SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

HIGH -WATER : Tbia evening, 1.17 ; to morrow morning. 2 2 SUN SEI: This eveniug, 6.53 ; SUN RISE : "to-*. morrow morning, 6 19 "xi% MOON'S AGi3 : New Moon, 6th April, 6,15 p.m. i ■

ARRIVALS.

■eortune, schooner, from East Coast

DEPARTURES.

St Kilda, s s, for Wanganui Hero, s s, for Syduey

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

Jfor JVewcaetle—Derwent, brig, earJy For Russell—Emu, s s to-morrow For Wangaroa— KioLoge brig, at once For the South—L^dybid, e.s, 3rd April For s-an FmnCisco-R.M. ss Cyphrenes (English Mail), 16th proximo. For leodoc- Eapido; barque, early; "W. "W. Smith, ship, early For Uuneiiin—MaEgi) P&terson, schooner, early For Xytteltt-n—Flirt, brigantine, early

VESSELS EXPECTED

Star of iha South, s s, from Levuka, early "^ isiou, brig, from the Islands W. W. Smith, ship, from Lvttelton, early Cabarfeidb, barque, from Boston, via Table Bay ; sailed December 21 Emily McLaren, barque, from London ; sailed 20th January Caller dv. ship, KM P X, from London ; Bailed Ferngleu, ship, from London : sailed 2nd Januaiy Shooting Scar, Darque, KSkV, from London ; siiled Dec 23 Kapido, barque, PGRL, from New York, via Adelaide Lochnasrar, barque, from London, early Tien Xsiu, barque, from Launceston, early

EXPORTS.

Per Her,o, for Sydney :—2 hhds rum, 223 pockets sugar, Brown, Campbell and Co ; 9 tins potatoes, S. Lipstine; 2-cases saddlery, J. A. Barber; 15 bales fungus, John lleid; lease stationery, M. T. Clay ton ; 2(10 pkgs mouldings, Union Sash and Door Co; 77 empty cases, It. rthur;23o bales phormium, J. B. Roberts. For Melbourne—2 cases cocoa, G. W. Binney; l box gold, Bank of Australasia; 5 do do, Bank of New Zealand; 50 bales phormium, J. S. Macfarlane.—Cruickshank and Co, agents.

The s s. Hero took her departure for Syd ney to-day at noon. Her cargo is detailed under the heading exports. Passengers :— Saloon to Melbourne : Mr Henry Byren, and Mr. P. Hall. Saloon to Sydney : Mr. G. Wilson, Mr. Bage, Miss Watts, Miss G. "Watts, Mr and Mrs. Ireland and family (3). Messrs. Cox, J. D. Garwood, Kitz, Harper, Lawiy, Hoberg (2), Moulton, G. Ehodes, G. Jones, Misses Adnam, M. Sandille, and 6 in the steerage. To Sydney : Steerage, 41.

The schooner Belle Brandon called in at Mangaia at the end of January. She stayed there one day, and left for Varaitai.

The ketch Pearl and the schooner Ryno were at Aitutaki a week before the Blanche, about the middle of February. They called in for provisions and were bound for Penrhyn Island. The Tahiti schooner, Lorley, was at Aitutaki with the Blanche.

We understand that Captain Palmer, yesterday, successfully passed his examination as master, before the local Marine B-iard He is to succeed Captain Farqi.har. as C3mm»nd»r of the s s Star of the South

A brig supposed to be the Eudaxie Adolphine, from Adelaide, with graiu, is signalled as we go to press.

EXPORT OF GOLD.

The Hero to-day was the bearer of 6 boxes of gold, 5 of which were exported by the Bank of £ew Zealand. This contained 1747 ozs. 9 dwts. 12 grs., from Nelson, value £0989 18s ; 534 oz3. 10 dwts. from West land, value £2138 ; 3503 ozs. 1 dwt. 12 grs. from Auckland, value, £14880 Is Id ; 1 box shipped by the Bank of Australasia, con taining 1177 ozs., value, £4400.

STOCK AND MINING REPORT.

Business done to-day :— Bank of ]Sew Zealand—lßs 5d ; Buyers, £18 ; sellers, £18 7s 6d. Rational Bank—Buyers, 70s. Colonial bank— (30s paid up)— Sellers, 26s Fiji Bank—Sellers, 57s 6d. South British Insurance—sos; Sellers, 50s. Union Sash and Door—Buyers, £9 10s Caledonian, (double issue)—7oa. City of London—Buyers, 44a. Exchange—2s. Union Beach—Buyers, 9s. Bismarck—Sellers, 11s. Cure—Sellers, 7s 6d.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails ■will Close as follows .-r- For Thames, ihisdar, a* 5 3O''p m . • ■"'. fr'or Opotiki, per Coralie, this day, at 5 pm. For.;:W.iiwera .anrt .Warkworth, per Lady Bowen, to morrow, at 30 am Per as Ladybird on Saturday next, as under :— For India, China, Mediterranean Forts, and Continent of Europe, at a 11 30 am For Turanaki, Southern Provinces, and Austra lian Colonies, at 1 p m For United Kingdom, via Suez and Southamp ton (for letters sf>eci<ly addressd), at Ipm #'or Uni-ed Kingdom, via BrinrtM. and late letters for Sjuthern Provinces and Melbourne, a*, 8.15 am For money orders, registered letters, and news papers, at 11 a m (Signed) S. E. Biss, Chief Postmaster.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Veritas. — The publication of your letter would render yourself and us liable to an action foe libel, with almost a certainty of securing heavy damages.

MARRIAGE.

SMITH—STRONG—On the 30th instant, at St. Matthew's Church, by the Rev. It. S. Hansard, Walter Smith to Susan Emily Strong, fourth daughter of liobert Strong, oi' this city. No fiords.

DEATHS.

