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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2631, 24 July 1871, Page 2

Princess Theatre. A further change in the bill is announced for this evening, the chief attraction being the “King of the Peacocksit will be remembered that this burlesque was one in which Miss Anne Forde was particularly successful just two years since. The song “Beautiful Swells” herein introduced as a duet cannot be forgotten by playgoers. Previous to the burlesque will be played the farce of “The Irish Post.”

The Municipal Elections. We are glad to find that a most numerously and influentially signed requisition is to be presented to Mr Thoneman to allow himse f to be put in nomination for the representation of Leith Ward in the City Council. We trust Mr Thom man will consent to stand, and we are authorised to state that Mr P. Gibson, whose name was mentioned as an intending candidate by our morning contemporary, will withdraw in his favor.

A Surveyors’ Association. —The Surveyors’ Association of Auckland has been considering the practicability of forming a general association of engineers for the Colony. It appears that with this object in view letters have been written to surveyors iu Napier, Dunedin, and Invercargill; but from replies received, the gentlemen addressed seem to consider that the idea was good, though the time for establishing such an institution iu New Zealand has not yet come, because while the Provinces remained they would impose an effectual barrier to any combined movement amongst professional men in New Zealand for such an object. We confess to feeling carious as to the reasons which led the writers to this conclusion.

Worth Knowing.— A correspondent of the Bendhjo Advertiser gives the following plan as a certain cure for toothache, as proved by his own experience on the recommendation of a well-known dentistßlow tobacco smoke into the car of the sufferer from toothache. The operation is performed in this way —make a small tube of paper; insert it in the ear to the bo'tom ; then put the stem of the pipe in the tube ; put a handkerchief over the mouth of the pipe, and blow the smoke back through the stem into the ear ; two or three stiff blows are sufficient to effect a cure. The patient will feel a little giddy for a few minutes, and that is all. I have cured a good few lately, both men and women. For the sake of tho latter more especially I crave the insertion of this communication, and that many sufferers may be relieved is my earnest desire. Sudden Deaths. A young man named John Alexander Brebner, son of Mr Thomas Brebner, died suddenly at Port Chalmers yesterday. On Saturday night the deceased, along with two yourg brothers, retired to rest, apparently Well and in good spirits. On rising yesterday morning the two younger brothers called John to get up; they could not rouse him, and went to breakfast, thinking he was asleep. An elder sister, having heard the youngsters calling cut, wont afterwards to call him, but found him dead and cold, without tho least appearance of suffering on his features. Death is supposed to have been caused by heart disease. The deceased was a promising young man, only 20 years of age,

and was much liked by all who knew him. John Hansen, a cabman and a native of Germany, while engaged in conversation with a person yesterday afternoon, at a short distance from his own house in Great King stret, fell down. He was at once conveyed to the Hospital, where he died a few minutes after his admission. An inquest was held at the Hospital to-day, when a verdict of “Died from disease of the heart” was returned.

