SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

HlGff WA.TEH : This evening, 12 ; to rr ■«• m^nimr n 42 SUN SET : This e^nHg, 5.58 ; SUN RISE: to ut rr- w ninriaii GlB MOON'S AGE : LastQuaiter. 30lh, 4.4 p.m.

ARRIVALS.

Blanch°, s Inonrr, fr >m Karntoiea Ladybird, ss Andrews from the South, (in the

vanuk4u) Oueen, s hoover, from Hok'anz* Fawn, cutter, from Bay of -Islands

DEPARTURES.

Join s s for the Rtwena, s s. for Tauranga

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

TW *he <J,»„th-T «dv>i d. f .s. 3rd -pril For Wfliwrra' aud "West Co.»s' pirts— St Kilda, s.s

to-morrow 7 ,„ ~ , >an Pnnc>co-P.M. us CypVenes (English

Mall. lfl<n rxitno. For -Tfl eT-Herr, ss. Wednesday ,___... For Ten^nn- Bapdo, barque, early; W. W. Smitb

ship, early For nnn« in-M«. sil Peterson, schooner, early Por lyttelt.r.—Plirt, brigantine, early

IMPORTS.

Per s.s. Ladybird, from the South : 1 box, T. B. Gillies ; 4 pkgs., G. Ivil; 2 cases, 2 "boxes. 2 cases tobacco, Williamson ; 1 case, Kempthorne and Co ; 2 case?, La Roche ; 4 cases, R Orion ; 50 bags malt, JPeddell and Watson ; 35 baas malt, Suiter and Co. ; 5 cases cheese. T H. Hall and Co. ; 1 case fmifc, G. 0. Quick ; 1 ram, Howard; 5 bags pepper, D. Stephenson and Co. ; 45 cases brandy, Longdill and Co; 2 cases, Major T.sdail, 1 pkg, 1 box, National Bank ; 1 parcel, Gilfillan ; 1 parcel, Telegraph office ; 5 baUs hops. T. H. Hall and Co. ; 1 case, 1 parcel, G. Millar; 2 boxes gold, and 1 parcel, Bank of JN\Z. ; 2 kegs, Close Bros. ; 12 kegß, 10 cases, J. Solomon; 3 kegs, Mynott ;20 kegs, 7 cases, T. Veale; 8 caS"S. Hoskins.

Ye- B anche. from Karotonga- 103 casks limejuice, F0 000 oranpes, 1 t'.nV conoariut oil, 18 bass heehe dn mer. 3 b cs raw cf See, 5 do mniZs;, 6 boxes oil <-abe 876 (Mcd b»nanss, 2000 cocoannts, 20 casks limejuice. —Owen & Oraham.

Tbe s.s. Lady Bird, H. J. C. Andrew, corrmanrler, arrived at Onehunga Bluff at 9.15 am., and alongside wharf 11.30 this morning. She left Port Chalmers at 4 p.m. on the 22nd. Experienced fresh westerly winds throughout the passage with fine weather. She brines the following passongers : Judge Gillies, Rev. andj Mrs Watkin and 7 children, Mr and Mrs Davis and 5 children, Mr and Mrs, Misses (2) and Master Lysaght, Mr and Mrs Sticy and family (4^, Mr and Mrs Johnston and 2 chil dren," Mrs and Mies Thornton, Miss Jeffries, Miss Davidson, Miss Scaly, Miss Lawry ; Messrs Jones, Ferrier, Foster, Graham, Broham. Sampson, Moore, Garwood, Batham, > ixon, Park, Hanson, Blake, Wbittam, and Arthur, and 19 in the steerage We are in debted to Mr Wm. Doughtery, purser, for report and files. The ketch Fanny Kelly brings 20.000 ft timber from Ta;rna. The s s Hero has entered outwards for Sydney. ihi barque ■ arty Franklin left Otamatea, !Kait>ara. on the 24tb. with a car^o of 150 000 feet timber for an Australian pirt. The Nightlnga'e has rrobably left H' kiang* by this time with a similar ra'so ard desination. Both vesseis art loaded by Mr J. heid. Tha ex-vicc-rpgal sihoontr Blanche, Cipt»in Voting amved ii. port yrstercUy evening from th- South •'pa Islands, where she has been cruising for some mnriths >he is la«t from «arotong»,_ from which island the briutrs a cargo of limej 'n'ce fruit, an<' j>bo two passenrera : Captain >-uth»rland (of th* schooner Paon>o, nn-l Captain Pidson. left B:irot o npa on the 13th, and had light head winds Dea^y all the parage The Poor Knizhti were madeon l-.Rt "We understand that after di«rhirgng, the B'anche is to undergo some altera tions in h-.- hod. The Blanche has bee" <Mscharginp her fruH at the outer T of the wh-irf all div

' Th»- sehnomr '-olden Isle was coiling the T.un* duri g the mirnin?. The ps Luna -«as to taVe her departure foi Tau an a at 3 o'clock this afternoon The brig Derwertt h»s b*en berthed at the ne« we«tem i to d sohnrgp her coals The Rio Log*, brig, has been b-ougbt alongside the wharf ince her clean up, where she will take in ball -st. and then proceed to Wa-garoa to load for Lyttelton. The fchioner Qu«en, Captain Jones, arrived this momine fr-m Rokianga after a passage of flvedtys, dnring which tight southerly weather has beer experienced Sh» bines a carro of gum, hide?, and wool variously C,nlgnel, Pasted a large barqnp Itandinp- t'> the westward on the 26th, when off thp 2Cor h Cape. Another ba que was <ighted yestard y inorrlnii Standing to th* north The City of M-lboume was sight* d off Caoe Brett on Sunday n*ght The schooner *wa'lnw was standing into Parengarenga on he 27th, when the Queen wa> pas-lug Pasoeneer—T "Wmdover. Th* a a Bou'hern Cross cleared out for Napier stod Welipgtnn with a l«rge cargo and the followin. prs'engers :—Mr »nd Mrs "Varfe and 2 children, Mrs Mcvor ; Mbirts Sutherland, Fag .te. and Cater : aud 8 in th -Btee-age The d s. Bluenose STrive-i at On<-hnnga this morn Jn<r, t"wir g the »._>. Waik*te. from W»ikato Heads Th* Blueuose leaves for Waikato Heads tc-morrow morning.

