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Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1932, 15 July 1869, Page 2

Court of Appeal.—A volume containing the cases decided before the Court of Appeal during the last two years, lias now lieeu published by the Government. The reports have been revised and .arranged by Mr Justice Johnston.

The “ Gazette.” —The following notices appear in the Zealand Gazette: The following places have been appointed additional polling places for the Wake tip District for the election of .Superintendents and members of the Provincial Council: the sehoolhouse, Tapanui, and the schoolhouse at Switzers. —The following additional regulation as to the examination of candidates for employment under the Civil Service Act is published for general information No candidate for the Civil Service will be admitted to examination unless he shall at the time of such examination being held be of the full age of fifteen years,—That a transcript of the rules of the Loyal Dunedin Lodge M.U.1.0.0.F,, Dunedin, duly certified, had been lodged with the registrar of the Friendly Societies, and duly recorded in his office. The following gentlemen have been appointed to form a board, to be called the Board of Longitude, for the purpose of determining with accuracy the longitude of Wellington and of other parts of the Colony in relation to the initial longitude of Wellington Dr Hector (chairman), Rev, A, Stock, 8.A., H. Jackson, Estj., chief surveyor, Auckland, and Lieut. G. A. Woods, The Ministry.—Northern letters do not speak encouragingly of the prospects of the Fox administrati n. It does not appear to have within it cohesive material. Hie growing feeling may he estimated by the following extract from a letter received in town by the lastjmail:—“ The Fox Government are losing ground. They are very weak, and I should not be at all astonished to see them defeated. The fact is, Mr Fox has been looking too much to the North Island for support, and has already in the Government three North Island men to only two from the South, and the Government are even now talking of appointing one additional for Auckland, thus making it 1 to 2,

Then again, Mr Vogel is looked upon by a section of the House as more interested in the North than in the South. He does not intend retaining office aftir the present session, and Mr Bell is going to England after December next. There exists, therefore, a fear that their places 'will be tilled up with Northern men, thus handing the whole administration and expenditure of the Colony into the hands of the North Island. If Mr Fox is not very careful, he is sure to he outvoted, and may possibly be refused a short appropriation on which he might appeal to the Country.” Concert. —The first invitation concert of the Dunedin Private Musical Society was given last evening in the new Post Office Hall. The audience was the largest we have ever seen assembled in Duued'u to do honor to an entertainment, and included the elite of the town and neighbourhood. In every respect the concert was an unqualified success, there being no hitch in any of those difficulties which usually crop up at amateur performances. The first part of the programme included sacred pieces, and we have no hesitation in saying that the choruses (and more especially the one “ For unto us a child is horn ” and the “ Hallelujah ” from the Messiah) were rendered in a manner that has unquestionably been equalled but which, we believe, has never been excelled, even in Exeter Hall. Whether therefore we are justified in ca'b iu (f this an amateur performance, we confess we have grave doubt, for certainly no professional concert could have passed olf with eclat. In the second part of the programme, devoted to secular music, was a fantasia, “ Rye Bloom,” for the flute and plain, which was admirably rendered by the performers, and produced a marvellous ertect upon the audience, eliciting well merited applause and eliciting an hearty encore, hoi the encore was substituted “ Farewell, Leonora,” from “ 11 Trovalorc, ’ which was also well received. The pianoforte solo, “ Les Hirondelles,” was exquisitely rendered by Miss Be'l. The vocal solos were beautifully executed and received those hearty responses to which they were so justly entitled. The Society may congratulate itself on the success attending this, its first undertaking, and wo hope that the public will ere long have an opportunity of enjoying another rich treat like that offered last evening. It is gratifying to learn that the use of the hull was freely accorded to the Society by tbe Government for the concert, and that the grand piano, which proved so powerful and effective during the performance, was lent by Mr 0. Begg. In fact the town is much indebted to Mr Begg for the efforts ho has made during the past few years to retain an organised musical society. The use of .his large music room has been always given to the Society for practice, and in every respect lie has thought no sacrifice too great to encourage a taste for music. Nor would it fair to Mr Martin of the Volunteer Band to omit to mention that the instrumental accompaniments to “For unto us a child fis born ” and “ Sleep, gentle lady, ” were arranged by him purposely to suit the limited number of instrumentalists in the orchestra. The audience pronounced a very favorable judgment upon their effectiveness. Wc have been requested to invite the numerous effective vocalists and instrumentalists in the city to unite themselves with the Society. Its numbers arc now limited. With such additions as Dunedin can well provide, and especially if supported by the subscriptions of those who, if not musicians themselves, desire to foster the cultivation of the art, judging by the effort of last night it is quite possible to organise a society callable of doing justice to the works of the most classic masters.

