in which the matter J was more fully explained to Mr Shera, apparently to his. satisfaction, and the interview was friendly until Mr •shera spoke of apology and donation to local charities. However, there are others behind the scene, and it is but part of that " badgering " system on which certain have entered in the hope cf "putting down the Star." People are rather familiar now with che~ frequency with which attempts are made to make use:of our legal tribunals for private revenge ; and the public perfectly understand it. We have accordingly to-day received the olio wing letter:—

" Wyndham-street, Auckland, " February 5, 1875, " Messrs. Reed and Brett, —

" Gentlemen,—Mr. Shera has instructed us to commence an action against you as the publisher, of the libel against him iv the Evening Star of the 3rd inst., but before commencing proceedings he desires us to inform you that he will be content to forego any action if you will publish a satisfactory apology in the Evening Star, and give the Hiim of £25 to the Destitute Children's Home.

" We hope to receive an answer by Mon day next which will prove satisfactory. "Yours faithfully, " Whitaker k Rttssell." To this letter we have forwarded : the fol lowing reply: —

" FvENTJsro Star office, "Auckland, February 5, 1875. " Messrs. Whitaker and Eussell, — " Gentlemen, —He your letter of to day.. It is quite unnecessary detain ing you till Monday for oar reply, which we now send. We beg to state that we are unaware of having published any libel against Mr Shera; that therefore^we *h 11 make no apology; and that we shall not pay £25 to the Destitute Children's Home.— We have the honor to be, gentlemen, your obedient servants, , " Reed and Brett, per G. M. Reed."

ANCHOVIES AND TOAST.

(FROM OtTR LONDON CORRESPONDENT. London, December 15. TBE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. At the outset of-my letter I cannot refrain from a growl at the management, or rather mismanagemtnt of your mail services. The discomforts of the present condition of un certainty are nothing to the annoyances which business men suffer. It seems to be quite a matter oi speculation whether a letter takes two months or six to get to Auckland from London, and as for papers they must make huge bonfires of the h >me ward bound files I,should think, judging from the small quantities which reach me. Perhaps they run short of fuel sometimes on the broad Pacific, and find the Star files goo 1 hot material. At any rate it ia quite the exception if I get a copy of your paper, and what makes it doubly annoying is that the Stab ia the only journal. which really affords one a truthful idea of what is going on in Auckland. The Herald is far too "respectable," which in the colonies means "silent," and as for the Southern Cross, it has been so completely detected in its Vogelistic yearnings that no one ever dreams of consulting its summary for anything but births marriages and deaths. We know well enough what the popular feeling in Auckland is on the subject of your madcap Premier. 16 is a pity, with ail his undeniable smartness, that he can't manage to arrange better mail services. The letter of the Times Wellington correspondent of August 20, was published in London on December 8! Lively work! I have no doubt the New Zealand Shipping Com pany would a contract to cairy the mails by their emigrant ships faster than that The Times correspondent in alluding to the large majority by which Mr Vogel'a resolu tions for the abolition of Provincialism in the North were canied, says it " indicates clearly enough that Provincialism in the South Island also is doomed to a speedy death." The correspondent, however, is very hard oa Provincialism, which is not a matter for surprise, since the letter.-? are generally sup posed to be written especially for the purp s^ of bolstering up anything Mr Vo*el may say or do. He tries to lay upon Provincialism the blame of all the numerous extravagances of which the present head of the Cabinet has been guilty, aud he alludes to the Upper Chamber as the Conservative body which " has manfully stood between the colonial credit and the Provincial desire to overstrain it."

HOME VIEWS OF NEW ZEALAND

MATTERS.

