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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2473, 19 January 1871, Page 2

The Volunteers. A company, about thirty strong, has been formed at Waitahuna.

Journalistic. The Kelson ' Examinei' and Wellington Independent are now published as daily morning papers. Cayersham Election. —Mr W. A. Tolmie announces by advertisement that, as the views of Mr Cantrell on the important political questions of the day are in accordance with his own, and as his business arrangements prevent his meeting the electors prior to the nomnation, he has decided on retiring from the contest.

Dunedin Presbytery. —Wo are informed that, at a meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery, held in First Church last night, the call from St. Andrew’s cmgrcgafcmn ay as put into the hands of the Rc\ r . Mr Scrimgeour, and cordially accepted by him ; the edict ordered to be served ou Sabbath first, and the induction to take place on Thursday, the 2nd February, at 7 p.m. Droavned.— On the 14th inst. Mr J. G. Smith, coroner for the Clutha district, held an inquest atWaitapcka, on the body of a man named Duncan M‘lvcr, who was found drowned in the AVaitapeka Creek on the previous day. It avould appear from the evidence that he had got into the creek while in a state of temporary insanity ; for some days previous he labored under the impression that Detective harroll and Mr Cotton, of Dunedin, “ avauted ” him. Political. —Messrs James Shancl, George Pram, and James Alien arc reported as candidates for the Taieri in the Proadncial Council. —M r Kynnersly, member for Westland north in the late Assembly, has retired into private life; and Mr Alexander Reid, editor of the Westport Times, and known to many of our readers f om his connection avith the bailii Times, is reported to be a candidate for the vacancy thus created. The New Zealand Church News. The fourth number of this journal contains several very interesting articles connected avith the Anglican Church in the Colonies. We may pass by the co mmon-place of the Ncav Year's avelcome, and say at once that the chief advantage of this paper is its narratives, not its opinions. The articles are all avell written, and in addition to the usual matter is a children’s supplement, avith a very interesting tale. No. 4 will be a avelcome guest to the subscribers. Masonic Hall.— Mr Charles Sykes announces his intention to give three entertainments, commencing to-morrow (Friday) evening. The programme includes magic and music, and avill no doubt prove attr.actia'e Mr Sykes has been under the able tuition of Mr Heller ; but avhethcr he has acquired his thorough proficiency in the art of legerdemain, remains to be seen. Certainly he has met avith a cordial reception in the np-country districts, avhere the papers speak in terms of praise of his entertainment.

District Prize Firing.—The following are the scores made by those of the first district avho competed yesterday afternoon :

MOTTO 'w 'u 'w c 3 c 3 o o’ g -g OO O ® io o H Lieut Jamieson, No. 2 - - 13 17 17 —47 Corpl. Ogilvie, Art. - - Ifi 16 14—46 Lieut. Shand, S.D. - - 14 14 la—43 Capt, M‘Far!and, Art. - 14 16 10—40 Gun. Pell, Art. .... 10 13 12—33 VoJ. M‘Laren, S.D. - - 16 11 B—3o „ Dcgg, N.B. ... 13 9 11-33 Gun. Blyth, Art. - - - 10 9 9-28 Yol. Eobertou, No. 2 - - 14 7 3-24

~ King, S.D. - - - 14 2 o—2l Gun. Peake, Art. - - - 13 5 u—lß The Cadets avill lire for district prizes on Saturday. Rifles will be issued at 9 a.in. sharp.

The Ballot. —We hope the electors to'-morrow will not be so foolish as to practically disfranchise themselves by tearing pff the numbers on the voting papers. They have been told again and again that they afford no means for tracing the votes or means by which a man’s vote can be easily ascertained ; and we can only repeat the as.sertioa. Immediately the votes are counted the papers are placed under official seal, which can only be broken by order of the Assembly in case of a return being petitioned against on the ground of personation or things of that kind. Under such circumstances it is possible to trace any disputed vote, but the process is by no means a simple, one, and would take too much time to render it possible for the Returning Officer to hunt up any vote before sealing bis papers. As an additional security, however, the ilcturning Officer, and everyone else employed officially in the booths, are sworn to secrecy. Elec tors may, therefore, go to the ballotdjox with the full assurance that the way in which they vote will not bo known, unless they themselves choose to tell it,

City Council.—The Council mot yesterday. The Public Works Committee reported that they had decided to call for tenders immediately for L 3,000 worth of road work in the four wards, according to the recent allocitioii. The City Valuator’s valuation for 1871, was brought up and affirmed by the Council. The Town Clerk was instructed to appeal against the rate levied upon the Corporation offices, LISS, by the Water Works Company, as being exorbitant The Mayor mentioned that it was intended to carry the Clutha Bailway in the direction of Crawford street, so as to cut off a large portion of the street; and on his recommendation the matter was referred to the consideration of the Works Committee. The following motions bj- Mr Walter were carried: —“That his Worship the Mayor be empowered by this Council to make arrangements for planting suitable trees rojjiul the North Recreation Ground, adjoining the fences. That his Honor the Superintendent be requested to place at the disposal of this Council the services of a number of Maori prisoners, for the purpose of extracting the stumps and levelling the South Recreation Ground, in order to make the same suitable for recreation purposes,”

