"\Ve have been requested to announce jbhat the Bev. K. Taylor will (D.V) hold I)hine service next Sunday as follows :—At Kaikora at 11 a.m., at at 3 p.m., and at Waipuku ran at 6 p.m. In the Resident Magistrate's Court fliis morning an application was made by the plaintiff in the case of Nott v. Scott, which came before the Court some months since. The claim was one $f £8 3s for |)oard ? for which judgment

had been given, but the account re mained still unsettled, and the plaintiff was under the impression that his debtor could pay the amount if he chose. The defendant's residence being at "Wairoa, further proceedings could not be taken without considerable ex pense, which expense the plaintiff thought should be borne by the Court. His Worship said that it was no part of the duty of the Court to act as a collector of debts, and any fuither pro ceedings must be at the cost of the plaintiff, who would be entitled to re cover them from the defendanb if it were possible to do so. The Annual Meeting of the members of the Napier Athenaeum and Me chanics' Institute was held last evening. The committee for the year was ap pointed, several old members resigning, and successors being elected. We are informed that a consignment of books from Messrs. A. and C. Black, Edin burgh, may soon be expected, having reached Wellington in the ship Edin burgh Castle. In this consignment is included the latest edition of that splendid work, the " Encyclopaedia Britannica," which consists of twenty one quarto volumes. As mentioned by us yesterday, a meeting of the Wellington Philosophi cal Society was held on the Ist instant. The Evening Po<t &ays :—Communica tions were read by Mr E. Stowe, des cribing a new shell found by the late Mr Davis ; by Mr Buchan, adding some new plants to the flora of New Zealand, and by Dr. Knox on the anatomy of the rat, which was described last year byMrßuller as the Maori rat. The discussion that ensued appeared to leave no doubt that the rat in question is the Mas ratus, or ancient black rat of Bri tain, :tnd that the true edible rat of the natives has still to be discovered. A letter from Mr B. 