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Evening Star, Issue 2999, 28 September 1872, Page 2

Band of Hope.—A second concert, in aid of this Society’s life and drum band, was held in the hall below the Wesleyan Church last evening, and w r as well attended. Singing, recitations, and instrumental music were included in the programme, which was carried out to the evident satisfaction of those present.

Political.-—A meeting of the electors of the Waikari Provincial district was held last night in the Presbyterian school house, Maori Hill ; Mr Hodges in the chair. It was unanimously agreed to request Mr Driver to allow himself to be nominated in room of Mr Maca sey, who has resigned as member for the district. It was resolved by the meeting to do everything to secure M r Driver's return, should he consent to stand. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. A. Decided Saving.—Wc understand that, at the instance of his Worship the Mayor, the manager of the Union Bank has reduced the charge for the Corporation overdraft to seven per cent, 'l'his is one per cent, less than has been ch rged hitherto at this establishment, and three per cent, less than was formerly paid by the Corporation when the account was at the Bank of Utago. Seeing the Council’s account is generally overdrawn from L(),000 to LS,OOO, the saving per annum will amount to a considerable sum.

Princess Theatre. —Mr Hesfonl’s benefit was well attended last evening, when the “Lily of the Desert” was presented. We do not think much of the piece, but the acting of the principal characters deserves a word of praise. Miss Flora Anstoad took the part of Baila, the Lily, and played it with her usual care and success. Mr Hcsford impersonated Ibrahim, the Arab chief, and received a eall before the curtain, and in a few words thanked the audience for their presence. Mr Thorpe, as Lient. Camille, and Mr Bower, as Lieut. Victor, both acquitted themselves well, the former gentleman receiving a well-merited round of applause for his acting in the closing scene. To mention the name of Mr Hydes, and that of Mr South—who has established himself

as a favorite—will, wo think, be sufficient guarantee that the parts placed in their hands were rendered well and amusingly. The other characters were filled by Miss Nye, Messrs Musgrave and Inglis. During the interval the Provincial Bra s Band played some pleasing selections ; after which Mr Jas. Brahme ascended to the diess circle by a wire rope. The song, “IN ell’s the Hello” was loudly encored, as was the (.'olden .Shoo Dance. The entertainment concluded with a local song by Mr Lovey, which was very well sung, and seemed to hit the taste of the audience.—To-night, Miss Colville, Mr Hoskins, and Mr Douglass will make their appearance in Bulwer’s play, '‘The Lady of Lyons.”

A False Alarm.— Our contemporary tho Daih/ Times should really be more careful than is its practice in giving currency to damaging paragraphs. The alarm concerning Hie cattle disease turns out, we arc happy to say, to be unfounded. Mr Logie, Chief Inspector of Sheep and Cattle, says that there is no reason for alarm respecting the disease among cattle reported in the Times of this morning It is merely a rnamje” no doubt, in the case referred to, brought on by starvation, and whi hj, by suffici' nt and proper feeding with a little attention, will not be heard of in a few weeks, Manv similar eases occur annually through scarcity of food.

Concert. -The completion of the head-quarters drill shed was celebrated by a concert an 1 ball in the shed last evening. It is belev. .1 that there Were between live and six hundred beople present; and the room, which was dressed with flags with exoee 1in<dy good taste, had a tine appearance. The conceit was only passable, as many of the vocalists showed a decided want of practice. Miss Webb was the lady vocalist, and was very successful in her songs. Mr Towsey presided at the piano, and the Battalion band played selections at intervels, besides occupying the orchestra, during the dancing, for which a large number remained. A good programme was furnished ; and tho post of M.C. was satisfactorily undertaken by Captain Jamieson. The Telegraph.—There are now open in New Zealand 2135 miles of telegraph (exclusive of 50 miles of the incomplete Patea and New Plymouth line, and others in construction), making 3823 miles of wire. The expense of erecting these, together with the cost of the submarine cable, has been L 187,072 19s 2d. The new lines constructed during the year are—From Tauranga to Kati Kati, from Christchurch to from Nelson to Motueka, and from Kati Kati to Grahamstown. The lino between Patea and New Plymouth has been continued for 22i miles, and will, it is hoped, be completed during the current ymw. To meet the press of business between Dunedin and Oamaru a third wire has been run between those places, and will, when necessary be continued to Christchurch. The lines in cour.-e of construction are —From Leithfield to Waiau, from Grcymouth to Keafton, from Grahamstown to Coromandel, and from Invercargill to Winton.

