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Evening Star, Issue 2928, 8 July 1872, Page 2

Honors. — A. late Indian telegram states that Mr J. Cracroft Wilson, U.B. of Cashmere, has been created a Knight of tho Star of India, Invercargill and Mataura Railway.— Instructions have been sent by the Government to Mr Thomas Calcutt, requiring him to proceed at an early date to Southland to purchase the whole of the land forth e above line. Princess Theatre.— “ The (Striking of the Hour” and the farce of “In possession,” were played on Saturday evening, to a "ood house ; ami are announced for repetition tins overling, To-morrow night Miss Flora instead will make an appeal to the public. Since the the atre Iras b in under its present management, Miss Anstcxd nas undertaken leading business; and the manner in which she has sustained the principal characters in some excellent dramas and comedies is ample proof of her Ingh and versatile talent. That she Iras secured a largo number of admirers and friends, w r e feel sure ; and we hope that the patrons of the theat e will show their appreciation of

her efforts to please by rallying round her to-morrow night. Mr Brogden’s Laborers. —Mr Brogden has not got his laborers on such cheap terme as we were first led to suppose, in the first place, the Messrs Brogden had to provide them with passages ; in the second, they had to furnish them with outfits, varying from a cost of L2 to L 7 ; they pay their fares to London ; find them bedding and mess utensils, and lastly guarantee them work in this Colony for two years at 5s a day. In some cases the men leave their wives and families behind them, and the latter receive 12s a week while the men remain in Messrs Brogden’s employ. The men are at liberty to work for other cmp’oyers before the two years expire on paying what they owe to Messrs Brogden.

The Gas Dispute. —The dispute between the City Council Land Mr Hankey was to-day dragged into the Mayor’s Court. At the last meeting of the Council the permission which had been accorded the leesce of the gas works to open the streets, was revoked, pending a settlement of the present differences between the parties ; and two workmen who subsequently opened up the footpaths to lay new pipes or repair old ones, were summoned as an indication of the Council’s determination tocarry* cut its intention. Theinfraction ef the law was virtually admitted ; but c unsel differed as to the nature of the proof necessary to bring under j udical notice the bye-law establishing the offence. Mr .Smith, who appeared for the Corporation, proved, through the Town Clerk, that all things rendered necessary by the Municipal C rporations Act of 1867, by virture of which the byc-law was made, had been done ; but Mr Cook centra argued that there had not been strict proof—that the newspapers in which the bye-law should be and were advertised had not been produced of those things ; and further that the case must fail because the Mayor being a party interested had in issuing the summon?, committed 'a judicial act. Being overruled on all points, Mr Cook admitted there was no defence, but took occasion to observe that it was very unfortunate, to say the least of it, that the dispute between the Corporation and Mr Hankey should have been discussed in the Mayor’s Court, It was a very unfortunate attempt to coerce Mr Hankey into signing the contract. Mr Hankey was ready to carry out his pledge with the citizens ; but he objected to entering into any contract with the Corporation binding him to do so; and anything they might do would not alter his determination on that point. Mr Watt, who was the presiding magistrate, in giving judgment, said that the gas dispute had been unnecessarily imported into the case by Mr Smith. The offence was fully proved, and he had nothing to do but inflict a fine, and one of 5s and costs would meet the requirements of the ease, A second case was withdrawn; but Mr Cook allowed it to be understood that that adjudicated upon would most likely ba carried into a higher Court.

The days and hours for weekly drill of the Dunedin Volunteer Artillery, will be in future as follow':—Tuesdays at 7.30, and Fridays at 8.30 p.ra. A lecture, under the auspices of the Dunedin Mutual Improvement Society, will be delivered in the hall below' the Athemeum by the Hon. Major Richardson, to-raorrow (I uesday) evening, at eight o’clock. Mf J. Bathgate will occupy the chair.