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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2383, 21 November 1870, Page 2

Election.—Wo notice that Messrs Winter and Scott will address the ratepayers of .South Want—the former at Crime’s Hotel, and the latter at Watson’s Royal Hotel —this evening, at eight o’clock.

The Volunteers. —A rifle corps Ims been established at Na.seby, and about 40 persons have already joined. The corps recently established at Lawrence is making considerable progress, and is instructed in drill by a member of the pblice force. Political. —Mr Maitland was requested to allow himself to be placed in nomination to represent the Mount Ida district in the new Assembly ; but he has had to forego his intention of becoming a candidate on account of his absence from the district.

North Dunedin Rifles. —The first competition for places in the representative firing took place this morning at the North Dunedin Rifle Range, when twenty-one members made an appearance. The morning was clear and calm, and pretty good scoring was made by all the competitors, the ranges wore 400 500, and (500 yards. Hythe position at 400, and any position at 500 and 600. We append a list of the four highest: — 400 yds 500 yds 600 yds Sorgt. Nightingale - 14 17 13 Corpl T. Hutchinson 10 18 15 Vol. W. Hutchison - 14 14 12 Vol J. Stevens- - 14 14 12

The Police.—The Southland papers have been finding fault with the Com-mis-ifUHT of police, because of the fancied withdrawal of pol ce protection at the Bluff. No one is more fully impressed with the necessity for a constable being stationed there than Mr Weldon, and we have authority for stating that constable Hanlon, who has served in North Dunedin during the last eight years, is appointed by the Commissioner of Police to the charge of the Bluff Police Station, owing to his meritorious conduct and long service. We believe this public officer takes with him the univeisal good wishes of the well disposed portion of the community, in the district in which he has so long served.

Princess Theatre.—The drama of the “Home Wreck” was produced at the above theatre on Saturday last, and the manner in which it was put upon the stage reflect) the highest credit on the management. The scenery is entirely new, and really magnificent, the mechanical effects novel and astounding, and the acting far surpassed any of the company’s previous efforts. One of the best scens (Mary’s Vision) was really magnificent, and admirably carried out in all the details. The cost of producing a drama like the “ Home Wreck,” in the manner in which it was put on the stage on .Saturday evening, must be great; and we feel sure the public will recognise in a substantial way the efforts of the management to provide for their amusement Wc regret that want of space prevents our noticing the drama at length, but shall have that pleasure to-morrow. In the meantime wc strongly recommend all our readers to visit the Princess’s.

The Lakes. — A correspondent of the Cromwell Argun, -writing under date the 16th instant, says : —“ In the Magistrate’s Court, yesterday, a Chinaman was committed for trial to Dunedin for stabbing another. The case is not a very serious one—the payment by the generous public of a trip to town for the witnesses is the most important feature of it. —Mr W. Paterson, of Lake Hayes, is again a sufferer by lire. It will be remembered that a few weeks since he had a new thrashing machine and a quantity of grain destroyed. On Monday last the devouring element seized upon his stables, and completely destroyed them, as also some outbuildings. His magnificent entire horses Napoleon, a pure bred Clydesdale, and St. Albans, a thorough bred, that were in the stable at the time, were most fortunately got out without suffering the slightest injury.— In mining matters there is little change, everything going on with an exemplary steadiness. Next escort may almost equal the last very large one.—The crops are looking magnificent. Rain is badly wanted, but still no injury is done.” The First Journey oe the Hoad Engine. —lt was past five o’clock on Saturday before the road steaim-r was ready for a start, but at length all thdigs being rea ly steam was tu ned on, and after a little pantin-; off it went, guided very cauliously to avoid running over any i f the thousand spectators who crowded round it like devotees about the car of Juggorm u . Roth engineer anil steersman must hare 1 con nervous at seeing a crowd of boys and boylike men, running alongside it, in front of it, and round it. apparently unconsciousness of the consequences of a foot slipping and a fall, immediately in front of a weight of ton tons, moving at the rate of six miles an hour. Fortunately no one was crushed fiat through his own senseless folly, and the monster locomotive ran quickly, slowly, straightforward, in a curve, backwards, forwards, or round about, into a hole and out of a hole at the will of the conductor. It is a scientific triumph over the difficulties of running on ordinary roads with variable gradients. We understand the engine is of twelve-horse power, and calculated to draw some 17 or IS tons up an incline of 1 in 1 ‘l. This is perhaps more than doub’e the work that a dozen horses would bo able to do in the same time, but perhaps not one tenth of what could be done at less oxpeuee on a railroad or tramroad. Wc must not deceive ourselves. The road steamer is a great advance upon horse power, and may do for shot distances as a profitable feeder for a railroad. Rut road maintenance, the necessity for immousc power compared with the result, wear and tear, must from the very nature of the ease * far exceed similar expenses on well constructed railroads ; nor are our roads exactly cut out for the running of the panting monster. They arc dangerous enough to travel now, with their unprotected precipitous hanks, inviting sudden rushes into gaping abysses, and until our horses are taught to look uncoo-ienu d upon their black competitors, and to listen to the sound of its hot breathing without fear, it will be almost as

risky to moot it as to face a mitralcur. These arc difficulties inseparable from mending old garments with new c'oth. It is better that the road and the locomotive should he made for each other.

The Pout Chalmers Railway.— Last Monday wc had the pleasure of inspecting the progress made in the construction of this line of railway, and were in some respects surprise I that 10 much has been done since the contracts were let. In this, as in all other public works in which sections are taken by different workmen, wide differences are observable in the manner in which the work is done and the way in which it has been gone about. The different sections so far have been cuttings and embankments Mr Millar’s fear of traversing the region between heaven and earth is not, so far as we see, likely to be realised. We believe that it has been found less expensive to make a good, substantial, permanent way protected by stone pitching against the encroachments of the tide, than to expose wooden piles to the borings of the navnlis ; and already same, very nice work of that sort has been completed. Wc do not know the numbers of the sections, but they extend from just round Black .lack’s Point to a considerable distance onward. Further onward, an instance of neglect to protect the work as it went on, was seen m its consequence. Either from not estimating the effect of the tidal wash correctly or through over-estimat-ing the power of resistance of a bank of earth, a portion of the enhankment had been washed away, Had the contractor gone on with his pitching as the embankment rose in height, this would have been avoided. Our readers will not be surprised to learn that wherever unskilfulnosa or carelessness was manifested in conducting their contracts, wc heard complaints of non-receipt of wages by the men employed. It could not be otherwise, for .the promoters are hound to have the work properly done, for the sake of the public as well as to protect themselves, and it would be unfair to those who have faithfully performed the work they have undertaken, if anything was passed of a slovenly or doubtful character. We are glad to say there appears to be no chance of this. There will he bridges on piles in Pclichet Bay to allow the passage of water from the Water of Leith and from the fellmongery, and we believe the rert of the Bay will be crossed by an embankment with stone pitchings. There seems every liklihoofl of the railway being opened within the contract time. We believe Mr Simpson, the engineer, is making arrangements for letting the sections at the Port Chalmers end, where the heaviest work has to be done.

An announcement appears in our advertising columns, to the effect that the Militia and Volunteer Office will he closed till Monday next, when it will be opened in the Provincial Government Buildings.