Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 18 January 1876, page 4


THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1876. ———♦———

IT is almost, numbing and it is certainly very satisfactory to colonists, to notice the extraor-dinary change of front that the Liberal party in England is making with respect to the question of the retention of the colonial Empire. It is idle to deny that the late Government, when in power, was very largely infected with the theory of Imperial dis-memberment. It is notorious that Mr. COBDEN did not believe in colonies, thinking llmt without them the another country would have all their trade and none of their tioublee. The Manchester school, to ¡i huge extent adopted this theory. Mr. GLADSTONE gave no doubtful indications of the way in which his mind was tending, Many

in the English journals followed suit, and it is notorious that efforts were made sub rosa to source the Canadians to contemplate the idea

of an early friendly separation. Events showed that the great mass of the community had not really been infected with this heresy, which had only found currency amongst politicians

who looked at the matter either too much

from a theoretical point of view, or

with too great a desire to diminish the responsibility of governing the Empire. When the Conservative Government came into power they made a decided hit by proclaiming their intention to hold the Empire together as long as possible. The Liberals having observed this, seem anxious to take every oppoitunity of backing out of their previous position, and if possible of even out-bidding the Conservatives in their desire to accept up the greatness Great Britain.

A s-iyiijil ühistüitiuii ?! lins hat? vemitlv

M m luinis-hed hy thi' fiie't tliut Air. W. L. ! cat.s'n.it the hilo Minister for Educa-tion, dolixcicd. in November last, au elabo nte uddit'fcs at tho Edinburgh Philosophical Institution on " Uur Colonial Empire."' ile

Joes xvhat ho can to detach from the late

nox'emnient and tho Liberal pnity generally

ihe accusation that it xvas in favour ol' disiu

legration, and if xve aie to take Ins accouut .if it, Mr. GOODWIN SMITH is the only person who can bo rUsiinctly charged with tiiis doc trino; except perhaps the anonymous writers of editorial articles in the Times, who also seen to lean, tho same xvay.

But though. Mr. FOBSTKII underra»OB the extent to -which the separation doctrine waa usually held and expressed, he makes a great poi»t when he says that the idea of the present is the policy of ti) o future, and that if it is

trae as so often avowed that the colonies are

destined to become independent communities, that they must necessarily become such, and that it is theil* own interest, as well as that of the mother country, that they should be-come such, then it is idle lo deprecate that inevitable result as if it were a misfor-tune, or to put our own xvishes in oppo-

sition to the uncontrollable influences of

the Poxver which guides humanity. If colonial independence is the ultimatum to be reached, then the proper duty of the present is to prepare for that ultimatum, and so to arrange both on the part of the mother country and colonies that the separation when it conies shall take effect xvith the greatest

advantage and the least evil to both. Mr |

FoBSTim is light in saying that this ideal has been repeatedly held up hy great authorities, und he fairly puts the question whether this idea is really sound, whether or not it is not a false assumption, and whether if it is we ought . not at once to discard it and put in its place ono that is more tiuly representative of present aspirations and rutuio inteients. Suppose, he says, that in okite of this idea there comes another and a

very djffeient idea, vi/., this, that our colonies whe-n fctiong onough*to bo independent will still ie stionger, more rich, more intelligent, able to be hotter off, if in union with ourselves ; ihat their inhabitants will have greater oppor-tunities, a wider scope of possibilities, and a higher career if continuing our fellow-country-men ; that in ordor to fulfil all the duties of civilized and self-governing people they need not cease to be Biitish citizens, that ihey may have all the advantages of nationality without disowning thoir allegi-ance, and as they increase in strength and [jower so also should we. If, as he says, this becomes the prevalent idea, and if/hi- should jlso have added, it is a true idea, then it wili icalise iteeK, anti the colonial Empire may and will last. The question, therefore, to be con nideicd, is which oi two contiadictory ideas is the right one.

Ile then-goes extensively into figures to ¡-how the area of British territory all over the world : its present population and its future. Assuming that the idea ot the permanent íetention oi' the colonial Empire will giadually gain ground, he deals with those

who ask what mode of union is to be esta-blished, whether there is to be a common par-liament or a federation, or what, and he very wisely abstains from propounding any plan. I he time has not yet arrived for, the adoption of any plan, and therefore the time has not diiived for propounding one. , Theorists will sketch out schemes in abundance. The prac-tical statesman will be content to wait the slow development of facts. It is sufficient for the present that the people in the mother country do not wish to cast off their colonies, and

that the people in the colonies do notf wish

to be cast off. That is the fact of the

present day, and theorists would do well to adjust their theories to that fact. All the anti-separation schemes have ignored both these facts, and in fact have assumed the opposite.

It will be well for the future that'those who can hold the public mind on this question should take more note of things as they are at the present moment. The Empire holds

togeiher by a very good and a very strong (ie. The colonists enjoy great freedom, and aie content to enjoy it under tho protec-tion of the mother country. Their position at prcsont shows their com-parative inferiority in population and in power. As their population and powor increafiOP, and the disproportion between thom and (he United Itingdom diminishes, the timo will come for considering readjustments ol' (heir mutual relations, If both parties have a sliong feeling of union as at present, and both parties seo it to their interest to maintain that union, wo may trust to their wisdom to devise ways and moana of maintaining it, anti wo need not anticipate the future, by trying to force upon them crude theories of our own, in-, cut ed in advance, and therefore, iu ignorance of facts yet unborn. ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

How much, has been written on " Religion,

Education, and Crime," and yet how little has been satisfactorily proved by the columns of figures which have been compiled in reference to this trinity of subjects ! It is some-times urged that ignorance is " the parent of crime," and sometimes that it is " the mother of devotion." It is argued on the one hand that if we spread more widely the blessings of education our criminal statistics will be considerably dimi-nished : and on th«> other, that their diminution xviil bo still greater ii' mon, no matter how ignorant oí f-ecular kuoxvledge, aio made reli-gious.. AA'lien xve examine the argumont which is based on education wo lind that a voiy laigo pioportion of the criminal olass poHSess that kind of knowledge which, it is alligi'd, will act in other instances as a delenent 1'iom crime. The numbor of cases bionght bcfoie magistrates in 1874 was 21 1)24. Of these ("Ï8-28 per cent, wore for drunkenness, which unfottunatelv prevails among the lileiate as xvell as among tho iinleaiuctl. and it- not limitod to thoso xvho nexer FCC toe ins-ide of a church. Of the

pciMuis conxieted -70¿- per cent., 7iH per tent, yycie able to read and xvrite, 5i per cent, could read only, and \G per cent, could noither

read nor xvrite.

