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Evening Star, Issue 2845, 2 April 1872, Page 2

Peninsula Election. —The election of a member of the Provincial Council to represent the Peninsula, took place to-day. Tin result could not be known in time for publication in the tiiur this evening. Political.— Mr Galbraith has resigned his seat as representative of Port Chalmers in the Provincial Council. A writ for a new election has been issued, returnable on or before the 20th of this month. The Clutiia Contract,— I The Clutha contract, formerly let to M ‘Laron and Co., has been re-let to-dav to Messrs Blair and Watson for L13.47S 3s lOd. We understand the General Government has adopted ihe rule of publishing tho names and amount of the accepted tenders only. The names and am nulls of the other tenderers may he ascertained on application at the Public Works Office. Oyster Season. — We notice that the oyster season has just commenced. Mr Melville, of the Oyster -aloon, near the Octagon, has sent us a fin) sample of the .Ste.vart Island oysters, which be believe to be the first consignment thence this season. If what were sent to us are to be regarded only as the average size and quality of the consignment, we must pronounce them very fine.

Harbor Defence. —Mr Lumb, well-ku-.iWJi as one of our Provincial revenue officers, has for some time past given his attention to harbor defence. Mr Lumb’s previous connection with _ her Majesty’s Navy and acquaintance with the theory and practice of projectile science, has enabled him to devise a system of torpedo defence very much like that advocated by the London T-vvh. When the Hon. D. M'Lcan, the defence minister, was here, Mr Lumb laid his pi ms before him. Mr M'Leau replied that they will “meet with careful consideration, and has no doubt that the suggestions they contain will be found most valuable, emanating as the do from a gentleman of experience in gunnery.” Amongst other matters Mr Lumb paints out the protective and defensive value of the sand hills against attacks by the ocean beach. This will be immeasurably increased should the torpedo gun become available. New Zealand may then, at light cost, be made absolutely impregnable. Utilisation of Sandhills.—-Sow and plant nettles, says M. Gam-no, a French snva.it, and all the sandhills in the south and the wastes and other parts of Fiance will be converted into green and profitable liclds, M. Garrcne wonders that the world is so slow to learn the great economic value of this robust plant, which will grow everywhere, liaise your nettles, ho says, and in the young tops thereof you will have a delicious and early vegetable for your dinner table, and abundance of early green food for your cattle. The milk of cows is improved by a diet of nettles, and the beef of cattle fed on nettles is superior to all other. Nettles, too, arc of remarkable efficacy in restoring broken down horses to vigour. And in commerce their value is great, for they can be treated as hemp, and spun into lines and ropes, and woven into cloth. The Dunedin Waterworks Com-pany.-—The report of Mr George Grant, the actuary to whom was remitted the task of estimating the present value of shares in the Dunedin Water Works Company, stated it to be L 140,000, which he considered the Corporation ought to give if they purchase the shares of the Company, This would give to each shareholder a profit of Ll2 10s upon his LIO share. 'The offer of the Corporation was to give a bonus of L2 per share, and to take up L2U,.-000 of the Company’s debentures. At the special meeting yesterday the adoption of tbc rcpoit was moved by Mr W. H. Reynolds and seconded by Mr G. W. Elliott. Mr Bathgate moved an amendment as follows :—“ That seeing an adequate dividend cannot be secured without the imposition of a compulsory rate, and that the Municipal Corporation are desirous of acquiring the Water Works, and that a material saving would thereby be effected to the public by greater economy in management, and by the necessary capital being raised at 6 instead of 10 per cent., it is expedient the works be sold to the Corporation, and the oifer be accepted.” It was seconded by Mr Mercer, and on being put to the vote was negatived. A motion by Mr Bathgate that the Actuary’s report he printed and circulated amongst the shareholders was seconded by Mr. G. F. Reid, aud was lost on tbc votes. Ultimately the following motion, proposed by Mr Lauglauds and seconded by Mr Wilkie, was adopted, “That the directors be instructed to negotiate with the City Corporation for the sale of the Works, and to submit the result of such negotiation to a future meeting of the shareholders for confirmation, rejection, or amendment.”