KIBBLEWHAITE—On the 15th January, 1575, at Sknigh, Berkshire, England, William KibblcwhuUe, late of Auckland, N.Z., aged 04 years.

WYLDE-UHOWNE—On March 91, at her parent's residence, Parnell, Agnes Eva Wylde-Lrowne, aged 7 months.

FKY—Ou the 31st March, at the Korth Shore, Eliza, the beloved wife of liobert Fry.

The funeral will leave the residence of Mr Mann, Earaugahapu Koad, on Friday next, at 3 p m.

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

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1875.

For the c.iuse Hint lacks assistance, .tor the wrong t.mt r.cviU r^islimue, '"or the future in (lie distiince- Ai-.d the uo od tliit, we esui do.

Sir George Alfred Arno.y who hss occupied the high office of Chief Justice of New Zea land for the last seventeen years> retired to day. It has fallen to the lot of very few judges, to merit the high praise which is clue to Sir George for the impartial manner in which he has all along discharged his arduous duties in the Supreme Court. ISo man if he pursues a &traight - forward and independent of action can avoid making some enemies, but ii; may bo paid of Sir George Aruey that he has st'.cceedeii per haps better than any other judge in the colony in giving satisfaction on boi;h sides in his decisions. We are heartily Borry to lose a man to whose acute sense of judicial probity the most vexed issues—issues im bued with all the bitterness of party ani mosity - might be, and have been, left for settlement with the utmost confidence. That Sir G:'ort;e Amey may live long to enjoy his well-merited retirement from toil is the heart felt wish, of tne citizens of Auckland.

We think the last has not vet been heard of the ltefuge embro,2lio. We yesterday gave an analysis of the report of the Commissioners recently appointed and the conclusions to which ie pointed. We have to-day received a large amount of additional information, but in order to properly digest it we are obliged to hold it over till to-morrow. However on one point we may venture to remark ; namely that the enquiry made and the report cannot be regarded as being particularly omplote and exhaustive.

This morning at the kat sitting of the Supreme Court before His Honor Sir George A. Arney, Mr Alfred E. Wbitakor ad mitted solicitor and barrister of the Supreme Court of the colony. The application was made in the usual form by Mr F. Whitaker, the father of the new aspirant to le^al and forensic honors. It must have been highly pleasing to Sir George that one of his latest acts should be to admit to the Ear a son of a gentleman with whom he hast been so inti mately connected, nnd who lias figured so prominently in the history of the Province ail through His Honor's Chief Justiceship — a gentleman who has every right to be termed the father of the Bar in Auckland.

Was our respected contemporary the Herald perpetrating a horrible pun, when in describing the ceremony of the layiDg of the inauguration stone of the waterworks it said : " There were a few ladies on the rising ground, who were perhaps interested specta tors, though there was very little of any gal-a air about the display ?" We hope not.

Messrs Samuel Cochrane and Son to-day disposed of that freehold property in Parnell, haviDg 40ft. frontage each to the Manukau Boad and .Rutland-street, by a depth of 157 links to >'elson-street, with the nine-roomed dwelling-house, stable, &c, thereon erected, as occupied by the late Mrs E. Godley. The price realised was £455, and Mr Ellison was the purchaser.

A fatal accident occurred in Whitaker's bush, Uakarau, on Saturday last. A bush man named John Robinson, was engaged with two others felling a kauri tree, when it suddenly fell in the opposite direction to that anticipated, crushing deceased to death almost instantaneously. One of .Robinson's mates named Isaac Currie, also had a narrow escape, as he and deceased ran in the same direction, but Currie, looking up, saw the tree falling on them, and turned and ran the opposite way, thus escaping. Deceased was formerly in the 65th Regt., and arrived in the colony by the ship Java, in 1846.

To the Editor: Sir,—As there are many Old Paulines, and some belonging to the Mercer's Company, residing in the Provinces of Auckland, Napier, and Nelson, I was requested by my old schoolfellows, at a meeting held February 2nd, 1875, in the library of St. Paul's School, London, to publish in the Evening Star, the whole account of that meeting. They also desire me, through your paper, to beg them to use their influence against the proposed scheme of the Endowed Schools Commissioners. I shall therefore be obliged, if Old Paulines residing in this Province, will communicate with me before September 30ch, 1875. Trusting, therefore, that you will pub lish the account of that meeting.— I am, &c, H. E. Wadham Suttost, St. Matthew's School, Hobson-3treet, Auckland. [The report furnished by Mr Sutton is too lengthy and of too little general public in terest here to warrant its publication in our columns. We may, however, state that the meeting was held to protest against certain changes proposed by the Endowment Commis sioners in the government of the school. The Rev Mr Whittington, Mr Lord, Baron Pollock, Mr Alfred fcnell, JF.R.S.. MrEddis, Q. 0., Dr Kingdon, and other Old Paulines spoke on the subject, and various resolutions were passed. We have no doubt the object Mr Button haa in view will be gained by this publicity, as, by application to him, any Old Paulines residing here will be able to see the Standard's report and obtain further in formation.—Ed. E.S.]

A large white and black pigeon belonging to thia office was liberated by mistake beyond Bangitoto. The bird was not in training, having been kept in for breeding purposes. IV would probably settle some where on the North Shore. Anyone seeing such a stray bird about will greatly oblige.

It was with great difficulty that any justice could be obtained this morning to preside at the Police Court, and constables were running in all direction?, and meeting with all sorts of excuses ; one gentleman was so busy vvritiug letters for the mail, and enclosing his carte de visile to his Sydney and Melbourne friends, that he could not come; another was out hunting and could not come ; another had gone into the country to fetch his v\ife and family, and could not come ; and a fourth was laid up with tbo goufrin his great; toe, and of course could not come. At length, at a quarter to eleveu o'clock, one gentleman r^ade his appearance, and the business commenced.

