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Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2650, 15 August 1871, Page 2

A Golden Wedding.—lt is worthy of notice that Mr H. Lewis, resident amongst us, having attained the age of 89, celebrated the 50th anniversary of his wedding to-day. Wc are glad to congratulate him and his wife upon their enjoyment of good health. Introduction oe Salmon. The Grey River Argus is informed on good authority that is is probable that the Colonial Government, when the season arrives, will

import a quantity of salmon ova from California. The shorfcne s of the voyage from that port to New Zealand will ensure its arrival in a thoroughly healthy condition. Government Land Sale.—Tho sale of land at Strath Taieri to-day by the Government Auctioneer, Mr James Milner, passed off well. It was held at the Provincial buildings, and about three-fourths of the lots offered were purchased at prices varying from 22s 6d. to 32* per acre. The total amount realised was L 3298. Hawkers. —In a recent discussion in the Auckland City Council, on the question of licensing hawkers, one councillor suggested that commercial travellers should be included in the list requiring a license as they carried about samp'es and peddled goods to the injury of Auckland importers, in exactly the same way as peddlers interfered with the business of the shopkcepeis. A Hint. The “Loafer in the street,” writing to the Press, mves the following advice to public speakers and others:—“ Never, if possible, correct your speech in the form of a letter. If you are reported as having said, for that the gentleman who spoke last ‘ lied greatly,’ &c., instead of ‘ tried greitly,’ let it go ; it reads just as well, and is possibly a Ion.; way nearer the truth. But correcting a r porter is as bad as W. Brown, the respectable, who writes to inform a discerning public that he was not the W. Brown who was lined 10s for being drunk and disorderly the day before. Who cares for W. Brown, or whether he was drunk or imt?” Masonic Hall.— Miss Dolly Green’s entertainment last night was a great success ; c instant ] rait c t has enabled her to refine, t me down, or po ish up the many peculiarities of the different characters she portrays, so that in effect the “ Seven Ages of Woman” is not the same seven ages represented to us by Miss Green pri< r to her visit to Australia : in addition to which Miss Green has altered many o' he; “make ups.” her male costumes in particular, be ng much more appropriate than formerly. On in r first appearance Miss Green met with a hearty reception, and wa* frequently and loudly applauded during the performance. M. Fleury and band at intervals discoursed most excellent musi", receiving marked applause for the selections from the opera “ 1 Pntitani.” The entertainment concluded with a Prussian and English and French national song, snug by M. Engel with considerable effect. Domestic Servants. — Here is an anomaly : Mrs Dick, the proprietcas of an old-established registry office in Hokitika, announces her intention of proceeding to Melbourne for the purpose of engaging servants suitab c for the West Coast. We refer to some Melbourne files of papers, and we find that the wages of housemaids and general domestic servants range, from L2S to L 33 per annum; and nur.-e girls from Lls to L 25 per annum. Now we will turn to our own Colony. Good domestic servants can be obtained in Nelson from Lls to L2O per annum, and nurse girls from L 8 to 1,12 per annum. We go on to Auckland, where we find the average of wages given to domestic servants is as nearly as possible that paid at Nelson. At Hawke's Bay, wages range below these figures The anomJy then ia, that the wages of domestic servants in Melbourne arc considerably higher than at many of the centres of New Zealand, and yet a necessity appears to arise for importing : domestics from a distant Colony. Surely there is something wrong somewhere. A Picture of Wellington.—Wellington and Nelson papers have of late been devoting a portion of their space to drawing lively pictures of tl.- ir respective cities. The Examiner thus sketches the “Empire City” : —So long as the pretentiousness of that queer congeries of hovels, public-houses, and cottages of gentility, that sprawls a'oug a good league of the northern shores of Cook's Strait, under the pseudonym of the ‘ Empire City,” confined itself to such half-sup-pressed puffings and boastings as might decently be overlooked by the dweller* in the neighboring (not transpontine) provinces, wc were in a manner compelled to hold our peace.” Of course this was overdrawn ; but the stimulus to wrue something of the kind was very great, judging from the following paragraph in the Independent;—“ That rather old-fashioned conveyance, known as the Nelson coach, his for a long period been drawn up under the hedge by the side of the road. The passengers for some time basked cmtcntedly in the sunshine, and took credit to themselves for having kept out of danger, and on not having run into debt for paint and repairs ; but they appear to be at last discovering that in spite of occasional mi haps caused by kicking or bolting horses, the other Provincial vehicles have passed them, and are leaving them far behind. They begin to perceive that their driver not only deserves but little credit for having avoided collisions by the simple expedient of {lulling up out of the road, but that he has failed to fulfil that simple duty of progressing, which is the very raison d'etre of his office, and which he was specially apSiinted to perform.” Why this jealousy? ow does the prosperity of Nelson prejudice that of Wellington, or vice versa? Princess Theatre.—Some excellent pieces were presented last evening, and it is to be regretted that si f*w were present to take advantage of the treat offered. No doubt tbe novelty of the entertainment presented at the Masonic Hall would at least on a first night draw largely, and to this circumstance it was chiefly owing that the attendance at the Princesses was so small. But those present, though few, were amply n-paid by the excellent character of the pieces presented, The curtain rose to the thrce-act serio-comic drama “ Daddy Gray” which possesses inherent merit, and illustrates by a series of admirable pictures the lower strata of English life, while the piece, especially the parts of “ Daddy ( ray ” and “ Jessy Bell,” personated by Mr Musgrave and Miss Jenny Nye, was well acted throughout, and was favoured with continuous outbursts of applause. Byron’s extravanganza of “Mazeppa ” concluded the entertainment, and it must be confessed that notwithstanding the small attendance, it is very rare tjiat such genuine manifestations of approbation have been elicited or have beep more de.served by this company. We notice that a complimentary benefit is to bo awarded this) evening to Miss Lilly Forde. This young lady, who, under judicious treatment, promises to become a graceful and accomplished actress will we trust receive the support anticipated and that all the younger members of the playgoing community will flock to the theatre this evening to do honour to Miss Lilly. The pieces to be presented are “ Married life,” the chief rale of which Miss Lilly

Forde sustains, and the *• Babes ia tbo Wood,” with au interlude by Mr E, Briggs on the sensation rope, to be exhibited for the first time in Dunedin. We have to acknowledge the receipt of the August number of the Neto Zealand Church New*. We notice that a concert, under the patronage of his Worship the Mayor, in aid of the widow and orphans of the late John Oraigie, is to be given at the Masonic Hall on FrMay evening next. It will bo remembered that Cnigic was drowned from the lighter Victoria several weeks back, under very painful circumstances. It is generally felt that his family, that was left in impoverished circumstances, is very deserving of public sympathy and assistance.