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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2285, 2 September 1870, Page 2

Princess Theatre. We have every reason to believe that there will be a crowded house at the theatre this evening. Tin to are few dress circle scats unsecured. Pedestrianism. There is every probability of there being some good sport at the North Dunedin Recreation Ground tomorrow afternoon. Three races are to be run—the first a mile handicap, for a cup valued at ten guineas, and for it there arc nine entries. There are also a steeple chase of 200 yards, for a prize worth ten guineas, and a six-mile handicap, for a prize valued at ton guineas. There are four entries for the latter race, and young Austin will run in all of them.

Tuapeka.—The following items are taken from the Times :—“A heavy fall of sn >w took place on Wednesday evening.—A large culvert on the Teviot road was washed away by the floods, and there is now a chasm twenty feet by about fifteen deep across the road.—A man named Rae bad a narrow escape the other day. He was passing on horseback over a very precipitous rock, some 15ft. overhanging the side of the Tuapeka Creek, when the horse missed his footing and fell into the water, carrying the rider with him. Neither was injured.—About 180 men are now employed on the Waitahuna.—A jockey club has been formed in the Mount Benger district.” Racing against Time.—Many of our readers will doubtless remember the great hundred mile race in Australia between Barmede and Colonel, which occupied tile space of )()£ hours, giving an average of nine miles an hour It would appear that this perfoi mance lias been approached in our own Province, for a writer in the 'Tuapeka ‘‘Times states, from person d knowledge, that a gentleman in the Tuapeka district journeyed on a horse, constantly worked, and not trained to racing, from Coal Creek to Clyde and back —a distance of fully sixty miles —in six hours, which, allowing an hour for several stoppages, which can be authenticated, would give a speed of 12 miles an hour. This case is given as “ a strong proof that New Zealand horses arc superior to those on the other side.”

Deputation. —To-day at nocn a deputation waited upon his Honor the DeputySuperintendent, to present a memorial from certain residents in East and North Laieri, representing the probable ill-effects that would result from certain embankments projected at West Taieri, The memo dal represented that if those embankments were carried out, in case of flood, the river would debouch upon the plain so as to damage the property of the memorialists, and in consequence a meeting was held, and a deputation appointed to wait upon his Honor the Deputy-Superintendent, asking that powers such as were required should not be granted until sanctioned by the settlers at a public meet’ng. His Honor promised that the Executive would take the memorial into consideration.

Dunedin Youths’ Mutual Improvement Society --Last evening Mr Bell gave a short lecture on “Means to End.” Mr Colinson, the President of the Society, Avas in the chair. The lecturer gave a few illustrations of the processes adopted in different countries, in different ages, to record events ; and shoAved th t how society requires, and has adopted, very much ran re complicated and efficient means to the same end, and to diffuse accurate information. He then remarked upon the advantages of raihvays and the me.ans required to effect the purposes required. Applying the doctrine of means to ends, he showed the necessity for adopting educational appliances to the formation of character, and showed that upon the adoption of right principles depended individual advancement and national Avclfaro. A A r ote of thanks Avas given to the lecturer. A discussion on the subject will take place at the next meeting of the Society. The Evangelist.—We 'have received the September number of the Evangelist, which contains some unusually interesting matter, The editorial deals Avith Sabbath desecration, and the writer combats the arguments advanced in faAmur of despatching ocean steamers on Sundays. While agreeing with him that too little respect is paid to the Lord’s Day, there is, Ave think, little reason to hope that in this practical age that the evil complained of Avill be Avbolly suppressed. The other articles comprise a paper on “ Mission work in the Dunedin Hospital,” by the chaplin (Mr Torrance); “Thetravels along life’s higliAvay,” is the title of another by the Bev, Mr Sfcobo, of Invercargill; and in his part of “Mission sketches,” we are treated to a careful review of the doings of the Missionaries at the Sandwich Islands. There is a large amount of general intelligence, especially interesting to Presbyter ans. The Railavay Scheme. Private telegrams received in Timaru state that among the first raihvays undertaken will be tbo Cluilia line, and that from Timarn to Temuka ; so that the Avorks are most likely to be carried out in the order in Avhich they are named in the schedule to the Public Works and Immigration Bill. What the gnage in the latter lino is to be is not clear, but in Timaru there is a strong feeling in favor of the 3ft. 6iu. The Humid observes : —A raihvay on this guage is all avc Avant, and it Avould be a disgraceful Avasto of public money if our raibvay Avere built to suit the Chri tchurch guage. If Canterbury is determined to be extravagant, and build expensive railway lines, let the area for expenditure be as curtailed as possible ; and, therefore, avc should strongly advise that the limit south should he fixed at the Bangitata. We should prefer at all events our railway system should he assimilated with that of Otago, and for that reason, we say, let the Temuka line be constructed on the narrovv guage. The terminus of the two systems—if tAvo there must be—might just as avull lie fixed at the Bangitata as at the Waifcaki; and the saving effected in constructing the eighty miles of raihvay on the narrow guage betAveen these two rivers would be very great indeed. Phonography. —We have received a little work of sixteen pages, “ written for learners,” by Mr John G. Diack, of the Phonetic School, Maitland street, Avhich deserves more than a passing notice. Fir.it, it is a beautiful specimen of phonographic shorthand, every letter being accurately and carefully formed. It is fully equal as a work of art to anything produced in England, and superior to anything we have yet seen from

America. Secondly, it is interesting, because it shows tha : , notwithstanding the opposition the system has met with in quarters where co-operation might have been expected, there is such a demand for phonographic reading as to justify the publication of this little collection of tales. Thirdly, the talcs are amusing, instructive, and well told. Bennie Wilson’s Anti-Society, for instance, is a very readable condemnation of the drinking, smoking, and swearing habits of the older members of society, and an illustration of how they are perpetuated through the imitativeness of little boys. The other articles have a like beneficial tendency. It is not very remarkable that phonography has not made its way amongst adults. Max Muller, than whom we know no better authority, bears amide testimony to its usefulness ; but fears that generations must pass before the world acknowledges and adopts it. Asan educational instrument, notwithstanding the opposition of schoolmasters, we hold it to be invaluable, and if it fails to aid in shortening the process of learning to read, it is because it is a powerful instrument unskilfully used by men ignorant of its value or prejudiced against it. But whatever difficulties it may present to those who are grownup, children learn it very rapidly on account of its simple and truth ul principles, and they should be taught it early ; for it not only helps them to learn their own language, but enables them to note down the pronunciation of words in any tongue. < n these grounds, which are capable of demonstration to those willing to be convinced, we arc glad tbatMrDiack has received sufficient encouragement to induce him to publish this unpretending work.