At the adjourned meeting of the fiiends of tbe Young Men's Christian Association last evening, Mr Thomns Buddie, the respected secretiry, announced that £474 5* had been collected of promised towards the liquidation fund, which came up to within £25 of the required sum. An announcement was also made that Mr Donnea would giye his lime light views of famous English cathedrals, abbeys, and castle ruins, on Tuesday evening next, accompanied by a descriptive lecture by Mr. Dennes, who will tender his services gratuitously Tor the benefit of the los'itute. The meeting was addressed by Rev P. Mason, Captain Daldy, and Messrs BattJey, Macffar lane, Shnlders, Conplancl, Lewis and Hold ship. The Venerable Archdeacon Mautisell occupied the chair. The following resolu tion, on the motion of Mr Holdship, seconded by Mr Battley, was carried : — "Thot n committee be appointed to take into consideration the financial position of the Association, and to determine in what manner the £500 collected shall 1)3 em ployed for furthering thr> object of the Asso ciaiion, the committee to consist of the fol lowing : —Messrs IToldship, Battley, New man, Macfiarlane, Daldy, Coupland, Mason, Buddie, KUis, Lewis, Longshore, Main, Ew ington, Ellingham." The affairs, therefore, in connection with this useful institute seems ncai-ing a healthful and hopeful position,

The anniversary tea-meeting in connection with the Sheridan-street Sunday-school, was held last evening in the chapel, which was crowded. A sumptuous tea was nrovided, presided over by the ladies, who paid the utmost; attention to friends. The Rev. Walter Harris Was called to the chair, supported by the Ilev. W. Sharp, of the Thames, and Mr T. H. Smith, the treasurer, who read the anuual report. Mr. Smith stated that during the latter part of the year many of their scholars had been laid aside with the prevailing sickness, but not one of the children had died, and now they were all restored to health. The Sunday-school numbers 112 scholars, and 13 teachers ; the average attendance in the morning was SO, and in t'.-e afternoon 74, being an increase of 42 over live number of the pas" year. Tho income, including a balance of £4 14s 91 from the previous y-^r. w.ih £35 17s 2d. and the expenditure £'.V 2 10s S.\, lraving a credit b"J men df £3 (>s Gd ; they had circulated 1200 periodicals anion^' the children during tho y.ar, and could now count more th.in 200 volumes of soun 1 literature in their library. Mr. Smith's remarks on the qualifications of a Sunday-school teacher were expressed with much humour. "A teacher," he said, " should not only possets love to God and goodwill to man, but an unlimit ;d measure of patience and perseverance, with a little pocket be hind to pocket all affront?. He should have nothing combustible about him, or a contrary rub would cause him to fl ire up." The speeches of the Rev. Messrs Harris and Sharp were sensibly brief, and the remainder of tho evening was devoted to recitations by the scholars, an se'ect hymns by tho choir. Somo of the children recited well, especially Jvliss Carrie, who carried oft' the palm in 'Faith, Hope, and Charity," a pathetic ballad by Mrs. Sewcll. Mr. Carlaw, the chapel barmoniumist, per formed the musical accompaniments in a skilful and correct manner.

The traffic returns of the Auckland and Onehunga railway for the four weeks end ing January 30, show that 19,90(5 persons travelled along the line, and 534 tons of goods. In February (no doubt owing to the January returns boing swelled by holiday excursions) there was a considerable decrease, only 11,35G passengars travelling on the line, but the goods traffic shewed an increase, the freight amounting to GGS tons. The total receipts in January were £Sll 15a 2d. and in February only £593 17s sd. From this it will bo seen that the holiday traffic on the line was worth £217 18s 9d to the department. It is hardly necessary to point out that almost the only attraction to excursionists in this direc tion is the Ellerslie Gardens, yet the chief aim of the present system of management seems to be to do these Gardens, on which the line itself so largely depends for success, the very greatest amount of injury possible. If Mr Graham had not engaged in the enter prise of pleasure gardens at a suitable distance from the city along the line, it would have been a wise mea sure for the Government to have promoted such a centre of attraction by a substantial money gift; and yet^, when at a very great cost such a desideratum has been supplied by private enterprise, instead of co operating cordially with the proprietor, the railway management has done everything possible to injure him. Surely the rotten ness of this state of things has, ere this, dawned upon the obtuse intellects of those at the head of our affairs.

A melancholy plight for a bather is re corded in a San Francisco paper :—"Antonio Descale, an Italian, forty years of age and unable to speak Eaglish, was brought before the Commissioners of Insanity. Ho is partially blind. A day or two since he went into a lagoon for a bath, and while he was thus enjoying himself some one made off with his clothes. An officer discovered Signor Descale in a state of nature waltzing; round on the bank in a frenzy of rage at his loss, and hauled him up as a lunatic. He was discharged."

Dr. Day has kindly forwarded us on behalf of Widow Holtham £1, for which we thank him. We hope other person? will follow his example. Also 10s. from Mrs Messenger, sen., of Epping House, Queen-street.

Mr Lannigan finished to-day his contract for the filling in of the part of Mechanics' Bay cut off iaside the railway embankment. It is hardly two mQDths since the contract was taken, and the work has been carried out with a promptitude which may well serve as a model to other contractors. Fine weather has favoured the undertaking, but with all advantages the contractor deserves great credit for the way he has done his work. It will be recollected that Mr Lan nigan's tender was nearly £1000 below the next above him, and was considerably below the estimate prepared by the Surveying Engineer of the Harbour Board. In spite of this, we are pleased to learn that Mr Lanni gan has secured a good margin of pnQfc after paying all expenses. The reflection can hardly be avoided that some of the other contractors must have wanted to make a pretty good rise out of the work. We trust that a contractor who has done so well will not be long before he has some other of our great improvements committed to his hands.