TELEGRAPHIC SHIPPING.

Na ifb, This Day. The Go >.h»ad, from Auckland, arrived this morn ing at eight o'clock. Nelson, This Day. The s s. Phoebe arrived last nighi at midnight from Kew Plymouth.

COMMERCIAL.

The cl<a Tlng-out clothing sale at Mr Coombes' city Clothing mail 8J Queen-street, by Mr R, Arthur, commenced this morning at eleven o'clock, and will be c "ntinu^d daiiy until the wnol3 of the stock is disposed of, in cons*que"ce of the expiration of the lease. Tbfre was a great many persons in attendance, and the v^ii.us articles of men's and boys' clothing fetcnud f»ir average prices. As this is an opportunity rarely to be met, we ad visa persons who desire a reasonable and borvieeable suit to take immediate a Iran age of «n opportunity -which may not appear again for some time to come.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails will Close as fox/lows . — Por Thames, 10-morrow, at 9.30 am and 6.30 p m "or Coromandel, to-morrow. »t 11.30 a m For "Watganui, per St Kilda, to-morrow, at 10 am For Australian Colonies, per Hero, to-morrow at 11 a m - Kor money orders, registered letters, and news papers, at 10 a m l_,af,e letters for Sydney and Melbourne will be reoeiv-d till 11. iO am For Waiwera ana Warkworth, per Lady Bowen, 01 Tn-rsuay next, at 10 am , Mails for Irdia, China, MeJHerranear ports, continent cf Europe, and Unite 1 Kingdt.ni »ia Suez and Brindisi, will close at this office o -*atur-iay, the 3id prosi no (Signed) S. B. Biss. Chief' Postmaster

BIRTHS.

GRTJICKSHAjSTK— On March 20, at her residence,

Remuera, tbe wife of D B. Cruickshank of a son. WINKS—On March 29, at her residence, Selwyn Terrace, Parnell, the wife of Mr J. Winks of a daughter.

DEATHS.

SMITH—At her late residence, Ponsonby, Ellen, the beloved wife of E. G. Smith, aged 29 years.

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

TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1875.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong Mint needs resistances, p<>r the future in the distune^. Aai the good that we eau do.

The administration of our charities 13 in an exceedingly unsatisfactory state. Some attention is drawn to this subject at present by the contention in relation to the Old People's Refuge, and it will be well if the attention so awakened is not allowed to go a^ain to slumber, until this whole question i 3 placed on a satisfactory basis. Some years ago, a commission was appointed by the Provincial Council to enquire into this subject and the report and recommendations were strongly against the present system of administering relief to the indigent, as ineffective in its objects and tending even to the increase of pauperism. That the poor should never cease out of the land, was an old and recog nised dispensation of Providence, and the existence of a class of poor and suffering dependants, whatever may be the evils and unpleasantness attending it, is eminently calculated to nurture the finer, and gentler, and Godlike features in human charactar. But our system effectually stays any such good re sults. Onr Hospital is supported wholly by Government aid. Our Lunatic Asylum is taken over in similar fashion on the public shoulders, and our general relief of the poor is from taxes and revenues voted as a public duty and sternly administered by an officer of the Government. In most places elsewhere, these Government subsidies are supplemented by private contri butions which have the effect not only of re lieviug the public exchequer, but far more important, of developing the spirit benevolence and kindliness on the part of the people. It is true that in addition to these public charities, there are innumerable opportunities in pri vate for the cultivation of charitable feel ings, and to the honor of Auckland be i: said these opportunities are liberally availed of. But there is an irregularity and impul siveness in this flow ct charity and a waut of system in its application, that lessen at once its advantages to the givers and to the objects of bounty. What is required is a system which would collect into one che public bounty and these private benefactions, and, in the hands of men and women who would engage in the good work from very love of goodness divert it methodically and judiciously, not only to the relief of suffering, but to the prevention of pauperism and consequent distress. In their several spheres the Ladies' Benevolent Society, the Committees of the Orphanages, and other Institutions, show the benerits of the discriminating and hearty service that results from such co-operation. We believe similar results would flow from similar relations established between the people and the two Hospitals fir the physically and mentally sick. But for the present we desire to direct attention espe cially to the system of giving Provincial relief to the destitute. "We need not inform our readers that this work is in the hands of one man, and that the Relieving Officer has a hard and thankless task. We desire not to say one word against that officer. If he is regarded by any as hard hearted and even cruel in his deal ings with distress, it may be that the system has made him so. Doubtless he encounters many cases of attempted imposition, and the necessities of the Provincial treasury may have turned his heart into stone. But what ever result the Bystem may have had on the individual it is unsatisfactory in its results on the recipients of relief, and on the public welfare. Instead of that considerate and thoughtful kindness with which the members of a committee of benevo lent men or women would investigate a case of reported distress, and seek to alleviate it in the gentlest manner, not needlessly hurt ing sensitive feelings, but giving a cheering word of counsel and encouragement—the system meets the poor and the downhearted with suspicion and harshness, consider ing first the best way of protecting the public revenue by escaping from giving relief, rather than the beat way of removing the suffering that is calling for pity and assistance. The present system presents to the eye of the sufferer an aspect such as repels the man or woman of tender and sen sitive feeling, and drives them to despair, if not to thoughts of suicide—for we have heard even of this—while it only yields to the persistent and brazen applicant that claims assistance as a right. The present system does not tell the downstricken mother where she might find a little needle work or washing, or bring to the notice of employers the case of some poor sick or feeble man who might earn bread by some light and available employment. The pre sent system does nothing to prevent the last step into pauperism so difficult to recal, nor does it give the kind and cheering word that would win back to hope and effort. It has the curse of the poor upon it '■ for its heartlessness, and it is doing no' good to the community in staying the progress towards pauperism.