The prisoners recoived into the '?polico gaols " and "gaols" during 1874 numbered upxyaids of 10,000 ! Those of course include pi isoners awaiting trial and prisoners in tramitu, G788 of thom could read and write, and 2443 could not road. In the Supremo and Ciicuit Courts there wore 127 convictions, and at Quarter Sessions 508 convictions. Probably the por-contage of prisoners who can neither read nor write is greater in proportion to the total number of the population who can

neither read nor write, than is the per-centage ????? j liwiiciä -who can read and write in propor-II n to the U>tal imputation who aro equally well diicutcd. But against tiri 1 m nat be placed

the if tot that some of the enfonces committed

amid not have been perpotiatud by persona who could neither read nor write. The fact

that a man may Le able to read, and yet be a rascal, is seized upon by Denominationalists ab an argument in favour of tho State attempting to impart something more than meio secular instruction. They say, and say truly, iîiàt man's 21010-1 and religious nature as well as his intellectual faculties ought to bo educated. But then, all that the State knows of religion is that kind of denoinina tionaliem which it classifies . and to somo extent subsidises, and the Governr ment statistics show that the religion, or denominational! sin, or sectarianism, which is thus taken cognizance of by the State is not by any means a guarantee against crime. On the contrary, it is often used as a cloak or a mask, and where the reso-lution is good it is often too weak to resist temptations to break the law. Thus we lind the prisoners in our gaols for the most part classified according to their religious denomi-nations. Statistics give no clue to religion, as distinct from denontinationalism, and pro-bably the ligures before us are of little value for the purpose of any calculation as to the action and reaction of religion, education, and clime, btill they possess some points of

interest.

In tho year 1874 there were on the roll 580 ministers of religion authorised to celebrate m aniages in the colony j that is, in round numbers, 1 to every 1000 of the population, which, in 1874, numbered 584,278. But in addition to these 580 clergymen there were

in the same year 0G79 Sunday-school teachers, or ministers to the young, making the total number ol' religious teachers 7250, or 1 lo ex'ory SO of the population, infants in-

cluded. There a.re also a number of mission-aries and lay preachers who are not registered. Whatever may be tho quality of the teaching, it can hardly bo contended that the number of teachers is not largo in proportion to the copulation. And we have no reason to doubt that the ministrations of the pulpit and the Sunday-school are as earnest and as powerful in this colony as thoy are in any other part of

the world.

The total number of churches and chapels

in 1874 was 1048 . the number of individual sittings, 171,497 ; the number of attendants at the principal service on Sundays, 122,665 ;

and the total attendance at all the services on Sundays (not counting the same persons twice over, and including other preaching places besides churches) is estimated at 103,264. Considering the circumstances of the country

-the sfcsî-e of the roads and the immense

area over xvhich the population is scattered the foregoing ligures show that the ordi-nances of religion are fairly regarded, and theie is reason to believe that the influence of tho teachers of morality and religion is, though not in all cases successful, much more effective in promoting public order and safety than the little army'of constables which is maintained by the State. The number of churches and chapels possessed by the different Denomina-tions respectively in 1874 is stated as íolloxvs .*- Church of England, 338; Ro-man Catholic hui'ch, 224 ; Presbyterian, 121; "Wesleyan Methodist, 240; Con giegational, 28 ; Baptist, lo ; Primitive Methodist, ¡50 ; Particular Baptist, 5 ; United Methodist Free Church, G ; United Free Gospel Church, 1 ; Independent Methodist, 2 ; German Evangelical, 2 ; Independent (uncon-nected), 1 ; Evangelical Lutheran, 6; Jews' Synagogues, 2 ; Christian Israelites, .>.

In the same year there xvere 545 private schools, with. 16,829 scholars ; 420 Public schools, with 53,702 scholars ; 244 Provisional schools, with 8000 scholars ; and 122 Half-time schools, with 5375 scholars. In addition to these there were 204 Denomi-national schools, with 36,218 scholars. The number of students at the University was 46 ; at St. Paul's College, 12 ; at St. John's, ö ; at St. Andrew's, 6 ; at the Sydney Grammar School; 38G. The total

turn expended on the University and CoIwT

(he Grammar School, and ^schoolsS

the Council of Education was £200 747 It

t:;iy£m,lu "- £Tm "- *&

_ Notwithstanding all the influences of reli

gion and education, the criminal statistics of d10 year sbow that ministers and school-masters have good reason not to relax tboir onoifry ; hut, after all, if accurate %ure8 could bo obtained, it would be seen that it i.s much cheaper to upend money in provoutin-r

crime than in punishing offenders . an-atoiTt

the law. ° ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

THE BLACKWATER SWAMP.—There is some

reason to hope that the nuisance arising from the flow of

«roneo on lei t io lulaiiiicd 1 ind at Bl ,ütv1 uUo Swampw

soon bo abated AlUiou"b some tim« h -s chipad su "" r'" présentations we io mad.) to tbo Government about tho ¿«1

it seems ho niunioipal authorities IIUVL not beonslunilm-' ing Plana hayo boen piopa-cd lol eui} metilo BOW"T into doon vv atei J hoir préparât* n lias ou upitd soinowífií lonbor than was at hist intioipattd, owing to uviinolvof ciruimstances But t hoy aro m \ c miplcted, and v e,t0r

dn> tho Mayor, with Aldumini H min ind tho ¿if. engineer, waited upontlio Coloni I -«.crütuiv to brm<? ti,,,:, under Ins notico, with tho view o) then bomg sub uUolfi the approval of tho Govoinmont Mi R, burtioa urmuwil to bung tho plans unuor thoniitnn of his cîlloigu<M "t tin onrhcst posible momont, und pumiced to f ie lit .io m CVOIY waj ho tuuld the tarrviii-, out of tin proposed vv ,rlts wliu a MOW to thoieinoTul of tho nuisances so i tully enm plained of ' ' ' ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

MANLY BEACH TELEGRAPH EXTENSION.—The first communication from this flourishing watering place (in future be known as " Brighton "), passed along the wire at noon yesterday viz., " James C. Peters, Esq., to the Postmaster-General. The inhabitants of Manly congratu-late the Postmaster-General at the opening of the telegraph office at Manly." The Postmaster-General, in reply, reci-procated the congratulations of the inhabitants of Manly Breach on the opening of a telegraph office at that place.

HYDE PARK.—A number of masons have been busily employed during the past few days in cutting stone for the construction of a dwarf stone wall round Hyde Park, which is to be surmounted by an iron pails-ding. The fencing round round this very important reserve has IOIIL, been m a bud condition-m faot iho foncui" round vi lint is known as Boll s Paddock, opposite tho Musoum is m a disgraceful state-and the substitution of a will and palisading will gieatlj add (otho oruito appuiranco of tho Paik fcomc tune ago petitions vv-ero sent ia in favour of making an entrance totho Paik between Unrholund Puk. stieets, fiom 3 li/ubilh-btrect, und anothor bctnooii Bathuist and Lnori ol streets It would, no doubt

be n gitiitunv n i n if tbi*>n i-trn o'tiiun^s wen tunde HI d it yin iel li i still fin tber i mun mo if rii/.» lielh-htieet was mule lo its piopei vwdth, mil tho will

oiihfrucled at its piopei alignment 'Tho footp ith th it Ima nfc]) been foi mi el a fev\ feet inside (ho old fence vi, ill ina ¡runt incaBiuo obviate the neecsity for a causewny ou tho streit side of the wall, but tho xelnculai ti adie, alon0' Kh/nbolh-stiect is now y cn great, and os tho citj pro-fesses tho Iruflio v. ill mcreaso, and require a wider thoroughfare than Hint which now oxists Probably, whilst ipportunity ollois, (he Hjdo Paik Comnuttco will oonsidor he proiniotyof widening tho sheet, and acceding to (lie ? îsbes of many eili/ens

