SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

HIGH WATEK : This evening 63; to morrow morning. 5,22 BTTN SET: This evening, 455 ; SUN RISE: to morrow mornins. 6.65 MOON'S AGE : Full Moon, 20th, 829 p.m. _

ARRIVALS.

DTSP»TtTTTOTI!S

Tien Tsin, ba-qne, 254 tons, Taylor, for Newcastle Dauntless, topsail schooner, Ponlson, for Kaipara

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

For the South—Tarxnaki, ss, 18th inst; "Wellington 23rd ; Pboabe 27th - Tor tendon- Rapido, barque, early; W. W. Smith, baryue, early For thfl North—lona, s s Mondays .For Sydney—Mikado, s.s., abont 25th inst.

VESSELS EXPECTED.

Shooting Star, oarque, KSRV, from London ; sailed Dec 23 , Mikado, s s, from San Frinclsco, about 25th Hero, ss, from Sydney, about 30lh inst Marathon, barque, from Sydney, early Caller On, ship, HMPK, from London ; Bailed Feb. 18 Robina Dunlop, barqne, from' London Emily McLaren, barque, from London; sailed 20th January Cabarfeidb, barque, from Boston, via Table Bay ; sailed December 21 Dunedin ship. HTIV, from London; sailed Feb 13 JT&peculador, barque, from Lyttelton Jtstelle. schooner, from Invercargill vi» Dunedin Lsetitia, schooner, from Dunedin Byno, brigantine; from Kotnmah, early Papua, schooner, from Rarotonga, early Moneynick, barque, from Lyttelton Magellan Cloud, biigantine, from Lyttelton, early Star of the South, ss, fromLevuka, early Syren, brig, from Adelaide, early Italy, barque, from Lyttelton ; sailed 6th inst. ton, brigantine, from L'.vuka, early .Albatross, schooner, from Levuka, early Martha, barque, from the Islands, early Coronet, schooner, from the Islands, early Edith, schooner, from the Islands, early Forfarshire, HN TE, ship, from London; sailed March 19 Jane, brig, from Hobart Town ; sailed 3rd inst. Flecbero, ship from London, early liUtterworth, ship, from London, early Look Out, schooner, from Sydney Nightengale, brigantine, from Melbourne, early

f; A barque is signalled as go to press. ! The following coasters arrived to-day and | yesterday : Cutters Tay, from Waiheke ; Sovereign of the Seas, from Wangarei; Tradewind and Three Brothers from the ; Barrier ; Catherine from Kawakawa; Fannie ; from Wangaroa : Warkworth from Wan ( gapoa ; Nancy from Nakuwaku ; Whitby j from Thames. Schooners Mary, from Cab | bapre Bay ; and Snsan, from Waiheke. ! K5 The cutter Dolly Varden cleared to-day i for Dunedin via Waikawau with 1000 feet timber. The schooner Gem will sail, as soon as the ji weather clears,. for Gisborne via Mercury ii Bay, with 2700 feet timber, i The South Carolina and Maud for Russell, j j the Helen for Omaha, and the Mahurangi 11 for Mahurangi cleared to-day. The South j Carolina brought 41 tons coal from Russell. I The barque Shootine Star was spoken on the Equstor by the ship William Davie. She was then f 65 days out from London. A large number of small crafts are lying- windbound ! A strong westerly breeze has been blowing since j yesterday. Two small boats bave sunk at their moor ; wgs, one on the eastern and the other on the western ! side of the wharf.

COMMERCIAL.

I MiSsrs. Tonks & Co. sold 150 bags Fiiian | maize to-day at 5s 4d.

QITY /CLOTHING TUT ART, 92, QUEEN STREET, NEXT DOOR TO THE AUCKLAND HOTEL AND Opposite the National Bank. rpHE ENTIRE BUSINESS -*- is now carried on in the One Establishment, where the Public will find an ENTIRELY NEW STOCK, which, for Cheapness and Quality, cannot be Equalled in New Zealand. Every requisite for Gentlemen's wear in stock. Men's, Boyß' and Youths' Clothing, Hats, Caps, Scarves, Hosiery, Portmanteaux, &c, &c. S AMUEL COOMBES 92, QUEEN-STREET.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails will Close as follows.— Fer Thames, this day, at 5.80 pm, a-ad to-morrow, at 9 30 a m For Kawau and Matakana, per Lady Bowen, to morrow, at 9 a m For Taranaki and Southern Provinces, per Taranaki, to-morrow, at C a m For Waipu, per Sunbeam, to morrow at Sa m For Kussell, per South Carolina, to-morrow, at 5 p m For Australian Colonies, per. Mikado, six hours after arrival (Signed) J. E. Cokey, Acting Chief Postmaster.

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

MONDAY, MAY 17, 1875.

J?or the cause that lacks assistance JTor the wrong that needs resistance *M the f«ture in the distance. Ai4 th« ssod that we can do.