We earnestly call attention to our public system of relief; nnd hope that something may be devised which-, instead of sternly treating poverty and distress as a crime, may deal tenderly and thoughtfully with the broken-hearted, and pour in balm instead of gall and vinegar into the wounded spirit.

We are not aware how many of our readers have played " double duck-stone, " but a nung man named 1. Hunt, a member of the \ Taval Brigade, will h-i've reason to remember tne game. He was yesterday engaged at tbe North Shore in playing with a number of his omradea during an interval in the firing, and was about to take his turn in bowling it the stone set on another, which con stitutes the target. He had just got as far as saying " 1 diddle duck atone," which '.'orms the necessary preliminary to a shot when he received a tremendous crack on the nose with a scoria boulder which a clumsy comrade had lee fly. '1 he missile cut deep into the fleshy part of the hose inflicting a very nasty and painful wound. He was at once removed home where proper remedies were applied, but is hardly likely that he will require the use of a pocket handkerchief for some weeks to come.

We have just been shown some of the resu'ts of the etching with pen and ink by Mr J. McKain Meek, Jong and favourably known in Victoria for this remarkable specialty. We shall to-morrow refer more at length to the capabilities of this gentleman, who has just arrived in the city, and whose works are really the most remarkable of their kind tLat we have ever seen in the colonies.

In a local paragraph yesterday a slight mis print made a considerable difference in the meaning. Speaking of the election of the •tev. Mr Selwyn to the Bishoprick of Melanesia, we remarked that the confir mation of the election had been "postponed, • 10G negatived." by the General Synod. This was aLered by Mr Typo into "postponed and negatived."

Mr Hesketh, solicitor, met with an acci dent tain morning, which, but for the inter vention of that much-abused head adornment i '"belt-topper," would undoubtedly have ended inosr, seriously. The learned gentle man was riding into town by the Mount Eilen road, which joins the Kyber Pass near Seccombe'a brewery. Near their junction there is rather a ste'jp decline in the road,aud in cantering down in this place, the horse Mr Hesketh was riding, Btumbled and fell, throwing its rider head-foremost on to the road with such force as to smash ins hat beyond recognition by Messrs Hill and Penton, the well-known manufacturers, from whose establishment it no doubt came. Mr Hesketh's coat was also torn to tatters, and his face suffered several skin wounds, so that he was reduced within the space of a few seconds to a position hardly becoming a leading member of the New Zealand bar. A new tit-out, however, was j-peedily secured in the neighborhood, and ah hough tlie shock had been very severe, Mr Hesketh was able to remount, aud trotted into town, thankful that nothing worse had happened, and inwardly blessing the man who invented hats that are a pro tection a3 well as a covering for the head.

A little child had a narrow escape of its life in Queen-ttreet yesterday evening, about live a'clock. At; that hour Mr Connolly was driving his express down the screen, and when opposite v\ yudham-street turned his horse's head round tbe end of the cab rank intending to pull up alongside the kerb on the east side of th« street. Two youngster**, we believe, children of Mr Connolly's, were lidmg in the cart, the younger oi whom was leaning over the tailboard when the cart was pulled round. The sud den turn overbalanced the child, who was only about six years old, and he fell over on to the road. A bus was following in the wake of the express and the driver would hardly have had time to prevent his horses going over the boy, but happily Mr Har rison, the tobacconist, who was standing at the door of his shop, saw the dang- r, and, running into the street, snatched tho child up, almost from under the horses' feet. 'Jhe little one yelled blue niurdor, but it was more frightened than hurt. Mr Connolly saw the child about to fall, bub was too late iO prevent the accident.

A subscription in aid of the sufferers by the Cothenburg disaster haa been opened by Captain togan of the s.s. Hero. Is one word needed to commend it to public sym pathies ? We think not. A large number of those who lost friends on the id-fated vessel have been bereft of those upon whom 'hey have depended for support. May they not look with confidence to a humane people for assistance in their sore distress ? Sub scriptions may either be paid on board or to Messrs. Cruickshank and^Co.

Sir Donald McLean has granted £55 towards the continuing of an artesian well at Tauranga which had been brought to a sfandsull at one hundred feet through. The funds running out without the water run ning in. At the Spit, Napier, a depth of 473 feet was reached without water, and the project was abandoned.

The famous lightning calculator attracted numbers of persons around hioo last evening in the Market-square, who expressed their wonder at the rapidity of his mental calcu lations. He will repeat his performance this evening at the same place without fee. His hotle book, which he offers at tbe lowest rate, will prove of much service to those who desire to improve in arithmetical Btudies.

