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Evening Star, Issue 2861, 20 April 1872, Page 2

Political. —Mr J. Green, the representative of Blueskiu in the Provincial Council, has signified his intention to address his constituents at Morton on Thursday evening.

Champion Belt. —This belt, won by Mr Wales at the late Colonial Prize Firing at Christchurch, is now on view at Mr Beaver’s, jeweller, Princes street. The belt has been competed for ten successive ytars. and is now the absolute property of Mr Wales. There are several gold and silver medals which this gentleman has secured on other occasions also to be seen at Mr Beaver’s.

The Benefit of Friendly Societies. —Recently Chief Justice Amoy had a case brought before him in Chambers, which illustrates the advantages of friendly societies. Upon enquiry de lunatko being taken, it transpired that Henry Cowan had been in the lunatic asylum for seven years and ahalf, and during the whole of that period his wife received a weekly allowance, amounting to IBs a week, and subject only to an annual reduction, according to a fixed scale. Moreover, tbe lodge have undertaken to look after the poor man, whose discharge they have obtained.

The Volunteers. The Naval Brigade assembled on the reclaimed ground this afternoon to compete for General Government prizes, with shell. There were two detachments on the ground, the one under the command of Lieut. Smith, the other under that of Lieut. Grant. The target was 1200 yards, and each detachment fired six shots—three with common and three with diaphram shell. The wind was from the left front. The practice was, on the whole, very good, several of the shots bursting immediately over the target; but the result of the competition will not be known until after Saturday next, when two more detachments will compete. Col. Cargill, Major Atkinson, and Capt. Stavely were present.

Princess Theatre. — Last night the performance of the “ Merchant of Venice ” was repeated. Mr Tavares acted the part of Shylock with a finish and power which showed his perfect acquaintance with the character, and at the conclusion of the play both himself and Miss Surtees were called before the curtain. Mr, J. P, Hydes as Lauucelot Gobbo, Mr Musgrave as Antonio, and Mr. Booth as Bassanio ably sustained thtir parts. The entertainment concluded with the farce of the “ Fire Eater.” The house was fairly attended. This evening Mr Tavares takes his benefit and makes his last appearance in his favourite character of “Hamlet.” It is not often the people of Dunedin have the opportunity of seeing Shakspcare performed with such ability, and it is to be regretted the weather during the past week has been so unfavourable as to prevent many being present who would have taken advantage of the opport' nity. We trust to-night will “make amends for all ” and that Mr Tavares will have a bumper. Agent-General's Despatches. Communications have been received by the Government from the Agent-General, tho only item of general interest being that he is satisfied that from about May or Juno next a steady stream of immigration on the scale contemplated by the Government would flow. He had issued a set of uniform regulations to supersede the contradictory provincial rules previously in existence; and from a perusal of them we (Independent) think they are likely to harmonise very well with those recently issued by the Government hero. Some slight modifications will no doubt be necessary to adjust them finally ; but apparently they need very trifling amendment. Dr Featherston was intending to visit Christiana for the purpose of arranging, r possible, for the shipment direct to this Colony of the Scandinavian emigrants, some difficulty havi, g arisen through the conflicting conditions of the Norwegian and the British regulations on the subject of immigration ships. The Agent-General was expecting to be able to procure shipping to come direct from Scandinavian ports, thus saving expense and being much more convenient for the emigrants themselves.