The Daily Neivs of the 11th inst. published a pleasantly-written leader about your beau tiful country. It commenced with a short resume of the circumstances under which the colony was settled, showing the disadvan tages under v hich you in the North laboured from the native difficulty, as compared with the settlers of Canterbury and Otago, an<? again pointing out the differences between life in Australia aftd New Zealand, both climatic and otherwise. From the first the New Zealand settler has been comparatively a homely creature, working on a limited scale, ana looking rather to the support of his own family, and to the custom of the nearest settlement, than to exporting and money-getting on the grand scale common in New South Wales and Victoria. Nor have the gold discoveries, though by no means unimportant, sufficed to change the normal condition of things, or to trans form a race of careful though enterprising agriculturists into expectant millionaires. The gold itself, that of the Thames country especially, as shareholders have discovered to their coat, is so largely alloyed with silver as to make dividends, even when ore is successfully struck, by no means what were at first announced as certain. Yet if life in New Zealand offers but moderate prizes to the class whose only notion of a colony is a place in which to speedily acquire the means of living in luxury at home, it is found to tbe bulk of those that try it to have large counterbalancing advantages. The beauty of the scenery, which in many parts may compare with that of Switzerland ; the peculiar salubrity of the climate, which re sembles our own, but is warmer and more truly of an out-of-door character; the solid foundation- of the older settlements, on a stratum of educated and enlightened colonists of the Wakefield type : these have always given to the co'.ony a character of home life which is sadly wanting in the more lnxurions habitations of Australia. As tbe difference is expressed by the New Zealand settlers—" They talk of the time when they shall get home toJfngland, we of the time when we shall brjS our old people home to us here ;" and theßhrase, which has become almost a proverbialtruth, forcibly expresses the leading sentiments of these two sections of the Australasin world. The article then goes on to treat of some of the colonial statistics concerning population, cultivated area, kc., on thequestionof small freeholds which is now one of the bones of contention amongst political economists itt Home, the writer says that of real farmers, small and large, and nearly all working their own property, or that which is to become their own, there are close on 16,000, scattered over the nine provinces which form the official divisions of New Zealand, 580 of these owing the beginning of their new and in dependent career to the singe year 1873. .Shortcomings and failures there must be among so many. All colonies contain an element of the disappointed, who expected to find their bread ready buttered for them when they crossed the ocean to a hew home. But, all deductions made, there remains evident in the figures which we have cited a basis of manly^lfcbgur, independent energy, and increasing individual prosperity, which may well serve to put the future of New Zealand beyond the region of doubt, and make every Englishman proud of the motherland that can plant such'off-shoots sixteen thousand miles away, Australian writers but two or three years ago were ready to sneer at the optimist views of the Government of New Zealand, and to warn their friends at home against lending money on the security of the bare word of a strug gliag colony ruined by rash theorists. They are now crying out upon the slack ness of their own legislatures in the cause of immigration,;' and pointing to the mere natural increase of population as no proper addition to the labour "markets about them. The fact is, that with the fine climate to work in, and fertile lands avail able, a colony needs but the additional roads and properly selected immigrants, in which New Zealand is investing ncr loans, to be sure of a corresponding increase in the means of repayment. Precisely so. The only hitch about it is that the emigrants are nofc of the right class as often as not. People that you would like to see landed on your shores are not likely to be tempted to leave home by a little miserable two-inch adver tisement about free w paasages 4n aQ °hscure corner of a provincial newspaper, surrounded by announcements of Parr's Life Pills and Holloway's Ointment, classed as it were among the swindles of daily life; and that is all the effort" Dr. Featherstou makes to procure you good emigrants in the agricultural .districts. You must have a better system inaugurated or you., will be forced to put up'wita any rubbish that may be shunted on to your good nature. And then there are some queer letters beginning to appear about employment in New Zealand. One was published in the 2S«w» the other day, saying $hat during the past six months hundreds of emigrants have not been able to get work, and have been maintained, by the Government, and there has been no contradiction on the part of the Agent- General. Miss Faithfull has been extolling New Zealand as a field for women. She read a paper in the Quebec Institution the other night, in which she said that she WM convinced that America was no place lev womsrt, bol that Nsw Zaaland offtrtd

splendid chances for the mtiddle-olaiss of well brought up girls, who, though edu cated, were poor. They could do trunga in. the colonies, and be well paid for them, that they could not do at home. She added tbat the New Ze Jand Government scheme made female emigration " comfortable and honour able." In was stated at tbe meeting that there were 750,000 surplus women in Eog land. Wbat wonder tbat our old friend should find '«mischief still for idle hands to •io," the " mischief" taking the form in this instance of Women's Rights and opposiLion to the Contagious Diseases Act.

