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Evening Star, Issue 2854, 12 April 1872, Page 2

The Cargill Monument.—lt is intended to inaugurate the first drinking fountains in connection with the Cargill Monument in its new position to-morrow, at three o’clock. A platform will be erected, and provided with seats for ladies. Concert. --We beg to remind our readers that the second concert, under the auspices of the Saturday Half-holiday Association, will take place to-morrow evening at the Masonic Hall. As the programme is a most excellent one, we trust that the public will show their appreciation of the efforts of the Association to provide amusement of an elevating kind by filling the house in every part. We understand that special arrangements for the accommodation of ladies will be made, so as to avoid over-crowding. The Mail. —The Chief Postmaster informs us that the British Mails are expected to arrive here to-morrow afternoon, and requests us to direct attention to the altered time for despatch of the outgoing mail, viz., Tuesday morning, made by instruction from the Postmaster General, Wellington.—Since receiving the above, the following has been handed to us by the Harbor Company ; —The Wellington tranships mails into Taranaki at Lyttelton today, and latter vessel comes on at once ; should bo here at noon to-morrow. She will be despatched with the mails on Mond iy for Manakau, calling only at Lyttelton and Wellington. Dunedin Rifle Club.—The Committee of the above Club met last evening at the British Hotel, The principal business before the meeting was the consideration of a protest which has been lodged against the manner in which the last match was fired, some of the members having completed their scores on Tuesday morning, the darkness having prevented their doing so on Saturday afternoon last. After some discussion it was detenu iu ; d to allow the matter to stand over for decision at the general meeting of the Club, to he held shortly, and due notice of which will be given by advertisement. Owing to the protest wo are unable to give the names of the highest scorers at present.

Masonic Hall.— A very pleasing variety entertainment was given at this hall last evening. The performers were Mr and Mrs Thornton, “ Little Amy,” Mr Percival, and Mr Speedy (pianist). Mr Thornton and “ Little Amy” gave some very nice selections from Shakespeare, which were received with great applause. The performance was diversified with readings by Mr Thornton, dancing and negro delineations by “ Little Amy,” and singing by Mr Percival. The latter gentleman possesses a robust tenor voice, and sang the “Death of Nelson” and several other snugs in a very spirited manner. ■‘Little Amy” is a versatile and clever actress, and evidently gave satisfaction to the audience. Carrick Range Water Supply,— At a meeting of the shareholders in the company, held in the Town Hall, Cromwell, the following resolution was passed :--“That in consideration of the projectors resigning all claim to the fifty paid-up shares each (heretofore agreed to be given to them by the company), the company will reimburse to the projectors the actual amount expended by them (the projectors) for the benefit of the company, to the extent of L 4 11s fid to each projector ; and the directors are hereby authorised to pay to each projector the sum of L 4 11s fid upon his relinquishing in writing all right to the said sh ires.” Mr R. A. A. Sherriu offered to construct LIOOO worth of the race for half payment in cash, and half in paid-up shares.

Possibly True.—An adventurous night is thus related by a Gipps Land paper : —A boy named Cox, a few nights since, who was staying at his father’s camp near Trarajong, where he was engaged fencing, left the camp to hunt opposums. After securinv' several, he returned to the camp, but hearing soon after his dog uttering cries of distress, went to see what was the matter, and discovered four native dogs attacking the tame quadruped. Upon the boy’s appearance, the dogs made a rush at him, and chased him up to the camp—one of them being so determined that it followed the lad up to the camp lire, when it was knocked down with a firebrand by one of the men who was there at the time. The rest of the dogs were scared off. This did not end the boy’s adventures, for on awakening in the tent next morning, he found that a snake had quietly coiled itself in three folds around one of his legs. By his father’s directions the boy kept quiet, and shaking his leg gently the reptile gradually uncoiled itself, and was rendered incapable of further vagaries.

