Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 2874, 6 May 1872, Page 2

Princess Theatre. The drama of “ The Health of Oid England” is announced for presentation to-night. ** Time and Tide” way played on Saturday to a capital house. The Thanksgiving Day.—The last New Zealand Gazette contains a proclamation by his Excellency the Governor, appointing Thursday, the 9th instant, a genera* holiday for thanksgiving for the recovery of his Royal Highness the Rriuceof Wales. The proclamation invites clergy and ministers of ail denominations to observe it in their churches by special thanksgiving services. Ecclesiastical. We extract the following from the New Zealand Church News ; “ The Bishop of Dunedin, who is now in England, has made arrangements with four clergymen, who will probably accompany his lordship on his return to his diocese in July next, and will, it is thought, be appointed to the cures of Cavcrsham, Hampden, Balclutha, and Mount Ida.” Cargill Testimonil, —We understand that the testimonial to Mr E. B. Cargill will be presented at the Theatre, to-mor-row (the lesees having kindly granted the use of the pit and stalls), instead of the University Hall, as formerly intimated. This is rendered necessary in consequence of the latter Institution declining to allow the Hall to be used for the purpose, as they are of opinion that by doing so they would be establishing a bad precedent.

Presentation. —Mr Gustavus Jones, who for the last two years and a half has filled the post of assistant reader in the Daily Times office, and who is about to enter upon another, sphere of action in Auckland, was on Saturday presented by bis fellow employes, with a gold locket as a token of the esteem in which he was held by them, and as a souvenir of his connexion with the establishment The locket bears this inscription—“To Gus. Jones, from friends in Times office, 4th May, 1872.” Works op Art.— Mr William Percival has afforded us an opportunity of examining some additional water color pictures of native ferns, painted by himself. They are all, without exception, remarkably good ; while some are so like the real thing as at first sight to be easily mistaken for mounted specimens, so very naturally have the various tints, &c., of the originals been transferred to paper by the hand of this clever young artist. In the latter elass we would specially include those marked—“Plypodium Billiarderi,” “Asplinium Oblusatum,” and “ Lowaria Proceria. ” We understand the whole will be on view at the artist’s father’s shop, near the Octagon, and will well repay examination.

Masonic Hall. The afternoon performance on Saturday was a great success. The hall was as usual filled to overflowing ; two-thirds or more of the audience being children. It was a sight to see with what expressions of wonder, almost amounting to awe at times, the little people watched the development of the Professor's magic powers as displayed in the various illusions. It was reserved, however, for the performance of the birds and mice to fill their little hearts full with childish delight, to diffuse their countenances with expressions of mirthful glee, and to call forth their hearty exclamations of joyful surprise. The hall was again crowded at the evening performance, and the audience as usual were loud and hearty in their demonstradous of delight.

Infant Mortality. —At the meeting of the medical profession, recently held in Auckland, the subject of infant morality came up for conversation, when, according to the Southern Cross, the astonishment of the professional men present seemed to be, not that the rate of death was so high, but that it was not a great deal higher. Two major causes were adduced for the high death rate amongst the children—the liberal use of “soothing powders,,’ which had a reallj soothing effect j and the great amount of artificial feeding of children which existed here. If mothers were to nurse infant children in the manner Nature intended they should, the death rate would rapidly diminish. Steadman’s soothing powders were said to contain a large per-centage of calomel, and and after partaking of them for some time the mouths of such children assumed a sloughing condition. Religious Publications. —We delayed acknowledging the receipt of the