POLICE COURT.—This Day

(Before His Worship the Mayor and Dr. Home, J P.) ,„ DRUNKENNESS. Mary Smith, Chades Holloway, and Geo. Lyon, pleaded guilty to this offence, and were fiaed 5i and costs each, with the usual alternative. AN" OLD REPROBATE. Mary Robinson was charged with being drunk, and also with beiDg a rogue and a vagabond. . . Prisoner, who. presented the ? pitiable spectacle of an old woman steeped in crime, feebly muttered out some excuse. It being represented to their Worships that the accused was one of the mosk inveterate vagrants in the place, they in flicted the severe sentence of six months' imprisonment with hard labour. OUT ot? WOEK. John Finlay was charged with having no lawful means of subsistence. Prisoner pleaded not guilty. He had been employed at Mahurangi, and was going to tha Hnia to get another job when he got drunk. He was in the horrors when the officer took him, but he had regular work. Prisoner was remanded to Monday to prove this. ASSAULT. Fred Burrows was charged with brutally assaulting Mary Ann Colemore on the 4th inst. Prisoner had been living with the woman as his wife. 1 The prosecutrix did not appear, but on Mr Broham "saying that the assault could be proved without her attendance, prisoner pleaded guilty and the Bench gave him 14 days' hard labour. — Pierce wai charged with stealing a meerschau-n pipe, the property Auguste Blunden on the 4bh February, 1874.

Prisoner pleaded not guilty. From the evidence of the prosecutor it appeared that he aud the prisoner were together at a Mr3 Howard's, in Lome-street, on°the 4bh instant. He afterwards missed his pipe. Subsequently he saw prisoner in the street trying to sell the pipe. _ He recog nised the pipe, and told prisoner if he would give him the pipe he would say nothing abont it. He refused, and he told the police Mary Anne Howard gave . evidence of prisoner and prosecutor being at her house on the 4th. She did not give prisoner the pipe. Constable Graham deposed that when be took the prisoner into custody he said that Mrs Howard gave bim the pipe. The accused told a long story in which he admitted taking^the pipe, but Baid he did not know whose it was. He did not attempt to sell it. That was a falsehood. Tho Bench gave the prisoner 14 days' hard labour. TOO FA<?T. Donald McPherson pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a horse round the corner of Shortland-street, at other than a walking pace, on the 22nd January, and was fined 5s and costs.. EEYER BEDS. John Matson was charged with a breach of the by-law No. 6, by neglecting to clean a private yard, on his premises in Baker street, thereby causing a nuisance. Mr Goldie, the" inspector of nuisances, deposed to visiting the premises on the 27th ult. In the yard there was a large heap of dead fowls and filth. The air was quite foul with them for some distance round. He ascertained there was sickness ia the neighbourhood. Two labcfei^rs residing in the neighbour hood deposed to the nuisance caused by the heaps of putrid to WIS Wd muck in defen dant's yard.

Defendant laid the blame on to his son, adding that " boys would be boys." The Bench inflicted a fine of 10s and costs. This was all the business.

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. This Day.

(Eefore Thomas Beckham, Esq., R.M.)

JUDGMENTS EOR PIAINTIPF. Bell Brothers v. George Lamb; claim— £20 12s; goods. Glanville and. Ellyett v. George Hart; claim-.£5 Is 4d; goods. Moss Isaacs v. Wm. A. Batler; claim— £9 6s Bd. W. C. Wilson v. Alex. Barnetb ; claim £4 15s (MrThorne for plaintiff. ADJOURNED CASKS. James Chesney y. David Bissitt." Perrimau v. Albert E. G-lover; claim— £10 15s 6d. ONEESSED JUDGMESTT. H. W. Sirhes v. James Grant; claim—lis. H. M. Jervis v. Charles Dundas : claim— £12 17s. • ' - CALEB WOOD V. ELIZABETH I. SANDALL. Claim, £14 13s. Mr Kiiß^g for plaintiff; Mr Thome for defendant. Mr Thome raid that defendant admitted the obligation, but her circumstances were bad. Mr Kissling said that he was instructed that defendant was in a position to pay. The case was allowed to stand over for possible adjustment, as it was doubtful whether Mrs Sandall was a wife or widow, and it was hecessaiy that this mystery should be cleared up. ;~ JOHtf MULLALLY V. CALEB WOOD.— CALEB

W9OD V. JOHN MULLALLY. Mr Rees and Mr Thome for Mullally in both cases, ahcTMF Hfesketh for Mr Wood.

