SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

HIGH WATER—This afternoon, 6 3 ; to-morrow morning, 6 19 BTJN GKr -This evening, 046 SUN RISE-To morrow morning, 6 44 MOON'S AGE—N<jw Moon, 25th, 6pm

ARRIVALS.

Rover, scbooner, from Russell Punbesm. schooner, from Waipu Mary Melville, schooner, frnm Tonga and Samoa Stag barque, from Newcastle Atalanta, schcoaor, from Tairua

DEPARTURES

Go -ahead, s s, for Paßiao and Waitara Taupo, ss, for the Son _ Amaranth, schooner, for Kaipara •__ awn, cutter, for|Kagian

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

For New York—Marathon, barque, early For Raglan and Waiiara-Go-Ahead, s,s Wednesday For London- City of Auckland, ship, about Feb. 25 For London-Carnatic, ship, Glenlira, barque, early For Samoa—Martha, birqoe, early; Anne MoLeod,

schooner early For Sydney-Syren brig, early For Lvttelton—Flirt, brigantine, early For Dunedin—Atlantic, schoot er, Monday For Kaipara—Hinermoa, schooner, early

VESSELS EXPECTED. Granada, PMSS, from Kandavu (English Mail), 27th

inst Blanche schooner, from Rarotouga Emu, barqm ntine, from Fiji Br-dlck Castle, ship, from London ; sailed 14th J>' c Salisbury, ship, from London ; sailed 15th >; 0 v Edinburgh Ca.tle, ship (VGMQ), from Lo_ dt ; n ; sailed November 15. Jessica, barque, from New York •. B^ie d 2nd June Stag, barque, from Newc-st'^ . sailea 3rd j- eto . Batavia. barque, from y ..foourne; sailed 4th Feb Annie Lewis, barqu'- from New York; sailed 19th Nov Ethel, bri2an*;_r_e_ from Melbourne, early Vision, br\g i f rom g__n_ oai ear iy Ryn<>, vrlgantlne, from Islands, early Hel" na, brigantine, from Samoa, early E- W. Tucker, schooner, from Melbourne £och Lee, schooner, from the Islands, early Dauntless, schooner, from Fiji Mary Melville, schooner, from the Islands Ise itla, schooner, from the Islands Edith, schooner, from the Islands Peerless, schooner, from >'ew Caledonii, eariy Canterbury, schooner, from New Caledonia Miglc, cntter.fr.m Penrhyn Island Llewellyn, ss, from Fiji, early Ocean Wave, schooner,*fro_ Fiji, early

IMPORTS.

-! Par Mary Melville from Torgu and Samoa—CO tons cot ra, 10 bales cotton.—M Niccol, agent. Per Stag: 450 tons coal,—Henderson and Macffar. lane,

The Mary Melville, tohooner, arrived from a trip to t_e islands this morning. We have to thank the Supercargo, Mr Borrill, lor the following report :—• "left the harbour of Apia, Navieater _rbup, for Auckland, via Friendly Group, on fab^uary 16; ex perienced light northerly winds 'and thick, rainy weather Tor five days when We made the ialand Vava. Anchored the-e on tbe -20th Ultimo and took in cargo, saod left again for the island of Lefuka, Haftbai, vhieh we reached tin the *7ih ultimo; took on btnrd 30 tons copta, and proceeded to the adjacent Island of fiaifaiva «n the' 3rd February for Toirrr&t'&bu, where we arrived next day. Left she last Wntioned port io_ the 'fth tnstant for Attcklar-"d direct. Alter leav ing Tonga, we carried a rror'-west breeze, when the ■wind hauled to the W aad BW, and increased to a ibrtsk gale with thunder and lightning, lasting twenty- Sour hours, when ft died away to a calm, lasting three tlajs, when wts fell In with light easterly weather, till 17th instant, p_3irg Macattlay Island one Of the j&ermadte Group, on the 15th inst; then ■experienced flight variable weather np to the coast, sighting th* _reat Barrier on Sunday the 20th itfatint, when the wind chopped suddenly to the f»W, with heavy aqualls, which increased to a gale contti uin? un abated till Tuesday, 22nd instant, when it moderated, and at 8 a m aame^ay wo passed » barque, wh<ch we supposed was the Moneynrk. Oft* the Little Barrier the wind fell light, aud we did not reach Auckland _11 Wedire*! .y at 11 n m

The ships lying in Apia harbour when the Mary MelvMe left w^io as follows :—H.M.S. Barracouta, Helena, brigantine; barques, Reconnaisancc (British), John Cesar (German), West Australia,. Helnrich Augusta, San Francisco Ttstbor, Ailnlphe, brig, Ton gatabu, schooner In Vavao : Toch Lv, Meteor, barque, Cesar Godeffroy, ship. Ia Habaai: Martin Luther, Russian ship, having jarymast3 rigged, was to sail shortly after the Mary Melville left for Sydney for repairs ; also TJpolu German schooner, to sail lor Sydney, both ships haviog been caught in the late livirricano.

The barque Marathon is being loaded for New York by Messrs Arnold, Hines »nd Co. She entered OUtVaws yesterday. "Th* schooner C roiet is loading for Rarotonga. ttnd the ketch. "Pearl for Aituki. Both hiVe entered Outwards at th« Customs.

The ssTaupo, which left for th-> South yesterday, the following- passengers : Mr, Mrs, «nd Miss M&rgarey, Mrs Steer and five children BevM Lalley, _Cr T Heale, Judge Symonda, Mrs and Miss Thorn ton, Mrs Bull. Mrs Bennett and child. Mrs James, Messrs Stephens, Caverh'll, Ngutahi, Grey, Mr and Mrs Oram. Chevalier Blondin and party fourteen), Messrs Wright Oa^S, Levey, Maughan.MissHaultain, *nr< siit'en in the steeraye.