The Temperance Movement.—TJie meeting of the delegates of the various societies in Otago was held in the Atliemeum yesterday. The following places and societies were represented ; —East Taieri, West Taieri, Lawrence, Blue Spur, Tokomairivo, Morningtou, Dunedin, Dnuedwi Band of Hope, Port Chalmers, Daughters of Temperance, Port Chalmers ; Sons of Temperance, Queenstown ; Creen Island, Invercargill, and Balclutha. Mr Alexander Rennie was voted to the chair, and Mr -I. S. Fleming, Tokomairiro, was appointed clerk. After discussion, the following proposals were agreed upon;—“ That a society he formed, to ho called the Otago Temperance League.” “ That the League

shall consist of affiliated Total.Abstinence Societies and of individual abstainers.” “ That the annual subscription of affiliated societies shall be 20s, and of individual members 2s 6d. ” “ That the object of the League shall be the suppression and prevention of intempera’cc.” “That the League shall seek to effect its object by endeavoring to inculcate the pernicious effects of alcoholic liquors, and by seeking the legislative restriction of the liquor traffic.” The following gentlemen were appointed interim officebearers :—Lev. D. M. Stuart, Dunedin, President ; Messrs -I. S. Fleming, Tokomairiro, and M. Grant, AVest Taieri, ATcc-Prcsulcuts ; Mr Alexander Rennie, Dunedin, Treasurer ; Mr John AY. Jago, Dunedin, Secretary ; with two members from each affiliated society.

Interesting Ceremony. —Miss Alice Feathers ton, fifth daughter of His Honor the Superintendent, avas married to Mr Charles Johnston this morning. Thcbride, robed in a magnificent avhitc moire, trimmed avith point lace, avas led in by her spouse elect. The bridesmaids, eight in number, dressed in avhitc tarlatan, trimmed avith blue ribbons, with flowing a r cils fastened to the hair, folloaved in procession. 'The bride avas supported on tbc right by her father ; and no less than four groomsmen (Mr J. Johnston, Mr Clifford, Mr Beaufort, and Mr W. Levin) waited upon the happy man avith envy and pleasure. The Rev. Father Petit Jean, after a short addr. ss, tied the knot in St Mary’s Cathedral. Some saveetly pretty children, relatives of the bridegroom, streaved flowers on the ground, and the party hurried off to St Paul’s Cathedral, avhere the pleasure of the ladies avas prolonged by a new ceremony and a fresh croavd of smiling people. “ Happy is the bride avhom the sun shines on,” says the old proverb, and if there is any truth in the say ing,‘ the fair young bride must have experienced a double share of happiness, for the sun shone out in unusual brilliancy, as if to do her special honor. People have talked a good deal about this being a neav era in our history—judging from the number of aveddings that have taken place lately it must be the ora of the rising generation,— Wellington Evening Post, Princess Theatre. —“ After Dark ” avas repeated last night, and, if possible, avith greater effect than on the two previous evenings. The plot may be briefly described as folloavs George Mcdhnrst, a broken-down gentleman, forges his uncle’s name to a bill, and to avoid detection becomes a cabman. Dicey Morris, a Hebrew of very loose proclivities, having become acquainted avith this secret, reveals it to a companion in guilt (Capt. Bellingham), avhich latter individual has seduced the avife cf one Charles Dalton, and left a girl (Eliza), the daughter of his auction, avith Morris, avhich girl Medhurst has married. Medhurst's uncle dying leaves all his property to him, on condition that he shall marry his cousin Rose. The two villans endeavor to persuade Medhurst to ignore his marriage avith,Eliza. Eliza, finding them out, heroically determines to rer lease her husband by the sacrifice of herself, and attempts suicide by jumping from an arch off BlackfTar’s Bridge, avhen she is rescued by Old Tom, a drunken avaif in the employ of Morris, hut afterwards turns out to be Charles Dal ten. Tom conveys Eliza to his home in the dry arches of Victoria street, Westminster, and there discovers that she is his daughter. Gordon Chumley obtains for Eliza a situation avith Rose, who is about to marry Medhurst, avho, returning in the dark, mistakes Eliza for Rose, and implores pardon, avhen Hose appears avith lights, and an eeluircisseinent takes place. In the third act Dicey and Bellingham lure Chumley, avho is already in their secrets, to a low drinking-room, called the Elysium, drug his drink, and rob him of the forged bill. Old Tom attempts his rescue, and is thrust into a vault, from avhich he cscaps in time to see Chumley lying senseless across the rails of the “ Underground Railway,” and saves him just as the monster rushes furiously past, fn the last act Medhurst and Eliza are happily reunited. Chumley and Rose are also matrimonially disposed of. Old Tom, avho is socially reinstated, avoavs himself the father of Eliza ; while the two yilfans are consigned to the punishment dramatic justice dcipauds. The pje.ee itself is of deep interest, but when to this is added the life-likeness thrown into it by the exertions of those avho represent the different characters, it has a double claim upon public support,