The best abused man in the colony " is the " labouring man" of Sir George Grey. He and his unfortunate family have been sub jected to a course of treatment by all the scribes and by most of the talkists of the colony that any decent man might very properly resent. He has been looked at from front and rear 'and both sides , from above from below and upside down. His inner life and his outside relations, his children's boots and his wife's bonnet, and his own unfortunate pipe of tobacco, to say nothing of his pot of beer, have been roughly criticised, and even his right to beget children, if unable to decently support them, has been called in question. We find that there i B scarcely a newspaper in the colony that has not endeavoured to throw some fresh light on the subject, and if no other good result arise, the illustration has awakened attention and set the whole world of New Zealand a thinking on the subject of the public burthens in a manner that cannot fail to have an effect in staying the headlong and reckless pace of extravagance with which for the past few years the colony has been madly driving. But returning to the • labouring man." ,One of the funniest positions to which he and his children have been reduced is by the New Zealand Times. <That journal says he has not merely four olive branches, but a round dozen sit around the family table ; and then fancy the position of the unfortunate devil on his 5s a day ! Says' bur contemporary :— " Owing to the spa.'Sienegs of inhabitantSj and the natural wealth of the country, the Malthusian theory of population does not •apply here, and Sir George will find many i| farmers and labourers in Auckland who count ton olive branches instead of four. If his argument be good for anything, it follows that every f of tweive in Auckland pro vince contributes £55 4a yearly in taxes to the State, or in other words, that a man •5b a day, havxjig such a family, has nX£?O 16 per annum left to support them,

This is a deplorable state of things, but we can imaginea worse still. We know aman who had twenty-four children. He died some years ago, and probably if he had not died he would have continued having new chil dren ever since. Well, supposing such a man had forty-eight, children, and that he was a " labouring man" and had only five shillings a day. And supposing that he had been paying £4 12s every year for each of them, he would pay £230 a year to revenue out of his income of £78. Of course this follows as clear as daylight. In order to arrive at this conclusion, it must be granted that on ss. a day a man can support forty eight children with his wife and himself, which would be just as probable as that a man with ten children could do the like, as assumed by our Wellington contemporary. We venture to say that a man circumstanced as either of these supposititious labouring men, would have his income supplemented by the Relieving Officer, or some of his children would be inmates of one or another of our eleemosynary institutions, or in some form or another his family would be con sumers of .goods—and dutiable goods—to an extent far beyond his five shillings per day. Such a grotesque twisting and straining of figures show only the straits to which the apologists of the General Government are reduced in face of the very disagreeable fact which Sir Cleorge Grey has presented in a striking, though simple and intelligible way, as illustrative of the average burthen borne by residents in the province. Much has been made of his selection of the man earning five shillings a day, and it has been indignantly asked if that is the average position of the labouring man, as if it signified in the slight est degree whether it is or not. Many assert that taking wet days with dry days, good health and bad health, steady employ ment and irregular employment all together, £7S a year is a fair average of the "laboring man's" income. But whether or not, what signifies it? This is not a point in the illustration. It was never asserted that this was the average ; but that £4 12s per head of the population is the average burthen is beyond gainsaying Round and round, the family of six must needs pay on an average £27 12s per annum to the revenue. A simple account in division proves this. No one denies that a family in abject poverty— 5s a day is not abject poverty— may be exempt from part of this, of a man could live on fern-root and avoid it all. But if there are exceptions, those Jiving on the other side of the line must pay more. Despite the ridiculous twisting about of the figures, the great fact, —strikingly illustrated by this unfortunate " labouring man"—stands out prominently that, while we are twitted for being a " bank rupt province " for having not another shot in the treasury locker, we are actually pay ing an amount!|of revenue that is appalling.

The following letter throws some additional light into the queer doings in that now cele brated force—the Waikato Engineer Volun teer Militia. We were before aware of the manner in which Colonel Gorton was out witted, but we did not desire to "blow" on the thing especially as we know that re presentations on the subject were being forwarded to Wellington. The case having been for some days in possession of the authorities at Wellington we see no reason for withholding this letter; and we venture to say that when the little incident at Eangiriri is investigated it will add one to the many funny incidents attending the peregrinations of the man with the brand ing irons : — "Auckland, 15th May, 1875.—Mr Editor : Sir,—-As you found my last communication too prolix, I will be more terse in describing a few more facts in relation to that corps of notoriety, the Engineer Volunteer Militia. I have already shewn the prompt means taken by these Engineer officers to elude exposure and to dispose of troublesome witnesses. I will now relate the manner in which the same officers mustered their tools for the inspection of the officer sent for that i purpose. Previous to and on the last visit of Colonel Gorton, old worn out and pre viously condemned tools were raked up, some were fished up out of the Lake at Rangiriri, where they had lain for months bofore, the men's private mess-pails and utensils were borrowed pro. tern, to make up the requisite number, but this not being enough for more than one detachment, the Inspector was cajoled into an hotel for refreshments. Meanwhile a party of men were despatched by a near cut to the next detachment, with the before mentioned "fishings and dredgings" to be again counted by the Inspector. I would suggest when these tools are finally dismissed from duty that they be presented to the British Museum. How long these affairs are to continue of course depends on the action taken by Government in the matter. For my part I intend to assist to my utmost the late Sergeant-Major, and Color-Sergeant Craig, in exposing these frauds. I will not detail more at present, but have more for the next letter, which with your permission I will insert.—Yours, truly, W. J. Barlow, late Staff-Sergeant E. V.M.

