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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2173, 25 April 1870, Page 2

Ox Dit. — We believe it is Mr Fox’s intention to go to Oamarn on Friday. The Premier. The members of the Dunedin Bar entertained Mr Fox at dinner on Saturday evening. Masonic Hall. —We would remind our readers that to-night the performances are set apart for the benefit of Miss Liddle and Mr Hilton, when we hope to see a crowded house. The Meeting on Wednesday. —lt will be seen by the advertisement that the Hon. W. Fox will address a meeting in the Princess Theatre at 5.30 p.m., instead of the New Post Office Hall, at 8 o’clock, as announced. The Princess Theatre.—There was a good attendance on Saturday evening, when a new programme was presented. Messrs Rainford, Braliam, and Howell’s songs were well received, and the comicalities of Messrs Bent and Cowan, as might be expected, were productive of much amusement. The performances were brought to a close with the laughable farce of “A bad night’s rest at the >hamrock,” in which Mr Bent was exceedingly good. The Assault at the Bannockburn, —We have some fnrther particulars of this affair. It appears that Mr Halliday had some occasion to go a short distance up Smith’s gully, when he w"s attacked by two men, named Samuel Howell and (.has. Lawrence, who were-armed with long shovels, Mr Halliday, who was undefended, was savagely maltreated by the two men, and sustained some very severe injuries about the face and head. He was afterwards conveyed to Cromwell, where he was attended by Dr Corse, and it was found that he had received a skull wound about three inches in length, besides six or seven scalp wounds, and some nasty bruises on the face. He has since been pronounced out of danger. The two men have been arrested, and admitted to bail in the sum of L.'iOl) each. Kaikorai Mutual Improvement Association, The opening of a second course of lectures under the auspices of this Association, was instituted in the Kaikorai Church, on Friday evening last. Mr Hepburn, the newly elected president, delivered an inaugural address, briefly setting forth the advantages of such association, and urging the members to increased diligence in the work of mutual inproyement. He then introduced to the meeting Mr Alves, who delivered a lecture on “God in Scripture.” ( The subject was treated in a very able and masterly style, and was listened to throughout by an appreciative and attentive audience. A cordial vote of thanks to the lecturer was awarded at the close.

Chamber of Commerce. —A special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held this afternoon, for the purpose of taking into consideration the bankruptcy law. There were some fi teen members present, and Mr Geo. Turnbull, vice-president, ojcupied the chair. After some introductory remarks by the chairman, Mr Bathgate was called upon to give his views on the subject. He premised by stating that in doing so he must deprecate on the part of the Chamber any idea of following English precedent—because many of the blunders in the present Act were attributable to copying English modi Is, whether they were adapted to the (, olony or not. If the Chamber thought the insolvent’s estate should be managed by creditors, the present Act was sound and correct; but one or two improvements in minor details wauld be necessary. He must say from twelve months’ experience that he was decidedly opposed to estates being managed by creditors. He thought it would be better in the long-run that estates should be managed by the Court. He would recommend that some one should be appointed to take possession of the property of the bankrupt immediately after he filed his declaration of insolvency. At present the Act was taken advantage of by people for whose benefit it was never intended. He was of opinion that persons owing less than LIOO should not be allowed to take ad vantage of it, but some simp'e and economical means in connection with the Resident Magistrate’s Court should be adopted to meet such cases. He also thought that the provisions which give to the bankrupt L‘2s worth of his furniture should be remedied ; and that only the petitioning creditors’ costs should be allowed out of the estate. He thought the Act afforded great facilities for getting through the Court, and suggested that no eertifica e should be suspended for less than 12 months, where there was the slghtest semblance of fraud ; that the keeping of proper books should be shut qui non to the order of discharge, and that without the consent of three-fourths of the creditors, no discharge should be granted if Gs 8d in the £ were not paid by "the bankrupt. These suggestions were referred to a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs Turnbull, Oliver. Tewsley, Bathgate, M‘Neill, Davie, and Walcott, to consider and bring up a report on the 4th prox. The subject of the Californian mail service was referred to, but nothing definite ;irrl v«h! at in regard, to it. Mr C. A icliolls was elected a member of the Chamber.