DE LISSA AND Co 's CALEENDAR.—Under this title nn nlmunao has been published by Mr Sind« for Messrs De Lissa and Co , lmpoitors anti v\me nndsuinfc meicbanls Its object is ovidently coiuinmcul and ita ornan eutation is in keeping tbeiowith Tho design is ulai ornle, and aa a specimen of lithography tho calondar is

xeellint

'JIN Our-The following is i letuui of. tho

i it i f til eil» Jeiwiuütd linn Mun ni undi mlmy t ti (Miling week ending January Is -Mt no mil Co,

f li lb list 2 «ps , biu-lin, 11 tuns lu tw! I qi 'Olus, 1 \\ 1 ions 11 tvtt u ijrs Jibs AC and Co lo cul I i " lbs , May, I fenn 11 e\\ t J qrs libs <3rovo, ti ling

tit 1 qts 23 Ibb Mooro and Co, 5 lona li eivt , \ri un and Co , 2 lons 1 cwt 0 <p- li lbs PI'W, lu cwt i qr= 1 lbs 'lot«l weight, 30 tons 9 cwt 3 qrs 3 lbs

&\DNIY IMIBMAIIY-Repot t for the week nded loth instont -Admitted, 37 males, 19 femilcs, total, 6 Dischaigcd, 20 males, 8 females, total, 28 Died, 3 miles. 2 females, total, 5 Remaining in hou«o, 141 male«, (7 finíales total, 221 Subscriptions received, ¿6G Is

Rj GUxAliONS UrriNnxct BAHEHY on COM-ÍAN v PniADE-'. Colonial Secretary s Cinco, "yíñij, 1st December, 187fi His Lxcellency tho Govenior having been pleased, with the uuviio of tho Lxecutivo Council, to mnko the following regulation for the A olmitcor Torco, m substitution of Clauso ,, in No 61 of the regulations pub bibbed m the Supplementary Goiermlent On etce of tho .1th April, 1871, directs ita publication m accoidincc with the lUth section of (ho AroIuuteer roi co Rogulation Aci of lSo7, vi/ -B> a'Battory oi Company Parado is mount in assembly of the corps in uniform undor arms foi ccor

lse, whereat not less than twenty of the enrolled mom bus i io present, exclusive of commissioned olhcors, unless he nssenibly of a sninllei number bo spit lally authorized by the offieei commanding A oluntcer 1 oleo, to count aa

such p i rade "

AniiGBi) Cnurr ILL-TUPATXH M oi v BOY AT R \MIVMI K AsxitM -Last haturdny ovomng, senior con stuble M'Bndo, of the AVutor Pehce I one, while on duty m the Circular Quay, BIIW three littlo boj s from lUnd wuk, as he could gathei from thuirdiiss Ile ii'toirogiited bun und iisierlnmed tint their nan es and ages wiro as follows -William Ferney, 6 years of age; Michael Fogarty, 10; and William Hodwett, 12 and that the youngest ot the lads had been truillj beaten, on Indu) oviiun},, by in t (licer of (he institution named Sproule Ihc othm tuo, attracted b} the cms of berney, looked thiough tho window of tho utoieroom in which the chastisement took pi i«e, and weio also punished s,e\orelv It was added tint tiny were so alarmid at the trcutmont received by lernoy md themselves that they detenu ned to run away, and did 0 emly on Saturday m mung, undor tho cover of dal 1 ne-»* 1 he constable, know rai, that Mr Joseph It iphael is i lifo director of tho Rindwick Institution, took tba hilduu to his houso Mr Raphael examined Iemoy nd lound that hi had been feiitully brui id ibout tho oris lui s, and thighs lie hid oven been cut, and one of he cuts was bleeding lhere was blood on the blurt of 1 eimy, who is i little mite of a thing, even tor tho iga of

ix lermywus sent by Mi Raphael to sub-inspictor \i cuison, th it (ho minks and wcaL-, on his body might bo xnmined bj i mediuil man At the instance of the pohco, he (hild vvns examined by Uri1 Egan, Clune, and C irioll

Ile liítleielloM lorne} states that n biothei of his,having

iMiid the institution, ou loavina;, give lum a ponnv

moy went outside and bought some lollies, ard on his oti in he was (ni cu huid of bv Spioule und led into tho le leiooin, where Spioule be it lura, while a port, n ninioif i inddock assisted lo hold him by the legs m i fi\wl pou

loi Ihisinth cn=o of i child of s \ veins ' Hodwctt

aid 1 egarty,hcarn ¡rl criie}'s i lus, look ii innttho iimlnir t Die stoieroom fcpiou^e and Li ni lick in i thom, and lu v weic brought m mid beaten it is saul, foi the ollonco of. eut eve-witnesse Ibis is the substance of tho stito nicnt undo this foienoon at the "\\ ater FMice Court, «lion the pohco asked that the three bo) s vvbi a bl night up foi iroteehon bo remanded till Wedneidn Whoa tho brun-cs of Ferney were shown m the cou i, a murmur of pit) ind indignation was iroused Tile police have takoit ale) s to prosecute the ea ie

SLITOSED iNi'vMiciDr -About half-past 11 u i lock cn Sunday night a min namod John Byrne lound the dead body of a male infiiit, in a dceoinpoâod s ite, near the unnal fence, Pilt-stieot South B)rno

ailed tho attintion of constable Co\, who removed Iho bi eh to the dend-houso of tho Benevolent Asylum Tho bodv had on a white eihco wrapper, anel was wiappcd up n a pieeo of old whito blanket, sewed with white cotton Theic wnsacopv of tho J timm/ 2\cw, of the 11th of Jiiminrv, lb7o, folded lound it, and a bínele ipron laid on

top

AiLiOED FoiiGiiti -A man named Ghailes I onBsti cet vins bl ought bcfoi o the Bench at the Contal Polite Court, }esterdny, charged with having, at Tam-il oi th, ou the 2«$rd ultimo, ]tt«6ed to the Bank ot Now South Wales fhoie, threo forged cheques tot the several aim tints of £18, £48 10s , and ¿49 10s , puipoitine, to bo diawa b) II M'Caith), of Bective He was ippiehended at Bondi on Satuidiiy bv detective T indall, and was yostor

dm remanded to tho lamwoitliBeneh

Tin GitFisTANEs STOCK SALI -On to moiruw al 11 a ni Messrs Hainson, Jones, and Devlin will sell h) iiictionat Greystanes, near Parramatta, tho whole of

du. valuable shorthorn and Heieford cattle of Mr. Walter

lambb well-known bleeding establishment, the disposal uf the farm having rendered such a com se necessary. Hori>e stock (diaught), shorthorn, Hereford, and Dovoa c it tie of the best quaht) appeal in tho catalogue, and animals which foi )eais have sustained the reputation ot &re)stanes will be pi iced for the competition of buyors

II ehoi thorn bulls, 17 cows and licitéis, o Hereford bulls, 40 cow s and heiters, lODovon bulls, 3 diaught stallions, and 10 marcs appeal in the list, and there are aluo par

íctilais of pn/es taken by tho Imperial Purplo stock. Ti ora tho latter it appears that 73 pn/es have hoon won by his excellent tnbo, which havoat all times, whon exhi-bited, figured to advantage on show-grounds in this and ths neighbounng colonies After the usual custom of tho Greystanes sales, on the day special railway carriages will take peoplo debil ous of boing present at the sale by tho 9 26 train fiom S)dnov, and conveyances will bo in attend-ance at Puirainatto Tree passas can be procured by application to the auctioneers

METEORS-The meteor seen at Gundagai on the morning of the 1st January (the Times says) was visible at Albury, Bathurst, and at other places about the same time, and is reported to have " lit up the streets as though with magnesium wire. " A number of meteors were also seen at Young last week, doubtless the same as were reported to be visible in Gundagai.