Fkom our Poverty Bay Telegrams ft will be seen that the member, for that district is on his way to Auckland bringing with him a petition to the Council asking for an enquiry into the conduct of the sale of the Gisborne township, and the losses sustained by purchasers, owing to irregularities on the part of the Provincial Go vernment authorities. It is rather a striking circumstance that there is at the same time in connection, with this affair, a petition before the Council to be considered to morrow, from Mr Lusk, the then 'Pro vincial Secretary and in charge of the sale, askin.g that he also should be recouped losses incurred through the same irregularities. Between them we have no doubt the ptfor unfortunate province will have to! pay the p^.per.

It would be interesting\to know precisely what influence has been exercised by Good Templaryupon the profits of hotel-keeping by withdrawing, as the Order no doubt has done a large number of customers who were too steady (or rather unsteady) patrons of hotels for their own good. It is evident, however, that the influence has mot been, so areat as to' cause hotel-keeping to be come unprofitable, as the large and increasing number of public-houses bear witness. We are informed that m Newton, where the order is very strong, the con sequent decreased custom at hotels has been most noticeable in the family depart ment. It is stated that the casual drinking shews no very material decrease, but the sale for out-door consumption is amaller by one fourth than it was before Good Templary became established, ibia is attributed to the fact that many families who had been accustomed to their dinner, and evening beer or tot, have become Orood Templars in a body, thus carrying away not one, but perhaps six consumers by one con* veroion to the principles of the Order.

. The choristef boys who have been practis ing for six months in connection with St. Paul's Cathedral took part in the Church service for the first time last evening. There are fifteen fully trained, and ten others nearly ready. The effect on the Church service, not only in respect of the singing but also ia the rendering of the responses was very marked, and seemed to give great satisfac tion to the congregation, winning over some of those who in the outset were opposed to the innovation. One of these—Mr Darga ville—was so completely converted that in the evening he seat round a cheque for £5 to be distributed in prizes among the boys. There was a very large congregation, partly attracted, no doubt, by the erroneous announcement in the Cross that Miss Christian would take part in the ser vice. Thab lady was, we believe, not ex pected to be present last evening, but is looked for next Sunday. The service, how ever, was very beautifully rendered, Miss Leaf taking the solo in the anthem. The Bishop delivered an impressive discourse, which was lisbened to very attentively. The old English game of foot-ball was resuscitated at the North Shore on Saturday last, in a practice match which resulted in favor of the JNorfch Shore Club. This possibly was owing to the absence of several of the crack " kicks" of the Auckland Club who we learn were suffering from the rheumatics, the result of shooting pheasants in the rain. Tenders are invited by the Town Clerk for one year's lease of the Auckland Market house, inclnding stall rents, and tolls, payable under the Municipal Corporations Act of 1879. Tenders will be received until Mon day, June 14 th. Following the example of those ministers of religion in town who have engaged Mr Charles Blomfield to teach their young people to sing by the tonic-sol-fa system, we learn that other clergymen in Parnell (in terested in the welfare of the young) have engaged Mr T. Cranwell to follow in the wake of Mr Bloomfield. We hope that the facilities thus afforded our youth of learning vocal music will nob only prove an innocent and useful pastime, but will conduce to har mony in our congregational singing on the Sabbath.

DuriDg the year ending the 30bh of April last, the population oE this province'was added to by immigration to the extent of 4590 persons, of whom 2749 were English, IGO4 Irish, 240 Scotch, and 317 Foreigners. The small number of Scotchmen who have chosen Auckland for their home, cannot be attributed to any non-roving proclivities of the inhabitants of the "land o' cakes," but doubtless is due to the greater attractions of kinship held out by Otago. The contempt with which negroes have been treated in the cities of the United States, but especially in the Northern States, which wore so loud in their clamour for emancipation, is to be suppressed by law. The Civil Kights Bill, which has recently passed Congress, provides that all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States shall bo entitled to full and equal enjoyment of accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of inns, public conveyances on land or water, theatres and other places of public amusement, subject only to condi tions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to citizens of every race and colour, regardless of any previous condition of servitude. That any person who shall vio late the foregoing section by denying to any citizen, except for reasons by the law appli cable to citizens of every race or color, and regardless of any previous condition of ser vitude, the full enjoyment of any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities or

privileges in said section enumerated, or by aiding or inciting such denial, shall, for every offence forfeit and pay the sum of 500 dollars to the person aggrieved thereby, to ba recovered in action of debt, with full costs, and shall also, for every such offence, be deemed guilty of misdemeanour, and upon conviction thereof be fined no less than 500 dollars no more than 1000 dollars, or shall be imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than one year.

We have to chronicle the rather sudden death of Mr. Pynson Wilmot Longdill, who died on Saturday night. Mr. Longdill was the principal of the firm of Longdill and Co., and was in his sixty-fourth year. He had been ailing for some time, but wag not con sidered dangerously ill. On Saturday night he was seized with pain, and expired in a few minutes.

The competition for Lewisson's Cadet Champion Belt will take place at the Mount Eden range to-morrow (Tuesday) at nine o'clock.

