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Evening Star, Issue 3012, 14 October 1872, Page 2

Something Like a Contest,—The Egmont election w'as about the most closely contested election that has ever, taken place in the Colony. There were only 266 electors on the roll, of whom 41 were cither absent or disqualified. All the rest, with the exception of 21 who did not go to the poll, voted. Personal.—A South Australian contemporary writes :— Amongst the passengers who have arrived in Melbourne by the Great Britain is Mr Anthony Forster, formerly one of the proprietors and Editor of the Ikyistcr, and a member of the Legislative Council. We understand Mr Forster intends settling in New Zealand. The Chathams. —An Auckland telegram says “ The Chatham Island affair is not believed to he so serious as at first supposed. The quarrel has arisen from a laud dispute. The scattered nature of tho homesteads has been the chief cause of the alarm. Mr Lanauzc, the Resident Magistrate at the Chatham Islauds, has been dismissed for leaving his post without orders. ” Submarine Mining. —Mr Nuilall, the representative of the New Zealand .Submarine Gobi Mining Company, appears to have been very successful in his tour through the gold districts. At Mount Ida and the Lakes, the matter has been warmly taken up, and a considerable number of shares have been sold. At Queenstown the people were quite enthusiastic, and speculated liberally. Provincial Show.—The chairman (Mr J, A. iouglas) at a meeting of the Committee of the Waikouaiti and Shag Valley Agricultural aud Pastoral Association held on Friday last, stated that the sum proposed to be distributed in prizes at the Provincial Show to be held in Dunedin is LIOOO. We have not heard whether any steps arc being taken to assist in making up such a handsome amount from this district. We apprehend that something should be done towards the object of having a General Provincial Exhibition of stock and agricultural productions. Political. The Tlmano Oazetlo mentions as an on dit, that in the case of a dissolution of Parliament, Dr Fisher and Mr Moorhouse will come forward to represent the Timaru and Gladstone districts. Certainly, no better men could be found, being men of large experience, -well versed in political matters, and staunch supporters of Mr Vogel’s policy of progress, on which the future prosperity of the Colony so much depends. These gentlemen arc very popular, and no doubt they will be returned if it comes to a contest, which, however, wc scarcely think likely. Legal. —A want which lias been long and severely felt by the bar of tins Colony is a periodical containing colonial law reports and other information of interest to the profession. The expediency of supplying that want was recently brought under the notice of the leading members of the profession here, and the result is a suggestion for the publication of a periodical to be based on the model of the English Law Times , and to be equal in size to the monthly numbers of the Law Times Rejmrts. The Neio Zealand Law Times will be its title, and the first number is announced to appear in April next. The names of its editorial managers—Messrs Macassey, Haggitt, and G. Cook—are sufficient guarantee of the thorough reliability of the proposed work, which w r e feel sure will, on issue, be largely supported by those to whose interests it is to be devoted.

Further Experiments with New Zealand Hemp.— Mr C. Thorne, of Mark Lane, London, writes to*the Secretary of the Canterbury Flax Association, on July 24, as follows “Mr Forbes has just_ finished some very nice damask towelling—in all 142 yards —and about 2fi yards of really good linen. Both these fabrics were male entirely from native dressed pbormium, for Dr Feathorston, to whom I have to-day sent them. The fibre I alluded to, in my letter to you of May 17, as having been prepared by me, and sent to Mr r'orbes, for his own ns. s, has been mixed by him with other llax-bemp, whereby he has improved the appearance of the yarn, and strengthened it at the same time, il e found my fibre so good that he has given me i (bid) sixpence halfpenny a pound for it (this is for the line or long flax), and says, if 1 could supply him with large quantities of similar fibre, at this prices, he should very much like to have it. This, you sec, is LOO los 4d per ton. There is still prejudice manifested by other manufacturers towards this fibre, but it is bound eventually, if properly softened, to take up a position for itself.” The Dock Quarry.—A heavy fall of surface stone took place yester lay afternoon at the quarry immediately above the Graving Dock. About two-thirds of the mass fell into the quarry and on to the road loading to Hansford Bay. A largo clock, about I.2ft x 12ft, and on an average nearl • 4ft deep, crossed the road, passed down the sideling, cleared the space at the foot of the hill, broke through the dock fence, and finished its course by swerving on to the back of a small house, the property of the Dock Company, which at the time was fortunately unoccupied. Two ladies were passing the spot at the time, but the noise made by the falling stone warned them in time to enable them to get out of the way. The expenditure of a few pounds will cover the damage done. It is extremely fortunate that it is so, for the road traversed by the stone is frequented by the public ; and had not the avalanche been checked by the Dock fence aud the yielding ground inside of the enclosure, a few more turns would have caused the stone to fall on board thea.s. Wallabi, now in the Dock, with crushing force. Had the fall taken place on Saturday, a party of men working at the quarry would have been crushed almost beyond the possibility of escape. The Corporation of Port Chalmers should see to this, as about three years ago a fatal accident occun-ed at the same spot. Princess Theatre. —The last dramatic elfoit of Sheridan’s genius, “The Critic” —a production that was intended to be a satire on a rival author (Cumberland) whose peculiarities were happily hit off in that compound of arrogance and self-conc fit, Sir Fretful Playgiary—constituted the feature of Saturday’s bill. When it was first produced it was prophesied that Cumbcrlaud’s works would delight and edify remote generations, when this attempt to render him contemptible would have lost its point and be forgotten. So far from being realised, Cumberland’s plays are scarcely known to us, while of “ The Critic” is has been admirably observed that, “although the parties at whom the sarcasms were levelled are not even thought of, and although the passages which are’ridiculed are scarcely known to exist, it proves attractive, and mirth aud merriment are called forth by every scene of a burlesque, which has neither plot, nor character, nor moral to develop. The audience troubles itself not for a single instant to comprehend the hidden meaning with which each scene is pregnant; it enters into a joke, which one would imagine would only be intelligible to those who study dramatic lore; for “The Critic” is as much a satire upon the plays of the present day, as it was upon those of the generation just passed away.” The extravaganza could not have been better cast than it was on Saturday night, nor could it have been more successfully performed. Mr Hoskins’ Puff must be seen to be realized ; and in justice to the other performers, it must be said that they were all well up in their parts. To-night, the “Octoroon,” for which Mr Willis has been busy with his pencil during the past week, is to be played.

The anniversary tea meeting in connection with the Congregational Church, Moray place, will be held to-morrow (Tuesday) evening. A special summoned meeting of the Antidote Division, No. 78, of the Sons of Temperance will be held in the Division Room, Moray place, this (Monday) evening, at 7-30. We observe the social gathering of the Dunedin Mutual Improvement Society takes place in the Oddfellows’ Hall on Wednesday evening next. As a guarantee that the tables will be well served, we need only mention that Mr R. K, Murray is caterer.