Warden’s Report.— Mr Warden Robinson, writing from Mount Ida, under date June 30th, says “The snow now lies thick and solid on the mountains. About the middle of the month this district was visited by violent storms of snow and sleet, and it seemed as if the winter was to be as severe as that of last year. Since then, however, there has been an interval of line winter weather, with tine bright days and frosty nights. The snow has almost entirely disappeared from the flat country. The season, in fact, is singularly favorable for mining operations. On the 24th, a smart shock of earthquake was felt, but no damage has been reported. At Naseby, the greatest interest is directed to the new ground being opened up at Surface Hill. Surface Hill is situate on the east side of the Hogburn valley, a little above the township of Naseby. As the workings arc on the crown of the spur, the fall for sluicing is very good. This is a matter of some consequence, as the wash is heavy. Excellent sluicing prospects have been obtained. One of the large rac s is now brought on to the hill to supply the means of working the claims, and the other water companies are making branch races with the same object. It seems not improbable that the same run of gold may be traced further down the spur. The subject of a maiy. channel for the discharge of tailings lias lately engaged a good deal of attention at Naseby, but no practical scheme for carrying out such a work has yet been put forth. The principal difficulties in the way seem to be the two “dead level” compaies, and the steep fall with which some of the side tail-races discharge into the main gully. At St Batlums, the chauue's work admirably, thanks to the carefxd supervision of those charged with their management. The branch for Payman’s gully, so long delayed, is now being constructed in a very efficient manner by the Last Push Company, who have by pur,chase acquired the rights and undertaken flic responsibilities, so far as Payman’s gully is concerned, of the old St.’ Bathau’s Gold Sluicing Company. Welsh - man’s gully still continues to yield well. Two new leases have been applied for in that locality. The works of the Ida Valley Quartz Mining (Company have been stopped. It is understood tlqit the reef was lately lost, hut the general jmpressiou in the district seems to be that the mi pc will yet prove a valuable one, Another lease of alluvial ground has been applied for at Hyde, in the main gully, below the ground applied for by Weiss and Company, as noticed in my last report. ”

Maoris and the English Language. —Blackwood'st Mai/azi/ic, in an able article on New Zealand,' takes up a point we have often urged—one that would do good in half-a-dozen years than a perfect El Dorado of sugar and Hour, or an ocean of bribery and corruption, such as we distribute and practise at present, will ever effect. “The neglect," says this Suggestive writer, “of any systematic endeavors to teach the Maoris the English language, is a standing reproach to the Government of New Zealand. It is scarcely possible to over-estimate the go*d that would have resulted to the Colony

or, perhaps we should rather say, the evil that might nave been averted—had a knowledge of the English language prevailed amongst tbe Natives twenty years ago' It is to be hoped that this wise and simple measure will no longer be neglected.” It is well to hope, but wc have reason to fear. A Government that can subsidise Mr Colenso to make a Maori Lexicon, which threatens to he a life-long business, is not likely to take a sensible view of this matter.— Wanganui Chronicle..

Considerate Thieves.—A shepherd named Benjamin Hill, who had been residing in the bush for the lost ten years, came to Melbourne a few days ago with L 238. Of course he got drunk as soon as possib e, .and of course he was robbed of a portion of his money ; hut the thieves seem to have treated him more considerately than Melbourne thieves usually deal with their victims. They extracted L3B from the matchbox in which he carried his money, and left him sound asleep in a gutter, where he was found by the police with L2OO in his possession On being brought before the Court he was fined 20s for drunkenness, when he complained to the bench that he had been robbed of L3B. The Mayor remarked that it was somewhat extraordinary that he had any money left, and advised him to bank that which he had still possessed.

The Naval Brigade are advertised to muster on Friday evening next, at 7.30, for adjutant’s inspection.