We notice from our American files that the hairless hirse is wandering about the United Stats, and seems to be gleaning a goldeh harvest for his proprietors. The last place we find him in is Savannah, Georgia, where he was being exhibited in February. He haa previously figured in Columbia, S C, and was thus Doticerl by the Union Herald, the local journal: - " Caoutchouc is no hum bug. He is a coal-bla k gelding, fifteen feet high, and as well proportioned as "Venus and Adonis. He is rather too naked for the virgin eye of sweet sixteen, but has been exhibited all over the world. Strange to say, in the Fiji Islands, where the natives never saw a horse, it did not pay near so well as in Columbia, where there are three or four. In Fayetteville, JNorth Carolina, some expensive tar-heel offered the proprietor $10,000 in cash for the horse. The owners, being hard money men, refused the greenbacks. This is bo. It is not unlikely that after the recess, the legislature might appropriate enough to keep him in the State. He is of the right color, and might be used as a charger from which a military professor in the university could deliver his lectures, cantering up and down by way of illustration."

The prospect of cheap bread during the approachiog year is one on which the people of the colony may now be congratulated. From our Dunedin correspondent's special telegram to-day it will be seen that the Southern harvest has been the best for many years, leaving a large surplus for ex port with a very limited market. At present flour is selling lower in Auckland than at. any time during the past thre*» years. Messrs Thornton, Smith and firth announce through our advertising columns their well known standard brands of flour at £12 and £10 per ton respectively. We feel bound to say that bread has not come down propor tionately with the price of flour, and it is for the people to demand the reason why. DuriDg the summer, fuel has been much cheaper than in the preceding months, and we can see no reason why good bread should not now be obtainable at 3£d per loaf. This a matter nearly concerning every household, and it behoves consumers to see that they receive the benefit which should flow to the people from a bountiful harvest and cheap flour.

The Naval Brigade, yesterd&y, held their annual gun practice at the North Head, under the command of Captain Le , Roy, Lieuts. Chapman, and Parker.... The range was 4000 yards; target. 9ft by 6ft; and guns, two Armstrongs.. The prizes in all were £7, to be divided amongst the crews. The following scores were xrti&e :—No. 1 gun, 232 points ; Pettv-officerJ Searle. No. 2 gun. 228; Petty-cffioer Smith. No 3 gun, 254 ; Pttty-offieor Mackay. No 4 gun, 242 ; Petty-officer Hunt. The highest possible score was 288.

We yesterday published a letter of Mr A. Bird calling up the sympathy of the public towards poor Mrs Ho'tham. This is-from extra information we have received—a mos' lament-aide caso. A few nionrhs ago the poor creature landed upon ~w shorts v. stranger in a strange land For m*nv weeks her husband found no work. AL last he goc a, few weeks labour, and as hoj>e !»:«*n to rise the poor man died, leaving not even a chair in thf house, much less a ehiiting for bread for the poor children. The case is one of the most trying we have bad to record, and the kind ness of the Auckland people would be well laid out in a case so worthy of their sympathy. We have to-day received £1 in her aid from Dr. Kenderdine, and any other contributions towards the same object will be duly acknowledged.

The carp liberated in Lake Taupo by the Acclimatisation Society have increased with remarkable rapidity to the great satis faction of the natives who are netting and drying them for winter use.

The Minister of Justice has just received a report of a very sad and extraordinary affair, which is not unlikely to create some sensa tion. Thirty years ago a young girl named Marie Guernio was found poisoned in her bed. She had been betrothed a short time before to a young man with whom her sister Madeline was said to be desperately in love. The poor girl was at once arrested, tried, and finally condemned to death, which she suffered calmly and valiantly, without utter ing a word of complaint or of justification Everybody felt the greatest sympathy for the poor old father of the two girls, who was giving signs of the most violent grief. He had come into possession of some money which the girls had inherited from their mother, but his grief did not seem to be lessened thereby A fortnight ago the old man died, and before his death confessed to his parish priest, the Rev. Abbe Barreau, that he was himself the mur derer of his eldest daughter. He had, more over, allowed suspicion to rest onjthe younger in order to inherit the money of bote. The poor victim had died innocent without utter ing a word in her defence, because she knew who was the murderer, and rather chose to die than to denounce him to justice.— Paris Letter.

Mr Adair, commercial traveller, was la3t evening entertained at a dinner at Canning's, by the employes of Messrs McA'thur, .Shera and Co., on the occasion of his departure for Poverty Bay, to carry on business as succes sor to < Japtain "^ead. Mr Campbell occupied the chair, and during the evening presented the guest with a handsome clock. Various toas f,s were drunk, the rosy wine flowed freely, and with laughter and Bong a most enjoyable evening was passed.

A horrihle tragedy was enacted a few days ago on the top of one of the omnibusses that stop at the Palais Royal. A man on the imperiale was observed to be in great pain, twitching his mouth and face so that several about him asked him if he was ill. When tout a coup he sprang upon the driver, biting him furiously, and then in his rage gnawing his own flesh. As you may well imagine, great consternation followed ; the omnibus was quickly emptied of passengers; three policemen mounted to the top, who, with the aid of ropes, succeeded, only after the wild est struggles and amid cries of " Shoot him ! Hhoot him !" to secure him. That done, they lowered the bundle upon a handbarrow and carried it away. Two hours later the man was dead. The wound on the driver was cauterized, but a dog infected by the nnd froth escaped. At least 2,000 people witnessed the occurrence. — Paris Letter.