GEORGE'S HEAD.-- The Regular Artillery have completed mounting the guns in the casemate battery

under George's Head.

PRESBYTERIAN PSALMODY ASSOCIATION. -Yesterday evening the inaugural meeting of the Presby-terian Psalmody Association was held in the New Tempe-

rance Hall, Pitt-street. There was a numerous attendance.

Mr. J. Paxton J.P., occupied the chair. The 100th Psalm

having been sung, the Rev. R. S. Paterson engaged in

prayer. The chairman then delivered a brief address, in which he related the initiatory proceedings that led to the the formation of the society. He said that at the last General

Assembly, he had several conversations with Mr. M'Cormick touching on the improvement in the psalmody of their Churches; and, as a result of their deliberation, and with the co-operation of Dr. M'Gibbon, a committee was appointed to consider the question. There was some cavil, at first at what had been done by writers in the Witness, but the result had been that the choir-leaders and precentors of their churches had formed them-

selves into a committee and drawn out rules, and they had met that night to enrol members and

fully inaugurate the association. He was glad to see so

large an attendance, which was a source of encouragement

to all who interested themselves in its formation.

Their object was to raise the character of the singing in

their various churches. It was too common a thing that young people would sing alone, and accompany themselves in a drawing room, bnt when they came to church they were silent. He had been warned to beware of innova-tions. But he might state that there was no desire to intro-duce new fangled music into their churches or to sweep

away their leaders or precentors. The object of the asso-

ciation was to encourage and assist the precentors and the young people of the churches to improve the singing. It is intended to retain their own hymn books, polishing up some of the old hymns which were so acceptable to the elder members of the congregations, and introducing some new cheerful tunes; in fact such singing as he

remembered in St. Georges Church, Edinburgh. He had

no doubt that steps would be taken by-and-by for the

improvement of the singing in the Sabbath schools, where

they might well introduce some of Sankey's hymns as well as Bateman's, which were almost unknown to their Church and school. However, these were matters of detail that would be arranged by the committee. He stated that the Rev. Dr. M'Gibbon who took a great interest in the asso-ciation, had sent an apology for his non-attendance. The rules of the society, is drawn up by the provisional com-mmittee were then submitted to the meeting and adopted without alteration. It was decided that the officers of the society should be elected by the committee. A ballot was taken for the election of the conductor, and Mr. Smith (the precentor of St. Stephen's) was chosen. A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman and the committee. It was stated by the Rev. Mr. Paterson that the book to be used by the association was the Psalms Hymns, as used by the Presbyterian Churches of England and Victoria, and approved of by the General Assembly of the Church in this colony. The proceedings were closed with the bene-

diction,

EXTENSION OF STREETS AT BALMAIN. - Yester-day morning a deputation consulting of Mr. Henry Perdriau, Mayor and Messrs Mossman, Hyam, Taylor, and M'Donald, aldermen of Balmain, with Mr. J. H. Palmer, waited upon the Minster for Lands, to ask permission to extend to deep water Cooper-street, Adolphus-street, Mansfield-street, Birch-grove Road, Louisa Road, Johnston-street, William-street, Mort-street, and Campbell-street, and also permission to extend the wharf at the foot of Stephen-street, Balmain. The Minister expressed a desire to give permission to extend the streets and the wharf, but he could not do so, he said, without consulting, the Engineer-in-Chief for Harbours and Rivers and the Survevor-Grneral. Those officers would inquire into the matter, and an answer would be sent to the deputation as soon as possible.

LECTURES BY THE REV. JOHN gRAHAM. -This evening, in the Pitt-street Congregational Church, he Rev. John Graham will, on behalf of the Christian In-junction Sooiety dchvora lecturo on "Tho lopogriphv

Hn-tory and I ossons of Ancient Bomo " Iho lecturo will boillnstrated by a coloured diagram, drawn by Mr Vndrow

Tormng

Busir MISSION \.IIY Socir"r\ -The half-yearly meeting of this society was hold in tho re ulm ; r oin of the lcnipcnmco Hall, yestordi) eienin^ 1 he proliminiry toa mooting was well at tended, and at the s ibaoqucut proceed rags Mr Ihonias Palinoi was culled upon to tako tLo clmr Af lor singing a h) inn f i um Mo îtlv an t b niko) s colloctioi, pravor was offered, and the ch urm m opened the business in

a bnef address Ile pointed out (hit the great objoet which ' Christ had committed to his Church vi is tho spread of his Oospcl Ever} person ought to bo in some sort ii nns

sionar) , if ho could not sneak w ith profit, ho could lit least j hvo with prout, and tcioh b) thou ex implo 1 hen ag un, the) woro not confined to their otra mdivndunl eflorts, thoj could by menin of tlus society holp to send tho Go¡>pcl to thoso who aio in darki.ess lhero was one thing they could all do-they could tako an interest in the society, and aid it by their pr»y ors The secretary (Mr J Palmer) made a v ebal -eport of the proceedings of tlio socntv dm in» tba i not ^lK,C*" no stated that since their last meeting tnou work hid been gouiL, on m tho UBUIII niothodical v\ ay, and there hud been nothing v orv extraordinary to rep irt