The ship City of Auckland having all but finished _er loading for London, will haul away from the <w_arf to-m»rrow and sail on Friday or Saturday. A notice respecting this ship appears as an advertise ment on our third paga The barque Ardvar has hauled into the berth lately occupied by the Benvenue inside the Eastern _. The schooner Mary Melville soon after her arrival was hauled alongside the ship City of Auokland, Into which she is tn tranship her ergo. The letch C erm<tis ai d the schooner Elsinore have cleared io ballast for Russell

The bwque Stag arrived fr<un Newcastle this after noon with a cargo of coal<i (or Messrs Hender»on and llacffirlane. She left Newcastle on the 3rd iDstant.

A. steamer inside 'rirt is signalled as we go to press. She will p obably turn out either the Llewellyn or the Emu from fiji,

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND

Mails will Close as follows:— For Thames this day at 530 pm For Oorommdel on Friday at 11 30 am For Waiwera. Mahurangi Matakana, Te Arai, etc, per Annte Milb<nk. to-morrow at 10 am Por Samoa per Ann MoLeod to-morrow at 9 a m For Wnitianga, T-irua, Orotiki, and Napier via Tau ranea. per Rowena, on Friday next, at 4 p m. For "Wangarot to-mnrrow at 4 30 p m For Taranakl, Southern ports, and Australian Colonies, per Phceue, on Saturday next, at 8.16 a m For Aituraklon Saturday at 430 pm s (Signed) 4. B. BBS, Chief Postmaster.

DEATH.

MoLEAY-^On Wednesday, 23rd February, at her gamuts' residence Union-street, Mary Margaret, third daughter of William and Alice MoLsay, aged 18 months.

The funeral will leave Union-strftet to-morrow (Thursday), at 3.30 p.m.. Friends are invited to attend.

MARRINER—On the 20 th February, at Franklin strnet, Guy, infant son of William and Mary Marriner, Wairoa, aged S months.

The Evening Star. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening news, The Morning News and The Echo.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1876.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, l-"or the future in the distance,

And the good that we can do.

Wfi guess and calculate that the Secret and Daphne did a good day's work for Auckland yesterday, if in no other way than, by saving us from a display of spread eagleism, and from having the pinions of the Yankee high flier flopped unpleasantly in our faces upon every possible occasion. A shadow of what was to come was exhibited by the proud airing of stars and stripes in one or two quarters as soon as the decided advantage gained by the Peerless in the run down harbour Was observed. Upon re ceipt of later advices, the bunting somehow mysteriously disappeared. Another bird has likewise been winged by yesterday's event— the dirty bird that delights in fouling his own nesfe. It is not our intention to sing p£Caiis in honour of the triumph of our sbs.p building, nor pursue tho line of reasoning adopted by the Yankee, who declared that Britain having thrashed creation, and America whipped England, therefore, America had beaten the whole universe; but what we do very mildly suggest, to the bird of dirty odour more particularly, is that he Will in future re frain from drawing unfavourable comparisons between our own.bantlings and those of other folk before they have been afforded a chance of vindicating their characters. Not merely in shipbuilding but in everything else do we find a disposition to make local productions play second fiddle before anything foreign, and in the majority of instances with as little reason as on the present occasion. Expressing an idea in a paradox, we might re mark that the fact of the Auckland yanhts preventing the American from beating them affords much more grounds for congratula tion than their victory over the American. That is to say, the schooner may or may not be accepted by American builders as a representative fast yacht—she is at any rate i considerad a very fine specimen—and the triumph by two of our best yachts is proportionately tempered, but had they been beaten by the first Ameri can yacht that came along, we should never have heard the end of it; the sprpad eagle and the dirty bird would have fussied their feathers beyond endurance. We notice that both morning papers are positive in stating that yesterday's race was nob a fair test of the sailing qualities of the Peerless. The best proof of the genuineness of that belief will be a willingness on the part of her owner to issue another challenge. We believe, however, that he has seen quite enough to convince him that in tacking the American schooner has not a ghost of a chance against either of the two Auckland yachts; with a wind on her quarter the Peerless probably has the advan tage. The race of yesterday pos sessed more than a passing interest. Our shipbuilding industry is too im portant a consideration for Auckland to treat its reputation lightly. It has been our b oast that in this one industry at least we have no reason to fear a comparision with any port in the Australian colonies. A little self-congratulation upon the result of an event which was con. feßsedly intended as a trial between American and Auckland systems of yacht building will, therefore, be deemed pardon able.

The peacefulness of the Cross office and its freedom from intrusion and business bustle has quite captivated the editor's fancy, and he now wants to make Custom-house-street " a broad esplanade, with a fine level facing the Waitemata, with possible umbrageous trees on the northern side of the street, out of which could be formed a broad pleasant boulevard with a cheering outlook." He says the piles of timber and little offices "de form and degrade what should be the choicest and most breezy street in the whole business part of the city," and are a "disgrace to the entrance of a city like Auckland.' This is about the sweetest thing in suggestions we have been favoured with lately. The design however, is hardly perfect without ornamental flower-beds along the Queen-street wharf, and the creation of the intakes into fresh water ponds stocked with gold-fish and a central fountain. "Grass growing in the streets of Auckland "is a fool to "umbra geous trees" on the margin of what is now one of our busiest and most healthy-looking wharves. The idea is very rural and picturesque if not very wise, but on the whole we think we prefer the timber in that quarter sawn. : ,;, ,>. ; . , ■A.:.-.d\?. (.•;■■'. .ft '"»"-;> <?h<>:d-^y< i.l's •AAiArA \

Hia Worship the Mayor has received the following cablegram :—" To the Mayor of Auckland,—The Mayor of Sydney recipro fafces congratulations on the auspicious event of telegraphic communication between Sydney and New Zealand.—Town CLERK, Sydney, February 22nd., 1876."