The sscond session of the Training School, established by Mr Josiah Martin, at the Choral Hall, will commence on Monday, sth April, as a model school, Mr Martin having secured tho assistance of Rev. E. Browne, lato of Kaueranga School, Thames ; a gentle man of tho highest professional attainments, who will take special change of the depart ments of classics and mathematics. Mr Browne has attained crest popularity as a teacher at the Thames, and great regret has been there expreeso-1 at the prospect of his removal. He is an accom pliahed vocaist and drill instructor, and the schools under his charge have become famed for their order and discipline. Mr Martin in sufficiently well known as a teaoher and lecturer on scientific subjects, and he has also had the advantage of large experience in mercantile and industrial pursuits, and under the auspices of these accomplished gentlemen we expect to see thiß institution taking a place second to none among the educational establishments of the Australian Colonies. The popularity of the school is already well assured, as, notwithstanding the prevalent sickness, upwards of one hundred pupils have been admitted since its opening. The training system of illustrative lectures renders the pupils familiar with things as they are, and is specially calculated to edu cate the judgment by cultivating the faculties of observation and reflection. The advanced course of study can be selected with reference to the taste and abilities of the scholar, and will prepare him for com mercial, literary, or manufacturing occupa tion, and also for the competitive examina tions of the telegraph or other departments cf the Civil Service.

The adjourned meeting of the members of the Young Men's Christian Association will be held this evening at half-past seven, when collectors will be present their books and progress reported.

OHINEMURI.

(PER STAR CARRIER PIGEON.)

PAEROA.

(Pom our Special Correspondent)

The Maori races are in full swing,

Yesterday, 3 p.m,

Nolan's claim, adjoining the Banyan, struck gold on Saturday night. Some good specimens were taken out. Mackaytown is deserted ; nearly every body has gone to Faeroa races.

OHINEMURI.

(Prom our Special Correspondent.) March 26, 1875. MINING AT THE ROTOKOHU. At the Rotokohu, Smith and parties claim (Star of the South) is, I may say, at present the Jeweller's Shop of Ohinemuri, for the gold can be washed out of the reef in such a manner that at the bottom of the dish there remains a bright yellow rim which can be plainly distinguished for some feet away. The important question now to be answered is whether the gold will make into the stone when in the solid country. From the fact of gold already being found in some of the stones washed out of the mullock it is rea sonable to suppose that it will. If such should be, the case—as many experienced miners prognosticated that it will—the future of Smith's flat is a bright one. The Star of the South being on a flat and evidently made ground, will be a rather difficult mine to successfully handle, and will afford Messrs. Smith and Snowden an opportunity of exhibiting their mining capa bilities—unfortunately no good levels can

be obtained anything at all handy, and the quartz will have to be Worke^ otlfc of a shaft, which from tbe nature of the ground, will in all probability bej very wet an<i require an engine to work at an*r depth; but, with gold in hand, it will .jot bo a difficult matter to obtain macl .cry to pumping or crushing. They are at ores?"* sinking a shaft te cut the janderuj of-the reef, and so obtain a back to work %" t. Ise strike of the reef is to the southward of west, and northward of east, with a a irtheriy underlay to the westward, is a r^ing spcr into which the reef tends, and "whe-a it will not unlikely slew somewhat to the southward ; if so, it will be all the better for the shareholders of the Evening Star which takes in the rising spur, and runs along Smith's and JFobwdea't* boundary, the two claims being peg and peg. The Evening Star people, amongs. whom i- Skidmore, of the Red White and P'.nochito at the Thames, and Peaton, who pegged one the True Briton, afterwards the celebrated Caledonian, are putting in a tunnel through the spur to cut the Star of the South reef, which they expect to do in about a fortnight or three weeks. At present they are travel ling through a splendid sandstone country, and may not unlikely cut a good reef before making the one discovered by Smith and Snowden. Working in solid ground the reef when cut in the Evening Star should give an idea of what it is likely to be worth, as they will be not far from 100 feet from the surface at the time where they expect to intersect it. The ground for some distance all around is pegged out, and many of the miners are erecting nikau whares, with the intention of evidpntly putting In the winter in this locality. For a long way up the creek to their present work ings, Smith and Snowden traced the gold which they several times suddenly to run out and then further on to mtike again. I am of opinion that where tbe gold broke off each time, was an indication that a golden reef had been passed which had thrown out the loose gold—if my opinion, which is endorsed by many old diggers, should turn out correct. Some very good ground is at present laying unoccupied, or at least was yesterday, for it is hard to say what a single day may bring forth on a goldfield. THE KARANGAHAKE SPUR. The Prospectors' reef on the KJarangahake, is now on all side 3 admitted to be payable so far as yet opened. It is generally looked upon as being worth, as far as can be judged, about one ounce and a-half to the ton, but of course this is mere speculation as its true nature cannot be ascertained un til a large parcel is put through the mill. I do not think that the reefs here will give such a large percentage of gold as some of the lodes at the Thames, but I believe that they will carry the gold down with them to a greater depth, and not be so patchy. INCREASE OF POPULATION. Our present population is over one thou sand, and now slowly increasing; more are coming by tbe steamers than are going away. If in the first instance the prospectors could have at once opened their reef, or even if there bad been no payable reef known, and a reward of say £1000 offered for the discovery of a payable reef, our population would in all probability have been four or five times greater than it is now. But without a little capital it is useless for anyone to come here, for they had better Btay where they are. The days when a man could rush on to the first hill that he saw, peg out a piece of ground and sell it at a fabulous price right off, are gone and we most likely shall never see their like again, and per haps taking all things into consideration it is just as well. The majority of the miners up here are fully aware that their chance of selling an interest even in what may be called good ground is very limited and I be lieve that in many cases it will pay them far better to keep their interests, if possible, than sell them, for as I before mentioned, JI opine that the Ohinemuri reefs will not be so patchy as those at the Thames.