Accident — We regret that about one o’clock tills morning an accident happened to Robert Macpherson, the contractor for sinking a shaft at Mr Pollock’s coal pit at Green Island. He was descending the new shaft, now sunk to a depth of about eighty lu Uili uouol jr, ocul/c.X In «. tub tached to a whim worked by a horse, when the gearing appears to have slipped, ami the tub in which ho was seated descended unrestrained to the bottom. (Mr Poilock was immediately called, and by his arrangements Maopherson was speedily drawn to the surface. No bones are broken although he has suffered a terrible shock and complained of pain about the libs. He is under medical care, and hopes are entertained that his rapid descent will not result in any permanent injury The man who usually drove was off duty' and the horse was in charge of Macpherson’s son.

Filling up of Castle Street.—At noon to-day a deputation from the City Council, consisting of the Mayor, Councillors Barnes, Neale, and Walter, waited upon his Honor the Deputy-Super ntendeut, and brought to his notice several City works, for which the assistance of the prisoners was asked, the principal being the filling up ol Castle street. In connection with it, it was explained that the Covcrninont had promised to m ;ke the street to the width of 22i feet, and raise it to a certain height ; the making of it to that width it was doing, but it was not carrying out the height arranged, the level throughout being reduced something like fifteen inches ; hut to that the Corporation did not object, as properly holders interested did not find fault with it. The object of the deputation was to urge upon the Government the desirability of wulonidg the street to its full width of 6(i feet, and in favor of the proposal a memorial from the inhabitants in the neighborhood was read. It referred to the importance of the work, as Castle street was likely soon to become a busy thoroughfare, and to the beneficial ell cot of its completion on sanitary grounds. The subscribers to the memorial agreed to contribute L7O towards the cost of the work. The Corpora! ion considered by the Government (reducing the level it was entitled to have tie sweet widened to 30 or 40 feet, under the original agreement; while to carry out the work to its full width would have the Gleet of making a decided improvement to the City, and at the same time enable the Government to reclaim the laud between the street line and railway line, as the Corporation would in that case agree to a further reduction of the levels of its sections on Bell Hill, thus placing at the disposal of the Government a larger quantity of stud' than they were entitled to get. As all the materials were now' on the ground, the work could be easily carried out, while if it were delayed for any length of time, its cost would lie greatly increased. The Corporation was also willing to guarantee any extra amount required for material and horse hire, so that all the Government had to do was to furnish the labor. His Honor said he had gone over the work, and agreed wuth all that had been said about the importance of carrying it out. But the serious difficulty was as to the disposal oi the prisoners. The Government was under contract to fill up the sections between the Stuart and Rattray street jetties, and that must be done at all cost ; and they had made, he believed, a half-promise to till in the sections between Castle street and the distillery, for which the owners h-.d undertaken the full cost of the work. (The Mayor here remarked that the latter work could be done at the same time as that asked for by the Corporation.) However, lie was favorably disposed towards the worJ, and would lay the matter before

the Executive at its first meeting. The deputation also brought under his Honor’s notice the unfinished state of the work done by the prisoners at the Southern Recreation Ground and old Botanical reserve. The tenth ’quarter of the Gill’s Provincial School will commence on Monday next. Entrance examination at 10 o’clock. The opening of Murray’s circus is postponed until Monday evening, in consequence of the inclement weather. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Commercial Building and Investment Society for receiving subscriptions, &c., will be he'd on Monday evening, from 6 to 8 o’clock.