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Evening Star, Issue 2911, 18 June 1872, Page 2

Mayor’ Court. —The business today comprised three charges of drunkenness, and the offenders, who were severally named David Buchanan, Joseph Dickson, and Joseph Brown, were each fined ss.

The Place for Game.—A proof of the quantity of game to be found in Canterbury was given a few days ago by three sportsmen, who in two days made up the following bag:—so brace of wild pigeons, 30 brace of ducks, 20 brace of dottrel, 10 brace of stilts, and 10 brace of waterhens.

Princess Theatre, —Craven’s comedy of “ Goals of Fire” was produced last evening to au averagely fair audience, by whom it was well received. We did not see the play in its entirety, and will reserve our notice of it until we have seen it repeated this evening. The management have in active preparation “No Thoroughfare.”

Police Pay in Westland.—A correspondent calls our attention to the following rate of pay passed by the County Council in January last :—lnspector in charge, L 350 per annum ; Sub-Inspector, L3OO ; SergeantMajor, 14s per diem ; first-class Sergeants, 12s per diem ; second-class Sergeants, 11s 6d ; third-class Sergeants, 11s ; Mounted Constables, 10s 6d ; Foot Constables, 10s ; Detectives, 14s ; Female Searchers, Is 6d. Evangelical Services.—The first of the series of united services was held in Knox Church, last evening. There was a large attendance, and the Rev. Dr Stuart presided. The speakers were the Revs. A. Reid, J. Williams, J. Govv, and Blake. The second service of the series will be held this evening, at St. Andrew’s Church, when the rev. Messrs Williams, and Roseby will deliver addresses, Supposed Castaways.—His Honor the Superintendent to-day received a telegram from Riverton, intimating the return of the sealing party from the West Coast. The scalers report seeing much wreck near Carsewell Sound, and that when leaving Thomson Sound they heard thereportof a gun. They made a brief search, but being short of provisions had to come away. Mr T. Daniel, iVI. P. C., who is about to visit Bligh Sound in the schooner Awarua, intends to make a search for castaways.

Singular Phenomenon. —A singular meteorological phenomenon occurred at the Bluff on Thursday night. During a heavy squall, accompanied with sleet, a light, resembling a ball of fire, of a bluish red color, was seen at the extreme point of each of the spars of the vessels lying at the jetty. The same phenomenon was exhibited on the tops of many of the trees on Bluff Hill, Sailors give the name of “ corbizants” to these lights. It is the first time they have been seen by the residents at the Bluff; but their appearance on vessels’ yards and mastheads at sea in heavy gales is no unusual occurence. Unusual Discovery. —On the Gth iust. there was found in the garden of Mr Campbell, Spey street, Invercargill, a coffin which measured about a foot in length, the contents of which, on examination by Dr Grigor, proved to be the remains of a child who had either reached maturity or nearly so, and must have been buried four or five years. The discovery appears to have caused some excitement in the locality; but the enquiries set on foot by the police established the fact that the house had four years ago Veen occupied by a woman who had been delivered of 1 a still-born child, which her husband buried in the garden referred to.

Novel Contrivance. —A novel instrument called a “ Pedometer,” and intended for the purpose of measuring the distance covered by a person in walking, is now on view in Christchurch, It is an English

invention, and is of a. very simple character. The mechanical portion is enclosed in a watch case, which has a dial,, on which quarter miles and miles up to twelve are marked. The mechanism consists of a lever working upon a small wheel, which communicates with a hand that revolves round the dial. The instrument is suspended on the thigh, and as each stop is taken the lever moves up and down. This causes the small wheel to revolve, and the hand making a corresponding movement around the dial, the miles covered are registered. The instrument is in a silver case, the size of an ordinary watch.