Princess Theatre.—Last evening Phillips’s drama, “Fettered,” was produced at the Princess Theatre. We were glad to see a well-filled house, as, from the character of the piece and the manner in which it was put upon the stage, it should command a long run. The play-hills describe it as a “ Magnificent Sensational Drama,” and the fashion with a certain school is to decry it on that account, although it must he plain that any drama that fails to interest the feelings cannot succeed. Perhaps the new school of dramatic art may he said to consist of a series of tableaux ricants, with illustrative conversations introduced. They thus succeed in combining poetry and painting in a high degree. “Fettered” is to a certain extent independent of scenic accessories, through the dialogue and plot being of themselves calculated to induce sympathy; but with their assistance it becomes intensely interesting. The story is simple enough. Mrs Fortescue (Miss Ansbcad) daughter of a Loudon banker, falling in love with (Jasper Blythe) one of the clerks (Mr Thorpe), marries him without her father’s consent. He turns out a scamp, becomes involved, forges a draft, is tried, convicted, and transported. Her father requires her to resume his name, dies and leaves her wealthy. She lives at Gaythorpe, and there meets Sir Gilbert Heron (Mr Booth), to whom she becomes attached, and who becomes enamoured of her, but whom, of course, she rejects, without telling him she is “ fettered” with a husband. The convict returns, unreformed, and makes one of a gang of burglars torch her house, enters the room for that purpose and is confronted by her, The next act reveals the villain plotting marriage with an

heiress, Lottie Warriner (Miss Raymond), a school-mate of his wife’s, with whom ho has fallen in love. He tries to make up his mind to murder Mrs Fortescue, in oi’der to remove all hindrance to his marriage, but he cannot. The love story is told by Lottie to Mrs Fortescue, who gives the wilful young lady plenty of very judicious matronly advice without causing a change in her determination. At length the love-sick girl shews the miniature of her intended, and Mrs Fortescue is shocked to see in it her convict husband. She devotes herself to save the mrl without telling her tlie facts, and the plot and counterplot arc brought to an end by the whole of the chief actors in the drama meeting together in an old mill. The convict, conscious of being unable to escape arrest, resolves to perish, bub not alone; he therefore raises the sluice of the mill, which is washed away by the liberated torrent ; bat be alone perishes—tho rest arc rescued, and the widow is ‘‘unfettered.” From this sketch, it will be gathered that plenty of “ situations ’’—the name for materials for a dramatic picture—could be evolved, and Phillips has made the best of them. Two other characters tguro very prominently, Tom Tit (Mr Hydes), a bird fanc.i'-r, dog stealer, pick pocket, &c., and Nutkins (Mr Mnsgrave). a barber, phrenologist, &o. Miss Anstead's representation of Mrs Fortescue could scarcely be surpassed. Her elocution lias nothing stagey about it. It is perfectly natural—as it ought to be. No aping of the Siddons school, in which men and worn ; n on stilts mouth Juliet or Desdemoua. Whether torn by anguish, roused to anger, tortured by jealousy, agitated by fear or Animated by hope, there is no lashing herself into emotion. It seems to flow from the circumstance and assumes its natural expression. Miss Raymond follows in the same school, and promises to become an excellent artist. As for Mr Hydes’s Tom Tit, it is impossible to describe it otherwise than as one of the most original, truthful, and laughable copies of a certain phase of London life that we have seen, Mr Mnsgrave was exceedingly amusing as the barber phrenologist, Tho parts of Jasper Blythe and Sir Gilbert were fairly played by Messrs Booth and Thorpe. The remaining parts wore subordinate, but well filled up. But scant justice would be done wo we to omit mentioning tho scenery which has been most artisticallv painted by Mr Willis. We trust that the ‘efforts made by the management will secure the support they deserve. In “Fettered” they have selected a most pleasing piece which will bear seeing again and again. The thorough appreciation of the audience was shewn hy calls that the curtain should be raised for re-exhibition of tho most thrilling tableaux. “ Fettered ” will be repeated this evening.

The weekly meeting of the members of the Saturday Half holiday Association will take place this evening below the Atheuioum at 7 o’clock, instead of S o’clock. A meeting of the Standard Property Investment Society for the receipt of Subscrip l ions, Ac., will be hold at the offices of the society to-morrow (Wednesday) evening between six and eight o’clock. The 98th monthly meeting of the Permanent Building Society of Otago will be held at the offices of the Society, Temple Chambers, Princes street this (Tuesday) evening at seven o’clock.