A meeting of the children of Trinity Church Sunday School will bs held this evening, when the prizes gained at the examination will be presented by Bishop Cowie. Parents and fiieuds may attend.

We learn this morning that a sailor rj.am.ed Jacob Ramanent, belonging to the Outter Sydney, was mainly instrumental in Bavin? the Buhooner MarioD, which caught fire in Freeman's Bay on Monday night. He had been to the theatre and had just returned in his dingy to his cutter, whioh Was lying along side the s.s* wall about 100 yards from Dr Wright's teasel. Before going below. J»s ob served sffiohe and flames issuing from the sky light of the schooner Taking a bucket he hui ried to the Marion and threw several buckets of water down the skylight as fast as he could draw them up. This subdued the flames, which had just begun to catch the main boom. During this time he had several times called fire, but no f'ono came. He now ran ashore and faefc Constable Graham cotniDg down down the beach road. Bjth now re paired to the schooner, and completed the work of extinction. We append a let ter from Dr. Wright on . tho sub ject, _ and nave much pleasure in carrying out tho request contained therein. " To the Editor : Sir,—l beg through your columns to return my cordial thanks to the sailor Jacob Romauenk, of the cutter Syd ney, for his prompt and manly efforts which resulted in extinguishing the fire on board my schooner, the Maric'ri, which would other wise have bse'ri completely destroyed, and, as a mark of my appreciation of his services, I enclose £5, which you will oblige tno by giving him. To Constable Graham, Who gave valuable assistance in setiihiuo- the safety of the vessel, i v y tiu_iiß are also due, 1 am, eir, etc , F, W. Wriciht.

Among a number of neglected applications for a junior clerkship, advertised in tho Star six or seven weeks ago, the following one from poor young Packer, the, victim of the Maori murderer's ferocity, has been dis covered. The deceased, who had been well brought up and received a good education, had, with tho right coloured spirit, accepted the first work offered while looking round for something more congenial to his taste and abilities. Unhappily his wishes were never destined to be realised-, The letter possesses a melancholy interest, as one of the last which the deceased had written, and also as iudi ; eating something of his capabilities and his hopes and difficulties in attempting to make a successful start in a new country : — "Epsom, per Newmarket, January Ist IS7G. —Dear S;r, —In answer to your advertise ment in yesterday's issue of the Eventnc Star, for a respectable youth, with some knowledge of book-keeping, I beg to offer myself as a candidate for the situation. I have some knowledge of book keeping, and can write a clear, legible, and rapid hand If these q ialification3> with others which I have not mentioned, should be satisfactory, I shall be most happy to present myself, and do my best in my new capacity.—Yours truly, Edwin L. Packer." The Men Servants' Association held a meeting last evening in the British Hotel— Mr Lanham in the chair. Tho minuter of i the previous meeting having been passed, |feveral new members were admitted. It was agreed, on the suggestion of Mr Mcintosh, that, in order to render the hour more agree able, a little conviviality at the close of each meeting (mould be allowed, as there are a number ox vocalists of ability among the fraternity. It was, therefore, resolved that in future members, who could sing a good song, should be at full liberty to sing, for, as the Chairman justly remarked :— " As time is ever on tho wing, They all should try a song to sing, A merry heart's a blessed thing, I'M de ral." The cremation excitement has not yet died out iv Europe. A petition has been very numerously signed in the principal cities of Germany, for the enactment of a law per mitting incremation of dead bodies, and it is to be presented at the Reichstag at the pre sent session. The agitation takes a new turn in view of the discovery in Germany 'of an acid which tolidites ashes to the hardness of marble. It is proposed when cremation has been fully legalised, to convert the ashes of the dead into busts and other memorials. A widow, for example, might havo her departed husband worked over into cameo portraits, watch chains, and the like. These would form cheap and valuable presents for tho friends of the departed one. A fond parent, with a large family of boys, who de light in out-door sports, before dying, might insert a clause in his will, stating that his ashes must be converted into playing marbles for the dear little ones. A good sized man cremated, as above stated, might easily afford sufficient material for a hand some mantelpiece vase or a marble tablet on which could be chiseled some words appro priate to his good deeds here below. "Every man his own tombstone" is the death cry in Germany. A correspondent, under the signature " Good Value," writes criticising very bitterly the extravagant waste of money upon amusements while times are bad, and he esti mates that 'Blondin's performances cost the city £2,500 nett cash. "The price of this bubble," he adds, " now burst and gone, would have secured a freehold park of 100 acres on the west of the city for perpetuity !" Our correspondent's estimate ia excessive _ a closer calculation would place the Chevalier's nett takings in Auckland at £1000 and he earns it very dearly. His charges of admission were low, and more people pro bably obtained a night's recreation for the money, than at any other travelling enter tainment that has visited the city. We are not quite sure whether, on the average, oateiors for the amusement of the people take more out of Auckland than they bring in. A good many unquestionably go away poorer than they come, although some, it is equally certain, make a very good thing of it. In any case amusements are not the unmixed evil they appear iv the eyes of "Good Value." All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Amuse ments tend to circulate money—visitors from the country are attracted into the city; little purchases at the draper for the occasion are found requisite, which would not have been indulged in ; and above all, the floating population—sailors and strangers, who are the chief supporters of theatres and most other entertainments of the kind spend money in the city night after night which would otherwise be taken else where. The following telegram has been received to-day from one of tho firemen formerly em ployed on theHawea: "Struck for wages. Turned out of Hawea. They cannot get men." The Bishop of Madras has brought to the i notice of the Government that in S. Mary's i and the two contiguous burial-grounds in the heart of the City of Madras the bodies of persons who have died of cholera, typhoid fever, and other contagious diseases are usually interred in graves into which the water of the Cooum River percolates. The graves are required to be of a minimum depth of six feet, and water is usually reached at four feet from the surface, so the remain ing two feet have to be dug in the water, and baled out immediately before the funeral. The information has been communicated by his Lordship with special reference to the proposed, sojourn of the Prince of Wales in Government House, Mount road—a building within a few yards of the Cooum—which has since 1860, been the scene of the death of one Governor from cholera, and of another from typhoid. The Government have directed an engineer offioer to report upon the sanitary condition of the building and .-vicinity,': ■•'-,.• •< i -■'> »-* v. d,,: r.; .., ;

