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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2396, 6 December 1870, Page 2

His Excellency the Goveknob. — By permission of His Honor the Superintendent, we are enabled to state that after the departure of Mis Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, who is expected to leave Auckland probably in January next, it is the intention of His Excellency Sir George Bowen to visit Otago. He hopes to ] reach Dunedin about the end of January or the beginning of February. Lady Bowen bad intended to accompany His Excellency ; but owing to circumstances she cannot control, her visit is unavoidably deferred to the succeeding summer, 1871--, when she purposes spending some time in Dunedin accompanied by some of' her children. Sir George Bowen intends visiting the Goldfields and making himself acquainted witn the agricultural and pastoral settlements in the interior. He also anticipate-, great enjoyment in viewing the beautiful scenery of Lake Wakatipu and other lake and moun tain districts. In all probability His Excellency will be accompanied by Commodore Stirling, R.N.

Teleokaphic. —Telegraphic communication with Auckland is being rapidly pushed forward. The lines now open as far as Rotorua.

The Duke oe Edinburgh. His Royal Highness will arrive at Auckland next week. In January he sails for England via the Falkland Islands. It is not out of place to state that he no longer commands the Galatea. That ship is now dying the flag of Commodore Stirling, the Duke being condemned (for after the Galatea any change is for the averse) to the Clio.

Social. —Yesterday evening a select party of gentlemen partook of an excellent dinner provided by M r Porter of the Caversham Hotel, te celebrate the opening of the house newly erected. The evening passed pleasantly, that apple of discord, “politics,” being rigorously excluded. Insubance. —We have received from the Hon. W. Gisborne, a pamphlet containing revised and extended regulations and tables, under “The Government Annuities Act, 1869,” and “The New Zealand Government Insurance and Annuities Act, 1870.” It contains every information necessary for effecting insurances, and a summary of the provisions of the Acts. School Examination.— The first of the public examinations in connexion with the Dunedin District .Schools, terminated today. The scholars in the .South District School have undergone a very creditable examination, and to-day gave the usual musical entertainment, which was largely attended by their parents and others. iVe regret that we have not been able to obtain the prize list.

The Session. —Special sessions are beginning to be very expensive things. That of 1869 cost L 1220, and the one just about to terminate, LIBOO. No wonder complaints are made of the folly of Provincial Councils, and one can sympathise with Mr Wood, when ben-ailing that so much money should have been spent in “useless wrangling,” while the large and important distriot of Shuthland could not get one sixpence more for necessary works. The Dunedin Gaol.—We notice that several of the leading journals of Great Britain—the Times, the Liverpool Mercury, the Glasyow Herald, Freeman's Jour ml, and Irish Times, for example—notice in very flattering terms the last annual report of the Dunedin Gaol. It must be satisfactory to Mr Caldwell, and a fact that should not be lost sight of by tlm opponents of the employment of prison iiflfcr, that the views of the Governor on thisljlfcstion are received with favor by those journals. Entertainment. —The entertainment at the North Dunedin Drill Shed last evening in aid of the prize fund for the North District School was in every v ay a success. The Shed was crowded, and the programme on the whole a very good one, was splendidly gone through. Misses Webb, Jago, and Wright, and Messrs Stewart, Baird, and Marsden were among the vocalists, while Messrs Langlands, Jago and Hay gave readings with which no fault, save that one or two of them were too long, could be found. Mr Moss presided at the piano. Princess Theatre, —For the first time the drama of “Foul Play” was presented last evening. The piece possesses some good features, though the plot is somewhat threadbare and not artistically developed, and throughout the piece little scope is afforded lor great efforts or the higher dramatic effects. But, on the whole, it was admirably acted, and some of the passages and situations elicited genuine hirsts of applause. To-night, we expect a crowded house, as the performances are under the patronage of the speaker and mcmberc of the Provincial Council. The piece selected for representation is Sheridan. Knowles’s comedy of the “ Hunchback.” The Gourlay Family, There was a full attendance at the Assembly Booms, Port Chalmers, last evening, to witness this attractive entertainment. The various delineations elicited the warmest applause of audience. They make their last appearance at the Port this evening, with an entire change of programme. On Thursday evening there will be a grand final fashionable night at the Masonic Hall, when the entertainment will be under the patronage of the Hon. Julius Vogel, Colonial Treasurer, his Honor the Superintendent and members of the Council, his Worship the Mayor and City Council, and the president and members of the Caledonian Society. The Chinese Giant. —As wo are to have a visit from this worthy, Air ( Jiang Woo Cow by name, a few particulars concerning him may not be uninteresting. Hi; is now 27 years of age, and was born in the City of Fy Chow, of highly respectable parentage. He is accompanied by his wife, King°Foo, the “ Fair Lily,” who is a very fair specimen of a Chinese lad}’, with feet that would allow of her admission into the most aristocratic circles of Pekin. Chang is 7ft. Sin. in height, with a well-proportioned figure, and a mdd agreeable face of the pure Mogul type. He is an intelligent man, |and

has received a good education, his father being an eminent Confucian scholar, Chang had a sister U) inches taller than himself, who died just as she had reached the age of womanhood.

Deputation. —This morning, a deputation, consisting of Messrs J. C. Brown, M.P. C. (who introduced it), James Rivers, and J. Drummy, had an interview with His Honor the Superintendent, and presented the petition of the inhabitants of the township of Alexandra, protesting against the removal of the gold-receiver stationed there, as recommended by the report of the Retrenchment Commission. His Honor promised to lay the petition before the Executive, and their reply would be forwarded in due course. He would give his support to the petition ; and stated bis opinion, if a change were thought advisable, that the gold-receiver should be made a sub-warden j for the Alexandra and Blacks Districts. The Committee of the Otago Benevolent Institution acknowledge by advertisement the receipt of L 23 Is, as the proceeds of the benefit of the Colored Opera Troupe at the Masonic Hall in aid of that charity.