The Evening Post. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1865.

Evening Post, Issue 56, 13 April 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1865.

For the next fortnight the province will be agitated by political contests, in consequence of the election of members for the Provincial Council. It is important for the future welfare of the province that the new Council should cooperate with the Superintendent, and, to gain thnt important end, it becomes necessary to return the best talent that can be had. All personal ill-will should be lost sight of at a time like the present, and all should be influenced by one feeling, that if, the prosperity of Wellington and the advancement of the province. We wish to see our future Provincial Council consist of members of enlightened views, whose policy will combine future wants with present exigencies. There are gentlemen in the province who combine great foresight with prudence, and whose political experience in the colony has been very great ; if these gentlemen will come forward and allow themselves to be nominated, we shall have no iears of the future. The province must recollect that they have an astute politician as Superintendent, and that they must return men as nearly his equal as possible. If men are elected for the Council who have very little legislative talent, the Superintendent and his council cannot be expected to work well together ; the one will feel contempt for the other, and the most miserable results will be the consequence. We do not wish to do the electors any ii^justice, and we feel certain that they will fully recognise the importance of choosing able and willing men to represent them. They must, however, treat with caution persons who make it their business to appeal to the vanity of the working classes, and, in all cases, endeavour to get a full explanation of the policy of the candidates. Much has bpen said about progression and prosperity,* and -never have the affairs of Wellington looked more blooming. With plentjTof money in the Provincial cheit, an iucreas-

mg export and import trade, a flourishing town, and a large inland population, the prospects of Wellington are second to no other province in the colony. If we wsh to take advantage of the fine opportunities offered, the best and surest way of doing so is by having 'an efficient Council. There are many important questions that ought to be brought forward at the next session of the Provincial Chamber, and perhaps not the least interesting duty of the new Council will be to consider the best site for the new provincial buildings. The provincial offices are now completely scattered, consequent upon the late Council giving up their premises to the General Government; thatthey will be allowed to remain so, we cannot for one moment imagine, asi by being so far apart, it must greatly interfere with the despatch of business. The Market Board Act must also be reconsidered, and full corporate powers given to the Municipal authorities. The reclaiming of the harbour will form a reproductive work, and one greatly needed, and should be commenced as early as possible. The new Council will have plenty to do ; they will commence under bright auspices, and we hope they will prove themselves worthy of their trust.

In consequence of to-morrow being Good Friday, a day always set apart for the commemoration of religious rites, this paper will not be issued. In our advertising columns of to-day are the addresses of two gentlemen, soliciting the support of the e'ectors of Wellington for a seat ia the Provincial Council. We would call attention to the fact of 1400 acres of land being open for selection in the district of Ohariu. The Theatre Royal will be closed on this and to-morrow eveniug, but will be re-opened on Saturday. We would remind our readers that the English Mail closes at eight a.m. to-morrow morning. The inhabitants of Johnsonville have a tea meeting advertised for to-morrow, and they have arranged a programme of rural sports. On Easter Monday the banks in this town will be closed. We have been favoured with a view of the new establishment of Messrs. Moeller, Jacoby and Co. In addition to a very extensive shop, they have two large and well lighted showrooms. The wholfi premises are well arranged, and the building presents an imposing appearance. We understand it is the intention of the enterprising firm to open, for the transaction of business, on Monday next. The greatest dearth of female servants has existed in this province, and muoh inconvenience has been experienced therefrom. There is, however, a small supply on their way to this port, per ship Berar, which was to have left London on the 31st January, and which may be expected to arrive hero about the end of this month or the beginning of next. The immigrants consist of twenty single females, fourteen married couples, and forty single men. The single females are mostly used to domestic service, and although their number ia small, we have no doubt they will be very acceptable. At a meeting of the Town Board, held on Tuesday evening, the 11th inst., the clerk read a letter addressed by the Chamber to Mr. Woodward, acting Provincial Treasurer* on the subject of the a^phalte pavement. The chairman reported that Mr. Woodward agreed with the Board that laying down of asphalte pavement was an object for which a grant in aid should be given by the Government, to an equal amount to that subscribed by the inhabitants, provided that the total sum claimed by the Board during the year, for this and all other objects, should not, in the aggregate, amount to more than £2000. Letters were read by the c'lairman, from Mr. Wai. Dorset, complaining of grievance, and from Mr. Barker, assistant provincial engineer, for information on proposed sanitary measures. Mr. Wallace desired MrBarker to be informed that, in the absence of full corporate power, the Board felt they could not enter into any sanitary measures. A discussion ensued, relative to employing extra gunmen to look after the prisoners. It was resolved by the Board that tenders should be called for renting the Cricket reserve, and, after voting various sums for wages, timber, &c, the meeting separated. There are few persons who are not ac-