The young children of the suburbs seem, like the cows, to have a penchant for wan dering away from their homes, and constables Clark and Mulville are frequently the happy tinders of the stray kids and the restorers of joy to weepiDg parents. A Mr Tait, living in Union-street, City West, spent nearly half-a-day in searching for two of his children yesterday, who had left their pudding half eaten, and stole forth into the light of nature. Mr Tait called but received no re ply, either from Bobby or Billy. He started off bareheaded, and like the woman in Hood's poem, exclaimed, " Dear me, I shall go wild ; I've lost, I've lost my child." He hunted among the gorse that " blooms un profitably gay," peeped into passages, examined groups of. Sunday - school children, looked into sly corners, crept down the gully, as the boys might be there engaged in the manufacture of mud-puddings, but Bobby and Billy were not to be found. At length he met Constable Andrew Clark, and upon stating the facts, the constable assured him that the lambs were safe; they had been found. The father's heart bounded with parental joy, and the innocents were taken home and sent supperless to bed.

It is reported from Chile that at Talca there was born a child with three eyes, one in the middle of the forehead and one at each side of the face.

Bismarck is said to be suffering so much from the tremendous strain upon his nervous system for the last few years that he has become as irritable as a child, and cannot bear the slightest annoyance. Be becomes furious under adverse criticism, and the Illinois Stoats Zeitung makes the astonishing statement that there are now no less than 700 prosecutions pending in the German Courts for "insult to the Chancellor." If the great Chancellor has indeed come to such a pass, it is clearly time for him to carry out the resolution which has for some time been attributed to him of withdrawing from public life after his sixtieth birthday, which occurs on the Ist of April. *

A Montivideo paper relates the following horrible story:—" In one of the interior de partments of Uruguay six carts were being driven, each by its carter, conducting the fruits of the country towards the frontiers. In the road eight Neapolitan Italians were met with, travelling on foot. The onaters offered to give them a lift in their carts. The Neapolitans accepted the hospitality of the simple cartmen. On the road these bandits made up their minds to kill the simple minded peasants, take the carts and all they had and sell them at the next market place. As soon as the poor cartmen were asleep they were everyone barbarously assassinated. The murderers proceeded with the carts selling produce as they went along. It how ever happened that on the arrival of the carts at a farm the owner recognized the carts and oxen by the marks on them. Seeing them in possession of persons entirely unknown to him, he communicated his suspicions to the police, who arrested the eight assasains. Three Chicago girls are opening a barber shop in that city. One is to do the lathering —another the shaving, while a third (a beau tiful blonde) is to sit on a sort of a throne, and play on the harp and sing. The oufit of the establishment, it is said, will cost £2400.

News from Chili states :—" The miracles said to be produced by the aqua de Lourdes are occupying the columns of the Chile papers, if not entirly the attention of the Chilian people. Heretics and other unbe lievers, says the Sepuhlica of the capital, ask for better evidence. One of these unbe lievers, on being asked what proofs would satisfy him, said, some such thing as a priest flying up in the air. Any way, this miracu lous water, it seems, has cured a poor Belgian patient affected with paralysis in the hospital of Valparaiso. The explosion that took place on board the ironclad Cochrane also afforded another occasion. The sailofa who were burnt were cured by it "in no time." Several subterraneous noises have been heard at Talca, and awful storms of thunder and lightning on the 20th ult. had frightened the people of Cauquenes. The lightnings became so repeated and vivid that the whole Corderillas and the coast were illuminated. The thunders were correspondingly terrific. The cloud from which was discharged this amount of electric fluid was carried by a light breeze to the south-east. During its progress it seemed to be united with the earth by streams of fire." The accounts of the strikes in the iron districts of Great Britain are" very harrowing. The following telegram f-om Merthyr appears in the London Standard of a late date :—" The lock-out still continues its dreary course, and the only change in its complexion is in the direction of increased suffering and misery. Last evening no fewer than 200 able-bodied men. principally iron workers, marched in procession through the town of Pontypool, on their way to the dis trict workhouse. The poor fellows had suffered the evils of enforced idleness for a period of fifteen weeks, but the volun tary contributions which constituted their only means of subsistence were found largely to overtax the resourccsof those who supplied them, and the men were obliged to abandon their heroic determination to preserve them selves from pauperism. The movement originated by the rector of Merfchyr for the relief of the children affected by this dead lock has produced some substantial results. On Tuesday 1200, and and on Wednesday 2000 famished and ill-clad little ones -were provided with a good dinner at the Drill Hall, and their eager hungry looks, and the avidity with which they devoured the food set before them, bore pathetic testimony to the privations entailed upon them by the existing struggle."

A novelty in billiard-playing attracts attention at the Cafe Lardier, Paris, where the most curious thing ie the proprietor, who plays billiards with his nose, which he first rubs with chalk in tae mo3t serious manner, there being no one of whom he does not win. It is not without a certain grace that M. Cordier bangs his nasal cartillage upon the ball, performing difficult strokes with won derful dexterity. Do not imagine that M. Cordier lias a nose of extraordinary dimen sions ; not at all. On the contrary, his nose is small and a little crushed.

The annual soiree of the Congregational Church in Hereford-street, will be held to morrow evening. Tea will be provided and on the table at half-past six o'clock. The evening will be devoted to addresses, music, and singing by the choir. A pleasant evening may therefore be anticipated.