Politic A, — The Kaitangata correspondent for the Bruce Herald writes :—Mr. W, A. Murray addressed a meeting of his constituents and others here Friday night in Mr Smith’s workshop. Unfortunately the night was so extremely wet, that only a few gathered—still, or member was determined to give them the advantage of his experience of what passod in last session of Assembly about the Education Bill, Waste Land Act, construction of railways, &c.; also his own endeavors to pass an Act to borrow money for the improvement of land, similar to the Land Drainage Act at home. He shoAved hoAV the Government occupied nearly all the attention of last sosion in useless Bills they had no intention to pass ; and hoAV they had to force and rush the most important measures, without time or consideration, at the close. He likewise exposed, by several instances, the lavish expenditure of public money, and the corruption of the present Government. After some questions had been asked and ansAvered, —partly in earnest and partly jocular—a vote of thanks Avas given Mr Murray for his interesting remarks, and also to Mr Petrie, for discharging the duties of the chair.—There has been no petition round here yet by the Education League. With a fair acquaintance with the di-trict, i believe the majority are for secular education.

Inch Clutiia.— A correspondent of th e Bruce Ilcruld states that:—“ This habeeu a season of unprecedented drought, and in some of the districts throughout the colony must have t.een severely felt, pasting and water being both very scant. To a certain extent it has rather been advantageous to Inch Clutha. 1 believe a very large amount of drainage has been executed during the summer, which must greatly enhance the value of property and become rummer-

ative for grazing purposes, and which mould not have been accomplished in a moist season, There is also an extensive trade in timber from this district in the shape of railway sleepers, whicu tlic contractor (Mr Pollock) is driving to the ground with all speed and energy, a good many thousands seem already laid down. Harvest operations are aoout completed, the plough being busy at work again. The quantity and quality of the crops appear to give general satisfaction. Wheat that was in bloom during the severe gale of the 23rd December, has suffered considerably. The crops have been secured in capital condition, the weather being all that could be desired. The green crops do not promise to be quite so prolific this year, still there will be very favorable returns, thrashing will very shortly be commenced, then the farmer’s cry will be a high and ready market, which it, is to be hoped they will realise. —Our little village is extending its proportions very slowly, few additional houses having been erected during the year ; still, the future of this little town is predicted. When the railway operations are consummated, it may give a fresh impetus to location in the district and be a stimulus to farmers to carry on agriculture on a more extensive and improved scale than they have hitherto done.”

Princess Theatre. —The excellent comedietta, “Tom Noddy’s Secret,” which was announced for the previous evening, was performed last night, for the first time in Dunedin before a pretty good audience. The piece is one of those which cannot fail to prove attractive if well played. Tom Noddy is a Worcestershire schoolmaster, who has lived through the troublous times of the first Charles and Cromwell, and the audience is introduced to him at the commencement of the reign of Charles 11. Years before he had confided to his care a female child picked off one of the battle-fields by one Captain Ormond (a royalist). When found the child was dressed in boy’s clothing, and the captain hurriedly leaves her to the care of the schoolmaster, under the impression that she is a boy. When Ormond returns, upon the Restoration, he seeks Noddy’s house, and asks to see his boy—his adopted son; and as the schoolmaster has never undeceived him, he does not like now to let him know the truth. The plot of the piece was well sustained by the clever acting of Mr Musgrave as Tom Noddy, the schoolmaster, who is very old and has a very defective memory; Mr J. P. Hydes as Inkpeu (Noddy’s usher) ; Mr L. Booth as Captain Ormond; Miss Austead as Gabrielle, Noddy’s ward, and the adopted child; and Miss Willis as Mary (Inkpen’s daughter). The inis en scene was excellent, the piece being well put upon the stage. Signor Donato in bis characteristic dance, “ The Bull-fighter of Madrid ” was heartily applauded. His performances, as we have said, are simply extraordinary. The comedy “A Roland for an Oliver” brought the evening’s amusement to a close. To-night Signor Donato makes his last appearance, and takes a complimentary benefit The comedy of “A Husband to Order” and “Tom Noddy’s Secret ” will be performed, besides which Signor Donato will both sing and dance. We trust the house will be crowded.