quainted with the plot and incidents of the admired comedy of. "Used Up," translated from the French " L'Homme Blaze" by Charles Mathews, and the great success of this piece was mainly to be attributed to the manner in which the blaze baronet was played by Air. Mathews, who stamped the character as one peculiarly his own. Last night Mr. Frank Towers played Sir Charles Coldstream in a manner which certainly surprised us for so young an actor. Mr. Towers is very painstaking, and evidently pays great attention both to character and natural effect. The lassitude which he displayed when worn out with dissipation and wearied with himself and everything else, was amusing in the extreme ; and his soene with Lady Clutterbuck, in which he offers to marry her according to a vow to marry the first woman he met, was capital. The contrast, too, in the second act, where Jiving as a plough boy on his tenant's farm, to avoid being captured for an imaginary murder,was all indicative of finished acting. Mr. John Dunn, as Ironbrace, the blacksmith, was first-rate ; he looked, spoke, and acted like a true type of the English John Bull, and in the struggle with the baronet, where they both roll out of the window, he displayed much of that genuine humour which is so natural to him. Mr. Howe as Sir Adonis Leech was also good and Mr. Tom Dale played the Honourable Tom Saville well. Miss Marian Dunn played Mary Wurzel in her usual charming manner, and seems to have made a stand with the Wellington public, with whom she has already became a great favourite. Miss Anstead is also very deserving of notice for the manneV in which she played Lady Clntterbuck. Miss Maggie Griffiths danced a capital Highland Fling ; and the performances c )ncluded with the " Daughter of the Regiment." The Survey Department have, we (New Zealand Herald) understand received instructions from the General Government to prepare estimates of the cost of surveys in the Waikato, for the financial year commencing Ist July. We are not aware for what purpose this estimate is to be made unless to place before the Assembly, to show what a great saving to the colony has been t ffected by discharging all hands. One piece of economy we can point out, that in discharging all salaried surveyors many blocks of lands, lines of road, &c, will be left in a halffinished state, which ttther men can hardly take up without in a great measure doing the whole work over again. Many of these surveyors have been brought from Sydney and elsewhere, and can legally claim more than a month's notice of dismissal. In such cases they will be using a wise judgment in suing the Colonial Government for a twelre-rnonths' salary. . On Lord's Day next the Rev. Mr. Waters will preach, morning and evening, in the Primitive Methodist Ctiurch, Sydney street. As collections will be taken in aid of the < School Fund, we feel confident that all who can possibly attend will lend their assistance in furtherance of this very desirable object. A tea meeting will take pace on Monday evening, at half-past five. By the financial statements published in New the Zealand Gazette of the Bth inst., we find that Otago has been the largest contributor to the revenue of New Zealand for the year 1863-64, and Marlborough the smallest, the respective revenue of the different provinces being — Otago, £278,797 0s 9S ; Auckland, £141,132 15s; Canterbu-y, £101,288 6s 8d ; Southland, £68,582 1 4s 6d ; Wellington, £52,372 17s 6d ; Nelson, £30,048 17s 9d ; Hawke's Bay, £14,121 3s ; Taranaki, £12,224 11s 5d ; Marlborough, £5717 16s 4d ; Total, £709,028 U lOd. The s.s. Airedale arrived iii port from the North about two p.m. today, and the s.s. from the South shortly afterwards.