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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2475, 21 January 1871, Page 2

Pelichet Bay Baths. —Wo have been requested to call attention to an advertisement, intimating the hours of bathing, charges, &c., at these baths. We trust that while the season lasts that those who enjoy a “dip in the briny” .will avail themselves of the accommodation thus liberally afforded for the practice of a habit so conducive to health, and that the baths for the future will be more generally patronise!. Gaol Return.—The following is the shate of H. M. Gaol, Dunedin, for the week ending the 21st January, 1871 Awaiting trial, 1 man, 0 women ; under remand 0 men, 0 women ; penal servitude, 92 men, 9 women ; hard labor, 01 men, 20 women; in default of bail, 1 man, 0 women ; debtors, 2 men total, .157 men, 20 women. Received during the week, 12 men, 4 women; discharged, 8 men, 2 women; imprisonment, 0 men 0 women.

Mount Benger. —A correspondent writes “ Story ! God bless your Honor, 1 have none to tel 1 , Sir.” People are all going mad, nothing but Reid, Reid, Reid, all (lay long, till I heartily pray we were well rid of this broken Heid. And after all this enthusiasm is quite fictitious, only assumed to gratify a leading storekeeper who has it in his power to screw them up pretty sharply. Thh gentleman opposed Macandrcw before, and is at any rats consistent, but what can I say of his'trade rival and brother justice who has allowed himself to he made a tool of, who is the catspaw, to whose share fails neither praise nor plunder. I expect he will find out his error when the knowledge will he of little service to him. Mr Reid holds forth on Thursday next, at the Te.viot. 1 shall attend and forward you notes and comments on the display.”

Masonic Hall. — Mr Charles Sykes made his first appearance last evening in the Character of a prestidigiatcur. The Masonic Hall was not thronged, though it must be confessed many an inferior entertainment has attracted crowded houses in Dunedin ; perhaps, however, when \ye take into consideration other attractions, we need hardly be surprised at the few persons present. We have hitherto known Mr Sykes as a musician—as an excellent pianist - but wc were not prepared to find him so accomplished a master of the art of legerdemain. The assumption of the new character was too sudden to lead us to expect much proficiency ; and though we knew that Heller had initiat'd him into t' o mysteries of his craft, we did li t think it possible to Du 1 such dext-ritv in the use of expedients or such graceful finish in the manipulations. Mr Sykes ma; bo described as an apt pupil of a great master, and as possessing in himself the material wherewith to provide a good evening’s entertainment. Though he appears so soon after Heller, and might therefore presumedly have suffered by a comparison, the general impression was that Sykes was not less easy or adroit in the tricks exhibited than was Heller himself. This is certainly high praise ; and it must have been gratifying to the operator to find himself capable, in a first night, not only of sustaining the interest, but of contributing so largely to the amusement of his audience. But Mr Sykes does not possess—as indeed few possess—the 'brilliant conversational powers of Mr Heller, in whose entertainment this happy sparkling phraseology formed so attractive a feature. Mr Sykes played in a charming manner “The last Rose of Summer,” with variations, and Thalbcrg’s “Home, Sweet Home,” on the piano; but in legerdemain he appears to have found his forte ; and if his entertainment does not draw crowded houses, it will be no fault of his, but simply show the fastidiousness of public taste, as the performance is one in cycry way deserving of public support.

The s.s. Beautiful Star sails this evening at midnight for Invercargill, Bluff Harbor, and Riverron, in place of s.s, Stormbird, now undergoing repairs. The Rev. C. J. Evans, from South Australia, will preach in the Congregational Church, Moray place, to-morrow morning and evening.

The fortnightly meeting of the Commercial Building and Mutual Investment Society for receiving subscriptions, &c., will be held on Monday evening between G and 8 o’clock.

The Rev. Mr M'Nanghton will preach in 'St. Andrew’s Church, Melville street, fo-morrow morning and the Rev. R. Scrimgeour will preach in the evening, at the usual hours.— The Eev. Mr Williams will preach in Hanover street Baptist Chapel, to-morrow evening, on “ A common mistake as to what makes a Christian,’ ‘