Ihev had had two changes in tho pel sonnet of tho missionaries Mr Beckinghaui, who had acqmtt"d him self vory creditiblv, had beut in his resignation, having tal cn up another important Christian woik, and thocom millee advertised for i successor About tho same tuno Mr Anderei n also reivue¡>ted ti o comnntteo to allow lum to

resipn which thev did Among tho applications that woro lint in to succeed Mr Bcckmghani there vi oro two from pciwns that appeared to bo suitable for (ho work, and thoy vero accoi dingly appointed-Mi S at fe, and Mr J Smith-thoy were b th ¡resent, and would presentí) give

an account of their travels Mi E Palmer was also present hut Mr Druco was not there, having been called away to visit a 6i 1 relative Tie had to mention tim werai fresh agents had been addid tiunng tho half-)eu They Lad non 110 agents m tlio various country distucts, who were almost all of them actively engaged in woiking in connection with the s iciety foi the benefit of the districts m which the) live Ho pointed out »he importance of tina part of th" »otioty s work Thev had every reason 11 bo thankful to God foi his goodness to tlio society during the hnlf-ycar Thoy had had no grost difficulties to contend v\ ith, and had mot vvitl no gre it disasters It was woithy of notice that during the exist tuco of tho society thoy had not lost a singlo missionary by death whilo engaged in the w ork, nor had thoy ovor met with any sonous accident vvh lo so engaged The Trca %urer, Mr J Mills, then gavo n pi ogress report respiting tho linanccs of Iho societv The) had ícceiv ed this half ycir from the sale of books about JSloO moro than they had ever before received in a similar poi wd The total amount realised hy tho salo ot religious literatuie since lastiepoit was £18j Gs 3d , the subscriptions wrro not usually large

m tlio tal half ot the venr, but on this occasion thov tad received about ¿80 He had to mention we gratifying fact th it ho had rcceiv ed many remittances 'rom perajnswhorn ho did not know, and some amouuts were sont m anonvniouslv He refoneit to tho loss the «Met} had sustained through the death of Mi 1 J

'* tuat gentleman had homo time ago pioimsed to Sivo the society GiOO, on c mditiun that a símil u sum was £!.'n »v others He (.the tiea-uiei) hail sac icdul m =Mu!g iiftccn people li ruo bil) eich this lading «o sum of ±¿ 0) vhch WJJ sot ni)ir t() fol|o a book fund but m udei t, illectuclj e\tend tho rçcrationsof this impui tant bruicli of tins sv" v s woik, tvnionld_bo ncces-nrv t, i i,e this fund to £:>00 », h i li he trUoi thoy would shonH beabletoeb The mis-i mines -Menas bcarfc, Smith mid L Palmei- 'hen proceeded "^"iÇ meeting abncf account of then travUs ia the cusu, and tho result of their labours The secretan, in the MssnooofMi l)iuco,gavoaBhoit)c»if«« of tint gentle-mans work IheBov W Bmdloy briefly addie sed tho nieelinL, urging cspeeinllv upouthc bush mission mab tho nccofpilytoworkwhiloitisdiy, torotemitv will be long Moiigh |0 rDst ln pr l} er wig then offcredj nnd the beno_ tucuon Having been pronouueed, the meeting terminated

l«iNPiaroHS-Mr Tieeman writes to say that a pan of his jn/e baib pigeonb laid two eggs, and, alter sitting tho usual time, vi/ , sevontecn d iys, hatched a K.V,PM yt,T¿ onos {rom one CS¿ Ono atterwards «bed tho othormining

St rcTROßcoi'E -The new and veiy powerful Bçectroscope made to Mr Russoll s ordei by Mr Hilger, of pondon, foi tho Sydnov Observatorv, is now on its way to «T! A " ,'? considcrod the most powerful spectro rapo in the world, and contains i numbet of improv ements ^,m01l?hns' fnd m the apparatus foi measuring and «cording tho position of the 1 nos It w as exhibited at tho ^wilber mooting of tho Astionomical Society, and very m h admired A well-known nstronomei, malettoi to Mi

ÍT1L?)8 I hnd a sPlMdid opportumtv of testing slLT T°1C0I)0 'or> BOTeicly nt nilger's place, and I cai dndnih 7 ftvo n<ner 80en lnoro perfect surfaces, and tho 2C 7M Wsitc I do not think there is u bottei

spectroscope extant '

IUSOKIC -The first anniversary celebiation tff.f Tranquillity, No Uri on^tho registry thoorZT ^vYoik-streot.on'ihuiselay, lothmstmt, CoLT» M'? b/'^ tho ,M'a»»t.on ot Biothei Elias nwiit 'ami fcrÄrthe current ^ear' nn« fte nppomt T« a vLmv,08tltu,c of «w ofhei ofhcois "lhere Master CM7 nlg° » nttfndllncc II» newly -installed «ceded tnLn°°^n\ h,uine retinned thank,, pio

Shnr I p<rA«TsS W Bl other A Myor»,T W secreten, T>" I«""-»"ticnburer Brothor L Samuels, CataT'?T M6»!*T*. chaplain, Brother Gustavus

CharlT <5M ' brother Moss áaber, J D , Brother

¿S,"» \? *loth** I^onfeld and Phillips

aiennoncd Bagnto n,ford Seneral satisfaction It may bo k80inthoA,Vrt0rof 1anto,ost> that 0>» » «w biA ttoT Sd of TT ^5 ^,0n;es holdlne « Charter under MMterMaanriS^ ? í0 Pnnco of Wllle8> fts QiT¿ 1 «wwonSS ft,S*^ , i»» leonis of the evening S «ho fiSateiSfn??**0*, °í Corcn»»"<*. by eommand of

an adioummTf a ^^ lnvl'ation to the brethren, and

«adjournmentwas mado to the refroshment-rooni

»«ÄT£ INIv° TE iNrmMAHY-A man

*'to a frÏÏmlW haS ,bee,n admitt°d into the Inflrmary ftroivinKhu. l,\e,fCîUS(:d though his horse bolting ana » ÄcT'orh.Ä T1 Geore° Lee- Buireringbfrom

tmisos onhorLrW °f i X' c,lth°nno Edwards, with t>shc^d-wlÄ%aSd Ar^\" Poters- Wlth T »lury to

u. wore also taken into the same institution

^Ztern^P ?X E" c^^-We leam ùom

W. B ClaA« «. tho «nuitnl geologist, the Rev.

Ulatke' » «w on a vwlt to the HudgSo district

I I

Nicw SOUTH WALES CIUOKKT ASSOCIATION-.-> Tho usual wookly meeting of tho commillao of tho Criokdt. AsBociation was field at TaltorsalTs Hotel, yostordiy ovou

ing, Mr. R. Drivor boing in tho ohnir. Tho following i cport was read by tho chairman:-"Tho sub-cnmmitloo appointed lo inquiio into and roport upon I ho truth of ii paniginph in tho Molbounio Tivcninq Herald of tho30lh dny of Tlceember last, respecting tho lite Intercolonial Cnekct Match, having examined sovonil witnosso-i, hog to íeport as follows:-Your ctmimittco lind thal tho person icferrcd (o in the paragraph alluded to did ex-press to ono of (ho members of tho winning loam his anxiety that the Victorians should not bo dofoatcd in one innings, und, us slated by Mr. Powoll, requested bim io ask Mi. Conies to allow (ho Viciorians to obtain (ho necessary runs to provent (heir dofeat in ono innings. Your committeo also lind that tho sumo porson, afler (ho gamo had boen concluded, said to Mr. Ciatos, ' You might havo obliged an old friond, as I would lmva done tho samo for you.' Your committeo, however, aro of opinion (hat tho person referred lo was in a st do of groat excitement and had no intention lo bribe or offer a bribo to any of tho playors, and that tho fact of his hiving an interest in proventing a ono-innings victory was not luiown to Mr. Evans, te whoso Buporior bowling it was mainly owing that such victory was achiovrd. S)dney, 17 th January, 1876. RtcHAiti) DIUVER, S. C. B'toxvff, AVM. CHANE." On (ho motton of Mr. Q. H. Reid, a sub-committoo consisting of Messrs. CoatcB, £*. Gregory, and P. C Curtis, was ap-pointed to solcct a team for tho onsuing Intercolonial oriokot malchwith Victorin,und toarrangofor practicomatchos It was also resolved, on tho motion of Mr. Sheridan,-" That (ho sum of £25 bo presented to Bannormiin in appreciation

of his excellent play in tbo lato intercolonial mutch." Mr I Hinchcliffo (bought (hit boforo tho meei ing terminated tho

committee should do something in rofnronce to tho report I which lind been brought up by tho sub-committcc, so that somu sort of conclusion might bo como to, and to show the public that tho mnttor had boon sifted. Lto moved that tho repoit bo adopted. Tho motion was pul and agrood to. A vote or thanks was then givon to tho sub-committon who had drawn up the report.