POLICE COURT.—This Day.

(Before Thomas MacßFarlane, and Joseph M. Dargaville, Esquires, J.P's.) IN THE DARK.

William Barton, for being drunk, was ' fined 5a and costs ; William Surry, for the same offence, was fined in the same amount; and Joseph McCracken, who did not appear, escaped for the present, the charge being withdrawn. ELTZA. RICE AND MARY RILEY. Eliza Rice, formerly a tenant of Noah's Ark, and Mary Riley, an elderly woman, evidently in the s^re and yellow leaf, were brought up, the former for being drunk aud sprawling in Albert-street, and the latter for being drunk and disorderly in Victoria-street. Eliza Rice apologised ; her offence was the result df brain disease, and when she drank brandy, it invariably affected her head and made her frolicksome.

The Bench under the oiroamstances fined her ss.

The Bench, in addressing Mary Riley, said they were sorry to see her in such a. pitiable condition. It was very sad to see a woman of her years giving way to habits of drunkenness.

Mary Riley fully coincided with the remarks of the Bench, and nodded her head in approval. Her conduct was described as very bad; she was beating the air with her legs.

Fined 20s and costs. THE INFLUENCE OF OYSTERS ON THE CONSTITC-

TION OF MAN,

Joseph Smith, alias "Lively Joe," was! charged under the Vagrancy Act with being drank and using unseemly language in Queen street last evening. Prisoner loudly denied the charge. Constable Lavin was then called, and deposed that prisoner was in a rioketty state last night in Queen-street, and using abomin able language in the hearing of the passers-by. The language was described as "Those d d oysters," "To h—ll with the Queen," " Down with the police," " Up with the waterworks," "To the D-r—l with the parsons," and similar offensive epithets. He (the constable) remonstrated with him on his conduct, when he swore he would put an end to his finite existence with his knife. He drew out something, which proved to be a butcher's skewer ; he grasped it from him. Prisoner denied that he had used the epithets imputed to him ; he was most loyal in his sentiments towards the Queen, and had too much reverence for the cloth to say one disrespectful word of ministers ; and as for the police, they were a jolly lot of fellows. The prisoner, who was evidently, a man of fair abilities, proceeded to say that he met two friends, they went together and had what he termed a "blow out of oysters," at an oyster saloon ; they were celd and indigestible; he took only four or live nobblers of whiskey, which, strange to say, affected his head. He called the constable a "dear fellow," which he supposed gave offence. He did not attempt to stab him. Sergeant-Major Pardy intimated that such offences should receive a check, as their was too much disloyal bombast used in the streets. The Bench having cautioned the prisoner, said as this was his first offence the fine upon him would only be 10s and costs. Prisoner expressed his gratitude, and promised to pay the money. MRS JENNING'S COWS. Mrs Jennings, of Nelson-street, appeared in answer to a summons against her for allowing her two cows and a heifer, to wander at their own sweet will in Pitt street, on the 19th instant.

Mrs Jennings pleaded guilty, but at the same time expressed her regret. The gate of her paddock had been left open by the boys, and the cows got out without either her consent or knowledge. In the morning when she went ont to milk them, they were gone; she knew not whither, nnd her cos

t.olxi«* were disappointed in their supply of 441 Tt ' #aa stated to the Bench that Mrs Jei^jiir.gs' cows had frequently offended .. _-*'.'at Jis by-laWs. ~°~y 0 Bench imposed a fine of 5s a head, ,/ith 0.,5t.9. They could not admit the heifer I. tulf p-ice. • She must pay 19s. Mrs Jennings paid the money and retired. ! Ahi? wu._ all the business.

THE REFUGE EMBROGLIO.