At the first meeting of the members of the Auckland Institute this evening, Mr J. C. Firth, the president, will deliver the anniversary address. Rev. Dr Purchas will read an interesting paper on " The best line for the submarine cable between Australia and Nevv Zealand," and Captain T. Brown will eive a paper the " Coleoptera of Auck land." The attendance of ladies is invited.

Many persons had expressed fears that there would be no course of lectures this year in connection with the Young Men's Chris tian Association. Such persons are informed that a new winter course will be delivered and the programme will shortly appear. Sir George Grey's name, we understand, will be ou the list of lecturers, his Honor having kindly consented to deliver a lecture. His Honor will also take the chair at the opening meeting on Friday evening next, of which meeting, full particulars will appear. The musical department will be under the direc tion of Mr Mitchell.

It is the intention of Mr P. Doran and company to give a grand variety entertain ment on Moaday evening, May 24th (Qaeen's Birthday), in the City Hall, in aid of the funds of the troupe—for purchase of music, ward -1 robe, and many other necessaries which are ' requisite to make their performances success \ ful. The troiipe having always played for charitable objects, have had to bear their own expenses for anything they may have required, and they now make this appeal to : the public, feeling certain of liberal patron age, and by this means make the troupe ' more successful in giving performances for • the purpose for which they have banded together—" the cause that lacks assistance." Full particulars in bills and advertisements. A little urchin seven or eight years old, in a school where a Miss Blodgett was teacher, composed the follewing and wrote it on his slate at prayer time, to the great amusement of the boys :— "A little mouse ran up the stairs To hear Miss Blodgett say her prayers," The teacher discovered the rhyme, and called out the culprit. For punishment she gave him his choice to make another rhyme in five ; minuteß or be whipped. So, after thinking, and scratching his head till his time was ' nearly out, and the teacher was lifting the i L cane in a threatening manner, at the last moment he exclaimed : — " Here I stand before Miss Blodgett; She's going to strike and I'm going to dodge it." Attractions at the City Hall.—Ladies can make their purchases with comfort, and without the fatigue of ascending stairs. The New Show Rooms are now opened for the Display and Sale of Millinery, Manfeles, Shawls, Baby Linen, Ladies' Underclothing, Trimmed Hats, Bonnets, and Fancy Goods. An Experienced Milliner always in attend ance, whose excellent taste cannot fail to please. All orders executed with dispatch. Beautiful assortment of Winter Plain and Fancy Dress Materials, in fashionable colors. Special notice should be taken of the Man chester Goods, comprising Calicoes, Flannels, Sheetings, Blankets, Quilts, &c. Men's and Boy's Clothing in all sizes, in English and Colonial Tweeds ; Shirts, Hate, and Hosiery. The Furnishing Show Boom is well stocked with the latest designs in Floor Cloths, up to 24 feet wide. All kinds of Carpets at lower prices than any other house. Holloway and Garlick invite you to inspect their stock, and you may depend on getting excellent value for your money at the City Hall.—[Advt.] The question of spontaneous combustion has attracted more or less attention from scientists since 1692. Various French savants have regarded the phenomenon as possible j but the Germans, as Caspar and others, have refused to accept any argument in its support. M. de Shassaignol has conducted a revision of all the cases on record, and finds that no medical man nor trustworthy observer has ever witnessed the phenomenon, or obtained evidence of its occurrence at first hand. Numerous authors have declared that the human body burns with a blue flame and the production of an empyreumatic odor ; and it has been deemed plausible that the alcohol with which the tissues of drunkards are saturated might take fire. But, after death, the flesh of drunkards does not appear to be more inflammable than that of temper ate persons. Even when it has been soaked in alcohol for several days it burns with diffi culty. After injecting the veins of dogs and other animals with alcohol, it has been found impossible to effect this combustion. It has been suggested that inflamable gas might be generated, but no. case of the kind has been proved. On the whole, M. de Chassaignol arrived at the conclusion that the spontaneous combustion of a living animal cannot take place.

BA Provincial Gt-ovefnttient Gazette was pub lished this afternoon, containing the procla mation of the Queen's birthday as fis pnblie holiday. Also, notifications of the appoint- ments of Messrs Macready and Niccol to the Harbour Board. The boundaries of the Stokes' Point wharf are defined; various highway and Natives L*nd Court no tices are published. Also the Provincial accounts for the jrestr ending March Slat, which show the receipts tto have been £22,377* and a balance remains of £427 Of the receipts £7,100 was capitation and £6000 advance from General Government.