‘Evangelist” for -May until we .could [lance over its contents, which are of more ban usual interest. The “ Chinese in jtago ”is a good paper, drawing attention io.the duties of the Christian churches in •egard to them. “ The Slave Trade in the Hebrides ” is a review of an able report if the proceedings of the meeting of the New Hebrides Mission held at Aniwa last July. “ The Gold Fields of Westland” is a descriptive paper giving a short history of the West Coast settlements | The next paper ah “ Eclecticism ” is an attempt to stay the development of certain doctrines that are pronounced heretodox. The remaining articles cab for no special notice. The intelligence, as usual, is interesting to the Presbyterian churches, though affording a glimpse of what is doing in other parts of the colony. In the “ New Zealand Wesleyan ” there is a very clever paper on “Providence” by the Rev. W. H. Fitchett of Melbourne. The next, “ Rays -of Light on obscure texts ” is by the Rev. John Williams, and contains valuable critical remar son Heb. 9, v. 16 1 7 . The ‘ ‘ Thoughts ou Hymns ” are very readable, and the biographical sketch of the late Dr Dixon is very interesting The correspondence on education is evoted to the difficulties introduced into the subject by persons who s«e no way of teaching religion except by Bible reading in schools, and a very able criticism on the weak point in the scheme of the Otago Association There are also some instructive editorial remarks on the subject. The remaining portion consists of “Notes and notices of Church work in the colony. The “ New Zealand Church News” is principally devoted to intelligence strictly pertaining to the Episcopal Church in England. There are a few papers intended for instruction in the peculiar doctrines of the church. Football. The match between fifteen of the Dunedin Football Club v. twenty High School boys, was played on the South Dunedin Recreation Ground on Saturday. The weather was all that could be desired, but the ground was damp, and that, coupled with the fact that this match has been postponed for several weeks owing to the weather, no doubt accounted for the small attendance of visitors. After considerable delay, caused by the players of the Dunedin Football Club not having put in an appearance, it was resolved to play the match with such substitutes as were on the ground, and at last fourteen men were must red. The captain of the High School Football Club (Mr Thomson) having won tim toss, elected to defend the south goal, a s rong south-west wind being in his favor, ami the ball was kicked off at 3 p.m. Aft r nearly < n hour’s struggle the first goal was won for the High School by Black, through the carelessness of the other side, who had no man in goal. Sides wore then changed, ani it was soon apparent that the boys had very little chance, as in ten minutes a goal was obtained for the Dunedin Football Club by Dennison, the wind being now in their favor. Sides were again changed, but when time was called no goal had been obtained, though it was evident that it was only a matter of time, as several tries were had and missed owing to the wind, and the High School boys were penned up in their goal nearly all the time. A great deal of time was again lost in disputes as to the rules, and those who strictly adhered to them were decidedly the exception ; and we cannot compliment the High School boys on the conversation used by some of them, which, we are informed, did not reflect to their credit. The Dunedin Football Club will have to play a great deal better, or we shall be inclined to hold them very cheap. We should recommend a great deal more attention towards placing men in the field and generally looking after them than was displayed on Saturday. Mr J. C. Thomson acted as umpire to the satisfaction of both sides. We believe the match for next Saturday will be between sides to be chosen from among the members of the Club by the captain and deputy-captain on the ground.

A summoned meeting of the Court Pride of Dunedin, A.0.F., will be held in the Old Masonic Hall, to-morrow (Tuesday evening), at eight o'clock. Mr James Smith has consented, in compliance with a generally expressed desire, to re-deliver the lecture on “ Wit and Humor ” in the hall below the Athenaeum to-morrow (Tuesday) evening at 8 o’clock. Mr J. Cargill will meet the electors this evening at the Imperial Hotel at 7 o’clock, and at the Peacock at 8.30 ; tomorrow (Tuesday) evening at the Caledonian Hotel at 7 o’clock, and at the Maitland Hotel at 8.30. Committee meet at the Imperial Hotel every evening at 6.30. Mr Eossbotham will address the electors of South Ward at the Royal Hotel to-morrow (Tuesday) evening, at 8 o’clock ; on Wednesday evening, at the Peacock Hotel, at 7.30 ; and at the Maitland Hotel at 8.30. Mr Kossbotham’s committee meet nightly at Watson’s Royal Hotel.