A letter received from a gentleman, now located at Cape Town, C.Gr.H., reports that the diamond fields are in a bad. way—a very few paying expenses. Many of the claims are 150 feet deep, and what with the labour of hoisting dirt and pumping water, to say nothing of the hundreds of tons of earth that fall in at short intervals, and consequent extra labour and danger, diggers are fast realizing thab the old ways are giving out, and that stock companies must soon take their places. Not over 3,000 whites and blacks are now at the fields, .while a few years ago there were ten or fifteen times that number. ,;.,, j / -. •..

The nomination of a candidate to fill the vacancy in the Provincial Council caused by the death of the late William Hay, Esq., M;'P.O. took place at the Court-house, Papukura, at noon yesterday. Mr O'Cal laghan, Keturning Officer, conducted the nomination —Messrs James Crawford, junr., William Moigan, aad Joseph Orispe were duly proposed for the vacant seat. Each candidate having expounded his views, a show of huida was taken with the following result : - Crawford, 19 ; Crisp, 9 ; Morgan, 5. The poll will take place on the ISfcb April.

An American "notion," of the simplest and most practically useful kind, has been submitted to ua by the manufacturer. It; is intituled the " American- Hat and and Cloi.jb.es i\a.jk," and the name explains the object. It consists of ten. ppgs affixed to bars moving on pivots, no that the whole structure can be made to extend latterly or perpendicularly, so assuming the most differ ent forms according to tho taste of the owner, or the requirements of wall space. The arrangement, which is neatly made and polished, hangs by three rings, ne^essibating but three small mils in the wall for ils suspension and can of course be removed at pleasure to dust or clean the wall. When nob in use it folds up into very small space, and altogether is an exceedingly handy tasteful and ornamental pieca of hall furni ture. Last, not least, it is a local manufac ture and as such deserves encouragement. It can be supplied by the maker, Mr Peter Lool, at the small price of seven and sixpence, and as tosecib is no admire it, any person wishing for a Jook at the " notion " can have a sight of it for a few days by looking into our publishing oliice.

Mr Albertz, of Manc{awai, has manufac tured 1000 gallons of wine from this year's vintage, and expects to produce 600 gallons more before the season is over. Other' vine growers in the district have been most successful.

PIGEONS FROM THE THAMES.

The following items are from the Thames Advertiser of this morning forwarded by our pigeons:

The parcel of quartz weighing about 2cwt., brought down by some Ohinemuri pros pectors to be tested and reduced by Mr. C. F. Quint, of the Willoughby-street bakery, was yesterday further tested at the Bank of Australasia, and the result was a yield of three and a-balf grains of refined gold. Taere are 15,680,000 grains to the ton. Captain Fiaser camo down to the Thames by the night boat on Monday, and left for Ohinemuii yesterday morning The Govern ment have, it appears, agreed to Captain Fraser's request that there should be an investigation into the matter of how miners' rights got out of the office before the Held was proclaimed, and indeed they could scarcely refuse. la the street corner talk about tnia matter, it is said that the man to whom the knowledge can be traced will not divulge the secret, but will suffer six mouths' imprisonment first, lie will lind it a difficult matter to resist the pressure of a special inquiry aud of the investigation which will arise out of the ca-jes to come before the Warden's Court;. Wo fancy that if he does not make a clean breast of it, ho can be accommodated with much ruoro than six months' imprisonment. But even independent of him, we have no doubt that the matter can be so closely traced to certain officers that they will find it to bo their boat policy to make a frank confession.

The stone from the Banyan claim, Ohime muri, which created something iike a sensa tion in town on Monday, and respecting which the opinions of the quidnuncs were so equally divided, was still tho subject of dis cussion yesterday. Mr Horton, assaycr of tho National Bank, got po?session of the stone, aud applied a chemical tO3t. This is not yet completed, but so far as it has gone, it has shown that the metal appearing in the quartz is gold, and Mr Horeon, we believe, is con vinced that it is gold. Mr J. W. Walker, who on Monday was convinced that the metal was not gold, but mundic, again examined the stone yesterday and expressed his readiness to recant, and to join the hand of those who went in for gold. Tho patch of metal upon the surface of some of the stone had been touched with acid, and this had, to some extent, altered the appearance. It is quite easy to be conceived that gold and mundic may assume different appearances in dif ferent districts. We suppose that no one who has been on this field for any time, and looked even occasional at quartz specimens would be likely to make a mistake as to what was gold, but in the reefs at Ohinemuri the precious metal may be mixed up with pyrites in such a way as to make it difficult to distinguish.

OHINEMURI.

(Fom our Special Correspondent.)

Monday. THE UNFORTUNATE MAN BOOKER,

William Booker, a digger, lately arrived from Canterbury, was lost in the Bush on Thursday last. On Friday and Saturday his mates, together with the Armed Conaabulary and a number of diggers started off to see if they could discover *any traces of the lost one. The search was unsuccessful, and grave fears were entertained for the safety of the missing man. Those fears were un fortunately too well founded, for on yester day afternoon a hat was found floating in the river, and in the vicinity of a deep hole above which rose a steep cliff close to Mackay town and his (Booker's) own tent, one of the Armed Constabulary dived to the bottom of the cole, some 13 feet, and brought to the surface the body of the unfortunate digger, William Booker, who must evidently in the darkness have tumpled over the cliff into the deep water and been drowned, contusions on the head shewed that he had struck against something in his descent, which, no doubt, stunned him. The sum of twelve pounds was found in his pocket, and is now in the hands of the police. William Booker is the first victim, and I am afraid that in the coming winter with its swollen rivers and long dark nights, many more catastrophes of a like nature will be recorded.