" One who likes his Beer" writes : " Sir,— Front the lucid financial statement of Mr. Reader Wood I find that of the total esti mated income to the ftO'th of June, amounting to £17,550, the bulk, natae^y, £11,500 is derived from publicans' licences. The balance of £6,050 is made up of goldfields revenue, capitation, confiscated lands, loan, sinking fund, and pilotage. Therefore as the gold fieldg absorb all they give, the same with pilotage, and the small balance is derived from special sources, I maintain that our hospital, asylum, and various other bene volent institutions, gaol, Superintendent, Executive, Provincial Council, and Provincial departments, besides such works as the pro vince is able to carry out during the period referred to, are paid wholly by the class to which I belong, while Good Templars and other teetotallers escape scot free. Now, sir, should not they by spontaneous contri butions come to the relief of the province in its present straits, and make up a sum equal to the " £11,500, before referred to, seeing that they enjoy quite as much benefit from benevolent institutions and the departments, necessary to govern as we do. Moreover, as they save not only the price of the licenses and duty on grog, bat also the publicans profit and cost of the raw material, they are in a better position to contribute than we, whose frail nature renders us dependent on stimu lants for the strength required for our daily labour. Is not he the best citizen, who contributes most, whether in time or in money.to public objects ? If so, I pray thee judge between me and my cold-water-loving neighbour." During a sudden squall last night either the cutter Whitby or Julia dragged and came in contact with the new Breakwater, doing damage to the extent of about £30. The Sovereign of the Seas fouled the cutter Fannie last night. Very little damage was sustained by either vessel. The anniversary services of the Congre gational Church, Beresford-street, were held yesterday. The Rev. W. J. Williams preached in the morning from James the i., 22nd and 25th verse, the subject beine; 1 " Hearing and Doing." The evening sermon wa3 preached by the Rev. Warlow Davies, M.A., frotn Luke xvi., 25th verse. " Son, Remember." The services were fully atten ded, and the collections amounted t& £17 133. The annual service will be held to morrow eA'ening. Tea will be provided at 6.30, after which speeches will be delivered by Messrs. Firth, Jiees, Seabrook, and Bar ton. Music will be rendered by the choir. The monthly inspection of No. 2 Company A.R.V. will tnke place on Thursday next. On Saturday Lieut. Eobin-ron's medal will be again offered for monthly competition and on Monday the 24th at 1.30, officers and money prizes will be fired for at the Mount Eden Range. At the last quarterly communication of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons, England, his R,oyal Higbnesss the Prince of Wales was elected Grand Master. It was reported to the Grand Lodge that His Royal Higness had granted, among others, for the following lodges since the last meeting :—Wellington Lodge, Wellington, New Zealand; Eden Lodge, Auckland, New Zealand. Tf-e usual monthly inspection parade of the Victoria Company, A.R.V., will be held in the Albeit Barracks, oq Tuesday, the 18th instant, at 7.30 p.m. A full muster is ex pected. A private subscription dance is advertised to take place to-morrow evening in the Parnell Hall for the physical benefit of the young and middle-aged. An adjourned summoned meeting of the Court City of Auckland, A.0.F., for the further consideration of the by-laws is ad vertised for this evening in the Cook-street HaU. The neat and picturesque Presbyterian Church at Remuera was opened yesterday by special services morning and cv ening. at which large congregations were present. The Rev. D. Bruce in the morning delivered an eloquent discourse from the text: "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him." (Matt. 3. ver. 13.) In the evening the Rev. R. F. Macnicol preached from Corinthians 3rd chap. 11th verse : "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." The collections, which were in aid of the building fund, amounted to £46 12s, namely, morning, £33 9a 6d, and evening, £13 2s 6d. A soiree in aid of the Church will be held on Thursday next, and will be one of the best entertainments of the kind ever held in Auckland or its vicinity.

A colonial Blondin has made his appear ance at Warrnambool. The Examiner says : —"Talk about Blondin! Why we have a man in this district who is quite equal to him. He waa engaged by the Committee of the Friendly Society's Sports on Monday last, and it is only a pity Ithat time did not allow the Examines and Standard to pro claim the fact, because there would have been thousands in attendance to witness his wonderful feats on the tight rope. Stretched between two heavy piles, 30ft from the ground, a rope appeared, not very thick, we should imagine about 3in. in circumference, and on this the 'Australian Blondin 5 did feats that even the veteran and volatile Frenchman would not despise. Walking across the rope to the tune of a march he did most decorously, walking smartly to a waltz was nothing, but carrying a boy about 12 years of age across on his shoulders, back wards and forwards, was done admirably. But when it came to the performer being blindfolded, and then enveloped in an im pervious sack, public excitement got up to a great height, and nearly all the ladies fainted. . He howe per, did this feat as well as all his previous -ones, and was very loudly applauded.

A movement has been initiated for the erection of a Templars' Hall in Newton which may be desiguated the head-quarters of the Order in Auckland, owing to the strength of the local lodges. A meeting to promote the object named was held on Friday evening, Brother James Cox pre siding. There was a good attendance, and everyone present manifested an earnest desire to co-operate in bringing the scheme to a successful issue. Various sug gestions were made such as the creation of a library, refreshment rooms, &c, in connection with the proposed hall, and no doubt some of these ideas will be given effect to. The mode of raising the necessary capital will probably be by the issue of low priced shares, which will enable everyone interested in the movement to contribute. The meeting appointed a preliminary build - ing committee, and a committee to select a suitable site. These committees will make the necessary inquries and report at a future meeting. At present there appears to be every prospect of success, and if the ideas of the promoters '■ are carried out, the hall erected will be an ornament to this rising suburb. s

Sims Beeves is to get £220 every time he sings during his engagement is America Yet there are many singers who would sine every night for eleven dollars—and their sine ing would make Sims Eeeves sick, too. biThe teacher who was whipped by his ggest scholar considered it a poor rule hat worked both ways.

POLICE COURT.—This Day.