PA INTINOS OF PuitF-nurn Stiournonvs -Two well executed oil-paintings, by thowoll-knowuantinil painter, Mr Woodhouse, portiaits of two gems of tho Ooloo held-Roan Duchess and Duko of Alvio-no'v the

piopcifyof Mr Samuel Gardiner, of Chelsworth, Heidel-berg, victoria, who purchased tho former for £2200 guineas and tho luttor for 800 guineas, at (ho lito Colic «nlo aro now onviowin (ho window of Mr John Sands s establishment "392, Gcorgc-streot Roau Duchess, lod roan, col ved 20th îsov ember 1873, is by the celebrated im-ported Bato s bull Duke of Brunswick (25,937) Silo w is (ho first pn/e-(akor at (ho Polwarth and South G-ronvillo Agiiculluiiil Soeiotj B ""h w hold 1S71, for tho bostheifor under thrco y cars old second pri/o at tho National bhow held m Melbourne, 1874, ns joarling, lirst pri'o m hor c1 iss, as well ns the Champion pti70 for best female of auy iiL,e, at tho Polwirth and South Urohvillo co"iety s Show 187*3 and has now arrived at the honour of hiving cani niardrd the highist price over piid f ra heifer or cow m the colonies Duko oí Alvio, bj tho simo sno, win oalved July, 1871 ho is, according to his p irtrait and tho descrip-tions of good judges, romaikably well grown, von stylish and even at 800 guineas a choap bull Mr Gurdinor has been comes.iy requested by sov oral of his fnonda to ox hibit Ihr so animals, with others from his farm, at the for!1 a ming Metropolitan Exhibition, but, in consoqunco of business engagement« it is feared ho will not be in a positi n to comnly with their wishes

THI? pALxncB DIOOINGS - Although tho Palmer has continued to send down its accustomed quota of gold, yet, smco there huvo been no startling finds and no now lushes wo have found a good many who oan, without tho slightest reason for their statements or know ledgo of tho state of the field generally, oracularly declare thal tho Palmer is "played out" It is with pleasuro that we (vfloXroKM Jlctald) have to announce that thoro is a rtw nish, and the report is norn too rohablo a source to doutt and that is a good one, as good, Bomesa), as ovm Sand) and Oakey turned out 1 ho pii ties who bl ought tho nowB into Bjor s Town state that tho rush is gojd but walci being scarce, thoy are merely sticking unt till the runs afford them au opporfnnifv of washing no Thi wiishdnt is plentiful ana shows very rich, md a good number aro on tho ground, which ia reported is ex<eu »ive One of our informants says that the prospectors carno into Byer s town and look hilf a ton of meat, with proportionate stores with them thal the gold was xery coarse, and that thoy had then over 2i lbs weight, with sonio very largo nuggets Another indi

oates tho locality of the rush as follows -Pollow tho main Publier on northern bank for a distance of twonty miles towards its source , tho nvor must then bo crossed and the granito rango, and at a distance oi fifteen miles from the pant of ciossing tho nvor the now rush isroicliid In Byer s Town rations aro nt Cooktown rates with tho cost of conjugo-6d per lb-added, and beef is a shilling Tho lattoi eC " ."J1,,'V TC'!1 howover goon fall in price, as an opposition has started in tho shapo of a Chinosô uiHctlor, who with his cattle und pigs bag irrnod on tho scone The samo nile ns to puces li Ids good at Ma) town, hut the carriago is 2d moro ByersTovui is quite a busy placo, with stores, itc , and picking goes on briskly

Tin LNDIAN TÍLrr.nAPii Cuín .- The re porlcd deterioration of tho tolegraph ciblo in tho Indian seas from the ravages of submarine insects is emphatic illy contradicted by Mr Bennott Pell, tho cable company s agent a Singapore who writes to tho Sltaiti It II S in icferencc to tho subject in the following terms -"I was greatly suiprised on loading n paragraph in jour paper stating that 'tho npid deterioration of tho cable m theso w aters is due to the myalls of insects or worms

Such an unqualified statement is likely to sei uii-.lv misload investois in cible proport), and I should thoroforo liol obhered by jour informing the public that the Batavia cable, to wbnh you particuhrly refer, has not detonoiatcd an iota since its manufacture, but, on the contrary, its electrical condition is positively better at the pic-ent moment than when first subiueiged AVith the exception of ono or two breaks through ships anchors, sonic of our cables hu o never had an electrical fmlt in them, and one of theso lies for so ver il miles closo to the Batnv 111 able It can thereforo scarcelv be right to speak of the rapid dcterio ration and destruction of cible» in the mannet y m have done in tho piiragriph above leferred to Just beforo the unfortun de bre ik occurred in our Penang-Madras section, the cable was m as porfcit a condition ns it in possible for anj telegraph cable to bo, and the ruptuie is in all pioba

bilitv due to some submarino vole inic oiuption Ko insect

"or worm eould cut oiï communication in suth i mannet

DnoxvNiNG oi THF LATÍ JUDC r BLVKENJII -The lato Judge Blnkcno) vins found di owned m tho Bus

bnno Rivei on the 11th instant iha Coioioi states that he was soi/ed with paiul)sis about two yens sinai which adected his mind, and rendeicd him quite unfit to discharge his odieial duties as Judge of tho AVestem Distnct Court which position ho resigned m Septomber of last yeui

lhere is little doubt that, linmediatel) previous to tho ice dent which caused his death, his mind was wandering, and he caused considerable anxioty to his family m eonso

quene« Iho morning ho left homo for the last time, ho was, apparently in better health than usual, and thue wis no io ison to supjioso that he had any other intention than to trio a morning walk, ns was his custom 'The f _e which ultimately overtook him must thoiofore bo consi

dtiid is accidental Tho deceased wis called t> the Bin m London m the your 1831, and upon the de itli of his father carno luto possession of a consideiable proper!) m Ireland with a rent.il of ovei £1500 per annum Ho was induced to como out to New South AVales in 1858, and practised ut his profession in that colony until shortly uoforo Sopai ition, when, having had considernblo success in his pr ictieo in tho tuen îvoithoin Circuit Court of Moreton Bay ho ma do up his minti to se! tlo in Queensland in 18J9 AVhon Queensland was formed into a separate colony ho was elected a member of the Lcgishdve As'ombl) for the mt) of Bnsbane, und continued to act foi yours in that capacit), with considei-able ability and zeal on behalf of the Liboril mteiest, andmeasuies now on tho statute books of this colony vvoro in gi cat part framed and psssed through Parlnment b) his exertions He was subsequently appointed Chan man of Cemnnttees of the Assembly, and held the appointment for some time Ho became Judge of the AVostern District Couit m the jeir 1864, and held that office until, ns beforo stated, narai) sis rendered linn unlit for lu» duties