THE HOLIDAYS.—GOLD IN THE

MAOltl CLAIM,

During the holidays we cannot of course be expected to furnish much in the way of mining news, but I hear that the Maori Claim adjoining the Prospectors, Karanga hake have come upon gold, their claim is however in dispute and before the Warden, and they say if they get a clear title to the ground they will at once shew the gold which is in another reef from that cut by the pros pectors Thorpe and party. SHARES SOLD AT GOOD PRICES.

Some splendid stone has been exhibited from the Banyan claim which will doubtless not disappoint the sanguine expectations of the shareholders. An interest in this claim has already changed hands for the sum of £50 and £200 was offered for a share in the Pros pectors, Karanghake. The offer was however refused.

THE COAL MINES

Since my last letter I have visited the coal outcrops at Pukitana, and can testify to the fact that the claimants have a good and valuable stock in hand. The seams (for there are two already uncovered) rest upon an old sandstone foundation, which reflects through the water in the creek, giving it the appear ance of a river of blood. Hennelly and party—the first applicants—have had their ground surveyed ; and, having capital to start with, intend starting the tramway, and opening on the coal at once. The tramway from the coal mines will doubtless be ex tended at once to the Puke, and will prove a great boon to the district at large, for (in the winter time) I am told that it is almost an impossibility for even a pedestrian to roach

the Pake from the Paeroa. At the coal mines, another township is certain to spring tip Very shortly j and then, in the radius of a "few miles, we shall be blest with five town snips, None of them, however, can be ex pected to reach the proportions of Grahams town and Shortland where the area of avail liV> Hat land is so limited.

SHORT WEIGHT BREAD,

Some weeks ago a complaint was made against a baker living in our midst for sell ing short weight. It was hoped that he would have seen the error of hi 3 ways ; but no, the evil still continues, for the other day I was called into a store to witness the weighing of a four-pound loaf, which to my astonishment was \\h short weight. It is a great pity that no measures seem to be available for stopping this wholesale robbery, which is made worse by the facb of the digger having to pay at the high rate of one shilling per four-pound loaf. I have been requested by numerous diggers to give the above publicity through the medium of your columns, and I trust that by so doing it will not escape the notice of the Weights and Measures Inspector, whose duty it is to cure the short weight evil.

ANCHOVIES AND TOAST.

(from our London correspondent.)

London, February 9, 1875 MR. JOHN BRIGHT.

Mr Bright has sadly disappointed his friends by an inflammatory, weak, and ill judged speech Which he made at Birming ham, a few days ago. The speech was supposed to be a review of the situation, but in fact it was nothing more or less than a savage and graceless attacks on the Estab lished Church. The only cure Mr Bright can suggest for the disorganisation of the Liberal party is the consideration of disestablishment ' Why, it 'is this very consideration of the question that has caused the break up in their ranks. Mr Bright does not wish to be the leader of a crusade against the church. 0, dear, no ! He says it is one of the abominations of the age, and ought to be swept away ; but after saying this in the most exciting and excited manner, he immediately disclaims any intention of a wish to do the establishment an injury. It is as if the editor of your weak-kneed contemporary—the "Cross " — were to come and stand in front of your windows in Wyndham-street, and then calling hia run boys around him were to abuse you, and say your office ought to be pulled down, and then walk off saying— " Now I hope you boys won't throw any stones at those windows." But what must bo most lamentable for Mr Bright's friends and admirers is the feebleness of the eratwbi'.e Tribune's remarks, arguments, logic, and oratory. The most famous and brilliant spokesman of his day and party utterly failed at Birmingham. Those who think with him on Dis establishment have utterly mistaken the present temper of the people of England. If tho senior member for Birmingham could persuade all professing Liberals that the disestablishment of the Ckurch ought to form a part of their progaamme, he would .do much to consolidate Liberals no doubt, but his last great speech seems to indicate pretty clearly that if he ever possessed the requisite qualifications for such a task, he has in his old age completely lost them.

RUMOURS OF WAR.

Since the date of my last writing there has been another European war scare ; this time from Turkey. You have had the outlines, no doubt by wire, but I mention it as an instance of the truth ao often spoken that the peace of the world rests upon a very slender thread indeed. That the single action of the petty ruler of some 150,000 hill robbers should be sufficient to send the billows of war rolling from the Indian Ocean to the British Channel, seems a very alarm ing state of things. Yet so it is. Monte negro is a little paltry place lying between Turkey aud Austria. The inhabitants are a fine hardy race of Christians, and have always cherished an enmity towards the Turks. The squabble arose out of a question as to the place of trial of certain Montenegrins who had offended against Turkish laws, and at one time the Prince of Montenegro had called his people to arms and all but declared war. If this step had been taken, there can bs no possible doubt that, one af cer another, all the nations of Europe would have been irresistibly drawn into the struggle, which would have been one of the mightiest the Continent had ever seen. Happily the pru dence of the Porte prevailed, and matters were arranged without collision; but for some days there was a deep-seated feeling of uneasiness as to the course events were taking.

THE LIBERAL PARTY.

The retirement of Mr Gladstone has been a fearful blow to the Liberal party, which indeed as a party may almost be said to have ceased to exist. It is split up into factions so numerous and with such con flicting interests involved, th&t the welding together of suck a mass would be quite impossible. Indeed latterly Mr Gladstone had. found it impossible to keep his phalanx together, and what that great leader among men failed to do, must indeed be a hopeless task in the hands of any of his far inferior followers. Several prominent Libe rals were named as Mr Gladstone's successor, but it was not until last Thnrsday that a meeting of. the party was held, and the Mar : guis of Hartington asked to take the post of Leader of the Opposition. Mr Forster and Mr Lowe had both been spoken of, but the former wrote declining the office, and Bob Lowe could not keep a show of unanimity up for an hour amongst his party. The Marquis is the son of the Duke of Devonshire, and as his father is in bad health it is not unlikely that he may have to resign the office before very long. He is about 42 years old. He is not a brilliant man, but is very sagacious and quiet and a lover of the t'irf. At Thursday's meeting Mr Bright presided, and at the outset there was very nearly being a split amongst those present on the question of the resolution inviting Lord Hartingtoa to accept the leadership.