(Before Dr. Home and John Lambert Tole, V Esq , Justices.) P&NK, BIBT, AND DEGRADATION. i i John Morris, John Anderson, Alexander % Kelly, Henry Savage, James McGuinnesa, James Henderson, William McKeown, and , Oliver Monkton were successively introduced I to the Bench, charged with being drunk and insensible on tbe evenings of Saturday and Sonday, and were fined 5s each, exceptng McKeown, who was fined 20a and costs, beiDg his second offence. "I'll be off your worship." William Shields was brought up on a charge of having no visible lawful means of support. Prisoner said lie was guilty, but he inten ded to be off if the Bench would kindly iet him go. $n'e Bench : Where will you be off to. __ Pristt*3T :: To the Waikato, your Worships. He was an innocent man, and had never beeia before the Court before.

Mr Broham stated that prisoner had stood in the dock fourteen times. Prisoner : If you will let me off your Worships, I'll be off the Walkato at once, even to-day. The charge was then withdrawn, on con dition that prisoner cleared out at once. TJNFATURAL PARENTS. Eliza Cash, a well-known person, wa3 brought up on warrant, charged with failing to contribute the sum of 2s 6dper week towards the support of her child in the In dustrial School. Serjeant Bullford, who kept the Industrial School accounts, showed that £6 7s 6d waa now due. Prisoner said she was now m a situation at the Thames, and was willing to pay if time was allowed. The Bench granted a month for payment of the amount. William Brooks (on warrant) was charged with tbe same neglect. Sergeant Bullford shewed that a debt of £4 17 6d was due to the school from tha defendant." Mr Broham said that the prisoner made no effort to contribute. Defendant dogmatically stated that he no means ; he had neither money nor goods ; he was not particularly interested ; ho had been in prison before. The Bench : How will you pay the amount? Defendant: Can't pay at all j got nothing to pay with. The Bench : Have you any goods ? Defendant : No. The Bench : We are are willing to giv« you time, say a fortnight's grace, ifjou wil pay. 1 Defendant: Ha ; got nothing, can't pay. The Bench: Then you must go to priscn. Defendant : Ha, can't help it. The Bench : You must go to prison for a fortnight with hard labour. Defendant: Ha. Francis Burgon, on warrant, was brought up on a similar charge, and told a similar story. He had got neither money nor pro perty, only two children in the Industrial School. Amount due, £G 10s. One month's imprisonmont with hard labour. The charges against AntoDia Nicholson for similar neglect in not paying £3, and Stephen Home, £1 55., were withdrawn, as defen dants paid the money previous to coming into Court. Susan Wathrell was ordered to pay five shillings a week towards the support of her two children in the Home for Neglected Children. Defendant promised to do her best, but at present she was penniless, her husband having bolted and left her destitute. THE GAPFIITS. Ellen Gaffin was summoned for using terrible language towards her lawful husband Henry Gaffin, on the 7th inst.-, whereby the said Henry Gaffin feaaed that his natural life would be brought to a sudden termina tion by Ellen's claws, and not in accordance with the law of decay. Henry Gaffin was convicted of drunken ness a few .days since, and his wife, Ellen, hunted up her friends, and paid the fine, after which she so terrified Henry, that he preferred imprison ment to liberty if subjected to feminine rule. After preferring the charge against Ellen, Henry decamped instead of appearing against the woman to whom his heart was bound. As there was no appearance the charge fell through, and Ellen left the precincts of the Court to go in quest of Henry, who had last been seen running, with hat in hand, towards the wharf, with the intent, it was supposed, of committing suicide. ATTITUDES AND BLOWS. Thomas Lupton again appeared in answer to a charge of assaulting George McCaslin on tbe 21st April, on theKyberPass road. Mr Rees appeared for McCaslin, and stated that Mr Laishley, ,who was engaged for the defence, was very unwell and could not be present; he would therefore ask for an ad journment of the case. Adjourned until Wednesday. This closed the business.

A WASHERWOMAN ON POSTAGE.

(To the Editor of the Evening Stab). Sib, —I hear that you be a good natur'd man, and do answer all hard questions that we poor people puts to you. Ibe a poor woman, with a sick old man, and three little grand children orphan's as are to keep, and one son in England. My old man's friend comes in the other evening, and my old man says :—" How we be a tax'd here !" So the other answers: " Well, you be a taxed to pay for the mails as goes to England and for the passenger boats for our great men to get here in, and for the banks and merchants to send their letters in, and you must a pay such taxes, although I do grumbles at this myself sometimes." And then the two of them did fell too a grum blin' loud over the taxes which we pays for sending letters about and a getting fast vessels for the letters to go in, and our great men to get along comfortable. But I think to myself, thinks I, " Well, we be a taxed in this blessed country!" Two days after wards I goes to the post with a letter for my one boy, as I have in England, and the man there he says to me, " Come, old lady, this won't do, you must put a shillin's worth of stamps on this." So I plucks up courage andi says to the gentleman, "What! am I to be tax'd. again npon my letters; I be awmost ruin'd with your tax's awready !" And so he squares himself to look big at me, and says he to me: "It aren't any taxation this; you V havn't a been to my Universate, or yoa> would a been taught that there." Well, Mr Editor, my eyes they filled up with tears when I heard this, for it was the last shillin in the world that I had to give to put stamps upon my letter, and I were a aggravated sore at bein told this warh't taxation. I could not send my letters by \ any one else, who would have tuk it for me for thrippens and then that aire fella tellin me that I wara't tax'd, and that they had pruo'd it to be Greek at the Univarsate that you payin for" the Post-office warnt taxation ! Now, Mister Editor, what I want to ask you is, to tell me what it be. They do make me pay so much mare on my sugar, on my tea, on my soap, on my starch, and button-blue, of which I use a good deal, and on my clothes, and on the lawleys for my grandchildren and this is all to help, in fact to pay the cost of,, sending the letters about to the marchants and the other great people we've got here and elsewhere in New Zealand. AaA^^aJn they make me spend another shillin',||rft last I had in the world, to send homevJW letter to my poor boy, that they till me tj»» great man at the, Universate have {■•'., shown by Greek such as they talks M that Univarsate that this ain't taxation*