How Blondin first learned to walk the tight-rope is replete with interest. , He states that when only six years o£ age he walked along hia -sothSr _ clothes' line one end of which was fastened to ah apple tree. This enabled him to steal the apples-. He bal anced himself With , a clothes' prop. His father witnessing the exploit made him practice for some months. He was in the habit occasionally on warm summer nights of sleeping on a line. He always, he says, felt it morte refreshing than by lying on a mattress. Blondin relates how once he waited on the Archbishop of Canterbury and offered to carry him across a rope a hundred feet high the proceeds to be given towards the formation of a home for decayed aeWba.fcs. The Archbishop would snot; iiecepfc the offer but appointed „ poor curate in his place. Blondin however declined to have anything to do with any one below the degree of a Bishop and then he was to be carried over in full canonicals. The event did not,come off. There is only one man of v^hem Blohdra is afraid ; this is ah .ageht of the great American Snowman Barnum who follows him to whatever part of the world he may travel. This agent attends every perform ance. Should Blondin happen to fall and smash himself, Barnum has commissioned his agent to buy up the mutilated corpse, the balancing polO he roll with and the rope. BarrUim'a intention is to have Blondin stuffed and exhibited, by'which he reckons ho will make an immense fortune, Bloildul states that he knows this event will happen him ijit some time, hut to disappoint Barnum and his agent he has ,by wiU disposed of his final remain's tor the benefit of his children. Blondin has tried to get his life insured at several large offices but the risk has upon every occasion been declined which he thinks is coming it very hard on him. ["Snyder's extract from a private inter'evieW with Blon din on his last visit to Auckland, related in the Coronianclel Mail j

Owing to the destruction of channelling by carts the City surveyor auuouncfs a reward of £3 for the conviction of any driver guilty of this offence.

"■ The Hobson B,ifle3 weie inspected last evening in tho Drill shed under Major Gor don, who congratulated the company for its numbers and attention. At the close of the inspection, the men, headed by their first class band marched through the town and were subsequently disbanded.at the Union Bank.

The Anelo-_"ew Zealand Telegraph Agency, of which Mr Alexander Saunders is the local agent, is prepared to receive and transmit in cypher cable messages for Europe. In this way an immense saving is effected upon wire charges. Mr Saunders is likewise agent for the Transatlantic Fire Insurance Company. About three weeks previous to the death of Vice-President Henry Wilson, of the United States, he visited the, residence of Mrs Mary B. Hardy, tlie well-known test medium in Boston, and held communication with his wife Harriet and son Hamilton. They then informed him that he would soon be sick, and warned him to be extremely cautious in regard to mental labour, or he would speedily come to their side of life. Although a believer in spiritualism, the in formation he recpived wrt3 so startling that ho doubted its correctness, aud after the seanco had ended, and he had taken up his hat to leave tho house, he turned to Mrs Hardy with this enquiry : "Has your experience as a medium led you to place implicit confidence in the reliability of spirit communicotion of a prophetic nature V Mre Hardy replied that stidh had been her experience on several occasions but th.it spirits of a hi<h order seldom made pre dictions concerning the future; that when a spirit did so positively, and she was satisfied as to the reliability of the spirit, she should have no hesitation in believing "Should such a spirit tell you," replied Mr Wilson, that you would soon be very sick, perhaps die, would you believe it?" "I should not hesitate to do so," wag hor answer. —Banner of Light We have been reijitested to stato for the information of Auckland subscribers to the Wed/cats Times that the reason for the non-delivery of last issue was a delay con sequent on an accident to the printing machine, which caused them to miss the ma.il. ...

. rfhe organs of the Vatican, tbo Voce delta Yerila, thus condemns the Protestant pro posal for liberty of worship in Spain: " What good can arise from it where there is, without difference of political color, ono sole faith — the Catholic Apostolic Roman Church? Ex cept a few wretches who have no belief, and aro not Catholics, inuoh less Protestants or Mohammedans, dissenters properly so called, there are either none or only a few foreigners; for these, toleration, as understood by the Catholic Church, and as concerted in Rome tinder tlia government of the Popes, might and ought to suffice. The proclamation of-liberty of worship in Spain can only create two serious evils, viz., corrupt the faith by the aid of the mission aries of Satan sent from abroad and add a new and the most terrible of divisions religious division —to the poiitical divisions which already render Spain so unhappy."

The Cologne Gazette says that in Germany very little sympathy is felt with the " Chris tian brethren " of the Slav nationality whose sakes the Prussians are at present exciting themselves. A member of the German Parliament, who has quite lately re turned from Turkey, the other day gave tho following complimentary account of those "Christian brethren :"—-" Our so called Christian brethren are, for the most part, scoundrels, sheep-stealers, and cut throats, and -the Turks are by far the most decent persons among the mixed company of the East." Other German travellers in the East are said-by the same paper to con firm this description."

Mr John Batger will give his third and final lecture to-morrow evening,in St David's school-room, on the " Great Pyramid."