LEAVE-TAKING OF HIS HONOR THE CHIEF JUSTICE.

His Honor Sir George Arney retired from the Chief Justiceship of the colony this afternoon. At the banco sitting this morn ing, his Honor disposed of a few cases, and intimated at their close that he should take hia leave of the members of the bar at half past three o'clock, that hour being selected so that any application, or business of urgent importance which might happen to crop up, could be attended to at the last moment.

At the time appointed, bis Honor took his seat on the Bench for the last time.

There was a large representation of Auck land members of tha bar present. Mr Whitaker on behalf of himself and his colleagues made a short farewell speech, in which he expatiated upon the patient and impartial consideration which his Honor had always bestowed upon the cases brought before him, and the courtesy he had always extended to the legal profession. They were sincerely sorry to lose his Honor, and at the same time trusted that he would, live long and enjoy that ease in retirement he had so merited.

His Honor responded in a speech replete with feeling. He thanked them for their kind expression! of good will, aad oould only hope for his successor that he would meet with the same amount of courtesy that he himself had met with. H» now bade them farewell. " ;

THE KAWAU.

(PEE STAB CARRIER PIGEON.)

This day, noon,

Sir Geo. Grey has left here for Auckland. The |3teamship has a fair wind, and she will be up in about five hours.

HOKITIKA RACES.

Westland Cup, £200, Guy Fawke's, 1 j Yatteriha, 2.

SUPREME COURT.—This Day.

(Before His Honor Sir George A. Arney, Knight, Chief Justice.) At>m'ssion to the Bar.

On the application of Mr. F. Wbitaker, Mr. Alfred Edgar Whitaker was sworn and admitted as solicitor and barrister of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, and his name entered on the rolls.

IN BANCO

Hoffman v. Macffarlane, Trustee in

Bankruptcy

Mr, Hesketh for plaintiff, and Mr..Bennett for defendant.

The arguments in this suit, which wns for the recovery of the value of a piano, let on hire, and alleged to be wrongfully sold as part of the bankrupt stock of Mr. Barnside, were concluded at the last sitting of the court, and His Honor now pronounced judgment for the defendant, with costs, basing his decision on the fact that the bankrupt was the owner within the meaning of the 145 th section of the Act. His Honor was of opinion that " special custom of the trade" could not be pleaded in the case. The judgment was of great length, and occu pied three-quarters of an hour in reading.

SITTING IN" BANKRUPTCY,

Be Edwap.d Ltsdger. The bankrupt who was formerly a cabinet maker in Parnell came up for hi 3 final ex amination and discharge

Mr Keetley appeared on the bankrupt's behalf.

The Trustees' renorfc was read, and showed a deficiency of £277 Us lid. No one appeared to examine, and the bank rupt received his discharge. Re Benjamin McKerras.

Mr J. B. Ru3sell made an application for a debtor summons against Benjamin Mc- Kerrss.

The application was made under the 30th, 31st, and 32nd sections of the Act. The application was noted, and defendant called upon to appear within fourteen days, under penalty of being declared to have com mitted an act of bankruptcy.

JSe George Thorne, jun. ,

This case was mentioned, and the ques tion of accounts to be filed was arranged to be settled in Chambers.

Postponed,

Two cases in Banco, viz.—Logan v. R-ose and Espagne v. Toohill, were postponed till the next Banco sitting.

POLICE COURT.—This Day.

(Before W. C. Daldy.) FALLEN MEN.

Duncan Graham and John Adean were charged with being drunk last night. Gra ham, a Scotch fisherman, pleaded guilty, and was fined sa. Adean said he supposed he might as well plead guilty ; but he was not drunk; he was knocked over, and the policeman collared him. Constable Reilly deposed that prisoner was in such a beastl? drunken state that he could not walk, but tumbled from one side of the road to the other, and knocked his head against a lamp-post. Prisoner (with much impertinence) : Did yon not tell me that you had been looking out for me ?

Police : No ; certainly not. The Bench : Were you drunk or not ? Prisoner : As drunk as a lord. You are fined 5s and costs. VAGRANCY. John Wilson was charged with having no lawful means of support.

The prisoner, a strong young man, who had spent some years in prison and wonld not work, was ordered to his old quarters for three months with hard labor.

A ROUGH CUSTOMER.

Alexander Lynch, a desperate character, was charged under the Vagrancy Act with misbehaving himself in West Queen-street, to the annoyance of Mrs Bites and family. Prisoner said he could not understand this charge against a gentleman of his standing in society. The charge was again read over to the prisoner ; still he could not understand it. Mrs Bates described prisoner's conduct as very bad. She was in bed about one o'clock when prisoner burst open her door and nssd filthy language, to the alarm of her children.

Prisoner indignantly denied the charge ; it was a libel upon a gentleman of his position in society. He wished the case to be re manded in order that witnesses in his favour might be present. They were real ladies, but he did riot know their names.

The Bench remarked that a number of convictions were recorded against the pri soner, and it wag clear that he was a young man of bad character, but if he would de posit £10, or find sureties to that amount, the case might be remanded until Saturday. Prisoner said his friends were travelling in the South. He would plead guilty.

He was then sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour. The Court then adjourned until a quarter past eleven, as it was necessary to have another gentleman on the Bench to hear the indictable cases.

Messengers were again Bent out to scour the city in search of another justice. Detective Jeffrey then entered almost breathless into Court, stating that two gentle men had been fotind.

Joseph M. Dargaville and John Cosgrave, Esquires, then took their seat on the bench.

