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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2564, 6 May 1871, Page 2

Fire. —At ten o’clock this morning the partition of the office occupied by Messrs Schlotel and Boyd, Princes-street, was discovered to be on fire. The flames were noticed by a workman in the yard, and were promptly extinguished, the damage done being of a very trifling character. The fire originated in some bags becoming ignited through the overheating of the office stove. Supreme Court. —The addresses of counsel in the case of the Great Extended Company v. Hales aud another commenced at noon, and his Honor’s summing up concluded at four o’clock. The jury had not returned a verdict when our reporter left the Court.

Prize Firing. — The shot and shell practice by the Naval Brigade for the General Government prizes took place this afternoon, and excited considerable interest. The prize of Lfi was won by No. 2 Batt-ry, under the charge of Sergeant Jacobs. The shooting on the whole was very good.

Ball.—The seventh annual ball of the Waikari rifles was held in the company’s drill-shed last evening, and attracted a fair company, although not so large as might have been reasonably expected. The shed was tastefully decorated ; the orchestra was occupied by Anderson’s band, and the catering, in the hands of Messrs Domldson and Galloway, gave every satisfaction. Dancing was kept up until an early hour this morning.

The Otago Schoolmasters' Association. —The Association met this afternoon in the old room of the <■ rovintial Council Library, kindly granted for the occasion. There was a fair attendance of members. The Secretary reported that forty-seven new volumes had been added to the library at a cost of over L2<l, fifteen of which were from the grant of the Prov nciai Council. To meet the moiety due by the Association, it was proposed that the subscription to the library for the current year be half a guinea, Mr Milne, Gave * sham, read a most interesting and instruc-

tive paper, as a contribution towards illustrating the pcc.'liar uses of words and their origin of English language. The members gem-rally expressed their satisfaction with Mr Milne’s piper—all agreeing that the subject is one which ought to occupy the attention of schoolmasters to a very great extent. It was an nounceetbat Mr. Macliliu would read apayer at next monthly meeting on his method of teaching English Composition, Rat l way Extension.— We understand that it is the intention of the General Government, in order to have the railway surveys in the Provi cc of Otago as complete as pos-ible befo e the next session of the General Assembly, to have the remainder of the Winton line surveyed, a dist'r.cs of about fifteen miles, between Atbo 1 , near the old boundary of Southland, and Kingston on Lake Wakatip. Mr Brunt'>n Ins, we believe, been engaged for Ibis survey, and will c •mmence on is immediately. The country, we understand, offers no great difficulties.

Accident. —An accident occurred at the Kaikorai, this morning. A lad named John Jones, aged fourteen years, who is employed at Mr Fraser’s flax cleaning es'ablishment, while engaged at the scutching machine, had his left arm drawn in by the machinery, a d before the engine could le stopped, a deep and ugly flesh wound above the elbow, and some severe bruises had been inflicted. Constable Sevan had the lad taken ‘o Dr Docking, by whom his wounds were dressed. The Doctor reports that there are, foißnately, no bones fractured, and that the boy, with proper attention, will soon recover.

Gaol Return.—The following is the state of lI.M. Goal, Dunedin, for the week ending 6th May Awaiting trial, I man, 0 women ; under remand, 1 man, 0 women ; penal servitude, 91 men, 0 women ; hard labor, 48 men, 25 women ; debtors, 1 man ; total, 142 men, -5 women. Received during the week, 11 men, 0 women ; discharged during the week, 14 men, 3 women. Princess Theatre. Miss Carry George, as Peg Woffington in “Masks and Fares,” bad a very hearty reception last night from a bouse not so full as this deserving actress bad a right to expect on the occasion of her first and only benefit. Her rendering of the character was much applauded, and appeared to give unmixed satis'action, and if she did not quite reach our ideal of the “Queen of Comedy” (a part most difficult for any actress to excel in), she at least playe I sufficiently well to stifle adverse criticism. Dir J. Musgrave played Colley Cibber well, and Mr Lawrence played Triplett respectably. The other characters were sustain'd with average ability, putting by the absurd and usual incongruity of dress, The “Widow’s Victim” followed “ Masks and Faces,” in which as Mrs “attleton the bsnejidare played with remarkable spirit, 1 eing ably supported by Miss Lizzie Busbe (Jane Chatterly), Mr Walter Hill (Mr B. T. P. Podge) Mr W. H. Metcalfe (Mr Twitter), and Mr G. W. Collier (Jeremiah Clip, Tinsel John, and Moustache Strapado), the latter gentleman e-p c : ally delighting his audience with burlesque imitations of well known actors. The performance will be repeated this evening. Another Fire. —Another mysterious and unfortuna'efire occurred at the farm occupied by Mr. John Adam, on Wednesday night or early on Thursday morning. The stable, at a short distance from the house, was completely distroyed, along with three work horses, harness, and some horse feed. The building was all safe at night, and it is conjectured that some man on the tramp had gone in at a late hour to sleep, and either from carelessness or drunkenness had set fire to the place. It was a fortunate circumstance that the night was wet. as the g’-ain in stack was placed near the stable, and yet it did not catch fire. A few weeks ago a deserted but belonging to the same gentleman was burned down under circumstances which rendered it impossible to be an accident. The hut contained some valuable books, blankets, and clothing. 'I he police should endeavour by extra vigilance to find out the perpetrators of such diabolical work.— Standard.

Blasphemy. —The Melbourne Age records the following natural outgrowth of the recent Jones’ blasphemy case : The Tev, James Pillars has been lecturing on blasphemy before the congregation of the Unitarian Church, Sydney, in connection with the recent prosecution of Mr. Jones. The rev. gentleman concluded in the following emphatic matter : —“ I am, in a word, prepared to stand by Jones in all that ho has said in disproof and disapprobation of the Bible as the Word of God, and of the Jews as his chosen people ; and if for uttering fearlessly and outspoken my opinions on the subject, I am to be sent to prison, to prison I will go, and there sooner than surrender my right to denounce error and superstition, there shall my bones rot. Mr. Jones is not a blasphemer. A blasphemer is one who professes a creed iu which be does not real'y bciieve, or who abjures a creed in which, in his heart, he believes to be true. What isit to blaspheme God, if it is not to act before God a living lie ? I know of no blasphemy but the blasphemy of insincerity—of unfaithfulness to conscience, professing one belief, and holding another; in a single word, the blasphemy af a false and lying soul.

The drawing in connection with the art union of photographic celebrities is announced to take place at Scott’s, next Criterion Hotel, on Monday evening, at eight o’clock.

A meeting of the inhabitants of Mornington is announced to be held in the schoolhouse on Monday next, the Bth inst., at 8 p.m., to appoint new trustees for the above school, in the place of Messrs E. De Carle and V/. Barr, resigned. A meeting of the Union Permanent Building Society, for the purpose of receiving subscriptions, &c., will be held at the oflice of the Society on Monday evening next, at 7 o’clock.