An Indignant People.—-There is l general commotion in “Sleepy Hollow,” the therefore resembling the occasion when Mr Stafford was called upon to resign hiseat for Nelson, because in a debate in Parliament he had spoken with greater truth than discretion in somewhat disparaging terms of the Province and people. Were Bishops elective officers, it is highly probable that the Bishop of Nelson would b« called upon by a requisition to vacate the episcopal chair. The Bishop leceni-lj preached a sermon at Nelson, in which he said something to the eff ct that with tinexception of some two or three persons, everyone in Nelson was an infidel. Borne one who heard the accusation wrote to the papers, and the result has been that the poor Bishop has got himself into a mess. He has been forced into the undignified position of having to defend, through the columns of a newspaper, his conduct in the pulpit ; and the worst of it is, that he has mads the matter rather worse against him than it stood at first. He says that some one “ who had ample opportunities of knowing what he was speaking about,” told him that “they were all infidels in Nelson except one or two;” and the Bishop adds, “I fear there is too much ground of truth in it to ju tify our pronouncing it false.” Of course, from this it is as plan as that two and two make four, that in the opinion of the Bishop of Nelson the population of the city are alt infidels “except one or two”; and of coure the people don’t like to be called hard names however true the accusation may be. Lecture. —Lust evening Professor Shand gave a lecture iu the North Dunedin Presbyterian hurch on “Spccmuu Analysis.” The Church was well filled, but the arrangements were nob such as to enable all who were present to see the illustrations. The screen was placed on one side of the Church, and the apparatus only slightly above the level of the table in front of the pulpit. The spcctri were too low in consequence for many to see them, and the vulgarity O? some persons in front, who jmrsisted in standing np whenever a ray was thrown upon the screen, aggravated the inconvenience. Professor Shand, after exhibiting the electric light, gave a short history of the discovery of the moans of analysing rays of light. He explained that they affected the optic nerve differently according to their colors ; and that the number of vibrations varied from 421),000,000 t > 750,000,000 per second. After referring to the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton, respecting the refraction of rays of light according to their colors and the separation of them by means of a prism, he dwelt at some length on the discoveries of Fraunhofer and the seven dark lines in the sun’s rays discovered by him. The further observations by Bunsen and Kirchoff were then alluded to. The c dors of several substances in a state of incandescence were shown by m ans of Bunsen's burner, in which sodium, lithium, thalmium, and other metallic substances were burnt, to illustrate the colors of the flames ; and it was shown that potassium placed in water would unite with the oxygen, and setting the hydrogen free, would burn with a violet light. The dark lines discovered by Fraunhofer were shown to be caused by rays of white light passing through certain vaporised substances, which it was found absorbed the rays which those substances would have emitted had they been incandesce n Applying these discoveries to the analysis of sunlight, it was shewn that metallic substances in a state of vapor were in the sun’s atmosphere, aael that the inference was inevitable that the physical constitution of the heavenly bodies was similar to that of the earth. Unfortunately the apparatus for producing a continuous electric light in the spectroscope was not in good order, and a slight accident happened to the machinery. The consequence was that several of the experiments were unsuccessful. Dr. Copland, at the conclusion of the lecture, moved a vote of thanks to Professor Shand, which was carried by acclamation. We notice that the Golden Age, will leave the wharf to-morrow (Sunday), at 2.30 p.m., conveying visitors to the Rosario. The Dunedin Choral Society will give their Fourth Concert on Tuesday the 30th hist. Particulars will be seen in our advertising columns. The seventh annual meeting of the Dunedin Town Mission will be held in the Congregational Church on Monday next. The Rev. Thomas Roseqy M.A., L.L.B, will preside. Tea on the table at 6.Sop.m. The Secretary of the Benevolent Institution acknowledges in our advertising columns the receipt of donations in aid of the charity, viz , Dunedin Jockey Club, L2O ; Mr Couzens. collected at gates on last day of races, L 3 ; Mr Halliday, 10s. The regulations for nominated immigration appear in another column, and should induce a large family immigration. It has always been found that members of families whose relatives are already resident in the country make the best settlers. We should be glad to sec the terms largely availed of. If an indefatigable agent is any help to theatrical success, Professor Haselmayer should reap a good harvest in Dunedin, for Mr Robinson has neglected no opportunity of making the public acquainted with the merits of his principal. Taking the crifcicisims of the northern press and other indicarions, we venture to assert that when the Professor opens the Masonic Hall on Saturday evening next, those who visit his entertainment will have a. good treat.