The Lancet is reminded by " the gorgeous disolays, the festivities, and other manifes tations of rejoicing in the East with which the Prince of Wales has been welcomed," of the sad condition of the lepers in Bombay. What leprosy is no one who has not seen it can well imagine, and it is unnecessary to describe it. .But in the Jamsetjee Jeheebhoy Dhurrumsala, a refuge for the destitute and sick in Bombay, the Lancet, on the authority of the Times' of India, says that there are some one hundred and twenty lepers lodged at the present time, sharing its scanty ac commodation with an approximatively equal . number of the poor, aged, and crippled. The lepers live in what are called chawls or cells, some six feet long by five feet wide, and the institution is so full that often two lepers are crowded into one of them. They are without furni ture or even cooking utensils, but each of them is allowed two pounds of rice and three pice with which to pay for fuel to dress their food. They consist of men, women, and children, the children being the offspring of the men and women, some of them being born in the Dhurrumsala itself, for no separation of the sexes is attempted, or it seems even thought of. Unfortunate creatures with "their limbs wasted till only the outline of the bones remain, or else swollen out of all form of limbs," sit or lie about as they choose, without supervision or medical care, except from one charitable physician whose name is withheld, at his own request seemingly. They are visited by no friends and by no minister of any religion. <*They are abandoned," says the Times of India, "of God and man, and were it not that the Dhurumsala gives them the half of a six-foot cell in which to lie, and a handful of rice with which to sustain life, they would die in their sores along our streets and in our compounds." Only those who are very much afflicted are admitted into the refuge. Those who are not in so advanced a state of disease are sent away to beg in the public highways and byways until they are sick enough to be takes into theDhurrum lasa.

The Kaiapoi clerical scandal has spmng afresh into life. The Bishop of the "Diocese has failed to make matters pleasant by a smoothiog-over letter on the case, and the parishioners of the clergyman implicated have called upon, him to resign. The grounds of objection againsi him are put very pi aihly They consist, amongst other things, of a charge "that he had introduced additional ceremonies to those prescribed by the Church of England, such as requiring the peopleto stand on his entering the church ; Grossing himself and bowing at the time of administra tion ; mixing water with the wine used in the Holy Communion . crossing the conse crated elements ; making, the sign of the cross with the cup before delivering it to the communicant; and eicvating the cup after the prayer of consecration." It is contended by :the parishioners thab such ceremonies have a well-known connection wir,h false doc trine and idolatrous worship, and that a Churcß. of England clergyman who practises them is unfit to retain his holy office. A long article on the case appears in the New Zealand Church News, of which the Dean of Christchurch, who was a member of the Commission of Enquiry, is editor. The arti cle concludes as follows *—"The clergyman against whom all tr^ese charges aire brought, and who admits so large a proportion of tliem, is a bold, consistent, and active adherent of that party wiioao deliberate and avowed nol„j ia w Reverse the work of the Reforma tion and to Komanise the Ctiuroh of England. This beilig .the oass ; #e feel bound} at, tbe present crisis to speak out our mind with all possible plainness as to the teaching and practices of this party. The New Zealand Church, if we do not greatly mistake its mind and temper, will have none of them, and with regard to the individual clergyman who has been the cause of the present agitatioD, wo believe there will be no peace for the parish of Kaiapoi, or for/the diocese of Christ church, so long aa he holds Ida present office." —Post.

The daughter of the Duke of Alba, a niece of the Empress Eugenic, who recently mar ried the Duke de Medina Cobli, said to be the ribhcrit hi an. in. Mpaluj had tfmohg her " bridle trooso " a dozen handkercniele that cost £2GO a piece These handkerchiefs were of course, very frail, and ought to have been embroidered with the precautionary legend, " Blow your nose carefully." Dr ; Russell sends' to.th<* London JJimes the following description of ah illumination of the Pyramids on the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Egypt: A sumptuous din ner was provided in the chalet or mosque that was built for the convenience of tbe Empress of the French at the time of her visit. After dinner came the event of the evening—the illumination of the Great Pyramid. It was a bold undertaking—the lighting up of a pyr aihidical mass four hundred and sixty feet, presenting two &ides, each seven hundred and thirty feet long, and broken into constantly recurring shadows by over the hundred courses of stone, each forming a ledge or plat form round the Pyramid. However, complete succesß rewarded the courage of the two Pashas. First, Bengal fires, placed at short intervals round the Pyramid, were lighted, and each stone shone out as clear as day Rockets, Roman Caiidles, and other moro com plicated feux d'arlijlce filled tho air with many colors. Then lights of all imaginable colors, which had been placed on every course of stone and up each angle of tho Pyramid were so simultaneously lit that the blaze seemed to run up the vast mass and in a moment envelope it into one great blaze of variegated lire, while magncsian wire shone out bright and clear from the apex. Every sort of firework crackled and blazed, and made cascades of coloured stars in the heavens. The Bight was mavellous. The Prince and his suite expressed them selves greatly pleased. But still more em phatic was the hum of approbation from hundreds of Bedouins who were squatted about like statues in white drapery on the sand. Foon all was gray and cold again, and the desert and pyramids, and the lonely and sad-eyed Sphynx were left behind In tlie gloom, while the royal party galloped off to their palace to dress for a special representa tion at the Opera House given by the French theatrical company, lately arrived in Cairo for the winter season.

REUTERS SPECIAL CABLEGRAMS

MELBOURNE,

Tuesday. The Governor has assented to the new standing orders. The Government intend to proceed with their financial proposals before proroguing. A supply bill for £540,000 has passed through all stages in both houses. While tho debate was going on regarding Mr. Lalor's apology for his breach of privi lege, Mr. Prievis called McKean a liar while in the corridor, and their friends had great difficulty in preventing them coming to blows.

SYDNEY.