BOBBING A COOK,

Robert Leary and James Nichol, were again brought up on a charge of stealing from the person of James Murley, the sum of £6, on the 24th instant.

James Murley deposed that he -was cook on board the Baron Aberdare, and on the 24th inst., went to the Greyhound Hotel. He was very drunk; he had £6 in his pocket; he had changed a green note at the Exchange for silver. ' When he came round he found his-pockets empty; he knew nothing of the prisoners.

Cross-examined by Nichol: He was drink ing in the Exchange ; he might have spent 20s ; he did not change a sovereign; he was very drunk ; did not remember drinking with him (Nichol). He did not remember hearing him relate his adventures in White chapel. He was a stranger in the country, and could not name the loafers who were around him in the Greyhound.', Henry Cochrane, barman at the Grey hound, deposed—His name was not Corcoran. He saw prosecutor and the two prisoners at the bar of the hotel that night. Prosecutor wa9 lying drunk on a form at the lower end of the bar, and prisoners were bend ing over him and closely watching him. He saw Nichol roll the prosecutor over, and take some silver from his pockets, but could not tell how much. Leary was leaning over Nichol, as if to hide his movements. They then left prosecutor, and retired to the back room ; but he did not follow, as he had his customers to attend to.

Thomas Oochrane, another barman at the Greyhound, saw the prisoners at the bar at half-past ten at night. Murley was dead drunk; parfectly helpless. He saw the priaoner put his hand in prosecutor's pocket and pull out some silver ; he saw him dis tinctly. He called Niehol to the counter •ad told him if he did not hind over

the money he would give him Jj | charge. He gave him 235., saying that *•,*?; all. Prisoner then walked into the li^m room. He followed them and saw fclf. »' shuffling silver between them. He s' \l',' "Give me the rest of it?" Nichol j "^ handed 10s., saying, " Keep quiet, r 1 blab and it will be all right." Leary nothing. He believed they were diy the money when he went into the rooff' ' . j sent for Detective Jeffrey and gavb v ac money and information. The prisoner. Nichol, cross-questioned the witnesß at great length, but with little effect Detective George Jeffrey, took the prisoner into custody on the charge, on receiving i n . formation of the robbery. He went to the Greyhound, and found prosecutor perfectly unconscious and helplese, so much so that it took two constables to carry him to the station. He charged them with the robbery J which charge they denied. He found 7s 64 on Leary, and £% 12s lid on Niehol. He found two half-crowns beside the drunkea man ; his pockets were turned inside out. This being the case, the depositions were read over, and the prisoners were fully com mitted for trial at the Supreme Council.

LUNACY. Two men, one from the Waikato, and the other from Mahurangi, were charged with being of unsound mind, and upon the testi mony of Dr. Lee and Dr. Stockweli, were committed to the Lunatic Asylum.

carpenters' tools. Robert Leary (same as in the preceding case), Edward Lysaght, and Alexander Gra ham, were brought up on a charge of steal ing a bag of carpenter's tools, value £10, the property of Alfred Worthington, on the 21st inst; and John Smith, carpenter of Auek« land, was charged with receiving the came knowing it to have been stolen.

Alfred Worthington, carpenter, deposed that he came up from the Thames on the 19th inst. Oa the following day he took two rooms of Mi;s Donovan, in Chapel-street where he deposited bis chest of tools and other articie3. The chest weighing ovajc two cwt., it was left for a time on Mrs Donovan'i verandah until he could get it in. When he looked again for the chest it was gone, and he at,once informed the police of his loss. He went to the shop of John Smyth, in Wellesley-street on the following Wednesday to purchase a few tools, when he saw two of his stolen chisels hanging in the window. Ho asked the price of them so as to inspect them as he had a particular mark on them; he found the chisels were his ; and he informed Detective Grace, who went back with him to the shop of John Smyth. We searched his workshop, and discovered a great number cf his toola hanging all over his shop. His tools were branded with W. land a mark underneath. He waited and watched John Smyth, while Detective Grace fetched Detective Jeffrey. In another box they found the remainder of his tools. He accompanied Detective Jeffrey to Ly saght's house in Hobson-stieet, where he found the remains of his chest in a cup board by the side of the fireplace. He could swear to the remains. He made the chest himself. He recognized the padlock and handles. A pair of antlers were also found under Lysaght's house by Detective Jeffrey, and a pair of moleskin trousers of his hang ing on the fence. These articles were all in his box with others not yet recovered. Oa the 30th, they went again to Lysaght's house, and, ou making a second search, found sundry other articles (produced), such as a dagger, a toothbrush, and specimens.

James Smyth, a lad of thirteen, son of , John Smyth, saw Robert Learj at his father's > shop on the evening of the 22nd, and heard him gay that he was seat by Lysaght, who had some carpenter's tools for sale. Mrs. Mary Smyth saw Graham between seven and eight o'clock in the shop with a canvas bag on his shoulder. She called her husband, and subsequently learned that the bag contained tools, which her husband purchased. Detective Grace searched the premises with prosecutor and found the articles on the.lisb produced.) He charged Leary, already in custody, who said that he carried the tools for a man from Freeman's Bay to Wellesley street, who received £1 for them giving him 23 6d for his trouble. He and Detective Jeffrey afterwards searched Lysaght's house, and found a number of the stolen took covered over with firewood. Lysaght stated that the box was brought to his house by Leary and Graham. He took them into custody. On arresting Graham he said I ex pected this that that soEt-headed spoony would blab. He wanted to keep out of the way until he had spent the remaining 4s 8d of the plunder. He would not have been in the mess, but was half drunk. The depositions were then read over, and the three prisoners committed for trial.

The charge against John Smyth was re manded until to-morrow.

OPENING OF THE ORANGE LODGE AT OTAHUHU.