In this case it appeared that Mr Wood held some land belonging to the Domain, and Mr Wood was bound to have certain work done during his possession. ~ He employed Mullally to do this work, and he dealt with Mr Wood, who is a'" butcher in Parnell, in return, hence the differences in dispute. v John Mullally deposed that he was asked by Mr Yates to do certain work for Mr Wood, He saw Mr Wood, who said he had a portion of the work to do, but did not say what portion. He asked the price of a horse and dray, and man to do the work, and the terms 15s a-day for the horse and dray, and 7a a-day for the man, were agreed upon, and put down in_;black and white. Mr Wood consented that it should be done. Mr Yates pointed?^ out the work which the trustees requirec£?,of Mr" Wood. Mr Wood told him to go on with tbe work accoidingly, The charges on the "'"bill" ©f^partieu'ars were the proper charges. Mr Wood subsequently denied the debt, and that he did not employ witness to do it. He po3itiveiy refused to pay the bill.

The plaintiff was cross-examined at length on tbe nature* of,,,,]bhe; workhe did, and the charges he made for the same. Mr Wocd did not say that he might do 30a worth of work in lien of paying fora plough of that value. He received the order for the grass seed of Mr Yates, who" wiw*tbsr:head man of the cricketers, who said,that Mr Wood would pay the £2 for it. He had done other work for Mr Yates on the cricket ground, for which he chMgSd>£l7, and Mr*^Eates was so satisfied that ha tipped him an extra pound or two. "/. t John Leary.was^employedbyMr Mullally, and gave similare.videncQ to that of Mullally. He heard Wood gtve Mullally the order go go on with the work, and he would see him again. Wood never returned,*" Rob**t John Yates, reftieml&KchJMuliaUj baiog wmploytd to do koma work on tht

cricket ground in the Domain. Mr Wdtffll "''■ had to level the whole of the ground accot^jf flj ing to an agreement with the trustees Tt'l I told Mullally of the terrasfliy ««sil j, $rW 1 Wood held the land ;. and be had betitl jiff 9| him abont it. He afterwards saw Mr.l^^H 'lm and Mullally together on the grotm^*^M If he believed Wood was giving Mulfallj"f n .'|l! |f at ructions afcont the "work; he heatd AfJjffl H Wood tell Mullaily that he was quite rishi' in going on with the Caleb Wood deposed that he took posses sion of the gronnd in question on certain conditions," and his lease of the land expired in April, 1874. He ploughed the land up * 5-1 and laid ifc down in gr^ss ; he had no recoi! i lection of seeing Mullally at his honse, but Mr Vat s called upon him, arid they mutually agreed to do some levelling on the ground He afterwards saw Mallally, who was -work ing, and he told him if he did more thaath« beating of the earth, which had been p (e . . : viously spoken of, he would not pay him. H» ' !< (Wood) had engaged to do the work with ; his own horse and cart. I [Left sitting.] J|

BENEFIT OF THE GIRARDS.

We would remind our readers that thog. wonderfnl performers who have astonished Auckland audiences during the past week will take their benefit to-night and -'■•. will appear for the last time in AnckJ an( j to-morrow. This company deserve well of Auckland sensation lovers, for a more atart. : ling performance than theirs it ia difficult to" imagine. They have prepared for to-night 3ome of their most astonishing feats, and may naturally hope to be rewarded in\h a bumperJjpuse. , ». . ;

UNWHOLESOME MEAT AND THE PUBLIC SLAUGHTERHOUSE.

