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Evening Star, Issue 2852, 10 April 1872, Page 2

The Clutha Line. —The Kaikorai contract of the Southern Trunk Railway uas declared finished yesterday. The final certificate has been to-day granted to the contractor, Mr A. J. Smyth, and the works taken off his hands.

Mr Clarke’s Purchase. —We learn that Mr Larnach has this afternoon given a cheque for L 34 903 12s Gd, the balance of the purchase-money for the Moa Flat sale. 1 ins includes the value of about 9,000 acres which Mr Clarke’s agent has agreed to take in lieu of money payment for compensation and survey.

Princess Theatre. —The “ Follies of a Night” was repeated last evening at the Princess Theatre. Signor Donato created quite a furore by his descriptive piece, the “ Sailor’s Hornpipe.” He Avas enthusiastically called before the curtain after its fall at the close of the drama. This evening “Tom Noddy’s Secret” will be played ; and Siguor Donato will represent “ 'ihe Bull-fighter of Madrid.” There is room for display of his classic talent in such a picture.

Spurious Gold. The Southland Times reports that ou Wednesday Kee Chaug was brought up before Mr H. M Bulloch, R.M., and formally charged with selling spurious gold. The accused did not, we understand, deny having sold the cakes of amalgam, but alleged that its spurious character ivas wholly the result of accident; the baser portion of the metal having gob infused into the cakes during the process of amalgamation. The prisoner was fully committed to take his trial ou each of the preferred charges. Prison Labor.—We notice that a feiv prisoners are engaged in taking down the building lately occupied by the Volunteer Artillery as a gun shed. We believe that the shed will be re-erected on a piece of ground now being reclaimed by the prisoners, and used to accommodate the machinery for testing quartz now being made for the Government. The battery is, we understand being manufactured by Mr Wilson of the Otago Foundry, and the motive poiver avill be furnished by one of Messrs A. aud T. Burt’s Avater engines, supplied from the pipes laid aloug the reclaimed ground. Gaol. —At the Police Court Lawrance, on the Ist April inst., Charles M - Eweu was sentenced by Mr Vincent Fyke, R.M., to tAvo months hard labor on a charge of assaulting and resisting Sergeant James Deane, while in the execution of his duty at Lawrence, on the 31st of March ult. ; and ou the Gth April, Alexandria M'Evven alias “Fcrrier,” Avas sentenced by Mr Horace Bastings, J.F., to fourteen days hard labour for being drunk and disorderly at Lawrence ou the previous day. Both the prisoners have been frequently before the Dunedin Magistrates and reneAved their acquaintance Avit i the interior of the gaol yesterday afternoon. Agricultural Statistics. —Certain typographical errors having occurred in the publication of the Superintendent Collector’s return of the Agricultural statistics of the Province, a revised copy has beeu issued, of Avhich the totals are as follow:—The number of holdings is 3,C63; the acres broken up but not under crop, 34,306 ; acres sown for grain only 33 GGO.J ; the gross produce, 884,225 bushels. Sown in oats for greenfood or hay, 9,369,1, acres ; for grain, 71,3394 estimated”yicld of grain, 2,197,929 bushels : Sown Avith barley for grain only, 3,323 acres ; estimated yield, 89,103 bushels : Soavu in grasses, 6,3091] acres; produce in tons. 0,922; permanent artificial grass, 146,029] acivs. Planted Avith potatoes, 3,030] ; estimated gross produce, 13,497] tons ; other crops, 0,565] acres. Total number of acres under crop, 274,517]: The quantity of last year’s crop remaining Avhen the form was filled up, is estimated as folloAvs : —Wheat, 22,169 bushels; oats, 213,975 bushels; barley, 12,485,

A.O.F.—The quarterly meeting of Court Pride of Dunedin Avas held In the old Masonic Hall last evening. The sick and funeral fund amounts to LIOB4 Is 6.{d, the management fund to L 353 0s l]d, aud a sum LOO paid on shares of the Friendly Societies Hall Co. The total value of the Court is L 1487 7s Sd, and the number of financial members 171. The net increase iu the funds of the Court during the past quarter is L 47 5s 2d, and during that time LOO 11s lOd has been paid in alloAvances to sick members, and medical attendance, and a funeral claim of LlO has also been jMud, The auditors, Messrs George Bindie and F. J. Wilson, report that the hooks have been kept correctly. During the evening, emblematical certificates of past chief rangership Avere presented to Past Chief Rangers, T. Ireland aud I). Pinkerton. The piv sentations Avere made by Chief Ranger Liddle, and were duly acknowledged by the recipients. The Saturday Half-Holiday Association. —A meeting of the general committee of the Saturday Half-holiday Association Avas held yesterday evening beloAv the Athemeum. General satisfaction Avas expressed at the success of the inauguration of the half-holiday ; and steps Avere devised to try and persuade those feAV who have not yet given in iheir names, so that the halfholiday may he settled ou a firm basis by its being so generall observed. Several members stated, from their oavu experience, that they never kneAV a place Avhere it had been so successful the first day. The Association is determined to protect those

who close at one o’clock by every means in their power, and confidently hope that all the shopkeepers who closed last Saturday will continue to do so for a month, so as to_ give it a fair trial, because they are convinced that by that time the employers as well as the employed will be greatly bcnetitted by the alteration of the hours. Wo understand that the Association will hand over LL6 2s to the Benevolent Institution, being the proceeds of last Saturday’s concert, and that they intend having another entertainment next Saturday.

The Committee of the Benevolent Institution acknowledge in our advertising columns the receipt of various donations in aid of this charity.

The annual handicap cup will be played for by the members of the Dunedin Golf Club on Saturday next. General meeting on the Green at noon ; play to commence at one o’clock.

The Golden Age will leave the wharf on Saturday, at 2 p.m., for Macandrew’s Bay and Port Chalmers. St. Patiick’s Band will be in attendance, and it is announced excursionists will have an opportunity of inspecting the Rosario.