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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2541, 10 April 1871, Page 2

Princess Theatre.—A new season will be commenced this evening with the celebrated domestic drama “ Milky White ; ’ after which will bo presented “Aurora Floyd;” a bill of faro that should fill the house for the entire Easter holidays.

Sugar Beet. —That the augur beet can be successfully cultivated in Otago has been demonstrated by Mr Worth of '■ igerlull, near Clyde, who, from seed obtained from the Provincial Covermncnc some twelve months ago, has grown some splendid specimens of the root.

Personal. —We regret having to record the death of Air Frank Rutherford, which melancholy event occurred on the 27th February last at Yokabama, Japan, from smfall-pox. Frank Rutherford was for many years connected with Cobb and Co., and was widely' known both in Otago and Y ictoria. All who knew him, we are certain, will deplore his untimely decease.

Religious.—The want of a Church of Endand clergyman in the Dunstan district, has lung been fcU, and wore glad to .see that there is a likelihood of one being obtained. Air Ncvill, the Bishop elect of Dunedin, in communicating with the local committee, slates that if he cannot find a suitable gentleman previous to his departure for England, he will select one there.

The Commissioneeship of Armed Constabulary. —lt is said there arc no fewer than forty-seven candidates for the vacancy caused by the retirement of Air Cranigan, who is about to visit his native country, as a long sea voyage has been recommended as tbe best remedy available for bis malady'. Among the number is Air Atchesou, head of the Wellington police.

The Latest Invention.—A very clever invention has lately been patented in California for the purpose of working sewmgmachines by machinery. A strong spiral spring on an upright shaft is wound up, and, communicating with simple clock-work, performs all the work that is now' done uy the foot. A break regulates the speed or stops the machine instantcr. It is very simple, and avoids the injurious action necessary to work the treddle. One of these improved machines found its way to Auckland by the Wonga Wonga on her last trip.

The Agent-General.—We have every reason to believe that there is not the slightest foundation for the report circulated by the Wellington correspondent of the Daily Times that Dr Featherston refuses to go home as 4 gent-General because Mr Vogel has gone to England. The Doctor was present at the meeting of the Executive Council when Mr Vogel’s mission was decided oil, and on no occasion since has lie publicly expressed his disagreement with that step. He leaves for England by the Suez mail, his departure having been delayed to allow of the Governor communicating with him. Apropos of his approaching departure a subscription is on font in Wellington to purchase a testimonial to be presented to him before he leaves the Colony. It is to be a general thing throughout the whole Province, and it is expected that between LISOO and L2OOO will be collected. Large subscriptions are not being asked for, but small ones from everybody.

The Keeps.— There is considerable activity in quartz mining affairs in the l akes district. Tie reefs at Upper .'•hotover are looking extremely promising. The Nugget and Cornish Company are crushing day and night, and a satisfactory cake results in time for each escort. This company is the greatest success in the Lakes district, hut it is to he hoped that others will he equally as fortunate. The Ophir has been taken hy a Dunedin company, and a now line at M‘Hardy's gully, by one from Invercargill. The Ophir, though at present covered up by an extensive land slip, promises to he as good as the Nugget and Cornish, and great hopes are entertained of the venture. At Skipper’s, Southberg and party are getting out some very good stone from the old line of the British and American Company. The Phoenix have nothing payable yet, but are in good hopes of success. A revival of quartz mining in the Lakes district is imminent. —The success which Ims attended the operations of the Ida Valley Deep Lead Company has been beyond the anticipations of the shareholders. The total amount of gold obtained up to the end of last week was 194 ounces, which shows an average of an Ounce aud a ball to the load. The old ground

;is bten left, and the new ground driven int) a distance of 20 feet, the dirt getting richer. As an instance of the richness of the ground in places, a dishful of wash-dirt taken from the new drive yielded 28 pennyweights of gold. A machine of stuff, consisting of eleven small loads, on Saturday last, gave 37 ounces. The men who struck have all resumed work at the rate of wages offered by the company—-namely, L 3 a week. A new lease has been applied for by ' r George Johnston, it being intended to float a company in Dunedin to work it with every prospect of success. JRevell and party, who have some good ground on the supposed lead, .are, we hear, about to commence putting down a shaft. It is likely that a local company will be formed to take up and work the claim.