•vVHSBBAS divers and sundry matters have cjo.Ui Lv ''.i3s in connection wirh the Old p„ ( t ( "?.-" s 'T> d fnge, whereby the peace of the public "mind °is disturbed ; and whereas ;.. I; .; 0 ,., . -j conflicting accounts have been .•Adored <V 3to the causa and causes of tbe tf.'iiat huobab, now we, the Evening Stab, J'- c- sbituted ourselves into a Royal f'-jramisciou for the purpose of inquiring into the nature thereof, and the causes of strife, and the parts which have been played by the various parties to this great contention, so that without any fear or favoritism we may render unto our friends, the public, a f81"^ 1 and true account of the whole matter. We have carefully perused the report of the commissioners appointed to inves tigate thelmatter and this is our report. DEFICIENCY IN STOCK. It appears that the Relieving Officer, Mr Graham, recently made an inspection of the stock of clothing and outfit of the Refuge, and reported that he found considerable deficiencies to have arisen since his last inspection eight months before. He sub mitted the case to the Provincial Govern ment, and a Commission was appointed, consisting of Mr Kice, chief clerk to the Government, and Mr Inspector Thomson, A.C., who, accompanied by Mr Devore, watching the case for Mr Mack, visited the Refuge, and in presence of the Kelieving Officer, and Mr Mack, the manager of the Refuge, made a careful examination of the stock^ and received the statements of Mr Graham, and the explanations of Mr Mack. On the occasion of the original inspection made by Mr Graham, the following articles were stated to be deficient : 13 blankets, 24 sheets, 8 rugs, 44 pillow cases 14 shirts, 18 moleskin trousers, and 30 flannel shirts. On the subsequent inspection made by the commissioners, the deficiency in tbe blankets was made good, and there were 14 blankets more than there ought to have been, and the following was the deficiency : 18 sheets, 2 rugs, 11 pillow cases, 15 shirts, 10 moleskin trousers, and 20 flannel shirts. There had thus in the in terval been produced 27 blankets, 6 shirts, 6 rugs, 33 pillow cases, 8 trousers, 10 flannel shirts, and there was one more shirt missing. With reference to this difference in the result of the second inspection, Mr. Mack had explained that on the former occasion he had wrongly counted, and that a further search had shown these additional articles to be in stock. He gave no ex planation of the extraordinary and un expected number of blankets. As regards the pillow cases he said that " in several in stances more than one slip was found on one pillow, in one case as many as five," which may be attributed to the extraordinary idosyncrasies to which the aged are liable. "The remainder of the missing articles" he says, "were found on the beds and in various part 3of the build mg- EXPLANATIONS AS TD THE DEFICIENCIES. There was still a considerable defi ciency, and for this Mr Mack accounted in various ways as follows. He says they had "no new clothes for three years" before getting the supply in June last, so that sheets, shirts, and flannels were all about done before we got new ones, so that we had to take one to mend the other." Bat Mr Graham reports invoices of stores) supplied in May and November 71, March, '72, and April '73. For the deficiency in the cloth ing Mr JMack accounts by the departure of inmates. Of these one Thomas Newton (who, according to Mr Graham, left only once) took with him 3 suits, 6 shirts and 3 moleskin trousers, which Beems to us to show that Mr Newton was a man of considerable foresight of character, or if he had all these articles on him at one time, which would, we think, be the only manner in which he could have been allowed to remove them, he must have had a remarkable love of warmth and personal confort. Mr Graham, however, is incredulous on this subject, and irreverently styles it a " pure fabrication." On the return of Mr Newton, four of his shirts and two of his trowsershad to be burned, according to Mr Mack's account; to which Mr Graham says that "if Mr Mack burned any of the men's clothes, he took an unwarrantable liberty in doing so." Mr Mack explains that articles of clothing were taken away also by men named Leahy, Wells, and Dominick ; but Mr Graham reports that Leahy and Dominick left since the inventory was taken, and that Wells left in his own clothes. The following however is Mr Mack's statement: —" Of the sheets, of which 18 are wanting, one is in the deadhouse," and of the rest, "as they have got old I have taken them for mending and making blinds for the windows." Of the two rugs still deficient, Mr Mack says, "one is in the deadhouse; the other is not accounted for." Of the 11 pillow-cases still wanting, Mr Mack says " I have taken Bto make kit chen-rubbers; that was in the month of July. ' Of the shirts, of which 15 are wanting, the manager accounts .for twelve in this way : 6 to the credit of Mr Newton, 1 taken by Leary, 1 by Wells, 1 by Dominick, and 3 in use by Herald, still an inmate. Of the mole skin trousers, whereof 10 are still wanting, the manager accounts for seven thus : 3 were carried off by Newton, 1 by Dominick, 1 by Leary, • and two are still in possession of Herald. And of the flannel shirts, whereof 20 are still wanting, 1 was taken by Leary, and 2 are still in the possession of the inmate Herald. With reference to the remaining 17, i the manager says : "As the flannel got worn out, I have taken them for mops or to wash the floors with." With reference to this using up of old materials it is to be noted that the rule was, " that all worn out articles were to be kept for inspection" by the Re lieving Officer, and in his report to the Depaty - Superintendent, Mr Graham writes: "I made an inventory of stores and I find a very large percentage of articles missing since the last inspection, 8 months since, and being very far from satisfied then, I gave him, Mr M., strict injunction that no articles were to be done away with till I bad seen the same and condemned it, and written off the list." DISMISSAL OE MANAGER. Such then has been the result of our inves tigation, and of a careful analysis of the re port of the Commissioners. On the present occasion we make no reference to the imme diate matter of difference between the Pro vincial Government and the Ladies Benevo lent Society, but confine ourselves merely to matters antecedent to the dismissal of the manager. And we note first that this is a very large quantity of goods to have disap peared in the space of eight months. Ac cepting even the explanations of the manager, his having kept no book of record in accordance with his in structions, and his burning _ clothing without reporting it, tell against him. We feel it difficult to swallow Newtons six shirts, three moleskin trousers and three suits : and the position of the blanket ques tion is altogether too much for us. That 13 should have been mislaid and subsequently found is inteligible. But that they should have fructified into 14 others, never known before in the establishment is altogether un accountable in an ordinary way. Besides these additional 27 blankets were all "new, most of them unused." It. appears that "the last supply of new blankets was 24 supplied in June, 1874, " at whioh time "there were ao new blankets in stock." Where did these thirty new blankets come from—fourteen of them having never been provided by the provinoe? Making every

possible allowance, we think the I in that office of the manager w»i, 1 been unwarrantable. On the dfen£ 1 the matron from the old womtn'fi* ! ment we shall speak presently. ,r 1 statement Mr. Mack himself say a, J' i the exception of the last occasior« || never before assisted Mr. Graha^ a' |V stock. The matron has always do. A | / had given her entire charge pf the _M \ If this is so, then the Temoval of the iijm from the Government portion of the etfSJ iishment was simply unavoidable. *•_.