THI BYlfrßftt BTAP, MONflA'f, MAY 17, lm



i rpENDEES will be received at.this I office until SATURDAY, the 22nd May, for I the Erection of an Engine Shed at Mercer, in accord- I ance with drawings and specifications to be seen at j this office. A deposit of one per cent, to accompany | each tender. JOHN BROGDEN & SONS. ; Albert Barracks, May 17, 1875.



g HO W J£ 00M. S NOW COMPLETE. ;JUST OPENED UP AT THE CITY HALL, r AtfOTHEB SHIPMENT op BONNETS AND HATS, Cheapest in the Pkovince. Black Velvet, trimmed, at 5s 6d. Black Straw, trimmed, from 3s lid. Waterproofs, from 3s 6d. Ladies' Jackets, from 4s lid. Mantles, Shawls, Clouds, Skirts, and U clothing. JUST TO HAND— ■ — A VERY LARGE ASSORTMENT OP CAEPETS, FLOOR, CLOTHS, DOOR AND.SHEEPSKIN MATS, ' &c., &c. " HOLLO WAIT G A R LI OK, CITY HALL, 230, Queen-street, Auckland.



rpO-NTGHT! ! HTO-NIGHT ! ! WILL BE EXHIBITED IN THE WINDOW 01 THE PANTHEON, AND FOE ONE NIGHT ONLY, F 0 0 Pv P R E TAW! TO-NIGHT ! TO-NIGHT 1 FORD,:; POTTER 'ft QO; • ■ l: Ty" E A R-RE SI STING r F A3 RIC BOYS' AND YOUTHS' CLOTHING. Ai HNAB"CrRY & QO, ' '■' '< Width (newly Two yards wfdef 3s 6d, 3a IU, and 4a 6d PER YARD. FIFTY D02E.1 PAIKB " UPERIOR KID GLOVES, In aUtho leading colors, ONLY la Hi PERfPAJTy. j



T pOSGRAYE AND f^O. BEG to inform the Inhabitants of Auckland that, owing to excessive shipments to hand, and expected, they find it necessary to call a Sale of their DRAPERY and MEN'S CLOTHING, both Wholesale ana Retail. The entire Stock, valued at c§"75,000, has been Re-marked, and will ba offered to the Public at COST, US* Tho SALE COMMENCES TRIS DAY (FRIDAY), the 7th May, S3H flt our Retail Premisea, Queen-street. jS JUNCTION DRAPERY WAREHOUSE. £J We are now Opening up OTJE NEW TOOK AUTUMN AND WINTER DRAPERY & CLOTHING, To Hakd Ex Ada, Bauon Abedakk, &c, To our order direct from the Manufacturers. FRENCH MERTNOES in all coloura ALL WOOL PLAIDS ' WINCEYS SKIRTINGS SHIETINGS PLANNERS BLANKET 3 SHEETINGS And every description of FURNISHING GOODS. A Choice Lot of CHILDREN'S, MAID'S, AND L4DTE3' WATER PROOF CLOAKS AND MANTLES LADIES' BLACK CLOTH JACKETS. HOSIERY, ETC. FANCY DRESS MATERIALS in great variety. NEW CLOTHING, ETC. To be followed by further fhipments ex Emily McLarren snd Dunedin, RUSHBROOK & BRIDGMAN, (Late R. Pobb-.). JUNCTION DRAPERY WAREHOUSE, Opposite the Army ard Navy Hotel, Upper Queex-street, Auckland. HHHORNTON", SMITH, & FIRTH'S X PRICES CLTP.RENT (Wholesale) :— £ s. (1. Fine Vlour, silk-dresse3, " Crown Brand," per ton of 2,0001ns H 0 0 Ditto, ditto, "X.S. &F. Brand," ditto.... 10 10 0 Sharps, ditto 0 10 0 Bran, ver bushel of 20!bs 1 3 Fowl Wheat, per bushel of GOlbs 4 0 Bags charged.—Terms : Cash. THORNTON, SMITB, & FIRTH.



Premature Decay. — From inherent weakness, overwork, continued exposure to ;:-. whole some air or sudden variations of temperature, from business cares, sorrow, or other causes the consti tutions of many persons prematurely decay. Under s'ueh circumstances, a wise discrimination should be exercised in selecting the material wherewith to repair dilapidation and restore the Iruman edifice. Bemember that the sanction of four thousand physicians has been accorded to Udolpho Wolfe's Schiedam Aromatic Schnapps.