An Unexpected Result. Many of our readers will remember the Victorian case of Clarson v. Blair, in which an elderly lady sought to recover damages from a medical man for an alleged criminal assault, and which terminated in the medico’s favor, the verdict of the jury having been him. Clarson has new succeeded in inflicting a certain amount of punishment upon Dr Blair. Mr Clarson having alleged his inability to satisfy the verdict in the case, the point was raised that a judge has no power to commit the plaintiff in an action under the debtor’s law, the Act only dealing with noncomplying defendants. The j dge before whom the case was tried virtually admitted this defect in the Act by refusing to adjudicate upon it, and the costs of the action fell upon Dr Blair ; therefore the verdict of the jury has been reversed in a way wholly uncontemplated. The Sea Encroachments at Westport.—The “sad sea waves” are s'ill by slow but sure degrees fulfilling the work of destruction at Westport. On the west side of Gladstone street a gap now exists, where familiar buildings so lately stood—suggestive of most unpleasant forebodings as to the impending fate of adjoining properties. Following the sudden disappearance of the Empire Hotel, every building in the corner block has been pulled down, the houses on the south side of Freeman street carted away in fragmentary condition, and the sea at high water now washes, with steady encroachment, a curved line of broken ground, extending from what remains of the recent site of the Bank of New South Wales melt-ing-house to Munson’s cottage, at the rear of M'Farlane’s Hotel. The conclusion arrived at by those who, from long residence at Westport, should be enabled to form a competent opinion, that at no distant date the removal of all the buildings on the west side of Gladstone street will be compulsory, Westport Times. Produce of Otago Goldfields, — A valuable Treasury return was laid on the table of the Provincial Council last session, showing in detail the several quantities of gold received (per escort) monthly for the two years ending 31st March, 1872, from the various fields in the Province. It also gives the total quantity received from each place during each year, which wc gave in May last; and the total quantity received each month from the whole places together. These totals are as follow, the monthly yields being : 1870 1, April, 11,1820z 7dwt; May, 14,5720z 18dwt; June, 8.8360z 4dwt; July, 9,0610z Bdwt ; August, 11,1150z 18dwt ; September, 94270z Idwt; October, 16,074 oz 13 dwt ; November, 14,542 oz 6 dwt ; December, 16,128 oa 15 dwt ; January, 19,235 oz 12 dwt ; February, 14,6290z 7dwt; March, 11,0210z 17dwt; total, 156,1300z 16dwt. 1871-2 — April 11,61G0z 12dwt; May, 11,G050z 13dwt; June, 14,9530z 2dwt; July, 11,2860z 13dwt; August, 8,3370z lOdwt; September, 14,2290z IGdwt; October, 13,G590z 15dwt; November. 14,3600z 4dwt; December, 14,5980z 15dwt; January, 17,8140z Gdwt; February, 13,7270z Bdwt; March, 9,8370z sdwt; total, 156,0260z 19dwt. Literary and Dramatic Gossip.— From dramatic gossip in our exchanges we learn that Mr and Mrs George Darrell were publicly presented with addresses at the Victoria Theatre, Sydney, on the occasion of a bespeak performance of “ Money ” by some gentlemen amateurs. Mr and Mrs George Darrell are at present making a professional tour through the country districts of New South Wales. Whilst proceeding from Orange to Carcoar an accident happened to their conveyance (a mail coach and three horses), which nearly resulted very seriously. As it was, Mr Darrell received a severe bite on the arm from one of the maddened animals. At Wagga Wagga several admirers presented them with an address, and a diamond and emerald ring to Mrs Darrell.—ln consequence of the burning down of the Theatre Royal, Melbourne, a large number of members of the theatrical profession are out of employment, and considerable distress exists in consequence. Signor Coliva, of the Cagli Opera Troupe, is advertising an infallible cure for rheumatism.— George Augustus Sala, editor of the Telef/raph, is going to visit the colonies on a lecturing tour, and is expected to arrive in Adelaide about Christmrs.—MrD. Kennedy, the famous Scotch vocalist, whose entertainment, “The Songs of Scotland,” has been one of the staple amusements of Scotland for many years, sailed on the 13th of March, for Melbourne, in the ship Ben Lodi.—Mr Tom Hood, editor of Fun, and contributor to the principal literary journals in Great Britain, intends to commence a lecturing tour through Great Britain, America, and Australia. His series of discourses will be on the life and works of his father—a subject that Hood Jils has had in hand for some time.

The Town Clerk, by advertisement, announces that the Citizens’ 801 l for 1872-73 may now be inspected at the City Counpil Chambers, Manse street, and that any person whose name may have been omitted, but who may be entitled to be enrolled, may claim to have his name inserted in the Eoll. Blank forms of claims can be obtained at the Town Clerk’s office, where they must be lodged on or before July 3rd.