Provincial Council. —The Cromwell Ary us, in view of the meeting of the of the Provincial Council, says :—Our Provincial e!e toral boundaries, if we must have a Provincial Council, should be modified : we are keeping and paying too many hired servants. It is absurd for forty men to assemble in Dunedin for three monehs at the public expense, and find when assembled, chat they have nothing to do, and no trusts to exercise. Having come under the “Encumbered Estates Act,” we must adapt ourselves to circumstances, and weed out the useless t etainers we have too long kept in our household. The same number of representatives that we send to the Assembly should suffice for all matters pertaining to Provincial Government. There appears to us no reason why the same electoral districts should not suffice for both classes of representatives. Of course, there will be the usual small talk and discussion. The Moa Flat question will be a theme of invective f- r some; others will find active scops in the “ landphobia” for which the Council is so celebrated ; a few who misplace their h’s, and are guileless of Lindley Murray, will favor us with their opinions on matters pertaining to education ; while from those who are perpetually insolvent we may learn some wholesome advice adapted to our impecunious condition. Whether, with the Permissive Bill in the distance, a new Licensing Ordinance may be looked for, we know not; and feel equally uncertain whether the political character of our Waste Land Board ■will be done away with or not. The latter, wo fear, is too valuable a weapon of warfare and means of reward to be lightly parted with. The honorarium question will doubtless be duly debated. The manner in which it came before the public last session makes it too dirty a thing for us to parley about. If our members must have money for their services, we trust they will remember we are not Egyptians, and make their spoliation as light as possible.

.Religious. Tbo Lyttelton Times gives the following description of the services at the Roman Catholic Cathedral there on Good Friday ; —The imposing ceremonies of the Catholic Church commenced at St. Mary’s Cathedral at nine o’clock in the morning, and were witnessed and shared in by numerous congregations. Three ministers, each representing a personage, sung the passion with great effect, which was followed with several prayers and supplications. The uncovering of the cross of the altar was truly impressive, the more so as - the veil hiding for a while the image of a beautiful crucilic, was dropped down, and showed at once with a marvellous effect the “Man of Sorrow.” The clergy then, each in his turn, and without shoes, came, after three profound prostrations, to adore and kiss the cross, and all the congregation went in the footsteps of their clergy to render the same homage to the image of their Saviour. The Very Reverend Father O’Reilly vindicated triumphantly this act of religion from the reproach of idolatry, stating that it was not the material thing they venerated but the sacred personage repre sented by it. It would exceed our limits to report the whole of the ceremonial. We must say, however, that during the service we caught the sound of Greek words, coupled with their synonyms in Latin, such as Agios. Sanctus, Iscuro.-s fortis, Athamatos immortal is. We are informed that these Greek words have been introduced or rather maintained in the Catholic liturgy principally to -how the union of Catholics of all tongues all over the world, and also in memory of St, f ctcr and St. Paul who came from Asia to

Rome, both speaking Greek and Latin, the I two great and universal languages of the then civilised world. Fijian Difficulties. —The Government of Fiji seem to have more trouble with civilised visitors than with their uncivilised subjects. The Fiji Times relates an instance of an attempt to evade harbor dues as follows : —“ A. great amount of interest was excited on the beach last Saturday afternoon, a little before one o’clock, when it became known that the Government cutter Vivid, and another one, chartered, borrowed, or something of the sort, for the purpose, were endeavoring to intercept the schooner Lmtitia, bound for Auckland. The schooner had not paid harbor dues required by the Fijian Government, and had weighed and was proceeding out with a rather light ; easterly (or thereabouts) wind, when the two cutters tried to stop her. The Vivid, a smart little cutter (and which will be remembered by our Sydney readers as having disappeared from their port rather unexpectedly kept well to windward of the schooner, while the other cutter stood across her bows, right in the narrow passage. When the Loetitia first made for the passage the Vivid fired two guns, as a signal for her to lie to. This the Lietitia refused to do and kept on, but i owing to the wind had to made another tack. The guns brought out the G >vernment barge filled with men, and after a short chase they boarded the schooner, which then returned to her moorings. Captain Davis has since paid the amount (which he says was not demanded of him untii they stopped him on his passage), and on Monday morning last took his departure for New Zealand. On February loth a public meeting was held at Levuka, the object being the overthrow of the present Ministry. Messrs Burt and Woods are the unpopular men, and it is thought that the whole revenue of the country will be absorbed in salaries to useless officials. Captain N. S. Hedstrom has been appointed harbor master and phot at Levuka, vice Captain Frost. AMr T. Love was found in his room by his native servant shot through the heart. After hearing evidence, a coroner’s jury returned a ver diet that deceased had shot himself whilst in a fit of temporary insanity.

The Rev. Wm. Coleman will say Mass in the Catholic Church, Port Chalmers, on Sunday next. The football match announced in our advertising columns comes off to-mor-row. The names of the players were published on Tuesday. The Naval Brigade will muster on the reclaimed ground to-morrow (Saturday) afternoon, at 2 o’clock, to compete for General Government prizes.