(To tbe Editor of tbe Evening Stae.) 1 Sir,—l beg to lay before yon some of tbe f direct injuries which the salesmen and: the r public of Auckland have to submit to, and I which would be multiplied were the ahingh- § terhoune removed so far from the city as 1 Onehunga. Ist. The public suffer as follows: —The carcases of meat which come in front - either Newmarket or St. Ann's Bridge, or " Panmure, will scarcely remain good half as long as pieat slaughtered in the heart of the city. Now, it is evident from this thai; cer tain causes produce a decomposing effect oa I meat from so great a distance^ These cjrasar I are—lst. A great want of cleanliness by the I slaughtermen in water, 4c. 2nd. T^feritated | state of the animals previous totheirslanghter^, by being thirsted, fasted, cruelly ilitreated, beaten by iron bars, Ac. 3rd: By allowing them to lay dead a long time with entrails in and skin on. 4th. By being hung close r together, and thus debarring all fresh air from permeating the carcasses. sth, By carting long distances into town under the hot rays of the son, &c. All of these the 1 salesman has no power to alter, through the I distance which the slaughterhouse is from r | the city. Now, it is obvious that if the i: | slaushterhouse is removed farther off BtiD, so ' : * will the slaughtermen be under less and lem | supervision. Add to this the jolting of • 1 railway journey, the lifting the carcasses in j and out of tbe cars, the carting from the '• Auckland station, the smoke aud the dua^v^S--. and tne supply of meat" for Anctlan/ city will scarcely be fit for human food. The public then must suffer in quality, as alto they must pay for-what they loso ia quan tity, through becomib§ tainted. The sale*-, man suffers, perhaps, more. First, hisimesfry is not the quality he would wish, or what it ; might be. His loss by meat going bad is L tremendous. His loss by prigging on the part of slaughtermen by cheatiog and dodg ing exchange of circases, by the same ii im mense. I heard of a case not long since in which a slaughterman drew a cheque sixty odd pounds, for fat alone, of a ceitain btrywr of fat. Secondly. If the salesman ready ~v iv the day finds his supply of meat run short he must post some une off to the slaughterhouse, having arrived there —lo ! the slaughtermen are away drink ing—consequently he has to return to hit master, unsupplied with meat. This means. . a loss of siledfAineatv offence to customers, 1 disappointment to the public, and loss of time and labour in journey to Newmarket and back. Onehunga, forsooth ! 3rd. The salesman, unable from distance, to visit tbe slaughterhouse daily,-the slaughtermen will allow animals to stand there without food or water day "after day, sometimes for five or s-ix days, thus injuring seriously the quality and quantity of the meat ot such animals. Now, another effect is this,, cons* ■ i qnent on such arrangements, the salesmu finds it Ib*bis advantage to slangher athu premises in risking fine, &c, and » many animals are thus killed in the heart of our city without any means whatever for_dis posing of blood ana' offal, thus breeding disease and pestilence in our midst, j*o** if the slaughterhouse is removed; to Onehunga or other such distance from town, just in like proporr. tion will private slaughtering Increase, In a small place like Birmingham, with more inhabitants than there is in all New Zealand, the public slaughterhouses are Bituatedii the centre of the city, though it is_ *™°s** dead level, and the water supply is d«S||§| from a stream over six miles from the town. The police are the inspectors, visitwg.jiM|| slaughterhouses as often as toaaumay four and five times per day, and d^™* away the crowd of young boys *?"% sometimes group around the This question is not a question of a d%y—&<" of its effect on our population for y»«-.. perhaps scores of years to come, and I.""SJH that wherever the slaughterhouse be, « ■ should be as near the city as possible, tor :wg placing it a long distance from the -OprSi order to avoid the smell of it, wto plsce*■ where it can be allowed to remain in a nitny, dirty state, and away from all supermt«fc|| deuce and supervision, and so saving.* "^ offence to the people's noses, and giving rt J to theminthe carcases of meat, permeated wwn | poisonous vapours and abominable «*nc"?* & So far as" I can judge the most suitable pl«e is over the railway at Newmarket, rossjs sing, as this site does, good dramage ana water supply of any force from Sec^o^ brewery, if any situation more statable tW^. nearer to town can be found, so 'J* better, but this Newmarket site is handyw town and also to the cattle market^-lM"* P.S.— The action of the Committee of the Council in decreeing thab.jwslaughterhoo*". shall be erected withinrwe miles of the <aiy, I regard as only justifiableby insanity.

AUCKLAND CHORAL SOCIETY.