February 22nd. The Government are considering the advis ability of dividing the banking account. The question of reorganization of the volunteer force will probably be postponed till next session. The Sydney team are the favorites for the inter-colonial cricket match. Great anxiety owing to drought. Mr A; Anderson is dangerously ill in Mel bourne, and Mdlle. De Murska cannot leave for New Zealand.

THE PARNELL SOAP FACTORY.

{To the Editor of the Evening Star.) Sir, —In the Cross oi Monday appeared a letter signed " Trade," doing battle for Par neli Soap Works. It commenced by abusing the public officers because tbey are honest enough to do their duty. "Trade" in his letter states that it can easily be shown that Allender built his factory in utter ignorance of so many grandees settling on Parneli Rise, and further, that soap and candle factories are allowed to be erected in thickly populated towns and districts in Great Britain. Still it is submitted to reasonable men that as these gentlemen built their houses after Allender built hia factory, it can hardly be fair to demand the removal of the first erected building. Now, Sir, " Trade" is either ignorant of the real facts of the case or else he is guilty of making a wilful mis statement. It is a well-known^fact that at the time of the erection of the first part of the factory, some twelve years ago, there was a general protest raised by the people of Par neli, amongst whom were to be found the names of many of those who are complaining at the present time. It is also a fact that when the works were first started the district was thickly populated and the people residing there prior to their erection have a perfect right to grumble at having their property so much depreciated in value. In Great Britain, where the climate and the drainage is vastly superior to what It is in Auck land, the law has become very strin gent so that soap factories are not al lowed to be erected in densely populated places. "Trade" further states that the removal of this factory would be a great blow to the industries of Anekland, and that the properties of the Parneli aristocrats should be purchased at double its value for the sake of "peace and quietness." If "Trade" had the least idea of what he writes about he would Bee that the site of the factory in question ia most unsuitable for carrying on a large business. The most essential element of cleanliness, namely

water, is almost wanting, and In case of fire the whole hill of buildings *^f J" J^g away .through having so much inflatable material in a Place,, Sj _, _ mit , nr . In conclusion, Sir, I would draw your at tention to the removal of the soap workb of Warnock Bros, from Chapel-street m the city. Eighteen months ago this place had bee^ in operation for eighteen years There was no word of recompensing them of buying out the grumblers, no, they were ordered out by the City Council. People said this would fain.the industry but it had quite the opposite effect. Warnock Bros, having ob tained a suitable site with a rtinmng stream and drainage to the saltier at Cox's Creek, erected extensive works with all the latest improvements ia machinery andl ap pliances and now exporting goods to aU parts of South Seas and the Southern Provinces. Trusting that you will insert this letter in cause of fairplay, I remain, youre,-EYE Witness. : .

POLICE COURT.-This Bat,

(Before Messrs A. Beetham—Chairman, and G. M. Mitford, J.P.) BRANDY ON THE BRAIN. Two drunkards at the Court thisl mora m™§7 T ho-vson cleanshaved, and Kld*r with a board, Thompson was fined for taking brandy pale, And Elder Buffered through six plnn cf ale. William Elder and John Thompson were charged with drunkenness. Elder was fined 5s and costs, and Thomp son, this being his third offence, 10s and cos t_

FATHER vV'ILLIAM. William Halliday, on warrant, was charged with failing to contribute towards the support of his child in the Industrial Home ; arrears £$ lGs 6d. Tho defendant, an elderly man, said he believed ho did owe something. Mr Broham said tho defendant had three children in the Home, and he was only aslced to pay weekly 2s 4d each ; but he bad scarcely paid anything for the last twcdve months. He was, an old pensioner, and one of those men who would not p&y unless compelled to do ho. The defendant ,made a ramhhng statement and said thai there were £5 in the bank, which Mr Stickley was a hb«rty to draw^in liquidation. ' . Mr Broham said tbat this was quite aneW atoryjwhicb Mr Stickley knew nothing about; even if defendant's story was true, the money would be for the support of defend ant's two children who had Just been with drawn from the Home, and for the third, for whose support the present claim was pre ferred. The Bench said it was for defendant to obtain the money and pay it over to Mr Broham, and allowod him one week to pay a very considerable portion of the money due, or he must go to prison. These eases must be looked into as they were getting too common. fount) by the wayside. Beneath a thorn It'esSide the way, in sleep pro'ounri, poor William lay. William Barker appeared in answer to a summons charging him with being drunk aftd sleeping on the Auckland and Onehunga road, on the 18th inst. Prisoner pleaded guilty. Mr Broham stated the circumstances, the defendant had a horse and dray under his care, (his ovvn) and got drunk, laid down, and left the horse at full liberty to go where it liked. Constable Jackson could not picturo the scene as he simply received the complaint, but he had a witness. As defendant had pleaded guilty, the wit ness was not called. The Chairman said that, from his own knowledge, he knew that defendant was not in the habit of getting drunk, the Bench, therefore, would only fine him 20s arid costs. SHOOTING WITH INTENT Percy Nowill, a young man, was brought up on a charge of firing a loaded pistol in Grey-street, with intent to kill and murder Rachel Sklrviug „ tLc 2Q».A _>„„ Mr Broham asked that this case might be remanded until Saturday in order that en quiries might be made respecting the prisoner. He thought the evidence would shew that the matter was not serious as might be imagined. Remanded uDtil Saturday.

Arrival of the 'Otago.'

HOKITIKA.

(From our own Correspondent.) This day. Arrived—Otago, from Sydney. Sho left on the 17th, at ?, 30 p.m.

YESTERDAY'S RACE.