VICTORIA TIILATÄE - T esteiday evening, Miss Alice Dunning (Lingard) and Miss Diekio Lingard commenced a second season of nino nights at this house Th-orc was a lvrco attendance The pieco eho3en was Gilbeifs "Charity"-the drama with whioh the last seimon closed and m one respect tlio «election wa»a judicious one, IIB the play certainly shows both tho Indios to more advan-tage m a histrionic point of view than any othoi in which they have appcaretl hero, bosides allowing Mt J P Hyde» scopo for some very humorous acting as TiUpartington a rrivate detoctive The pel form inco was entnely successful thioughout The cast w13 tho same as before, savo that Mr J Iborpe made his hist appeal ance as Lea Atholney Mi Melville has had the good taste to discard the ibsuid head geai ho formerly ador ted as Dr Athelney, which gi eatly improves his impersonation A Tienen, p iiitoinimo, entitled "LeBurbier V.mourou\, concluded

QUEENS THFVTKT -A complimentai y benefit was yesteidvv toueleied at this houst to Mr M Ainsley Scott The lowci parts of tho theatre woie well tilled The performance commoncod with a drima, entitled " Liz7io Lyle, 01 the Flower Makeis of Tinsbur),' which includes stabbing, poisoning garotting, robbing, and a variety of other amusements The principal fcatuio in this was the re appearance of Mr J H Ramford, who has retired from the stago for some time Ho played Adolphe Durand very excellently throughout, and was much applauded The other paits woro sustained by amatours -Messis W Hunn, J Carl, Y Sidney, J Macmahon, R Bible, C Williams, S Armond, and J B fitzpatrick The latter gentleman (besides Mi Ramford) was recalled at the end of the second act Miss Tlora Anstead, MIBS Lmnia "Wangenhonu, and Mrs Stoneham took tho leading fomalo parts, with consdorablo SUOCCSB After tho drama tho Young Australian Band played Cootes valso " Girofllc Girvfln Mi Harry Ackland and Miss Wangonheini sang, Mi Gus Wangennoim drew lightning caricatures, Mi

Oaten played coneeitina solos, Mr Sam Wolf recited tho " Charge of tho Light Brigade, (being it is stated " ono of the fevy survivors of that renowned and brilliant feit, ) nud tho wholo concluded with a droll farco entitled " We nil have our Little Faults," with Mr J P Hydes, Mr South, and Miss Anstead in tho lc*din£ parts.

j DJCBTHUCTIVK BUSH FUIES.-Particulars' Xo

¿MjOoting (ho damngo dono by hush flros on Mr Quintero!'« faun, *t lickhole, near AVallsond, aro given by tho Miner's Advocate. ^r Quintorol lost no timo m at once making lo (ho Bccno (!* dnißor, whoro ho was quickly followed by other members oi" "'13 family On roichmg tho placo ho found his noighbours bufi/'y ongaged in prolooting thoir properly from (ho ravngos of tho (1 imes Tho ino by this linio hadspiead so fir, and theie v nu so iiwli muten il m (ho simpo t f dr) tnnbii to feed it tint it w is only by tho mont stienutniH exoitions tho dwollings could bo saved Mr

Quinte iel s finm is situated on tho liko sids of tho ertok at 'liikbolc, and ndjoins Mnenamnii s It appears that thmo wcro two elistinot fires ut the outset nod owing to tho p jsi tion of tho two fauns just uni ti mod billi Í1103 mot ni this point, thus making Messrs Quintorol and Macnamara tho principal if not tho only sufforois Mr Qmnterol's fence, winch extends for a milo and a half, w13 nearl) nllbiimt,tliOBoporti ."-temf^biingall moro 01 loss charred '1 hero is something Iiks, <i Hundred a« íes of glass dtstroyed, but fortunately, tho houses and gardens weio saved AVo VToro informed by Mrs Quintorol that a pad-dock of fifty ncies, prolty thickly timbered by "ringed" dees all thoroughly dry, was all on tiro at tho samo time The tiro, which ran along the grasB, was convoyed by tho loobo fragments of bark hanging from their trunks to tho outspreading bnnches, and as tho flames leapt from limb to limb, enveloping the whole in a vast sh"ot of fl imo, tha spectacle, when darkness set in, was tornbly grand Not-withstanding tho loss tho residents had sustained, and the dnngor that still threatened thom, they continued to g t¿o on tho weird seeno an if spellbound

THF BRAIDWOOD PASTORAT AND AGRICDX ruiiAr ASSOCIATION -A meeting of subsoribors to this asFOCiatinn (íepoits tho ])iipatch) w is hold in Braidwood on tho l«lth instant, foi tho mu poso of icturning niombnis their sub cnptions, and abandoning tho pi iposed show Mi 1 Stewnid, (ho president, occupied the chair, and stated the obiect of the meeting, at tim same timo explain-ing th it m consequent of the apathy ovinced by the general public in icgiird to tlio mattei thcro was no othor alternative but to break up the association He mentioned, however, that Mr 'Wilsen the secretary of the Joel ey Club, lind otToied to undertake tho management of the first (.how undrr tho auspices of tho olnb, which would privido pn/es to tho extent of s.iy £30, md put up yards and sheds, on condition the subscriptions received wero handed over to them Mi Wilson, upon boing culled on, repotted tho oller ho hud made, with tho concurrence of some of tho principal members of the Jockey C'uu A discussion of ii conversational character 'hen tool placo in robard to tho proposal Sovoral poi-âons expressed tho opinion that whit was really required to fcivc an interest

to the show and to mako )t i succoas was a mon libaral piotiainnio-'that «onmnj IIV-ITO» t in»re c i*? fócalos for whiih entrance fees wo«-" acme iii».^ ippeared \ / piltry to intending exhibitor« and flto^otli lowore' the iffu m tho eves of the pubho Mr Ii Muddro'l »vii no of hoic «hu believed tnat tho apathy rim h luid been displayed towuids the as-ociatien was duo in a great immuio lo this cause, although he hnii8olr did not «art i Date 11 «ny such leelmg, as ho oonsieleicd a paper cor'ilcate tully os honour ible an award as a silver medal Still, m (loferons co those who thought« otherwise, he would desire to soe an offort made to enhance the value of tho pii7cs, and do arvoy with tho dissatisfaotion that existed tu thi- heaj Io sot an example, theroforo, ho would bo Viilluig, if thoy determined to carry out the show, te make up his t-ubscnption from £2 2s to £10 10s , to holp to moot thoso oxpenscs incidental to a first undertaking which would not havo to bo incurred again Two othor gentlemen had also intimated to him their willing-ness to mako up their subscriptions to £10 10s each Mr Hassall then mudo up his subscription to £10 10s , Mr Steward to £J 5s , Mr Musgrave to £5 öa, and Dr Llewelyn, Mesors Granville, C H Roborts, Geolan, R J C Maddrell, Wilton, and M'Dowall severally supple-mented their subscriptions by giving £1 Is moro, the additional arno mt thus obtained m tho room, with tho pay-ments of n few now sub^a ibers and icekoning the £.) os I ii imscel by Mr Greville, swelling tho funds up to marly £70 Mr Wilion censer-ted to give his services associo t ir) to the society in the samo innnuT ns if the bhow had Leen undei tho auspices cf the Club, but sug^e tod th it Mi