While congratulating the Choral SocwJ and its talented helpers^ Miss Chriatij|||pfl Mrs Smytbe, upon the musical BUCCe"^H last night's concert, we much regret that, .or some reason or other, the financial result1 **8 not so satisfactory as had been anticip«^b In spite of the attractions of'the ?*•" gramme, Ihd notwithstanding spread interest r ih thevprosperity^" \ M Young Men's Christian Associated? /*, whose benefit the concert was v^M Jtpfl the Choral Hall^ was barely haY ftj- The members wtnpfihoral- Society;;/ ' Jj"* largely, the trehles^^^kßS the ; |||j|Bs beiug unusually * stron^Sa^ numha^i^^ Rice acted as conductor. The Grat P ' 1 the programme comprised sel^'o^* the oratorio, "Judas Maccabeus. f . J7 Smythe sang the solos. " Hiohs orgies, ■■ | -•• From'mighty kings." With her accnstom^| skill and delicacy ; and Miss Ch"**lß^.^! played much earnest and expressive 19|, in the performance of the^ somewhat *?fm air," Father of heaven," fi^b the» *he 1 exception of "Tune .J*^* a. rP*' the I choruses were rendered ef? ctl. v**y4: am . Jfc grandest effect was produced in «w phtnt "See the conouenng To>^Lg ß im wm girtn with spirit and pr*»w« % ..... .iIH

•■- •■■*♦■ *• ™ *■* *A^ *^ Jfc1* y *• \*.w *'Uf • "" —^——____^^^_ MMMMM^,^^M^^MM ,^^^^^^^^ MM^aa^MMM^,



QIT V HA L HATS, CLOTHING, PRISTS, DKESSE3. RCAEPETS, FLOOB CLOTHS, .. ; s "-. CHINA MATTING. v; ;.!MILLINEEy^v TJNDXRCLOTBISG, ;■'„■■'*«* '-,»,,'' BABY LINEN. < AT COS3^»Jtr£!E, To effgcUrCleuance for eztei^'e^Reratlon of :' - ■ tpHxi IHOLLWAY & GARLICK, CITY HALL. T COS GRAVE & C 0. "' Btg to Inform Ihe irhnbilan'i! of Aiick'and that they have entered their **%>,. ' f_ wholesale premises 1» ' v '■ HIGHSTBEET, > Lately occupied by Cruickshank and Co. They will therefore hold a Sale of the ENTIRE RETAIL STOpKof DRAPEd^,^^ CLOTHING QTJBBNrSTfeEET, ' OK '" ■ATURDAY, THE« 30t& JANUARY. In order to effect a apt* y cle ir»nce, the whole of th* Goods will be »old at IC. OS T PRICE, here will be no Go<jdveUeNd durng the Sale. SutLt^ 7 * *»ttUl,,,»wt *>»•* kl| Dixon »r d son. ■te f£* IS-T ■ .f* J* FM - Lo*_m>n, Jeweller ODDoiit*



•THE FEBRTIAKY HIJMBER OP THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH NEWS is now published. Pkice-Tbeiepeuce. To be had of ftlessrs Upion and Co. TTNION BANK OF AUSTRALIA. [Established 1837.] , PAID-UP CAPITAL £1,250,000 RESERVE FOND^j/ ... £400,000 THE HIGHEST CURRENT RATE OF INTERES ALLOWED ON FIXED DEPOSIT. - JOSEPH E. POUNDS, Manager.



To the Ladies of Auckland.—l have received from London, per R.M.S. Cyphrenes, a beautiful stock of Long length and Ringlet Hair, and shall be happy to execute orders on the shortest notice.— Francis J. Shobtt, City Hair Cutting Rooms, next Lewisson's, Jeweller, opposite the Union Bank. Q»9Fi£K I— Brown, Barrett, and Co.'■ Standard Coffees both, delicious and strong. Brown, Barrett, and Co.'s Excelsior toffee deserves preference to and Coffee on account of purity and distinctness of flavour. Note the brand. Sold at almost every grocery es tablishment in town and prorlnoe —Advt. 26 Gold Hunting Geneva Watches, warranted fo &7 10* each, to be obtained only at 9. H. litwiMon'if Jeweller, Qum««m».-(AdTt)