Last evening the Grand Master Brother J. M. Dargaville, of the Loyal Orange Institution of New. Zealand, accompanied by* about seventy members, left Auckland iv busses provided by Mr. Crowther, headed by the splendid band of the Royal Artillery under the effecient leadership of bandmaster A. Hunter, to open an Orange Lodge at Ota* huhu. On their/arrival in Otahuhu, they were met by a large number of the brethren from the adjacent districts, every portion of the province being represented, from the Bay of Islands to the extreme of the Waikato. The lodge was opened by the Eight Worship ful Grand Master in the Otahuhu Hall. After the ceremony was over, a large number of the inhabitants of the district were proposed for initiation at their next meet ing, and it "was very evident that in a very short time ihe whole of the Protes tants in the district will be enrolled nnder their banner. After the lodge w;ia closed, the Brethren adjourned to the Criterion Hotel, where a splendid banquet was laid by Host Rogins, in a style that has never beeiy surpassed in this city, and it Bhows what Mr Rogins can do when re quested. After full justice had been done to the good things of the festive board, the following toasts were proposed, and duly responded to by about a hundred of the Brethren: " The Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family." "His Excellency the Governor." "The Immortal Memory of King William the Third." "The Grand Master." "Brother Buriss, Past Grand Master." "Visiting Brethren, accompanied by the name of Bro Martin;" " Bro Johnson and the Otahuhu Lodge;" "The Host and Hostess;" " The Press;" "The Ladies;" "Poorand Distressed Brethren." After the banquet, the Auckland brethen left in tha conveyances provided to their homes, well pleased with their evening's work in the cause of Protestantism.

MR. MEEK'S SKETCHINGS.

We yesterday made brief reference to! the > arrival in Auckland of Mr J. McKain Meek, whose remarkable skill with the pen, not less than his power of conception, made his etchings famous in the neighboaring colonies. Mr Meek brings with him photo-lithographio copies of some of his original works, and they are really wonders of art. One of his conceptions is an historical tree of Victoria, the barrel giving giving the history of that colony from its foundations, the events of each year being recorded in succession up to } the boughs. The foliage en masse represents J| the map of the colony being exact in configa- •■« ration with the shape and bounds of the colony and the divisions are marked with an ingenuity and skill that command admiration, while the several towns and townships in their right positions appear as fruit nestling among the leaves. A mass -of information of the moot exhaojtiTe kind raapeotipg th.VJ^^^ 1

mm Myanma m±% WEftNEstoAir. mamm n^M



FTTHORtf TON, SMITH, & FIRTH'S J_ PRICES CURRENT (Wholesale :— £ b. a. Fine Flour, Bilk-dressed, " Crown Brand," per ton of 2,000 lbs 12 0 0 Ditto, ditto, '• T. S. &F. Brand," ditto .... 10 0 0 Sharps, ditto 610 0 Bran, per bushel of 20 lbs 0 13 Fowl Wheat, per bushel of 00 lbs 0 & 0 Bags charged.—Terms cash. . Q.OOD VALUE FOR MONEY AT THE CITY HALL. NEW GOOD IN ALL DEPARTMENTS By every Vessel from England. \3B~ Opening up now— WINCEYS, " ; MERINOS, SILKS, FANCY DRESS MATERIALS BLANKETS, . SHEETING, QUILTS, DAMASKS, BOYS' & MEN'S WINTER CLOTHING;, LADIES' HATS, UNDERCLOTHING, FANCY HOSIERY. HOLLOWAY & GAELICS, CITY HALL, S3O, Queen-street, Auckland. T O O X OPPOSITE THE ALBERT HOTEL FOB THE PANTHEON. A REALLY GOOD OUTFIT AT A REASONABLE PRICE. XIORD pOTTEB £. QO., 190, QUEEN-STREET, Next Edsoa's, Chemist. Bar1 • A GENTS FOR THE « STAR" The Stab can be obtained from the following Agenti at any time after 5 o'clook p.m. :— Dedwoob— Mr Brown, Dedwood Store Ponsonby Bo ad—Mr McKuistry, Ponsonby Store Kakanghhape Road—Mr Y. Warren, Sydenhun Htore ; Mr Nicholas, Grocery Store Kkwmarket—Mr Witheford, Ironmongery Store J£yber Pass—Mr Burns, Grocery Store ;Mr Taylor, Grocery Store Oxehonga—Mr Oilman, Chemist; Mr Watti, Store keeper !.•,.. Otahuhu- Mr J. Hall, Post-office Pah- ell—Miss Ryan, Groce*y tore ;Mr R. Brown, ' Grocery Store ;Mr Augur, Bootmaker Horth Bhorb—Mr O. M*ys, Grocery Store ; Mr Dude', Grocery Btore ; Mr BasH. Grocery Store Willinoton-stbebt—Mr Todd, Grocery Store :Mr X. Uayward, Wellington Hotel. Corner or Wellinqton-sxbkex ~Mr McCrea Grocer. • . -. PBEKMiu'a Bat Eotxl, Freeman's Bay—Mr Stow. Alma. Placx ajjd NmaHBOBHooD—Mr We«t Alma Siora Ob eat North Road—Mr McGibbon, Glugow 6 tor© *»en Vinb Homci,, New North Road—Mr gv Pop! c ton Blßoskh' Hot at, Symondb-street—Mr Rose ■Skwton—Mr Mclndoe'g Store, Newton V I ] H«xw North Road—Mr Collbu. Bflatmaker ■tftWWH BpAg-Mr W*l«fa ' ao9m*m



The Human Machinery, unlike inani mate mechanism, possesses a self-repairing and self-renewing power. Health may lie surely pre served and lite lengthened by keeping this vital attribute in constant activity and full vigor. Many preparations have been recommended for this pur pose, but none have received such emphatic profes sional sanction, or are comparable in point of efficacy, to Udolpho "Wolfe's Schiedam akom atic Schnapps.