The yacht race of which we were enabled to give a slight sketch in our issue of yesterday | through the agency of our useful winged messengers was finished as follows : — Secret arrived fi.45 p.m. 1 Daphne , 7.7. p.m. 2 Peerless not timed 3 During the latter part of the contest the two leading boats were very widely separated, the Secret working down under the Lake shore,' and the Daphne choosing the Rangitoto side of the Channel. We presume that the sailing master of 4;he latter selected this as a last resource, for he was too far to leeward to pick up the Secret by following in her wake, while if the wind had hauled a little to the eastward his position would have been quite as good as that of his opponent. However the breeze, though shifting, never left S.S.W. for long, and the Secret began working up the har bour fully twenty minutes before the Daphne had got an offing, for which she had to run right over to the Tamaki' shore. As the Secret ran up the harbour she was cheered by several boating parties who had gone to meet the race, and as she passed the winning post she came in for a regular ovation from a crowd of foyer a thousand persons who had congregated on the wharf and shipping to see the finish. To sum up briefly our impressions from the trial of yesterday we should say that with a fresh breeze on her quarter or beam the Peerless is more than a match for either of the cutters : with the same breeze dead aft it is difficult to tell which would have the best of it. This is shewn by trie fact that after the vessels passed the chequered buoy the schooner never materially increased her lead, though the breeze did not slacken till after the reef was reached. Yesterday's experience in our opinion clearly proves that with little or much wind the Peerless cannot touch either the Secret or Daphne when close-hauled. After rounding Tiri there was a fine breeze for the first hour, with white horses dancing all over the water, bub even then the Secret weathered on her very perceptibly and held her own, if she did not gain a little in the head-reaching. With regard to the merits of the Secret and Daphne, it turns out contrary to the general opinion beforehand, that in a light breeze the Daphne slips through the water faster than the Secret. This was ob servable quite half a dozen times yesterday, and moreover when the Daphne obtained the lead, just before reaching Tiri, it was the nearest approach to a calm which occurred during the day. On the other hand it was quite as often proved that in a fresh breeze the Secret has the advantage. After round ing Tiri, when the yachts were close hauled, this was manifest very distinctly, for the Secret gained quite half a mile in the first two boards. How the two boats would shape with a strong wind behind them was not exemplified in yesterday's match. We regret that the pigeon which bore the account of the Daphne gaming first place, and the struggle in Wangapoua Passage did not reach home till evening, too late to be of any ser vice. Mr Sandford sailed the Daphne, Captain Hooper the Secret, and Captain M. Mackenzie the Peerless. Captain Hooper by his coolness and judicious handling'of his vessel contributed much to the success of Mr Niccol's yacht.

Charge of Shooting in Grey street.

A young man of reseable appearance named Percy Nowill, ri charged at tha Police Court this morn/ with attempting to shoot Mrs Skirvingf Srey-street, ■while in a state of frenzy air a drinking honi. 'f. The yoilng man lookedeithly pale, and wife, a youlig pera1 of prepossessing appearance, was efently in a state ft of great mental piteraent. Nctoill H is a new-comer, j having been in 1 the - colony more^ tji nine or twelve ijs months. His family chections in the oldj ft country are said to ] highly respectable. r \ He lias been residing Wellington, and ffcl while there, although strong, firmly B eb young man, hi tf bloom of health and flower of life, heas speedily subdued and securely captured? the lady who con« m sented to take him fo" better or worse," Eighi weeks only he passed since the II serene termination othe honey-moon, e<> I sweet to newly maisd hearts, when tha I happy pair thought itfae to exchange Wei. 1' lington for Auckland d. tc Auckland they 6'ame. They have beioccupying temporary apartments at tbe hou of Mis Macdonald, 1 of Grey-stree", and nee their residence i in this city they hav-4)een_ enjoying, them selves in every possibJegitimate manner, in; || walking, riding out in the country, teaiug m wiSh neighbours, etcJOn these excursions; p and country rides thilady was frequently saluted in colonial fmion, ( which was nob I always agreeable to thdoatiug husband, who || it ia said felt intense on these ocoasionß. |§ The lady went out yaorday for a ride with | somo ono else,' and during her abßencs m the young man g< drunk, fell into || a deep slumber ontho couch, and on p being aroused in a alf (dreamy state, let II "fly," in common paijnoe with the revolver V that had lain by his sic. The reports Bhook W the house, neighboursnshed to asoertaiuthe 1 oause, an alarm was liaed, aud the children II of Grey-stioefe criei "fire," but^the If junction fire-bell fortnately waa not rung, | Ouc butcher-boy ran br the police with the speed of a deer, and iJonstable Graham was §• shortly on the spot ad took the man into | custody. Nowill wasjekrged with'attempln'g I to shoot a M'SSkirvin;, but we believe there I will be no evidence foihcoming to shew that 1 such was his intentia. The particulatjof I the case f if they shoulbe divulged on Safe!•.,• I day, will shew a refletion from Shakespere'a c* fine tragedy of Othell with a less dUaatiow I result. V"■.'.;:,;.■■.■'~■■. ffi

CHILPERIC.

We would remind our readers that this sparkling little operetta is to be produced at the Prince of Waleslheatre on Friday night by tbe Lydia Howade Troupe. The Sydney | papers of last Marctsay: " Miss Bowafde as : ' Chilperic,' King (f the Gauls, played and sang with a vivacity which carried all before it and received several recalls for ballads and lighter pieces." Tie Town, and Coim%oi\ March 13th says: "The title role was bus- § tamed by Miss Howarde, who dressed admir ably, and sang the music allotted to -; «Chifoeritf' with ccnsiderable ability., ■ As | Laudry, a yoflDg pfftsant, afterwards consti tuted ' Prince of the Royal Bootblacks,' Mdlle Solauge Navarowas excellent. She, rendered the BooiWackfog song, pleasing; andante air, with rtuch ability and sneaen. l and sang the other music pertaining to the part equally well."