Robutson, tho gentleman who hnd suceeedeel Mr Gillhain as treasurer should bo appointed to act in conjunction y th him 1 his w as done, and the following gentlemen weia

ippointcel a sub committeo -Mo'srs Ä Maddrell T |

Steward, C B Payne, and G Granville It was resolved to postpono tho sho« from the 4lh Tobraary to the 23rd

Match

CATrariixARS AND BIRDS -The farms of ' Messrs Dowell and Smith, on Bombowlee, and of Ah Toot on lumut Plains aro said by tho Gundagai JTi»«» to havo ..ullercd considerably from the attacks of catorpillars Several farmers havo had to dig deep drains around thoir crops in order to protect tuena from tho invasion of theso posts The caterpillars, having feasted on tho wheat and oats, make their way to the more succulent cornstalk, which, unions it bo too forward, they cat entirely out or Uiô ground The small bird» formerly alluded to is por

forming such signal servico for the distnct in ciiecking tho ndvanco of the insect army nro deserving or moro than n passing notice Where thoy came fnm is a mystery wo eannet find that thoy woro ever he'll hi" ti 1 this season, when they ippoired m numbers sahtcient ut times to blacken tho sky and their ceaseless twittering could be heard a milo tbstant lhey are bomewhat lurgo than n t-and martin, of a uniform bluish colour, with red breaots and white til ped tail and wings Veritable gourminds aro they, as their plump condition testifies The curious in such matters niav at picent, bv i visit to tho Rocky Range, view number«! of these birds rearing thoir yiung in little saucer lil e no^ts ittached to stinted bushes in atrangoly exposed situations

AN AAN KW-AIID SITUVTION -A "Melbourne visitor to 1 chuca, tempted b) the heat, sought a 1,01 idjd spot on the Murroj some distance Ironi L"hr"ïi' and stripping, jumped into the water and swam across the river, tho ellort exhausting his energies A now and serious difficulty now presented itself Iho stream was broad, bvvift, und deep his elotheswero posted on tho other opposite bank Ile was unequal to tho elfort of re crossuig the rivei his best strength was gone The setting sun yyaned and the shades of evening fell upon n figuro liko Adam at his hirth crouched in despau and hiding behind , (he covering of a gum tree trunk That night, 13 the

moon lose, a swagsman crossing tho punt was startled to terror by the spectacle of a white spectre like form Hitting from tico to tree Petrified with fear and astonishment, he btood motionless, speechless with horror and unable to move The figuro beckoned bun to approach 1 astmated with awe by its appearance he obey ed tho signal, vnd on approaching tho fern ful object ho found it to bo the r ish y outh whoso natatoiy tastes had reduced him to a state of munt) Matters w ero soon explained, and tho countr)

man, iclieved of his groundless alarm, was induced to take I the promise of a handsome buhe to obtain tho necessary

y «st uro und after a lapso of time, which seemod an age to tho cool promenadei m a stata of nature through the syl 1 xan woods, ho legnmed his clothes, and, it is hoped, ro [ turned home abettor and a wiser mnn Tho above, for the

ncur icy of which tho Jin crine Herald vouche«, contains a moial to bathers to eschew tho foolhardy venture of swim-ming tho met Y

A SCFλE E, lHF VlCTOniVV ASSKXIBLY During the discussion in tho Assembly ou the 1 Jth instant upin tho case of Mr AV A Iv Plummer, Mr 1 homos evuiccd a considerable amount of exeitomeut, and inter-acted remarks fiequontl) while Mr Lnlor.waa speaking A\ hen the House adjourned for refreshment (the Agc re-ports) tho member for Sandridge, in company with some other members, was expieasing his displeasure at Mr Lalor attacking a man when ho was down, alluding to Mr Plum-mer s e ise Just then Mi Lalor appeared upon the scone Mr Thomas mado up to bun, and standing on tip-toe, told the gentleman alluded to that he was a coward, or some-thing to that eñect lho onlj reply he received was a blow trom Mr Lalor that had tho effect of damaging Mr thomas s hat, the hon Tuomlftrs person happilj escaping injury Those stunehng ry interfered, and, holding that Mr Lalor had acted hastil) and ill advisedly, that gentle-man promptly npologised Mi Thomas declined to iceipt tho apolog), and maiched off vowing ven-geance AVhen it wus sought by an bon member to soothe his wounded feelings, ho declared Ins determination to invest £2 10s ina TOVOIVOI, and settle the matter voiy hortl) It did not tianspno what weig led with the hon men her to induce him to alter his mind, but as soon us the Hou«o re assembled ho brought the matter under tho notice of the Speaker, and held up his dilapidated tilo as cono borativo proof of the truth of hi» assertions He con-cluded his remarks by asking tho Speaker if ho had any remedy undor tho ciuuinstanees Mr Lalor briefly re-plied, and guv0 his version of the allan Ho silted that he had been called a coward by Mr Thomas and hud simpl) knocked his hat oil and afterwards apologised He renewed the apology, and if it were not accepted ho could not holp it the Speakei delivered an edifying lecture upon the amenities oi poltto society, and Mi Thomas hav-ing accepted the apology, every one seemed relieved to find that the affair wa3 settled without an) sanguinary conse

quonces

WHIIING II'Li His ITAME-At one of the Government office» in "ioung (writes ?ho Bun nugong O/unicle), a mm from the eountiv who was engaged in certain business whi h necessitated lum placing his signature on a certain document was asked to sign the paper handed to him Taking the pon up carefully, minutoly examining the point, and placing it on the paper, he at once proceeded to write After completing the task, the surname was only noticed to be wntten, andho waa questioned as to whether he had no Christian name An nnswer m the affinnative was elicited, but an explanation made to the cflect that he could not write his Christian name, only his surname A cross was substituted, and tho difficulty surmounted

WILD TURKTYS.-Wild turkeya aro said to be unusually numerous this season, and also to bo heavier and in better condition than they generally arc Several remarkably fine birds havo been seen within a fow nilloï of Albury, and a few have been killed As a rulo, how-ever, the) aro paiticularly shy, and m localities where they havo been at all subject to disturbance thero is no gottui; within range The Banna loams that these birds a o equally plentiful in various other parts of the district a good many having boen shot smco tho season opened The Innes îeçorts that one gentleman in the neighbourhood of Gundagai bagged three, two of which weighed, l8 lbs, aid { 16J lbs respectively.