Mr Webb's Line.— As the Nevada, the pioneer of this line, may be expected at Auckland next month, the following description of her, furnished to the f l r./.ifv by a recent visitor to the Golden City, may not be uninteresting Daring the l ist week I paid a visit to the Nevada, which, should the Hue ;• cumence soon to run. will probably be tlie pioneer vessel, 1 bad heard so much about what this American line was to do, and had suffered so much at the bauds of a person greatly interested in the matter in the way of general ‘ blowing,’ that I confess I was disposed to view the whole project unfavorably. But my visit to the Nevada at once convinced me, after my experience of the comfort of the Moses Taylor, a far inferior vessel in every way, that no vessel now trading to Australia offers accommodation for passengers at all comparable to hcr’s. Certainly, all of the P. and 0. vessels that I have seen are altogether inferior. Her engines are of the beam description, and she is a paddle-wheel steamer. It will be quite possible to give to all the passengers—unless, indeed, they flock to hs r in great numbers--a cabin to themselves, as there are a large number of cabins 011 the upp r deck as well as round the saloon, which is extremely spacious and airy. The Nevada is 2,1(10 tons register, but owing to her enormous height out of the water she has far more room for passengers than an English ship of the same size. I saw the ship under very unfavorable circumstances, ns she bad been laid up for the last two years, and is not yet refitted. It would take about three weeks from the present time to make her ready for sea ; and then, I am .assured, that with 40 tons of coal a day she could easily compass an average of 11 knots an hour, and if the logs of her trips between Panama and San Francisco which I saw were ( orrect, I should think she could Whatever may be its fate in other respects, I feel assured that if the boats are run to Australia this line cannot fail to attract passengers. Better arrangements, however, will have to be made for through passengers by rail ; as at present managed, they are very faulty, and there is no fair guide to the various railways which branch off from Omaha and Chicago. The Land Transfer Act.—Mr Moorhouse, the Registrar-General, is now in Canterbury, and in a few days will visit Dunedin, to appoint laud brokers under the Act. This step has been taken in deference to the strong opinions expressed hero, in Christchurch and elsewhere, against placing the whole of the business in the hands 0 the legal profession, to the exclusion of persons who have larger experience in land broking. The Act provides for the appointment by the Government of licensed brokers who upon finding security for the faithful performance of their duties, and a payment of L-5 annually as license fee, may transact business for their clients in relation to the registration of their titles or mortgages at certain lixed charges. In order that the se appointments may be most reliably conferred, is is the intention of Mr Aloorhouse to visit too various divisions of the Colony, and deede upon such applications as may be made to him. It may be as well to state that each licensed land broker must find two sureties in Ijsoo each for the performance of his duties, .and that he must be sworn “fo faithfully and to the best of his ability execute and ptrtorm ad such busmess or duties as may be intrust to or imposed upon liim acc imnig to the provisions of the La d Iranster Act, 18/0, The following is the scale of fes and charges authorised to be made by the land brokers under the Act For application to bring land under “The Land LVansfer Act, 1870, where the land remains in the original grantee, although it may have been or still remains subject to lease or mortgage, 10s; where the value does not exceed L4OJ, oneeight per cent. ; where the value does not exceed LBOO, LI ; for filling up and entering caveats, exclusive of any professional charges incident to litigation pending, 10s; memorandum of transfer, lease, mortgage, or encumbrance—where the value docs not exceed L4OO, 10s ; where it exceeds L4OO, oneeight per cent. ; where it exceeds LBOCL LI ; whenever any implied covenant is modified, or any covenant not being of those for which abbreviated forms of words arc hereinbefore prescribed is introduced in any instrument, extra 5s ; whenever any original section or allotment or parcel of laud included in an existing grant or other instrument s broken in any dealing, extra 10s ; transfer of mortgage or lease or snrrener of lease, 5s ; power of attorney without registration abstract, 10s ; power of attorney with registration abstract, LI. These charges include filling up application, procuring declaration and signatures, procuring diagram from Land Office, and attendance and delivery at Registry Office. When the title has not remained in the original grantee, an extra charge may be made proportioned to the trouble, such cases being more in the nature of conveyancing. In the case of lease, and of annuity secured by encumbrance, ten years’ rent, or ten years of such annuity, to be assumed as the value for the purpose of calculating the percentage.

The quarterly meeting of the Court Pride of Dunedin, A O. F., will he held at the Royal George Hotel, to-morrow (Tuesday) evening at S o’clock. It will be seen by advertisement in another column that a reduction in cab fares takes place from to-day. The charge to and from the town and Whitehorse Hotel will be 3d ; for distances beyond also 3d. Through fare 6d, as before. All double fares are abolished. The Annual Tea Meeting of the Town Missionary Society will be li Id in the hall beneath the Congregational Church tomorrow evening. The usefulness and effectiveness of this unobtrusive institution, commend it to the support of all denominations of Christians who, we do not doubt will be anxious to learn what has been done during the past year.