KING ARTHUR.

The Choral Hall was crattimed last evening with a | large audience, assembled to witneßS the tint pro- ■ duction of this opera, and ttf help In tomM' | needed work of decorating the interior of the hall g Amateur theatricals are always a sure draw, but In | this case the attraction was intensified hy the | knowledge that the whole thing, wotflb, mueie, I scenery, *c, was the production of local amateur I talent. The performance was under vicwegat • 1 patronage. A feW minutes after eight o'clock, m . Excellency the Governor and the M«rohione ß s of I NormanW attended hy their suite, entered the halVI and the oVerture co«"" c"°<"* ttS soon .as they had t. to*en their £X. We cannot attempt to follow, I through the five act's of the extravaganza ; and 1 indeed a review upon a first hearing would be im- 1 perfect, for the construction of the play and df ttft § music is such that both require a second hearinjin § order to be duly appreciated. Who1 indeed coiM ; I penetrate the depth of a Shakespeare tlte art Of 11 1 Garibaldi, or the be»uty of a Michael Angeloin* i single evening? And yet, (if we are corf'tflyln formed) this depth, this a-t, this heauty, WW* , | combined in one gentleman whose unflagging 'tnttff in th* cause of music and of the Choral Sooietf T J need only be mentioned to give the clue to his name. | The music was appropriate, and well scored for the 1 band; perhaps in one or two instances the vocal | ptrts were carried beyond the legitimate range of; 1 the voice. Bith' vocalists and instrumentalists had : 1 passages of very considerable difficulty to execute; , | but they did their work well. The symphonies were I excedinglv good In spying that the music was: : I oriiTinal. "we ought to except the introduction of ; | several familiar aits from operatic and olher sources. : 1 Iv one instance the "Gloria." from Gounod's, Mart V I was drawn upon for an idea f(not irreverently, if | fairies and angels are cousins ) Next as to the words. | They were as ext avagant as an extraviganza shonld , | be: a little b low the standard of the •*immortal * WUliam," hue certainly up to the average of .ordinary ~ bnrlesques. The libretto abounded with puns and ' ,j local hits. The scenery waa excellent, and several j stage effects ware introduced, which added to ti» j success of the pieci. The dres es w.re gorgeona-a litte anachronism here and there—hut all In goo 4 taste. And now as to the dramatis persona. _>' c | had much r«ther be spared th« uecersity of mention- i ing individuals ; but it is a necossity, and we must: j submit. M»rlin. the magician, was sp'endidly got up, > and had a difficult part to sustain, in which be was j ! aided by the sonorous tones of his rich bass voice. King Arthur (tenor) sang and acted as a king shonld, with ease and elegance. LeodeCTancehadbuta fa* words to say, and the same remark applies to Sir Bctar and the otner Knights : but they all acquitted them selves very fairly. Cheldric looked his part well,put acted it better. Turquine vice versa. Both had BUle ; or no singing to do. ?ir Key was (as ever) MP: life of the whole play. In dress, in. voice, and tt by-play he was splendid. Sir Launcelot sustained hw role in a manner which revealed experience-on tne stage. Guinevere, the beloved of Arthur, was con spicuous for the finished style and clear articulation .. which always distinguish the performances of this accomplished lady. Morgan la Fay,. the witcn, played her most difficult part with all the judgment and animation that could be expected othim. y"'en' : who made her first appearance, deserves our n'&kMt praise for the self-possession and gracefulness wnlcn characterised her acting. She had the mest trying music of any to perform, and sang capitally tbrougn-. out. The pages, fairies, peasant maidens, and conn ladies all deserve notice for their parts, but. we have no space left to say more than that we hope to meet them all again to-morrow evening, when no aonoi ;, the few imperfections always noticeable at a nrst, performance will be remedied. Sigma. •

CRICKET.

The cricket match between the Thames j Club, and Auckland United Club was 8 commenced this morning in the Domain at 10.30 o'clock. The weather was remark ably fine for the contest, and the meu ap peared as though they meant play.; lJie ■ [ Thames men comprised the names of Messrs g| Robinson, Colson, Paul, Steadman, Cramp, Hulme, Crawford, Whitford, Hewitt, Bud dock, Wardell, and Gillion. The Auckland | men were Messrs Mumford, Yates, Buckland, | Dufaur, Willis, Lynch, Ward, Gleeson, Lankham, Masefleld, and Castelli. It seems | rather a come doWn for the Thamesi. to -start | playing separate clubs, but we presume tne present contest is intended more as afriendly 1 match between two clubs, than as ?°y *"** ( of strength between the metropolis of tne | province, and the goldfields. The Thames |; men arrived last night in time to have a *al | rest, and both teams showed up on the gronntt g in good time. A moderatly good wicket naa i been prepared in the centre of the ,B rOU!T' | The United Cricket Club captain won tne toss, and decided to put the Thames team m. | The show of batting was not very^strong, | and the innings finished for 60 runs, Waraen ~; ■ being the only one who made double ngareß. j The following is the score :— FIRST INNINGS. , ' Frater, c Dufaur, b Willis, ... . - 2 Lodge, b Buckland, ••• ••• ••' a Whitford, c Dufaur, b Willis, ... — jj Crawford, b Buckland, ... -•• — g j Robinson, run out, ... ••• ••• g Colsoa, b Buckland, ... » ••• .•" ,g Wardell, b Lynch, ... ...••• g- ; Ftradman, b Lankham, ... '■•■ ••• g Hume, not out, ~.. ....-•• '" j Gillion, lbwb Lankham,.-- ••• ■■•" q Spencer, b Lankham, ... ••• ~'••■' jq Byes etc., ... •- ••• •'" __ T0ta1,,.. '-*»&A

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