OLD WOMEN'S HOME. * We next come to the removal by «,, | Government, of Mrs Mack from the M I Women's Refuge. It is unnecessary fa JJ j to refer in detail to the lengthy correup^, I d*-nce on the subject which has passed bj. ! tween the Head of the Provincial Gove^. ment and the President of the Ladies' &. nevolent Society, which has been publish^' at length in tbe morning papers, and wHfc which we presume most are acquaint^ From that it is apparent that the difficult has arisen from the different aspect in the Old Women's Refuge has been view*! by the parties to the contention. TW ifeputy-Superintendent clearly views th» Old Women's Borne as a Government Ingti. tution, and its officers as Government ier. vants. In every letter this is apparent, a^ no other opinion could have induced tin strong and peremptory terms in which he writes. He says : " While I sincerelyre^t that the dismissal of an employee of the Government," &c. And again, "Itwu never contemplated in the arrangement made with the Society for the superintendence of the Old Women's Home that the Gover* ment should cease to hold, and if necessity to exercise that power of control over it, servants which is indespensable to the prot«&. tion of the public interests ;" and it wm en. dently under this conviction that the Deputy Superintendent, regarding the Ladies Be. nevolent Society as insubordinate k_\ attempting to interpose between theGevenu ment and its' servants, wrote : '• Unless Mjg Mack shall have left the premises by noon to-morrow, the police will be instructed to enforce her removal." It will scarcely be questioned that if Mr O'jßorke had been correct in his opinions as to the relations ot the Old Women's Home and the provincitf authority, his firmness in insisting on tbe dismissal of a " servant" of the Government would have been according to the custom of the public service, although a little of the suaviter in modo would have been better blended with the fortiter in rein the form of the bobby. But seeing that, whether from not having been long in office as Deputy- Superintendent or from being misled, he was entirely wrong in his conception of tbeaa relations, we can parf ectly under* stand the indignation with which the Society resented this assumption of authority, and the vigorous manner in which they put their assertion of independence into action. It is true that the building in which the old women live is provincial property, but having been unquestionably given over to the Society temporarily for their benevolent purposes, the Government had no more right to insist on the dismissal of a servant of the

Society than it has to insist on the dismissal of one of the Sisters of Mercy, ministering to the orphans at Mount St. Mary, or to threaten with a constable the conductors ot the Orphanage at Parnell. Like these two Orphanages and the Destitute Children's Home, the Old Women's Home received a subsidy from the Government, but it was in the form of rations intead of money. This is the only difference, but this peculiarity brought is into relations with the Relieving Officer, who happens to be a man of intense prejudices and altogether queer disposition, and to him, we think, is a good dealattribnt able the bitterness that has been imported into this embroglio. GENERAL .REMARKS. It is indeed greatly to be regretted that this variance nas occurred; and we think that even yet the evil might be averted. while we believe the Government had no course open but the removal of the manager I and matron from the Old Men's Kef age, it is indisputable that the ladies had a perfect right to retain Mrs Mack as long as they pleased in their department. Whether ot not, after all that has occurred, such wouldbe advisable, may be a question, but a question on which the ladies alone have a right to decide. But if it comes to pass that this trouble will pass away, and the ladies resumed their work of benevolence in connection with these poor old creatures of their own sex, who have thrown up on the shore from Che stormy seas of life—and, in common with probably the whole community, we sincerely ! hope that thus it will be—we trUßt that the ! Society will insist on being placed on the \ same fooling as the kindred institutions,? the Orphanages, and that it shall have the Government subsidy in money and notm rations. The whole trouble in bo far as Qui Old Women's Home is concerned has been owing to wrong inf ormatioa supplied to the lace Deputy-superintendent, than whom there is no man in the province more courteous, and we might add chivalrous in relation to the fair sex; and we are warranted in hoping that now, when feeling! have had time to subside, the kindly in? t tervention of Sir George Grey will bring; peace and friendly co-operation where have been excitement and antagonism.

RETURN OF THE BRITISH SCEPTRE.

THE DISCOVERY OF THE COSPATRICK

SURVIVORS.

On January 30, the ship British Sceptre, of Liverpool, Captain Jahnke, by whom the survivors of the Cospatrick were rescued, arrived in Dundee from Calcutta after a passage of 130 days. Her commander furnishes some interesting particulars re-; garding the rescue of Macdonald and MS companions. Several days before he dis; covred the boat he was convinced that some catastrophe had occurred. On the 27th of November, two days after the British Sceptre had passed the Cape of Good Hope, while 7 Captain Jahnke was walking about on the, poop, he noticed, some distance off, what * appeared to be a larger piece of wreckage, than any he had hitherto seen. On pro curing the glasses the object whioh had .< attracted attention was discovered w be a boat. While the ship was being manoeuvred towards the spot a violent squall was experienced, during which all traces oi the castaways were lost. Later in the after- _ noon, however, the weather cleared up again, and the British Sceptre was so finely hand led that she was brought alongside the boat. One of the seamen was swung from the vessel into the tiny craft, and in a short time thereafter the emaciated occupants were transferred to Captain Jahnke's cabin. The captain states that he never witnessed a more distressing spectacle. The men were so reduced that the only ___Wm in which they could be removed was by placing them in a blanket, the corners of which were held by four sea- . men. It was not the captain's intention to touch at St. Helena, but the condition of the rescued was so deplorable that he thought the only chance of keeping them in life was . jj to get them ashore at the nearest land. , At first the men had to be fed with a spoon, and were regularly bathed, and, as there was no medical officer on board, the treatment was carefully superintended by the captain. It was surprising to observe the avidity the poor men exhibited for food, but Captain Jahnke, knowing the danger there was in giving them a full supply, kept .*£? m(i> alwayß hungry, at the same time furnishing^ them with the choicest victuals at his dis-jgt posal. The three survivors gradually im proved, but even when they were put ashore ,| at St. Helena they were very far from bar- ■ ing recovered. The captain thinks that none of the other people who left the Cospatnck will ever be heard of. On Sunday Mr Mac donald, the second mate of the Cospatnek,



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