Suicide. —Early on Sunday morning the police received information that a hawker, named William Huff, residing on the camping ground at Athol place, had attempted suicide by cutting his throat. The man was living when the police arrived at his house, and Dr Sorley was sent for, but he not arriving soon, a messenger was despatched for Dr Richardson. Shortly afterwards both doctors put in an appearance, and after stitching up the wound, which extended to a width of four inches across the throat, almost severing the wind-pipe, they left the patient in charge of a person, intending to return at ten o’clock. The man, however gradually sunk, and expired at halfpast eight o’clock. An inquest was held at Bunbury’s hotel, Hanover street, this afternoon, when it transpired that the deceased had for some days past been drinking heavily. On Saturday night he slept in a bed in which three of his children also slept. About one o'clock his wife, who was sleeping in another room, heard him rise out of his bed, go to the door, and retire to bed again. Soon after he called her, telling her to come quickly while he was able to speak to her. She came and found him in bed with the children, and with his throat cut. The fit of drinking above referred to caused a depression of spirits, during which he committed the act. Afterwards he stated that he was tired of his life, and would have committed the act before if he had thought he would have lived so long. The jury turned a verdict of “temporary insanity.’ Curious Case. —One of the strangest cases (says the Melbourne Leader) which ever come before the 1 ounty Court was that of Bradley v. Hardcastle, heard on May 19. The plaintiff, landlord of the Prince of Wales Hotel at St. Kilda, sued to obtain L 149 damages for assault. _ About seven mouths ago Hardcastle came into the bar of the hotel and ordered a nobbier. He then went up to Mr Bradley and slapped him on the back, saying, “ Well, old fellow, what what will yon take ?" Mr Bradley, who is rather a corpulent man, only answered with an “Oh!’’ and exhibited symptoms of very great pain, This continued for so long that he took to bis bed and positively became an invalid for five or six months. In fact, he had not yet recovered entirely, and might not do so for thereat of his lifetime. When he undressed, after receiving the blow, a dark place, like a bruise, appeared on his back, where the blow had been struck, and his radical men reported that it had injured his liver, it was stated in court on May 19 that the whole subsequent illness of Mr Bradley had resulted from the injury to the liver, caused by Mr Mardcastle’s blow, although he had suffered to a comparatively slight degree from liver complaint for many years. On the other hand it was argued that Mr Bradley’s liver complaint had been very little, perhaps not ai all, intensified by the blow. The plaintiff set out that he had been at the expence of L6O for medical attendance alone. Judge Pohlman gave a verdict in his favor, with LI9O damages. Court Fees. —The excessive costs levied in the different Resident Magistrates’ Courts throughout the Coleuy are fast becoming a subject of general complaint. In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred they are out of all proportion to the sums sought to be recovered, and when added to the trouble and risk of litigation, render the recovery of small sums such a dubious affair, that many people will rather lose their money, and allow a dishonest debtor to escape, than bring him to Court. The Marlborough Press of a recent date gives the following list of cases heard in the Resident Magistrate's Court, with the costs in each :—"Noscda v. Heberly—Claim LI, costs LI 2s; Carleton v. Curtis —Claim L 5 10s, costs LI 4s ; Leary v. Patton—Claim L 6 IGs, costs L2 15s; Bank of New Zealadd v. Miller— Claim L 24, costs L 3 5s ; Mowatb v. Jones —Claim 15s, costs Li Bs.” Considering the sums sued for in these cases, the costs are monstrous ; aud these are not solitary instances—similar ones could be procured from the records of auy Magistrate’s Court in New Zealand. Speaking of this matter, a contemporary says :—“The costs for the recovery of debts in our law courts are, we believe, fixed by the Colonial Government, aud we can only look upon such excessive imposts as a covert and unfair method of raising the revenue at the expense of unfortunate debtors.” There is very little doubt that many persons contract debts which they have no intention of paying, calculating on the cost incurred by their creditors in compelling th-m to do so, and the “glorious uncertainty of the law,” and this is really an evil which stands in need of amelioration. “Justices’ justice” is proverbial for not being of the very purest quality, and it is really too bad to pay so dearly for such an inferior article. Various law reforms have, at different times, been suggested by our legislators, and the Government have attempted a huge stride iu the matter of the Land Transfer Act; but if either Parliament or Government desire to accomplish more in this direction, wc would recommend the Magistrates’ Courts as an excellent field for their labors.— Post,

Railway Construction in Canterbury.—Twelve months ago, while our Provincial Council —or rather a majority of its members obeying the call of Mr Keid—was determinedly setting its back against the Acts of the General Assembly, refusing to take advantage of them, our neighbors in Canterbury resolved to secure the fullest benefits to be derived from the measures, and accordingly agreed to ask tho General Government to sanction tho construction of certain lines of railway. The result of that prompt action is thus described in the speech of the Superintendent of Canterbury in opening tho Provincial Council of that Province : —“The important resolutions passed by you during your last session, expressing your opinion as to 1 what railways ought to be constructed within the Province out of the moneys for the time being available for the purpose,’ under the provisions of tho Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870, were duly forwarded by me, in comp’ianco with tho terms of the Act, to tho Colonial Secretary. Every exertion has been used by tho Colonial Government to have the surveys made which were necessary in terns of those

resolutions, and also to press on the works authorised by the Railways Act, 1870. On the Northern Railway, as authorised by the Railways Act, 1870, the construction of earthworks, bridges, and fencing, as far as Kaiapoi, has been let to contractors, and is in a forward state ; and the plans for the remainder of the line are nearly ready. The iron girders for the bridges and portion of the rails have already arrived ; the remainder .are being shipped as fast as vessels can be found to convey them from England. The conditions on which these works are proceeding in respect of supervision by the General Government, and the terms on which a refund of expenditure will be obtained, are stated in detail in correspondence witli the Colonial Government, which will be laid before you. On the Southern line tenders for the construction of the first length will shortly be invited. The rails for the portion between the Selwyn and the Rakaia were ordered by the mail which reached England in May, and are expected to be here by the time the earthworks are ready. On the Timaru and Temuka line the plans and specifications for the portion between Timaru and the Washdyke are prepared, and tenders will b? immediately invited for the construction of that patt of the line. The General Government has also taken steps for the bridging of the Waitaki, by the preparation of the necessary plans, and the ordering of the iron girders from England.”

A meeting of the friends of Mr H. J. Walter, will take place this evening at M'Cubbin’s hotel at 7, for the purpose of forming a committee to secure his return to the City Council. A similar meeting will take place at Field’s hotel, Duncan street, at 8 o’clock.

A public meeting of the Dunedin Abstainers’ Union will be hold at the Congregational Hall, Moray place, on Wednesday, July 26, at 8 p in. Beading, recitations, and vocal aud instrumental music, are announced.