OCCASIONAL NOTES FROM THE METROPOLIS—No. X.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 48, 12 October 1870, Page 5

OCCASIONAL NOTES FROM THE METROPOLIS—No. X.

Alter a long period or inactivity m I matters theatrical, the Princess Theatre was re-opened on Wednesday night, the sth iust., tinder the lesseeship of Messrs J. iS. Willis and Co., who have spared no expanse in renovating and altering the theatre and entruices, an t providing now stage furniture and appointments. Mr Willis and a host of assistants have bee a busy for several weeks hick making preparations for the season, which- I trust will prove a profitable one for the enterprising lessees. An entirely new company has been engaged, comprising ladies and gentlemen of histrionic ability, well and fivorably known in the Austral! m CMonies-; and our old friend Mens. Floury assumes his former position as leader of the orchestra ; which co uprises M. Flenry, violinist; Mr Reichar It. pianist; and Mr Martin, fluitist. “Blow for Blow,” an excel-lently-written drama by Mr B/ron, was selected as the opening piece, and in it the several members of the company hj id ample scope for the display of their ability. The pirts of Alice Potherick and Mildred Ora Idoek (twin sisters) were pi ived by Miss Oirry George, who received marked expressions of approval for the excellent mum a- in which the characters were sustained. The other fern do characters in the piece—Lady Bthal Linden, KittyWobbler, and Mon!soy—were respectively sustained by Miss Bushe, Mrs Bryer, an I Miss (forward, and were well and carefully played. Kitty Wobbler, in the hands of Mrs Bryer, was made a capital character, and provoked much laughter. Mr Musgrave deserves more thin a passing notice for his excellent rendering of the part of Dr Musgrave. He displayed considerable origin ility in his conception of the part, | and played it with taste and ellect. Oh irley j Spraggs, a lawyer’s clerk, with strong ! sporting proclivities, and a predilection I for the “ noble arc” of self defence, found ; in Mr Lawrence a capital representative, i | The part was sustained throughout in ai hu norous, saas soaoi style, which provoked | much merriment and hearty laughter, j Mr Collier, as John Drnminoncl, and Mr j Metcalfe, as Sir Harry Linden, sustained ] their parts with credit to themselves and to the evident satisfaction of the audience : and Mr Willis, as Mr Crad lock, is entitled to the same praise.' The orchestra was align anted by a number of amateurs, who tendered their services in order to give eclat to the proceedings ; and as the veteran lea ler hj id his team wall in hand the result of assiduous practice—in 1 was himself in excellent “ fettle,” you may I imagine tint the orchestra contributed in no small de gree to the success of the opening performance. The house was well filled with a fashionable and brilliant I audience ; and I trust that, notwithstand ing the impecimiosity which issai 1 fc) reign paramount among all classes, Mr Willis will continue to receive such substantial | marks of public approval for his spirited j endeavours to revive the dram i in Dunedin; i for goodness knows a ration d and pleasant | means of spending an evening has been i a want much felt for some ti no pist. A now.spipar controversy, in which vary j strong language is indulged in by some of ! your daily contemportries, his lately j arisen through the alleged hj tiding hack of | the war telegrams by the General Governj in'iit to serve political ends. The D.ti'.y 7’iviw had a long article on the subject, in which it accuse! the Guvsrnmmt of pur Joining telegrams specially supplied to chit journal, and making use of than by despitching them to a Government organ at Wellington, before they reache 1 their proper destination. The telegram were several hours later thin they should have b°eu in arriving at various newspaper o'fiies in the colour, and the Press in genenl seems to ho up in arms o i the subject, vindicating their rights in t.-r ns anything but compliavntaiy to the Govern omit, and in some instances thro itoning to carry the mv-ter in'o the Supreme Court. Tlie Wellington ludepewl'ini (tin Grvernment organ to which I have allude I) defends the Government in a hotlywritten article, and defies the Dai'.j Tim:s to carry ont its throat. The Dnnelin Eu.vuhj Stir also replies to the article in its morning contemoor iry, and a-cus'>s it of frequently making use of telggnms which anneal' in the former joir uil wi ilion t acknowledgemem, &■'. ; !>nt to my mind makes a verv 1 une attomut at justifying the Government. M anwhilo nn- ’ morons other journals hj ivo taken the mat- [ ter up, and the controversy is at its height, i When editors of newspapers engage iu a battle of this description, the language , they use, as a rule, is not remarkable fur . politeness ; and in the present instance, I 1 supjvoso wr. may look, bofono the dispute

fails, fur some home-! hrnsrs of a most intellectual ami forcible inter. Well, ail I’ve got to say tu ihj .-‘g. ir lemon of 1 irgo intellects and massive brains is, “ Fight away, my hearties, till vonr goose-quills are worn to the stamps !"’ The nomination of candidates for tieCity Council for Hell Ward rendered v.io.iat by the ousting froai oHico of .Mr P.enjainin lligley, who. by decisVux of the Supreme Court, was illegally declared elected by the Returning Oliioer, t tok [date in front of the Government Offices to-day. Mr Fr ink I*. Minsliold and .Mr W. Woodland were the candidates proposed, Th » former gentleman is looked upon as,must likely to head this poll. Aitt'.VNLTii.